BenHarley1138

Only first heard about the film a day or two before it opened in Toronto. Didn't have very high expectations, but honestly of everything playing right now, this was the only film that interested me. I couldn't have been more surprised.

"Freaky Tales" is part "Pulp Fiction" (1994), part "Heavy Metal" (1981), and at times reminiscent of another 80s-inspired film, "Mandy" (2018). Four wacky (freaky) tales set in Oakland California, weaving together a diverse and fun cast of characters.

Aspect ratio's are changed between segments, animated characters burst onto screen, blood is spilt, punk music blares through the speakers - there's just a lot of fun being had on screen, and I felt it. I can only imagine feeling the response from a large audience during certain moments of the film; unfortunately there were less than 10 people at my screening.

Without giving anything else away, if you want to have a fun time at the theatre go support this movie. It's rare to see a movie like this get a theatrical release anymore, but it was the best theatrical experience I've had so far this year.

Ever since watching the Safdie brother's previous feature, Good Time, I was eagerly awaiting their next feature. Good Time showed that they are masters of tension and momentum, with their impressive culmination of unique characters, editing, dialogue and of course musical scores, and Uncut Gems further cements that they are not only masters of tension, but they are truly two of the most exciting rising filmmakers right now.

I usually know how to structure a review, but Uncut Gems is so unconventional in nearly every regard, and frankly I'm not quite sure where to start. It doesn't let up, ever. Pretty much from the first minute to the end you are shot into a relentless world of chaos among various reoccurring characters, all gravitating around Adam Sandler's "Howie". That leads me to Adam Sandler's performance and character. I LOVED it. Oh boy, is he good. He's not only fantastic at delivering dialogue for extremely long and exhausting takes, but just seeing his characters psyche continuously digging himself deeper is electric.

I'll leave off with saying Uncut Gems is one of the most exhilarating and unique films that I've seen this year. Adam Sandler (and the entire cast) kill it, the musical score is loud and exciting, it looks beautiful, and it has an energy that I haven't seen in any other film this year.

I really can't wait to see what the Safdie's come up with next.

With the lack of a trailer or really any information, I had no idea what to expect from this film, especially the tonality. The worry I have when watching a new Canadian film is that it will be as the majority are; slow, cheap, and morbid. But, I'm thankful to say Blood Quantum is a step above the average morbid Canadian film, and it even manages to get an important and overlooked message across amidst all the blood and gore.

The performances are all around very good, and to my satisfaction felt like honest portrayals of the Indigenous peoples of Canada. And the fact that a movie like this exists, featuring a majority-Indigenous cast in a bloody, gory zombie film, is very exciting for the ever growing presence of Indigenous peoples in cinema.

This film also offered a ton of blood and gore, which starts I'd say not even 10 minutes into the film. No time is wasted getting to all of the gory fun stuff, but it doesn't forget about its characters, managing to create relationships which I became invested in. I would say I think the handling of some critical moments of emotion could have been handled with a little more power, but with that said, the tone of this film is fairly lighthearted at times despite its core message (this is not to say the film is lighthearted). And I should also add, the gore effects are all awesome. Lots of practical work done, and so much of it is very creative and inventive. I had a blast during these scenes, and there are more than enough of them.

I could go on about the minimal, but very good musical score, which builds a tension of eeriness, and at times reminds you that this is in fact an indigenous film. The cinematography is also very good for a Canadian production, with most of the lighting and blocking feeling very expensive and consistent. Some aerial shots even reminded me of the intro to Kubrick's 'The Shining' in which a camera hauntingly looms over the Torrance car.

I enjoyed this film, and it offers a lot of quality effects, passion, and entertainment to be had. Not to mention it manages to leave us with an important, optimistic look towards the future relationship between the Indigenous peoples of Canada and the non-indigenous (English) peoples of Canada, a message that needs to be in the minds of every Canadian today and so forth.

If you get the chance to see this film, do see it, and pay for a ticket if you have the option, because there's no telling how much box office success a film like this will attain, and it deserves more than it may very well get.

7/10