I just purchased my television. For my first viewing I decided to do something ridiculous...
I watched the four hour Zach Snyder Justice League.
I should start by saying I haven't seen Joss Whedon's cut which I've heard is just abysmal but now I'm absolutely fascinated at watching it with a mix of hubris and sympathy. After an hour into this... experience I couldn't fathom how anyone could reinvent it as a two hour feature that is any sort of satisfying.
Anyway. I don't know how to review this as a film. It's not quite a limited series but it's certainly too poorly paced to qualify as a feature. It has six (I think?) chapters that give it some semblance of a structure. It's clear where the midpoint in and when we hit that midpoint I knew exactly how it would payoff in the third act. You'd have to be foolish not to see it coming. I can't really recommend it but I admired the audacity of it and it presents a counter to the MCU that I found compelling. I can't say I desired more after this film but I found enough moments surprising and resonant that I wouldn't turn it down. For example: a sequence where Cyborg glimpses a future where he can upset the financial capitals of the world, replete with hallucinations of fighting bulls. Also, Zach Snyder's filmmaking has gotten pretty lucid and more than one action scenes are excellent.
But of course, there's the downsides: assembly cut-tempo, very stupid bad guy, typical third act, two absolutely dreadful endings... and it's four hours!
I'll damn it with faint praise: it's Zach Snyder's best film, but I didn't need four hours of it.
The Official Review Thread of 2021
Re: The Official Review Thread of 2021
Last edited by Sabin on Sat Nov 06, 2021 10:39 pm, edited 1 time in total.
"How's the despair?"
-
anonymous1980
- Laureate
- Posts: 6385
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 10:03 pm
- Location: Manila
- Contact:
Re: The Official Review Thread of 2021
THE HARDER THEY FALL
Cast: Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Regina King, Zazie Beetz, Delroy Lindo, Lakeith Stanfield, Deon Cole, RJ Cyler, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi.
Dir: Jeymes Samuel.
After his parents are murdered in front of him by an infamous outlaw, a young boy grows up to be an infamous outlaw himself swearing vengeance on the man who killed his family. The main characters may be all black, some of the dialogue and music choices may be anachronistic but goddamn it, this film is, from its style and structure, a classic Western through and through. It felt like if John Ford and Sergio Leone joined forces to make a Western blaxploitation film. It is so much fun. The cast are all game for the challenge. Idris Elba is a compelling villain. Regina King is all badass as his second-in-command. Watching it, I kind of wished I was able to see it on the big screen as well but it's a great Netflix watch.
Oscar Prospects: Sound.
Grade: B+
Cast: Jonathan Majors, Idris Elba, Regina King, Zazie Beetz, Delroy Lindo, Lakeith Stanfield, Deon Cole, RJ Cyler, Danielle Deadwyler, Edi Gathegi.
Dir: Jeymes Samuel.
After his parents are murdered in front of him by an infamous outlaw, a young boy grows up to be an infamous outlaw himself swearing vengeance on the man who killed his family. The main characters may be all black, some of the dialogue and music choices may be anachronistic but goddamn it, this film is, from its style and structure, a classic Western through and through. It felt like if John Ford and Sergio Leone joined forces to make a Western blaxploitation film. It is so much fun. The cast are all game for the challenge. Idris Elba is a compelling villain. Regina King is all badass as his second-in-command. Watching it, I kind of wished I was able to see it on the big screen as well but it's a great Netflix watch.
Oscar Prospects: Sound.
Grade: B+
-
anonymous1980
- Laureate
- Posts: 6385
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 10:03 pm
- Location: Manila
- Contact:
Re: The Official Review Thread of 2021
RAYA AND THE LAST DRAGON
Cast: Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Izaac Wang, Benedict Wong, Daniel Dae Kim, Sandra Oh, Thalia Tran, Lucille Soong, Alan Tudyk (voices).
Dir: Don Hall, Carlos Lopez Estrada.
As monsters that turn people into stone plague their land, Raya seeks to find a way to save their land by teaming up with the last dragon who is their only hope. The latest offering from Disney Animation Studios has a Southeast Asian bad-ass princess in a magical land influenced Southeast Asian (Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam) culture and aesthetic. As a Southeast Asian, I think they did a pretty good job (Is it pandering? A little! But I like being pandered to sometimes). As for the film itself, it's not their very best but it's far from their worst. The film is actually very enjoyable and features some gorgeous animation and some fine voice acting especially from Akwafina who is both hilarious and touching as Sisu, the titular last dragon. It's not essential viewing but it's not a bad way to spend 100 minutes. Extra points for James Newton Howard's great score.
Oscar Prospects: Animated Feature is possible. Score and Song is too.
Grade: B+
Cast: Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Izaac Wang, Benedict Wong, Daniel Dae Kim, Sandra Oh, Thalia Tran, Lucille Soong, Alan Tudyk (voices).
Dir: Don Hall, Carlos Lopez Estrada.
As monsters that turn people into stone plague their land, Raya seeks to find a way to save their land by teaming up with the last dragon who is their only hope. The latest offering from Disney Animation Studios has a Southeast Asian bad-ass princess in a magical land influenced Southeast Asian (Thailand, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Cambodia, Vietnam) culture and aesthetic. As a Southeast Asian, I think they did a pretty good job (Is it pandering? A little! But I like being pandered to sometimes). As for the film itself, it's not their very best but it's far from their worst. The film is actually very enjoyable and features some gorgeous animation and some fine voice acting especially from Akwafina who is both hilarious and touching as Sisu, the titular last dragon. It's not essential viewing but it's not a bad way to spend 100 minutes. Extra points for James Newton Howard's great score.
Oscar Prospects: Animated Feature is possible. Score and Song is too.
Grade: B+
Re: The Official Review Thread of 2021
Halloween Kills
Because I got bored when I had Covid, I decided to do the "31 Horror Movies in October" thing (which has been fun overall), and watched the original Halloween which still holds up as one of the best horror movies ever made. It is excellent, and if it's brought down in any way, it's by the endless parade of sequel after sequel. The 2018 movie reset the continuity of the series, throwing out all of the sequels and playing itself as a direct sequel to the 1978 original. It wasn't great, or even very good, and its portrait of decades-long PTSD was extremely blunt, but it had some interesting touches (especially the idea that Michael barely remembered Laurie and she was never a specific target of his earlier rampage), and I actually kind of liked some of the (again, pretty blunt) parallels to the 1978 film.
The reviews for this had me a little wary, and I will say that if this had been released in October 2020 as originally planned, especially if it had been a non-pandemic year, it probably would've been better received. Its portrait of Trump-country mob mentality is deeply un-subtle, but I can see how that would've resonated with some people just before the election. But also, in order to side with this film's point of view, such that it is, toward the mob (which is, mob = bad) requires you to side with Michael Myers and this movie is at least 80% Myers mowing people down, as graphically and as indiscriminately as possible. (The movie ultimately wants you to side with Laurie's "Michael Myers is the anger within us and oh yeah I'm going to hunt him down" point of view.) There are no real people in this movie, just objects for the camera to stare at as they die graphically. There's no horror in the film, nothing scary, just lots of gross-out shots of knives through eyes, eyes being gouged out, detached limbs...you get the picture. This is a gross, anti-human film. It exists beyond binaries of "bad" and "good", because it is so gross and so pornographic in its use of violence. Truly one of the worst things ever released.
Because I got bored when I had Covid, I decided to do the "31 Horror Movies in October" thing (which has been fun overall), and watched the original Halloween which still holds up as one of the best horror movies ever made. It is excellent, and if it's brought down in any way, it's by the endless parade of sequel after sequel. The 2018 movie reset the continuity of the series, throwing out all of the sequels and playing itself as a direct sequel to the 1978 original. It wasn't great, or even very good, and its portrait of decades-long PTSD was extremely blunt, but it had some interesting touches (especially the idea that Michael barely remembered Laurie and she was never a specific target of his earlier rampage), and I actually kind of liked some of the (again, pretty blunt) parallels to the 1978 film.
The reviews for this had me a little wary, and I will say that if this had been released in October 2020 as originally planned, especially if it had been a non-pandemic year, it probably would've been better received. Its portrait of Trump-country mob mentality is deeply un-subtle, but I can see how that would've resonated with some people just before the election. But also, in order to side with this film's point of view, such that it is, toward the mob (which is, mob = bad) requires you to side with Michael Myers and this movie is at least 80% Myers mowing people down, as graphically and as indiscriminately as possible. (The movie ultimately wants you to side with Laurie's "Michael Myers is the anger within us and oh yeah I'm going to hunt him down" point of view.) There are no real people in this movie, just objects for the camera to stare at as they die graphically. There's no horror in the film, nothing scary, just lots of gross-out shots of knives through eyes, eyes being gouged out, detached limbs...you get the picture. This is a gross, anti-human film. It exists beyond binaries of "bad" and "good", because it is so gross and so pornographic in its use of violence. Truly one of the worst things ever released.
-
OscarGuy
- Site Admin
- Posts: 13668
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 12:22 am
- Location: Springfield, MO
- Contact:
Re: The Official Review Thread of 2021
I haven't seen the special, but I know that his anti-Trans rhetoric is divisive and condescending. Sure, he knows the Black/White dynamic well, but he's also a millionaire coasting off his popularity from quite some time ago when he was considered edgy. Now, because he's wealthy and has spoken truth to power, he thinks that he speaks for everyone, even on subjects other than race. He is a straight Black cisgender male. I'm afraid his opinion on transgender struggles and that of the LGBTQ community is not necessary nor appropriate. Before I get into the crux of my issue about what you reference below (and let me say I'm not mad at you for bringing it up, nor do I think you agree with anything he has to say about trans issues), I will say that he at least offered to sit down with the trans employees who walked out at Netflix to listen to their concerns.
Onto that whole White bias and trans displacement. That clearly comes from a position of ignorance. He doesn't understand transgenderism because he's not transgender and I don't care if he had a trans comic open for him or if he has trans friends, he doesn't get to comment on it without actually knowing something. Not now. Not ever. In that vein, I will say that yes, LGBTQ rights have been a struggle in the U.S. for seemingly less time, but long before there was an America, there were gay men and women being killed by the church and believers. Even into more recent events, they were among the lesser known targets of the Holocaust. The struggles are not identical, but they do share some commonality.
Having said all that, he is probably right in the fact that White men being among the disadvantaged in the LGBTQ community has enabled the movement's ability to increase awareness and stamp out discrimination. Having White people in your group does inherently act as a positive in terms of becoming accepted. What Chappelle probably doesn't get, because he's a straight dude in a community that stimatizes homosexuality far more than most other ethnic groups, is that the LGBTQ community, by and large, sticks together. Once one element achieves success, they help other elements succeed. The rapid ascent of trans rights in the United States is a direct result of the LGBTQ community putting its weight forward and helping get them the same rights others in the community already have. I wish that the Black community had that kind of foundational allyship, but there is an allyship there even if Chappelle doesn't see it or understand it.
The Black community has struggled with acceptance of LGBTQ issues. It's a sad fact, but because the Black community, as a whole, is more religious than White communities (excepting fundamentalists, of course), there is more struggle there to accept the rights of the LGBTQ community. One of the few reasons they do so is because they understand discrimination and all discrimination based on inherent is bad. Thus the allyship. Similarly, the LGBTQ community uses its successes to try and help others, even outside of its community. That's one of the reasons why two of the strongest groups working for universal equality and equity are the Black community and the LGBTQ community. Both have experiences with systemic bigotry and both try to help the other, even if they don't 100% understand the other group's issues in full.
As an aside here, the LGBTQ community still does not have equal protection under the law. Federal law does not prohibit against discrimination based on sexuality and gender identity is very loosely protected based on gender discrimination itself, but conservatives don't agree with that interpretation and it may only be a matter of time before the Supreme Court agrees with them. In many states, you can still be fired for being gay. In many states, you cannot adopt. In many states, you can be denied housing. For all the successes the LGBTQ community has achieved, there is still a long LONG way to go.
Yes, there's division within the LGBTQ community, but that's a completely different issue and is largely immaterial to this particular discussion.
One last thing on the subject above, for Chappelle to sit there and say that the LGBTQ community is succeeding only because they are White is to ignore the frequent reports of trans people being killed for simply existing and the vast majority of those trans deaths are Black. And from my experience, based on the trans friends I have via Facebook, there is a concerted effort to protect everyone in the trans community, regardless of race (even Drag Race is now permitting trans contestants). That's something that Chappelle would have no knowledge of because he's not a part of that community. He doesn't have trans friends. What happened to the comic that opened for him was tragic, but it's an all-too common occurrence these days and it's not an issue of race, but an issue of transphobia. His routine, as well as the rhetoric of people like J.K. Rowling, only serve to further stigmatize the trans community and if someone doesn't sit him down and convince him of that, he's just going to keep doing it. Perhaps Laverne Cox needs to have a powwow with him. Maybe he'll listen to someone from his own community.
Onto that whole White bias and trans displacement. That clearly comes from a position of ignorance. He doesn't understand transgenderism because he's not transgender and I don't care if he had a trans comic open for him or if he has trans friends, he doesn't get to comment on it without actually knowing something. Not now. Not ever. In that vein, I will say that yes, LGBTQ rights have been a struggle in the U.S. for seemingly less time, but long before there was an America, there were gay men and women being killed by the church and believers. Even into more recent events, they were among the lesser known targets of the Holocaust. The struggles are not identical, but they do share some commonality.
Having said all that, he is probably right in the fact that White men being among the disadvantaged in the LGBTQ community has enabled the movement's ability to increase awareness and stamp out discrimination. Having White people in your group does inherently act as a positive in terms of becoming accepted. What Chappelle probably doesn't get, because he's a straight dude in a community that stimatizes homosexuality far more than most other ethnic groups, is that the LGBTQ community, by and large, sticks together. Once one element achieves success, they help other elements succeed. The rapid ascent of trans rights in the United States is a direct result of the LGBTQ community putting its weight forward and helping get them the same rights others in the community already have. I wish that the Black community had that kind of foundational allyship, but there is an allyship there even if Chappelle doesn't see it or understand it.
The Black community has struggled with acceptance of LGBTQ issues. It's a sad fact, but because the Black community, as a whole, is more religious than White communities (excepting fundamentalists, of course), there is more struggle there to accept the rights of the LGBTQ community. One of the few reasons they do so is because they understand discrimination and all discrimination based on inherent is bad. Thus the allyship. Similarly, the LGBTQ community uses its successes to try and help others, even outside of its community. That's one of the reasons why two of the strongest groups working for universal equality and equity are the Black community and the LGBTQ community. Both have experiences with systemic bigotry and both try to help the other, even if they don't 100% understand the other group's issues in full.
As an aside here, the LGBTQ community still does not have equal protection under the law. Federal law does not prohibit against discrimination based on sexuality and gender identity is very loosely protected based on gender discrimination itself, but conservatives don't agree with that interpretation and it may only be a matter of time before the Supreme Court agrees with them. In many states, you can still be fired for being gay. In many states, you cannot adopt. In many states, you can be denied housing. For all the successes the LGBTQ community has achieved, there is still a long LONG way to go.
Yes, there's division within the LGBTQ community, but that's a completely different issue and is largely immaterial to this particular discussion.
One last thing on the subject above, for Chappelle to sit there and say that the LGBTQ community is succeeding only because they are White is to ignore the frequent reports of trans people being killed for simply existing and the vast majority of those trans deaths are Black. And from my experience, based on the trans friends I have via Facebook, there is a concerted effort to protect everyone in the trans community, regardless of race (even Drag Race is now permitting trans contestants). That's something that Chappelle would have no knowledge of because he's not a part of that community. He doesn't have trans friends. What happened to the comic that opened for him was tragic, but it's an all-too common occurrence these days and it's not an issue of race, but an issue of transphobia. His routine, as well as the rhetoric of people like J.K. Rowling, only serve to further stigmatize the trans community and if someone doesn't sit him down and convince him of that, he's just going to keep doing it. Perhaps Laverne Cox needs to have a powwow with him. Maybe he'll listen to someone from his own community.
Wesley Lovell
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
"Any society that would give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither and lose both." - Benjamin Franklin
Re: The Official Review Thread of 2021
It's not technically a movie but "Dave Chappelle: The Closer" has been something of a firestorm of controversy recently. Like every special, it has a very, very low critics score and a very, very high audience score. I wonder how much anyone on this board is tracking it. Dave Chappelle is being charged once again with transphobia. It's resulted in a walkout at Netflix and there is a list of demands made against Netflix to correct their promotion of transphobic content. It's a very big deal in the industry right now. I suspect the protesters demands will largely go un-met and Chappelle will continue doing his thing.
Anyway...
What is "The Closer?" "The Closer" is a special about a middle-aged dude calling out cancel culture, social media, societal divisions, para-social relationships vs. interpersonal ones, and at least on one occasion wades into some very interesting territory regarding the speed of the LGBTQ rights movement vs. the speed of the black rights movement. Again: I can't really comment on that. What I can comment on is his current style. The Dave Chappelle I grew up with was young and impossibly sharp. If asked what my favorite comedy special of my life is right now, I would without hesitation say "Killin' Them Softly." Unbelievably funny. He used to be a great, nimble storyteller. Now, he's more of a monologuist. He's still a very compelling monologuist. I've recommended last year's "8:46" about the George Floyd murder to several people. I still find it jaw-dropping and enlightening. He made incredible use of a mere 27 minutes to have an important, cathartic conversation about race in America. He puts those same talents to use in discussing the controversy around his alleged transphobia in "The Closer." I don't quite think it's a total waste but it's close.
I'm struggling with whether or not to call it complex because it really is just an hour of openly explaining to the audience what it feels like to be Dave Chappelle explaining to audiences that he's not transphobic. He makes one halfway convincing argument to that case saying "I don't hate transpeople. I hate white people." I think that's his best argument. Dave Chappelle has built a career on specific indictments of white dominant power structures that are incisive, memorable, and cathartic. Dave Chappelle [previously] just told hackey jokes about the trans community. But he also hasn't made any effort to understand them either and that's a disappointment. It's clear he doesn't think he has to. What he does instead is end his set by telling the story of a transgender woman who opened for him in San Francisco, who was apparently lousy, but it turned into a very memorable experience for everyone involved. This feeds into his narrative about interpersonal relationships vs. para-social ones which is wholly worthy of complex discussion. The story ends with the revelation that she committed suicide shortly after defending Chappelle on social media and was dragged by the trans community for it. He's careful not to outright say that she was bullied into suicide by her own people but he certainly indicts cancel culture as a mindset (adopted by her people) as a culprit
Along the journey of "The Closer," he calls out the transgender community, declares gender a fact, aligns himself with J.K. Rowling, calls himself a TERF, and describes the community as being full of opportunistic whites who are getting out of being called racist by black people by jumping into a different status -- which is such a wild statement. At the very least, I've never heard that before.
At the end of it, Chappelle wraps a neat little ribbon around it all by saying now that he's discussed the LGBTQ community, he's never going to do it again, and begs people to give up social media. That sentiment could be profound if it was, y'know, the body of his special. But it wasn't the body of his special. The body of his special was a bunch of hackey jokes, offensive statements, old man-isms, and occasionally flirting with interesting ideas but never with the time and curiosity necessary to bring us in. You could chalk it up to laziness but that's sort of his style these days. Again: it's put to very good effect in "8:46" (featuring shit he knows about) and not here.
And yet, the choir Dave Chappelle is preaching to loves it. Loves it. I think they love the confessional quality to it, but mainly it's because they think it's brave to stand up to identity politics (for lack of a better term). They're getting a thrill out of watching him share his emotions about what he went through, what it's like to be called transphobic, and ultimately tie a ribbon around it with a plea for empathy and tolerance.
Well, I'm fine with Dave Chappelle doing that but if this is all he has to say, I'm not interested. It's boring. I'm really struggling to see anything of significant positive value in "The Closer" besides the fact that he's a remarkably compelling storyteller.
Bo Burnham's "Inside" was a more nimble confessional, also problematic in its own ways, but with far more to reveal about society. Especially in the song "Welcome to the Internet." I've also already mentioned Chappelle's "8:46."
Anyway...
What is "The Closer?" "The Closer" is a special about a middle-aged dude calling out cancel culture, social media, societal divisions, para-social relationships vs. interpersonal ones, and at least on one occasion wades into some very interesting territory regarding the speed of the LGBTQ rights movement vs. the speed of the black rights movement. Again: I can't really comment on that. What I can comment on is his current style. The Dave Chappelle I grew up with was young and impossibly sharp. If asked what my favorite comedy special of my life is right now, I would without hesitation say "Killin' Them Softly." Unbelievably funny. He used to be a great, nimble storyteller. Now, he's more of a monologuist. He's still a very compelling monologuist. I've recommended last year's "8:46" about the George Floyd murder to several people. I still find it jaw-dropping and enlightening. He made incredible use of a mere 27 minutes to have an important, cathartic conversation about race in America. He puts those same talents to use in discussing the controversy around his alleged transphobia in "The Closer." I don't quite think it's a total waste but it's close.
I'm struggling with whether or not to call it complex because it really is just an hour of openly explaining to the audience what it feels like to be Dave Chappelle explaining to audiences that he's not transphobic. He makes one halfway convincing argument to that case saying "I don't hate transpeople. I hate white people." I think that's his best argument. Dave Chappelle has built a career on specific indictments of white dominant power structures that are incisive, memorable, and cathartic. Dave Chappelle [previously] just told hackey jokes about the trans community. But he also hasn't made any effort to understand them either and that's a disappointment. It's clear he doesn't think he has to. What he does instead is end his set by telling the story of a transgender woman who opened for him in San Francisco, who was apparently lousy, but it turned into a very memorable experience for everyone involved. This feeds into his narrative about interpersonal relationships vs. para-social ones which is wholly worthy of complex discussion. The story ends with the revelation that she committed suicide shortly after defending Chappelle on social media and was dragged by the trans community for it. He's careful not to outright say that she was bullied into suicide by her own people but he certainly indicts cancel culture as a mindset (adopted by her people) as a culprit
Along the journey of "The Closer," he calls out the transgender community, declares gender a fact, aligns himself with J.K. Rowling, calls himself a TERF, and describes the community as being full of opportunistic whites who are getting out of being called racist by black people by jumping into a different status -- which is such a wild statement. At the very least, I've never heard that before.
At the end of it, Chappelle wraps a neat little ribbon around it all by saying now that he's discussed the LGBTQ community, he's never going to do it again, and begs people to give up social media. That sentiment could be profound if it was, y'know, the body of his special. But it wasn't the body of his special. The body of his special was a bunch of hackey jokes, offensive statements, old man-isms, and occasionally flirting with interesting ideas but never with the time and curiosity necessary to bring us in. You could chalk it up to laziness but that's sort of his style these days. Again: it's put to very good effect in "8:46" (featuring shit he knows about) and not here.
And yet, the choir Dave Chappelle is preaching to loves it. Loves it. I think they love the confessional quality to it, but mainly it's because they think it's brave to stand up to identity politics (for lack of a better term). They're getting a thrill out of watching him share his emotions about what he went through, what it's like to be called transphobic, and ultimately tie a ribbon around it with a plea for empathy and tolerance.
Well, I'm fine with Dave Chappelle doing that but if this is all he has to say, I'm not interested. It's boring. I'm really struggling to see anything of significant positive value in "The Closer" besides the fact that he's a remarkably compelling storyteller.
Bo Burnham's "Inside" was a more nimble confessional, also problematic in its own ways, but with far more to reveal about society. Especially in the song "Welcome to the Internet." I've also already mentioned Chappelle's "8:46."
"How's the despair?"
-
anonymous1980
- Laureate
- Posts: 6385
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 10:03 pm
- Location: Manila
- Contact:
Re: The Official Review Thread of 2021
THE GUILTY
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Christina Vidal, voices of Riley Keough, Peter Sarsgaard, Ethan Hawke, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Eli Goree, Paul Dano.
Dir: Antoine Fuqua.
This is a remake of a Danish film. A police officer awaiting a manslaughter trial becomes a 911 operator. He gets a call from a woman who was abducted and he tries to save her from his desk. I unfortunately haven't seen the Danish film in which this was based on so everything here is new to me and I found it largely riveting. However, I did read the Wikipedia plot description of the original and it's pretty much the same but there are a couple of key elements that have been changed in the ending which I won't reveal here. I think at least one of them would have made it better. But that said, this is an overall good movie thanks to Jake Gyllenhaal's great pretty-much one-man show performance. Most of the rest of the cast are off-screen voice performances and they match his intensity too. That's why I think this somewhat works.
Oscar Prospects: I think Jake Gyllenhaal might have an outside chance at Best Actor.
Grade: B.
Cast: Jake Gyllenhaal, Christina Vidal, voices of Riley Keough, Peter Sarsgaard, Ethan Hawke, Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Eli Goree, Paul Dano.
Dir: Antoine Fuqua.
This is a remake of a Danish film. A police officer awaiting a manslaughter trial becomes a 911 operator. He gets a call from a woman who was abducted and he tries to save her from his desk. I unfortunately haven't seen the Danish film in which this was based on so everything here is new to me and I found it largely riveting. However, I did read the Wikipedia plot description of the original and it's pretty much the same but there are a couple of key elements that have been changed in the ending which I won't reveal here. I think at least one of them would have made it better. But that said, this is an overall good movie thanks to Jake Gyllenhaal's great pretty-much one-man show performance. Most of the rest of the cast are off-screen voice performances and they match his intensity too. That's why I think this somewhat works.
Oscar Prospects: I think Jake Gyllenhaal might have an outside chance at Best Actor.
Grade: B.
-
anonymous1980
- Laureate
- Posts: 6385
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 10:03 pm
- Location: Manila
- Contact:
Re: The Official Review Thread of 2021
REMINISCENCE
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson, Thandiwe Newton, Cliff Curtis, Marina de Tavira, Daniel Wu.
Dir: Lisa Joy.
In the near future, climate change has flooded Miami and people can now pay to relive their memories. A man who runs such a business meets a mysterious woman who is a walk-in client and falls in love with her, leading him down a path to uncover a criminal conspiracy. This movie surprised me because...I didn't hate it. This is from Westworld co-creator Lisa Joy in her feature writing and directing debut. It is an original science-fiction neo-noir that has a lot of really great elements in it. I admire the world-building and its ambition. You can tell that this film really swung for the fences. Yes, it is deeply flawed, the script is a mess and it doesn't quite come together as a cohesive whole but you don't get a lot of big-budget original high-concept films these days so I can't help but be grateful this even got made. All in all. Not a great film. But watchable and far from bad.
Oscar Prospects: Visual Effects.
Grade: B-
Cast: Hugh Jackman, Rebecca Ferguson, Thandiwe Newton, Cliff Curtis, Marina de Tavira, Daniel Wu.
Dir: Lisa Joy.
In the near future, climate change has flooded Miami and people can now pay to relive their memories. A man who runs such a business meets a mysterious woman who is a walk-in client and falls in love with her, leading him down a path to uncover a criminal conspiracy. This movie surprised me because...I didn't hate it. This is from Westworld co-creator Lisa Joy in her feature writing and directing debut. It is an original science-fiction neo-noir that has a lot of really great elements in it. I admire the world-building and its ambition. You can tell that this film really swung for the fences. Yes, it is deeply flawed, the script is a mess and it doesn't quite come together as a cohesive whole but you don't get a lot of big-budget original high-concept films these days so I can't help but be grateful this even got made. All in all. Not a great film. But watchable and far from bad.
Oscar Prospects: Visual Effects.
Grade: B-
Re: The Official Review Thread of 2021
The Power of the Dog (Jane Campion, 2021) 9/10
Thomas Savage's Western novel set in Montana about two brothers is a modern reworking of the biblical story of Cain and Abel. Campion adapted the novel and shot this Western in New Zealand useing the island's stunning topography to create an intense yet slowburn experience as her camera wistfully takes in the vast landscape against which stands a giant mansion belonging to two bothers. The elder (Benedict Cumberbatch) is tall, slim, highly cultured, good looking, tough but extremely mean-spirited and a vicious sadist with a seething contempt for weakness. These traits are obvious signals towards an inwardly suppressed psyche which plays an important part later as the story plays out. The younger brother (Jesse Plemons) is stocky, a bit of a plodder, gentle and refined. When he unexpectedly marries a widow (Kirsten Dunst) and brings her to live on the ranch, his brother tries his best to undermine her. But he underestimates her unlikely protector - her teenage son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) - who he has relentlessly ridiculed and made fun of for being a "sissy". Adult drama that plays out with layers of emotions simmering below the surface and which emerge with a quiet but devastating force. Superbly directed film although I was very surprised that Campion took a rather Victorian attitude towards some of the scenes which was maybe intentional as she probably wanted the audience to slowly peel the layers and use the clues provided to discover the characters' motivations. The cast is superb. Cumberbatch gives an outstanding performance of simmering ferocity - like a poisonous viper always ready to strike - and is matched by both Plemons and Smit-McPhee who play characters who are very insular yet both still manage to stand tall and give vivid performances. This could easily achieve double digit Oscar nods.
Thomas Savage's Western novel set in Montana about two brothers is a modern reworking of the biblical story of Cain and Abel. Campion adapted the novel and shot this Western in New Zealand useing the island's stunning topography to create an intense yet slowburn experience as her camera wistfully takes in the vast landscape against which stands a giant mansion belonging to two bothers. The elder (Benedict Cumberbatch) is tall, slim, highly cultured, good looking, tough but extremely mean-spirited and a vicious sadist with a seething contempt for weakness. These traits are obvious signals towards an inwardly suppressed psyche which plays an important part later as the story plays out. The younger brother (Jesse Plemons) is stocky, a bit of a plodder, gentle and refined. When he unexpectedly marries a widow (Kirsten Dunst) and brings her to live on the ranch, his brother tries his best to undermine her. But he underestimates her unlikely protector - her teenage son (Kodi Smit-McPhee) - who he has relentlessly ridiculed and made fun of for being a "sissy". Adult drama that plays out with layers of emotions simmering below the surface and which emerge with a quiet but devastating force. Superbly directed film although I was very surprised that Campion took a rather Victorian attitude towards some of the scenes which was maybe intentional as she probably wanted the audience to slowly peel the layers and use the clues provided to discover the characters' motivations. The cast is superb. Cumberbatch gives an outstanding performance of simmering ferocity - like a poisonous viper always ready to strike - and is matched by both Plemons and Smit-McPhee who play characters who are very insular yet both still manage to stand tall and give vivid performances. This could easily achieve double digit Oscar nods.
-
anonymous1980
- Laureate
- Posts: 6385
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 10:03 pm
- Location: Manila
- Contact:
Re: The Official Review Thread of 2021
MALIGNANT
Cast: Annabelle Wallis, Maddie Hasson, George Young, Michole Briana White, Jacqueline McKenzie, McKenna Grace, Christian Clemenson.
Dir: James Wan.
After surviving a violent attack and miscarrying, a woman starts having violent visions of murders which turn out to be real. It is October and as my tradition, I do a viewing project called #13HalloweenMovies where I see 13 horror films I've never seen before. So I decided to kick off this year with this one. What a movie to start out the spooky month on. Much has been talked about the third act twist which I manage to mostly avoid. It is, in fact, crazy. But the concept of the third act twist is not the craziest part. It's how director James Wan takes that concept ratchets it up to absurdist heights which can work for some people but not others. I'm mixed on it personally. This is an entertaining enough horror film which should please fans but not one of the best.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Grade: B-
Cast: Annabelle Wallis, Maddie Hasson, George Young, Michole Briana White, Jacqueline McKenzie, McKenna Grace, Christian Clemenson.
Dir: James Wan.
After surviving a violent attack and miscarrying, a woman starts having violent visions of murders which turn out to be real. It is October and as my tradition, I do a viewing project called #13HalloweenMovies where I see 13 horror films I've never seen before. So I decided to kick off this year with this one. What a movie to start out the spooky month on. Much has been talked about the third act twist which I manage to mostly avoid. It is, in fact, crazy. But the concept of the third act twist is not the craziest part. It's how director James Wan takes that concept ratchets it up to absurdist heights which can work for some people but not others. I'm mixed on it personally. This is an entertaining enough horror film which should please fans but not one of the best.
Oscar Prospects: None.
Grade: B-
-
anonymous1980
- Laureate
- Posts: 6385
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 10:03 pm
- Location: Manila
- Contact:
Re: The Official Review Thread of 2021
DEAR EVAN HANSEN
Cast: Ben Platt, Julianne Moore, Amy Adams, Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, Nik Dodani, Colton Ryan, Danny Pino.
Dir: Stephen Chbosky.
Based on the hit Tony-winning Broadway musical, this is about a depressed and anxiety-ridden teenaged boy who through a series of misunderstandings and (initially) white lies pretends to be the best friend of a classmate who recently took his own life. Ben Platt recreates his Tony-winning role for the film. In this case, it is a big mistake. No matter how much they try, he still looks way too old to play this role on film. It is to the point of distraction. I agree there are issues with the narrative and these issues become even more problematic due to the fact that Ben Platt looks like he should be teaching high school instead of being a student in high school. I most likely would have liked it a notch or two better with a better suited actor. Which is too bad because the supporting cast is strong and there are a couple of really good songs in the score.
Oscar Prospects: Original Song is possible.
Grade: C+
Cast: Ben Platt, Julianne Moore, Amy Adams, Kaitlyn Dever, Amandla Stenberg, Nik Dodani, Colton Ryan, Danny Pino.
Dir: Stephen Chbosky.
Based on the hit Tony-winning Broadway musical, this is about a depressed and anxiety-ridden teenaged boy who through a series of misunderstandings and (initially) white lies pretends to be the best friend of a classmate who recently took his own life. Ben Platt recreates his Tony-winning role for the film. In this case, it is a big mistake. No matter how much they try, he still looks way too old to play this role on film. It is to the point of distraction. I agree there are issues with the narrative and these issues become even more problematic due to the fact that Ben Platt looks like he should be teaching high school instead of being a student in high school. I most likely would have liked it a notch or two better with a better suited actor. Which is too bad because the supporting cast is strong and there are a couple of really good songs in the score.
Oscar Prospects: Original Song is possible.
Grade: C+
-
anonymous1980
- Laureate
- Posts: 6385
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 10:03 pm
- Location: Manila
- Contact:
Re: The Official Review Thread of 2021
EVERYBODY'S TALKING ABOUT JAMIE
Cast: Max Harwood, Sarah Lancashire, Lauren Patel, Richard E. Grant, Sharon Horgan, Shobna Gulati, Samuel Bottomley, Ralph Ineson, Adheel Akhtar.
Dir: Jonathan Butterell.
Based on a stage musical which is in turn inspired by a true story, this movie musical is about 16 year old boy who wants to be a drag queen and go to prom in drag. Yes, the film pretty much goes where you expect it to go in terms of story. It's quite the formulaic queer coming-of-age film. But what it lacks in groundbreaking originality, it makes up for in good performances, warmth and charm. There's a lot of those here. The ensemble led by newcomer Max Harwood is pretty great. Richard E. Grant, in particular, steals the film as an aging drag queen/mentor. There's also a warm sweetness to the film that's quite infectious. The songs are nothing outstanding but good enough for what they are. All in all, it's a solid picture.
Oscar Prospects: I think in a weaker year Richard E. Grant could try to get a Supporting Actor spot.
Grade: B.
Cast: Max Harwood, Sarah Lancashire, Lauren Patel, Richard E. Grant, Sharon Horgan, Shobna Gulati, Samuel Bottomley, Ralph Ineson, Adheel Akhtar.
Dir: Jonathan Butterell.
Based on a stage musical which is in turn inspired by a true story, this movie musical is about 16 year old boy who wants to be a drag queen and go to prom in drag. Yes, the film pretty much goes where you expect it to go in terms of story. It's quite the formulaic queer coming-of-age film. But what it lacks in groundbreaking originality, it makes up for in good performances, warmth and charm. There's a lot of those here. The ensemble led by newcomer Max Harwood is pretty great. Richard E. Grant, in particular, steals the film as an aging drag queen/mentor. There's also a warm sweetness to the film that's quite infectious. The songs are nothing outstanding but good enough for what they are. All in all, it's a solid picture.
Oscar Prospects: I think in a weaker year Richard E. Grant could try to get a Supporting Actor spot.
Grade: B.
-
anonymous1980
- Laureate
- Posts: 6385
- Joined: Wed Jan 01, 2003 10:03 pm
- Location: Manila
- Contact:
Re: The Official Review Thread of 2021
NIGHTBOOKS
Cast: Winslow Fegley, Lidya Jewett, Krysten Ritter.
Dir: David Yarovesky.
A horror-loving young boy gets captured by a witch who tells him to tell her scary stories every night or else he will die. This film is based on a YA novel and is basically a fantasy-horror kids film. The film is basically Evil Dead and Drag Me To Hell for kids. The comparison is apropos because Sam Raimi happens to be the producer. In fact, if he hadn't been the producer, he could have sued the actual director David Yarovesky for copyright infringement because there's so much of his style on-screen. Having said that, this is quite enjoyable. I imagine a 10-year-old me absolutely loving this movie. This is a great gateway drug for young horror fans (and young horror writers) and their parents who want something scary but not traumatizing. This one is on Netflix. You could do worse.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful but maybe Makeup & Hairstyling.
Grade: B+
Cast: Winslow Fegley, Lidya Jewett, Krysten Ritter.
Dir: David Yarovesky.
A horror-loving young boy gets captured by a witch who tells him to tell her scary stories every night or else he will die. This film is based on a YA novel and is basically a fantasy-horror kids film. The film is basically Evil Dead and Drag Me To Hell for kids. The comparison is apropos because Sam Raimi happens to be the producer. In fact, if he hadn't been the producer, he could have sued the actual director David Yarovesky for copyright infringement because there's so much of his style on-screen. Having said that, this is quite enjoyable. I imagine a 10-year-old me absolutely loving this movie. This is a great gateway drug for young horror fans (and young horror writers) and their parents who want something scary but not traumatizing. This one is on Netflix. You could do worse.
Oscar Prospects: Doubtful but maybe Makeup & Hairstyling.
Grade: B+
Re: The Official Review Thread of 2021
Went with a friend to see Shang-Chi on a whim. There’s nothing really to say about it. It’s a very generic Marvel film with almost the same ending as Black Panther. The most noteworthy thing about it is the gravitas that Tony Leung gives to the part of the father character. This shouldn’t rank on the actor’s list of his twenty best performances but this is a very silly film and he sells it.
"How's the despair?"
Re: The Official Review Thread of 2021
Thank you for this. You just saved me from spending two hours watching this. From the get go it seemed like a dubious candidate for awards. Sounded suspiciously like one of those ABC tv specials from the 1970s.dws1982 wrote:Genuinely depressing that a movie as pedestrian (and with no ambition to be anything other than pedestrian) as CODA would sweep the prizes at Sundance, have a 96% on Rotten Tomatoes and be seen as one of the must-see films of even a weak year. It's not that it's even all that bad, necessarily, it's just that other than a setting that's not shown much in films, there's nothing at all interesting in the way it tells the story.