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Monkey Man (2024)
Well...look at the Slumdog Millionaire
We all remember Dev Patel, sixteen years ago, takes his biggest role in Holy-Bollywood and getting into our lives. Now he is all grown and tries to get out of Hollywood or many English productions and to make it on his own. He brings his name as a well known and very good actor and takes it to the next level, for himself.
First time as a director. First time as an action hero and what a great performance and well crafted and well shot film. It strikes like a lightning and while you don't actually understand where it goes, it shifts to different direction and with a different type of statement - whether it is political or social.
It was doomed for failure, from many different reasons and angles, but it came up, exactly like its hero, as a great winner. It was shot, first and at the beginning, almost four years ago. Covid got the production unprepared. Once it got different production hands, Netflix, that bought the final product, didn't want to disturb its viewers with a large amount of violence, blood and organs removal.
The movie ended up in Jordan Peel's production company and made it to the big screen finally. Ended with great success - for the movie and its young director, that can be very pleased to be able to be able to get credit for a very well first debut, on his first time to not just act, but to be also responsible for the directing and even script writing area.
It's a classis revenge movie. But an Indian one, with a lot of local context, but also a lot of poor and weak population against the evil, rich, corrupted and cynical men (and woman) in charge of the moral collapsing and Creating an equation for the low price of human's lives. The messages are important and maybe drew Netflix out of this movie, for sending "wrong" hints regarding the Indian government, but they are not the entire story for this film.
It has Indian mythology and symbolism and great camera work, but also fine directing and total acting buy the director of the movie. He is not getting easy for himself. Patel got injured a lot during the filming process, but the final result is great and even almost realistic action movie, that takes "John Wick" to different level, depth and totally different point of view.
Avanti Popolo (1986)
Wars are giving birth to legendary movies
In the middle of one of the painful wars that the Jewish and Israeli people can ever experience, I found myself drawn into the end of one of the most famous Israeli wars ever. Never seen it, don't know how or why, but this was the fact. Such a human story with many icons and symbols, from each and every side of the war.
The main issue is that the soldiers, from both sides, wasn't really sure why they are fighting. Not the case of today, that's for sure. The unpopular opinion about humanizing the enemy's side was probably what led this film to be unpopular, of with unpopular point of view, but it is giving us the will to coexist and primal instinct for basic peace between two nations, that are led by ordinary people from both sides.
From one side; the Egyptian side - two soldiers: an actor and a fellah. From the other side and way later in the film's chronology - wanna be actor, Kibbutznik and another pretty simple guy. Also, none of the Israeli soldiers are shown as officers (except one, for five minutes). They are all tired and want to get the hell home.
The Egyptian guys are wondering around, thirsty and looking for they're way back to Suez Canal and just want to end the journey. They came across a UN vehicle, with alcohol in it and since this point until the end of the movie, they are getting into weird situations, but symbolic ones and even pretty emotional, for the viewers.
Salim Daw with tremendous acting performance, is holding this movie on both shoulders. Suhel Haddad is also good, but most of the weight is falling on Daw hairy shoulders and he manages to take this movie to its quick ending, without the need to create a lot of over dramatization - the characters are still getting their arcs and interesting to watch.
I don't have the tools to say if it is one of the greatest Israeli movies of all times nor the proper context to the era, but it is definitely a movie that is very hard to forget, plus its iconic march in the send - together, while singing a song that probably doesn't reflect some of the singers views.
Wicked Little Letters (2023)
The postman is thrilled
Can you honestly say you would have seen Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley collaborate, from all movies, in a feature about sending naughty letters one hundred years ago? Probably no. Probably no one would even try to watch this movie if those two weren't in it. But they are, so it makes everything better and even bigger.
It's a weird story about two women that were friends until something went wrong and since then one of them started to get filthy letters from an unknown source and from this stage the plot is getting to places you've never imagined, especially in this time of this century. We get stuff like that on a daily basis as part of our "culture" of social networks and even much much worse.
It raises questions and makes wondering about the gaps between the era that is Displayed as a part of the movie and our current era. The content of the movie feels so distance and so estranged, that you need to create an external atmosphere, in order to make all of it to feel and look better.
A part of the atmosphere is the presence of Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckley, that are totally crushing with great performances. Another way is the witty British humor, combined with several gallons of feminism and you get the right amount to success, though the odds are truly against you.
Olivia Colman is A pious Christian woman of God and Jessie Buckley is an Irish immigrant with potty mouth. Though all of the signs are going against the Irish woman, one policewoman tries to help, while getting stuck on a machoism barrier of policeman with no tolerance to the success of women.
Its not so long. It got its moment of interest and above all, it has one hell of cast. Except the two leading characters, you get Timothy Spall and the rising Anjana Vasan ("Black Mirror's" last season). It didn't have a lot of potential to make is, but still it's a good movie, that delivers great performences.
Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga (2024)
When Miller wants, Miller makes It happen...once again
Not sure if there is any Hollywood Director that can make a trilogy, that slowly vanished and faded away and get back on the settle with a fourth movie, thirty years after the last one and get praises on it, for being the best in the series so far. Oh...and don't forger several Oscars that flew into his hands, a little after getting drooled by all Hollywood elite - movie critics and people from the industry itself.
The main issue with "Mad Max: Fury Road" was that everyone agreed unanimously that max wasn't even the star of his own last movie. Furiosa, that was played by Charlize Theron was the rising star of the previous movie. She nailed it from top to bottom, from the first second and until the last. Theron was the shining bright of this movie and it was a matter of (a long) time, until Furiosa gets her own feature.
So.........George Miller took his time and only after almost a decade he came back with Furiosa's own movie, which is nothing alike that last "Mad Max" film. Well...almost not the same. Its trade mark - the driving through the desert uncharted roads, while looking for resources; remains the same. The lone ranger, that is almost a mute, still rules with only a look, but this time those are the eyes of a lady.
This time Miller gave us a plot and even a thick one, that made the movie longer, almost thirty minutes longer. It's the origin story of Furiosa, but it is not always silent and the antagonist steals each and every moment of silence with a one man show, that you cannot miss, ignore or overlook.
This movie is loaded with very impressive action sequences, but this time the empty void for plot is filled with Chris Hemsworth intoxicating performance. He is so good that it seems that Miller wanted to see if this time Furiosa can step aside from her own movie, in order to try and tell another Origin story of a character that was not a part of all four movies before this one.
Anya Taylor-Joy is mimicking Tom Hardy's performance from the movie that succeeded so well nine years ago and uses almost nothing but her eyes for this role. She is so accurate; her looks are so captivating and her acting is so extraordinary that she doesn't need to make one voice in order that the viewer will know what she is thinking about or what she intends of doing next.
And don't forget the fact that Miller will turn 80 next year and try to grasp and understand what he is doing in this industry in his age. When some of the people in his age are just sitting and doing nothing, this guy... he saves cinema once again and on different decade then the one he did it last time.
This story has depth in it, it has symbolism everywhere you gaze on for a few moments and the main thing is that the protagonist seeks for revenge and for the right time and needs it so desperately, to get back with the antagonist for whatever he did to shape her character for the whole movie.
It's not the (almost) perfect masterpiece Miller gave us nine years ago. It has different rhythm and lacks the element of surprise with its main character, but still has several surprises and other pluses like the villain, witty texts and mainly a real plot that has a lot of weigh, unlike the last time. It was a crazy trip...don't let us wait another decade for the next movie.
The Matrix (1999)
25 years later...still perfect. Still relevant then ever
There aren't enough words to describe my relationship with this movie. I just wanted to pass it on to the next generation. Wanted that my (almost) 12 years old to enjoy what I did back when I was just a little older then he is now. Well, I was almost 18, so more than a little and more capable to understand, but I remember that I mainly was focused on the action sequences and scenes.
Now I am way older and my perspective is of an older man. The matrix is such a masterpiece. So profound from each and every aspect. The depth of this movie is shining next to each mesmerizing action sequences and advance technology that changed the way cinema looks and feels until these days.
I was re-thinking the significance of some of the messages and lines from this movie today, once again and...damn...it is firing truth after truth. Nothing changes. The Wachowskies, back when they were still brothers and not sisters, spoke the truth in such a impressive cinematic way and were so god damn right regarding human kind, regarding the mind slavery we live in and regarding to the concept of the Matrix.
Its hard to understand anything when you are 12. Hell...its also hard to understand something when you are 20. Even Morpheus said to Neo that he is not revealing the truth to an older mind, except the one of...well...the one. Its hard to digest that all you believed in is one big lie, thus...you need to struggle between this and "Ignorance is a Bliss". So many lines, so many brilliant concepts and ideas that my mind explodes each and every time I watch it.
Don't believe those who say that the other two are crap. They are sublime, it their own ways and if someone needed any proof, they got the fourth.... the crappy and lousy piece of garbage, that was not worthy for airing or watching. This is the peak of the creation, when the Wachowskies touched and made something perfect.
Show it to your younglings...do it. Just don't get scared when they start to doubt a lot of paradigms and other ways of thinking about the world. Let them free their mind and get out of the matrix.
Bad Moms (2016)
You Go, Gir(s)...
OK. I'm a dad. Seen this movie once he went out and had some laughs and fun and now encountered with it, once again, while searching the TV for something to watch and I had a blast. I was a dad eight years ago and now I am an older dad with kids that are more around my children's age and it is so funny, accurate and exaggerated.
When the movie went out it was trendy to make women's films as men's films were. It was cool to kick men in the nuts and make them total losers and antagonist, for the better case or almost as they do not exist. And this movie disses our gender like hell, but I am totally fine with it. It's still hilarious, crazy and funny. And mostly underrated.
Kunis is playing the mom that snaps and just want to have a little fun in this race we call life and even crazier race for an average, day to day woman. Today's women, though have careers, influence and changed a lot of things around are still running after their own tales in the name of perfectionism, the will for a better future for the kids or just the will to give them the best they can.
Some of the viewers, that are also parents can understand exactly the meaning and significant of those words. What will happen if we ease of and mellow down a little bit? All will affect our little ones (or big ones, whatever...). This movie captures this essence and drives it into a concrete wall, smashes it into all the right places and creates a safe, and mostly funny environment, for parents and also people that likes laughing.
It was rated somewhere between Six and a Seven back then, but if I am thinking about it now. It feels like it should touch eight from the bottom of his chin. Kristen Bell, Christina Applegate, Jada Pinkett Smith and even Wendell Pierce (The Bunk!) and Jay Hernandez were great.
Mila Kunis leads the way like a real tiger and she is a great choice for the leading role, but the hell with everything...Kathryn Hahn is the biggest and most wild surprise of this movie. Don't remember that I have seen her go nuts like that, like......ever. She rules this movie with an epic and cult performance and character.
A movie that I think might consider himself as a cult and must have, for all parents out there - not just moms, in specific. I had a totally nice surprise, while catching this movie from the beginning until the end and a really fun time, though I am not the main target audience. You should miss it for the world.
Mad Max: Fury Road (2015)
Getting fueled for Furiosa
My First encounter with whole family of "Mad Max" movie was exactly nine years ago. When Tom Hardy took the lead instead of Mel Gibson. I went to catch up with Gibson's movies and was totally ready for what I am about to see at this version of George Miller to his dystopian lone ranger of the sands and fast cars.
Well.... almost ready. Because nothing has actually prepared me to what I was about to watch on the biggest screen I could and with 3D glasses. Not a big fan of high-volume action genre movies, but I think this was the top. When I am talking about action movies, I am talking about Tom C. Action movies and such...not matrix. I'm talking about escapism and not movies that ask me to think also.
This is the perfect one. Still and after almost a decade. And of course, two days before I go to watch what became nine years after. Its like...no plot. At all. No one cares. Not even me. From the first minute (fifth, if I want to be more accurate) when max is being kidnapped from the desert, the viewers are also being abducted by Miller's fantasy and remarkable world.
No one asked what is happening or why is it happening. No one connects back, to the original trilogy (as I tried to do at the first time I have seen this movie). All of the facts are irrelevant to the experience that Miller is asking us to take with him. I remember the first time I have seen this movie on the movie theater and it was a blast. Total shocking blast. Couldn't and wouldn't be able to repeat it at home.
It is a movie that talking are cheap, but the special effects are expensive and demand our full attention and impression from them. The drums, the guy with the stretching guitar and what not? All are too good to be true and too high to expect this miracle to repeat itself in another way.
The actors and actresses are not so important. So is the plot. I swear that these words are not getting out of my mouth so easily, but on this case, I depend everything on the master the set, camera, editing and everything. George Miller peaks his projects so delicately and princely that he just could not fall with this one. Everything was in sync and so accurate and well crafted.
Breath for several minutes and then move to the next set, next location, next high-voltage situation. Its amazing how many words can be spilled on such a thin plot, but it is all the things around and in this movie that got me pumped so bad and that is why I am so edgy to get my next share of Miller's vision with his new and anticipated Furiosa movie. Its goanna be a blast.
Love Lies Bleeding (2024)
Is sure knows how to bleed well
Didn't know anything about Rose Glass. This is her second full movie and what a movie it is. Full with twists and turns, great directing and camera work and top notch editing and visualization, that was so unique for the style of this movie.
This movie's first sequence, in the gym was promising and the cast even promised more. Kristen Stewart, Ed Harris and even a short, but very important characters of Dave Franco and Jenna Malone. Sounds like a lot of fun and it is.
The main issue with this movie is that it takes a lot of "Thelma and Louise" vibes and pay them with the proper respect, but steps in its own bloody road. It's a plot that got several twists and they are all so well made and so intriguing.
The other vibe - well, related also, almost to the time when "Thelma and Louise" came out, is that it is a story that is being told in the eighties and all what it means for the movie and for the characters.
It has so much impressive authenticity, that you are sucked right in, from the beginning, into the era and into the journey that Glass is taking you. She is taking such a good care in each and every bloody angle of the movie and does it properly.
It is a love story and a crime-thriller. It is not Sexy-arousing and distracting as it could have been, so the viewers can actually be focused on the plot and on the talent that is shown for all of its hour and forty minutes.
Kristen Stewart is just awesome in her role. She is so good in this movie and such a diverse actress. Ed Harris is becoming the ultimate villain and his hair...what a choice...Franco Junior punches in and Malone is good also.
Katy O'Brian is shining, after a lot of small parts (as in "The Mandalorian") and probably her career will take off from this point, as in Rose Glass's Career. She is someone to check out on, for her next project.
Immaculate (2024)
Just wanted to know who is Sydney Sweeney
Last several months this name just kept popping up on every culture article, that is something with movies or big breast, that is making a comeback. I heard the name and saw the cleavage, but never took the change to see her on an actual movie or series. Because movies are my poison, just needed to wait and see this young and attractive woman on a horror feature and there she was.
This movie is also under Sweeney's production company, so its not like she has been exploited like a typical young actress, she called some shots. Several of the shots she probably called didn't resist her nun character to bath in water with some king of white robe. Yeah...the audience has got what he paid for and she got her publicity.
She's quite an actress, that I can give her, but after watching "The First Omen" with magnificent Nell Tiger Free, Sydney Sweeney cannot match the other young nun actress...yet. And speaking of "The First Omen" - there are a lot of comparisons to be done after watching both movies week after week.
It's like no one took the time to check or couldn't care less if someone else is making almost the same type of movie and released it pretty close to the other. It is almost the same plot even, except what the baby should turn out into or to be more accurate - what is expected from the baby when he will grow up.
This movie feels like a cheaper version of the one with Tiger Free. It has potential, but it doesn't maintain the same level for most of its parts. It could have been much more, but feels like the presence of Sweeney should do the job to sell this one and also to take him to big success.
It is also feeling like its missing some depth, though it is just fifteen minutes shorter. Even when seems that both movies are talking about almost the same issues, "Immaculate" does it a little less better, but still is a solid horror film and an effective one with a great leading actress, that might soon forget that she took small parts such as this one and move along to the bigger fishes, that needs her attention.
Knox Goes Away (2023)
Keaton Mementoing and it's just great
Michael Keaton is like on a comeback streak. I think. He is not participating on several movies each year, as Bruce Willis did, at last two decades, but the pattern of coming back and especially into good and large projects, demonstrates that this iconic actor is returning to the main stage, and not once or twice.
This time he is also directing. At the second time of his long career. What a miss that he only did it twice, but maybe after this time he will do it again. For this movie, probably not knowing too much will serve the viewers better. It is a film that the less you know, the bigger surprise will be once you start watching it.
We had our share of movies about dementia. We've got heart breaking drama movies and even the biggest of all, Christopher Nolan's "Memento". Well...Keaton is no Nolan, but they both have a heavy batman connection, so it might help. This time it is Memento style, but with another Twist regarding how and when the dementia starts and when is it taking the part at main character's life.
It is not a brilliant and extraordinary story. But it is captivating. The story drops some details, that could have been relevant and add to the plot's twists, but it has enough going on to justify the runtime and the interest, from the viewers side. You cannot stop, once it has started and this is the true magic of the movie.
Keaton pulls a few wild cards for this feature - James Marsden, Marcia Gay Harden and even the wrinkly Al Pacino. They are all side characters, that are fun to watch, though no one is actually outstands Keaton's characters. He also took the great polish actress - Joanna Kulig for a short ride and she is a great add-on to this film.
It is now an outstanding and brilliant movie, but it is so well written and performed, that you cannot even go to take a leak while watching it. I cannot even say that it felt longer than it should have been and this is one of the surprising movies that I wasn't expecting anything and got almost everything.
Civil War (2024)
Depressing way of predicting the (really near) future
Alex Garland, ladies and gentleman. This is the name you come to see, when you come to see this movie. The director that debuted with wonderful " Ex Machina" and then went to make some other challenging movies, such as Annihilation and "MEN" is back in the driver seat, while gives his prophecy to future America.
A lot was talked about this movie and about Garland's side taking, or to be exact - not taking any side. It's a movie about a future civil war in united states that the president is to blame for splitting his country to several parts. No, a lot is known about why and who's to blame, who's good and who is bad, just one thing is well known - all is bad.
The human race has lost his human image. Journalism is still a thing, somehow and unknown who are they selling or delivering their photos, but they still put their lives at risk at each and every time they are joining an event. This time a crew of four journalists is going to make a road trip from New York to Washington D. C in order to interview the president...before is too late.
The civil war is a thing, but not the main thing. The journalists and their perception of reality and how they see themselves as deliverers of the information is the main thing. You can ask yourself how can they stay chill, while taking a lot of horrific photos? And how they put their lives in harms way, just for a photo? This movie tries to answer and also tries to warn from this horror scenario of almost inevitable civil war at the USA.
The actors on this movie gives it the depth Garland needs exactly. Kirsten Dunst in one of her best performances ever - she is the journalist that doesn't move a muscle when she takes horrifying pictures, but goes to sleep with a charge in the size of Oklahoma. Wagner Moura is not presenting his best performance, because his character is a side character, but it doesn't say his not influencing this movie with several peak moments.
Stephen McKinley Henderson has a smaller part, but also provides a great performance and young and gorgeous Cailee Spaeny provides another one to her breakout year. Jesse Plemons off course stills the show with a brilliant cameo part, that takes the spotlight on him with unforgettable five minutes.
It's a movie that will stay with you a long after finishing watching. It has a lot of disturbing images, that are just so well shot and directed. The characters are not hollowed and are the main thing for this one and it has a Flashing warning light from a real dystopian and frightening future. Not just for America.
Boy Kills World (2023)
When "Hunger Games" meets "Guns Akimbo"
It's the yellow color from "Kill Bill" and plot bases of "Hunger Games", which made love to "Guns Akimbo" madness and comedy bits and you just get this crazy and very very fun movie. If you look for any big-time actors except Bill Skarsgård, you will not find a lot, from the A-List.
The B-List provides some great names, though: Sharlto Copley and Famke Janssen are the biggest names in the cast and Yayan Ruhian (that is familiar from "The Raid" movies) is also a familiar face, but except them, it is a movie that is based heavily on Skarsgård's character. Jessica Rothe (from "Happy Death Day") comes also as one familiar face, but you can understand that it is a movie, that doesn't need big names, it has all within the creator's hands.
Moritz Mohr makes tremendous work with directing this genre mash-up of thriller, grotesque, gore and wild action in a movie that took its plot bases from the "Hunger games", its gory and bloody action principles from "Kill Bill" and took the comedy and madness from "Guns Akimbo", or at least this is how I saw it and those are the names that came up through the process of watching this movie.
It's a boy that lost his mother and sister to a ruthless ruler in a dystopian world, within a ceremony that takes place each year, which demands a sacrifice of several human beings that interfere the ruler with her jobs to rule and keep the streets clean. The boy is trained by a master, to become the ultimate warrior, with one target in his head... the leader of the city and on the day of the year, when she wants to harvest the innocent victims.
The plot stages are pretty well known, but the execution is something else and also the development takes different direction when the main characters is actually a deaf mute and one that talks to his dead sister memory-character. The twist and turns are a lot of fun and surprisingly well crafted + a bonus part with a macaron cookie.
It's a surprisingly well-made action gory movie, that mixes a lot of fun time and laughs with Disgusting moments, but the final result is a movie that you cannot and do not want to skip or miss. It was due to Jeremy Jahns' review, I was even aware to this movie and now it is the right time to really thank him, from the bottom of my heart.
The First Omen (2024)
It is an Omen for a good movie, surprisingly
I saw "The Omen" that stared Gregory Pack. It was a long time ago, can't even remember when, but I liked it a lot. That is the reason why I didn't connect the dots between this movie and that old and one of the most influencing movies of the horror genre, that was created at one of horror's golden age.
Arkasha Stevenson, that directed some of "Legion" episodes is in charge of directing this movie and she does a hell of a job. She takes fine elements from classic horror movies, metaphors and signs to blend them into her movie and even gets the time to address matters like abortion and of course church vs. Non-religious people.
The way the church molds their flocks, that should run by fear is one of the biggest criticisms that this movie has to offer (maybe it was in the original movie, but...don't really remember any of it). It also has to offer a sublime acting performance buy Nell Tiger Free (which most of us maybe remember as Myrcella Baratheon).
This young woman, with this long and weird family name, just explodes on the screen with a fabulous acting performance. She's pious, terrified, happy, believing and confused. She can be even sexy, if needed and also demented. And towards the end she is also having a blast by taking her acting to the next level.
It is a prequel that holds impressively with the expectations that the original movie has built. The directing and acting are just amazing. The movie is not scary, and that's his weak spot, but I'm sure that if we will look now on the original, we won't be so frightened, as we seek to get.
It has its moments and they are well crafted by A skilled director, that is making her movie successful debut and makes it work on so many levels. One of the best horror films recently, though it feels so generic, it is distinguished from other due to the performance and especially the way of the director to separate it from others of the genre.
The Fall Guy (2024)
Sometimes, when you don't expect... there it comes
Thought about Sandra Bullock and Channing Tatum, when I saw the poster. Without knowing anything about the plot, it was jumping into the cold water and get wet with high speed movie. The plot doesn't matter - it is pretty generic, with one big detail, that does matter - it is a tribute to stunt people, wherever they are.
The plot is like a training close, that reveals something shinier below. This movie has a magnificent rhythm and humor in it. It's a movie inside a movie about a stuntman that directs movie on a stuntman with an actor that made most of the stunts in the movie by himself.
There is a lot of love and jokes about and to the movie industry, for those that are part of it and those who wish to be a part of it. It has memorizing action sequences and light-headed texts, that shouldn't be an obstacle for you to enjoy this particular ride. It's silly and sometimes sticky, but it catches you just about right from the beginning.
Ryan Gosling is cool and funny-cool, as he is almost his whole carrier and Emily Blunt just mashes great with him. She's like Teflon, from the way that I see it; doesn't do anything to remember, but glides well on Gosling's character and doesn't ruing a single thins or any scene she's in.
A lot of fun time, really. Can't say a single bad thing on this movie, that is like a lot of others that just ask to turn of the brain while entering the movie theatre. You don't need to overthink it, but you are going to enjoy each and every bit of the movie, including Aaron Taylor-Johnson good performance and Hannah Waddingham's peak performance (when I was sure, all along, that she is Toni Collette, for some reason).
Several last praises for David Leitch, that getting his career on the right track. No crashes, so far for the Ex-Stuntman, that is singing praise songs to his former comrades. His directing is precise and so good. Just damn good work from a man that smelled those parts from the inside of the burned and crushed suite. Give us more of those and we will be grateful.
À plein temps (2021)
Full time, all the time, without any time
Oh my god...what a movie. I haven't seen it coming from a mile. I was so invested in this, as I wasn't for a long time. This movie was so under the radar and I am so happy that I got the chance to see it. It is so well written, shot and performed and the musical score is so perfect for it.
It's a classic story about the working-class single mom, that wants to give her children the best present and future she can and even more, until she is not giving them the real thing they actually need - their mom. But it is also a race, an unending race that each one of us experience, in his way.
I really related easily with this woman's character. So much feelings came and went away while she dominates the screen and space. She holds each and every feeling bottled up and though life didn't show her any grace lately, she doesn't break or crack. It's a short story, that contains a short, but significant period of time in Julie's life.
The colors, music and long scenes where nothing actually happens are the key of this movie, when the viewer captures Julie's soul and essence, to better understand what drives her and simultaneously also understand well what makes her dry and drained out of any powers to move forward.
She is a single mom who lives in the country, needs to ride a lot of time by train and busses, to get to her job as a hotel made. She looks for better job, but for now she works at the hotel, while her kids spend the day at an older nanny's home, for almost the whole day. When the public transportation goes to strike, Julie is one part of the collateral damage of the strike.
We see her slip at work, doesn't get to her children on time and loses it - generally. This movie is so well crafted and directed, like a thriller of life itself and Ain't nothing so real in Hollywood, even in a radius of several countries. Eric Gravel doesn't need his lead actress to cry, in order to let the viewers to get so involved with the main character's troubles.
Laure Calamy is just fantastic. Can't remember when lately I have seen such a powerful performance from such a small-time actress. She is so convincing and sells her part, from the get-go. Nothing grandiose at this movie, but life themselves, so just tag along as an anthropologist and see Julie's fight for survival in the day-to-day life.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)
This is not an Inglorious Basterds Movie
Guy Ritchie is such a mystery man. He did several of the best end-of-nineties beginning of the 2000's movies ever. From that moment on, he is saving his strength to some unknown history project that never left his writing and directing hands. Well, he made "RocknRolla", somewhere along the way, but since then, noting to write about or remember.
It's like "The Man from U. N. C. L. E." brought back on British style, with a true story-based plot and Henry Cavil as a charming man without any cape on his shoulders. It has a lot of interesting characters, but Ritchie doesn't think we need to get any background or depth for any of them. We need blasts and fast.
It's based on quite an amazing story about a special unit, that has participated in "Operation Postmaster" that is reminding the "Suicide Squad" or if need to be more precise - "The Inglorious Basters". But Ritchie is not Tarantino, well...he almost did, for several years and many and long time ago.
The Text is quite simple, the explosions are the main issue and the characters are like superheroes and doesn't remind us that real and actual people did this operation, for real. All is exaggerated for the sake of crowd pleasing and that's exactly where's Ritchie's career is at.
Crowd pleaser without trying to stretch the boundaries of the genre. It is like he isn't interested to stand out of other generic action movies directors and almost like he is not trying go out of the box with his ideas, but what he does, he still does with a lot of grace and skills.
The movie looks fantastic, some of the man characters has a lot of grace. The musical score is great and everything works so well. The bottom line remains the same, though, when you get a heartless and gorgeous movie - you don't feel a single thing, almost doesn't get any tension and seem like we got a cheep imitation of the masterpiece of Quentin Tarantino.
Challengers (2024)
Tennis? Not really. All others around Tennis? Yeah. Sure...
I heard something about a romantic trio in a tennis movie. Nothing prepared me to this A-Game film by Luca Guadagnino (Call Me by Your Name). It's a movie about a lot of things; tennis is one of them. It is present and drives the whole story, but it is not the main theme and subject of the movie.
The main things are relationships from several kinds. Domination, friendship and a lot of sex in the air, without having any or show too much. The atmosphere of this movie is oozing with sex, but it feels like it is not the main issue. It feels like Guadagnino wanted us to take side, in this three sides romantic/friendly love/ jealousy story and roll with it until the end of his story.
The Narrative of this movie is inconsistent and you can tell that there is one force that drives the plot - Zendaya's force. She rules so much, while the male actors drool so much. Don't get me wrong; all of the characters are well performed, but Zendaya's Tashi is the heart and center of this movie. She is like a director, which can easily be manipulated, but still holds the rhythm of the plot and the whole movie so damn good.
The soundtrack is just addictive. Dreamy, pumping, gets into the veins and into the movie and most of all - contributes to the sexy atmosphere of the whole movie. Its been a while since I've heard such a good soundtrack that haven't been written by one of the epic movies' soundtrack creators.
The camera work is amazing and catches each and every character's state of mind, concerns, fears and manipulations. The camera's angles, while playing the game and hitting tennis balls into the viewers face are just remarkable. Add the angles for the characters looking at each other, from each and every direction and you get a Meticulous work of a pedantic director (and of course - camera man).
The shifting in the story, between each character and going back and forth in time are just mesmerizing and the clean cuts from tennis games from the past and then straight to the present time are most inspirational. There were some times that it seemed that Guadagnino inhaled some of Snyder's juice of slow motions, but he gets himself straight and fast. And comes up as the big winner of this film.
Gojira -1.0 (2023)
Now, that is how you do it
I did myself a favor and watch "Godzilla X Kong" first. Just to have a good scale to appreciate this movie even more, because it had a lot on its shoulders. Movie critics, grades and even an Oscar award for special effects. All of those might lift the bar so high that this monster and its Japanese friends (or enemies, to be more accurate) could fall from a giant tower into the oblivion of expectations.
No fall has been seen on any stage of the movie and I even want to re-watch it again - colorless, or as it has been called on other forums - "Godzilla Minus one / Minus colors". It was still a large surprise for me, personally, as a viewer that isn't expecting anything from Godzilla movies - this time I expected and it didn't fail me, not for a second.
I haven't been a fan of Godzilla movies or raised into them. My childhood was minus Godzilla and as growing person I have seen it as part of Hollywood franchise, long side with Kong's movies and then watched them both collide. It wasn't my first or second choice, but I did it anyway - to mark V on the experience. I fed up with those type of movies pretty quickly.
Imagine the surprise when this movie Conquered any peak and I had a filling that this time It will Conquer me - for the first time. Every viewer that looks for a little more than raging monster, like a real story - cannot expect any of Hollywood's versions to provide any characters that are not plastic or has a depth of a glass of shot. This movie does it amazing.
This movie, with a small budget, returns to the roots of this Japanese Kaiju and uses it as a symbol to the fear of war, to the frustration from their admiration. This movie is taking a story about an unlikely family, that is so far from any family idol we know. This movie is also about friendship, fear of disappointing the environment and going against all what the government fed the civilians.
It is taking the power and unity to the people, against all odds and against what the government taught them for many years. Its about growth and understanding, about the difficulties to open up. Yes...all of that in a movie where Godzilla is taking a part, but not as the hero or anti-hero, but as a trigger to a lot of plot developments, that the guys which are in charge on this film, didn't want to call "War" - but to call Godzilla.
He is a guest. An intimidating one, but a one that is used as a McGuffin and also as the big antagonist of the movie. It is a movie that you don't care too much for the monster, but you really care about what it would do to the characters, that are written just in a way that makes you admire the writing. And the acting too.
It has some flows, it is not perfect but it is surely getting close, much closer than all "Godzilla" movies bind together. It is an experience that won't be forgotten and a movie to treasure and see one more time (or even more). Don't miss it - I am going to see it again; colorless. Can't wait for this experience.
Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (2024)
The Ghosts are so Busted...
When "Ghostbusters: afterlife" broke out, I was very sceptic...very sceptic. It turned out pretty damn fine and Jason Reitman just did the whole trick with family ties for the movie series and for himself, personally and revived the cult trilogy for another magic touch, making it all special, for the perfect comeback.
But greedy Hollywood remains at it is and one magical touch didn't make it, so the lemon needed to be sneezed till it will be dry in a movie that presses all buttons together, to see what will come up better for several audiences. It has a mix that leans heavily on cameos from the original trilogy, turns to a new audience, talks about family, estrange kids and what not.
On this type of movie, you get a lot, but actually getting nothing. It starts fresh with a chase in New York and then starts spreading for several directions, like it trying to fish its audience with several story and theme directions. Ghosts? You got to be kidding me. Genre? Let's try a few and see what works.
Hollywood is at its peak of trying to reboot, restart of re-invent past success - this movie is a good example of how it is done - backwards. Like start wars revival with a great tribute in the first movie, that was a fan service, with a lot of respect for the past and then...well you know the rest of it. No one wants to touch this thing for another decade.
This movie and possible series of movies is and are redundant. Last act is so predictable, first act is so boring and the middle is just...well...a big nothing. Characters pops and goes, Finn Wolfhard is like a decoration and won't miss a sole, if wasn't there. The Oldtimers are coming to punch in and youngsters are not convincing or interesting.
Gil Kenan was promoted into the director this time and switched roles with Reitman. Probably for a good reason, from Reitman's side. The story is poorly told, there are too many characters with little bonding time and the whole thing looks taped from fragments of ideas.
The ghosts of the past are performing, for a small portion of time, on this movie, but they demonstrate that sometimes we need to lock them deep in the closet and don't let them get out, even for the price of a small success. Cult movies from that kind of type are very hard to reconstruct - better luck on the next time.
Rebel Moon - Chapter Two: Curse of Forgiveness (2024)
How to make Zack Snyder stop?
Yeah....... Zack Snyder has totally lost it. There will be another movie and no matter how much people will hate this one. Snyder at his best of worst directing performance, he does what he is used to do best, at his worst. Nothing will convince anyone that is not a child that something in this movie is worth watching.
Well. It is the second part of the copy-paste Star Wars from Ali Express and the characters remains almost funny, while they actually tell their story - one at the time and make another ferry to die and another viewer to fall asleep. Yeah.... he totally lost it. This is the stage at his career that he can allow himself to be out of tune, but not like that, never like that.
The plot doesn't exist. The characters are a joke and the Baddy...well...he tries to be fine, but its like a pile of crap covers everything, so even Ed Skrein gets buried under all of that. The super slow motions are just too much and demonstrate where Snyder's career stands, almost drowning in the depth of the mud.
Its like Snyder is expecting us to ignore each and every plot hole that exists in his movie and begs us to wait and stay to see the main movie headline - the Indiscriminate shooting of the good guys against the baddies. Ridiculous even for kids and just bad storytelling and none of the action long sequences will save this movie from getting trashed, as it deserves.
Once again, we have "Seven Samurais" meet "Star Wars", but If you want to go to a better place with that mix, you can easily find it at the next streaming giant - it is called "The Mandalorian" and it was damn good. No reason for the plot, no interest in the main characters and even in the special effects category (Super and Extras Slow motions don't cut it alone, anymore) - Snyder Losses. Please Make it stop and don't go to another one.
Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (2024)
Turn off your brain and you might enjoy...or not
Can't say that I even remember any of last titans film plot, not that it matters to anything. This is a movie that you can go and watch without knowing a single thing about a single plot detail. Sometimes it could be good, but as far as it goes with this mash up of Godzilla and Kong, it is not a good fact.
It is the classic film for the viewers to click on the button of ignoring large details of it and not pay attention to the amount of inventions that holds no grasp in the real world. Just come to see a bunch of monsters fighting each other and let your brain take a leave to a vacation of almost two hours.
The plot is not even a thing here. We are talking about a giant ape with a giant monster. An underworld, that is so beautiful and haven't been concurred by the human race (yet) and a lot of collateral damage that even several wars can cause to, that is being ignored for the sake of the film's plot.
The human characters are plastic and are for the sake of exposition, storytelling and narrative building. Nothing that they do is not contributing to our understanding or enjoyment from this film. It seems that this movie producers are not interested of harnessing their audience to anything but blows and crashes.
Regarding the "epic" and exhausting battles - I found myself sleeping and re-watching them several times; A fact that cannot serve well the movie, from my side. They looked unreal and were so repetitive, that it was starting to be boring, much more than exciting. It is nice service for monster films, but not a good movie to each and every actual movie fans.
Abigail (2024)
Isn't she's a cutie?
Well... for this movie, do yourselves a favor and avoid trailers or reading anything about it, before watching it. The element of the first surprise will be absolutely delightful. If you can skip the genre labeling also, it will do you a great service and the enjoyment level will be higher, though somewhere, along the way and close to the end, you will feel you've seen this movie once, twice or even twenty times.
The guys that brought you the revival of "Scream" movies, bring you this movie also, with "Scream" movies main actress. The success is almost immediate and this movie is surprisingly good, and funny also. It's a perfect mash up between thriller, horror and light comedy, to deliver a great product, that will make you scared, it the right amount and also grin and smile, almost laugh, the other times.
It is not a spoiler to say it is a vampire movie, but it begins as a regular thriller. The twist follows after almost half of the movie and from that point, it dances a familiar and slightly funny dance between its main characters. It has some social elements, that you can take from "Saw" movies and a big daddy issue main theme, for one of the main characters.
It is well crafted and written and it has a surprising quality cast, with the right amount of talent, in order to draw the crowd but also at the right amount not to create high expectations from a movie that is so well aware to itself.
Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett didn't just revive the Scream franchise with an accurate and very live directing, they are also in charge of the wonderful and surprising "Ready or Not" movie, that made a great success and especially made a name for this directors duo.
This is another (successful) chapter for both of them, that is taking some great actors with the successful wave, as Dan Stevens, Kevin Durand and Giancarlo Esposito. Great and solid performances for all the cast and just a great movie for vampire-horror genre lovers. A surprisingly good achievement and execution to an idea that is very hard to re-invent.
Police Academy (1984)
Member Berries
Wow! This movie probably cannot live in our universe now. Probably PC police would arrest some people to that might offend some communities. But this is a movie of an era, and probably will make eighties teenagers and adults to piss their pants, when they see it.
It is not hilarious as it used to be then, but still is very funny and even innocent and naïve, in its own charming and mischievous way. It won't last a minute in a world where the internet is going berserk about letters and offensive words, but it was a great time to remember and laugh a little bit.
It's a story about a police academy that welcomes all to try and be police officers and it is exactly as it sounds. Free spirit eighties movie, that doesn't hold back and play the naughtiest tricks, with the lowest jocks that just make it absolutely legendary and unforgettable. If you didn't grow up on it, probably not sure you should try, if you did...a re-watch is advised.
Kung Fu Panda 4 (2024)
Had a great time, until now...and now...a little bit more
I really can't remember that well the last movie's plot. Can't say that I remember the second movie's plot also, but the main idea is pretty rememberable. Po against all odds and then he prevails and manages to save the day and make us laugh, with a little bit help with Jack Black's voice.
This time his nemesis (voice of Viola Davis) is a little bit less powerful then the regular and his team doesn't get any screen time. Awkwafina, on the other hand, gets a lot of runtime and once again is dubbing a second character in an animated movie, until we are starting to get suspicious about what she has on Hollywood producers, that she keeps on getting so many parts on so many movies.
We get a side quest of Po's dads and a body-learning quest of Po and a new character, which is taking place in the big city, not such as the small village plot, we got until now. It's a short runtime movie, with a tight plot and less characters, though some of the regulars still get their small part.
It's a quest of going to the next level of the main character, which is demonstrating that growing up and learning never stops or getting old and you've got to move forward, even if you are doing the coolest job that you can possibly think about doing until the rest of your life.
And when you need to pass the torch and let go, it is definitely the time to let go and use as a consultant. Maybe the DreamWorks team can start thinking about fresh ideas that doesn't involve Kung Fu, Panda bear and same story line, with a slightly different story. It was a fun ride of 15 years, but it is the time to move along and forward to something new and exciting.
Cabrini (2024)
A Unique person of kindness, love and Willpower
Noting is preparing any of the viewers for this movie. It is an epic story of a woman in a world of man, an immigrant in a hostile territory and numerous situations, where all odds are against you, and yet - you prevail.
Mother Cabrini is that person; who fought against each and every stake, that were against her, and managed to make a difference. It is a story about the human spirit, that just inspire. Nothing but kindness and will to help and make things better - no matter what will be the cost.
Cabrini says on several cases that she will start what she is planning to do and the means will follow and come after, and she is right each and every time. Sometimes it is what it is, even in our reality. When you need to get something done, you just need to do it and let the rest to get along.
With good will, intentions and a lot of heart Cabrini is getting along with a world of man - American man, that are not interested of watching a woman success to do what she came for; even if it is A noble cause, such as saving children from diseases and crime.
Alejandro Monteverde (Sound of Freedom) has done it once again and didn't screwed a good story by just telling it. He has made some of the men in the movie evil, but didn't forget to let some of them posses a noble heart. He is telling the story from the angle of Mother Cabrini and let her narrative to be heard.
The greatness of these films is just that they don't actually need that much. The story itself is solid and relevant for each and every era, as it seems, but the circumstances changed a little bit. This movie is coming to teach us, viewers, to send away our free love and kindness, with the special help of a great woman. And also, a great director and actress, that are Pouring meaning to this special story.