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Reviews
Vampires vs. the Bronx (2020)
Sympathetic horror-light
This is a not too scary vampire romp with some nice touches. The special effects are adequate; much is done with camera tricks anyway. The actors fit their roles nicely. The friendship between the boys feels believable. Sometimes they reminded me of the kids from Stranger Things back in season 1. Hihi, Luis (played by Gregory Diaz IV) even reminded me of Will Byers sometimes!
What makes this movie extra sympathetic is its good use of its urban setting and a quite diverse main cast, which makes perfect sense as there are so many different people living in the Bronx. So, of course the characters switch between using Spanish and English, of course the 'black' characters actually have may different backgrounds (African-American, Haitian, Puerto Rican) and of course religion is a common element of life.
The movie also nods to many other elements of life that will seem familiar to People of Color living in disadvantaged areas; the police not being very useful, criminal elements hindering your attempts at living a decent life in many ways, the neighborhood being a mixture of faded glory, squalor and optimistic rejuvenation, people working hard to get by, talented youngsters trying to blossom and socialize, neighbors helping each other out, lively street scenes, community pulling together, murals to remember victims of senseless violence...
To me, an immigrant PoC myself, it is pleasant to watch a movie that feels recognizable. Still, many of THOSE films are heavy-handed and deal with all kinds of awfully familiar pain and trauma. Here on the other hand, the familiar elements are quite refreshingly simply the realistic base for a fun vampire romp. One does not alway need their 'Black Pain' thrown in one's face. However, it is a nice bonus that this movie features adequate representation and therefore recognition. Relatable details and familiar character types make one care more for the story and renders the setting more believable. It did for me!
Sometimes, a fun flick with sympathetic representation is just the ticket. This movie delivers nicely on that front.
The Midnight Sky (2020)
Very human, but...
I think this was a very touching film about human emotions. Especially about what matters to them when they don't have much left.
There was only one thing I didn't like. A plot hole in my view...
SPOILER
The remaining crew members were too few to set up a viable colony on K23. The film's ending is soured by it, as those remaining will ultimately die in a tiny family group, which makes the scientist's efforts futile in the long run. Unless there is going to be a huge amount of incest... :/
It is a frustrating plot hole because it could have easily been avoided by having a large crew. Then there is enough diversity. Also, sending only five people to any destination seems dangerous in any case. What about planning for redundancy?
---- end of spoiler.
But then, I'm European and such a dark ending is fine here. "Ultimately it's hopeless, but at least we kept our humanity."
Oh well, there were many beautiful shots, the acting was decent, albeit very restrained. Finally, the film did leave me thinking about the boundaries of humanity's survival. So for that I still give it a 7.
The Laundromat (2019)
A grand play
At times, this movie felt more like a play with very lush stage effects. Not in an annoying way, let me reassure you, but more as a breath of fresh air. A more creative way of telling the world a modern tale of greed. Still, there will be viewers who are going to be disappointed. This is not a slick piece, this one is not pretending to be a fly on the wall.
I particularly liked the narrative structure. Two narrators for a link-and-frame account of today's financial world. Not particularly funny, although some of the acting did produce a chuckle here. The subject-matter is not funny, so this is not surprising. However, the complexities of global finance are brought to surprisingly understandable proportions by using the two narrators as guides.
When at the end the film steps out of character, in a manner of speaking, it felt logical to me. The message was too important to leave implicit. Even though this movie may come across as preachy to some viewers, I for one have appreciated this attempt to show us a far less relatable but highly pervasive scandalous practice.
In Vlaamse Velden (2014)
Adequate
Good companion piece to for example a collection of eye-witness accounts of the First World War, or a bundle of Trench Poetry. It provides sound and footage. All relevant departments have done their homework, costuming, setting and decor look and feel quite authentic.
However, as a series on its own it is somewhat lacking. The characters remain vessels for all the different aspects of the war in Flanders that the writers felt must be nice included. It's as if they had made a list of the developments they wanted to include in a series like this and then proceeded to logically assign them to characters. It's not bad writing, as it does tick all the boxes. If you are interested in a general story, you'll be fine. However, if you deeply want to invest in your characters, you will be disappointed; they do not have enough substance for that. While there is some development and tension, this element of the series is underdeveloped.
From a linguistic point if view, this is also an interesting series as it is set in a very multi-ethnic part of Belgium. People in this region (Gent) seem to be used to 3 or 4 different languages and that is reflected in the dialogue and storyline. This element makes for a satisfying extra layer for language nerds such as myself.
All-in-all, an ok sort of thing. I caught this on Netflix. Not binge-worthy, but when fine watched over a couple of days, as a distraction from other activities and combined with an interest in the First World War or Belgium in this era.
Jefe (2018)
With a heart
The characters ring true. There are some well acted heartfelt moments, but also some quite funny ones. The women were strong and independent, the men too, although they sometimes needed a nudge. I especially loved Juana in her role.