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Judas and the Black Messiah (2021)
I AM... A REVIEWER! I AM... A REVIEWER! I AM... A REVIEWER! I AM... A REVIEWER!
Judas and the Black Messiah was a great movie about the struggle for civil rights in lates 60's America. It deals with themes of revolution, betrayal and conspiracy. The film greatly captured the feeling; I believe; of a time in America where race-based conflict and the demand for civil rights were at a boiling point for civilians at the time.
Production wise I have nothing to complain about. The cinematography was stilted and slow paced as it needed to be for a majority of scenes in the film. The soundtrack was great with a lot of distorted Jazz and classical music to help immerse audiences in the time period. The costumes were very authentic, especially the uniforms of Black Panther members nailing their look of authority and unity under being black, but also looking militaristic. As well the period-based clothing of Americans in the 60's was also well implemented. The locations as well helped reinforce the gritty undertone of the situation, I am speaking very specifically about the Crowns layer, and the hideout shootout.
This movie finally answered a question I've had for quite a while: Are Daniel Kaluuya and Lakeith Stanfield good actors? I'll let you answer that yourselves before reading on... Great! My answer: Yes, they are. I always felt Kaluuya has been somewhat one note for a while, playing this soft spoken, cool black guy who always looks down before chuckling about something, but now I can see he can play a charismatic, outspoken leader with an American accent, who also looks down and chuckles before looking back up. He sounded like he was doing an impression of Laurence Fishburne to me, and that's not a knock at him, I really really enjoyed it and listened to every word he said. He did a phenomenal job at playing the silver-tongued preacher who rallies his followers towards a larger goal. Hell, at some point he even had me yelling "Chairman Fred!" and "I am a revolutionary", and I'm the farthest thing from it, but that just speaks to how charismatic he was to me and how inspiring he came across.
And as for Lakeith, while he's still playing the kind of smart talking, stressed out youth, here it felt as though he had more to work with and more to express, as he had to yell out and be "angry" and confused a bunch, so it was nice to see him play that up. He was great in the role of William O'Neal, as I could believe him when he would act up for his fellow comrades. You could see every ounce of guilt in his face whenever Agent Roy would have him dig deeper.
Every other actor gave a great performance, no one was weak at all in this, even the side/minor characters. The dialogue was also very strong, as it played up to the sense of comradery between Panthers and others fighting the struggle.
The story felt typical in that it was a story about someone having to be a rat for some organization against their will or for a lighter sentence, and that's fine because its execution was very well done. Characters felt real, stakes were high, and themes of targeted, premeditated violence towards African American organizations of political change were spot on. As mentioned before, I feel the film did a great job at immersing audiences in its world of civil disobedience. Maybe a black man myself, I could better rally behind their messages and spirit of revolution. That's one thing I feel anyone can take away from this film is the power of community and the power in people.
Judas and the Black Messiah gets a huge recommendation from me, it is well told, strongly performed, and immersive.
Fruitvale Station (2013)
We don't talk enough about this movie today.
The first film of 2023 that made me cry. The death of Oscar Julius Grant III was something I was unaware of before watching the film. I got a general just that the film was based off a real life shooting of a black man, but that description alone could never prepare me for the tragedy that loomed over every moment.
I don't know how to review this. This being based on a real-life tragedy; I find it incredibly difficult to establish how to talk about this. As a movie, or as a telling of the unjust, vile murder. So, I decided I'll get my thoughts on the film's production out the way first and then discuss the deeper aspects.
Firstly, I really liked the grimy look of the film. It looked like something that was shot during the late 2000's/early 2010's. It was shot with film grain, handheld, and with a shallow depth of field. All these in combination lead to the film having this imperfect, grounded look and quality that helped focus solely on the actors and never really the background. Even the wide shots of the city have this bloom and mirage like quality to how things look, making some shots appear very dream-like and surprisingly unreal, but never in a bad way. Visually there is intention to everything. The clarity and sharpness we see in most movies lend those films this level of hyper realism and fantasy. Fruitvale looks very average on the other hand. As though the film is some high budget student film or shot by people who didn't have enough but used what they had anyway.
The cinematography was nothing really special, which is fine, because Fruitvale does not seek to glorify things, but ground them.
The score is something I never really noticed as it felt very understated so as to not take away from the actor's performances or the emotions of a scene. The sound design/foley was well done, as moments of quiet have this sense of reality, that what we are watching is not a movie.
The locations were noteworthy to me too just for their tangibility, especially Oscar's mothers' home which I would like to go into detail about. The coziness, tightness, and warmth, not just from the lighting or the furniture, but from the emotions and love within that scene were just infectious. It felt like a home I've been in before. I could smell the food and feel the space. It felt like nostalgia for a place I've never physically been to before, but one similar to it. Not too big, not too small, but big enough that the people and our bonds make it feel greater than it really is.
Now to talk about the film's story. I think the word that best describes why I love this movie, is 'Humanity'. Everything just feels so human. So real. So authentic and true. The way people talk to each other, the community people have between each other, the lives they live, the struggle's they face, the people in their lives, it all feels so real and tangible. And when you're writing and directing something based off a true story, that humanity can get lost or glorified to the point it dances in the uncanny valley and on the grave of respect. Such is a testament to the abilities of Writer, Director Ryan Coogler. I've never experienced a movie in a while with this level of heart and care across the board. The secondary cast were also stellar. The fact that even the most minor of characters felt real, just speaks to the level of care that was put into directing everyone, as well as the actor's ability to understand what the scene requires of them.
Michael B. Jordan is phenomenal embodying a young man who is just not perfect. Oscar lies to his family, gets into fights with people, sells drugs, and has been to prison. He also doesn't seem to be living in the best condition and seems to struggle financially. These aspects always made mem fearful for what could happen to him in the near future. But there is this real sense that all the bad things he does are not just for the sake of surviving, but for the happiness of his family. Everything I've said aside, Oscar is shown to be such a relatable, family man. He lies so that people are happy and don't worry all the time. He sells drugs to help pay the bills but doesn't like doing it at all. He gets into altercations because he's angry inside. He wants to change, and as the film develops, we see him desire to be better than he is. Get a job, stop selling drugs. Don't do things that will get you into prison. Be honest and vulnerable with the people you love.
This is the problem I had with this film. The writing, acting and direction make it seem as though I'm talking about him like he's a fictional character, but he's based off of someone real! And sure, some things may be exaggerated or just straight up untrue, but the execution is so flawless at making us consistently realize this man was real! It speaks volumes to the talent, dedication and care that went into the performances. You care about every single person who is related to Oscar because they are so average, simple and human. You feel their anxiety as they wait patiently to hear the news about Oscar's condition. You feel the happiness and joy whenever Oscar is with his daughter playing around.
I know I sound like a broken record at this point, but I really believe what this movie did is special. So so so so so so special. And powerful. It honestly feels like some milestone in cinema that doesn't get talked about nearly as much as it should, meanwhile this was released in 2013. 10 years later, I have yet to recall something now that does people such justice. Maybe Hereditary. Even then, it may also be this movies grounding in reality that may have heightened that sense of tragedy. But that feels disrespectful to the film. Everything about the film, just screams this need to do things justice, and to be authentic. There is no glorifying anything. It even ends on a very somber note. That the former police officer responsible for Oscar's death was released 11 months after his 2-year sentencing. I really appreciate that because it's easy to want to use this tragic story as some platform for this or that, but the ending just solidified to me that sometimes things are just unfair. And maybe that's ok. Maybe what we need to do is just find some solace in that.
I clearly can't recommend Fruitvale Station enough. It is incredibly powerful and extremely well executed.
Hellboy II: The Golden Army (2008)
New York! New York! It's a hell of a town! The budget went up, and the baby tumor is brown!
This is a sequel that lives up to the adage, of going bigger. Where can I start? Well, I can firstly say that if you watch this movie expecting an alternative superhero film then you'll be quite disappointed. While our good old Anung Un Rama; known as Hellboy or 'Red' by his friends; does the traditional hero act of saving civilians and babies from irresponsible mothers in panic; who seemingly can't open a car door; this film leans heavily on fantastical elements. Gone is the Nazi occultism and lite Sci-fi of the first film. Say hello to cat eating trolls that fear canaries and vile, trafficked, literal tooth eating fairies, and secret societies of elves, monsters, and a beanstalk that grows into Groot's great great grand nanny I'm sure. And that's the least of it, believe you me.
Epic is another word I'd used to describe this movie. While it never really felt like the stakes were that high, relative to the first film, the scale of the adventure and especially the world has increased tenfold, with a lot of make-up, practical effects and cgi used throughout the film, it's no denying that things have really opened up and are better for it. Everything is still grounded and feels like what we have come to expect from the first film in terms of its characters and the writing. Del Toro and co continue to humanize these supposed monsters, by making a fishman and a demon badass get drunk together after singing a love song, sharing some hooch, and spying on a sleeping woman (Moral note: That's creepy and invasive, ergo it's not right. DO NOT DO THAT).
This movie balances stakes with also not taking itself too seriously and does so well. Even after Hellboy bit the dust for like 20 minutes, I knew he'd come back and be ready to kick names and take ass, maybe with enough time to light a new cuban. The movie even featured relatively more blood and a darker sense of humor than the first. From seeing Tooth Fairies overwhelm a man by the thousands and seeing his bony corpse remains, to a content speaking tumor that sounds like a baby (Thanks Del Toro and co for making me write tumor and baby in the same sentence).
As for the characters, we once again follow Hellboy and his small team of members of the Bureau of Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD). Hellboy remains the fun, quippy, lovable jerk we know and love, but in this film, we see him act rasher and see him in the context of being in a relationship. He's told at some point that he lets his anger get the best of him, but I never felt like that went anywhere. Honestly, it didn't really feel like Hellboy was the center focus of this movie much, but where he is, he is always welcomed. Adjacent to Hellboy we have Liz who is quite abrasive and frustrated with some things throughout, but always manages to know what to do to help herself feel better, as well she supports and genuinely cares for Hellboy, which was touching to see. Then there's Manning. Nuff said. And finally, we have Abe Sapien, who's presence in the film felt a bit unbalanced. Throughout I couldn't help but wonder if we needed Abe for some scenes or moments. His dynamic with the team is also always welcomed, but overall, he felt like more trouble than not at times. And joining the team is another paranormal phenomenon, Johan Krauss, who's basically a ghost in a suit so he can interact with the world but can also possess other things. An ability he uses quite humorously in a great physical comedy moment involving lockers, and because silence is golden, I'll say very little on that.
What else can I praise or acknowledge? The CGI and aforementioned Practical effects still hold up as well as can be in today's time (2023). The score is fine. Cinematography is fine. I liked seeing Hellboy and co go to a brightly lit area towards the films end as a great majority of both films take place in dark environments. I think as far as endings go for the movie, I liked to over analyze it as some hopeful ending, that there's always light at the end of the tunnel kind of thing, especially considering where they came from. Once again, I'll always love moments of humanization. I liked seeing Hellboy, Liz and Abe working together as a team, even with Johan towards the films end. I like Johan. I liked the final location of the end fight, as it was quite unique. I liked all the fights in this movie, as the camerawork gave beat downs a level of punch and umph.
I do however have some albeit minor complaints/issues whatever you want to call it. The first is that I never liked how frequently things just happened with no build up throughout the film, such as in the beginning after the Hellboy title card, we just see the villain practicing Elf-Fu out of nowhere. We don't know who he is, or what he's really doing. And it sucks, because it was quite cool. Speaking of the villain, he sucked, didn't like him at all, just not fun to follow, and that's not to say every villain should be fun to follow, just that I also love Darkseid. As well, the villain (Nuada), and the line delivery for him and his sister (Nuala) was really distractingly flat in most cases to me. It felt like they were both inspired by Gal Gadot in Zack Snyders Justice League. Sorry to bring other movies into this review, but I couldn't help it here, and you'll see more of that soon ;). Oh, and speaking of the sister, her relationship with Abe was very underdeveloped. How underdeveloped, you might ask? It's basically 'Love' at first sight, or in their case touch. What irked me was that it led to what felt like a rushed, character assassination moment towards the films end. Abe has been described in this film as the brains of the team and has proven himself in this film and the previous film just how learned and cautious he is. So, with that being said, his decision to hand over the Mcguffin to the villain towards the films end and vocally express his surprise at having been betrayed really got me, because I know that's #notmyAbe.
I have no problem with Abe getting a generic love plot line, I just need it to have some foundation and reason, and for it to not be generic. I mean, we have a fishman who can read minds and see into the past through touch, getting the hots for an elf of a fallen civilization, who feels the same physical afflictions as her twin brother. But you know what, this wasn't their movie. That movie you'll find in the fantastic film by Del Toro Shape of Water. In fact, Golden Army to me looked like the progenitor of much of Del Toro's future work to have come after that time. We have the twisted tooth fairies who consume teeth and bones (see: Don't be afraid of the dark). We have this fairytale story being told with a warm glow to it and wooden looking animations (see: Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio). Monster fights in the city (see: Pacific Rim). And just to end this off, we have that thing that looks like that other thing from Pan's Labyrinth (see: well, Pan's Labyrinth, I till need to).
All in all, a pretty good, fun movie. There's some stuff I left out about Hellboy learning to be accepted among the people of the city, or how the theme of being a man is still nicely relevant, or how Hellboy basically caused a race to become extinct with like 6/7 shots, but you'll have to watch the film to find out ;).
Hellboy (2004)
A man chooses, a slave obeys.
Hellboy is a special and enjoyable, but lengthy alternate superhero film, about what it means to be a man. At the center of this core message, we have the infinitely entertaining, star of the show, man baby demon thing: "Anung Un Rama". But you probably know him by his real name 'Hellboy'. I can confidently say, that even in this modern (2023 as of writing) age of cinema where we have dozens upon dozens of superhero films by Marvel, I have never been more endeared to a hero quite like I have with Hellboy. Although he's supposed to biologically be this demon, unknown supernatural beast of destruction and chaos, Del Toro and co do an exceptional job at making him feel human. Throughout the film we see how Hellboy has been somewhat dehumanized by the world around him. His bedroom is locked behind layers of concrete and steel, isolated and guarded from everyone else. He isn't allowed to show his face in public even during the funeral of a loved one or even to see a loved one. He needs to conceal himself through a garbage truck to move through the city. And the modern world has taken to characterizing him as a soulless, white-eyed avenger. Even Hellboy himself faces his own insecurities, such as how he files down his horns to look like everyone else and feels as though he cannot be loved because of his appearance. Even in spite of all that, what I love about Hellboy the most, is that he never lets that make him feel defeated. He feels like the true ideal of a hero and of even what it can mean to be a man, where when the world knocks you down, you get back up, smile, maybe laugh, and take it on the chin, because life isn't just about falling. And by the end of the film, we see him go from this reckless man-child to a reckless man, as the film defines a man as someone who chooses. On a sidenote, I liked how even though his home is a laboratory and underground facility, he still has connections within the facility and people who care about him or at the very least know and sympathize with him. Other than that, Hellboy is just relatable and human. I love how the movie spends moments on Hellboy doing more than just stopping supernatural threats. Scenes such as when he rescues a box of kittens, gives them to their owner, and pets them before leaving. How he tries to write a letter to Liz about how he feels about her, but just can't find the right words. How he jealously watches Liz enjoying time with someone else because he feels inadequate and insecure. And his little moment with the young boy, eating cookies and milk together on a rooftop, talking about relationships, and being honest with people about how we feel. He's just so uniquely written in that you'd think he'd be such a meathead, frat-bro type with a temper; like some other brightly colored, muscular brute we all know of. Ron Perlman just nails the character completely (comics not withstanding) from beginning to end, because in every situation we see Hellboy in, Perlman; alongside the direction and dialogue; always give a sense that Hellboy is totally in control of the situation and can solve anything, as he quips a bunch and throws very well executed one-liners that are cheesy; don't get me wrong; but just so fun.
Now that I've gotten my Hellboy praise out the way, I'd like to talk about the actual movie. I love this movies use of practical effects, as it makes everything have this strange, unique charm to it, especially for todays. As I slightly suspected, some of the CGI is noticeable and a little weak, but never that distracting really. The monster designs were really cool, as expected from Del Toro and co, especially the character Abraham Sapien, who was always a splendor to observe. As for the characters, every other character besides Hellboy is fine. No one was ever annoying or felt inconsistent whenever they did anything, so that's always much appreciated. The banter (dialogue) between Abe Sapien and Hellboy was always fun to listen to, as you can just gleam a lot about their relationship and how and why they work together. However, I wish we saw more interaction between the trio of Abe, Hellboy and Liz. Because as sweet and endearing as Abe's 'Freaks should stick together' line is, it felt a little discarded and unrealized since nothing every really came of that by the credits rolling. The villains are the 'evil because evil' types, at least I couldn't gleam any personal or even dutiful reasoning for causing what is essentially Pandamonium. But it's ok in my opinion, since this movie is about its namesake. Fight scenes between Hellboy and the Hellhounds felt like they dragged on longer than they needed to and felt repetitive. The soundtrack by Marco Beltrami was so so, nothing that really stood out to me, other than the; albeit; generic score playing during Brooms funeral. The humor in the movie was great, a lot of quips, sarcasm, dark humor, and some slapstick that really landed. Most of it came from Hellboy, who was the perfect vessel for it, because of his bleak perspective on things. The puppet assassin dummy was also really amazing to behold. Cinematography was pretty standard for my tastes and did what it needed to do. And something else I liked was the lite development of Manning's character, going from someone who is whinny and control seeking, to understanding that it's best to follow and help Hellboy, because he actually knows what he's doing. The plot was a standard end of the world type story, which I found interesting as it just completely juxtaposes the more intimate story being told with Hellboy, Broom, and Liz at the center. All in all, Hellboy is a great addition to the superhero genre that I feel currently stands the test of time by being fun, personal, and doing what most other superhero films either don't do at all or often enough, is seeing our hero being human.
American Psycho (2000)
Ok. Picture this. What if... Ted Bundy... was in Wall Street?
I found American Psycho to be a very fascinating, and unpredictable film. I read it as some insight and commentary on some Uber masculine ideal and as a sick male fantasy of control and power over most things. Patrick Bateman is certainly a character who will stick with me for a while, as he is a very strange and disturbed man. Christian Bale steals the show in the portrayal, as although I found myself quite sickened, uncomfortable and off put by Bateman, I simply couldn't look away as he has this weirdly alluring sense of charisma, charm and stoicism, that watching him interact with any character in the film was always so interesting. We don't really learn much about Bateman personally, like what his life was like growing up, for example, and things that would help us understand why he is the way he is. And that's fine, because you don't really worry about those things as you watch the film, but later when the credits roll you start to ask yourself why. Bale nails presence in this movie, and was an overall delight to observe. The themes surrounding the film are related to corporate America, especially back in the time of this film's release (2000), but personally those themes tend to go over my head because I'm not going to pretend I know things about corporate America, but what I can speak to is the films Uber Masculine themes. My personal meaning behind the phrase Uber Masculine, is defined as something that glorifies masculine traits, such as high sex drive, or desire for power. Patrick Bateman exudes these ideals throughout the film for me, as he has high aspirations, and desires to be viewed as a kind of top dog within his corporate workspace. He works out a lot due to some obsession with his body, and tells women what to wear, and speaks of them misogynistically, at times. These themes are very interestingly explored in my eyes, and I can see why a lot of men would unironically like Patrick Bateman for what he stands for as an ideal of a man to aspire to, but I would say that is missing the point, as he is just strange, needlessly obsessive, and commanding. Traits that no one should aspire to. I almost liked him but stopped myself in time after assessing him. The latter half of the film lost me personally, and I didn't really enjoy the whole 'was it real' trope, never have. The film asks viewers to suspend their disbelief a lot. For example, I don't believe Det. Kimble would so easily just give Bateman information regarding the active investigation case as easily as he does, and I get that it likely is done in part to keep people on edge and such, but it personally felt very unnatural how trustworthy he is of Bateman. Another thing is his murdering of Jean being so violent and cartoonish, especially her death. Peoples' propensity to forget each other's names and faces. And finally, I don't think any real person would not think someone like Patrick Bateman is creepy, strange, or even just odd. He always felt so obviously obsessive and stoic, that it's a wonder he has any 'friends' or even a fiancé at all. Given the movies use of the 'was it real' trope, I have to believe these decisions were done with that ending in mind, but does that invalidate it all, I wonder. All in all, American Psycho is a great film and look into was power could do to someone. I highly recommend.
F.E.A.R.: First Encounter Assault Recon (2005)
No more than what the developers wanted for it.
F. E. A. R combat and gameplay, are all the game developers at Monolith are trying to push and have players' experience. The main gameplay loop is for the Point man to go from place to place and get into shootouts in between checkpoints. The main selling point of the experience is the Point Mans ability to slow down time and pick off enemies one by one before time runs out. As well you will push buttons to open doors, switch loadouts, and send information your director Betters. Not very stimulating in general, as the game really lacks variety in gameplay and approaches for the player to solve problems, as well it is very repetitive. What helps spice things up is the enemy A. I which actively works to advance the player and take them out with high degrees of ferocity and tactics. They can flank the player, attempt to flush them out with grenade drops, maneuver around the level to take cover or search for the player, and much more. But all this mystique and intelligence felt lost as the game went on, as I'm not sure if I've mentioned but the game is repetitive, so I started to lose that sense of threat when I became accustomed to the game. Small tips: quick save often and try get in the habit of healing whilst using the slow-motion ability.
Overall F. E. A. R presents a simple and un-engaging plot, and a narrative brimming with unrecognized potential. All in an effort to give some level of context to the games selling point of slow-motion shooting I believe, and if this was the developers main goal, then more power to them, but I felt we could have the great gameplay and a story that makes me feel anything at all. As it stands, there is a disconnect between the gameplay, the story, and the Japanese horror elements. Did not like it.
Overall, F. E. A. R. presents an interesting fictional division of paranormal suppressors that could've been interesting and cool to follow, had their potential been recognized or even glanced at. They are overall incredibly disappointing and uninteresting characters to play alongside and to follow.
The world presented in F. E. A. R is uninteresting and void of life. Atmospherically it is quite good, with that emptiness playing into how alone and vulnerable we as the Point Man feel when traversing, as literally everything is trying to kill you, or forces you into things.
F. E. A. R seeks nothing more than to present audiences with its' core selling point of slow-motion shooting. It makes no effort to tell and interesting story, present a fascinating world, or give compelling characters. It merely seeks to make players have a sense of fun with killing people in slow motion by sacrificing deeper context for repetitive gameplay and shallow combat, and for me, even that goal alone I think is worth applauding and valuing, as they gave gamers something they've never played before. Even now, F. E. A. R's slow-motion combat has not been replicated (as far as I know), leaving F. E. A. R as the only game on the market currently (Dec, 2022) with this mechanic. As well I applaud Monolith's attempts at making a horror styled shooter. Finally, I believe that F. E. A. R still holds up today, and is noteworthy for it's slow-motion mechanic, and its' Artificial Intelligence.
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
Avatar 2: The Weekend in Water.
I really enjoyed this movie. I felt as though it was a great step up from the previous one and does a lot to expand on the exotic alien planet of Pandora, by showing us more of the world, different ways of life, its' people, and all with stunning shots, effects and locations. It was a smart move for the film to take us to completely uncharted waters by being set by the beaches as opposed to the dense jungle forests of the first film.
Like with the first film, I was quite immersed to the point where I didn't realize whether or not 3 hours passed, as a part of me did want more. The words I would use to describe the film and my experience, were epic, awesome and cool. Some of the story beats are very similar to the first movie however, such as learning the ways of life on Pandora and failing comedically first but then nailing it later, our character gets attacked and cornered by a carnivorous threat of the wilds due to their inexperience (and losing their weapon by the beast ripping it from their hands with its jaw and throwing it away off to the side :/), "bonding" with an Irkan (Banshee) scene, war between the Na'vi and RDA (whatever that stands for because no one has ever actually told us), even (what sounds like) usage of the previous films soundtrack (in similar scene), and the same villain as before (but in a new context). However, this does not mean it isn't worth a watch, because what helps change things, is the relationship between Jake Sully, Neytiri, and their family, as we see the pair now have to take on parental roles to their teenage (I'm guessing) kids, Jake more so. This greatly helps in adding stakes to the film, as well as helping it not feel entirely like a rehash of the previous film. The characters were all fun and serviceable to the plot, no problems there in my opinion and the acting was solid throughout.
Some things did come out of nowhere, such as the brain copying capabilities of the RDA (or Weyland Yutani for all we know :/), Col. Guaritch having a son (with who?) that was living in the RDA Facilities seemingly during the events of the first film, as well as Grace having supposedly been pregnant, and that child still being alive by the beginning of the new movie (I'm guessing), as well as her abilities and ties to Eywa and the powers it grants her. But these did not take away from the film but added to it by expanding on characters, and the world, in a way that was never distracting or grating in my opinion. As well, it feels like some scenes were missing in certain moments, as the story simply cut to things without any establishing of what had happened before that part. One thing I wish could've been expanded on was Spiders' feelings towards Neytiri threatening to kill him, as I don't recall her apologizing to him, or a scene showing how he feels about having been used and threatened like that against someone who he may as well consider a kind of mother figure to him.
Once again it wasn't a deal breaker, but made me wonder: "If the film is 3 hours long, then could we not have used (some of) that time to establish some things?" There was a particular scene involving Lo'ak (one of Jakes' kids) simply swimming again and again with the Tulkun that could've been shortened or cut entirely (but it's fine cause the visuals were beautiful ;) ). This is also not to say that any scenes feel unnecessary, dragged out, or too long, as everything served a purpose. The films pacing was alright, but I did sort of wonder where the movie was going around the time Jake and his family arrived at Metkayina, and when we would be watching Guaritch and his Na'vi demon Jarhead Shitoon learning to "bond" with an Irkan. I wondered this because, whilst one could definitely see that the film will repeat the same Technology vs Nature trope again, I was thinking it could have gone some other direction, but where it went was fine, but I expect something else from Avatar 3: A dream of Spring.
The story was fine and passable (obviously the white savior trope will always mostly suck), but what I really like is how accessible it is, as anyone could watch the movie and understand it with no real problem (not to say the first one was confusing). But what really stood out for me, was how the film had various scenes shot in 48 frames per second. It made the film look a bit video gamey at times, in a good way. This really lent the movie a sense of otherworldliness, because I personally haven't seen many (if any) films do that. The best part was that it was not used in excess, as high action moments and scenes like the banshee flying, were presented in said framerate, and those moments looked amazing and stunning for it.
And finally, enough can't be said about the visuals. Oh. My. God. The world of Pandora (especially at night) is quite the spectacle to behold, even more so on the silver screen (in IMAX). It's this amazing mixture of cinematography, framing, the world itself and the coloring of all scenes that makes the overall film truly appealing to the eye, even that's underselling it (sidenote though: I will always dislike it when the camera randomly zooms in on some shots. I disliked it in the first film, and was upset to see it return, but not a dealbreaker at all, just a nitpick). Explaining it here cannot do it justice, so my recommendation is to go out and watch it to helps James Cameron make $3 Billion this time! Ha ha! I know I will be doing so again honestly.
Also, there is a cameo from the Weekend ;)