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anotheruserwithnoname · 2 years

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Remembering there were other SDCC reveals besides Jenna and The Sandman, I have a couple thoughts. Potential spoiler for She-Hulk and Strange New Worlds follow, so, a quick spoiler break. (I never used one for the Sandman posts because they didn’t reveal anything substantial.)

Apparently some folks are upset that they revealed plans for a Strange New Worlds/Lower Decks crossover. Part of that is due to people who hate all the new Star Treks except for SNW worrying a crossover will somehow ruin SNW.

Uh, Lower Decks is not part of the mainstream canon and never was (we’ll ignore the belief I and others have that in order for SNW to properly tell its story, it needs to be in an alternate universe anyway and the S1 finale actually set that possibility up). I say that because it’s a comedy and has things like a lower-decker tormenting Q for a gag, and using tech to play a prank from light years away on the entity that murdered Tasha Yar. It’s a spoof, not canon, so if they have a 2-minute sequence where a character or two from SNW appears in a holodeck sequence (like how Prodigy had characters from across the Trek franchise appear in one episode), it could be fun and it won’t “ruin” anything.

And unlike Discovery and Picard, both of which I have permanently checked out of, whenever this crossover happens (I assume in the soon-to-arrive third season of STLD), I’ll be there. I just want to know when Prodigy will return.

The second item is the release of the second She-Hulk trailer. Some folks continue to hammer this show for the CG, ignoring the fact it’s for TV and they don’t have the budget to do Alita Battle Angel every episode. 2nd, it’s a comedy. People are making Fiona and Shrek jokes about it. Well, the show probably will too.

For me I only care about one thing: She Hulk breaks the fourth wall! Years before Deadpool came along, She Hulk was already doing a lot of his shtick - talking to the reader and the writers, and at one point literally ripping through the pages of the comic to get to the end. If the plan to do the same with the TV series, OK, that’s going to be fun.

#she-hulk: attorney at law #star trek: strange new worlds #star trek: lower decks

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valentinetalkesmovies12 · 2 years

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My most anticipated sequel

Of the many movies, I’ve seen this one has to be my most anticipated, ‘Avatar: The Way Of water’. The first Avatar movie was released on December 17th, 2009, and was 2 hours and 45 minutes long. When this movie was released I remember going to the cinema to watch it with my parents in 3D, what I hadn’t remembered though was that it came out 13 years ago making me only 5 years old when I watched it the first time. I’ve rewatched Avatar several times throughout these 13 years as it was one of my favorite movies and every time I feel as though I see a part of it I’d never seen before. I recently rewatched the movie again in preparation for the sequel which I have been anticipating for years, the first time I saw a teaser trailer for Avatar 2 was probably in either 2018 or 2019 and at that point in time, I believe the title was ‘Pandora’ which is the name of the plant they are on.

At the end of October and the beginning of November, I realized that Avatar had been showing in the cinema even though its release date was for December 20th, thankfully while I was researching information for this post I fell upon the Avatar movie official Twitter, I realized that they were doing a rerun of the first movie. Since the first Avatar movie was released 13 years ago, it makes sense that the first movie was shown again to refresh the viewers before the sequel will be released.

The director of the Avatar franchise, James Cameron is a Canadian filmmaker most known for making and directing science fiction and epic movies. He played a hand in the making of several blockbuster science fiction movies such as The Terminator saga, the Avatar series, Alien (1996), and Alita: Battle Angel. His plan for the Avatar series is to release up to 5 follow-up movies to expand on the world of Pandora. This movie will have many scenes underwater which is why it took a long time to be released, James Cameron wanted the scenes to look as real as possible so equipment to film clearly underwater needed to be sourced.

The Avatar is set in the 22nd century in the year 2152, and the sequel is set in the year 2166 which is 14 years in the future, according to the trailer, in the sequel we will see Jake and Ney'tiri have a family and explore more of Pandora because of the rise of an ancient threat. This is just a gist of what is going to happen in Avatar 2 because I’ve been trying my best to avoid any spoilers since I plan on watching this movie in the cinema when it finally releases.

#avatar #avatar the way of water

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hunterguyveriv · 5 years

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Where is Desty Nova? POSSIBLE ALITA: BATTLE ANGEL SPOILER theory?

So watching some reaction and docu-videos on the upcoming Alita: Battle Angel and some of them are possible new fans (depending on how the movie does) and some of them who are fans from the beginning, and some of the fans have been wondering where is Desty Nova is for the movie.

For those who are new because of the upcoming movie, Desty Nova is essentially the opposite of the caring Doc Ido and the biggest thorn in Alita’s side in the manga. If memory serves me right he psychologically broke Ido over the truth of Tiphares. Even played psychological mind games with Alita’s consciousness, and made Cyborg duplicates of Alita to fight her. This is the extent of what I know of Desty Nova because I only read up to Last Order volume 2. But just know he is a thorn in her side and a complete psychopath willing to dissect & experiment on himself (and others), torture others physically & psychologically, and from my understanding on a whim kill whoever he wanted while having a good old laugh about it... basically a Mad-Scientist but with Joker’s state of mind. But anyway, fans are wondering where Nova is. I think he is going to be in the movie or at least referenced. See the pending soundtrack has this for a possible track:

So at least Nova is referenced. But I did a little looking at the cast and there is one person whose character isn’t even listed that screams… SCREAMS Desty Nova. And that is Jackie Earle Haley. As I have stated the character he is playing isn’t listed on either Fandango or IMDB but also he looks EXACTLY like that flan eating psychopath to me.

Now, this isn’t meant to be a solid beyond any shadow of a doubt post, but I am writing this because I strongly think Jackie Earle Haley is the nemesis we love to hate in the series. Hopefully, 39 more days will tell.

Well, these are just my thoughts on Jackie Earle Haley’s potential role, and the soundtrack listing (which is subject to change) Do you, my fellow Battle Angel fans share the same thoughts?

#battle angel alita #alitabattleangel #alita #desty nova #possible Alita: Battle Angel spoiler

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branchofcinnamon · 5 years

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Would be cool to have deleted scenes on Battle Angel Alita DVD, but I see 0% chances for an alternate ending. What would you like to change about the ending?

it’s not so much that I would change the ending exactly… cinematically the ending is really dramatic and tragic and that makes it beautiful for this kind of story

But I’m also a romantic… so I think it would be cool seeing an alternate ending where Hugo doesn’t get killed… Maybe he evades the spikes in time or something. I know it *has* to happen since it’s like a defining moment for Alita and all, but idk i think it would’ve been sweet to see them get a happy ending

#Anonymous #alita spoilers #alita battle angel spoilers #alita battle angel #i can't help it i just always love happy endings #i can appreciate tragic endings too of course but...#anyway i know it wont have an alternate ending lol #hopefully it has a lot of deleted scenes at least #i want to see as much of the world in the movie as possible #also thanks for the ask lol

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final-mazin-blade · 5 years

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Also yet another ‘stuff they could add in Alita: Fallen Angel or whatever they call the movie Electric Boogaloo’

-ZAPAN - just adapt that entire fight scene after Kansas gets wrecked -The dog master again! He was perfect! -JASHUGAN! Give me at lease one good scene of him vs. Alita -Edward Norton as Nova! Let him eat the flan! -Mention the Barjack Rebellion in some capacity. Show us Den!! -Give Nurse Gerhad more to do -That one manga sequence where Alita’s Motorball body is disassembled and she’s just chilling before it puts her in the civvy body. -I dunno how the movie could end. Either just end the Zapan Arc OR have her become a TUNED Agent and meet Figure Four at the third act of the movie? -Maybe add in Sonic Finger just for fun at the beginning of the story to retain the status quo that Alita Is A Badass? -More flashback stuff! I want to see more Gelda training with Alita! -The fight with her Doppelganger? That could be for a third movie, but if they wanted to adapt the whole series in broad strokes we could see Sechs in place of A-2. Stuff to not include: -Shimura being that blantantly jealous of Alita -Most of Nova’s sick experiments and his BDSM assistant -Dragging out the Motorball stuff to the point where it detracts from the other parts of the story -Zapan fridging Sara -All the side character stuff - it really made the manga feel slow when it focused too much on them.

#i have opinions about future possible film adaptations #Alita Battle Angel #Alita Spoilers

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msawesomegeek · 3 years

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Alita battle angel – Movie review

A/N: look at me, watching a movie. Yay. However it might be me thats hungover and procrastinating doing an exam. Anyways. I have a lot of thoughts on this movie.

SERIOUSLY SPOILERS AHEAD, skip the whole first section if you wanna avoid.

Okay, so, Alita battle angel, is a two hour movie that came out last year. It is about Doctor Ido, who in the scrapyard finds a core that's still alive and gives her a body. Alita wakes up and doesn't remember who she is. She learns the ways of this world in Iron city and about the floating city Zalem, and we meet (I'll be honest here, I liked him but I cannot for the life of me remember his name right now so let's call him whatshisface for now.) whatshisface, he is the love interest and he really wants to go to Zalem. We are also introduced to Vektor a rich guy who runs motorball, a popular sport. He is working with Ido's ex wife and she also has a hard on for going back to Zalem. A bunch of stuff happens, Alita finds out she's a marsian warrior, gets in a fight with a bounty hunter after becoming one herself. Enters the motorball tournament to get money to give to whatshisface so he can go to Zalem, action happens. She finds out no one goes there intact only in the creepiest way possible, talks to the person whose been the puppet master all along. Enters the big tournament to become an ultimate champion to go to Zalem. The end.

Mostly spoilerfree zone now.

So. Normally I do not go into that much detail about a movie's plot, but I wanted to do it here to show just how much this movie is just far too complicated. It suffers, sadly like a lot of action movies these days, from sequel syndrome. In which you can tell they wanted to cram a lot of info into this movie but also have a lot of exposition for the sequel, which ends up needlessly complicating and confusing the plot of the movie that you're already watching – think Suicide Squad or Justice League. The worst part of this is you're watching a movie hoping for an ending and then you're not getting it. A movie should be a story told from beginning to end, not beginning and then we reveal that there is a final boss and you just killed the small boss.

Besides that, I also wanted to write out the storypoints to show how weird and confusing it gets. I get wanting to build tensions and conflict, but I honestly felt like it tried to do everything, meaning we didnt really have time to get interested in any of the plot points in depth. (oh my god I just remembered whatshisface's name!). And that way it also feels like you're not watching a cohesive plot but like a sequence of events that are sometimes related. That lack of focus even extends to the characters. Alita spends the first half of the movie really wanting to kill this dude, and then just forgets about it until the end of the movie. Like, what?

And that also brings me to another problem with this plot, *sighs* it suffers from Spiderman 3 disorder – and by that I mean, this movie, has a villain problem. The villains are far too many, and also almost constantly has weird motivations, like there are logical motivations that would make sense for them to become antagonistic, but the movie just opts for the weirdest ones. Like the bounty hunter, wants to kill Hugo (whatshisface), and they spend like 10 minutes on it, and it seems like it is because he wants revenge on Alita from earlier, but then he just does not try to kill her or anything when she shows up! I had to rewatch those scenes, and I still have no god damn clue why he wants to kill Hugo! And that is a problem! AND then, you have Vektor sending all these other bounty hunters to kill, which is, fine. But again, I have no f*cking clue why HE wants to kill her? Why does the evil overlord that controls everyone want to kill her? Like, the fact that there are this many villains is a problem on its own, but then I at least need to know WHY all these villains are there (okay I am gonna do something that is normally illegal on the internet); I mean at least in Spiderman 3 we all knew WHY they wanted to kill Toby Maguire! How, just, how, do you mess up something so fundamental?!

Sadly the next problem is kind of related. Most characters. Look I get that there are some conflicts that are needed. But like, especially Hugo, what?! Like I get his crime thing being wrong and why it would create some conflict, but it seems so forced somehow. And like, when his girlfriend wants to do something really dangerous to make his dream happen, he tells the others he quits. But then why from there not just come clean to Alita, and be like, sorry babe I used to do this because I was in a desperate situation, but now I have learned something. It would have been compelling for his character. Because honestly he has some sweet moments, but otherwise I feel like he is just selfish. And that is fine, but make it compelling selfishness! Also except for the last 10 minutes of the movie, why does the Ido's wife have to be there? It seemed weird. The only antagonist I actually enjoyed was bounty hunter guy because he had just a pinch of a personality sprinkled in there. Alita is fine, maybe a little op, like let her train or something. Ido was good and honestly probably the best character in this movie, but his motivations are so weird sometimes.

So, uhm, what was good? Well, the fight sequences weren't bad, I liked them. The special effects were pretty cool. I loved what they did with those extreme zoom ins on her eyes. The acting was good. Cinematography was pretty good, not noticeable, but also weren't any scenes where I didn't know what was going on. The soundtrack has a very James Cameron vibe to it, which was okay.

Overall, did this movie suck? Yes. For multiple reasons, the story is weirdly paced and put together in a way where it feels like they wanted to cram like three books into one movie (or as I like to call the "opposite Hobbit effect", I'm sorry, I dont know why I have started making weird names for things to amuse myself during this review but here we are I guess.). And a lot of the plot points seemed forced, there are too many villains and all characters need to be tweaked so we actually understand their motivations for things. But visually it was pretty. But I'll be honest, I dont even recommend watching this as a its so bad its good. It is just weird, confusing and bad.

1 out of 10 stars (and that one star is for the actors and the visual teams only.)

So those were my thoughts, tell me what you thought? If you disagree with me and I completely misunderstood your favourite movie! Or if there is any other movie you wanna talk about or want me to watch and review – send me an ask. :)

- Em

#alita battle angel #battle angel alita #alitabattleangel #alitaarmy #James cameron #Movie #movie recommendation #movie reaction #movie releases #movie review #movie reviews #movie recc #movie recs

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starwarsnonsense · 5 years

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Best Films of 2019 (So Far)

It’s that time of year again! As most of my followers probably know, I’m an avid cinema-goer beyond Star Wars. I also quite enjoy making lists, so what’s better than a combo of the two? Below, I run down my top 10 films of 2019 so far - please note that this list is based on UK cinema release dates, so some of these films were 2018 releases elsewhere.

What are your favourites so far from this year? Let me know in replies/asks!

Honourable mentions: Toy Story 4, Long Shot, Aladdin, Alita: Battle Angel & The Kid Who Would Be King

1. The Favourite, dir. Yorgos Lanthimos

This completely wowed me - it features a trio of magnificently compelling female characters (played by Olivia Colman, Rachel Weisz and Emma Stone) operating at the court of Queen Anne (Colman is Anne, Weisz and Stone are courtiers), and is focused solely on the shifting sands of the power dynamics between them. The script is savage without sacrificing poignancy, witty without ceasing to be genuine. And while I’ve seen some react to this film as a comedy (and it certainly has laughs, most of which are closely tied to shock), for me it was very clearly a drama about the inscrutable and complicated relationships that exist between women. Specifically, it is about how those relationships run the gamut from sincere affinity to ruthless manipulation. This is an amazing movie, and it also has the best use of an Elton John song in 2019 (sorry, Rocketman!).

2. Midsommar, dir. Ari Aster

I went into this film with reservations, since I wasn’t a huge fan of Hereditary (by the same director), which I found to have extraordinary moments but iffy execution overall. This movie, however, wowed me, and I am still uncertain as to whether this or The Favourite is my top film of 2019 so far (fortunately, this gives me a good excuse to watch Midsommar three or four times in cinemas). While marketed as a freaky cult horror film, the director has described it as a fairy tale, which is the level on which is spoke to me. Midsommar follows Dani (an incredible Florence Pugh), a young woman who has suffered a terrible loss, as she travels with her boyfriend and his friends to a pagan festival in the Swedish countryside. Dani is painfully isolated, and her grief is hers to shoulder alone since her boyfriend is un-receptive and distinctly unprepared to help her. Over the course of the film, destruction and creation are conflated in ways that are frequently beautiful and horrific at the same time - this film spoke to me on a profound level, and the way it ended gave me a sense of incredible catharsis. This won’t be for everyone, for I found it to be a deeply special film and I can’t recommend it enough.

3. One Cut of the Dead, dir. Shinichirou Ueda

While I went into The Favourite with high expectations given the talent involved, I went into this with no expectations whatsoever - and what a treat it was! One Cut of the Dead is easily one of the funniest movies I’ve seen in ears, taking what initially seems like a trite concept (a crew is filming a zombie movie at a desolate location ... only to discover that the zombies are real!) and twisting it in a truly ingenious way. The comedy is often of the broad variety, but it is consistently delightful and always manages to avoid becoming crass - the movie even has some really sweet family dynamics at the centre of it, which gives it some real emotional heft. The success of this film is heavily reliant on a major twist that occurs part-way through, so the best advice I can give you is to stay as far away from spoilers for this one as possible - go in blind, and you will be amply rewarded for your faith.

4. The Farewell, dir. Lulu Wang

I saw this following a wave of festival hype, so while I was excited I was also a bit apprehensive (since I have been burned by the aforementioned festival hype before). Thankfully, my doubts were blown away as this turned out to be just as wonderful as the early reviews had suggested. It’s a personal story about a young Asian-American woman (Awkwafina) struggling to reconcile her heritage with her current situation and values - specifically, she is tested when her grandmother is diagnosed with terminal cancer and the wider family make the decision to hide the truth from her. The Farewell does a fantastic job of generating empathy for all the different perspectives and positions in play, but it’s truly anchored by Awkwafina’s amazingly nuanced and tender performance - basically, anyone who’s ever loved a grandparent should leave this feeling incredibly moved and inspired. The themes of The Farewell are both specific to the Asian-American experience and general to anyone who has struggled with maintaining bonds over a vast distance, whether physical or cultural.

5. Booksmart, dir. Olivia Wilde

God, how I wish I’d had this movie as a teenager! While Booksmart has a cliched premise - two high-achieving teens decide to have one wild night before graduation - it tells the story in an incredibly charming and impressively creative way (I won’t spoil it, but let me just say this - that scene with the Barbies!). As someone who was an awkward nerd with no discernible social life in high school (as you Americans call it), I found this portrayal of that peculiar limbo period very sensitive and thoughtful - it doesn’t mock or shame its heroines for being studious, and it allows them to have limits and step back from situations that make them uncomfortable. It also serves as a beautifully honest portrait of a friendship, depicting the qualities that bring people together in friendship together in the first place, as well as the forces that can break people apart. This is a very accomplished debut from Wilde, and it makes me very excited to see where she goes next as a director.

6. A Private War, dir. Matthew Heineman

This was a very suspenseful and tightly focused film about an extraordinary woman, and the film soars on the strength of Rosamund Pike’s incredible performance as Marie Colvin. She provides piercing insights into the psyche of a person so driven to pursue truth and enact change that she loses all concern for her own wellbeing - it’s simultaneously a portrait of heroism and obsession, and it’s impressive for how it handles the ambiguity inherent in Colvin’s choices. She’s exceptionally brave, but the film is unflinching in depicting the costs of her bravery. It left me feeling inspired to learn more about Colvin’s life and work, and I still need to watch the documentary Under the Wire to get more insight into the real story behind the film.

7. Fighting With My Family, dir. Stephen Merchant

This is the year of Florence Pugh - she killed it in Midsommar, and she is just as fantastic here. If anything, Fighting With My Family and Midsommar make great complements as they serve as fantastic showcases for Pugh’s range as an actor. While her character in Midsommar is fragile and vulnerable, Fighting With My Family is a platform for her strength and comedic skill. As Paige, Pugh is instantly likable and compelling - I don’t give a damn about any form of wrestling, but this film (and Pugh specifically) did a fantastic job of drawing me in and making me root for Paige’s struggle to prove herself as a legitimate force in wrestling. This is a real underdog story, and Pugh did a wonderful job as the Cinderella of the WWE.

8. Apollo 11, dir. Todd Douglas Miller

My dad has always been crazy about the space program, but I hadn’t picked up the bug myself. That changed after I watched this extraordinary documentary, which brought the Apollo 11 mission to vivid life. The footage that’s used for this documentary is extraordinarily crisp, and some moments are vividly powerful - the crew getting into their spacesuits, the swirl of fire surrounding the moment of takeoff, and the journey of the spacecraft towards the moon. It left me feeling moved and touched by human potential, especially when you remember that this all happened 50 years ago when the available technologies were so fragile and primitive. I also loved how the footage was allowed to speak for itself, with no voiceover or exposition - it’s a must-see for anyone who’s ever looked up at the stars and wondered about reaching them.

9. High Life, dir. Claire Denis

This movie is second to only Midsommar in terms of how weird it is. I saw this in a Hungarian cinema while on holiday, which made for a disorientating experience in itself. While the meaning of the film is quite elusive and I’m sure that many people will find viewing it a uniquely frustrating experience, I appreciated how it created a hothouse environment that brought out some of the ugliest aspects of humanity. Robert Pattinson was great as what comes closest to amounting to our protagonist, though he is as inscrutable and inaccessible as the film itself. I can’t quite pin down why I liked this one so much, but I know I did and it made me want to seek out more of Claire Denis’ work.

10. Free Solo, dir. Jimmy Chin & Elizabeth Chai Vasarhelyi

It’s tragic that most people will only watch this documentary on a TV screen (or, so much worse, a laptop!). I was fortunate enough to see it in its full IMAX glory, and it’s rare to see any film - let alone a documentary - take such full advantage of the format. The woozy spectacle of this film is the real star, though the subject - mountain climber Alex Honnold - is also fascinating with his unnerving detachment from the magnitude of what he is setting out on. It is clearly a necessary detachment for him to be able to achieve what he achieves, but I appreciated how the filmmakers questioned it and explored its impact on his girlfriend. This is a compelling documentary, and is worth watching even if you’re not usually a fan of the genre.

#films #cinema #films 2019 #midsommar #florence pugh #the favourite #one cut of the dead #free solo #high life #apollo 11 #fighting with my family #a private war #the farewell #booksmart

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mylifeincinema · 5 years

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My Week(s) in Reviews: September 21, 2019

I was busy, so I skipped last week. Here’s what I’ve been watching since last time.

Ad Astra (James Gray, 2019)

‘To the Stars...’

Significantly more intimate than expected. A beautiful film all around, if occasionally lacking in those big ‘wow’ moments so many science-fiction films strive for. The Mars sequence is so beautifully shot and edited, it hurts. Brad Pitt turns in one of the best performances of his career (I’d say his 2019 work makes up for two of his top five, really), a rich emotional exploration of duty, grief, family and purpose. Gray has made a special, ambitious sci-fi film, here. A surprising tale of men longing to find something greater than themselves out in the vast, unforgiving unknown that is space. - 8/10

Hustlers (Lorene Scafaria, 2019)

The energy is completely off in this one. Scafaria falters, never wanting to fully condemn or praise these women for the terrible things they’ve done. The storytelling formula used only ever works in completely tearing the viewer out of the moment. But the cast is solid. Constance Wu in impressive, and her journey from timid stripper to criminal ‘mastermind’ is fully realized. Lili Reinhart is hilarious. Then there’s Jennifer Lopez, who delivers what just might be a career best performance. She’s a beautiful, brutal lioness on the hunt to protect her ‘cubs’. At least that’s what this film insists it’s about: motherhood. It pushes its ideas on the audience forcefully; these women are doing the awful things they’re doing for their ‘children’. Really, it’s about power. J.Lo isn’t a lioness, she’s a shark. These women aren’t doing that they need to do to take care of their children, they’re doing it because it feels good flipping the script of these powerful men. They’re taking advantage of them because they can; because it makes them feel powerful. The film would’ve been a whole lot stronger if it had the guts to just come out and admit that, rather than poorly hiding it behind the hokey veil of motherhood. - 5/10

Yesterday (Danny Boyle, 2019)

Just a few things... (Possible SPOILERS ahead.)

-It’s light and mostly fun, but falls apart in its third act.

-Ed Sheeran is the worst kind of celebrity, but at least here he’s willing to play into that fact for comedy’s sake.

-How could anyone not fall instantly in love with Lily James?

-The scene where Jack visits John Lennon is wonderful, and the type of thing this film needed a whole lot more of.

-The idea behind this film is a fun one, and really deserved to be explored more. - 6/10

Blinded by the Light (Gurinder Chadha, 2019)

Have you ever listened to an artist that instantly hits you on a spiritual level, completely changing your life within a matter of minutes? That’s what Blinded by the Light is about. It’s a coming of age story about a Pakistani teenager living in a small town in England who’s life is instantly changed when a friend introduces him to Bruce Springsteen. Well, that and family, and a handful of other very familiar themes that only work here thanks to the fact that they’re fueled by the power of music. Everything that would feel recycled and tired otherwise hits home effectively thanks to The Boss. - 7.5/10

Late Night (Nisha Ganatra, 2019)

Enjoyed this. Emma Thompson is fantastic. Hugh Dancy doesn’t look like Hugh Dancy. And Mindy is very funny without crossing over too much into the annoying attention hungry zone she often found herself in on her show. - 6/10

Alita: Battle Angel (Robert Rodriguez, 2019)

A few fun action sequences can’t save this film from its awkward vfx and poorly developed world. - 3.5/10

Echo in the Canyon (Andrew Slater, 2019)

Very interesting, but it falters in its focus and doesn’t balance its interviews and performances very well. - 5.5/10

Also, in preparation for forthcoming My Best of the 2010s, I revisited a handful of favorites, including Her, Inside Llewyn Davis, Arrival and Midnight in Paris. All of them are just as good as I remembered, if not significantly better, thank God.

And then there’s Netflix’s new Limited Series, Unbelievable. Holy Shit... What a Powerhouse. Kaitlyn Dever, I mean, Goddamn! Merritt Wever is quickly turning into one of those “I’ll jump to see whatever she’s in” level actresses. Then there’s Toni Collette, so underrated and always so damn good, and this is some of her finest work, period. The pacing is perfect. It’s often tough to watch, but always so damn captivating that you tough it out through the tears, anger and emotional exhaustion. Wow.

Enjoy!

-Timothy Patrick Boyer.

#film #movies #ad astra #hustlers #blinded by the light #yesterday #late night #alita: battle angel #echo in the canyon #my week in reviews #Film Review #Movie Reviews #etc.

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canardroublard · 5 years

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A non-exhaustive list of academic-ish articles on film theory that I’d love to write but probably won’t get around to:

Alita: Battle Angel, Avatar, Aliens, Terminator, James Cameron’s broader filmography, and the separation of the self from the body (aka what the hell is this guy’s deal. I need to know)

Alita: Battle Angel, “Strong Female Characters” and how the cure to cinematic misogyny is not having a woman punch people (why we need to deconstruct story structures which promote or condone misogyny and toxic masculinity, rather than simply centering a woman in these story structures)

A related, or possibly the same essay, Alita Battle Angel vs Wonder Woman 2017, or how to write a naïve character without depriving her of agency

And finally, Alita Battle Angel is racist, mostly in typical ways that should be apparent to anyone with decent critical thinking skills, but I could probably circle back to my first topic (separation of self from the body) specifically as it relates to Mahershala Ali’s character and get into some meaty stuff there

The Man From UNCLE as a film which consistently subverts gender tropes and stereotypes, especially surrounding masculinity and the expectations for the male action movie lead, and why this may have contributed to its poor performance with reviewers

Beasts of the Southern Wild - I don’t have any firm theses on this yet, it’s been a few years since I’ve watched it so I’d have to refresh my memory, but probably lots that could be said about the magical realism aspects of the film, and of course racism and classism

Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool, and why this film does everything that A Star is Born tried to do, but does it way better and much more interestingly and didn’t make me feel like I’d wasted 2 hours of my life

The Handmaiden - A loooot to talk about here. Power dynamics between Japan and its neighbouring countries (obviously Korea, in this specific case, but that dynamic has parallels within the region) as played out on a personal level, fetishization of queer women (not saying that’s what the movie does, I’d have to rewatch and dig into it more to get a thesis on that). Oh and I am FASCINATED by this film’s use of gaze. And how gaze interacts with architecture and space.

The Circle - Yes, that Emma Watson/Tom Hanks tech company film. It was spectacularly unsuccessful as a film, a story, or really as anything, and I want to deconstruct why it sucked so bad

A non-exhaustive list of other films I’d write about in no particular order

The Favourite

Romeo + Juliet

Wes Anderson I like your films but you are kinda a misogynist (yeah let’s just cover his whole filmography because why not)

Widows (race, relationships, misogyny, and the messy intersection between those three things. Also women’s platonic relationships)

Disobedience

The Red Turtle and why I, a lover of animation, fucking hated it (spoiler: because the male main character, who admittedly has been having a bad time lately but that isn’t a valid excuse imho, acts like a dick and is rewarded for it)

The Beguiled (gaze, power dynamics)

The Florida Project

Annihilation (admittedly first I’d have to understand this mindfuck of a film before writing about it, but if I could get there I’m sure there’s lots to be said)

The Fall (not the Gillian Anderson tv show, the Lee Pace movie)

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri (idk if I’d get much further than “it’s racist” but if I were really motivated I might be able to deconstruct that a bit further) Update: wrote the “it’s racist” post. HERE

Dunkirk and perpetuating the myth of White History

Atomic Blonde

ETA

Tomb Raider (2018) and why it is at best “two-steps-forward-one-step-back” to give a white woman no romance in a story if by doing so you deprive characters of colour, namely a Chinese man and iirc a black woman, the opportunity to be romantic interests/leads

Beauty and the Beast (Emma Watson version) it’s almost impressive how this film goes out of its way to subvert its own marketing department’s attempts to make it sound feminist

Their Finest - something something war something lesbianism (I’d have to watch this again)

London Road - yes I know no one else saw this film. Even I can concede that “musical about a series of horrific serial killings” is a difficult sell to most people. But it’s a good film. Watch it. There’s lots to talk about here

Home (Dreamworks) which has a surprising amount to say about colonialism for a children’s film

Boy, Hunt for the Wilderpeople, absent parents and the struggle of self-determination for boys coming of age. Or, portrayals of boyhood in the filmography of Taika Waititi

Kill Bill , Strong Female Characters” and how the cure to cinematic misogyny is not having a woman punch people and JFC these films are misogynistic

Anna Karenina is unadaptable as a film so please stop trying to make that happen, everyone, because by trying to cram it into a 2-3 hour movie everyone drops the Levin/Kitty story and without that you lose literally half of the actual story of the book

ETA (29/03/2019) wrote a post at least touching on the basics about racism in Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri so I’m crossing that off the list for now.

#someone pay me to write these #meta #film theory

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creepykingdom · 5 years

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“Alita: Battle Angel” Spoiler Free Review

By John Duarte

As I sat down and waited for the lights to dim in theater 14 at the AMC in Burbank, I was thinking about how it took 20 years to get this movie made. Originally, “Alita Battle Angel” was supposed to be Oscar winning director James Cameron’s next movie after his mega blockbuster (and overrated love story) “Titanic”. He sat on the script that he co-wrote with Laeta Kalogridis and went on to make “Avatar”. Since Cameron wouldn’t be able to do “Alita” because of his commitment to make Avatar sequels for the rest of his career, In 2016 he called upon Robert Rodriguez (Sin CIty) to direct it and told him: “Hey, If you can figure out the script, you can shoot it!”. So Rodriguez took it and also helped rewrite some of it as well. So finally in October 2016, Production began in Austin, Texas with a budget of 200 million dollars and wrapped production on February 2017. The movie was suppose to be released Aug 2018, then it got pushed to Dec 2018 and now finally Feb 2019. Usually when a movie gets pushed around like that, that’s not a great sign. Well, I’m happy to announce that: It’s a pretty damn good movie. Now, enough of me explaining the troubles of “Alita” lets get on with the review shall we?

“Alita Battle Angel” is based on the Manga series created by Yukito Kishiro and this film is focused on the first 3 books of the series. I haven’t read the series or even heard about the books until this movie was announced. The plot of the movie goes like this: Set several centuries in the future, the abandoned Alita (Rosa Salazar) is found in the scrapyard of Iron City by Dr. Ido (Oscar winning actor Christoph Waltz), a compassionate cyber-doctor who takes the unconscious cyborg Alita to his clinic. When Alita awakens, she has no memory of who she is, nor does she have any recognition of the world she finds herself in. As Alita learns to navigate her new life and the treacherous streets of Iron City, Ido tries to shield her from her mysterious past. Without giving anything away, it does leave it open for a possible sequel.

Rosa Salazar who plays the title character of Alita who’s an all CGI character and I’d say after the first 5 mins of the movie, you completely forget she’s CG and you believe she’s a real character walking, talking and interacting with the actors in the movie. Thanks to the wizards of WETA Digital for the amazing job they did to bring Alita and the rest of the world to life. Everybody in the movie like Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly, Mahershala Ali, Ed Skrein and an unrecognizable Jackie Earl Haley just to name a few to an amazing job with the direction of Rodriguez. As a fan of Robert Rodriguez for years, I’ve been there for his early hits to his recent misses. “Alita” proved to me he can direct and bring out really good performances. Also, If you’re not a fan of his work, he might win you over with this movie.

One of my favorite sequences in this is a small one but it reminded me of early Rodriguez. It’s a sequence when “Alita” becomes a Bounty Hunter and tries to round up additional bounty hunters at there local bar. The other bounty hunters look at her and basically could care less about her and turns into an all out brawl. The whole bar bawl reminded me of “Desperado” and “From Dusk Till Dawn”. Rodriguez know how to stage a bar bawl.

There isn’t anything I didn’t like about “Alita Battle Angel”. The little love story between Alita and Hugo (Keean Johnson) wasn’t overdone as if James Cameron probably would’ve focused on that a little bit more. Maybe not, but I think if Cameron would’ve directed this right after “Titanic”, he’d for sure focus on the love story.

The 2 hour running time flies by fast. The films score done by Junkie Xl is his biggest score to date with his very unique themes for the characters as well as the big action sequences. The 3D in this although not always in your face gimmicks, it shows depth and range and Bill Pope’s Cinematography is incredible. I would love to see Robert Rodriguez take on other peoples projects and put his two cents in it. “Alita” proved to me he can pull it off. Just give him awesome producers, a good script, and let him do his thing!

To wrap up this spoiler free review of “Alita Battle Angel”, this movie has a solid cast, damn good set pieces, really good direction that i’d be more than happy to return to the world of Iron City pretty soon. I just hope the opening weekend box office sales go well. Oh, I forgot to tell you…..Go check this out in Dolby CInema theater in 3D. It’s the best way to experience this movie.

(All Images Courtesy of 20th Century Fox)

#blogposts #alitabattleangel

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anotheruserwithnoname · 5 years

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Tired of Alita being cut down, so here is a clip from the film

I just read another so-called “professional” media outlet calling fans of Alita: Battle Angel unnecessary names and branding them, mainly because there are many who preferred this female-focused superhero movie over one that came out later. The impression I get is people who write this sort of thing just haven’t bothered to see Alita. I’m not going to reward the article with clicks from a link; do a google search and this sort of rhetoric is easy to find.

Instead, as officially uploaded by 20th Century Fox to Youtube, and for anyone still curious about Alita, here is a full 9-minute segment from the film (it says 10 minutes on the thumbnail, but that’s a bit exaggerated), featuring the fight scene in which we first learn that Alita (Rosa Salazar) is far more than just an “insignificant girl” (Alita’s words); we also learn more about Dyson (Christoph Waltz) and are introduced to one of the villains, Grewishka (Jackie Earle Haley). The sequence contains violence for anyone who may be concerned about that. And obviously it contains some spoilers for those who are still planning to get the DVD or stream (though it’s from early in the film). The clip plays fine in Canada, but it’s possible it may not play outside North America.

youtube

#alita: battle angel #rosa salazar

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ryanmeft · 4 years

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2019 in Film, Part 1

We’re closing out the decade with one of the best years for film I can remember. There was so much great stuff in 2019 that it got me back to writing reviews after I had given them up as a hopeless endeavor in an age of polarized opinions. We had A-list actors turning in top-notch work about deteriorating relationships and alternate histories of Hollywood. We had forgotten or controversial actors---Antonio Banderas, Sienna Miller, Adam Sandler, Paul Walter Hauser, among others---proving they deserved to be A-list. We had great new films from the likes of The Safdie Brothers, Robert Eggers, Greta Gerwig, Noah Baumbach, Pedro Almodovar and more. It wasn’t all sunshine and roses. Clint Eastwood did his best to undermine his own filmmaking with sexist and anti-press leanings. Disney continued to gobble up everything it could, threatening the future of legitimate filmmaking and the theatre business. And some excellent creators turned in movies that, well, didn’t meet the hype. But what year is perfect? Below, a compendium of every 2019 film I saw, and my absolutely correct opinion on each one. This covers films through the letter G, and I’ll be posting H-N and O-Z shortly. I’ll also be updating these lists as I add new reviews and see more movies, since I live in the arse end of nowhere and there’s still a lot I haven’t seen. Enjoy.

21 Bridges: 3 Stars

-A throwback to the relatively stripped down cops-and-criminals thrillers of the 90’s, this tightly made and well acted tale of corruption will appeal to anyone who remembers the likes of The Fugitive.

Full Review: https://tinyurl.com/urvdfx2

Ad Astra: 3 Stars

-A toothless finale and a weak role for Tommy Lee Jones can’t derail the quality of Brad Pitt’s performance, one where most of the character is developed inside his head.

Full Review: https://tinyurl.com/whkonyy

The Aeronauts: 2 Stars

-This attempt to emulate the adventure epics of the Golden Age of Hollywood features spectacular sights and two great actors doing their best, but falters when developing an interesting story or drawing us into their struggle for survival. Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

Full Review: https://tinyurl.com/tce4ps6

The Aftermath: 1 Star

-Lifeless, listless and generally not knowing what it wants to be, the movie switches back and forth from serious post-war thriller to cheesy erotic novel, and fails at both.

Full Review: https://tinyurl.com/vjfefuq

Ash is Purest White: 4 Stars

-A patient poem of life, which leads you to believe it will be one thing---a crime drama about small time street hoods in a dying industrial town---and instead becomes a quiet ode to personal perseverance. One of the year’s best films.

A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood: 3 Stars

-Tom Hanks is ephemeral as the children’s icon with the recently resurgent reputation, and Matthew Rhys and Chris Cooper are effective as the estranged, battling father and son who Rogers helps to heal. The definitive statement on Rogers is last year’s documentary Won’t You Be My Neighbor? This movie is mostly a fantasy drama revolving around Rogers’ ethos, with minimal insight into the man.

Alita: Battle Angel: 2 1/2 Stars

-Featuring stunning technology, good performances (especially from Mahershala Ali and Rose Salazar) and an incredibly weak script co-written by James Cameron, this is the kind of movie that would absolutely kill if you got a better screenplay to go with it. Hopefully they get a second try.

Full Review: https://tinyurl.com/qnl3ggd

American Woman: 3 1/2 Stars

Sienna Miller has flown under most stardom’s radar, and here in this small film no one saw gets one of the year’s best performances. She’s an irresponsible mother who has to learn to grow up after her daughter’s disappearance, but that is mere plot. The key is the sympathy the film has for the problems of people we wouldn’t ordinarily cheer on.

Full Review: https://tinyurl.com/uz7x67z

Avengers: Endgame: 3 Stars

-Fan service through and through, Endgame delivers every thrill you could possibly want with few real surprises, but also leaves you wondering where the MCU could possibly go from here.

Birds of Passage: 4 Stars

-A fictionalized look at the rise of the drug trade in Colombia, this Godfather-like film traces the fall of indigenous cultures to the lure of international criminal activity with a steady hand and a de-emphasis on overt violence.

Full Review: https://tinyurl.com/ww8m98v

Blinded by the Light: 3 Stars

-You really do gotta be a Springsteen fan, but if you are, this one is ready to make you smile and cheer. You may forget it after you leave the theatre, but then, it has already done its job.

Booksmart: 3 1/2 Stars

-Olivia Wilde continues the rehabilitation of the once trashy teen comedy, making a movie about alienation and identity that can stand alongside films like The Duff, Eighth Grade and Edge of Seventeen. It may not break any new ground, but it is so relatable and so funny it doesn’t really have to.

Brightburn: 1 1/2 Stars

-A for effort, F for execution. There’s blood to be wrung from the “What if Superman were evil?” stone, but instead of taking the concept and giving us a unique take-off of the world’s most well known superhero, the movie is content to repeat the famous origin story, weakly flipped to the horror genre.

Brittany Runs a Marathon: 3 Stars

-It isn’t without its cliches, but it’s nice to see a good film like this which doesn’t lionize impossibly perfect looking people as the only ones who can realize a dream. Jillian Bell is both off-putting and likable, a rare trick. Currently streaming on Amazon Prime.

By the Grace of God: 4 Stars

-Frances Ozon’s dispassionate, drama-lite look at three men taking on a skin-crawlingly vile abusive priest is impossible to look away from, even when characters are simply discussing their lives. Ozon makes ordinary life lived with trauma almost as tense for the audience as for those living it.

Captain Marvel: 3 Stars

-When people say the MCU movies are factory-produced, this one could be Exhibit A. It does almost nothing wrong and takes almost no risks, leaving a movie that’s fun while you’re watching it and forgotten as soon as you’re not. Bonus points for Annette Bening playing a murderous A.I.

Full Review: https://tinyurl.com/sw8247t

Captive State: 1 Star

-An intriguing sci-fi premise with a lifeless script, the potential for interesting twists and turns is neutered by a lack of narrative flare.

Cats: 1 Star

-The kind of movie that makes you want to shower afterwards.

Full Review: https://tinyurl.com/tzjx5v8

The Current War: 2 1/2 Stars

-More flash than substance, which in an odd way makes it a suitable treatment of the very publicity-minded battle between Edison and Westinghouse. Overall, it feels more like an educational video or a History Channel special, but there are things worth the trip, like the performance of Benedict Cumberbatch.

Full Review: https://tinyurl.com/urewluk

The Dead Don’t Die: 0 Stars

-Jim Jarmusch has made some of the finest films I’ve ever seen and some of the worst. This unfunny, painfully obvious satire is firmly in the latter camp.

Full Review: https://tinyurl.com/w8bafdl

Doctor Sleep: 3 1/2 Stars

-An absolutely delicious villain coupled with overall strong performances and engaging, old-school filmmaking result in one of the better of the many Stephen King adaptations.

Full Review: https://tinyurl.com/sns6nhh

Dora and the Lost City of Gold: 3 1/2 Stars

-It takes a show meant to educate young kids about languages and turns it into a genuinely funny, exciting and engaging adventure movie that pulls of an “All-ages Indiana Jones” vibe shockingly well. One of the few movies that actually needs a sequel.

Full Review: https://tinyurl.com/t7tzyxq

Dumbo: 3 Stars

-The original is outdated enough that for once a Disney remake doesn’t feel like a cash grab, and Tim Burton turns in a beautiful movie with a great villain (who, strangely enough, is an obvious stand-in for Walt himself).

Full Review: https://tinyurl.com/wnkkvuz

Fast Color: 3 Stars

-A decidedly different superhero movie that scuttles itself a bit with its own franchise ambitions, but the first two acts deliver a serious story focusing on things superhero movies rarely touch on: addiction, abandonment, forgiveness and parenthood.

Full Review: https://tinyurl.com/sgytshn

Ford v Ferrari: 3 Stars

-Two hours of the movie is bog-standard biopic stuff elevated by Damon and Bale’s performances. The last third is an incredibly thrilling, no-special-effects race scene that will get the blood pumping even if you don’t give one whit about race cars.

Godzilla: King of the Monsters: 2 Stars

-An improved emphasis on visuals helps this one be better than its predecessor, but that ain’t saying a whole helluva lot.

Full Review: https://tinyurl.com/vcuhc44

The Good Liar: 2 Stars

-A strange mix of obvious twists and spoilers you couldn’t possibly see coming, the movie feels like it both plays fair and cheats with the audience. It’s a lurid potboiler elevated considerably by the immense talents of Mirren and McKellan, who are playing well below their weight class here.

Gloria Bell: 3 Stars

-Julianne Moore turns in a lovable, relatable performance in a movie that doesn’t otherwise differentiate itself much from the divorced-people-finding-their-life-again sub-genre of feel good movie.

Greta: 2 1/2 Stars

-The sleazy thrills of seeing Isabelle Huppert, one of the best of actresses, playing an unhinged psycho stalker is worth the price of admission, but the film itself doesn’t do enough to stand out from the thriller pack.

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hunterguyveriv · 5 years

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Alita: Battle Angel - Plot hole between manga & anime/live action. Possible Spoilers based off manga for a sequel if we get one.

So does anyone else suspect that that was not Chiren in that refrigerated case in Vector’s office during the confrontation between Alita & Vector-Nova?

I know the movie was a combination of both the OVA and Manga, but that scene even in the anime has always been a plot hole. You see in the manga it deals with individuality and “what makes you a person?” and even later on human rights.

See there is an organization ran by the “State” in which regardless of sex, when you reach a certain age, I believe it’s 18 or 19 (been a long time since I read the manga) in which your brain is removed and replaced with a “brain chip” before you are accepted into society. These are the marks you see on the foreheads of those from Zalem/Tiphares.

It is revealed once when Nova resurrected Ido after Berserker-Zapan killed him, causing Ido to lose it and wipe his mind of everything except being a cyborg doctor. Nova even knows of it having revealed it to Ido, and revealing it on Tiphares/Zalem dubbed “The Secret of Tiphares” which became the driving force for a one-sided Civil War in Tiphares/Zalem. Pitting kids against adults - natural brains verses chipped brains in the sequel series Battle Angel Alita: Last Order.

And yet Chiren who was a citizen of Tiphares/Zalem had a full human brain in the OVA & Live Action. I look forward to them explaining this in Alita: Battle Angel 2 if we get a sequel.

#alita #battle angel #Battle Angel Alita #Alita Battle Angel #gunnm

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domenicosalvaggio · 4 years

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MY TOP 12 FILMS OF 2019!

Why 12? One great film for every month. You’ll find a large variation in the films I selected. From blockbusters to art house hits. It’s simple, the films on the list resonated deeply and stayed with me for weeks and months. Here we go:

1. JOKER

‪The film that stunned the world and became the billion dollar clown. The cinematography, the acting and the screenplay are all stellar. It’s no fluke that JOKER became a cultural phenomenon. It tapped into the seething cauldron of anger that exists between the haves and have-nots. It takes place in a nebulous version of the 80’s but it could be about the One Percenters of today who greedily take everything and leave scraps for the rest of society. The Joker is everything you heard & more. It’s an indictment of the mental health system in America & an argument for how your parents & environment can make or break you. Joaquin Phoenix is ASTONISHING & Oscar bound. Be forewarned, the violence is brutal & sudden. This is the best film of the year‬. Would love to see this version of Joker go up against the next iteration of Batman. It would be the Atomic Bomb of superhero vs supervillain confrontations.

2. ONCE UPON A TIME IN HOLLYWOOD

‪Brad Pitt is a magnificent unstoppable beast in Once Upon A Time In Hollywood. He is the quintessential laid back California dude. His performance can only be described as effortless. Oscar will recognize him. Leo is poignant as the eternally optimistic fading star. I could’ve spent 10 hrs luxuriating in the world of this film. A wonderful look back at a bygone era. That ending was a total WOWZA. Very moving. Adore this film‬ so damn much.

3. STAR WARS THE RISE OF SKYWALKER

‪I grew up with this Saga. It’s hugely influential and I will always have a soft spot for the adventures that take place in Galaxy far, far away. Don’t listen to the naysayers and go in with childlike wonder and you’ll realize StarWars The Rise of Skywalker is Babu Frik-en Awesome! It’s everything you want from the end of the entire series. Hugely satisfying & emotional with non-stop action. Wept openly when a familiar hero showed up. Palpatine was a pure horror movie monster. Loved the culmination of the Rey/Kylo dyad. I want to say more but won’t get into spoiler territory. This is a great Christmas film to see with family on the biggest screen possible. Wowza!‬

4. PARASITE

‪Bong Joon Ho’s PARASITE is stunning and absolutely bonkers. I don’t want to spoil to much but this is one of the most original films of the year. Layered storytelling with compelling characters who insinuate themselves into others lives to a frightening degree. I’ve already said too much. See it! This film is definitely Oscar bound.

5. KNIVES OUT

‪KNIVES OUT is damn spectacular! The film is an extraordinary modern take on the whodunit genre. It’s CLUE for the new generation. It’s also a biting satire of the upper class. I didn’t want it to end. One of the year’s very best. What a fantastic megastar cast. Daniel Craig is sensational. Ana De Armas is tremendous. Captain America is the ultimate lovable douchebag. The film is both hilarious and suspenseful. It’s so well-written with plenty of twists. Stay away from spoilers. This is pure entertainment!

6. AVENGERS ENDGAME

‪Avengers Endgame is a satisfying, epic finale to the most ambitious movie series ever made. Way more somber & morose than anticipated. Reminded me very much of a DCEU film in many ways. Epic in both scale and emotion. Tony’s final words will echo through eternity in the world of comic book films. It broke every record imaginable and deserves all the accolades. Deserves a best picture nomination but I won’t hold my breath.

7. MIDSOMMAR

‪Midsommar is Nick Cage’s Wicker Man on meth with a steroid chaser. And yes, both films have someone wearing a bear costume. The craft on display is next level; shots, editing, cinematography are all top notch. Such a disturbing film. Florence Pugh gives a powerful performance. ‬This film stayed with me for weeks after I saw it. It does what all great films do: It casts a spell and bewitches you.

8. THE IRISHMAN

‪The Irishmen is Scorsese making the anti-Scorsese film. This is the ugly, seedy, quietly decrepit side of the Mafia. Gone is the thrill of being a MobStar. Replaced by old guys who are falling apart & willing to turn on each other on a dime. Pacino is glorious as Hoffa. Deniro is stellar.‬ This genuinely feels like the end of an era. Grew up watching these guys take over the world and now they’re feeble powerless men with broken souls. A tragic tale and Scorsese’s final word on the underworld universe that made him and his crew famous.

9. SHAZAM

Shazam is pure joy injected straight into your heartmeat. An ode to 80’s films like Goonies, Monster Squad, Big & The Golden Child. Zachary Levi delivers a delightful performance as do the kids & family. Fantastic action, great villain. Top notch VFX and heart. This film has so much damn heart. The Foster family and the message about how a good family gives you strength, confidence and morality is spot on and perfect for the times. It’s the quintessential family film of the year. The post credit scene is “super” AWESOME.‬

10. 1917

‪I implore you to see 1917 on the biggest screen possible & eschew the screeners. You will be dropped into a harrowing, hellish warzone. This film makes you feel like you were there. They should just give the cinematography Oscar to Deakins now. The one takes will go down as legend (I know it’s supposed to be one continuous take but I spotted at least 3 digital cuts. Still an impressive feat). Such a High-anxiety Wowza film. ‪We are inundated with explosions in movies but 1917 has an explosion that’s absolutely terrifying in its realism and verisimilitude. Made me jump out of my seat. This is one of the best films of the year. Filled with Indelible images. What an achievement by Sam Mendes.‬

11. DR SLEEP

Doctor Sleep is an audacious, sparawling horror film with multiple storylines that payed great homage to both the Shining & its sequel. One of the best & scariest films you’ll see this year. It had a scene that pushed the envelope of child violence that had me squirming in my seat. Ewan is stellar as adult Danny Torrance & newcomer Keliegh Currran gives one of the great child performances of all time. There’s a flying sequence that may be the most original moment of flight ever committed on film. Outdoes any Superman flight scene. This is one of the most terrifying films I’ve seen this year. A great time at the movies. Highly recommended.

12. JOJO RABBIT

‪I was profoundly moved by JOJO RABBIT a beautiful, bittersweet comedy about love, empathy and overcoming hate that is driven by fear and lies. Scarlett Johansson is positively luminous in the film. The boy is incredible. This film should not work & yet it had me in tears. A beautifully directed film and one of the best of the year.

Special mention to GLASS, ROCKETMAN, AD ASTRA, HUSTLERS, READY OR NOT, CRAWL, ESCAPE ROOM & BATTLE ANGEL ALITA. All hugely entertaining big screen experiences.

Happy 2020 Folks!

Be good to one another. Be kind. Be driven.

Your Friend, D.

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cinematrips · 5 years

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Pokémon Detective Pikachu (Non Spoilers)

For as long as I can remember I have been in love with the Pokémon franchise. I watched all the shows, bought all the cards and played all the games, so it shouldn't be any surprise that I was looking forward to this movie very much.

Pokémon Detective Pikachu is about a guy called Tim who has just found out that his father who worked in the Ryme City police force, had died in a car crash. Tim visits Ryme City to say his goodbyes to his father, but finds his dad's Pokémon partner and they can hear each other. Tim discovers that there may be more to his father's death, so Tim and Detective Pikachu try to solve the case.

It's no myth that Video Game movies have not done so well in the past. In fact the only one I hear that is universally loved is Mortal Combat. I've like a few myself such as Rampage, The recent Tomb Raider and Prince of Persia. However none of them are blow your socks off great.

However Detective Pikachu was such a blast of a watch. It's funny, heart warming, and keeps you engaged at every moment. A big win for this film is similar to what Black Panther and Alita: Battle Angel did, and that was build a living breathing world with interesting characters that made you believe you were there when watching it. The chemistry between the characters was well done as well, in particular the relationship between Tim and Detective Pikachu.

Ryan Reynolds as Detective Pikachu is just as amazingly brilliant as you'd think he is. As always Ryan Reynolds is able to give a fun, heartfelt performance while also being able to hit those sad and dramatic notes. You will believe that this small yellow mouse is real and talking.

This film uses Pokémon in super creative ways and doesn't keep telling you what they are and what they can do, just what you need to know. A standout scene that is partially shown in the trailers is a interrogation of Mr Mime.

The Soundtrack was a nice blend of keeping to what the games and shows sounded like and originality at the same time. The film was also filled with references that didn't feel like they were just trying to remind you that it was a Pokémon film. There was so many all over the background and front that I'm sure I have only seen the littlest amount.

It's not a perfect story, has some issues. Some jokes didn't land with me and the CGI was a tad iffy at times but for the most part it worked out.

I hope to see more instalments in the future, Possibly visiting new different characters in the world with different scenarios. Such as a film about someone trying to win the Pokémon League, could be a underdog sports type movie where our lead is using his team of Pokémon to become champion. I also hope that this means other companies will start producing better Video Game movies now.

I had a fantastic time when watching this film and had a even better time when i saw my favourite sleepy bear, Snorlax holding up traffic by sleeping in the road. and with that I give this film a 8/10

#pokemon #Pokémon Detective Pikachu #cinema trips #movie review #review #nintendo #the pokemon company #pikachu

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