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Sicario (2015)
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This is perhaps one of the most gripping, thrilling and not so graphic in real terms crime/action films I had ever seen in recent decades. I watched just very recently, and I think Denis Villeneuve really is something now from my point of view, since I watched this one, as I am not a fan of his productions previously, not particularly.
Nonchalance is the signature of Benicio Del Toro's performance; I must say the character he plays in this film as a hitman is a none other choice the director should have to make.
The film uses many different techniques in filming the Mexico street scenes, cartel's tunnel scenes, topographic scenery shot from helicopters etc, looked just gargantuan, the well-used negative film effects in fighting and others are not new but fits into the narrative, tells the nature of this fighting cartel is far from a small thing that it makes right sides appearing vulnerable.
Emily Blunt's character is scripted in full texture, she delivers well. Somehow appears foolhardy but that is not so obvious. And the final a few scenes in between Benicio Del Toro and blunt just feels delicious to audiences, their performances are well beyond first class.
Enjoyable to watch in terms of the greyish coloured sky and framing, score and sound both are not impeding or obstructing the theme, well embellished in narrative, you realise they are working but not typically noticing it, that's what tools are supposed to serve the purpose.
So good.
Boiling Point (2019)
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It's the third production I had watched relates to kitchen running besides The Bear and Burnt.
It is just very much lugubrious that all three productions silhouette the kitchen life in the back, against the stylish restaurants in front of it. I believe they are true stories to tell, however.
This one is a short film, 30mins long in the surface but literally running just 19mins content, brief but definitely not that faint a look at what is happening in a work environment in kitchen. An abusive boss, a chef, yelling and bullying staffs, protagonist in this film is abusing drugs ends up collapsed, in Burnt, the abusive chef Bradley Cooper cast is alcoholic, in The Bear, Jeremy Allen White's character is a PTSD persona.
Do you even enjoy a restaurant meal if you acknowledge all of these.
Typically, I am not that kind of person would feel relaxed if eat in elegant solitude or with anyone at a candlelit table while thinking there are something boiling and soiling in the kitchen backyard.
All three productions are good, I truly think this one is the best in terms of crying the restaurant industry's ugliest out.
The Artist (2011)
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Before I went into the film, I almost knew nothing about it except for that it's an Oscar winner motion picture. Monochrome, obviously look from the posters. Incidentally the black and white effect in this film just appeared a bit too drab, lacking of texture of contrast of gradient, if compared to Ripley (2024)series and maestro(2023). Technically, the latter two pieces work it righter, visually even more stunning. Speaking of Ripley 2024.
Now, when I started processing the film, I was like, wait, what? It's a silent film. Oh Jay!
Anyhow, I loved the parson Russell terrier, the dog Uggie, who passed away 4years later after the dude won an award for dog performances in 2011, besides Oscar won for the film.
The voice must be heard, the sound is so important for a film, silent film age must have been unbearable but people loved it, the fast forward motion is more ok, than the mute of sound, which makes me wonder the fact that when new things advanced itself into a life how quickly people find pleasure to move along and move on, because the old stuff is just being impaired.
It's the first time I wrote a 'review 'before even finished watching film, I will finish it later, just rushed to tell 'been there' now. Still excited for the mere fact of that.
Civil War (2024)
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A British filmmaker made a film to make Americans look ugly.
I went to the film entirely for Kirsten Dunst, her performance stands tall, I am pleased for that. Dunst really comes up to a greater character actress while she is aging gracefully, I didn't see that was coming when she was just an unusually pretty young woman actor decades ago, she is just superb.
Jesse Plemons also is unassumingly perfect, he plays a right-wing villain in this film, that 'Reuter doesn't sound American' line he cited well, funny enough he contributes to the script with his unique slowly equivocal style of reading lines.
Turning to the script of the film, or the soul of the product, I think as non-American myself, from an outsider's standing point, it is intriguing to say the least, great pacing, not a single shot is waste. A story that is in great cold equanimity so is Dunst's performance, again, without whom, 99 percent people won't bother see it.
Asteroid City (2023)
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The thing is if this film is done with unknown names instead of having been star-studded, will viewers still feel the same?
All these stars make me wonder do they understand the script they are reciting on or acting upon themselves, probably not, they are the props like in this film, incidentally I am not a Wes Anderson groupie, I am just having sorta fomo, apropos of that, I had watched this film a few months ago, then totally forgot about it, except for some part of scenes involved with Scarlett Johansson and Jeffery Wright.
Recent days I watched again, it turns out almost entire Hollywood first rate actors and actresses these days are in it. Shame that they are so forgettable in this film except those two I mentioned earlier.
Its well made In terms of production design, lighting, cinematography, cartoonish set, reminding you every second that it is imaginaries, you don't have to understand, all you have to do is to swallow it or breathe it, don't regurgitate, just flow with the flow.
Tenet (2020)
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Premeditatedly I had watched this film again recently and it's the first time I watched it on smaller screen at home, its been almost four years since first time saw it in theatres while it just came out, I literally had seen it three times in theatre within a few weeks by then, I guess at that time I was daft, as British put it.
I decided to watch it again because at this point, I consider myself, less 'daft'. Um, well. Is it good or bad?
A lot of cast I wasn't quite familiar with by then except for John David Washington and Robert Pattinson, speaking of which, I remembered I acknowledged John David Washington thru this film for the first time, I saw second and third time was because of him, I am a fan of his father, I didn't know the relationship in between them until the second time went to see it, recently when watched again, I just say the father and son have exactly the same voice. Washington junior had an excellent performance in BlacKkKlansman, it's a 2018 film I later watched it also because of Washington junior, following tenet episode.
Now a few years have passed, I watched Crown so am more familiar with Elizabeth Debicki, at 2020 I really knew nothing about her portfolio until couple of years followed by 2020, I watched a couple of other films she was cast too.
Jefferson Hall cast Chevalier in Oppenheimer in 2023, so I didn't know anything about his portfolio either by 2020. He is in tenet too.
I just heave a few of these names out to express what do I feel when time goes by maybe it is not totally a waste to watch some films back on.
Ludwig Göransson is also the one contributing Oppenheimer's score, the taut rhythm is very much his signature in tenet too.
When you rewatch a film you knew it too well, its like a mirror stands in between your reality and your past, its so distracting every minute you watch it you collect the thought what was happening at that moment you saw it in theatre.
Its worthwhile to rewatch a film such as this one, as long as you don't feel its a contemptible enslavement by the past.
The Fall Guy (2024)
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When they said on scene that you got no one else but Ryan gosling, that's already a comedy to cheering you on for a day.
There is a long list of soundtracks for the film, for the most part its impressive.
Thumbs-up is a stuntman 'BS' that's an interesting metaphor. I interpret that as thumbs-up imply its not ok but have to say it is so. So in real life if you wish to signal something otherwise, be careful to gesture this way. Especially while it feels not a right moment to brush things off.
Shirley Temple is a toxic drink that's a good one.
The illusional unicorn is cute, kelpie the dog is cuter.
After watching this film, you have a better understanding why action films consume higher budget immediately, they cover stuntman insurance.
Stephanie Hsu is in it. Makes my day. Love her dearly.
Next time seeing an action film I will naturally urge myself not to feel an aversion even before it starts, just thinking how great a deal dangerous acts those stunts doubles have to go through, at least pay a silent tribute, it's so much easier to manage that emotionally from this point.
I see everything is metaphorical these days, being a stuntman is one of the riskiest jobs that hardly presage what can be ended up. Life itself is a show, everybody is a stuntman, or stuntwoman, since we are all doubles of ourselves, wouldn't be rather beneficial if just lay low.
Challengers (2024)
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A weird film.
A story is scripted upon a messing timeline, that makes it look both pretentious and void, only to straighten up by subscript notes on screen so that you can read when is when. I consider the screenwriter is a 'kinder' person than Christopher Nolan, who made Oppenheimer the same vein but had no such caring effort by offering subscript except for dividing different timeline with monochrome and coloured scenes. Which seems to me, this film is aiming to entertain people whom have modest intelligence, but not necessarily too high such as, been a physicist.
There are three main characters play things out in the film, a woman who is capricious, who plants a life into depending on others desires to work things out which is a theme makes me feel stifling the worst way.
Two men in the film are bisexual but for the most part you consider them heterosexual, as one ended up marrying the woman, the other frequently making affairs happen with the same woman outside her marriage. Meanwhile two men are both extremely attracted to the same woman who seems is not feeling the same way to either of them.
There is no emotional connection among the three characters seriously, except for one thing, they play tennis. Or they care about win or lose, in a way the screenwriter cares.
The director is that famous Luca Guadagnino, who often cast Dakota Johnson except for Oscar worthy picture Call Me by Your Name, there I have this thought in this film, if Zendaya's character cast by Dakota Johnson will make things work better. Luca didn't make a sensible choice, Zendaya's performance is lacklustre, clearly I am not a fan, if you are, don't throw eggs to my review, thanks.
As for that techno score that all over the place in the film, since I watched at home, my sympathy goes out to viewers saw the film in theatres, it must have been tortuous at least I had toned them down at any point they came off.
The screenwriter's wife is the filmmaker who made Past Lives, one of the most intolerable films I had ever watched, in that sense, this one is way much better to say the least.
The Shape of Water (2017)
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I had watched this film more than 2months ago, for the first time.
Yes, it was kind of long overdue, turns out I really didn't regret I didn't have done it earlier.
It felt a propaganda from the United States point of view, politically annoying. I am not very into cold war mentality, from any sides.
Romance doesn't mean fantasising feelings when people fall for each other. In that sense this film only scratches the surface of emotions, I for one, was not moved in any level.
I believe there are metaphorical or amorphous attempts the filmmakers wished to deliver, it meant to make viewers catch it absorb it and feel it, I didn't get anything, I say 'I believe', is because these days I turn to always see things in their positive ways.
Sally Hawkins's performance is the source of power to effectuate everything, for this I think it deserves to be viewed again when my mind is not entirely cruddy, or at any rate when I need spiritually smudged from some part of reality.
Or, In other words, if you are having a good Sunday afternoon this film is not that kind of ice you serve on your cake.
Plein soleil (1960)
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So this version of Ripley was shot long before everybody was born.
I mean, even P. Highsmith would not reckon every 20-40 years her favourite conman would be reprised once again, next time it could be an AI version in 2045 or, AI-2 in 2090, the rhythm goes on and on.
This is the third Ripley I had observed on screen, I am currently a bit obsessed with it, I say 'IT', because I really consider it metaphorical.
Till this version its still not that clear to me, which is, what on earth is the motivation Ripley had to murder Greenleaf junior, each version gives a different narrative, I have to make it up one myself.
Glad to see Romy Schneider had a cameo in this, Freddy's companion, I mean all the other two productions had no such a thing, Freddy is just a lone wolf, but anyhow, dickie's name even changed in this version.
The boat looks rakishly charming, which is a centre piece of one third of this version of film on set.
My favourite production is Andrew Scott's one, I think this one and matt Damon's version are somehow equal, in terms of cinematic values. I don't do rating tasks from this point.
I am not a fan of Alain Delon; I wouldn't say I dislike him. I know for decades many women or men find Mr Delon a fine-looking man.
A young Delon reminds me of my half-brother, when he was in his 20s, whom I have had a very chill relationship with all my life, its very personal. Not related.
Thanks for reading my review.
Capote (2005)
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I remember around that time 2 decades ago, I watched both this one and Infamous, infamous came out later, so this one was the first. They are equally good.
Went into totally for licking performances. Means recently.
I am running out of new films I expected to watch, so I really think the golden age of Hollywood has long been passed.
20-years-ago was like yesterday.
Apparently missed PS Hoffman.
Death row scenes I almost didn't want to go over again, it was chill.
I wish to watch infamous again later if get the chance to do so.
I think it is dreary and too tersely that I comment on a truly remarkable piece in such a monosyllabic tone. Sorry
Also tired of rating, feels its insulting to a true art. Thanks.
Flandersui gae (2000)
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Bong Joon Ho's first feature which depicts lives around 2000 or late of 1990s in Korea.
Anyone shoots a first feature by this standard would go big, you can tell. Quentin Tarantino's first feature or second were all really not that appealing, I am not going to get to that. But compared to whom Bong Joon Ho admired or still admires so much, Bong deserves two thumbs up.
It is a satire; the film was under a low budget and didn't break even with box office by the time it was showing in Korean theatres.
A theme in relates to consume canine on scene would upset many, what a relief that it would not bother Patricia Highsmith anymore, the famous writer who had two pet peeves in her lifetime towards two group of peoples in mankind one of which has something to do with the theme of this film entails, I will not get to that either.
Fact checks, no puppies were harmed while the film was shot through, rest assured, and rise above the unnecessary uncomfortable mood, if it was somehow uninspiring during the course of some part of proceeding of the film.
Bong is one of the Northeast Asian filmmakers, (namely Japanese Chinese and Korean filmmakers,) who has the utmost self confidence that it definitely doesn't bother him if he is delivering something palpably or honestly in regard to the insolent or not very goodlooking sides of his 'people', he is bold, simply add. Which most other Korean filmmakers, and 99 percent Japanese or Chinese filmmakers wouldn't do it, the cultural pride cannot afford inferior, obviously that's not what Bong thought, he is confident, so audacious, actually self-deprecated, which actually is the way people showing confidence. It is what I admire Bong the most.
Nonetheless, this film tells what young people actually experience at that time in Korea, and it is light, except for slaying the mongrel cues, nonetheless it is metaphorical, like what people would measure things up if they are desperately pre-empting under things that even not that clearly portended, especially when people feel unsafe, not everybody is going to do things in harm's way, to puppies, cat, or even humans, well, some does under certain circumstances. Bong's film intends to tell the things are always complicated than you thought it would transpire into.
Production design is impeccable, details on set etc. We love it. Some would complain the lighting is a bit too dim, well, it happens in a basement, at some point, that's what it is.
7.7/10.
Love Lies Bleeding (2024)
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An American indie film.
It relates to many themes comprise of lesbian love affairs,domestic violence, drug abuse, homicide etc, set in 1989's America. Minutes in we discovered that cassettes are on set, it tells you its around late 80s or early 90s, and halfway thru a TV broadcasting scene on set tells you the eventful Germany was embracing a fall of berlin wall, which tells us the set is of late 1989.
The film has a flavour of noir but not that cynical, it is kind of facing straight forward to unfolding a story the filmmaker thought it must be told. There is no subtlety, no restraint.
Kristen Stewart's character is rather complicated, who is from a criminal gang family somehow estranged with her father who cast by ed Harris, as the story moving on to the end, one can assume that is one of the causes of what made Kristen Stewart's character transpired to series events in the film.
Cast ensemble is great, Dave Franco, Katy O'Brian, Anna Baryshnikov and Jena Molone all felt spot on. Nobody is out of the place where they fixed on scene, except sometimes or oftentimes you realised you are watching Kristen Stewart still performing based on instinct, meaning, the character is probably just being made script with her on mind, or, she is just not progressing in terms of acting skills since 22 years ago she was in panic room, which I sometimes think she was peaked at 12 years old.
Pacing of the film is gripping from get-go to halfway through. After which since it turns to sort of anarchic fantasy, it makes me feel all a sudden would not care less about the fate of characters.
Presumably the film intended to have you felt something different other than just stone cold. Nonetheless I left watching the film by the last scene in the end feeling just cold.
Still if you are sort of people have fomo, just go for it to have a try and keep your thought to yourself or honestly share it like I do. Thanks
6.1/10.
Wicked Little Letters (2023)
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By the time I was proceeding this film, I had kept my mouth spreading from ear to ear for entire 100 minutes, and my belly hurt too. It is that cathartically funny.
It's a period comedy drama set in 1920s England, right after the World War one.
Olivia Colman's character is a middle aged self-hating intellectual spinster, well-educated and presumably in late Victoria period of England.
Jessie Buckley's character is an Irish young single mother.
Both characters loved profanity as somehow a weapon or coping mechanism, and without dumping spoiler alert, i will just say the most significant difference in between the two women characters who weaponised vulgarity by using certain language, is that one is sticking that on the surface, the other is painfully penning that underneath. After saw or watched the film, you will find out which one is what.
The film was shot at west Sussex England, on set the house built from Victorian era brick horse stable barn alteration looked mesmerising to me.
Most of the other cast crew besides the two I mentioned earlier , all have very strong background of stage play portfolio, if you are a frequent viewer of English stage plays as I am, you would enjoy it as a feast, as they are all here for the production. Throw a name or two some people may not be very familiar with as I am, I loved Anjana Vasan since watched her version of Hermia in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, and Hugh Skinner just had been all over the place in royal Shakespeare company's plays.
I won't be surprised one day this film becomes a source of a stage play adapted by it. It is delightfully original indeed.
7.9/10.
The Beautiful Game (2024)
Untitled and some trivia
Initially I went to this film because I am a fan of Bill Nighy's acting, naturally because Bill never disappointed me on that, and people if you want to get a basic understanding of what a typical English gentleman looks like, the first one paradigm comes to my mind will be Winston Churchill ,,,,uh no, I lied, it gotta be Bill Nighy. On the surface, who looks 89 per cent unsentimental, 51 percent hard-bitten, 100 percent polite, if you started getting know a bit of them, or they know a bit about you, rather, the denominator of the said of quality or traits slightly shifting but the most significant part under the bottom line is 98.9 percent decency, 1.1 percent mischief plus humour. I wouldn't say I don't like Englishman, to me, they feel like a bit too much untouchable, that is what Bill Nighy and his acting has impressed me.
This film's screenplay is based on somehow a true event that I never heard of, namely world homeless football(soccer) tournament, and England has a team on scene, not like England national team fans, they don't chant that famous slogan 'football coming home' ,on this occasion, its probably because there is not a 'home' to go to, for those young lads.
I won't unfold too much spoiler alert here for the film per se, instead of sharing some trivia that fascinated me.
Valeria Golino cast in the film whose character 'had a thing' with Bill Nighy's character, who is a football professional talent scout. For people aren't familiar with, Golino played Susana in Rain Man, which was one of the most fantastic, touching characters in that famous late 1980s Oscar wining picture. I couldn't believe my ears on hearing her unique voice and accent while watching this film, since I didn't acknowledge she is in the film beforehand, but all that fond memory of voice and accent of her caught me, I looked into the cast list, yes it is her. So 3 and a half decades gone, it is the second film I watched she had a part beyond Rain Man, how surreal is that.
The film was shot in Italy, Rome, precisely, just in couple of weeks, it feels a rather low budget film, but Italy has always won my heart and soul for its amber coloured scenes taken away from those buildings and landscapes, in this sports film, the tournament location is set in Italy. So there I have enjoyed once again for that.
Soundtrack is kind of all over the place, and score is very little, not memorable at all, sports films usually feel square to me, they try too hard for inspiring you, but those generic soundtracks and scores make me feel the opposite. Is it a common perspective that sound department for sports films stick onto? Just wonder.
Speaking of Rome on this film, and others, on set, priests strolling casually at squares more than policemen patrolling on busy traffic lines, in any other countries, it is very impressive. , and of course outnumbered referees on pitch. Specifically in this film of football match.
On one scene, the daughter of the England team member, who is a little black British girl, said to the character of her father, 'did you know Zendaya has a slight bit of Scottish?' I think there might be a slight chance the little one has 1 or 2 percent Scot root in her as well, interestingly people always see things that feel significant to them, as I see, Zendaya is just German. 7.1/10.
Perfect Days (2023)
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A Japanese speaking film nominated for 2024 Oscars Best International Feature Film, that directed, co-screenplay written by a German filmmaker.
It is a film about mundane life of a man who is extremely spiritual, who always sees things in their positive ways, in that way, the film will make you feel good, you will have zero negative feeling over the last shot cut at ending, rest assured.
Our protagonist drives to work every day at a public toilet in city centre of Tokyo, which is sort of long distance from where he lives, he probably is in the mid of his 60s, so it could have just been out of a labour of love, on his way driving to work, he listens to 60s or early of 70s American pop or country music, which tells us he was born late 1950s, spent his youth favouring these music, then we have all those soundtracks on scene, if you are a nostalgia kind of person in particular as a boomer, there you have this film to entertain at least the soundtrack is targeting at you.
Then after work, our protagonist rides a bike to have bath in a public bathroom bath pool, which is kind of,...,ugh, to me, it seems there isn't a private shower unit equipped at where he lives, that is quite a puzzle, I am not so sure of Japanese residential building codes, but I doubt it is to be real. Its 2020s, Tokyo, the film on set, just in case people don't know what do I concern.
On set, people in Tokyo still use paper money, cash coins too, same as Germany and other most advanced developed countries.
Previously I just thought Germany could do things differently, turns out, I have no worries about that now, anyway.
(Incidentally thinking of these days China use entirely digital ways for everyday payment system, totally rid of paper money, coin cash, AND purse, what a 'nasty' way of living!! Already for more than 10 years? Seriously, It's a weird place to live, if Christopher Nolan went to China and we know he didn't have a smartphone, he would be in trouble if he would have to buy a bottle of water).
Back to the film review.
Our protagonist grows plants at home in a way of raising babies which I totally relate, its one of the happiest things to do on earth.
Our protagonist also doesn't seem have a smart phone, since he doesn't have to pay in digital ways, he also doesn't even use digital camera, he owns a roll film camera to shoot his favourite scenes of nature around.
On the things in terms of nostalgia, it seems our protagonist uses this as a coping mechanism to distance himself from modern days realities, it's not like he is coward he just likes old things. Which I don't quite relate, I don't like old things except craving for old buildings, that's another story, what I think is that living in a past will bring you poignant feelings which obviously doesn't bother our protagonist, he seems willing to moving forward with a new life that entails by the ending scenes.
I probably will watch the film again someday, the cinematography is delicious, Tokyo is vivid and lovely. The pacing is just quietly moving, but definitely not tedious in terms of shifting cuts and scenes. I wouldn't say it is slow. I enjoyed it.
It's a film, doesn't have to be so serious.
7.6/10.
All of Us Strangers (2023)
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I watched this film a couple of months ago, recently watched again.
Feels a bit different now vs then. Quite hit the mark: all of us are actually, quite 'strange'.
The main theme of the show is about coping with grief.
On one case the protagonist lost a pair of parents when he was a teenager, another case is the loss of his love interest when the story extends to the near recent days on scene.
The film moved me on a personal level that I cannot put words on exactly how do I feel, as someone lost a parent when I was in my early of 40s, it's a different scenario, but people who experienced loss of a parent or two know, no matter how old when you losing parent(s), the world is never the same again, to you, it's like, ever.
Speaking of losing love interest or in that sense, as a straight adult, I experienced many times, not necessarily had to be death involved, a divorce, or breakup, or simply not been the chosen one, all at a time felt insurmountable, but ended up almost not felt a hint in mind, I did feel very deep when fell someone, even though, when it was over, all that could not count to the incomparable experience of losing parent(s). Put it simply, if I did not, --all can pass, but not this one: you only have a pair of parents, loss of either of them will be that huge. It never passes.
If people feel this film wears a bit monotonously self-indulgent fashion in dealing grief, or miss reading somehow Andrew Scott 's acting (he is excellent by the way), at one hand, put on an inexorable face, behind the doors , under the skin, it's a never ending deepest sorrow. Sure, if you don't get it. I beg to differ, one day you feel different.
Love your parent or parents, if you still have the chance to do so, do your best, and let them feel it.
Thanks
Ps: Share this message with the one in my life at this moment too.
8.1/10.
Das Lehrerzimmer (2023)
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A German speaking feature film nominated for Best International Feature Film in 2024 Oscar awards that presented by Germany.
After watching, many aspects found astounding by me.
To begin with, the story unfolds at a middle school in Germany, from the set scene we can't tell when it is exactly happening, the point is, in modern days Germany it seems thieves still steal cash out of wallets, which is astonishing, say, if you live in modern days China, for example, as far as I acknowledge, paper money is largely out of use already for recent 10 years, in common people's daily lives, most people don't even possess a wallet these days, even driver licences are digital, all things are on a smart phone, so this is that Germany we are talking about, just make sure it is accurate.
Secondly, whatever it is, a wallet with paper cash (still can't believe it),or a handkerchief that served as a hideout with a pet, to search it from minors' possessions without warrant? Again, this is that Germany, last time I checked out, Germany is one of the top countries to have most sophisticated legal systems, as well as human rights, it is baffling, for me, to say the least.
The third one is truly amazing, the film score is so intense so characteristic fits in the narrative and pacing. I am impressed.
Overall, I enjoyed the film, the acting from the main cast of the female teacher is superb, she also speaks impeccable English and sounds that way too. If you know what I am saying here, It is precious as I believe Hollywood agents are looking at her resume closely. This is a serious stuff, they would reckon.
7.8/10.
Coup de chance (2023)
Allen's last cliché
A French speaking film made by woody Allen, it is said that it will be of his last piece of work.
A mixed feeling after finished watching. We salute Allen, he made another cliché of his favourite subject about man and woman relationship fiasco through loveless marriage, bringing about extramarital affairs, induced crimes. 98 percent of Allen's works tirelessly repeat this theme, it is almost hilarious that he made money or, "art", out of it. Considering life is so much larger than these, allen seems traumatised by this one dimension of human activity, and this film still is that, makes you wonder he never ever enjoyed a peace through anything loyal in terms of man and woman relationships within a harmonic marriage life.
The production design is also very much sealed by Allen's orange hue, when comes up with cinematography, a beautiful French style set doesn't do much to excite viewers.
So this is it, Allen, thank you and we feel you. Hope you find peace from now on.
6.1/10.
Ripley (2024)
a monochrome Romanesque historic buildings visual porn
I enjoyed the show, I don't want to make spoiler alert for bit.
On set, to me, It's a monochrome Romanesque historic buildings visual porn in display, ecclesiastical and secular Italian architecture all in demonstration, I just can't get enough those vaults, crypts, groins, steps, you name it, on scene, old, peeling, cracking walls, subtle, vulnerable, the pinnacle elements to define fine beauty, flaws are the oculus for the flawlessness, we people live and breathe in art domains all know what does it mean and how does it work. This series brings all that effortlessly to the surface.
Sound is nuanced, accurate, you wonder where all those hints of artificial works are well concealed. Great work behind the scenes.
Cinematography is sleek, so is editing. That moment when tom Ripley threw streaks of stones to sink the boat where he murdered Dickie Greenleaf, the cut of scenes paced in almost hilarious fashion, there are many examples alike to this essence in the series.
Andrew Scott just is fantastic. I enjoyed every production Scott worked on, he is one of those acting beasts to this day, who always brings along a great sense of stage play one man show quality wherever he acts, and that is just so much staunch a seasoned professional does, intimidating, deadly confident. Love him.
Final words, if people are Italians, you are honoured. Great ancestors, made all these possible a thing or two.
9.6/10.
The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999)
Have not watched the series yet went to this first
It feels like I knew this title all the time but only come as late as 2 and a half decades later to watch it just recently. I went to watch the film was merely for preparation of watching a new TV series which is a spinoff from the same story that this film came off with. I soon found out the action of watching the film beforehand is rewarded by an exceptionally thrilling story, breathtaking cinematography, delicate set styling, as well as each and every one of characters outstanding performances, this ran a high-level precedence, in the meantime makes me feel like examining the new series even more.
Unlike many of viewers come back to check this film after watched the series, which I have not yet, I think I have taken away with what I expected. 8.2/10.
Dune: Part Two (2024)
A Cinematically Triumphal Blockbuster
So, I saw the film when it just came out earlier in theatre, very recently I watched again on smaller screen at home.
It's a dreamy experience speaking of taking away from receiving end as an audience wherever physically located.
With a chunkier superior budget compared to part one, this part two film has yielded an even more remarkably massive rally in box office.
The nuanced sound and echoing humming musical scores are all phenomenal.
As part of the production design, a visually stunning look of Feyd-Rautha is perceived as strikingly exquisite, thanks to both style designer's contributions to the part and a natural foundation offered to the character's shape that provided by Austin Butler's individual unusual external fine beauty per se.
The performance wise is overall weak since there is very little wiggle room for any cast to prevail for a blockbuster kind of production in general terms. They are more like chesses embedded in masses of a piece that somehow technically required. Speaking of which, Timothée Chalamet's character Paul Atreides intentionally yelling from time to time out of the blue feels trying too hard but less effective, understandably, it is the productional wise push to establish a different characteristic Paul coming off from the part one, effort perceived, let's give it that.
The story lines are not impressive to me as someone never read the book, again considering blockbusters generally don't require soul searching efforts to appreciate their contents if there even has a decent one. What makes dreamy sense effective is to know little and think less. Fair enough I will say.
Overall, it deserves a place on anyone's watching list. How it would be ranked or appreciated is not in filmmakers' hands to handle unfortunately or fortunately, rather.
"there are no sides, reverend mother!"
I give it 7.9/10.
Madame Web (2024)
an unassuming Marvel franchise
I had watched this film quite a while ago as one of those films through which I tried to make a testament to my memory, say, if I later still recall something from a film it should be turned out to be a better one. And this film is one of that. For the better part.
I found it irony as someone don't like marvel films, it turns out I definitely don't dislike this film that made so many marvel fans mad about it instead.
Checked out the production box office fate earlier before I write a few words just now, it is also rather handsome a turnover that made from a relatively high budget naturally if allotted to films that non marvel at all. Which means, people do bite it at the meantime complain about it, it was an unusual negative spiderman character that evoked the ire towards the film, which I for one really could not care less.
The film is pacing decently, Dakota Johnson is just that Dakota Johnson if you like her, you just like, if you don't you probably think twice, she definitely has a unique poised style to define déjà vu effortlessly.
I give it 6.6/10.
The Boys in the Boat (2023)
A Clooney's boat
A nostalgia flavoured American sports film, produced and directed by George Clooney, with a middle-ranged budget, turned over with a rather decent box office.
Callum Turner, as a rising English actor, once again chosen to cast your main American boy character, a real-life American rower who won Olympic gold in the men's eight at the 1936 Summer Olympics. This is by far the second production I had watched in which Callum Turner was cast as early days English American man, which speaks the fact that Turner has a distinct feature contributes to cast pure blue blood English male character. Very well, in that sense, it is not even my discovery.
The film paced well for the first half, every film would challenge audience's patience after 1or 1 and a half hours in, the tricky part is that the one has a penultimate climax would refresh viewers energy to concentrate, I think in that case this film didn't quite stand out streets, the ending however falls a typical American triumph, which many people probably would wake up to clap even slept entire 2hours, that is one of your American people's predicable fun in life once for a while you could even schedule that happens in theatres on seasonal basis.
Overall production is very much a George Clooney film, that has that sort of a square touch you can't even possibly miss.
I give it 6.8/10.
La passion de Dodin Bouffant (2023)
untitled
I watched this film quite a while ago, but only to review by now for the cause of such following:
1st, the film was sent as a representation of French film candidate to compete 2024 Oscar's best international (foreign language other than English) film, it was ranked as low as the 15th, therefore it didn't get the chance to grab a seat among the final5 nominations.
2nd, anatomy of a fall, which is one of my favorite films made in 2023, didn't have been chosen to represent French film (to compete 2024 Oscar best international/foreign language film) because its director's outspoken incident of a French national domestic issue. The story makes this film subject to interest many include people like myself, who wanted to unwrap the fact that really matters, that is, which is the better one of the two films, for real.
3rd. The two main cast of the film were somehow well-known real life partner to each other decades ago, after which they parted their ways for quite a long time at least in public eyes until be seen co-cast in this production, its warm to see artistic chemistry in between the two hasn't succumbed to a real personal life relationship cessation.
4th, the film has a winding approach to tell the story, it didn't quite hit the chord until almost 1/8 closing to end, which makes most viewers feel unbearable logically. It took me two days to finish watching it which was not I expected, because I found the overall quality of the production is almost impeccable. The sound, for example, is extremely soothing, etc, etc; Pacing therefore, is not the only one issue to downgrade its terms of appeal as a typical French fine art film to many niche viewers, which I for one at least find obvious.
5th, I will not rate the film at this point until maybe one day I feel like watching it again, hopefully it won't take too long. Thank you.