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The Whale (2022)
Don't eat a lot before you watch it
Very emotional movie, with strong scenes. You shouldn't watch it with full stomach, as some scenes might make you want to throw up. As my friend with whom I watched it said, this movie tests your ability to feel empathy for other people. You are gonna struggle in the first 30 minutes, but then the movie gets better. The movie is an invitation to think about people who try to "fix" the others (even if they have the best intentions) and what really is it that you need to be in peace with yourself. Brendan Fraser showed that he can take up on complex roles. Charlie is a difficult character, especially because he does not react in traditional ways, he is somewhat too nice but also strong-minded. I recommend it.
Les trois mousquetaires: D'Artagnan (2023)
A fresh view on the famous french novel
If you are looking for a modern shootage of the three musketeers, the movie will please you. Well thought battle scenes, dynamic photography and a bit of humor are served in the movie. The fights are very vivid - unlike the almost "chivalric" way they were choreographed in previous three musketeers movies. Noteworthy is also the musketeers' quite rustic clothing, while in previous movies they wore plain uniforms. In a few words, it is a fresh modern view on a timeless story.
At some points the movie deviates from the original novel, but I don't think that it seriously damages the plot. What I missed most was character construction. Of course one should not expect an action movie to leave much room for character construction, but since the movie is intended to have a sequel and the french novel is quite rich in character details, I think this part could have been better explored in the movie. The scene at the cliff, for example, which was the most impactful one when I read the book, lacks emotion. Interestingly the initial and the ending scenes are symmetrical.
Spiderhead (2022)
Promising plot with disappointing screenplay
The plot delivers rich material for a discussion on human feelings and how science could control them. However the movie basically floods the audience with scenes that do not dig deep enough into the characters' minds. As a consequence it fails to explore the discussion proposed by the movie itself. This becomes particularly evident when Chris Hemsworth's character has to verbally explain in one of the last scenes what was actually going on in the prison.
Apart from that, Chris Hemsworth had a strong performance, just as Miles Teller. Production design is decent - despite the scenarios being rather simple, it does convey an idea of modernity and succeeds in placing a high-tech facility in an unusual landscape (without white walls everywhere and people wearing lab coats for example). It is not a great movie, but worth watching.
The Pope's Exorcist (2023)
A typical possession movie, with interesting historical background
Not very scary, but with an exciting plot. The pope's relationship to Russell Crowe's character could have been better exploited though, since the movie's very title stresses this feature.
Unlike many other horror movies, this one sets foot on historical events (how accurate they are, that is another question). At least, it made me feel like researching on the internet.
I am of the opinion that possession movies should to some extent teach the public about demons/spirits, since most people are not aware of the supernatural aspects underlying the plot. This could perfectly fit the role of a pope's exorcist, but I also missed this "pedagogic" approach in the movie.
Apart from the critics, it's a good movie and I totally recommend.
The Perfection (2018)
Thriller without suspense
The movie aspires to be a thriller, but lacks the necessary tension building. There is not enough suspense, ambiguous characters or even cues that the main character is being tricked into something. The movie rather frustrates your expectations with a lot of plot twists.
The most conspicuous thing in the movie is indeed the unrealistic character motivation, which is actually accountable for the unpredictable plot twists - sometimes with confusing points of view. In the bus scene, for example, the viewer is presented with things that only one character could have seen, but the storytelling is from another character's perspective.
Also, the plot does not offer many opportunities for violence scenes. The gruesome scene at the end looks therefore a bit misplaced.