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A Rainy Day in New York (2019)
'S Wonderful
If like me you adore Woody's work, then I'd wager you'll love this. I've seen Woody's recent films, but this for me really has his unmistakable fingerprint: witty repartee; romance; immaculately placed and selected songs from the incredible American songbook, all brought to life by the usual cast of flawed characters, bumbling through life. Chalamet does a stellar job embodying the quirky underdog Woody-character, whose alienation affords him a superior view on life, G*d-like, as though he's sitting on top of the world watching from afar. Although Selena Gomez' voice, sounds more worn than the actor who plays a hooker in the movie, she comes across as a child, delivering great lines with the acting chops of a breadboard, ruining any chance at even quasi-believable chemistry; even when she's playing a snotty brat, surprisingly she is still utterly implausible. Yet Woody has handled this well, with Fanning stealing the majority of screentime with her depiction of the all-American blonde. Her rank ambition renders her oblvious as to how annoying her character is, making you want to scream at her through the screen. Really great. As always, the visual splendour Woody portrays NY with confirms his love for the 'knockout city', making it feel even more NY than NY. This film is definitely one of Woody's more serious, albeit light-hearted character-based works, as opposed to the far-fetched plots he likes to have fun with. Not nearly as monumentally classic, but this film did leave me with the same wonderful feeling as watching greats like Annie Hall, Manhattan or Hannah and Her Sisters. For an hour and a half, I forgot the mundanity of life and right now, mid-plague, that's really saying something.
First Man (2018)
Bore-opic
Overall, I have to say, I found this pretty boring. Felt like I'd gone to church or something, if you can dig that type of boredom. Kind of a bewildered boredom that you can't put your finger on, but you know you'd have rather been doing something else. Almost anything else.
Yes, it told the story from the human side, from the side of a father and husband. Yes it was nice that the film wasn't over-glamorised with a whole heap of American chest-beating and back-slapping; if anything it showed the petty pride of the space race perhaps for what it was: a dick-swinging contest. And yes, it showed just how primitive 60s tech was, as though they were being strapped into a rocket-tomb. But boy is this film dry. When it ended I felt underwhelmed and wanting more.
Great acting from the two leads, who held the space really well. Certainly didn't find this 'visually stunning' as some reviews have said; I thought the visual treatment of the film was well considered and appropriate in that it felt very mid 60s. In fact, that's how I'd describe the film: considered and appropriate. Except for the music/score, which was c grade. But do we go to films because they're considered and appropriate? I know my father does. Yawn.
Mandy (2018)
Bloody. Brilliant.
Modern movies can be such let-downs, trading glitz for craft, but this delivers like something Lynch might have made just out of college. Do anything you can to see it at the movies. Kill someone if need be.
Hereditary (2018)
A genuine stinker
Don't believe the trailer (great), posters (also great), hype or meta'critic'... surely that site is paid-for, but then, what isn't these days? Not scary. Not a good story (what story/plot?).
It borrows from a bunch of decent, notable horror films and dumps or ditches these referential elements almost randomly, never in support of the non-plot; it feels almost as if these hallmark horror elements are in there merely to sell the film and give it kudos, like "oh wow, a scary film with a weird-looking, possibly possessed child and a burning person...". I can barely think of one element in this film that actually supported the plot, instead elements and happenings just come and go. Now someone is probably going to turn around and say they think it's clever because they can't actually work out wtf is going on. No, it's not clever, it's just junk.
I love Toni Collette and Gabriel Byrne and the supporting actors and cast are all great.. and I guess they need to make money, but... I felt bad that they wasted their time on this stinker. A bunch of young guys were scoffing and laughing out loud increasingly as the film progressed at how preposterous this non-story was in the cinema. Initially I was going to ask them to keep quiet, but then I realised that their reaction to this piece of crap was warranted and authentic.
Wind River (2017)
Great Film
Fantastic film with real grit. Visually beautiful, fantastic soundtrack and excellent casting.
Kelsey Asbille is absolutely stunning and natural in the role, as was her partner in the film (not sure of his name but he was great too). Jeremy Renner never lets the side down (this guy is to acting what Sturgill Simpson is to music right now). I haven't really followed Elizabeth Olsen, but she was plausible in this role, despite her performance being a little one dimensional (big-eyed but emotionally lacking), I felt this too suited the role.
Really worth watching and explores the grief of loss and how that affects people. Makes you feel that people who continue to live and deal with deep grief are truly brave.
Kingsman: The Golden Circle (2017)
disappointing
I loved the first one as it was fun and fresh and had the right touch of humour. However, this followup film feels really contrived and all of the attempts to contextualise the film to the first with characters, fight scenes and plot were just constant let-downs. The villains were less quirky and threatening, and the unraveling plot was rather preposterous. Even the funniest concept of a kidnapping of a superstar couldn't save the film, although it had its moments of hilarity.
More to the point, the detail of the film was annoying, like everything seemed to fit together like someone had written it, which of course they have, but it's just all a little too contrived to enjoy. I never felt lost in this film at all.
Gravity (2013)
Space Junk
To buy that Sandra bullock is some sort of brain in this (or any) film, is a stretch. This 'film' is filled with annoying dialogue and what are all of these reviews about the flawless CGI and spectacular scenery? Even if one could say they are great (which they really aren't), they cannot make up for the story/writing, which is just appalling. A bunch of unlikely events are stringed together with a group of space walkers using drills to tighten and loosen screws, who act like they're going for a walk in the park - even when I sit at my desk at work I'm more careful. Yes, there will come a time when being out in space will perhaps be an accepted state, but one would remain in a relative state of awareness at the threat that surrounds their mortality; to be clowning around as Clooney and the space loons are, is just utterly implausible. Go and watch Moon or Interstellar or Martian. This film is utter rubbish. I just had to stop this movie so I wouldn't waste any more of my oxygen wishing that Sandra bullock would run out of hers.