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Frasier (2023)
Not anything to do with Frasier
Ignoring the original show, reviewing this continuation/revival show results in the same reaction. Classless, uncharismatic and cheap.
The only scenes that are anywhere near the tone and quality of the original show is when Fraser and Alan speak alone.
However, there are no characters in the show any more. Just unnecessarily quirky forgettable flat personalities, all of whom seem to want to be stand up comics for the lowest common denominator. The actors seem to moving and delivering lines like they are watching their cues, or they are on some poor stage play.
Filled with repetitive, tired and regurgitated jokes that have been done to death.
There are no multi-faceted jokes any more, where multiple characters behaviours intermingle and cumulate with a clear and clever punch.
What was once erudite and classic timed comedy, is now a sanitised every-man "comedy". I didn't smirk once in any of the 10 episodes.
T2 Trainspotting (2017)
Not what I was expecting.
6 / 10
I had the same feeling watching this as I do when I go to see old friends from when I was a teenager drinking and taking drugs. You will never recapture that vibe of your teenage years, and in the same light this sequel failed capture the vibe of its predecessor - naturally.
This is was more of a real world awakening film. Reality, age and times changing hits hard. Things are not as fun and exciting in your 30's or 40's.
Many people won't like it due to the "remember when" moments. However, anytime you get together with old friends, most of the conversation is "remember when", so in a way it is justified.
The entire story takes a nose dive, and is quite weak overall. The big plot - the brothel - just ends with no climax, almost at the end of act two, leaving the entire resolution flat. At times it felt like a weird cheap horror film where Robert Carlyle wants to murder someone.
Compared to its predecessor, this instalment moves along at a snail's pace, and is way too long for the subject matter to keep you engaged.
Punchy soundtrack and editing like the first, and reasonably good acting from the main cast.
As a stand alone flick, this may stand up, but as a sequel it is weaker than most would have wanted.
Trainspotting (1996)
Choose life.... ?
9.5 / 10
Trainspotting is a unique and tragic dark dramedy. It has a very different pacing, tone and message than most drug films out there - Candy or Requiem For A Dream etc.
From the fantastic, witty and poignant dialogue, to the subtle and also dynamic editing, all overdubbed with a self-serving and self-loathing narration to justify and explain the inner turmoil of a serious and recovering addict, Trainspotting is a film lovers wet-dream.
Filled with iconic characters and one-liners, savage violence and substance abuse - Trainspotting offers a variety of entertaining and stomach churning sequences to imbibe.
Despite the cruel nature of substance abuse, and the bottomless situations the characters get themselves into, there is a weird sympathy and, dare I say it, respect that one feels for them - especially Renton, Spud and Tommy. They feel like prisoners or something of this nature, prisoners who cannot see any different. I suppose that is the nature of drug-abuse itself, it traps even the nicest or good-hearted people.
One of the best films ever made. Raw, insightful, disgusting, sympathetic, unrelenting and downright tragic. Worth a watch if you want to see something unique.
Our Friend (2019)
Perfect ebb and flow of sorrow and happiness
One of the best films no one has seen. Based on a true story.
Our Friend is an intensely emotional film from many angles - the tragedy of cancer and the wreckage it can leave behind, to the indescribable allegiance of a friend who has no stake in the game, someone who went above and beyond for his best friends.
Even though Dane didn't have much in his life, and was unsatisfied and felt like no one wanted him, doesn't erase the nature of that guy. There is not many people like him in the world.
Our Friend didn't delve too much into the pain and suffering of cancer on the body - it was more about the emotional charge of those around the person who has cancer, and the emotional bond from this close friend.
Many people complain about the editing, and the time jumps - but for me it was wholly justified and easy to follow. When you watch it you will see why, it achieved a perfect ebb and flow of sorrow and happiness.
Great chemistry from everyone involved. Another great performance from Casey Affleck who could make a stone cry.
Worth a watch if you like films that will make you cry and laugh the whole way through, and didn't force emotional resonance.
Burn After Reading (2008)
Short and sweet
8.5 / 10
After Katie (Tilda Swinton) creates a CD-ROM containing personal information about her husband, Osbourne Cox (John Malkovich), to use in her divorce, it falls into the hands of two brainless employees from Hardbodies fitness center, Linda (Frances McDormand) and Chad (Brad Pitt).
Desiring a dramatic body-image change with many cosmetic surgeries, Linda agrees to try and extort Osbourne, and when this fails they move on to try and encourage the interests of the Russians.
Harry (George Clooney), a paranoid habitual adulterer, whose love interests extend to both Linda and Katie, gets pulled into the whole debacle, after Chad breaks into Katie's house hoping to get more information on Osbourne to sweeten the pot with the Russians.
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
Technically better than anything else
7 / 10
Naturally, each and every shot is perfect, clean and clear. The cinematography is beautiful, and the editing (in terms of shot by shot) is well constructed.
The sets were realistic, and the auto-mobiles used were authentic.
All these technical aspects we all assume would be brilliant from someone who has been making and producing films for over 50 years.
Everyone acted admirably. Everyone was convincing and performed cleanly. However was there any ground-breaking performances? In my opinion, no, not really. Simply fine and solid performances from veteran actors.
Now for the downsides that I saw and felt.
The costumes, for me, were a bit too perfect. Even for some of the drunks and lower-class workers, their suits were pristine. The streets were muddy, but no ones trousers or shoes sported a muddy appearance.
The world building was too stretched out. There was no tension sd the main story didn't kick in until the last hour. And in the world building and bonding hours, the writers did not give enough credence and time for the Osage people and their cultures and traditions. Here and there, there were snippets, but overall it was a story about white-culture using and abusing the Osage people. They were mostly portrayed as victims who had no strategy to fight against the injustice being brought on them. I was expecting a lot more sequences of traditional music and rituals, blending and clashing with 20th century white culture.
The overall trajectory of the story I felt helped create the lack of tension. Scorsese said that this film is a who-didn't-do-it story, however at about the one hour mark the villains are told to us. So, the film wasn't about who didn't do it, because we know who did do it. In a way I understand where he is coming from, however it could have hidden the true villains for longer, and thus amplify that feeling of who didn't do it.
Ridiculously long, and unjustifiably so in many areas - but beautiful and clean. Worth a watch if you like Scorsese and clean cinematography.
It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Nice guys finish last
6.8 / 10
Lets start with some of the positives. For me the best part of this film was its editing - two scenes in particular jumped out at me (freeze frame at the start, and the angel disappearing at the end). The film was ultimately built around good messages - selflessness / love / family / etc. - so it has a positive vibe throughout.
However, for me, even in the 40s it was not creative or original. How Green Was My Valley, and many others released before, had the David v Goliath / weak v corrupt, themes. And given that the entire third act hinges on a premise of other books, it made for a very uncreative and unoriginal ending. Personally I believe the film could have had the same impact and conclusion by not having anything to do with The Greatest Gift / A Christmas Carol. The similarities renders the film less unique, and creates a flatness or emptiness to the third act, which is meant to be the strongest.
Throughout, the film almost tried to force the emotional aspects, and laid them out at your feet, told you what emotional charge the scene or sequence had, instead of showing it to us. When someone done something selfless, we were told they are selfless, when someone was bad, the dialogue tells us he was bad etc., instead of just letting us come to our own conclusions.
Despite the positive messages, I found it had the opposite impact at times. Others in the film who weren't as compelled to sacrifice their dreams etc., ended up successful and happy too - like his brother was a war hero, or his friend Sam who made money in plastics and was in a successful marriage - these people did not end up having the same crisis George did. So the sacrifice for others and being a good person made George end up last in life at many times. Made him look foolish rather than strong. So it reinforced the "nice guys finish last" epithet.
Leo (2023)
"Life gets more difficult the older we get."
The kids hit 10 years old... the age of reason for most children.
Leo does a good job exploring mental health. Shows that best friends, adults and children alike can and do suffer from anxiousness, jealousy, enviousness, self-doubt etc. Best thing to do is discover who a person is, instead of judging them or blaming them for their insecurities or anxiety. Everyone has troubles. No one is special in this regard by being free from such things.
Like all animations there are adult jokes in there - however Leo didn't go out of its way to hide them, which was an unusual execution.
The animation was smooth, and bright, and expressive - however it suffered from its texturing. The objects, fabrics, skin etc., were all just smooth.
In terms of story, there was very little action or adventure which is unusual for an animation. It spent more time dealing with character, and understanding each other. It was only in the third act that any tension or excitement was created through action/adventure. However, this doesn't mean it was boring, the story was enough to keep you interested.
For me, Bill Burr's small parts and quips were the highlight of the film, this and its willingness to delve into mental health issues for children.
Defending Your Life (1991)
Flat and simplifying the human condition - amusing, not funny
The name of the film is a misnomer - before watching I thought the premise was for the dead to have to defend their lives, and have all their wrongs looked at. However, Brooks decided to narrowly focus on just decisions made in fear. And thus, trivialises the whole concept of the afterlife (for those who believe in it). All one has to do is not show fear. Serial killers, rapists, etc., can pass this trial in the afterlife as long as they didn't live in fear. If you are a moral person, but have been riddled with anxiety or fear, you will fail this trial. I understand it's a comedy and Brooks simplified it for this reason as it would be harder to have the more complex parts of the human psyche and behaviour scrutinised in a comedy.
I found the film slow, and lacking in outright humour. The premise of, and circumstances in, Judgment City are amusing, but not laugh-out-loud funny. I don't recall laughing at all when watching the film, I was just gently amused the whole way through.
The premise hinges on the falsehood of only using a percentage of one's brain - which is fine for a comedic tool to not be taken seriously, but it's completely false. Comedy that is rooted in truth is just as funny, if not funnier, than comedy based on falsehoods.
The character development was pretty shallow, as we got to see nothing of his life before he died, and the pieces we see during his trial are narrowly focused on examples of fear, that we can't say what type of person he is. And his growth of finding love for the first time falls flat as we knew nothing of his previous romantic relationships.
Positives for me were the angelic sets and lighting, made you feel like it wasn't earthly - which saved the rating overall.
Worth a watch if you like Brooks, but for me Brooks never makes groundbreaking films, he just makes films with very different premises.
Hang 'Em High (1968)
Okay - not amazing
Clint Eastwood is possibly the coolest guy ever. Anything he does is great, even if it is not. He just has the aura around him.
Hang 'Em High is not the best western, nor Eastwood's best western, however it had it's moments.
The scraps were gritty and realistic, like fights you see on the street for real. There was no posturing nonsense or perfect choreography. The actors looked uncomfortable being ragged dolled etc.
Now in terms of story, the film wanes entering the third act after Cooper is shot, and the climax comes too quick and convenient.
I was disappointed in the ending. The whole premise of the film is for Cooper to capture or kill the men who hanged him - but in the end he fails in apprehending two of them. I found it weird the film ended there with Cooper riding off to find the remaining two. Instead of fulfilling his brand of justice on all nine, the writers opted for a sequence with Bruce Dern and cattle rustling in order to create conflict between Cooper and Fenton, who had polar opposite views on how to implement justice for these criminals. So whilst this detour in act II was justified in terms of character dynamics, for me it left the whole film with an open and empty ending.
Worth a watch really only for Eastwood being cool and smooth as butter.
One Hundred and One Dalmatians (1961)
Watched it 101 times as a child - interesting as an adult
One hundred and one Dalmatians is a blast from the past. Spending so many hours watching this show as a child it was nice to rewatch it again in adulthood.
Whilst it has a solid story, the most impactful part of the film was the first act. It was charming, witty, sad, and filled with great music. However the heightened emotional impact faded for the rest of the film, but kept the same tone.
What I found interesting was that it is essentially a human vs animal film, with all animals being in cahoots with each other. It maintained and set humans up as the ones who cannot work together, and who have evil in their hearts, whereas the animals (all domestic animals I might add) have a togetherness unable to be achieved by humans.
As expected by Disney films, the soundtrack was great, the voice acting very expressive and convincing, and everything cumulates with a happy ending.
The stand out of the film was Betty Lou Gerson who done a fantastic job at voicing the truly diabolical Cruella De Vil. She really brought life to the insidious and cruel antagonist.
Disney has always been a frontrunner in animation, and this film was no different in parts. The animation was expressive, however it lacked in the backgrounds which were dull and often poorly drawn, and the animators reused the same template over and over for the 84 Dalmatians that weren't the puppies of Pongo and Perdita.
Definitely worth a watch as it is a unique film casting very a unique dog breed as the protagonists and heroes.
Oppenheimer (2023)
Technically sound... entertaining though?
6.5 / 10
Much better the second time around. First time I saw this I didn't have a clean screening of it, as it was in an outdoor cinema where the sound wasn't too great.
The intensity of the soundtrack (even though the levels were strongly edited to have the dialogue less imposing than the dramatic orchestral work) and the clean cinematography leads it to be visually beautiful, however Nolan has created an entertainment conflict.
Nolan has started a new dynamic of biographies, one where you have to be aware of the history before watching it. Biographies are meant to be informative, even to the uninitiated, whereas with Oppenheimer the opposite it true, you need to know a hell of a lot before watching. Those unaffiliated with the subject matter will be lost and confused.
There's nothing groundbreaking about Cillian's performance itself, but he does great at showing emotion without speaking.
The intensity at the beginning with the time skips, cuts and 400 characters reduces as time goes on. However initially can be overwhelming at times, and could have possibly done much better as a linear story told in a shorter period of time.
The editing can be seen as a reflection of the times, the issues, and the complexity of the subject matter themselves - chaotic, complex, intricate etc., - but in terms of "entertainment" it is wholly disappointing to most.
Technically, the film is great, like most of Nolan's films - his skills in attracting the best in the business to create his visions is unmatched. Whether or not this is classed as entertainment for you is another matter.
American Gangster (2007)
Style and little substance
Inspired by, and loosely based on true events. The characterisations of the main players is wholly fictionalised however, which makes this film fall into the issue of comparison post-watching. Once you realise that almost none of the film was like the real people, apart from the handshake that Frank Lucas made with drug producers in Asia, the film falls flat on its face. Would have been better to create an entirely new story and say that it is inspired by real events.
The characters, if we ignore reality, are interesting for the purpose. However, given the long runtime the writers did not do a good job at fleshing out all the subplots to create a true three-dimensional character. Richie and his family subplot, was only worthy of two scenes in total - about 5 minutes of screen time. It added no real depth to the character and served no purpose other than to show that Richie was more interested in his work.
On top of this Frank and his wife's subplot was also quite empty.
The story was straightforward, with no real unique aspects apart from the smuggling in veteran coffins. And the entire third act climax hinged on a side character ratting on Frank, a side character who was no importance anywhere in the film up until that point.
Solid film if you don't consider the reality behind the story, and it was told cleanly. Worth a watch if you like any of the people involved, but for me it was a poor outing for what could have been a real gritty gangster story.
Filth (2013)
"Sometimes it takes a wrong-doer to show you when you are doing wrong."
7.5 / 10
Filth is a perfect Christmas film for the whole family - I'm only kidding.
It is a fast paced kaleidoscope ride into mental instability, infidelity, chronic drug and sex abuse.
James McAvoy puts on a fantastic performance, and really sells the mentally and physically rundown Bruce Robertson. His character is a bit theatrical at times, however he does have a larger than life persona, so it's not out of character.
The storyline is neither here nor there, for me it was more of a character piece, and the plot was just there to heighten the troubles of the main character.
A lot of the visuals are influenced by Kubrick, specifically A Clockwork Orange and 2001.
If you like troubled characters, and ones than have no redeemable traits other than their debauchery, then this show is for you.
The Intern (2015)
Read the synopsis and you'll have seen the film
I was hoping for something more risky, but what I got is a paint-by-numbers feel good comedy. It tried to have more carnal humour (happy ending massage part etc.) but they fell short as it was not in tone with the rest of the film. If you read the synopsis of the film, you pretty much get the gist of what is to come. Generation v generation jokes and dilemmas, stereotyping all old people as useless etc.
Nothing special or new - just a feel good film where both protagonists learn and grow.
The issue I had with it the most was that everyone was so understanding and picture perfect. Perfect speech. Perfect responses to crises in their lives (you know, when your husband is having an affair this is an opportunity for you to be level-headed and learn something about yourself). Perfect clothes. Perfect teeth. Etc., etc. A bit too polished everywhere.
Tonnes of product placements - helps with boosting that profit margin.
In my mind it could have been way shorter, and thus more effective, more punchy.
There were moments that it was touching or well acted etc., but overall it was nothing special. The tone felt like a TV movie you'd see on Sundays' at your grandmothers, somehow backed with a big budget.
Nothing much to see here, unless you want to run it on in the background whilst making Sunday dinner.
Step Brothers (2008)
Didn't hit the mark
6.31 / 10
Like 90% of films with Will Ferrell's in it, you are not meant to take any of it seriously. And this film is no exception. It has a ludicrous plot, packed full of absurd scenarios and childish humour.
However, for me, this one differs from many of Adam McKay comedies. It is a very violent and toxic comedy. The humour is very confrontational, and based a lot around jealously, insecurity, pettiness and vengeance.
Some of the story is either too quick or not explained - Dale and Brennan never meet before their parents marry, despite being a part of their wedding. And the film never goes into why Dale doesn't have a mother, and why Brennan doesn't have a father.
Reilly and Ferrell have good chemistry and what not, but the comedy didn't really translate. A lot of the jokes were reliant on swearing heavily, which for some is enough for a line to be punchy.
The film is short, but for me it drags.
Worth a watch for Reilly and Ferrell absurdism, but as for the story it is a bit empty and forced.
Monster (2003)
10/10 for Charlize - 7/10 for the film
It's hard not to focus on the reality of the story when analysing everything. If Aileen did kill men out of self-defence, then it is a tragedy that she was executed for it. Anyway, on to the film.
It wasn't until late into the film that it explained that Aileen had suffered at the hands of abusers when young, nor did it speak on her family's history of mental illness.
Charlize Theron is virtually unrecognisable, does a fantastic job at changing her mannerisms, voice, body language etc., and thoroughly deserved an Oscar. Pity the only attention she got was for "going ugly" and other nonsense because Hollywood and idiots expect "beautiful" people to remain that way for their entertainment.
The film does a great job at making you sympathise with Aileen. A woman who has been abused her whole life wouldn't and doesn't have the wherewithal, the patience, the foresight etc., to achieve any desirable changes in life. The constant pipe dreams that Aileen dreamt up, was enough to help her think that things were to change, and suffering the bad stuff now is doable. Good things will come.
I found the sound editing to be poor here and there. As well as this the direction and cinematography of the film offered nothing new or exciting - pretty plain in my mind for such intense story content.
Worth a watch in my mind solely for Charlize Theron and for how it creates a sense of sympathy for suffering.
The Guard (2011)
Another banger from McDonagh
Another banger by a McDonagh - these brothers are very talented film-makers.
The Guard is filled, wall to wall, with quick talking, witty and laugh out loud humorous dialogue, and very funny and quirky situations - but remains true to the overall seriousness of the crime aspects. The humour is not just Irish humour, there is many jokes in there for everyone. However the Irish jokes are very Irish - some understanding of the civil war etc., would be required to fully understand them.
The characters are succinct and distinctive, with a lot of room for development - having said that the main character is a constant enigma, throwing you curveballs in his actions and behaviour.
The acting is solid, especially from Brendan Gleeson who really steals the show.
The cinematography is great, they do really well at showing how grey and bleak it is in coastal Ireland.
Worth a watch if you like comedies, Brendan Gleeson or the McDonagh brothers.
Candy (2006)
Less intense that what is expected from drug-films
Great acting from Heath Ledger and Abbie Cornish - they really sold the highs and lows of their characters. And story was good enough to make us believe and feel for the little universe these lovers created by the injection of stimulants.
The lack of huge actors filling up the character roster was good, felt more realistic overall because of this. Star-studded films sometimes are less compelling by over-saturating the screen with big names.
Like most lover-drug films, expect some dark content - and this film delivered on this also. Relationship stress, bottom of the barrel suffering, despair, familial tensions, financial desperation etc. However, unlike other drug-stories, there was less craziness and pacing. The story flowed slower than some high intensity drug-films out there.
The sound editing was pretty poor, I found that the dialogue drowned out by the soundtrack here and there.
I felt maybe perhaps the lack of background into Dan's character meant that for the most part there was less emotional resonance towards him - harder to sympathise at times as he was an unknown poet who loved Candy. Candy had her family etc., which created a more three dimensional character overall.
Worth a watch for Ledger and Cornish's performances.
Calvary (2014)
Refreshingly poignant and dark
8.5 / 10
This film is really deep. It questions everything - loyalty, spirituality, belief, self-control, strength, understanding, compassion, forgiveness, repentance - and does it in a way, and through characters, which brings the questions to life. The film exposes and questions some of the worst behaviours of humans - domestic abuse, sexual addiction, alcohol addiction, promiscuity, pride, cannibalism, greed, narcissism etc.
It does well at showing how, no matter who we are, everyone has some sort of issue, and many times will do whatever we can to try and live with them, or absolve ourselves from them. As well as this, it explores the truth that no-one is what they seem - good people can do bad things, bad people can do good things.
Explores the issues and pressures that the church faces now, especially decent priests, and the prejudice they cannot escape now because of the deplorable crimes that were uncovered, as well as the struggle the church has now in this modern age.
A very serious, dark and tension filled mystery story. A real cluedo / whodunnit mystery but with it's own twist - the crime hasn't happened yet, but will. We spend the whole film scouring everyone Father James talks to, hoping we can discover who the man is. A great turn on the mystery theme.
Whilst it is regarded as a mystery / crime / drama, there are some dark comedic sequences in it - true Irish humour.
Nice to see Brendan and Domhnall Gleeson in a scene together - great talent in that family.
Worth a watch if you like the McDonagh brothers at all. They are fantastic writers and directors.
Arrival (2016)
Unique and realistic
8.5 / 10
One of the most realistic alien encounter films that I have seen. No fluff or posturing or action. Despite what people think, if aliens came here we wouldn't go waving our dicks or our guns at them, especially if the aliens seem to pose no threat.
The acting and casting were great - there were a few roles which any actor could have filled, but for the most part the main characters were well cast and acted, and unique enough to help drive the story.
As with all of Denis Villeneuve films the sound editing, visuals and cinematography are out of this world.
The revelation at the end was refreshing, and made the entire story different and very compelling.
It was much slower than I remember on second viewing, however this does not detract from the grandeur of what Villeneuve was trying to accomplish.
A very intelligent, thought provoking, wonder-filled and evocative sci-drama one that anyone who claims to like sci-fi should watch.
The Wrestler (2008)
An old broken-down piece of meat.
8 / 10
The mark of a good director and writer is to make you care for people and situations that you don't have any feelings for. I am not a fan of wrestling, but they made me feel for Randy and the extremes that he and other wrestlers will put their bodies through for money, fame or their fans.
Wrestling may be fake and scripted, but the lives of the men and women involved is not.
Aronofsky, when he is on, is the best at choosing actors that are perfect for roles - and here he nails it again with Mickey Rourke.
The writing and story was empowering yet at the same time tragic, and the characters all had nice dynamics, contradictions and similarities. Cassidy and Randy both struggling with jobs, one that loves him and the other doing it to support her son - Cassidy and her son are close, Randy and his daughter are estranged. Yet both are lonely. Nice ebb and flow of emotions throughout.
The sets and locations are rough around the edges, enhancing the realism of the characters. The camera work was voyeur-ish, again creating an atmosphere of this fallen icon. The image system and symbolism was good if you caught them.
Definitely worth a watch for the decent characters and unique story.
Badlands (1973)
Poetic and philosophical
Love him or hate him, Terrence Malick knows how to make a poetic and philosophical narrative, against a backdrop of beautiful and grandiose landscapes with beautiful cinematography.
The story in this film is quite empty overall, it is more about the thoughts of the two involved - the action and suspense doesn't rise or fall throughout, it stays at a particular pitch, and it is only the narrative in their minds that changes.
The murders and crimes in the film are quite toned down for a feature. When you consider other films of this nature - Bonnie and Clyde, Natural Born Killers etc. - the crimes therein are stylish and have some edge to them. But in Badlands, the crimes are what you would expect from two inexperienced youths - there is no style, or flare. On top of this they are not shot with any unique angles or other cinematic techniques. Just cold murders.
The gunshots and blood etc., were pretty well done for the time - many films in the 70s and 80s suffered from the "tomato sauce" look, which removes you from the realism of the crime.
Not much here in terms of story - but good acting, great cinematography, great voice-over narration, and a lot of swagger from Martin Sheen. If you liked Days of Heaven you will like this.
The Killing of a Sacred Deer (2017)
God v Devil
6.5 / 10
Yet another bizarre instalment by Yorgos Lanthimos.
The performances were a bit stiff but I guess that is what they were going for to create a strange atmosphere for the even more strange story to be played out within.
A dramatic and bizarre Good vs Evil / God vs Devil revenge story, based loosely on a Greek myth, with allegorical religious overtones throughout. So if one is a casual film-goer, and most subplots and subtexts go over your head, maybe this is one to sit out.
It was slow to start, but once the true plot comes out, it gets a bit more interesting and mystical.
Many interesting and almost divine choices in cinematography and camera work - the camera floats and hovers like a spirit following the action, with the use of gods-eye views etc. If the story doesn't captivate you, then at least the visuals will.
Apparently the open heart surgeries in the film was real footage of a heart surgery being performed - makes the film that more disturbing for those who have a weak stomach.
Worth a watch if you don't like mainstream films.
About Schmidt (2002)
Underwhelming - but hey that is life, right?
6.9/10
Not sure what was about this film that I didn't connect with. It seemed to wax and wane with interest throughout, and the only parts that resonated with me were at the start when he was honest and evaluated critically all the things he had in life.
The acting for me felt a little stiff and scripted, no one really over-impressed me in characters. Jack was funny, of course, but he played the role like he played many of his roles in the 2000s.
The film is meant to be, and is defined as a strict drama, but it had many many funny and ironically comical moments throughout.
It does do well at showing things like taking people around you for granted, and not having any purpose or goals.
I am sure there are a lot of people who feel the same as Warren, they wake up one day and evaluate what it is they are leaving behind, what legacy they have or will leave behind. These cold realisations were the best bits - like his wife passed away, being a woman who spent her whole life cleaning and cooking for Warren, no one will remember her for her efforts in keeping Warren's life in order, a life which he finds underwhelming and forgettable.
Worth a watch especially for the build up and first Act etc., but if you are fan of Jack then it is for you.