Reviews

The strongest aspects of this movie is the visual quality and the dark and suspenseful atmosphere they made for the kids. These are both masterfully done. The project when making this movie seems to be a blend of Super Mario nostalgia, lore building and creating an experience that will enhance the experience of all things Mario. The big challenge in such a project is to balance all the references with the need to make a coherent story that can stand on its own feet. I believe they are rather successful in overcoming this challenge and keep the movie within a 90 minutes format. I guess this must have been a really hard for the producers, also knowing that Super Mario Odessey (the game) does combine nostalgia and the story experience absolutely brilliantly, but in a different format. I also appreciated the adaptations done to fit the film into contemporary social commentary. As such, the movie feels empowering, emphasizing trust and friendship, failing and learning. The aspects of failing and learning function as the overarching mantras from gaming to movie. And the mantras can be summed up in: "Do not give up! Try again!". Some examples of contemporary adjustments consists of moving away from the passive "Damsel in Distress" trope (referencing Princess Peach here, obviously), and reinventing Donkey Kong with a lot more depth and character. The kids, aged 7 and 11 landed on a solid 9 and 8, respectively. I landed on 7 as I expected a little more multilayered dialogue that caters to the adults, like you are used to from Pixar's animations.

The strengths here are the drama and the scenery, but it falls short on tempo and how plot twists are connected to the main storyline and cues. It's not like you would think "Of course! Why did I not think of that? That was clever!" Instead, it is like you watch some drama that you become invested in, but in the end, it does not matter much. So, they could have portrayed almost anything to provide filling time. Based on a book I haven't read, I cannot comment on the adaptation, but I strongly suspect you would not feel the same disconnect reading the book. Ultimately, this mini series feels unsatisfying as a murder mystery series, which unfortunately was my main expectation going in. But, if you just want some slow moving drama spiced with murder mysteries and a 70's collective imagery to go with it (and along with that, contentions on sexual liberty and political themes of the day), this is totally worth watching. And then you might land on a better rating as well.

The multiverse theme, the humor - both sardonic and relieving while also absurd and therapeutic, the cinematic brilliance, the boldness and the superb acting, it all came together in this masterpiece that I will watch again and again. I can't think of any movie that stitched together such a complex storytelling with this many layers and aspects, and made it work. It is truly an achievement that will be studied for a long time. I am so happy for all the appraisals this movie got, which will inspire future directors and producers to go places they previously would not dare to go. I have been waiting for a movie like this a long time. It is like a blend of cinematic and storytelling aspects of "Being John Malkovich", "The Matrix", "A clockwork Orange", "Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon" and "Turning Red", and then multiply the chaotic mess with 10. It is brilliant!

If you like horror movies, like myself, you've basically seen this before. You will be able to guess both particular events and the structure of the narrative including its end. And as such, it is a disappointment. I was hopping for some originality, but unfortunately everything unfolded as predicted. It is, however, well executed technically, and displays great craftsmanship. The acting is mainly good, but falls short in some instances, and that is not only due to the scripting of rather flat characters. (The mediocre parts in regard of acting were in fact annoying at times.) So, if you are not well versed in horror, will this movie satisfy your occasional need for something scary? Yes it will. It is a proper horror movie. For movie buffs, you can safely skip this one.

Our kids wanted to watch this the second time, and we (the parents) were promised we would definitely love it. The oldest boy warned we should prepare for a cringe fest beyond compare, and he was not even sure if he would be able to sit through a second watching. (He wasn't.) But we can't wait for the day he will be able to digest this movie's message in full. A truly remarkable achievement from Pixar (again). This movie represents many good talking points for closing gaps in understanding between generations, genders, and cultures. Entertaining on multiple levels, making it very enjoyable for the adults as well.

The premises of The Unforgivable is interesting and keep you invested to the end. But the end comes early, like it was a summary from a much more interesting series. So I was left a bit disappointed in the end, and it all boils down to the format, which does not cater for nearly enough character development. If you are a appreciating series over films in general, you must put aside your expectations for character development and accept a more minimalist approach and a development focused solely on the main character. Accepting these constants, the film is well worth watching, with good acting and a highly appreciable storyline.

It was quite disappointing to realize this film did not stand the test of time like I thought it would. It is hard to actually know where to begin. This is a classic, no doubt, and as such it is remembered for all the classic elements hailed at the time of release: shooting scenes, reckless driving, macho "hetero drama", all which now are cliches. In fact, by today's standards, this movie would very much be labeled as a failed project, and would pass as pastiche, and even in bad taste. I am afraid it would be ridiculed by the press who would pick up on a plethora of mistakes ranging from bad composition and plot incoherence to straight up bad acting and utter nonsensical scenes, overlooking glimpses of brilliance. So, approach this movie as a classic from the past, and just let go with it. Then you might, by good will and nostalgia, land on a 7 as well. If you've seen it before, let fond memories be fond memories, and go watch something else.

Solid work, but there are some issues that are more forgiving if you are already considering going to bed. Very graphic scenes will keep you awake and plot holes will go unnoticed. Solving progress is explained through dialogue, so you won't be kept in the dark for too long. The search for the motivations are more interesting than the actual solving of the case. And the series is also set up structurally for guesswork on motifs, or rather the reason for them. I see more negative reviews from viewers that focus more on the case solving, penalizing plot holes and predictability, so keeping the psychological motives in mind will perhaps cater for a better viewing experience. (And the connection between the narrative motifs and psychological motives are very nicely done.) Depending on your taste, there was room for more character development and interpersonal drama. It is undoubtedly hard to balance the multiple storylines, which this series failed to do. So, for me I felt the series was a bit underdeveloped and rushed compared to the best of Nordic noir. Hence the plot holes become more pronounced, and for that I had to cut two stars, barely an eight. Good acting, atmosphereric and grim, but not worthy of a binge.

One thing I was sure of, was that the Battle Royale genre was ridden with poor scripting and substandard acting, so I never did watch any of them. And having heard Squid Game being heaped together with Battle Royals I couldn't care less about, I begun watching with low expectations. And what a horribly pleasant surprise it was! You'll get character depth and story structures you wouldn't expect from the genre. Maybe it won't live up to the hype for Battle Royal aficionados, but for the casually curious ones, you need not to worry that this will be a waste of your time. I gave 10 out of 10 as Squid Game expands the survival horror genre in general, and obviously raises the bar for the sub genre of Battle Royals.

Could have been 10/10, but had to cut two stars for two very forgivable mistakes, one of credibility in one episode, and the other for the story structure, but all in all a solid eight. Excellent acting, nice pitching of motifs rolling throughout most of the series that keep you guessing and have second thoughts, which is brilliant of course. I see many reviews penalizing heavily on certain accounts, but come on, this is solid work, all in all.

I gave 2 stars because the kids laughed once and the youngest kid hid his face behind a pillow once. I wanted to give credit for that. None of us really wanted to sit through this whole misery of a movie. It's been a principle to see the whole movie once we have settled for one. This movie has changed that. It is OK to stop watching even if you are more than half through. I want to give credit for that also. It is kind of a display of how to not make a movie, an installment, a piece of entertainment or just simply a story. I feel sorry for whoever talented people who was part of this production and now has to be associated with this anticipated, but nevertheless surprisingly anticlimactic forth installment of Home Alone. I recommend this movie for anyone who has an academic interest in failed films.