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Whiplash (2014)
Thoughts on Whiplash
An incredible story of ambition and perseverance. Outstanding performances from both main characters but especially J.K Simmons as Fletcher. It's a brutal student/mentor relationship guided by Fletcher's ruthless philosophy which I completely agree with but would never want to participate in. Every scene is gripping and captivating. I'm not going to say too much, just watch it.
9.5/10
First Man (2018)
Thoughts on First Man
One of the most important events in human history told through the eyes of the first man to walk the moon. Very effective storytelling and film making from Damien Chazelle, the close up angles and shaky cam give the viewer a sense of intimacy. And that's what this film does the best; it really humanizes Neil Armstrong. First man shows the hardships and trials Neil faces in his pursuits and really gets you to empathize with him, which is a welcome change. Normally all we think about when it comes to the first moon landing is how much of hero Neil Armstrong is and how much of a triumphant accomplishment the moon landing is. All the character moments with Neil and his family are amazing. The space sequences are the only ones that I've seen that really show the helplessness of the astronauts. Up there all alone with barely any communication, barely any sight and in technology that really isn't even developed yet. Those sequences give a great feeling of fear, anxiety and isolation. The last positive note being the films score. Like all of Justin Hurwitz's scores; my god is it fantastic, it builds such a great atmosphere.
There are large portions toward the middle of the film that do drag and are a bit dull but the total package is definitely worth it.
The Pianist (2002)
Thoughts on The Pianist
The Pianist is the story of one Polish Jew's struggle for survival in the Jewish Ghetto during the Holocaust. Based on the real life autobiography of Wladyslaw Szpilman and directed by Roman Polanski, a Holocaust survivor himself, is a triumph of the human spirit and a tribute to survival.
The horrors of the second world war are realities seared into the public's consciousness and go without saying but seldom is there a film that depicts a slowly developing society under Nazi occupation. Starting with Jews only being able to have a certain amount of money in their possession, having to wear the star of David in public then to being forced into a ghetto, their own micro-society and eventually progressing to the wholesale extermination of a race. The pianist paints this continued degradation of the Jewish people in great detail, giving each new development room to breathe and be fully explored.
The pianist is raw, detailed, emotional and surprisingly non-dramatized. Perhaps the films biggest asset is it's honesty. In most world war 2 or holocaust films often is the antagonist characterized as a courageous man. The antagonist survives by way of his skill, fearlessness and bravery, he outwits and bests his Nazi occupiers. Instead Wladyslaw Szpilman is fearful, nonplussed and weak. A man of tremendous will sure, but he survives as a result of luck and the humanity of others.
As a survivor himself, none other than Roman Polanski could depict the holocaust so accurately. Brilliantly he conveys a sense of helplessness. Suddenly you are a passenger in your own life, unable to steer the course, you are at the whim of your environment, an environment that tries it's damnedest to crush you.
A powerful and important film to be saved forever in the annals of film history and it will be remembered as such.
7.5/10
Hereditary (2018)
Quick thoughts on Hereditary
Hereditary is a breath a fresh air a stale horror genre. Instead of over reliance of jump scares and worn plot elements, Hereditary is unique in it's atmosphere and plot.
A lot of praise is well deserved for the acting in particular Toni Collette as Annie and especially Milly Shapiro as Charli. Both are triumphant.
The latter half of the movie builds suspense and a sense of uneasiness very well. With the cult circling in and the way they appear elated and malicious at the same time is horrifying. The gory scene in the attic is especially stomach turning.
The whole cult element is presented well, revealing slowly throughout the film. Use of a double dream sequence is a good presentation choice. Making the viewer unsure of what exactly is real and reveals a bit about Annie.
The main fault of Hereditary is the first half is slow moving. Scenes drag and build as if something is going to happen but nothing never does. I found the first half hard to be engaged in and not too gripping.
Overall Hereditary is a welcomed change to the genre that builds well in the second half and is genuinely scary but is held back by a dull first half.
Moonrise Kingdom (2012)
Thoughts on Moonrise Kingdom
Moonrise Kingdom is a beautiful, highly stylized film in typical Wes Anderson fashion, oozing with personality. Every shot is purposeful and there are tons of creative presentation choices that turn what could have been a boring standard shot into something vastly more impactful. For instance, the close up of an arrow cutting through the air and the flashy frame of the left scissors to convey a whole action scene. What could have been just a simple overhead reveal shot of Captain Sharp dangling from the church roof holding the children is instead shown from a pulled back wide angle using silhouettes. Although present throughout the film the church roof scene also has great composition with four characters crammed together in the window, peering out in anticipation.
Moonrise Kingdom is filled with great characters that are largely acted off kilter and deadpan which I found really intriguing and a joy to watch. The film is about something that I'm sure is very familiar and melancholy to most of us, a young first love. However west Anderson's version is highly fanciful.
Wes finds a way to combine his imaginative, ridiculous visual aesthetic with the real world and the results are wonderful.
Coffee & Kareem (2020)
Thoughts one Coffee and Kareem
Just terrible. Horribly unfunny. Part way through I had to double check that this was supposed to be a comedy. To my surprise it read "action/ comedy." There were seldom few actual written constructed jokes. For the most part it was just people saying things, terribly unfunny things. There were maybe two instances where air escaped my nose. As for the action, there was nothing of note at all. Nothing that was interestingly presented or choreographed. Just your standard "action" that you'd come to except from a movie like this.
Throughout the movie it's quite apparent where the plot is going. You know every single turn before it happens. At the first mention of a dirty cop you unequivocal know who it is. Nonsense is littered across the movies 88 minute runtime. For instance, Coffee is unaffected by an amount of cocaine that should kill him or at minimum give him the high of his life. One moment he's rendered useless by pepper spray, the next he's absolutely fine. A grenade goes off and we are shown that it turns a man into enumerable pieces but Coffee is left unscathed. And lets not forget the child that doesn't know which pedal is the break is able to somehow steal a car, operate it and drift endlessly.
The acting was largely serviceable. The problem however, is just poorly written characters. Captain Hill was quiet off as a dirty cop. I didn't find him convincing in the least. Watts was comically unpleasant and disagreeable. She seemed like more of a caricature than an actually believable person. As for Vanessa, she was very unlikable, constantly aggressive and obnoxious. I was struggling to understand the romance between her and Ed Helms. The kid, as everyone else has pointed out, was horrendous in how obnoxious he was.
All of this and I didn't even mention the movies tired, trendy flagrant white people are bad, cops are bad scantly veiled virtue signalling. Coffee and Kareem is utter nonsense, I would not recommend it.
2.5/10
The Master (2012)
Quick thoughts on The Master
Very competent, very well acted by Joaquin Phoenix and Philip Seymour Hoffman with a couple stand out scenes. Those two being the interrogation scene and wall/window game scene. Those two are actually quiet great.
The movie is about dominant/ submissive relationships and their dynamics. Freddie Quell is a sexually frustrated world war 2 vet who after the war needs someone to submit to. He has Doris but as she is too young. He can't have a sexual relationship with her and abstains from sex until he can be with her. Needing that dominate other he finds himself at the whims of a charismatic cult leader, Lancaster Dodd. Eventually because of Lancaster's master Freddy leaves the cult to pursue Doris. Unfortunately for Freddy Doris has married. Heartbroken, Freddy returns but now Freddy and Lancaster both know they cannot continue. Suffering this loss twice Freddy finds a sense of Freedom and becomes someone else's master.
One thing I really appreciate about the film is its use of lyrics, occasionally sung by characters to convey poetically what's happening.
Overall The Master has elements that were quiet good but ultimately unsatisfying. I found it to be dull for large portions and to drag on. The story telling is pretty weak. Momentum that is built is lost fairly quickly.
Enemy (2013)
Thoughts on Enemy
Enemy is a very good psychological thriller. Jake Gyllenhaal plays two great
subtle characters. The muted colour palette and eerie score give a great atmosphere. Denis Villeneuve purposely leaves it vague and open ended. It's very strange had hard to decipher. I found it to be a lot more enjoyable upon trying to uncover its meaning and narrative. Upon a passive viewing and likely a first viewing Enemy is hard to understand and seems a bit nonsensical or chaotic. But as the opening card says 'chaos is order yet undeciphered.' So let me try:
Anthony and Adam are the same person, just two different personalities of the same person suffering from multiple personally disorder. There are several clues the allude to MPD instead of simply just a doppelganger. Firstly, apart from both men looking exactly the same they also share the same voice and even have the same scar on their chest. Although not directly shown it's apparent from Adam's reaction that they both share the scar. Secondly is the blueberries. Adam supposedly hates blueberries while Anthony enjoys them. And while in a scene with Adam's mother she insists that he does enjoy blueberries, further blurring the lines between the two. Lastly Adam and Anthony have the exact same photo with Helen. Adam's copy of the photo has Helen's half ripped off.
Adam and Helen seem to be the original couple. He has a fear of commitment maybe brought on or at least amplified by Helen's pregnancy. Adam protests against the restrictions his relationship puts on him. In response he's created this other personality trying escape his commitment. Anthony is living out the life that Adam is not. Anthony is domineering, drives a motorcycle, is pursuing Adam's ambitions to have an acting career and is living life with another women.
The spider I believe is a visual representation of fear. Adam has an intense fear of commitment. One of the most common fears is Arachnophobia, the fear of spiders. The spider is meant to personify fear and specifically Adam's fear of commitment. It's also interesting to note that in the sex club that Jake Gyllenhaal attends a spider is showcased. This spider however is stepped on, symbolizing his apathy for commitment.
The two personalities play out a war for dominance. Anthony is subsequently killed when Helen shows affection toward Adam and tell him "I want you to stay." The Anthony part of Adam's psyche dies in the car wreck.
We are lead to believe that Adam has had some sort of resolution but Hegel's words ring true as Adam unveils a key to the sex club and says "I think I have to go out."
"All the worlds greatest events happen twice. The first time as tragedy, the second as farce."
7.5/10
The Man Who Wasn't There (2001)
Thoughts on The Man Who Wasn't There
I'll start by saying I'm not the biggest man of film noir but The Man who wasn't there is a great example of neo-noir if you're an film noir enthusiast.
Billy Bob Thornton is the perfect antagonist for film noir. He's cool and aloof, his facial features drawn and his cadence lends well to the genre.
Like any good noir film The man who wasn't there is morally grey and cynical. Ed Crane isn't content with being a barber, hes never thought of himself as some barber. And so Ed has ambitions that steer him wrong. He black mails his wife's boyfriend Big Dave. Then in an act of self defense Ed murders him. Ed's criminal ambitions come back to haunt him. Although he gets away with Big Dave's murder he gets pinned for Creighton Tolliver's murder.
In every way The Man Who Wasn't There emulates all good film noir that came before it. Thematically, visually and in terms of dialogue and character interactions. Billy Bob Thornton voice over is insightful, stylish, occasionally poetic and we come to find, fits thematically.
6.5/10
Uncut Gems (2019)
Thoughts on Uncut Gems
Once again the Safdie brothers have created another masterpiece. They've fabricated this fast paced, anxiety ridden character piece about Howard's gambling addiction and his need to win. Uncut Gems had me gripped from beginning to end.
This is definitely a career highlight for Adam Sandler, a truly outstanding Oscar worthy performance. With the help of the Safdie brothers and their incredible actor direction they have created this very believably real deeply flawed character. Howard is greedy, slimy, shifty and has a real addiction that causes all of the anguish in his life. There a many points that he could get out of this hole he's dug but he just can't let himself. It's just in his nature. He has to keep going for that next big win. Howard is a very nuanced person who, however flawed, still has a heart. Howard's death was unbelievable and shocking but was exactly where his character was leading and was the most fitting end I could have imagined.
Performances from everybody were great. Julia Fox showed fantastic acting chops in her first feature film credit. Julia is obviously a damaged, irresponsible person who genuinely does care for Adam Sandler. She portrayed this character wonderfully.
Just a brilliant ride of anxiety from start to finish with a fantastic performance from Adam Sandler.
Mamma Mia! (2008)
Thoughts on Mamma Mia!
I'll start with the things I liked. Firstly I liked Amanda Seyfried, she's gorgeous and pretty good in this. All the potential fathers were pretty good. The setting and wedding location is beautiful. There were a few musical highlights, those being; "dancing queen", "slipping through my fingers" and "Mamma Mia." Only slipping through my fingers and Mamma Mia actually servicing the plot. The slipping through my fingers scene was a nice heartfelt moment. The song "honey honey" is a creative way of conveying whats said in Donna's diary. The scene were Bill and Harry are conversing on the boat and Bill comes to the conclusion that Harry is gay is comical.
A musical lives and dies by its music. Moments were characters break into song and dance are meant to be a break from reality and represent what the characters are feeling and whats happening in the story. In the case of Mamma Mia many of the musical segments don't further the plot at all or are of no importance. Some of these are; "money, money, money", "dancing queen", "Chiquitita", "does your mother know" and "Voulez-Vous." Also in regards to the music, Pierce Brosnan really can not sing. There are far too many musical segments. A lot of the musical segments seem to exist only to pad out the run time. Maybe that's because they focused on having a story that fits the songs instead of starting with a story and writing songs that fit it. Donna's friends are shrill, obnoxious and annoying. The duo are also given there own subplots that are presented and resolved in a matter of minutes. These subplots are just nothing and don't serve the story at all.
If you want a chick flick with the occasional fun musical segment this might be for you. There's nothing wrong if you enjoy Mamma Mia, its just not for me.
4.5/10
1917 (2019)
Thoughts on 1917
Beautiful cinematography by Roger Deakins. The scene at night in the ruins that are lit by flares and fire is fantastic. Two simple shots stand out to me; the first being in the beginning when the two protagonists walk around a body of water and the camera parts from them, goes to the waters surface and follows them from the side as they cross. The second being when Schofield sits to listen to the solider sing to his compatriots. The camera weaves in between the crowd of listeners to come back on Schofield. Very good costumes. Great set design and dressing. The film is filled with soldiers dirtied in the trenches; smoking, drinking, sleeping and tending to wounds. Locations are filled with ruins, craters, barred wire, old posters, fires, rubble and dead bodies. Everything in the foreground and background does a great job to feel like an authentic WW1 movie. The one shot element does a great job helping convey passage of time as well as really make the movie feel like one continuous journey. All the events on the way to the destination are great and exciting to watch. The death of Blake served as a great way to create stakes very shortly into the movie's runtime as well a create a good character moment between Schofield and Blake's brother. The last 25 minutes or so are great. The quick tempo ticking score gives a sense of urgency.
There are a few elements that really hinder 1917. The first being the dialogue. A lot of the time it's very cheese ball, conversations between the two protagonists seem off. The second is the actual story. There's really nothing to the story, just a simple get from point A to point B with things that happen in the middle. Next is the one take element. Scenes where Schofield is running from Germans firing at him seem not as tense as they should be. Well over a dozen shots are missed back to back to back and you see every single one because its one take. Some quick cuts during those scenes would have created a more tense feeling. Finally the movie seemed more like a performance, like a play.
Pretty good war movie that is really elevated by its cinematography and attention to detail on set, with a couple great moments. If you like war movies this is one to watch.
7.5/10
Under the Skin (2013)
Quick thoughts on Under the skin
Wonderful, simple sci Fi film. The choice to mix the public into the movie makes the film seem real and further immerses you into the scenes that are acted. The synth score is erry and strange. Under the skin's cinematography is filled with beautiful scenes of Scotland. I really appreciate the story being told pretty exclusively through a visual medium. At the heart of the movie is the theme of identity that is pretty well summed up in the title "Under the skin." Throughout its run time, under the skin shows characters by their outwardly apperance only to show whats lying underneath the skin (their identity) is alien in comparison to their outwardly apperance. The alien's beautiful apperance with her cold unfeeling sinister intentions underneath, the deformed man with his tragic but innocent life, the man on the bus seems to be a predator but happens to be a kind, chivalrous man. Experiencing the world and meeting her victims starts an identity crisis for the alien. I don't believe under the skin to be some deep cerebral story, it's fairly simple but makes up for it with an uniquely interesting and visually absorbing story.