cedricdumler's Reviews

Rise of the Planet of the Apes (2011)

10/10

The best franchise reboot ever made. A Sci-Fi classic!

22 May 2024

Rise of the Planet of the Apes is a perfect start to this outstanding Apes-Reboot Franchise. It is undoubtedly the best reboot of a franchise ever made. The film manages to weave an engaging narrative, brilliant characters, and a compelling origin story about Caesar.

The movie breathes fresh life into the franchise, while remaining faithful to the 1968 classic and its mythos. The epic ape vs. Human battles are just a small part of what makes this film great. The writing is impeccable, with heart, depth, and emotion, and the performances of the entire cast, both CGI and non-CGI, are underrated.

Andy Serkis delivers a standout performance as Caesar. Which turned out to be one of the most complex and beautifully crafted characters in all of cinema history. Serkis' motion capture mastery is unparalleled. His portrayal deserved an Oscar, it is a shame that he never received one. James Franco, who I have never fully liked in his comedic performances, really shines in this movie. His acting is exceptional, and it is great to see him in a different role. John Lithgow, who has limited screen time, delivers his best pure performance yet. His portrayal of Charles, who suffers from Alzheimer's, is both scarily accurate and emotionally devastating.

The film's cinematography is stunning, ranging from expansive shots of San Francisco to the claustrophobic feel of Will's house and the Ape sanctuary. The writing shines in its characters and their relationships, with the main relationship between Caesar and Will, as well as the sub-relationships, being beautifully crafted.

Following Caesar's story is nothing short of epic. We follow his journey from his first steps to his angsty teenage phase, to becoming the leader of a revolution. Watching him struggle with being basically human in every way except physically. Then seeing him battle between his love for his family and his new love for his species. Heartbreaking and uplifting at the same time.

This movie means so much to me and is a massive part of my love for cinema. It is both fun and entertaining while being dark and emotional.

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Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes (2024)

9/10

Against all the odds: Wes Ball puts forth another Apes-Masterpiece!

19 May 2024

After seven years, Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes has arrived! It is no secret that the rebooted 'Planet of the Apes' films is my favorite trilogy of all time. So I was really nervous about this one. I am utterly relieved and happy to the core to say that the Apes-Reboot is now my favorite tetralogy of all time.

Kingdom doesn't reach the lofty heights of 'Dawn' and 'War'. However, Wes Ball has created something against all the odds that matches and at parts even excels the original origin story 'Rise'. Everything about this is far more refined and layered than I was expecting. It explores themes of modernisation, false idols, lessons of history, religion and flips the script on the previous 'reboot' films. For the first time we see the apes as the dominant species. The most crucial thing: Wes Ball manages to perfectly pay homage to what came before, while simultaneously building a beautiful new world, and introducing new interesting characters that we instantly care about.

The filmmaking of Kingdom fuels my love for movies. It makes me feel so much. I felt like I was a kid again seeing the Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy and Avatar again in the theater. The level of entertainment and unpredictability is marvelous.

Josh Friedman created a thematically complex spiritual Cameron-esque epic (he learned from the master himself!) We are thrust into the sprawling world and culture of the Planet of the Apes in a time after the rise and fall of Andy Serkis' history making turn as Caesar. Kingdoms opening scene pays homage to his character in a heartfelt, magical way. The landmark sci fi ape messiah then becomes the catalyst for a chillingly allegorical fable about the power of religion as both a source of enlightenment and corruption. It can be used as both a tool for education of the self...and the manipulation of others. Also present are the ethical quandaries of who claims rightful inheritance of the earth as humanity and apes struggle with co-existence.

Director Wes Ball carries the torch passed by Matt Reeves with admirable sophistication and skill of technique. The visual grandeur and articulate storytelling are punctuated by the tremendous work of the WETA special effects team. Apes and Avatar films simply are on their own level. Breathtaking.

Visually gorgeous, thematically rich, beautifully scored (a wonderful mixture of reocurring and new themes), brilliantly acted by Teague, Durand and Macon especially. Freya Allan is a promising addition to the human side of this franchise after Franco, Clarke, Oldman and Harelson.

I'm beyond excited as to where this franchise can go next. I am all in on another phenomenal trilogy or beyond.

Apes together strong.

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Challengers (2024)

9/10

Transforms any auditorium into a full-on rave.

17 May 2024

Absolutely electric - a sensual explosion for the senses. A brilliantly insightful examination of inexorable relationships, and psychosexual development. Guadagnino directed the hell out of this. Will undoubtedly settle among the most stylish and suspenseful releases of this this year (looking at you Alien: Romulus). A film that pulled me in and never let me go, with the relentless Reznor/Ross score reflecting in my ears during its most tense moments that transforms any auditorium into a full-on rave. Sayombhu Mukdeeproms cinematography is simply jaw-dropping. This could be used as masterclass in how to do cinematic storytelling that really uses it´s framing for the narration. The ways in which Mukdeeprom slowly sets the stage for his bombastic finale is insane. It's the perfect example of repeatedly using certain techniques, such as whacking tennis balls directly at the camera, over the course of the film. By the end, when he begins unleashing cinematic mayhem, the audience is honed into the style he's using. The stillness cutting through every racket swing. It's unavoidable. With a trio of actors performing at the top of their game. Josh O'Connor and Mike Faist in constant erotic and playful tension. Zendaya staring with Kubrickian intensity for 85% of the film as she moves through life waiting for anything to make her feel as good as tennis when it's the real thing. An absolute spectacle, filled with pride, desire, and malice. Never a dull moment, with something new around every corner. Not to mention that it has one of the most spectacular finales in recent years, tying everything together perfectly. The hairs on my neck stood up the entire time, and I was leaning forward in my seat, and when it was over, my bros and I stared at each other like - holy balls.

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Civil War (2024)

9/10

Capture. Shoot. Reload. Take the shot. - Is this the language of photography, or the language of war?

16 May 2024

Warning: Spoilers

Capture. Shoot. Reload. Take the shot.

Is this the language of photography, or the language of war?

I'm impressed by the various reactions over this films supposed "spinelessness" and that it had "nothing to say."

In fact, I think it has to say quite a lot. Civil War is a through and through meticulously crafted and a genuine masterful work.

For those saying it´s "a love letter to photojournalists". Did we watch the same film? At best, Alex Garland has written a cautionary tale; at worst, an indictment.

Civil War is a movie about the aestheticization of war violence. The photojournalists-far from being portrayed as the liberal's "ideal"-are solely self-interested, people gleefully capturing the carnage with one interest only: capturing the perfect image. Civil War will almost certainly play better with non-American audiences (or to Americans a decade from now).

As American filmmakers have, for decades, played with broader themes of war on the stages of other nation's conflicts (Apocalypse Now turning Vietnam into a Joseph Conrad myth) Alex Garland has taken the iconography of America (small towns, city violence, Lincoln Memorial, White House) and turned it introspectively into a study on how we capture images, and create myths.

We are placed in the perspectives not just of journalists, but of artists, people seeking to aestheticize, to romanticize. We are seeing through the eyes of the filmmakers who, like our protagonists, want to ignore the wider political conflict for the sake of capturing an image, a moment, a vibe. (With this it has lots in common with Jordan Peeles Nope)

In a very straightforward sense, the first two acts of Civil War are a damn tense and well-paced thriller with a crystal clear dramatic question and compelling characters performed with resonance. It's the final act where the film begins to morph itself into something even more convicting and challenging. I really felt personally confronted.

In certain tribal contexts, there is a superstition that taking a photograph can steal a person's soul or weaken their lifeforce. As enlightened moderns living in a digital age, we all find this concept silly; after all, we capture, share, and see photos on a daily basis in a way that has completely desensitized us to their meaning or process. We forget that behind every billboard, every stock image, every mid-roll ad, every instagram story, and every unsettling video of a violent act, there was a person with a camera pulling the trigger. And even though we are not all war photographers, we have access to more atrocious imagery at our fingertips every day than our ancestors could have dreamed of seeing in their lifetime. Perhaps the images we see do steal some of the soul of their subjects by trivializing, commercializing, and turning them into more "content" in our minds. And perhaps this process steals some of our soul, too.

Lee Smith (brilliant, Kirsten Dunst believes that her photos are objective. Unbiased. Apolitical. They are serving a public good: to expose truth and injustice and allow the public to ask questions after the fact. But isn't "shoot first, ask questions later" the same logic as a trigger-happy soldier? Lee says that her photos of foreign wars and atrocities were meant to send a message home to her own country: "don't do this". For Jessie (Cailee Spaeny, THE newcomer of 2024, mesmerizing as Priscilla, absolutely terrific here, and soon in Alien: Romulus), though, her takeaway from Lee's work was different: "I should be a war photographer". Regardless of the intention of Lee's images, their aesthetic value was too compelling, too inspiring - Jessie couldn't help but follow in her footsteps. Civil War becomes a redemption story for Lee and a cautionary tale for Jessie. Where Lee has always hung back and desensitized herself to violence to the point where she'd probably take photos of her own friends being murdered - in her final moments - she abandons her craft and saves a life. Jessie, meanwhile, is transfigured into the next incarnation in the cycle - completely desensitized and capable of getting the "money shot".

In effect, the general complaints about this movie-that it has nothing to say about politics, that it is uninterested in right-wing violence-is exactly the point. We have no interest in the consequences of a real civil war. We are in love with the idea of violence, of the iconography of it. The potential. The movie gives us the thrill of those consequences, and the terror, and says: "you kinda love this."

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Memories of Murder (2003)

8/10

A symphony of meaning.

4 May 2024

How the hell does a film this tonally absurd, with characters this slow and mostly unbearably cruel and hateful, manage to be so indescribably moving?

Transitioning from absurd satire of the carelessness and arrogance in dictatorship Korea to haunting and unique thriller with masterclass score and cinematography.

It's disturbing as well as laugh out loud funny and it will leave you shaken as soon as the credit rolls. The detective will gaze deep into your soul and you'll be left in a daze with a conundrum

Yeah Bong Joon-ho really is Mr. Symphony of meaning.

_____________ PS: Bong said in an interview that he knew the real killer (who was never captured) was going to watch the movie and that was his way of sending a message like "we'll never forget what you did. We know you're still out there." He titled it based off knowing the killer would see it and try to remember key details that happened vs what was in the movie.

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Interstellar (2014)

10/10

A transcendent experience of timeless beauty and endless innovation, the finest film ever made!

6 March 2024

Going to a film in a theater is an experience. Regardless if the film is good or bad, a masterpiece or a failure - when the lights go down - something magical occurs. The audience is taken to new places, they discover new ideas or feelings, and every few years or so, a film can shake your inner-being to your core.

Interstellar shook my inner-being to my core. I'm not kidding, exaggerating, or being hyperbolic; this film put me in a state that can only be described as transcendent, religious even.

Now, nearly one decade after it's theatrical release, and many rewatches later, it's still as transcendent as it ever was.

Simultaneously combining Spielbergian warmth with Kubrickian opaque mystery; Christopher Nolan's magnum opus astonishingly tells a story of intimate love and connection set against a backdrop of vast discovery and uncertainty. Never losing sight of constant themes that interweave throughout, the film tells a story of potent beauty and understated clarity, culminating in a work that never lets go of its big heart and its wild ambition.

All of the performances are spectacular, especially from Matthew McConaughey, Mackenzie Foy, Anne Hathaway and Jessica Chastain. McConaughey, my favorite actor of all time, brings one of the finest performances in movie history, unleashing a sensational amount of emotion that is necessary for establishing the film's infinite core. The scenes with him and Foy are beautiful, sublime, and simply stupendous; mainly because of the underlying layers that widen in retrospect. Anne Hathaway quietly stuns, with a prime example being a monologue on love that had me quietly weep to myself.

Nolans direction is beyond words. The wide-shots, the close-ups, the alien landscapes; the film is visually orgasmic. Trust me, you've never seen stars look so real. Hoyte Van Hoytema's cinematography is groundbreaking. We thought Wally Pfister will be missed, but he won't. The way the camera flows, combined with the slick editing by Lee Smith, makes up a visual EXPERIENCE that is easily the most visually stunning film EVER made.

Yet, it's the addition of Hans Zimmer's soundtrack that elevates the film into the stratosphere of modern cinema. Instantly becoming my favorite soundtrack of all time, and definitely one of the finest ever produced; Zimmer's work here is utterly holy and divine. Pairing with the immaculate imagery, the film releases a poetic feeling of tenderness and sterile majesty; highlighting our insignificance in the universe but our determination to overcome our limitations.

The story is the finest aspect of this breathtaking work. A journey of the most mind-blowing and impressive order; Christopher Nolan asks the audience to take a leap of faith to explore love, connection, intimacy, and the lengths we go for not just others, but all of humanity. It's all about a relationship between Father and Daughter. Nolan takes the most ambitious genre, hard science-fiction, and uses it to discuss why we love, and how love will get us further than anything else in our lives. It's wholly satisfying, pure, sweet, and stupendously emotional.

Interstellar is a masterwork, a film of timeless beauty and endless innovation. It is my favorite film of all time, and I can see it being that way until I settle down for the long nap. A transcendent and moving experience, Interstellar is the finest film ever made.

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The Zone of Interest (2023)

8/10

An unfathomably disturbing and shocking experience.

21 February 2024

No set in zooms, no 360 pans, no changes in focus, every shot perfectly still or slowly laterally tracking. No hold up microphones, no artificial lighting. A raw and untouched style of directing to completely immerse into the scenery. It makes all the sounds and visuals happening behind the fence, exponentially more horrific.

Ordinary family talk, girlfriend gossip during tea time. In the back: gun shots, screams for mercy and the sky soaked with smoke from the burning crematoriums. Over 105 minutes it went ice could down my spine. An unfathomably disturbing and shocking experience.

Masterful work by Jonathan Glazor. Splendidly acted by Sandra Hüller and Christian Friedel.

-The trouble with Eichmann was precisely that so many were like him, and that the many were neither perverted nor sadistic, that they were, and still are, terribly and terrifyingly normal. From the viewpoint of our legal institutions and of our moral standards of judgment, this normality was much more terrifying than all the atrocities put together- Hannah Arendt.

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Asteroid City (2023)

3/10

Robotic and pretentious cinema

21 February 2024

"Don't try to understand it. Just keep telling the story."

Scurrility of course is part of Wes Anderson's signature style and it worked well for some of his past works. With this, however, it feels as if Anderson reached his masturbatory self-parody phase.

Obviously, the production design, shot framing and score are all immaculate. I did appreciate the novelty of the play being the 'movie' and the conception of the play being told like a play. But that's about it.

Wooden dialogues are already part of his trademark, but here the dialogues seem so synthetic, as if they were actually created by a Kl. With few exceptions, the ensemble cast (incredible as it is) are clearly all stepping into a "Wes Anderson film" and performing as such and it all feels, literally, very one note. Everyone feels more like a caricature than an actual character. The only scene that really did something to me was the Margot Robbie encounter in the end, but that came way to late.

The entire narrative has a forbearing dullness to a conclusion that never delivers anything to chew on.

This isn't much more than a pretty postcard, without substance, forgotten by everyone but the refrigerator by Monday. Robotic and pretentious cinema. Not for me.

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The Dark Knight (2008)

10/10

An untouchable piece of fiction brought to life in unfathomably ground-breaking fashion.

3 December 2023

" You either die a hero, or you live long enough to see yourself become the villain"

Opening with a cunning master-show; a blisteringly devious bank heist that gives us the most iconic villain ever to grace the screen. A creepy Glasgow smile that keeps us up at night, spooking, haunting and endlessly projecting in our psyches for years and years, echoing from generation through generation. Everything holds up so well, in fact too well. The Dark Knight is a monolithic milestone of vigilante epicness, a hard-boiled crime noir masquerading as a PG-13 superhero movie, and a heroic ode for the ages.

Clap, Clap, Clap (in Joker's manner) for Nolan's ballistic nihilism, no holds barred mannerism and his spectacular vision has bequeathed us with multiple moral time-bombs, finely-tuned characterizations and dynamically explosive set-pieces: fake Batmans sequence, Harvey vs Rachel, 18-wheeler truck spinning and flipping upside down and Joker's brazenly blasting at the Batpod and so on. The villains have largely overpowered our hero in this one as darkness triumphantly cloaks up daylight, subverting the very foundation of comic-book genre, showing something we haven't seen before.

Similar to that magic pencil, The Dark Knight is relentless with its freakishly brutal power, casting an Abracadabra that's capable of knocking you out, mind-blown and ice cold on the floor. Dark and somber but equally rich in aesthetics, rainy Gotham City is as beautiful as it is immersive. So bleak there's almost no hope left and tensions are boisterously fueled by atmospheric dangers looming near, mercilessly raising the stakes up to 10000 degrees Celsius blazing fire. With many maze-like twists possessing such unpredictable nature similar to its crazy antagonist(s), this showdown is twistedly deranged, exciting and tragic in equal measures.

A film, so monumental, its impact cannot be understated. A film as bold and as ever-lasting as the immortal name it so tragically tells the story of.

An untouchable piece of fiction that brings great life to decades of graphic novel story-telling in unfathomably ground-breaking fashion. This is the power of undisputed directing champ Christopher Nolan.

He's Not Our Hero.

He's A Silent Guardian.

A Watchful Protector.

A Dark Knight.

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Napoleon (2023)

5/10

An emotionless juggernaut. The biggest disappointment of 2023.

1 December 2023

Okay so this was one of my most anticipated movies of the year, so it frustrates me to say that Napoleon is my biggest disappointment 2023.

I watched the film on the biggest IMAX screen in the world, in Leonberg, Germany.

The scale is massive, the set-pieces are unprecedented, all the designs are great, Dariusz Wolski's cinematography is sublime, the score is exquisite and of course Ridley Scott exactly knows how to direct big scale kabooms (the battle on the ice is fantastic). But what does it have to say that's actually interesting? Having one of the all time greats Joaquin Pheonix play a notorious general as a bit of an idiot and seeing Vanessa Kirby shine is enjoyable, but at least half of the movie feel lifeless and bland. Never obtaining a feel of Napoleon as a character or, more significantly, his leadership skills.

I'm sure the 4 hour cut is much better, but for now it's an unfocused, random, zero build up picture with moderate payoff.

To give an example for the messy structure: Napoleon meets Zar Alexander I. They share drinks, talk about their mutual hatred for great britain and how they are going to be brothers. Then cut to an unrelated scene and directly after that Napoleon reads a letter -my dearest Josephine, the Russian dude stabbed me in the back, I'm going off to conquer him-. I could literally sense the frowning in my theater. Napoleon meets Josephine; next scene: -I cannot live without you-. There's simply no time to grow those feelings, making it feel organic. No chance for the audience to get emotionally hooked on the story thanks to that unfocused scene flow.

Ridley Scott's (theatrical) Napoleon sadly is an emotionless juggernaut that uses its monumental battle sequences to hide the fact that it's a complete misfire in its attempt to explore anything personal between Napoleon and Josephine.

5,5/10.

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Prey (I) (2022)

8/10

If it bleeds, we can kill it. A franchise back to it's absolute best!

1 December 2023

Well, I'm simply stunned by Prey. It's a stripped-back, thrilling, personal story of survival against all the odds. Sarah Schachner's spectacular music captures the hunt perfectly and Jeff Cutter's stunning cinematography is a feast for the eyes. All the wide and eagle shots of landscapes and especially the image composition in the final fight blew me away. Simply majestic. The sound design is incredible. I loved the depiction of the comanche tribe. Director Dan Trachtenberg is a genius, breathing new life into the Predator franchise through his tight direction and genuinely fresh story that, while straightforward, is fantastic with lots of bloody carnage that never lets up. Amber Midthunder is single-handedly carrying this film on her back with a mesmerizing performance. I instantly rooted so much for Naru, this is character writing at its finest.

I had such a blast with Prey, not only for the shock and awe of the spectacular bloody action sequences but by Naru's engaging and captivating story of rebellion and courage. Prey is a prequel for the ages, and maybe the best movie in the whole franchise. Trachtenberg nails it. It's such a shame it has gone straight to streaming as this would make for one hell of a theatrical experience!

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The Marvels (2023)

3/10

A low point for the MCU. An utterly disappointing mess of a movie.

23 November 2023

Warning: Spoilers

I love this franchise to bits so it brings me absolutely no joy to report that this an absolute low point for the MCU and - after 33 movies - the first one that I really have to call bad.

The Marvels is so poorly conceived and ineptly executed that it not only makes this the worst movie of the MCU but a contender for the very worst superhero movies of all time. The Marvels does so little right that it's almost shocking to see it make it into theaters in this state and even more shocking to see the "Marvel Studios" label up front.

Carol Danvers, Monica Rambeau and especially Kamala Khan have all been enjoyable characters in their respective movies and TV series. So instead of benefiting from that and offering engaging storytelling, we get dozens of flashes, bangs, utterly bad dialogue, a frustratingly messy script and a mountain of completely soul- and senseless action scenes that bend together as a big chunk of nothingness. It feels like bunch of seven year olds worked with a 270! Million budget. Even weirder is that that The Marvel's is shot by Stephen McQueen's immensely talented cinematographer Sean Bobbitt. So yeah, the movie looks good. It's like a 270! Million dollar glass filled with, yeah you know what.

Of the cast, it's only Iman Vellani, as Marvel fangirl turned superhero Kamala Khan, who seems genuinely excited to be in the film. I feel bad for all the great actors in this (especially Sam Jackson, Brie Larson and Teyonah Parris) who tried breathing life into their characters but couldn't change the slightest about the mess they were cramed into.

Even cameos from MCU fan-favorites (Hailee and Tessa) and a huge Post-Credit swinger couldn't bring any excitement.

Dar-Benn is one of the worst written and acted villains I've ever seen.

In no possible universe can Kevin Feige be satisfied with this mess of a movie. You see how much love and passion went into Loki and you see they still know how to do it. The Marvels is the the grand example how to not do it. There's no art pounding heart inside. This does not even feel like a movie but a product. It feels like made and produced by people who have never read a Marvel comic book.

The Marvels rightfully becomes the first MCU flop, it will loose the studio around 150 million dollars. A clear sign by the audience: give us quality and we're there. Give as a big pile of trash and we won't show up.

NOW is the time to recalibrate. Less is more. Give the projects time. The future will show if this will remain only a chink in the once-impervious armor of the MCU - or if the biggest franchise of all time is about to have it's big downfall.

Deadpool 3 has the chance to bring back No Way Home-like quality and with that hype and excitement. I sincerely hope that will be the case.

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Barbie (I) (2023)

7/10

A subversive, vibrant and energetic cinematic event!

29 October 2023

Barbie is a vibrant and subversive film brought to life by Greta Gerwig with infectiously chaotic energy. The production design is exquisite and the cast is absolutely stacked with great actors and great performances.

Margot Robbie is magnificent and Ryan Gosling absolutely knocks it out of the park.

Gerwig and Baumbach have created a thematically rich satire that manages to be heavy-handed in its messaging, while sometimes feeling a tad bit too preachy it mostly satisfies. By taking an iconic IP like Barbie in such an unexpected and mature direction, this film is able to instantly crown itself a classic. In an era where Hollywood loved to play it safe, Barbie's boldness reminds us of the power of doing things differently and taking big swings. The film is little over-the-top at times, but it never stops being pure cinematic fun. In the second act the film looses itself a bit, which I think is due Gerwig wanting to make to many statements at once. But the third act puts the focus back on the central aspects and pulls some existencial strings. Gerwig manages to give a beautiful closure to the story while at the same time leave the audience with an uplifting message for BOTH genders.

As a man, I get why some would feel discomfort watching this movie, thats okay, but giving it a one star rating for that is absolutely ridiculous. This is a great crafted piece of cinema and no less. Greta Gerwig didn't intend to give a balanced perspective of men versus women with Barbie. She made a no-holds-barred unapologetic crazy ride of a rant about the real issues that women have faced since they were "allowed" to have "real jobs" and do the same things as men.

I love blockbusters that aren't afraid to take risks and Barbie is one of the most risky blockbusters in recent memory - and one that absolutely succeeds.

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The Killer (2023)

8/10

A rythmic, atmospheric, meditative and perfectly executed piece of Art!

27 October 2023

"Execution is everything"

is the tagline of The Killer and makes for a perfect meta-commentary that connects the essence of the film with the life's work of its director.

David Fincher is as meticulous in his filmmaking craft here as his main character is in his professional craft. The Killer could become the new handbook for "how to make a perfect looking film". A picture put on canvas, so thoroughly thought out and taken care of, I couldn't help myself while sitting in the theater but marvel over its execution and attention to detail. I literally had Goosebumps half the time because I was so gripped by the atmosphere and beauty that unfolded in front of me. Perhaps Finchers most meditative piece. Fincher delivers his dark and gritty tendencies in familiar fashion, but this time slightly more reserved and introspective. With scalpel-like accuracy he carefully constructs a gripping character study that tackles the addictive nature of a personal vendetta as well as the mental sanity and emotional control needed to remain successful and alive in this line of work. A constant heartbeat within the sound design, the effortlessly rythmic editing and the hauntingly calm narration from Michael Fassbender, who acts as methodically meticulous as David Fincher directs. A man who will so easy take a life, and the unpredictable and tense nature of this subject matter make for a shockingly effective and nerve-racking experience.

What a streak of cinema, my favorite directors all come out with new work, my film heart is full.

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Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

8/10

The next genius stroke by McQuarrie und Cruise! Simply perfect Entertainment.

26 October 2023

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning is the franchise's fourth genius-stroke in a row and my second favourite installment to date.

In many ways, it was always unfair to be the follow up to Fallout, because it's the best - and at the same time so unlike the rest of the series. While motst of the M: I chapters are fun heist/caper actioners, Fallout went all-in on an almost Christopher Nolan-esque "mythic Homerian epic" approach that felt like a hyper self-serious departure from the franchise, an intimate character study. Fallout might be the best espionage movie ever directed.

Dead Reckoning feels a little more in-line with what the rest of the series has felt like. Dead Reckoning brings back the awesome vibes of Rogue Nation, Ghost Protocol and Brian DePalma's original Mission Impossible. Admittedly, though, after the sheer elegance and grace with which Fallout flowed from scene to scene, Dead Reckoning does feel a little stilted by comparison. But that's it for as far my critic points go. Were it not for Fallout existing in the middle of this already masterful franchise, I think we'd all be saying Dead Reckoning is the best installment yet.

It's bigger than its predecessors in every way from the stunts to the scale to the stakes. Tom Cruise's commitment to his craft is unmatched and he absolutely delivers once again. Likewise, Christopher McQuarrie's direction is phenomenal and he deftly handles this absolutely massive blockbuster and delivers another feast for the eyes. Hayley Atwell is a fantastic new addition to the ensemble and she pairs so brilliantly with Tom Cruise. This film is an experience of pure cinematic genius made by people who know how to put the highest quality on canvas, thrilling and effortlessly entertaining. I mean, the way the Fiat chase in Rome and the train chase/crash in Austria are directed is pure mastery of geography. The suspense, tonally-consistent comedy, setup/payoff, and constant surprise is remarkable.

It would have been easy for McQuarrie and Cruise to follow up Fallout with something that felt like more of the same but weaker, à la The Dark Knight Rises. But Dead Reckoning instead feels like an entirely new creature all its own. I respect that choice deeply. Yes Dead Reckoning Part One is essentially only the first half of the story, and some table-setting work is done, but the movie still feels very contained by closing up the arc it started and it leaves you with a satisfying feeling, while wanting more. This is why I watched the movie two days in a row. Simply perfect entertainment.

If M: I 8 manages to retain the same flavor while also adding new aspects, we're going to end up with a never before seen duology that stands apart from the rest of the series in both quality and voice.

The gold standard of Hollywood, as Tom Cruise himself denoted his crew on the set of the film.

It is a shame that this masterful production-endeavour underperformed at the box office (thanks to bad release strategy by Paramount and an earth-shattering run from Barbenheimer). I can only hope that Mission Impossible 8 gets the time to thrive in theaters it deserves. I for myself cannot wait to experience what Mr. Cruise and McQuarrie have still in store for us.

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Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

8/10

A truly haunting epic

25 October 2023

Killers of the Flower Moon is another enormous endeavour from Martin Scorsese.

He adapted this powerful story of America's revolting treatment of the Osage Nation, through a masterful screenplay and phenomenal acting that sucks you into early 20th-century America from the get-go, never letting up once despite its colossal runtime. While the length is most definitely felt, (at 206 minutes long it's one of the longest films ever) and Scorsese probably should´ve made a 30 minute shorter theatrical version, in order to provide a tighter cinema experience. But I fully understand his desicion to keep the full length because every moment is full of startling historical truths, that'll leave you cold, both physically and emotionally by the time the credits roll.

Leonardo DiCaprio delivers another oscar-worthy perfomance, his range is simply astonishing, Robert De Niro is going to rival RDJ for Best Supporting Actor this year and the supporting cast, mainly Jesse Plemons, Brendan Fraser and Cara Jade Myers, are all wonderful. But it is Lily Gladstone who is the knockout here. Her performance as Mollie Burkhart is masterful, she's astounding, quietly delivering a devastating performance that swept me off my feet. Killers of the Flower Moon is not Scorseses best cinematic achievement, but it may be his most important one. A true powerhouse of storytelling with ever sequence building upon the last, creating a transfixing experience from beginning to end. The Osage people deserve to have their story told. A truly haunting epic.

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The Creator (2023)

8/10

An instant modern Sci-Fi classic!

25 October 2023

Holy Mother of Nirmata...The Creator is an instant modern Sci-Fi classic! What Gareth Edwards has created here is nothing short of incredible. Greig Fraser's and Oren Soffers cinematography left my jaw on the floor.

"Then we're the same. We can't go to heaven, because you're not good. And I'm not a person."

By pondering the question of "what is humanity?", the film thrives, crafting an emotional story of humans vs AI that is not only resonant in todays world but pulls perfectly on the heart strings. There are moments where I genuinely wanted to stand up and applaud and while the pacing is not 100% flawless, I was hooked throughout. John David Washington is fantastic, Ken Watanabe again stuns but it's young Madeleine Yuna Voyles who's truly remarkable. She steals every scene! It's an ambitious spectacle that's visuals are a thing to behold. Sure, there are a few narrative shortcuts in the third act, but those did not diminish bei experience in any way. The Creator is one of the finest Sci-fi films ever made with giant heart and soul. The movie´s ending made me tear up like only Interstellar and Arrival managed to in recent years.

This is cinema. Breathtaking stuff.

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Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

10/10

One of the greatest cinematic achievements of all time! Nolan's magnum opus.

17 August 2023

I've been trying to write something about this thing for a few weeks now. Ever since watching it for the first time, it completely stuck with me. Oppenheimer simply is a ridiculous achievement in filmmaking. An absurdly immersive and heart-pounding experience. Cillian Murphy is an insane force and RDJ will be a front-runner for Best Supporting Actor. Every 10 minutes a new A list Hollywood star comes on screen and gives their lifetime performance - this is what it means to all of them being part of this masterpiece.

Ludwig Göransson put his entire nutsack into that score, coupled with a sound design that made me feel like I took a bomb to the chest.

Hoyte van Hoytema is just out of this world. How he shapes Oppenheimer's visions of quantum mechanics, with particles and molecular structures, it's a jolt to the senses. Never before did a film capture wonder and mystery of creation so real and only steps away from reality's grasp while gifting a new way of seeing the world. HVH already was my favorite DOP, this just cemented it.

Christopher Nolan ist the best fricking director of all time, and he demonstrates that over and over again. With Oppenheimer he reached a new mountainous peak as an artist. Directing, writing and pacing wise - this might really be Nolan's magnum opus and pinnacle achievement so far. You can literally feel how every movie he's done so far, leads together into this one. The cosmic weight, the moral implications, the existential horror - it all carries a maturity and ambiguity not paralleled in his previous work.

Oppenheimer must be seen to be believed, it is an experience that bombards the senses and fuels the love for the art of filmmaking.

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Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)

10/10

A Multiversal Masterpiece!

5 June 2023

Wow. An already great year for movies, just got extended by a masterpiece of filmmaking.

Just as Into the Spider-Verse did before it, Across the Spider-Verse uses the audience's familiarity with Spider-Man as a consistent source of humor which makes it all flow flawlessly.

I am quite frankly obsessed with this movie. There are six different animation styles featured in the film - and my goodness this is the most awe-inspiring animation I've ever seen in a film. Using stunning visuals as a way to elevate the emotion and action in every scene. Never seen the like. The voice acting is sublime (the dialogue between Miles and Gwen goes right under the skin), the characters are multi-faceted, the action sequences are electric, the music is mesmerizing and, my word, the storyline is the perfect balance of emotional depth and meticulously timed comic relief.

I also love how Across the Spider-Verse balances setting up a sequel while being its own movie. Miles and Gwen have tidy and concluding arcs with enormous growth, as it still ends on a true cliffhanger. It's among the best part ones I've ever seen.

This movie is pure art put on canvas, with every frame. Soulfull. A genuine love letter to Spider-Man and filmmaking itself.

Note: It's time for everyone to appreciate animated film as a true film genre and give it the recognition it deserves. Across the Spider-Verse perfectly demonstrates that you can't achieve and convey the same with a live-action film as with an animated film. The richness of emotions that this masterpiece conveys benefits greatly from the animation and its mesmerizing style.

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John Wick: Chapter 4 (2023)

9/10

The magnum opus of action craft.

22 March 2023

Ecstatic. Esthetic. Artistic. Cathartic. Masterfully filmed, designed and visualized. Quite possible the most sensually intoxicating cinema experience I've had. A simplicity that feels almost poetic. In the midst of all the action, you suddenly question the meaning of life. Only to then again fall back into John Wic's gun-fu exstasy. Like clockwork. On and on. Keanu Reeves, who has maybe 2 pages of dialogue in the entire film series, manages to embody a character that is fascinating, questionable and yet understandable at the same time .

There's hundreds of action movies. And yet there is an abundance of action setpieces in chapter 4 that have never been put on film before.

The magnum opus of action craft.

A loving husband.

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Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (2023)

5/10

Ant-Man Episode III: Revenge of the Kang

23 February 2023

Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania is an average blockbuster. But that means it's nowhere near Marvel's own set standard. It has some serious structural and writing issues. The big positive side is the villain, which kinda saves the movie to totally crash.

That is owed to the performance of Jonathan Majors, who's since Loki up there with the MCU's finest and most fascinating antagonists. His performance is chillingly clinical and powerful. He owns the screen in an almost shakespearean way and - if handled well for Loki S2, Avengers 5&6 and Co. - could very well end up becoming a historic villain for cinema like Thanos and Joker. Putting him against Ant-Man is a genius paring. The humour that goes hand in hand with Scott Lang contrasts the seriousness of Kang beautifully.

The rest of the performances are all okayish to good. Paul Rudd is born to play Scott Lang, bringing in his natural witt and charm as loveable as ever.

Kathryn Newton is a nice addition to the Marvel family, although I do think the chemistry between her and Rudd leaves space for improvement. Michelle Pfeiffer did a great job, doing the best she can overcoming the underwhelming writing of her character. Michael Douglas is always a delight to watch, we all should be thankful to have such a legend playing the role of Dr. Hank Pym. I was positively surprised about the size of his role, he gets way more to do than in the last film. He also is the star in the coolest scene of the whole movie. (Ant-Charge!)

Where this film really lets down is the second act. There's an aesthetic emptiness to everything that felt almost soul-crushing to me who so deeply connects to the MCU and it's lifelike world.

The writing of Janet was really annoying. She hummed and hawed around with everything she was doing and hesitated to inform her family about Kang for nearly 1 and a 1/2 hour straight until she suddenly broke out with the whole backstory of the two. Jeff Loveness has a big issue with dramaturgically natural script / character / dialogue development.

The third act, with Kang moving into the spotlight, gladly comes with a shift in quality and tone. It also suddenly boasts some really enjoyable visuals, with plenty of colour and vibrancy. The makeup, masks and costumes were really creative and I digged the Star Wars theme behind it all. The end fight with Kang and Scott was some brutal stuff and almost gave me a feeling of fear for Scott which the rest of the movie never managed to create.

All in all I see lots of potential for the rest of the multiverse saga, especially with Kang and his variants moving into the spotlight as we come closer to the big Avengers finale. But with Quantumania I have the clear feeling that the script was rushed to get the film out and give the audience a taste of Kang. They focused mostly on that and ultimately let down the actual stars of the movie Ant-Man and especially Wasp itself. They got sidelined in their own movie and haven't really undergone any character development. The credits in the end read: KANG WILL RETURN. I think that speaks a lot of what we take from this film.

I loved the two post credit scenes, the future looks definitely exciting. But I can only hope Kevin Feige don't looses sight of what made the MCU so loved and successful since the very beginning: good writing.

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Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

10/10

A cinematic miracle!

15 December 2022

December 14th, 2022. 13 years of eagerly awaiting the return to pandora are over.

I experienced the movie last night and what has Jim done. What has he done. The Way of Water is a cinematic miracle. What he created is something unthinkable, incomprehensible and unimaginable. He delivers a modern day odyssey that left my jaw on the floor for hours. It's Best movie of the year and it's not close. I've never seen something so marvellous put on canvas, never. Nothing comes even close. It's pure enchantment and wonder. It's a movie full of profound significance and narrative intelligence.

All actors were terrific. Lo'ak, Kiri and Tsireya are instant new fan favorites. And Quaritch is brilliant. Huge improvement in versatility over the first movie. Cameron knows exactly how to write compelling characters that resonate with the viewer on a profound level. Jake and Neytiri at this point, are so unbelievably honest and real, they really feel like people I've known my whole life.

I cared so so much about the whole Sully family, so the movie fulfilled its task in the very best way possible. My personal highlight in the movie is Lo'ak's relationship with the Tulkun Payakan. Their interactions gave me teary eyes time and time again.

Overall there is this astonishing beauty and energy overarching the whole movie, even more so than there's already been in the original movie. You can feel with every sense how Cameron poured his heart and soul into every little detail of his whole-cloth reality, with meticulous world-building that is more enveloping than anything I've ever experienced. The marine wildlife and eco systems feel as multilayered and personality-filled as fully fleshed out characters. The camera work is Oscar worthy. Mind blowingly goo. Especially the POV action shots in combination with the HFR made my heart rate go to risky heights and hands sweaty as hell. Cameron never cuts away the action and brute force of a scene. That makes the whole 193 minutes utterly satisfying to watch.

And yeah TWOW again proves that Cameron is the MASTER of sequels. The first act may be the best continuation of a story I've ever seen. You're instantly hooked and absorbed by everything that's going on. Jim has come up with a big, exciting and powerful story that touches universal themes, homages his previews works and will be exhilarating to see spanning, developing and unraveling over the next three sequels.

TWOW is a never before seen audiovisual miracle - until that crown is passed, inevitably, in December 2025, to Avatar 3.

-Update after a few more viewings- I can't believe how perfect this movie is. I can't stop watching it. The magic doesn't diminish in the slightest. It is almost a meditative experience.

And Zoe Saldana owns the the screen every time she's on it. Pure beauty in her appearance and radiation. So genuine and caring. Payakan makes my heart melt. Lo'ak is the perfect character to lay the focus on for the sequels. Stephen Lang also is beautiful. Yeah they're I said it. I loved him. His interactions with Spider. You can feel it. Their Darth Vader-Luke-esque relationship works perfectly for this saga. Sam Worthington also puts in the gravitas effortlessly. I could listen to him all day long. And Sigourney Weaver simply the greatest. The Sully family FEELS so much like a real family. This is maybe the movies biggest accomplishment.

Each time I watch it, I am touched by different scenes, and the depth of the direction and meaning of each scene becomes more and more apparent. There is not a single shot that is left to chance. Set ups, foreshadowing, callbacks, everything is connected. Just like the way of water.

I bow down to Mr. Cameron, truly Hollywoods biggest dreammaker.

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Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (2022)

7/10

The Black Panther lives!

10 November 2022

Ryan had already completed the script for a black panther to when Chadwick Boseman tragically passed away. It's a devastating loss, and Coogler and the rest of the cast and crew were reeling from that loss. Coogler made a genius writing choice by making the characters in Wakanda Forever go through the the exact same emotions that the actors themselves went through. All the characters in this film are struggling to come to terms with a loss that they did not expect nor do they fully understand it. In that way we immediately relate to them and are sucked into the story because we as audience and fans of Chadwick feel the exact same way. Coogler made the absolute best of an heartbreaking situation.

Wakanda Forever is a geopolitical drama about loss, grief, pain, revenge, suffering and healing - all in the disguise of a blockbuster. Unbelievable performances by the entire cast. Especially Angela Basset, Letitia Wright & Tenoch Huerta. Basset portrays the role of the struggling queen, the grieving mother so believable und raw it's tour de force of acting. Wright also has to relieve every single emotion an actor can show I was completely blown away by her as I did not except that a previous supporting character could carry a movie so well. Lupita Nyong'o as usual is phenomenal, with every scene she's in she injects an extra load of charisma and life into the movie. Her presence is mesmerizing. Danai Gurira's Okoye and Dominique Thorne's Riri bring the humor and laughs to the film, and they were great.

And oh boy Marvel Studios just put a new superstar on the field - Tenoch Huerta as Namor is a delight! Raw, almost mystical, full of energy and power. A worthy follow up to the amazing Killmonger. Talocan's introduction is a highlight of the movie, it may be even more fascinating than Wakanda's introduction in the first movie. So visually dazzling, creative and rich in Detail.

The VFX scenes where Namor is attacking ships don't look good in parts even unfinished which I found frustrating at times especially because the rest of the movie looks so beautiful.

The movie constantly thrives on the cathartic, wonderful, touching and unbelievably atmospheric directing and writing by Ryan Coogler. Ludwig Göransson's score is absolutely incredible. There's a scene in the ancestral plane, it's my favorite moment in the movie - the setup, timing, dialogue and exposition here are peak cinema. Chadwick Boseman's spirit radiates through the whole movie. Everything is build around him, his character and the legacy he left. Coogler and his team honored Chad in the most beautiful and respectful way possible. This is a movie that transcends it's medium. It something very special that will be remembered forever. Chad would be proud.

Cinema.

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She-Hulk: Attorney at Law: Whose Show Is This? (2022)

Season 1, Episode 9

4/10

Weird finale to a utterly messy show.

20 October 2022

"What is even happening here? This is a mess. None of these storylines make any sense." well Jen is not wrong here.

Sadly no follow up in quality to the Daredevil episode. The intro is awesome and a nice homage 1977's Incredible Hulk. The 4th wall breakthrough and the dialogue with K. E. V. I. N was very funny and inventive. The problem with that is - in a series with such scrubby writing and messy direction - this does at no point feel earned.

Episode 8 & 9 planted some memorability to an otherwise ridiculously bad and forgettable show (mostly 3-4/10 rated episodes).

For those wo did not already now, Kevin Feige knows what we're saying. He knows what we want. He knows everything (Knowledge Enhanced Visual Interconnectivity Nexus). This was written and produced last year before the trailer, and he predicted everything the right wing males would find wrong and then trolled them on it. That is kinda hilarious and bold and I totally get what Kevin was up to here. But that whole blow doesn't show any effect, instead it became it's own ruin cause the the series focused more on forced in politics than on actual film making (apart from awesome easter eggs and MCU connections). Sadly, the whole series now feels a bit like a mocking experiment by Feige. It could've been a genius show but simply didn't hit the mark at all. In my head this show is just not part of the MCU.

Kevin making sure She-Hulk is handled and written better in the future is something that could still rehabilitate the character. Tatiana Maslany showed in the Daredevil episode that she can be charming likeable. Whether viewers will even be up for that after this mess is another matter.

The teased World War Hulk movie is something I've been craving for since 2015, Bruce and Mark deserve it.

Show rating: 4/10.

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Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (2014)

10/10

The godfather of science fiction movies.

18 October 2022

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is the godfather of science fiction movies. Simply insane. It is no longer a question of whether the apes look lifelike or not. The technology, which has been brought to astonishing perfection on canvas, recedes into the background and the actors shine in a rousing royal drama that even puts the Shakespearean classic "Julius Caesar" to shame. (Now you understand why Andy Serkis got that Name).

Actually, there is no reason why Caesar's tribe in the forest and the colony in the city shouldn't coexist peacefully: The dam work lasts a few days, and after that it could be everyone for theirselves again. But fear and prejudice (humans are trigger-happy torturers, apes are wild animals) run so deep on both sides, and developing an understanding of each other is so difficult, that despite the good will of Caesar and Malcolm (Jason Clarke is an amazing successor to James Franco), things slide hopelessly toward disaster. This fatalistic narrative feels so unbelievably real - each time I see myself rewatching this mastercraft of story telling und suspense level unfold on canvas - I'm on the edge of my seat. As a viewer, you root for the characters (on both sides!) so much, and the nonsense of war becomes so painfully clear, that you would immediately forgo the equally ridiculously well directed action sequences (unforgettably, an explosive tank ride filmed from a POV-perspective and a spine-chilling primate brawl on a half-collapsed skyscraper) if only everyone could get along and stop the madness. It's hard to give higher praise to an anti-war film, especially when it comes in the deceptive guise of a CGI summer blockbuster.

Rise has already raised motion capture technology and especially performance capture to an impressive level, but Dawn virtually pulverizes all previous standards. Andy Serki's transformation from beloved pet to near-divine leader, and especially Toby Kebbell as the battered Koba - the way the two are breathing life into the computer-animated apes truly is the greatest acting I have ever seen. But don't overlook Karin Konoval's Maurice. She's incredible. Not having Serkis win for any the three movies still remains the greatest Oscar snub to date.

Thematically even more mature, narratively even bolder, and visually even more brilliant - Dawn of the Planet of the Apes is not only a technically groundbreaking blockbuster, but one of the most immersive, moving and effective anti-war films in history. Dawn deserves a place in the Hall of Fame of best sequels of all time.

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