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ThatPavaldo
Reviews
Boiling Point (2021)
Hard to review
If you are looking for an entertaining film then look elsewhere. It was shot in one take and some people seem to think this makes a film great. I am not pretentious enough to think that way.
The cast are all awesome and the filming is too. However, the substance is weak and the content dilutes itself by trying to dip in to too many scenarios. All are good scenarios, but they do them no justice by swiftly moving on.
Conclusion: If the main actor was not the famous (and outstanding) Stephen Graham then the critics would not even bother to critique this 'high-brow, one-take, dullness.'
*hard to review because if it is reviewed on it being shot in one take then it is 10/10!
Midnight Mass (2021)
Interesting themes & then blahhhhhhhh
Great things first:
-The acting is awesome. Brilliant cast with very believable acting.
-The storyline is bold at first and refreshing.
-This series was uplifting and tactfully examined morality, religion/s and community (to begin with)
The parts that I did not enjoy (spoilers herein):
-Is this supposed to be a realistic take on a 'what if?' scenario in which a God sends an 'angel' to earth or is this a zombie film using Catholicism as a canvas?
-Why is the entire world blind to what is supposedly happening on the remote island?
-Is the Catholic Priest, ahem, a Catholic Priest or a practicing Jew? The scene at the Holy Wall in Jerusalem makes this ambiguous.
-What was the actual point of the 'miracles?' Not to get too deep here, but if the old lady suddenly gets younger on earth or the dead person suddenly is revived...what is the point? They get a bit more earth time? Not the everlasting heaven? Makes no sense.
I gave this 4/10 because the acting is lovely and the story gripped me initially. I reckon that the writers realised they were in above their heads when they had to appease all religions, be entertaining and not preach. This culminates in a dull, pointless ending. However, take solace in that this ends and hopefully ends here!
El hoyo (2019)
I really liked this movie
This movie requires you to open your mind! I know, I know, so pretentious!
This movie is a fantastic representation of humanity and the self-destructive nature of humans. It probably has a multitude of symbolic aspects, yet I liked the simplicity of it.
It is Animal Farm. It is Globalisation. It is Capitalism. It is Communism. It is revenge. It is hypocrisy. It is mental health issues.
It's freedom and thinking about what freedom is. It is choices. It is hope. It is despair. It is ethics and morals. It is justice. It is darkly humorous.
Also, it has been disliked by the friends I recommended it to! Maybe I am wrong?!
Adam Resurrected (2008)
Interesting
It has an interesting take on people overcoming serious trauma.
My gripes with this movie:
- it uses the holocaust for a fictional tale about a circus performer
-this movie could have been glorious had it concentrated on the very real struggles of survivors without the silly sideshow.
-It is so far fetched as to completely belittle what actually happened.
Surge (2020)
Falling Down and Joker (UK) and RocknRolla
Wow! This film had us gripped. Genuinely went through a breakdown watching the breakdown to begin with.
Mostly believable and the breakdown scenes will be emulated now by the big studios! Camera work, sounds and the natural (unnatural spasms of Joseph).
Our gripes are (no order)
-Joseph has passionate, impromptu sex with his colleague that is full of what looks like flu ( clearly ill and then suddenly rampant that her colleague bought a £4.99 cable and randomly showed up at her flat)
-Joseph's family and upbringing is not explored. His dad says that Ben ruined their lives. Why?
-Joseph is a thief that threatens staff with the notion of him having a gun. Nothing redeems the film in regards to the victim(s) of him. His breakdown is never truly explained.
-If this was intended to leave an audience asking questions and wanting more then it fails.
-There is a subplot of life being futile and/or Government managed. This is when Joseph has an altercation with a person going through security that asks Joseph to follow him after 63 (or so) seconds. Later, Joseph mimics the rationale of folks convinced of being followed via tech. Nothing is then mentioned or covered.
Overall, either the producers, backers or other stakeholders all messed this up by wanting their own way OR it simply did not cover the logical missing elements.
Se7en (1995)
Wish I had never seen it
I wish that I had never seen this film so that I could watch it for the first time again!
Epic!
Django Unchained (2012)
Fantastic!
This film is fabulous.
It masterfully mixes violence, morals, ethics, racism, class, comedy (yep) and all via an outstanding script and cast.
This film is lacking and obvious flaws in my opinion.
Once Upon a Time in... Hollywood (2019)
If you have insomnia then maybe give this a go
Yawn. Not worth the time to even type this.
Spoiler? Nothing happens to spoil!
Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (1998)
Outstanding cult book
This film is fantastic!
However, I suggest that you first read-up on Hunter S Thompson to get an understanding of the context (if you do not of him).
8/10 because there are parts that could have been cut.
What Is Life Worth (2020)
A Christmas Carol meets tragedy
This film can be summed up by thinking of Ebenezer Scrooge. The main character is a stuffy, bureaucratic style of guy and only focusses on facts and statistics.
SUDDENLY...
After as series of encounters with families of the victims of the 9-11 attacks, he mellows and suddenly starts treating all families with the milk of human kindness.
This film actually begs the question of whether or not this truly happened! If it did then it is baffling that one man could have had such power to compensate (or not) all of the families. If this is embellished then it is just completely weird to take a subject such as this and weave in a Christmas Carol style of humanity awakening!
Subjectively speaking though, as a film, it was OK and highlighted the polarisation of wealth in the USA.