NephilimShoto Reviews

Teen Spirit (2018)

A Spirited Effort

[28 October 2020]

Teen Spirit doesn't try to be something it's not. It provides face-value entertainment for 90 minutes. It's definitely worth watching for Elle Fanning's performance alone.

Acting: 8/10. Fanning is superb (acting, singing and dancing); supporting cast is convincing enough. Plot: 7/10. Good pacing; visual storytelling is favoured over dialogue; average character development; one or two unexpected twists; decent conclusion. Production: 8.5/10. Believable locations, sets, costumes, etc. Soundtrack: 6/10. Notably predictable songs throughout. (Perhaps that was intentional; this is a movie about a pop music contest, after all.)

Overall recommendation: Watch it (once is enough).

The Last Days of Disco (1998)

Humorous, witty dialogue makes up for a slight lack of plot

[16 October 2017]

'The Last Days of Disco' isn't really about disco. It focuses on the relationships of a group of "yuppies" (young upwardly mobile professionals) during this time.

The film prioritises dialogue over plot. The humorous, witty dialogue makes the film go quite quickly considering its runtime.

In my opinion, this film contains elements from a variety of genres, namely (in no particular order) comedy, drama, music, crime and legal.

Definitely worth a watch if you're a fan of disco (the soundtrack), witty dialogue (similar to a Richard Linklater film) and the two lead actresses.