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Reviews
Wicked Little Letters (2023)
The Brits, they did it again...
What a thrilling ride it was...
The story was so vivid, gripping and engrossing, with the mood swinging freely between high drama and comedy, flourishing with rich language spanning from profanities to an overblown court speech like a rich wine bouquet.
The characters were so brilliantly played by the whole cast I can honestly say I delighted in every second of looking at them as they have brought so much emotion into my heart. Everybody here has brought in so much talent!
That, of course, comes with the brilliant direction. Thea Sharrock is a new name to me and now I feel compelled to check all her work. Her background and apparent savviness as a theater director definitely play to her advantage while the movie still feels like the movie and a brilliant one at that.
The camera work and lights are spot on too, flashing out this unassuming masterpiece, and the same might be said about the music in the background.
Summarising, what can I say? Thank you! Thank you for this amazing experience! I have loved and cherished every second of this spectacle. I have enjoyed it so much that I'm sad that it ever had to end.
For me, that's 10 out of 10. I fell in love with it. The Brits, they did it again...
Talk to Me (2022)
A masterpiece in horror movie genre
This movie just pulls all the right stops for me as the horror movies go. Good, fresh screenplay with a plot twist- check, brilliant acting - check, music and sound effects - check (and I'm not even a fan of rap or hip hop), overall fantastic effort and brilliant, realistic execution - check. But these are just 'technicalities' compared to how this movie made me feel. I've seen a lot of movies and it's not often that I come across something that I'm still thinking about on the next day. This film made me feel an emotional bond with the characters. It's believable, realistic and deeply emotional. I feel grateful for having seen it even though it has sent some shivers down my spine. I still keep thinking about those characters. I'm glad I haven't watched the trailer before but just followed someone's opinion. I recommend you give it a chance. I hope the creative gang here gets a bunch of awards for their outstanding work. All I can say is thank you. I shall definitely keep an eye on other projects this director and their cast have done or are up to in the future. For me, it's 10 out of 10 as I find nothing I would have changed about it and I'm still in it's charming grip. It's a piece of cinema to fall in love with and an instant classic. Thank you.
Chaos Walking (2021)
Oh, it's one of those....
Yet another movie set to ingrain in your psyche that men are feeble in body and mind and inferior to women. It's all made of it, wrapped in it and infused with it. Daisy Ridley plays a stern-faced tomboy and Tom Holland is a mindless bimbo. It's a femdom flick but unfortunately without all the thrills. It doesn't really deserve any more to be written about it.
In my book, three stars is a fair and generous prize for this 125m USD priced effort. It's just such a shame to see all that money gone to waste.
Feel free to disagree. :-) However, if you agree with my opinion, you may want to watch a Polish comedy from 1984 called 'Sexmission'. They predicted that one day women will indoctrinate us that Copernicus was a woman. Looks like we are very close to that day now.
Luce (2019)
Multilayered, complex and gripping to the very end
I thoroughly enjoyed watching this movie. It works as a semi-thriller/drama and it rings true as a picture of just how complex relationships are in the multicultural societies. The script and the whole crew go quite in depth here whilst avoiding repeating worn-out cliches. This movie is not just good entertainment but also good education on how it may actually feel to be in such a complex situation as it's rather insightful. There are tense, though often suppressed emotions at play. It's a hard piece of work to make such a good drama. Among others, Kelvin Harrison Jr., a young actor and the protagonist of this movie, shows a great talent here. Well done everybody!
Tesla (2020)
Mediocre attempt to cash on the nascent popularity of the name
Like another reviewer said, this thing is all over the place. The inventor's portrayal is dull, depressed and uninspiring. Tesla's life was anything but these things. Unfortunately, the audience is not given a chance to learn much about the inventor and his history from this picture. It's a low budget production but it could have been a decent movie if the script wasn't such a let down. The actors play is mostly okay, though Tesla is portrayed as such a boring and uninspiring type. I am really sorry here for Ethan Hawke who played the role. His character here is clearly by design overshadowed by Eve Hewson playing Tesla's friend (love interest?). It seems life fewer and fewer directors have the guts to portray an interesting male protagonist in the current social climate. The historical Tesla was an honorable, emotional type, a genius and a man popular with women who dressed in a flamboyant manner (when he was doing well and could afford it) and must have appeared to many contemporaries to be something of a magician or a madman since he was known for making bold statements and putting on incredible displays. On top of that, his life was abound with twists of fortune. In other words, he is a perfect subject for a gripping, colourful biography. Well, you won't find it in this movie. If you want to learn something about him, you will be better off watching a Tesla documentary like the Life of Nikola Tesla or a movie called the Current War. This here is a very unfortunate attempt and the movie on some occasions completely departs from any realism of the time in order to be... artistic? Cough, cough.
Tesla deserves better.
Escape from Pretoria (2020)
I loved it
I place this title right next to my favourite Shawshank Redemption. Radcliff and the two other escapees show so much intensity I was worried that the actors will get a heart attack. Either them or me. Photography is also top notch. The story also largely reflects what is said to have actually happened. Radcliff consulted the real life Jenkins. I was shocked to realise that Apartheid only ended in the 1990s. I have noticed that some critics actually give one star to this movie arguing that it misrepresents facts (as if apartheid wasn't actually so bad?). Well, why not give it a try and have your own opinion?
Fantasy Island (2020)
Want to watch this? Careful what you wish for
This movie starts with interesting premises. The actors - well, they at least look pretty. However, the plot is awfully broken. And it's not just that this film doesn't know if it wants to be treated a horror or some shallow comedy. It's worse than that. The events just slide in all directions with the director not being capable to keep to any logic or concept. It is as if the script for the movie got stolen or perhaps never got finished and the director left in the middle leaving the actors to improvise. If you have seen the trailer, you have pretty much seen everything there is to watch.
The Wrong Missy (2020)
Quite funny
It was actually quite funny for a silly flick. I am gobsmacked how much Lauren Lapkus here reminds me of Isy Suttie from the British series Peep Show. I've had a few genuine laughs. Good job Lauren!
This War of Mine (2014)
The Final Cut version with Stories is a masterpiece
This is not another shooter game. Rather, this is a game designed to reenact the hardship of war as seen through the eyes of civilians. There are various characters and settings allowing you, the player, to see war from various perspectives. The artistic quality is top notch with looks of detailed animated pencil drawings of characters and war-torn landscapes in different light and weather conditions. The action takes place mostly in various beautifully detailed buildings where you scavenge for anything that can come in use, as well as meet other characters and interact through dialogue and look for clues.
The game does a great job in conveying the realism of war and keeping you at your toes just to survive another day, defend your settlement from raids, make improvements, help your sick and wounded comrades, etc. It makes you care about your characters by giving these characters their voice and their personal stories. They have opinions on things they do and their situation. These, in turn, can further affect your characters' conditions.
I would strongly recommend you trying the Final Cut version with the additional Stories. It greatly enhances the already addictive gameplay and brings in more original content.
This game, like a good movie, creates very memorable and touching experiences. In my book, that's 10 out of 10.
Game of Thrones: Winterfell (2019)
I loved it, the whole thing
My beloved series has just come to an end. But what an end it was!
In my opinion the directors and the whole production crew, who had to work without the original source material (Martin's books covering the end of his saga are yet to be written and published), have worked hard to stay true to the dark fantasy style of the saga.
The acting is second to none. Throughout all the 8 series I haven't seen anyone delivering their lines poorly or not playing their parts well. The characters change, develop, fight with their personal demons and sometimes die.
Sets, costumes, special effects, CGI and music are all original and on par with the best feature flicks.
Most importantly, the whole story, spanning over 8 series and 73 episodes, feels whole, complete and deliberate as opposed to what normally happens to TV series after airing of their first season. The final episode of the saga simply made me feel like I want to go back to the beginning and watch the whole thing again.
I fell in love with it and the experience of the dramatic beauty of the final episodes to the tune of the original soundtrack will make me remember it for a long time to come. It's just hard to say good bye to the characters I feel I know so well.
To everyone who helped to create this show: thank you from the depths of my nerdy heart.
Stan & Ollie (2018)
Heart-warming story of love and friendship
I am not a big fan of slapstick comedy and it's been a long time since I have seen any of the Laurel & Hardy movies. This, however, is much more of a film about lasting love and friendship. There are, of course, a lot of movies about those themes but Stan and Ollie, in my opinion, manage to stand out among them, which is why i think it deserves a high score.
The story is told in a low tone, avoiding pathos while talking about universal feelings and approaching the silliness of the slapstick context in a way which allows the viewer to peer behind the curtain of the performance into the personal everyday life of the two comedians.
Steve Coogan and John C.Reilly both recreate the life and work of the iconic characters with sincere devotion and I think that the British-American mix of cast and scenery plays here to the advantage of the movie.
This film doesn't try to lecture, the actors don't sell out well-rounded maxims. Instead, it manages to gently touch on very important matters. It's a feel-good story that avoids being banal and can even leave you feeling a little wiser and emotionally comforted.