erich-krems Reviews

Suspiria (I) (2018)

It could have been great but...

[6/10 · 23 May 2024]

There's a huge difference between dark cinematography and just a poorly lit set. The poor lighting gets in the way of what seems to be pretty sold performances from Mia Goth and Dakota Johnson. I'm not sure if it's the wrong film stock or if it's actually intended to wash out detail. If I were one of the actresses or their agents I would be upset that their work was so strongly obstructed by lighting. Additionally, a good amount of set design is lost to darkness. At one point, Mia Goth finds a secret room. She looks around, frightened by what she sees. The intent is clearly to have some exposition of what's going on behind the scenes of the dance company. Unfortunately, the viewer can't make out what any of it is, there are plaster death masks and a bunch of shadowy junk that doesn't give any sort of insight. Is it a strange tea party, a devil worshipping coven, a garage sale with the lights off?

Tilda Swinton is so poorly cast as Dr Klemperer that it takes you right out of the movie. There's no point to having her play multiple parts. The makeup and costume certainly make her look like an old man but as soon as she starts speaking, the feminine voice gives an uncanny valley sort of cognitive dissonance that tricks the mind into feeling like it's a voice over. Any elderly man could have played the part without being a distraction.

Finally, editing. There are about 20 minutes of extra footage that could have been trimmed out to give a much tighter story. For example, the first dance of Susie/ death of Olga was about eight cuts too long.

The best thing about Suspiria is the fact that Luca Guadagnino has been able to evolve as a film maker. After Call Me By Your Name, Luca could have stayed safe with the romantic drama, he tried something different and that is admirable.

Coherence (2013)

Not good

[4/10 · 7 March 2024]

Luckily, the ridiculous cinematography was so distracting that it blurred out the shaky plot and over-active performances.

I don't know where to start with the plot. The entire story is driven by the viewer accepting that a power outage causes enough panic to wander out into the dark to make a phone call. They then quickly jump to the conclusion that they are in alternate realities that they can't keep straight if they leave the house while a comet is passing. They keep leaving the house for no good reason and soon no one knows who's who. Fighting ensues.

The real crime is the cinematography. I understand the intent is to give the viewer the feel of being a part of the dinner party while also implying disorientation and confusion. The result is just annoying.

I feel like Bykrit thought he wrote himself a real mind-bending thriller. It just turned out looking like a student film.

Sid the Science Kid (2008– )

Creepy

[4/10 · 27 November 2023]

The animation and voice acting are so terrible that it distracts from everything. Sid and friends live deep in the uncanny valley. It seems like the animators are flexing their skills and drawing body movement. The problem is that they don't seem to have the skills that they are trying to show off. The characters are constantly moving, swaying jumping, dancing, etc. It seems like it's designed by childless adults imagining how kids act. It's truly awful and creepy. The voice actors are really terrible too. I wonder if they auditioned the talent or if they just randomly grabbed people off the street and said "talk like a kid".

JFK (1991)

Absolutely Engrossing!

[10/10 · 13 November 2023]

JFK is a sprawling beautiful shot piece of speculative historical fiction. There are so many A-List actors with bit parts that you can feel their passion for the content through the camera. Jack Lemon, Ed Asner, Walter Mathau, Joe Pesci, Kevin Bacon, the list goes on. Oliver Stone lives somewhere between fact and fiction. There's enough actual footage to make the implausible parts of the conspiracy theories seem like the gospel truth. The whole picture is an exercise in perception vs. Reality. You'll be spellbound from the opening quote the closing credits. JFK changed filmmaking for everyone. There's no Oppenheimer without JFK.

The Killer (2023)

A little let down

[6/10 · 12 November 2023]

In the greater context of David Fincher's filmography, this is a bit disappointing. Direction, acting and cinematography are great but the script is really lacking. The story is very straightforward with no real suspense or mystery. We know what happened, why it happened and what's coming next. I heard that Fincher has been interested in making the movie for about 20 years? It's not really a story that sticks with you. There are a couple of cool sequences and a lot of really nice shots but the story is just so flat. It feels like a made-for-streaming picture but I expect more from David Fincher. I love most of Fincher's stuff but this is definitely among his weaker offerings. Don't expect Fight Club, Zodiac or Se7en.

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Great watch but probably not rewatchable

[7/10 · 25 October 2023]

Killers of the Flower Moon was a wide, sprawling and meticulously told story. Production design was amazing, cinematography was astounding. Martin Scorsese does some cool stuff like the epilogue and a little wink to Brian DePalma when Bill Hale is getting a shave. Leo, Deniro and Lily Gladstone all turn in great performances. You can feel the pain of Leonardo DeCaprio's character on the jail floor. He plays the indesiciveness of his characters extremely well. I think that editing is the only miss in this movie. Thelma Schoonmaker is one of the best editors to ever cut. Her craft is amazing. The pace of the first act of this film however is very very slow. That responsibility lands on the editor, especially one that has worked so closely with the director for decades.

Overall this was a good watch when you are sitting in a theater giving it all of your attention. Streamers that are scrolling on their phones at home may find it boring and difficult to follow. Definitely worth the watch but not as rewatchable as Taxi Driver, Goodfellas and The Departed.

The Swan (II) (2023)

A fun little surprise

[9/10 · 28 September 2023]

I didn't realize that this was coming out so soon after Henry Sugar.

Shorts are a great way for the casual observer to get acclimated to Wes Anderson without overwhelming the viewer. Production design and set decoration are typically cool and quirky. Rupert Friend gives a fun performance.

I wish The French Dispatch would have been released the same way that these Roald Dahl shorts are coming out. It's much more manageable. They can be collected into one bigger film but they stand alone very nicely. Wes Anderson is clearly a big fan of Dahl and takes great care to present the stories in a way that honors both story and author.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

Good not Great

[7/10 · 31 January 2023]

I liked this movie. Really nice editing, production design, acting, creativity, costume design and cinematography. It was fun to watch and engaging. That being said, it was a little forgettable. Maybe it's because the story is too predictable, the lessons too cliched and the character arcs too overused. It comes down to discovering the importance of relationships through magic (in this case universe jumping). From It's a Wonderful Life to Turning Red, it's been done over and over. The bottom line is, this movie is cool looking, fun to watch and pretty funny while not leaving a lasting impression on the viewer. It's a good picture but far from the Best Picture.

1899 (2022)

So bad that I couldn't look away

[4/10 · 3 December 2022]

Music is great, the opening title is a little overdone and kind of a knock off of west world . The overdubs and voice acting is so bad that it can be distracting. It makes it feel so cheap even with the huge 66 million budget.

There isn't anyone likable and all of the characters are completely one dimensional. Everyone just lurks around looking moody and sad. Back stories are hinted at without actually being explored (I.e. The French newlyweds that don't like each other, the madame that bought the geisha, Olek has a picture of the Statue of Liberty, etc.)

There are major plot devices that just get forgotten or don't advance the narrative. The mutiny, The bugs that unlock doors, the love triangle with Krester and Angel, the lady that hears the voice of God, the little girl that dies after she meets Daniel. The major plot driver, the Prometheus, literally gets deleted.

It was fun to watch because my wife and I had a good time mocking it. I enjoyed it but I didn't like it.

Borgia (2011–2014)

Acting ruins the entire show

[3/10 · 26 February 2013]

Tom Fontana has done some great things for TV (Homicide, Oz, The Wire_. Visually speaking, Borgia is terrific. costumes, scenery even ceilings are detailed and thorough. The real story is compelling (picture the Sopranos set 500 years ago). The problem is in the casting and the acting. John Doman does such a terrible job as Rodrigo that it distracts from the narrative of the story. There are scenes in which he simply reads the lines of dialogue without inflection or emotion. It sometimes sounds like he is a casting director that is reading lines for the other actors' audition. Then there's Mark Ryder who plays Cesare. I'm sure he was cast because he is physically similar to the historical Cesare Borgia. Watching the show, Mark Ryder overacts the part to the point of being reminiscent of a high school drama production. He comes across as an amateur that is trying hard to be discovered. As a quick side note. What's with all the breasts? I find it insulting when show think that it's realistic to have boobs popping out everywhere. We get it, you're not subject to broadcast network restrictions, great. Just tell the story and leave the boobs to the teenage boys that have never seen one before. If anyone watches this show it's only because they thought they were watching the Showtime production (The Borgias not Borgia)