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Good Time (2017)
Character Choices and Morals
The Safdie brothers are incredibly good at making you feel anxious. This is something they did especially well in Uncut Gems, but whereas in that movie you're sitting on the edge of your seat, and hating every single character on screen, Good Time does something slightly different.
Even though you still hate a lot of the characters there's a special bond between Robert Pattinson's character, and his mentally handicapped brother played by Benny Safdie. It's clear from the very beginning that Pattinson's character cares a lot about Safdie's character. This causes a strange dynamic where Pattinson's immoral morals get them into a lot of trouble, and it's clear throughout the whole thing that he sets his brother's well-being very high.
Pattinson's morals are something that haunts him throughout the whole film. Every decision made makes you angry, or disappointed. This is what makes you anxious, this is what makes this movie exciting. The and the masterful cinematography and sound design of course add to the anxiety as well, all of which are extenuated in Uncut Gems where there is no mentally handicapped brother, to keep the main character's morals excused.
Overall I'd say this thrilling film is a great character study showing brotherly love in a very messed up, and real way.
Soul (2020)
A Could-Have-Been Masterpiece
Soul is a great movie. The fantastic voice acting, the beautiful animation, and the intellectually deep themes come together to create a definite, in my opinion, surprising win in a time where Pixar hasn't produced too many winners. From all the promotional material I saw, I really was led to believe the movie would stay, for the most part in the afterlife realm. Luckily, I was led astray.
From the trailers, I sort of felt reminded of Inside Out and Coco, and I feel that the final project sort of does what those movies did but in a more hesitant manner. There are multiple occasions where I can draw lines connecting this movie with one or the other. What, in the grander scheme of things separated them for me were the deeper and more subtle themes and messages. The movie does feel like one of the most intelligent Pixar movies ever and at the same time a more adult animated film.
I mentioned why my expectations were set low for this movie, but in the prologue, I got my hopes up. We were teased by a movie we did not get, a movie which I would have much rather wanted. Seeing Joe in his normal life, start a journey to work in freestyle-jazz made me really get my hopes up for a new Ratatouille or Wall-E. I was hoping for an animated Whiplash. My hopes were set for a renaissance of Pixar. I didn't really have much against Onward or Toy Story 4, it's just that I really never felt Pixar reached back up to the 2004-2009 era, except for maybe Coco. They did, and still do produce great movies, but in my opinion, never really to that standard.
Overall, I'd say that Soul is a great addition to the Pixar lineup and definitely worthy of a watch, sadly it doesn't reach quite to the standard I've set myself for a great Pixar film.
Gravity Falls (2012)
The Animated Masterpiece: Gravity Falls
Gravity Falls is in my opinion one of the best animated shows you will ever see. Animation can not only support a story, but do things that other mediums simply cannot, at least not as well. The story of monsters, mysteries, and puzzles is one of the most well-written and intricately thought-out pieces of modern television.
Both Pines twins are incredibly memorable and endearing protagonists. They each have their own strengths as well as strong moral convictions that make them good role models. The twins also struggle with serious personal failings, and they rely on each other to cover up for their weaknesses. Dipper wants to mature quickly, a little too quickly, whereas Mabel would rather be happy to never grow up at all. Obviously, the main characters are great by themselves, but when you add the amazing supporting cast the fantastic dynamic improves even more.
Many of the antagonists that show up are just one-off supernatural threats, but Gravity Falls also has some recurring antagonists, the most prominent of them, Bill Cipher. He is basically a demon from outside the bounds of our reality, specifically the second dimension. He is an unknowable being of chaos and cosmic evil, literally born from madness itself. Bill is probably one of the coolest antagonists in any show ever.
The way the show holds itself to the known locations of the town makes it way more interesting and scarier when we finally get to see our characters venture into new and unknown locations. The scariness is also upped by the great and sometimes nerve-racking animation.
The Twins' different views on growing up match up perfectly with what the show is trying to tell you. Yes, it might be about growing up, but I think it also tries to tell you to not grow out of who you are. It is as much about keeping your childhood and not losing some of your best and most wholesome experiences as it is about growing up.
Gravity Falls is, for me, what an animated show should strive to match when it comes to effort and care from its creators. If someone is just getting into animation I would highly recommend starting here.