tylerkom Reviews

Speak No Evil (2024)

There is Almost Nothing Wrong With This Movie

[6/10 · 25 September 2024]

Speak No Evil is a horror movie that is exactly as depicted in the trailers. What you see is what you get. For horror fans, this is sure to be immense upside. Every horror beat is packed in there from ominous character turns to the slow but steady descent into madness. McAvoy is really compelling as the antagonist and the rest of the actors do a good job at setting the scenes. The film really doesn't do anything ambitious at all, but the build up of tension is done correctly and fundamentally the plot does not rely on the "idiot ball" trope like many others in the genre. If I have one complaint, it is that every kid in the film is consistently bad at acting, probably to be expected.

My take? Don't spend your money on this in theatres. It's a perfect movie to stream when you want a nondescript horror film to enjoy and forget.

The Substance (2024)

satire meets Sunset Boulevard meets camp meets absurdism in the best possible ways

[7/10 · 22 September 2024]

The Substance is a boiling crockpot with very few but high quality ingredients. When the temperature hits its highest is when the film really shines. It's wonderfully shot and imaginatively edited. Coralie Fargeat's clean (but not always tight) script leads to very few loose ends in a genre that tends to play fast and loose with the concept of plot. The tension amps up logically and steadily over its 2 hour 20 runtime. For Fargeat's vision of the finished film, I believe the pacing is absolutely perfect. Piling on more compliments, the two leads leave everything on the floor, Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley doing everything in their power to be the acting duo of the year. Their collective skill in physical acting, joy, sadness, and anger are exactly what the film needed to be successful. And finally, one of the biggest strengths of the film is its ability to send a message without preaching. The film knows exactly what it is -- an enjoyable satire with a thrilling explosion. It doesn't take itself too seriously and its simple message and fun storytelling make its thesis that much stronger.

While that message is simple, Fargeat certainly takes her time in telling the story. The film is possibly too long with a very obvious place to end about 30 mins before the true ending. Of course, Fargeat wanted to tell a different story than the one that would have been said if ended prior, but this isn't the worst sin in the world. The story that DID end up getting told is still pretty great if not somewhat meandering. The fat in this film is like the fat in Wagyu beef - it's still pretty delicious. There is also small issue with the lack of nuance. No one is walking out of the theatre wondering what the film was about. This is probably fine though because (as previously mentioned) the film doesn't take itself too seriously in the first place. Finally, a minor complaint: while Fargeat does a whole lot with it, the low budget of the film really shows its teeth in the set diversity. The entire film takes place in about 3 different locations and while this would easily pass in television or a tighter film, it does feel a bit cheap and claustrophobic at times.

One of my favorite 'new-generation' horror films. In the running for best horror films of the year and certainly worth a watch for fans of the genre.

Encanto (2021)

Disney Animation Goes Broadway

[8/10 · 17 September 2024]

Under intense scrutiny for being a washed up movie studio, consistently being shown up by its little brother Pixar Animation Studios, Disney Animation releases something very close to its golden era roots. Is its attempt successful? It's a resounding yes.

Encanto gives a perfectly structured (although quite formulaic) story with many laugh out loud funny moments. It's surprising how many adult-ish jokes the directors fit in to the film, something that is sure to be a relief for parents putting something on for their kids. For many of these gags, it's almost like the older you get, the funnier the jokes are -- a signature trick from the playbook of little brother Pixar. The music is vibrant and fits well with the story, shuffling the plot along in a very very Broadway-esque fashion. The art direction is absolutely exceptional. Despite the (relative to Disney/Pixar standards) miniscule $50m budget, the animators manage to do a lot with a little, with smart shot selection in order to keep the animation budget down. When the animation budget / computing power is obviously missing (such as in scenes within the jungle or with jungle backgrounds), the directors do their best to move on as quickly as possible. If this film is anything, it is a testament to how diverse and interesting art direction can make a low budget shine. Another surprising characteristic of the film is that our growing tension between Mirabel and the rest of the family feels somewhat darker and more disrespectful than I've really seen from Disney Animation films. By no means is it an R rated film, but the focus on character and relationship development led to interesting, nuanced relationships between the family members that was just a joy to watch unfold. Speaking of focus, the focus on putting together a competent screenplay is self-evident by the lack of an attempt to have a hit single from the soundtrack. Despite the commercial success of "We Don't Talk About Bruno", the entire soundtrack is really built around the plot, not the other way around. It's an impressive directorial decision and makes sense once we see that the musical director is Broadway's own Lin-Manuel Miranda. It's no wonder that the film feels extremely Broadway influenced with its extravagant set pieces and use of musical elements for exposition. If you liked Hamilton, you will like this film.

However, there are some serious and unDisney-like flaws that possibly hold the film back from being an all time great Disney picture. The formulaic plot is not what I am referring to, although that could certainly have been improved on. The plot inflection points are a bit fast, especially in the third act in which abuela realizes her wrongs in the span of one scene. No, most of these unDisney issues come from the musical elements in the film. If you are going to make a musical, you're going to have to accept that the musical parts will have a non trivial effect on the outcome of the film. For one thing, the audio mixing during musical sequences was quite muddy at many moments throughout the film. I thought this was just something wrong with my theater until I found out that other audiences had the same issue because crucially (as confirmed by the studio), many of the songs were RECORDED OVER ZOOM because of the pandemic. While I understand the circumstances, this just can't be an excuse to have basic technical flaws like this in a major motion picture from Disney Animation of all places, a studio known for pristine musical sequences. The next unDisney like quality that really hurts the film is the choice to break from a decades long precedent of having a world class vocalist as the singing voice for the lead character. That is to say, Stephanie Beatriz voices the regular AND singing voice for Mirabel. Given that Beatriz was singing Mirabel's parts at 8 months pregnant, she did a decent job. However, compare lead vocals in Encanto to ANY golden era Disney film, and it's plainly obvious that Beatriz is 2 steps below world class vocalists like Lea Salonga (Aladdin, Mulan, Cinderella), Judy Kuhn (Pocahontas, Mulan 2, Les Mis), or Idina Menzel (Frozen). I can't help but think that this has to be a limitation of the budget because it's so shockingly unDisney like to not have super polished music in its musicals. It's quite striking that there are singing voices for the side characters in the film clearly outshine the lead (see: "What Else Can I Do?" with Diane Guerrero as Isabela and Stephanie Beatriz as Mirabel).

Technical flaws aside, Encanto is an outstanding effort from Disney Animation, a film with some obvious flaws, but a lot of character and rock solid storytelling to carry itself home.

Kneecap (2024)

Comedy and Tragedy

[8/10 · 14 September 2024]

Kneecap is a triumph of comedy and seeing beauty and solidarity out of tragedy. The black comedy about a Northern Irish trio hip hop group brings lightheartedness and smiles to a situation that can seem so bleak.

Taking much from a heritage of fast talking British comedies (Trainspotting, Snatch, Lock Stock Two Smoking Barrels), Kneecap is just a joy to consume, funny in a twisted way that only those who experienced such trauma can find the humor in. The script is very tight, and every story thread gets its eventual satisfying ending while still contributing to the larger story. The character transformations are authentic and moving, and there is just so much competent writing to have almost all the exposition done through seeing the characters interact with their environment, the police, and the populace. Most of all, there are really strong themes of freedom of expression and solidarity throughout that just keep so right, no matter which character's perspective you take. It is rare and great when a film can convey a message that matters without preaching or being overly corny.

What helps to stymie any semblance of preaching are the loads of visual gags and one liners. Sometimes these are low hanging, but overall they are intelligent and genuinely funny laughs. Beyond a couple points of mediocrity such as a couple predictable plot points (the father coming back to save his son // a very convenient plot device of stealing the journal without the police noticing) and average photography, there is almost nothing bad I can say about this film.

Northern Ireland should be proud to have this film and these boys representing their people and language. A resounding recommendation from me.

Ninja Scroll (1993)

A Western Film Gone Japanese

[7/10 · 13 September 2024]

Ninja Scroll is a 1993 anime seinen film, all killer no filler. I watched this at an anniversary rerelease with commentary from the director, and if the film itself wasn't enough, he reiterates his love for american action films, specifically Die Hard and westerns.

With the film wearing its influences on its sleeve, it does a great job blending in its eastern heritage. A brooding traveling swordsman (the cowboy in this scenario) with a plot that he has gotten himself caught up in. It's surprisingly sexy, dark, and gritty with diverse action scenes that are sure to delight. Speaking more about those action scenes themselves, the fighters, sets, and action sequences are so diverse that it is obvious how much time and love went into creating the scenes. Almost nothing is recycled and for an era in which all this animation was hand drawn, it is extremely impressive. The character designs are endlessly interesting, and the colors of the film make it a joy to sit back and enjoy.

And sitting back and enjoying is really the prescriptive order here because one shouldn't think too hard about the sparse plot anyhow. The dialogue is mostly mediocre but thankfully sparse. I actually believe the plot to pretty solid if not for a somewhat forced love story. Somehow, this might have worked had the film been about 20 minutes longer, but the setup just wasn't really there to have this plot thread be compelling. And finally, Jubei (our protagonist) can somehow take a lot more punishment than seems reasonable, given that people die as easily as microwaving dinner. This is probably more of a genre specific complaint, but it sure is odd to see Jubei punch someone's head in but be mostly fine with taking the same blows in the next scene.

Ninja Scroll's interesting and diverse action scenes carry this wandering traveler's film with the short but sweet plot. The tempo and beauty of the directing makes me understand why this is a cult favorite film, but somehow I believe that status is slightly unearned. Still, it is a good action film and certainly worth watching for fans of the genre.

Saripodhaa Sanivaaram (2024)

A Very Pleasant Surprise - John Wick Meets The Dark Knight

[7/10 · 11 September 2024]

Saripodhaa Sanivaaram (SS) is an Indian action thriller film built around a decent premise: a man of vengeance can only exact his revenge on Saturdays.

Despite the ominous sounding premise, SS is mostly a fun plot with consistent points of levity throughout. There is, of course, much kitschiness as to be expected of an Indian blockbuster film. However, its stylishness and, at times, overt cheesiness actually works really well here, reminiscent of 80s action films and the John Wick franchise from Hollywood. There's a lot of good, fun, action and comeuppance with not too much of that pesky character development and plot to worry about. That is until we get to the middle act of the film, in which many characters get fleshed out, with curious subplots and small character developments adorning the story with some actual stakes that the audience can care about. What a treat! To add to this, the characters are actually all pretty smart, and come to good conclusions, plans, and adaptations throughout the film. And finally, the two main villains and the actress who plays Charu (Priyanka Arulmohan) have genuinely great performances in their respective roles. The two villains are over the top in a way that the directing demands, and Charu is demure and intelligent in a very authentic way. She is not the "perfect" love interest that so often makes appearances in Indian cinema, and this makes her character that much stronger. Nani, the lead which this film was built around is solid and does what is needed of him directorially, but does not necessarily stand out beyond the fact that he has a leading role.

The film still suffers from some of the typical blockbuster masala film issues. It's probably too long, and much could have been left on the cutting room floor to tighten up the script. A lot of this script fluff leads to an ending scene that goes a bit off the rails. The dad monologue at the end was overly melodramatic and somehow the film turned into a power-scaling anime film at the end. Very questionable choice indeed, given that our hero didn't need any preamble for violence before. And speaking of the fighting in the film, the action sequences as a whole are pretty decent, but everything from the fight choreography, to the editing, to the effects are a step behind western cinema. There are often lots of quick, disorienting cuts in action sequences that really didn't need it, whether they are simply punches, kicks, or dodges. Certainly more budget could have been diverted to choreography for better planned and shot fight sequences. And finally, an issue that truly holds the film back from being capital G Great is that the director loses the opportunity to have a really poignant message of revenge and violence not being the answer to wrongs. At first, it seemed like that was where the plot was going, especially with the lessons from the Mother to hold back on violence and think deeply about whether he was truly angry, and the subplot about Charu hating men that were violent, among other things. Despite these signposts, the director goes for a theme of "standing up for others". It works, but this is narratively weaker than what was already laid out in the plot. It is a real shame because it seemed like this truly intelligent resolution was coming. In the end though, the hero just saves the day with the violence that are the good influences in his life told him to not pursue.

One final thing, not a pro or con to the film, but the fact that the main love interest in the film is his first cousin was very confusing for a western viewer. I was truly confused until I confirmed this fact online after viewing. It was just hard to believe the Kallu from Sarya's youth was the same Charu with seemingly no one taking any issue. A peculiarity for sure.

Saripodhaa Sanivaraam is a very fun action thriller, sure to be an enjoyable watch for people from all cultures. Some cultural and blockbuster leaning sensibilities lead it astray at times, but its core directorial vision is great.

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

Stylish and fun

[7/10 · 10 September 2024]

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (Beetlejuice 2) builds on the current Hollywood trend of reviving dead IP for the next generation. In this case, they were successful. Certainly not Cinema by any means, it is an absolutely joyous ride throughout Tim Burton's ghostly universe. I was even surprised at the PG 13 rating once I saw it because it plays so well as a quasi-family genre movie. It is consistently moderately funny and Keaton absolutely kills the titular role. Beyond Keaton though, every actor is very solid and brings memorable and differentiated performances to the table. With wit and style, Tim Burton gives us a really enjoyable ride, albeit one that is not as tight as it could have been.

The biggest criticism I can give the film is that there were clearly too many ideas floating around with somewhat unsatisfactory resolutions for most of them. For example, the plot was set up for Beetlejuice's wife to play a large role, but she ends up immediately dying at the end. There are a few of these ideas that never truly got fleshed out.

However despite this, we as the audience can never really question it too much, as the ride is too fun to look back. Sure to do well with audiences, Beetlejuice 2 is a surefire success as a comedy.

The Wasp (2024)

Potentially Great

[6/10 · 6 September 2024]

The Wasp comes from a long line of multi-layer thrillers that have a better-than-average chance I think of becoming cult classics.

These influences from the likes of The Usual Suspects to Knives Out are worn prominently on The Wasp's sleeve, but this is certainly not a bad thing. The script is pretty tight, and the revealing of the layers to the story are surprising to say the least. At a tidy hour and half, the film never overstays its welcome, and makes for a generally enjoyable film. Dormer has a good performance throughout, she even had me convinced that she was some other actress for a while. The set designs were nice, certainly a lot of detail and thought went into the few settings the film takes place in.

However, somehow this film doesn't really live up to the greatness that it hopes to achieve. In the end, the ending did not bring as much energy as it should have, perhaps because this film wanted to be a little cleaner than it needed to be. Despite the darkness and grittiness alluded to, somehow I think more could have been done. Another huge black mark is that The Wasp falls prey to the oldest rookie mistake in the book: child actors. I probably don't need to say any more than that the child actors in the film are really bad. Finally, and perhaps the most damning thing against the film, is the ever present feeling I got that Naomi Harris was overacting very hard for the film. I don't want to put the whole thing on her though because certainly some blame can be put on the writers for her dialogue, but for a film (and genre) that typically relies on a superstar lead to carry the show, I regret to say that Harris was unable to give me a convincing performance.

Despite all this, the film is still enjoyable due to its tidy script and short runtime. Not a bad film, but no need to run to the theatres to watch it.

Alien: Romulus (2024)

It Doesn't Get Better Than This

[7/10 · 4 September 2024]

No, the title isn't an exaggeration. Those who know me, know that horror ranks easily as my least favorite genres for its linear and obvious storytelling, overreliance on cheap scares, shallow characters, dumb characters, overreliance on effects, tendency to jump the shark, blah, blah, blah. And this film is really no exception to that to be honest. The characters are pretty shallow, the "plot" is obvious, and there are plentiful of (loud) jump scares. However, I feel that Romulus should be the shining example for the monster-killing-everyone genre of horror films.

This film really maximizes the script (and I think the genre's) potential. For one thing, the characters DON'T do anything dumb in service of the plot. A true blessing as it shows that effort was taken to not be lazy for the sake of plot convenience. The production design was good. The spaceship and modern effects worked well and very few things looked cheap. Much has been said about the relationship between the two main characters, and I 'll agree with the crowds here in that a lot was done with little time for our two leads. The other characters are bland and forgettable and we are basically waiting for them to die, but this is more of a genre criticism than a film criticism in my opinion. Another point which shows a lot of effort on the writers' part was the limited use of exposition. "Show don't tell" is utilized generously throughout the film, and exposition dialogue is typically limited in scope.

So anyways, my only minor criticism of the film that isn't really a criticism of the genre at large is that the character transformation in which Rain more or less swears to stay together with Andy is a little weak. Perhaps it's because the director could never really convince us that she would leave Andy in the first place. He felt too central to Rain's story and he was always going to end up going happily ever after with Rain or sacrificing himself for her.

Fans of horror should consider this film to be 11/10. The film is tight, it doesn't overstay its welcome, and you need very little brainpower to enjoy what you are seeing.

Between the Temples (2024)

A Sarcastic, Warm, and Funny Slice of Life

[8/10 · 3 September 2024]

Between the Temples is a 2024 "comedy" directed by Nathan Silver. "Comedy" in quotations because this is really not a 'haha' comedy life American audiences are used to, but a drama with a universal lens of levity and funny *life* moments. There really aren't many examples of this genre in western media, but in many eastern movies and TV shows, this would easily slot into the genre called "Slice of Life". There are so few that the only one that I can think of off the top of my head is the masterpiece novel Cannery Row by John Steinbeck. Undoubtably, this was made with much love and many winks for Jewish audiences, as the punctuated laughter throughout my viewing showed, but underneath that is a very pure, human, down to earth story about the healing power of human connection.

For starters, the dialogue and especially the layered dialogue performances by all the characters throughout the film are so real, it's uncanny at times. We can't help at laugh and cringe at awkward dinner scenes that are so like the ones many of us have been apart of in our lives. The script is tight, and the story flows beautifully, although it might not be clear until the end where the story is going. This is something that is just going to be inherent to the genre because, like life, it's not clear what the story arc is until it's over. The film is also very timeless, as it's based around a small community and makes very infrequent use of technology or modern plot devices. It could as easily have been made in 1980 as in 2024. I have some gripes about the photography of the film, but its undeniable that there is a cozy and timeless feel to the whole movie. Solid acting jobs all around by the entire cast. I'm not sure that anyone particularly stood out beyond the great dialogue writing, but everyone played their part well. In this absolutely charming, down to earth story about human connection, the most stunning moments are often the most mundane -- just moments when the two leads are in on room together, riffing back and forth.

As you can tell, I'm exceptionally charmed by this film, but there are a couple negative things I can note. For one, the choice to use a very dated 90s digital photography setup didn't do much for me. The picture was very noisy, and I'm not sure that any of the film's great qualities would be taken away if a modern 2024 digital photography setup was used. Another thing is that the film is very Jew-centric and therefore non Jewish audiences will inevitably miss a lot of jokes. I knew there were quite a few camera gags that I didn't understand, but the Jewish audience members were howling at. Nonetheless, I still think the underlying film is great. A few genre-specific points as well: it's not quite clear for much of the film as to where the film is going, or even how long the timeline of the film is. Silver does a decent job at re-grounding the audience periodically as to what is happening when, but it can still be a bit confusing due to the way the film is edited. The film purports to be over the course of 3ish weeks, but it could easily have been over the course of a few months. A minor gripe, but still.

As the gap between critical acclaim for this film and audience despair widens, I have to say that I think this is a case of the media not being to the western audience's tastes. That's totally understandable, so if a cozy and somewhat funny human interest story appeals to you, then please please please give Between the Temples a watch!

Shaun of the Dead (2004)

For Fans of British Comedy

[4/10 · 1 September 2024]

So, I saw Shaun of the Dead in theaters for an anniversary rerun and I can confidently say that this is one of the British comedies of all time. So with this in mind, and knowing that comedy is one of the most subjective genres of film, allow me to try to get some objective points out of the way.

Edgar Wright has some sensible direction in the movie, occasionally even showing his brilliance with all the effort that went into the many camera and directing gags throughout. The makeup and styling looked great throughout the film. Zombies bloody, and main characters increasingly more disheveled. I will also say that Simon Pegg did solid work with bringing depth and true exasperation to his character.

Alas, here is the part where I tell you that this film did not at all work for me -- but it might work for you. The humor is unbelievably dry and British. Like digestives on toast dry. And the times that it isn't sahara desert dry humor, it is things like infantile fart humor which doesn't really work for me. If this sounds like your jam, and you loved the British The Office, then this movie should be great for you. Also, not to nit pick on a comedy movie, which as a genre doesn't need a great plot to be a great film, there is a minor curiosity in the ending. Ostensibly, the film is supposed to be about a man that is moving through life without standing up for himself and without adventure. He pays for this by having his girlfriend Liz dump him. However, the end of the film has Shaun and Liz back together, with Liz talking about how she wants to relax at home and at the local pub, and nothing more. So my question is: doesn't this go against a huge theme binding the film together? Maybe it could have been rewritten to where Liz asks Shaun what he wants to do, and Shaun talks about all the life and adventures he has in store for them. And finally, the color palette is very bleak and boring to look at -- it looks like London! Maybe that's better for immersion, but the film just looked very ugly in 2024.

For fans of british comedy, I'm sure this will kill. As a lowly American, this one didn't work for me.

The Batman (2022)

Impeccably Produced Noir That Should Not Have Been a Blockbuster

[6/10 · 29 August 2024]

The Batman stands in the long dark shadow of its predecessors, trying and somewhat succeeding in doing something different than its forebearers.

For one thing, it is impeccably produced. The world, sets, and general ambiance makes Gotham feel like its on the true edge of apocalypse. The obvious comparison is to Nolan's Gotham of The Dark Knight Rises; this Gotham is better, grittier, and more craven. It is deliciously dirty and grimy -- perfect for this neo film noir detective story. The color palette is dark and washed away, but combined with the gorgeous photography, adds to the dark ambience. Pattinson's broody take on Batman works well, although the script does not ask too much of him as an actor. When it comes to Batman's action sequences, the film's more "realistic" action scenes work well enough, although I must say that Batman seems *particularly* bulletproof in this film, which takes away from some of these fight sequences for me. Finally, getting to the plot, the detective story mostly works, although some laziness on the part of the writers comes into play later, especially with a string of exposition based reveals. Nevertheless, the subtext throughout the film is quite effective, and the thematic commentary on corruption, people left behind, and online communities was poignant.

Despite all this upside and my enjoyment of the 3 hour theatre experience, The Batman has some obvious flaws that set it back from the high watermark of Nolan's Batman trilogy. The biggest issue of this film is that, despite its 3 hour runtime, the character development is mostly surface level, relying on the audience's investment in Batman lore to do the heavy lifting. The breakneck pace of the film means that there is little time to develop relationships characters beyond the ones wearing masks; there is simply always something being discovered or another plot event unfolding. This actually works well in keeping the runtime exciting, but detracts from emotional points, such as when Alfred is attacked, or Bruce is lamenting about his dead parents. There is absolutely 0 reason to care about these things happening if someone is not already invested in Batman's story. Expanding upon the point about the unbelievably fast pacing of the film, there is little room for revelations to breathe, so much so, that many revelations carry 0 weight, as the revelation is reversed or the landscape completely changes by the next scene. For example, in the scene where Bruce meets Falcone, Falcone has a big reveal about the dark origins of the Wayne and Arkham family, alleging that Thomas Wayne was actually a major architect of corruption in Gotham. This is supposed to be a huge and gasp-inducing reveal, but it is revealed only 2-3 minutes later when Bruce confronts Alfred in the hospital about this and Alfred tells a different story about Thomas Wayne. It seemed like the writers wanted a huge multilayered epic, but really needed to fit everything into the runtime. Reversing a big reveal in the NEXT SCENE is just laziness or sloppiness by the writing team. In many places, it is like the writers never heard of "show, don't tell" because so much plot development happens within dialogue, rather than through characters doing something and earning discoveries. I suppose this is the nature of a Batman film that doesn't have a Batman Begins to set it up, but I wonder if it could have been done better. Moreover, within every character, a superhero dialogue trope is checked off, unfortunate for a film that is really trying to go against superhero tropes. Whether it is Gordan saying something eye-rollingly predictable like "what kind of sicko would do this", or the Riddler's villain monologue, I really wish they tried harder on dialogue.

In conclusion, I enjoyed the film, but really wish this was not a blockbuster, seemingly the way that Reeves intended it to be -- a dark, thrilling, film noir.

Strange Darling (2023)

Well Crafted Thriller With low Replayability

[7/10 · 25 August 2024]

Within the first minutes of Strange Darling, there is no doubt about the quality of this film. JT Mollner brings a highly stylized approach to this thriller with tight editing and powerful lead performances being shining stars of the film.

The vibrant style and direction brings tense moment at every corner. Willa Fitzgerald does an incredible job showing a lot of different faces throughout the film. She is so believable at every stage and this level of performance is really needed for Mollner's directorial vision. Well done to her and Kyle Gallner. The plot is tight, albeit gimmicky. However, it is a damn good gimmick. I can best complement the film as: this would be the best student film I have ever seen. They really do a lot with a small budget and that is to be applauded.

However, that same complement is what hold the film back from greatness. It is great to watch, but with somewhat surface level substance. The only thematic lesson I can think to take away from the film is "don't believe all women(?)". This is an insane binding theme and other details throughout the film lead me to think that this is not really a lesson Mollner is preaching. So what does that leave us with? An interesting, highly stylized, meticulously put together thriller with low rewatchability. The film aspires to be something like The Usual Suspects, but fails in that the film itself is not all that interesting once the twist is known. I mean, once you know the twist, it's more or less a basic police chase short film. Another small gripe is that the few special effects in the film don't look good, but of course this can be excused for the film's small budget.

The film's extremely high quality and direction make this a thrilling first watch at the theater, but it falls a bit short on substance. Nonetheless, a big recommendation from me.

Blink Twice (2024)

An Extremely Impressive Directorial Debut

[7/10 · 24 August 2024]

Blink Twice is a mostly cookie-cutter horror thriller that executes at a very high level.

The plot isn't watertight, but the direction is so good that you aren't so worried about this until the next day. From a technical standpoint, the film does very well. The color palette is bright and saturated; it is a visual pleasure to look at. The directorial gags are great, whether through comedic cuts or build and release moments of tension, the film is pretty consistently funny. The soundtrack is excellent and plays very well with the sunny, breezy vibe that Kravitz is cultivating. The film is a bit of a slow burn, but tastefully done such that we are drip fed information and a growing feeling that something is wrong. Interestingly, it's not so much that we don't realize something is wrong, but that we don't know who is behind it all. The themes are clear, consistent, and layered without doing too much preaching. This is something that I believe to be a huge boon over similar social-commentary-horror-thrillers because it (mostly) treats the audience with enough respect to come to its own conclusions. If there is anything else to sell the film, it is that the first viewing experience is incredible. As soon as the credits roll, one would not be singular in believing that this is one of the best films of the year.

However, after some more consideration, there are flaws that show up more clearly. For one thing, a couple of the pivotal dialogue sequences are some a bit clumsily. One in particular is when Frida and Sarah first share information. The conversational cadence was just a bit odd, and there is a slightly odd whiplash with Kravitz forgetting that Sarah was built up as a bitchy-possible-villain. Not terrible, but a bit clunky. I also feel like a couple plot points could have been seeded a bit differently. In particular, the red rabbit plot point come off somewhat forced to me. In general, the acting performances were okay, with Channing Tatum rising slightly above the rest. Nothing too stand out on that front.

In consideration of these somewhat minor flaws, I think Blink Twice almost completely lives up to the script's ceiling and is a real triumph in a freshman project for Kravitz. Can't wait to see more from her.

High 7.

Stree 2: Sarkate Ka Aatank (2024)

Mediocre Comedy With Some Silver Linings

[5/10 · 23 August 2024]

I want to be careful here because surely there is some cultural context that I am missing, but Stree 2 is simply not a good film.

Almost every element of the film is mediocre. The acting and dialogue is quite low brow with many of the punchlines being something about "look how goofy this character is!". Its best western comparable is with bad Adam Sandler films. It is simply formulaic and without any nuance at all. The cinematography is fine, nothing really to write home about. The film is incredibly long for what it is; it really could have been about 15 minutes shorter. The action sequences have downright horrendous 2003 CGI -- completely unacceptable for the budget that this looks to be carrying. Beyond the terrible playstation 3 graphical rendering on the CGI, the action sequences are made without too much care. There was a large budget spent on dance choreography and ostensibly zero spent on fight choreography. As a result, the final boss fight is somewhat unspectacular and drags on. Another very weird technical failure is that the sound mixing on the film is way off, with the horror sequences much louder and with way more treble than the normal sequences. This made the film very uncomfortable to watch in theaters.

If there is one thing positive to say about Stree 2, it is that the music, dance choreography, and integration of musical scenes are great. The musical sequences are fun and catchy and, most importantly, are done in the classical musical style of being integrated logically into the scenes themselves. For example, one scene uses a musical sequence at a context consistent village festival to explain some exposition. Another time uses the musical sequence as a plot device to attack the monster. This is great and I wish that more Indian films used this logically consistent musical scene integration rather than cutaways to random rented dance studios.

Despite the highlight that are the musical sequences in the film, this film is entirely forgettable and without standout characteristics.

Sing Sing (2023)

A Competent and Heartfelt Character Drama

[7/10 · 20 August 2024]

This was a very competently and professionally made film that is somewhat marred by a lack of major plot elements. The film itself is mostly solid on all technical fronts. The dialogue is real and raw, the arc and pacing is just right, and the acting is extremely solid. However, in none of these facets does the film truly excel. Unfortunately, it seems that way for the entire film. There is a lot of good things happening: layered conversations and meaning, nice musical choices, stakes understood. However, nothing really exemplary.

Perhaps this film's greatest sin is its dedication to the genre of character driven drama. I can truly appreciate a slow burn, but there are long stretches of the film in which nothing happens and, at some level, have no staked outcome on the story. Perhaps this is a give an take -- the ambiance of the film works great, combined with the shaky-cam style of photography gives a real and raw energy. The cost is that a central theme, or plot if there is one, is muddied.

In the end, this is a good film that I'm sure will be a major hit with some people. It is surely worth a watch, but for me it ends a little bit boring.

Dìdi (2024)

Like The Sandlot for Asian Americans

[8/10 · 16 August 2024]

As an asian american, I get very worried whenever I hear that there is a new asian amercian movie coming out. The fear is the same between all of them: the film will hit upon the same asian american pride beats and jokes that all of its predecessors did. They often rely not on making great movies, but on pandering to an audience. That tide has perhaps started to shift a bit with the success of Everything Everywhere All at Once, but Didi is, to me, the icon of what an asian american film should be.

The film doesn't try to reinvent the wheel but has excellent execution on a classic coming of age theme of learning to be authentic. The film is very funny with plentiful character gags and subversive moments throughout. The dialogue is incredibly strong and REAL. I swear that I've heard my sister say every single line that Chris' sister said in the film before. The film is relatable and made with much tender love and care. There is a particular moment in the film that showcases this best. When Chris and his mom are having lunch with another mom and son, and the other mom is bragging about her kid having a 4.0 GPA, being on the badminton team, playing soccer, Chris' mom can only reply that Chris makes...videos. You can tell that the director made the film for himself. And good on Sean Wang for that because the movie oozes with authenticity. The fact that this film did well at Sundance is not surprising in the least. Another huge shining quality of the film is that the acting is superb. A common pitfall for coming of age films and really any film involving kids is that the kids ruin the film by way of being terrible actors. Not so in this case. The leads all have bright futures in Hollywood if they keep it up. Excellent job on all fronts.

Just a few minor criticisms to get out of the way: the cinematography was just okay. This makes sense because the budget doesn't look particularly high. The ending where the movie simply cuts off after a small reckoning reprisal is solid and works, but I wonder if something more satisfying could have been used.

In any case, this is a triumph for Sean Wang and ALL asian americans should be proud to have an actual GOOD FILM that does not pander, but still captures some of the complexities and subtleties of being asian in america.

Inside Out 2 (2024)

A Solid, but Uninspired Film

[7/10 · 11 August 2024]

There is very little bad to say about Pixar's latest offering, Inside Out 2. The voice acting is solid, the pacing is excellent, the characters are memorable, and the plot is clear as day. This is much of what we have come to expect from a Pixar feature film. However, like many over the recent years, I have to ask whether Pixar has lost its magic touch.

For one thing, the film is not as subversively funny as we have come to expect. The vast majority of the jokes and gags are very obvious, or simply the visual manifestation of phrases (brainstorm, bottling up your emotions, back of the mind, etc.). The funniest scenes in the film were with an unexpected hero, Pouchy, and this is simply not what we have come to expect from this studio with so much prestige. Beyond the obvious humor is the obvious plot. Not that we should with for a Memento-esque Pixar film, but the entire plot was predictable from minute 10 of the film. Although not a deathblow, that is certainly unfortunate. I suppose my biggest complaint is not about what the film does, but what it does not do, which is to push the boundaries of what we think a "children's" film can be. If anything, this has only regressed those boundaries which Pixar has worked so hard to expand.

Before I finish, a minor complaint about a key character: I've racked my brain and still can't figure out why Embarrassment helped hide Sadness at headquarters. There is nothing about the character, or the character's past actions that indicates that this should be the case. Maybe I'm thinking too hard about a small plot device, but this detracts from the usual watertight storytelling we expect from Pixar.

Inside Out 2 is about as little effort you can get away with and still make a GOOD film. The film is good. The ticket is worth the money. The magic is dead.

Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)

Just misses out on being Great

[7/10 · 10 August 2024]

Every time I watch a Deadpool film, I just expect it to disappoint me. There is just no way that this style of raunchy sarcastic slapstick satire can continue on the legendary run it has been on. And yet, I am pleasantly surprised again with the extremely solid Deadpool and Wolverine.

The film is well shot, with two absolutely stand out action sequences at the beginning and the end of the film. The snow fighting sequence and the side scroller new york sequence have some really visually interesting creativity and just plain fun elements. Moreover, the film is pretty consistently funny for me, although the viewer will already know if they think Deadpool is funny to them. It is a very hit or miss style of comedy, with some really witty wisecracks interspersed with some absolute duds. Luckily for us, Reynolds is batting pretty well in the film.

The storytelling is more-or-less watertight (at least as watertight as a fourth wall breaking satire film can be) but I think somewhat misses on its planned emotional beats at the end. But that's okay! No one is coming to watch this film to take any real morals away, so what they have pretty much works here.

A shining jewel in the box office for this summer, they just miss out on greatness...to be really good.

Longlegs (2024)

A strong start and a questionable finish

[5/10 · 8 August 2024]

This film left me a lot more confused than scared at the end of the day, and I suspect that that will be the case for more people than just me.

The film starts off strong with a pretty interesting and subversive exposition sequence. The stakes are set: a serial killer on the loose, and the premise is understood: the main character is (kinda sorta) a psychic. We're having a great time solving this mystery case before the film starts to lose some clarity. For one thing, we have completely left behind the main character being a psychic plot point in the dust post minute 15. That was definitely unfortunate because plot holes (or perhaps red herrings if you want to be really really charitable) continue to pop up throughout the film.

The ending really didn't do it for me, with a classic horror entropic descent into chaos. Nominally, this would be fine, but it's not all that obvious why this should even be happening. There is also a pervasive motif about some demonic dolls that is really not explained at all. I'm actually so confused about it that I'm not even sure why it was introduced as a plot device in the first place as it was really immaterial to the outcome.

If there is one good thing to say about the film, it is that the cinematography is very interesting throughout and keeps the audience locked into this uncanny, unnerving world we are in. The highly structured shots are very *Wes Anderson*, and the scene changes to the 1:1 aspect ratio is pretty interesting as well.

Not a recommendation from me; in spirit this is a worse Hereditary in most ways.

Twisters (2024)

Fantastically average

[6/10 · 7 August 2024]

I want to keep this brief because there really isn't so much to say about this film. The plot is beat to death, with the emotional and plot pivot beats being as predictable as a marvel movie. The film doesn't take itself all that seriously, which is certainly an upside considering how mediocre it is. Every now and then the humor is pretty good and Glen Powell's performance easily is the best out of the two leads. One huge shining mark for the film are the gorgeous wide shot visuals and awesome destruction and effects of the tornados. They did a great job of capturing the beauty of the American midwest.

Beisdes these things, it is an entirely predictable and forgettable film about finishing the job after a haunting tragedy. Despite how average it was, I still enjoyed the film, at least enough for a random Wednesday.

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (2013)

a bit Adventurous, somewhat Brave, wonderfully Creative

[8/10 · 20 July 2024]

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty is a film that shocked me. I threw it on as a feel-good wind-down film for a sleepy Thursday night and came out smiling like an idiot.

From top to bottom, it is a very, very solid story. I did not read the source material, but the writers did an excellent job of telling this story. It is emotionally moving, with the highest of stakes: giving up on dreams. The stakes are believable and human and are certain to be themes that resonate with audience members until the end of time. Who hasn't felt lost and tepid in their lives? The film presents very linearly, but there are multiple interesting twists throughout that serve to make the audience question what is really going on here. Is it a mystery? An adventure? A drama? A comedy? A bit of everything. The twist of finding out that Sean had been in his mother's apartment was very fun, and the final twist of the reveal of #25 was salivatingly sweet. When stepping back from the film, the twists actually don't do much to the expected structure of the film, but they serve their purpose very well in keeping the film engaging throughout. Really, it's a miracle that a film with these themes of doing something with your life, wanderlust, and getting the girl only turns out a little cheesy. It is really a testament to how well directed every single moment of the film is. It feels fresh, engaging, and endlessly funny despite being a story so humanly familiar. My favorite directorial moment (which has its own downside that I will touch on a bit later) is the bar scene in Greenland. The bar fight is so surreal because we don't know if it is a daydream or real life. Furthermore, sandwiching it between another daydream serves to make that story moment even more interesting. The acting performances are solid and the gags are actually really funny. I especially loved the gag with the drunk depressed helicopter pilot. I was very surprised at how funny this film was. Not to mention the fact that the film is pretty close to watertight. Virtually all of Chekhov's metaphorical guns were primed and fired in big and small ways.

However, many things about the film were destined to not age as well as the story or the larger-than-life fake LIFE posters scattered throughout the film. Most prominently, the CGI aged absolutely horribly. I really wish that most of the daydream sequences were done with practical effects, especially because it helps with this interesting concept of confusing the audience as to whether a scene is real life or just imagination. Beyond the CGI not working, I don't think many of the dream sequences were quite necessary or well chosen for where the story is going. I am particularly thinking about the street surfing scene. It's not obvious to me that they didn't just throw that in to stop people from walking out of the movie before it started getting really good. Finally, although this is a whimsical, slightly cartoonish film, not all the cartoon elements worked for me. The worst offender was Adam Scott's cartoonishly evil merger manager. It's not obvious to me that making this guy super evil actually raises the stakes or adds to the film in any way. He's not even the real antagonist-Walter's internal limitations are. To me, the film functions the same if this character is a neutrally evil, boring banker.

Despite these things, this has become one of my favorite films of the year. Its strengths grow in my mind. A really surprisingly great, creatively directed film.

Capernaum (2018)

Regrettably does not work for me at all

[5/10 · 14 July 2024]

From the outset, it is extremely obvious what Capernaum is setting out to do: we will tell the story of tragedy, and we are going to make it hurt. And I was completely on board for this concept. I have long held the belief that Hollywood has left the traditional tragedy story behind, leaving a sinkhole sized gap where some of the greatest stories of all time have been told. Unfortunately, I don't believe the execution worked for me at all.

First: the good of the film. It is extremely well produced, and interestingly shot. When the characters are in cramped and dank settings, the cinematography certainly brings that crampedness and claustrophobia to your living room. The acting accomplishments in the film are completely standout. I was truly surprised at the quality of acting: all actors, major or minor, brought their A game created a gritty, vibrant, and dark world. A special acknowledgment should be made to the lead: Zain Al Rafeea, who joins Natalie Portman as one of the greatest child actors to ever work on film. Considering the average child actor is downright bad, this is certainly something to be proud of.

However, this is where my compliments must end. The film fundamentally does not work for me because it really does not have a plot, or even a point really. We are sold on some kind of court drama with a very interesting premise: a child sues his parents for giving birth to him. In reality, this context is completely inconsequential to the film itself. This would be fine except that the film is devoid of meaning and/or an understandable arc. I can sum the film's plot up in one sentence, really: Zain suffers greatly, struggling through poverty as an independent child. However, there is really no conclusion besides that Zain is very very sad that these things have happened to him. It is not as if the audience deserves the happy ending of Zain leaving the country. We simply stumbled into this ending. The director said she called this film Capernaum (chaos) because her husband commented that there were so many concepts and themes she wanted to tackle, that it was chaos. Unfortunately, that is what this is. Chaos.

The best I can say for this film is that it feels very believable. We are truly taken along and live this suffering with Zain and Co. However just because we see human suffering, doesn't make this film particularly meaningful. There is exactly 1 layer to this film: Zain goes through hardship and it's pretty messed up. There is no subtext, no hidden plot, no particularly powerful quotes to ponder over. I honestly mean the next statement with the utmost seriousness: This feels like less of a movie than a hardship highlight reel that UNICEF would play at the beginning of one of their fundraising galas. YES poverty is bad, YES there are some bad parents, YES the immigrant crisis is terrible. This all makes for gripping video/advertisement, but not a good movie and a mostly nonexistent story.

Double Indemnity (1944)

As Noir as Noir Gets

[8/10 · 9 July 2024]

Billy Wilder does what he is best at with tight, exacting storytelling that keeps the audience engaged even when they don't really know why they should be. The dialogue is so tight and funny; it gets a lot more mileage than it really should given that the characters are not all that interesting in the first place. The two leads, Fred MacMurray and Barbara Stanwyck give very solid performances and produce a lot of on screen chemistry in a film that is short of two hours. However, their performances peak when they act in silence, facial expressions and body language only. Furthermore, top to bottom, the film is so exacting, each frame doing some work for the plot. You can especially see this attention to detail when Neff is narrating. Wilder always finds ways to add in b-roll or interesting transitional shots that not only show off the character's attention to detail, but gives the audience something interesting to look at when there is only exposition.

If I have only a single criticism, it is that the ending confession only 90% works for me. Ostensibly, the audience is supposed to understand that Neff confesses to Keyes because of his growing guilt throughout the film. While I noticed that growing guilt, I don't feel that the tides turned enough by the time of Phyllis' murder such that he should feel so guilty as to set a direct route from the crime scene to the insurance office to confess. As I said previously, this ending mostly works for me, but I wish some subtleties were changed.

All that being said, Double Indemnity is surely a classic in the film noir genre and will live on to be a model of what Hollywood is capable of.

Dunkirk (2017)

Nolan's Least Ambitious Work Yet

[6/10 · 23 April 2024]

Dunkirk is a World War II action thriller written and directed by a true giant of Hollywood: Christopher Nolan. Nolan's greatest strength as a filmmaker is his ability to take tried-and-true film archetypes and reimagine them in refreshing and thrilling ways. Before the film was released, he claimed that he would do the same to the classic war film with Dunkirk, saying that "this is my most experimental film since Memento". Unfortunately, the reality is far from the case.

Dunkirk is very competently put together as a film from a master director like Nolan should be. It is very nice to look at; the wide shots are epic, and the action sequences look consistently great. It is also one of Nolan's most intelligible films, as the sound mixing actually lets you hear the very little dialogue there actually is. The plot is very easy to follow even with the slightly off-kilter non-linear storytelling. It's just a very solid film that doesn't overstay its welcome; it comes in to tell a little story about WWII with little to no character depth and gets out.

However, it is this very fact that puzzles me. It's such a standard war film that it's baffling to me how Nolan saw this as an experimental work. Sure, the slightly non-linear story adds a bit of flair, but it is nothing that hasn't been done in a thousand other war films. The characters express their personalities by body language and few lines of dialogue; Saving Private Ryan, Full Metal Jacket, Band of Brothers do it better. There is a civilian element to the story: many modern war films include this. I'm just not seeing what is special about this film. And that's really a disappointment coming from my favorite modern director. In some ways, I would have appreciated Dunkirk more if Nolan tried something crazy and completely flopped (as was the case with Tenet).

Little risked was little gained in the case of Dunkirk. It is a slickly produced war film that is enjoyable but will not stick with the filmgoing public beyond its box office shelf life.