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kevinbrown05
Reviews
Spencer (2021)
Genuinely hard to get through
Removing the fact that after about half way through this movie it begins to dawn on you that this is tethered to reality in almost no way at all, even objectively then does this movie still prove difficult to sit through.
Credit to Kirsten Stewart for trying her best (even though her impression seems to be through an odd strained breathing technique), and to the very beautiful direction and cinematography on what is obviously a very beautiful property/estate.
That is really where my compliments end though. Firstly the dialogue might as well be the ramblings of a patient in an asylum. Instead of that being what we are shown, we are supposed to suspend belief and just accept that Diana was effectively an extremely mentally ill person, living in some kind of weird prison of which I honestly can't tell if it is of her own making or of some theorized one the Royal family are imposing on her.
I found Diana in this film to be self absorbed, narcissistic, mentally unwell and deeply unlikeable, which is the exact opposite of my views on Diana.
The royal family were effectively painted at some kind of Russian mafia types who barely spoke and just constantly leered and sneered at each other. While I understand the Queen can be cold, I am also to understand that in private apparently she loves a good joke or two. This version of the queen makes her out to be a robot waiting for the right moment to snap Diana's neck.
Sadly, I just don't really understand why this film exists or what it was trying to do, other than use very famous peoples names to showcase some absurd mental health story of an annoying and frankly irritating person (Diana).
Very hard watching indeed.
The Green Knight (2021)
Stunning work of art
I really cannot recommend this film enough.
Impeccably made, directed, acted, scored, framed. Every single element of this film oozes quality.
Dev Patel always impresses me and the rest of the cast also do a brilliant job.
Just watch it. I really recommend this beautiful moving painting of a film. Well done.
The Matrix Resurrections (2021)
Its the Matrix, but different
It is Meta as hell, but then I think this was kind of the point. In 1999 the question was centered around this new wave of technology coming, and if we were supposed to trust it or question it. Fast forward to 2021, and that battle is over, we lost, technology is pervasive in every square inch of our lives, there is no true shock factor left in anything.
Through that prism, I actually felt as though the film was doing the same thing today it was doing in 1999 from a thinking standpoint. By that measure, from a conversational, contemplative and thought provoking standpoint, I give it a total and complete tick.
Can any franchise claim to be able to converse in such a reflective and intelligent way as this franchise about a question as profound as "what is reality?". This film certainly does a better job of this than the 2nd and 3rd films did.
The film is however two films, first being an essay type commentary on todays society, the second being a love story, and a relatively good one. While the latter is certainly the weaker part of the film, I felt as though the history between the primary characters was such that it still resonated with me. It also provided a grounding back bone to what is in large parts a sort of existential think tank going on for most of the film.
Overall I enjoyed it, its not perfect but its certainly better in my view than I feel some of these reviews are attempting to say it is.
We Are Who We Are (2020)
You are only young once... and what a messy (but fun) sight to behold it is.
Luca Guadagnino, thank you! I have just finished the last episode of this 8 part show and I am doing so full of much self reflection, reverence but also so much happiness and joy.
We Are Who We Are is in my view a beautiful portrait of the human condition, seen through the eyes of a group of people living in a military base in northern Italy over what seems to be roughly 6 months to a year.
Directing, acting, music, cinematography, script are all wonderfully done and extremely interesting, typical of Luca's high standards. What really sets this show apart for me however is just the unfiltered love for what being this age feels like. Being young, is a beautiful car crash. Our identity, long summers, falling in love, making friends, road trips, parties, having our hearts broken. It is truly a glorious but turbulent time and this series manages to almost perfectly in parts condense, filter and articulate these experiences but also the emotions these characters are experiencing through all of it.
While managing to do all of this, Luca Guadagnino presents this work as not only a love letter once again to Italy, but also almost like a series of beautiful paintings hanging in a museum for people to come and enjoy. The more I think about it, the more it fills me with joy at its beauty.
I was moved so deeply by We Are Who We Are on many levels and because of this I am so thankful I was able to see it.
"Grazie!"
Boston Legal: Death Be Not Proud (2005)
James Spader at his very best
Well written, well presented, astonishingly acted episode of television that takes you about as close to the subject of the death penalty as network television is able to.
The harrowing moment at the end where Spader's face is fixated on him as the end is taking place, is extremely riveting and powerful television. His speech to the high court on the death penalty is unashamedly biased, but also a poignant essay on why the death penalty should not be so callously applied.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
One hell of a send of for the Avengers
This movie is a TRULY fitting end to phase 3 of the Marvel universe. My hat goes off to all of them for what they have made here. 100% satisfied.
Directing, acting, script, music, action, effects all 10/10. Pacing and a few of the timeline technicals get a mark down, but honestly do not impact the film enough for it to be considered anything less than absolutely stellar.
The emotional components of the film really truly carry much of what is taking place on the screen. I cried, about 5 times. Some occasions of which actually fully overwhelmed me. I can't name a film that has ever completely overwhelmed me emotionally before. Absolute credit to the acting and script writers for that one!
If you have watched even a couple of the Marvel universe films, go see this film immediately.
A Star Is Born (2018)
Really damn good movie
A Star Is Born is without a doubt one of the best films of 2018.
Credit has to be given to Bradley Cooper for not only directing, but putting in a wickedly understated but fantastic performance. Lady Gaga I also give supreme credit to for bringing a very stripped back and raw take on her character to life on the screen. They really just clicked on screen together, and I think credit has to be given to them both for being able to create that and pull me in.
Directing, acting, music, pacing I give a 10/10. What I will say however is that while I loved the story, it was clunky in some places, and also used a few cheap tricks to try and move you through the story in places. Was not distracting to the point of detracting from the overall high quality of the film, but was noticeable in places.
End went full bodyguard vibes, and was a bit glaringly obvious, but totally still worked. Kudos to Gaga for having the credibility and range to bring the movie home. Highly recommend you check it out.
Hands down beats most of the main stream rubbish being churned out in 2018.
Dunkirk (2017)
Dunkirk is an experience. Nolan a master at work.
Pros: A masterpiece of cinema. Directing, editing, cinematography, music, acting. Every ingredient in this film put into it was of the highest quality and as such, it sucked you into the film. This is the work of a man at the peak of his ability, creating art in ways that are becoming harder to find in modern cinema. Like Spielberg, he has managed to find an army of artists that now appear to follow him film to film helping him realise his masterpieces and in that respect this film is an experience to your senses for the 100 minutes you are watching it.
Cons: The story. Simple, no characters I could relate to, in fact most of them felt very expendable throughout the whole film. Considering the lengths Nolan went to convey the huge sense of scale of the war taking place around these people, I felt that the story moving throughout it was quite plain, were it not for the music creating an ever present sense of tension, I would probably have not been held by the story at all. Maybe he was trying to show how truly low in value human life is during a time of war, or trying to present the stories as more of a collective of the soldiers on the beach all being humans etc but I just could not get immersed into it as deeply as many of his other stories he has told sadly.
Fantastic war film. Definitely sits well in Nolan's work.
Cosmos: A Spacetime Odyssey (2014)
Beyond Profound
This is possibly the most incredible thing I have ever watched in my paltry 27 years of life.
I would personally like that thank each and every person who contributed to making this documentary happen because its effects on me most certainly have been profound.
Cosmos is a scientific and almost time capsule-like recollection of the human races current understanding of our surroundings, space and the laws that define how and where everything stands in cosmos. Perhaps the most incredible and awe inspiring part of having our scientific understanding of our existence described to me is the sheer magic, grace and awe that comes with seeing how we as a species came to comprehend science and its definitions of the world. Today we take for granted our understanding of everything around us because it is so readily accessible for us now, but to someone from centuries in the past to theorise just about anything described in this series with a virtually non-existent context with which to even ponder an idea even remotely close to virtually anything shown to me in this documentary just completely and utterly blew my mind.
Having the context of recorded human history shown to me in comparison to the universes life and everything that has occurred in that journey in such an accessible and beautifully illustrated way actually drew me to tears out of a profound pride for the journey we people are on and the struggle for understanding and comprehension we have only just began to embark on.
I actually think words fail to define how well this series gives perspective and context to just what it is we have done and just where the hell we actually are in the grandness that is our universe.
Absolutely changed my life watching this. Frankly, what the hell else can you say does much of that in our lives these days?! "The cosmos is all there ever was, all there is was and ever will be" - Carl Sagan. This documentary somehow pulled back the curtain on that reality and completely changed my life forever.
If you cannot find the time to watch this documentary you are truly denying yourself one of the greatest and enlightening experiences of your life.