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neuroisaac
Reviews
The Matrix Resurrections (2021)
Actually quite good
I perhaps benefited from going into this having seen all the negative reviews, but this was meta in so many ways and I kinda loved it.
It is a movie that isn't afraid to acknowledge the ridiculousness of doing a Matrix sequel. It confronts that head on and then incorporates a board room scene that fleshes out what different people want from "the Matrix franchise". Somehow, this ends up with a much more credible premise that develops into a refreshing blend of nostalgia and innovation. I was drawn in by the story and how they were able to seamlessly weave in new elements into the familiar, creating a film that is both thought-provoking and exhilarating.
Honestly, I really liked it and am puzzled others hated it so much!
The Wheel of Time (2021)
Gets better in season 2
I read the books as a child and now can't remember most of the important details as I'm watching the show. I really struggled to connect in season 1, so I'm not sure why I persisted into season 2, but I'm really glad I did. I feel like nearly everything has been improved in season 2 - from the acting to the visuals to the pacing.
In retrospect, I guess this makes sense. The world of the author is so rich in characters and detail that it couldn't help but fall short of the mark in season 1. By season 2, the director and cast have now been building their own world to the extent that I am now hooked.
I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020)
I watched until the end
I think that perhaps the overriding feeling I have upon finishing this movie is the sense of disappointment that there were so many incredible scenes, but yet absolutely no emotional impact.
Aesthetically, I feel like this movie is my jam. A bit arthouse, a bit creepy. Amazing actors.
Kept watching with the hope that somehow this would all synthesise into something impactful at the end. And it didn't.
And I feel absolutely indifferent.
Drôle (2022)
Beautiful characters and story
Heartfelt story. Lots of laughs. Some tears, too.
Somehow this show manages to be everything all at once. It showcases first and foremost a beautiful friendship between the stars, Aissa and Nezir, but also touches upon some very difficult themes that have been woven seamlessly into the story. There is love, loss, betrayal, racism (the blatant stuff and the subtler stuff not often dealt with well in Hollywood fare), community. But it's funny.
In the end, I think that the success of the show is that you end up really caring for the characters. Even the peripheral ones or the ones who are deeply flawed. You can laugh with them in one moment and then find yourself moved to tears in the next.
Brilliant show. One of my favourites on Netflix, for sureS.
Annihilation (2018)
A psychological, existential voyage
I started watching this movie not knowing what to expect and I think I have benefitted from that.
I was loosely invested after the first 20 or so minutes, perhaps trying to fit the movie neatly into a genre. What happened after that was gradual, but I just became quite overcome with the beauty and horror of it all.
It didn't matter to me that this movie wasn't really sic-fi, or drama or horror. It was a sort of fractal (or refraction) of human experiences and somehow became something beautiful in the process.
The final sequences are just breathtaking from an artistic perspective and the movie has lingered with me, perhaps because it is just so different from anything else I have ever seen.
I don't think it's fair to say that the movie was slow. I found it gripping from start to end. An experience like no other.
I can definitely see how this would divide opinion. But in the end, that's what art does.
Buried (2010)
Laughably bad
I guess the thing that I did wrong was go into this movie with relatively high expectations. I'm a fan of minimalist films from Hitchcock's "Rope" to Schumacher's "Phone Booth". Within the first couple minutes of this film, I was hooked and felt set up for an exciting evening. The claustrophobic atmosphere that had been created was almost palpable and the acting seemed okay.
Unfortunately, that was as good as things got. As the film progressed and the unbelievably bad voice acting kicked in, the plot just got ridiculous. I couldn't help but think of a group of people sat around a table brainstorming at a meeting saying things like "You know what's scary? Being buried alive is scary!" And someone else piping up "You know what else is scary? Snakes are scary!". As so many disparate elements attempted to come together, I stopped caring about the fate of the protagonist.
Quite disappointed. Though I would normally applaud an endeavour like this one, I have to say that I would try and avoid this monumental failure. Having said that, I did make it to the end of this film, which is why I've chosen to give it 3 stars instead of 1.