Anonymous Review

review and anonymous thoughts for films of all kind. beware of spoilers

[anonymousreview]

The Furthest Ends Awaits

Dir.  Chiang Hsui-chiung

              When I read the synopsis for The Furthest Ends Awaits, I read it with a slightly different visual of how the film came out to be. It peaked my interest, and once I dived into the story it had me taken back a bit, however the delivery of the film was not hurt. As a matter of fact, once I understood how the story was conveyed, it was better than my anticipation.

               Director Chiang Hsui-chiung creates a Japanese drama about the worst of times, deep struggle, broken families, but also the best of times, family bonds, and relationships.  Ends Awaits takes a smooth transition in tone, from an almost depressing tone to elevating into an uplifting one. This makes the story completely coherent and structured, but at literally a minute less than a two hour run time, the film may seem drawn out. The pacing is slow, but t it’s meant to be that way. It feels like you’re watching each characters day to day life, but at the same time it’s nothing insignificant. Every scene adds to the story. If you are one to not keep interest in slow pacing, this wouldn’t be recommended. However, the story is drawn out and detailed, something I enjoy the most and support wholeheartedly.

               What interested me the most was the double plot points. Initially the film started with the kids, Arisa and her younger brother, struggles with their mother and poor living. Their life gets intertwined with Yoshida’s and her newly opened coffee shop. The plot shifts during the ladder half of the film, as mentioned before the tone smoothly transitions and so does the plot point. It moves to Yoshida, and why she is as significant to the story and as a character. It was an underlying plot that was hinted in the begging in and then blossomed at the end, as if it was her story to begin with. In the final moments of the film, I learned that wasn’t the case, the film was in fact all of theirs.       

            The film had great quality; everything was smooth and very natural. The setting was a great pick. It seemed that nothing was even set built, the locations and housing were very nice. Every time I see a Japanese film, it’s always reflected like that. Another aspect I can say the same is in the acting. The actor’s and actresses are superb; they practically are the characters and bring out the best in their roles. I think it’s because seeing unfamiliar actors/actresses, we don’t label them into a specific role. It makes films seem refreshing and new, this one being no different; A well balanced story where the roles have the most significance.

Verdict: 9/10 “A refreshing story, seeming well drawn out but brings the story to nice close knit”

[anonymousreview]

Hacksaw Ridge

Dir. Mel Gibson

              There have been a lot of World War II films out there. It’s pretty much the most popular war film theme to be made. Now, there are a bunch of stories to be told about it but few to be fresh. It was nice seeing that Hacksaw Ridge included a refreshing spin to the World War II genre. From story, to characters, to setting, Hacksaw Ridge definitely proved its worth with only a few hiccups.

               Hacksaw Ridges story about Desmond is extraordinary no doubt; a man who takes up an impossible task and carries out his duties faithfully and successfully. I thought that his story on the big screen carried that out no different. For a film that was over 2 hours long, it had a good balance of background story and the plot. Half of the film was about how Desmond became so faithful in his beliefs along with how he came to serve in the military; also included family and his wife’s background. Now that alone was interesting to see. For that first hour, the tone is uplifting and bright; depicting a peaceful civilian lifestyle, romance, family life, and even comedy during the basic training. Soon after, that tone escalates darker and more serious as Desmond faces challenges and eventually deployment.  This transition is quite smooth and reasonable for a war film as it displays the changes in scenes and setting. Of course, this dramatically changes the latter hour of the film where they fight for Hacksaw in Okinawa. Again, that tone transitions from despair and violence to more sentimental hope and even suspense; this being a smooth laps. Everything is very coherent and the story is very easy to understand. One area that makes this true story adaption a wide success is because of that fact, it makes the film easier to enjoy and even emotional invested. The film is different, displayed a different perception on war films, something most to all audiences haven’t seen before; including me.

               The characters were well written. I think Vince Vaughn killed his role as the Sergeant. Andrew Garfield was also vey sufficient as Desmond. One area though is that besides Desmond, all the other characters seem to fall under your typical World War II stereotypes. You have a company of soldiers and they all fit a specific trait. This does play it safe; however most of the characters weren’t even significant enough. As important as it was for Desmond to save everyone, I wasn’t attached to anyone besides Desmond.  There were only brief moments where I got to know everyone else; maybe the only one being the introduction at boot camp.

               As for “format”, the film was done quite nicely but very simply. The setting is in 3 major places, basic training camp, the home town, and Hacksaw. I think Hacksaw was a good portrayal of a barren war land of nothing but bodies and trenches. The prosthetics and effects were neat and simple but there was a lot of CG; like every explosion was super noticeable. The flamethrower aspects were great however. The creative cinematography for the long fighting sequences were great, it kept the battle looking fresh and engaging. I think Hacksaw only won best editing academy award because of these scenes. It takes a lot of cut shots to make those sequences appear smooth. In my opinion, I think cinematography did better. There were some off cuts; one being the transition from end of court trial to bedroom scene. There was no context of anything and it was very jumpy. The sound mixing was as impressive as it won either, personally didn’t like the muting in the trial scene. It didn’t give me the affect it aimed for, mainly because it happened for too long. I think the soundtrack and effects were well matched, on the flip side.

               To reiterate, I think Hacksaw Ridge was no doubt an impressive war film. What makes it such a good film is its unique take on the World War II genre.

Verdict: 8.5/10 “An interesting true story about hope instead of tragedy, one that was done quite well on the big screen”  

[anonymousreview]

Manchester by the Sea

Dir.  Kenneth Lonergan

So it won best original screenplay, and Casey Affleck went home with a shiny gold trophy. Oscar winner don’t win for nothing, in some shape or form they deserved it. Manchester by Sea has proved itself to be a nominee but also a likely winner for its script (in which it did win, but I can’t judge since I haven’t seen all the nominations). It a compelling story that will hit you in one fashion or another, where the audience response is to simply feel bad for every character.

               Main point number one: the screenplay, the story, the heart of any and all films created. For Manchester by the Sea, it was written pretty well (fine ill admit, very well). It was organized to gradually expose the story and explain why such events took place, why characters act and respond the way they do, etc. The film has a good start, its engaging. We’re introduced to Lee, a character who I never understood at the beginning. He’s an off type of guy, doing things and responding to scenarios that normal human being wouldn’t respond in the way he does. This is the same for a few other characters and events, and its because we don’t have context to them until the story gradually unfolds. That is where the film shines, I was questioning everyone and everything but as the background of each subject was revealed, my perspective changed on everything. I started to feel terrible about Lee, he’s a nut job and by the end of the film I sympathized for him.  One thing that Manchester had done well was recreate scenes that had similarly happen in the beginning and recreating it again, with context, made me see the scene from a different point of view.  

                  Getting back on track, Manchester by the Sea was dramatic film that didn’t feel over dramatic. It was sad, and had a monotone (kind of depressing) underlying tone. However, it was interesting and engaging. The film is much paced, sometimes seeming a bit slow, but there are enough fulfilling scenes that it doesn’t always give out. I think the story was received well because it was a perfect fiction placed in a setting of reality and in the realm of “if this could happened, this is what it would be”.

               Of course, an aspect that really kicked off the film was the acting. Casey Affleck deserved his role as Lee, the character was really complex. He was incomprehensible at first but with context, I understood why Lee acted in the way he does throughout the film. The supporting actors/actress also played a crucial part in making film believable.  I think Patrick was good as a second lead; however unlike Lee, his character was never explained. Patrick’s response seemed off, however if implied I could understand him (that sounded so complicated (why tho?) but trying not to spoil here.). Also, I wished this hadn’t been set in Boston.

               In “film format” the film bland in the sense of cinematography. There weren’t many close ups, but the film was a wide view. In a way, it lacked intimacy, however it was unique in a sense that it made the film stand out and gave it its own view. There wasn’t very much soundtrack, which added to monotone depression. Besides that, Manchester was quite fulfilling.

Verdict: 8.5/10 “A very compelling emotional drama following a character one can really feel for”

[anonymousreview]

20th Century Woman

Dir. Mike Mills

From A24 films (my personal favorite production studio), comes 20th century woman. Directed by Mike Mills, he creates a very contemporary story that feels timeless and unique. The film depicts a story about individualism and relationships.  

20th century woman was set in the year 1979, a time when there was a lot of social and cultural movement and change. The film focuses within the punk rock music area, slight hippy alternative and feminist culture, showing the end of its era within the more “youthful characters”.  The setting was perfect to set the stage for the film since it follows along the theme of change and transition. Mills does really well was making the film and the setting of late 70’s feels “timeless”. Sure the cars, clothes, and music were part of the package but it didn’t feel outdated. The story wasn’t history but felt modern and relatable. The setting could have been placed in almost any time, but after seeing this I couldn’t think of anywhere better to set it.

The story was entirely about the characters. There was no real “plot” or adventure, instead t we were involved with character development all the way through its 2 hours runtime. Each character was written terrifically well; everyone was detailed and given personality traits that made each seem natural. The roles were casted really well; it’s because of the acting that really brought each character to life. I liked how the film was organized with one coherent trope but took the time to fit each characters background. Smoothly, we see brief bio’s from each of the main 4 characters. It helps give context to the story and what role the characters had. It also makes each of them more relatable and connectable, as well as helping how they will play a part in Jaime’s (main protagonist) life.

The premise goes as follows: Jaime is set to get help and grow as a “man” from each of the characters, excluding William. The story is all about each of them as individuals and depicts the relationships with not only Jaime, but with each other as well. It gets kind of deep, but not too complex. The dialogue is easy but educated and casual; by the end of the film, you’ll know the premise and be satisfied. A factor that is really important for the film is chemistry between the actors and their roles. Just as stated before, they nailed the part.

There were only minor flaws, being some jumpy cuts; mainly due to the style of cutting from action to a conversation very quickly. Also, the film isn’t perfect of course, it seems to get really low tempo here and there. Of course, the film is meant to be slow and “detailed” (for lack of better word) but there were areas that were unexplored when it should’ve. An example, when Dorothea was asked out for dinner, that never made a cut; it was merely just presented and died out, we saw the guy once more but nothing fulfilled. Instead we saw more relationship development with William, a bit unparalleled. However, most the scenes were significant.

Verdict: 8/10 “a contemporary display of characters, love, friends, and relationships during a complex time from the dying of the 70’s era”   

[anonymousreview]

Logan

Dir. James Mangold

So let’s jump straight into it. The most, and probably the only, disappointing aspect of this film were finding out that the false rumor of a no credit scene was in fact true. Logan ended, and it just ended; Plain and simple. However, looking at the rest of the movie, it definitely didn’t need one.

Logan, Hugh Jackman’s last time playing the character he was meant to be, the wolverine. He has never disappointed in his role, as a matter of fact, he has mastered it and perfected it through every film he’s been featured in. Logan is when he reaches enlightenment. Old man Logan is above the expectations you’ll ever set, he depicts the old and retired like wolverine the way it was meant to be; we have that rated R to thank. From his foul language to brutal fatalities, Hugh Jackman went all out for this role; it almost brought me and everyone else in that theater to tears. Honestly, it probably did bring some tears without a doubt. It didn’t hit me until I left the theater that this would be the last time we’d see him in those shoes, nobody else can really walk in them after that; Logan set the bar pretty high.

The film runs for almost 2 and a half hour long, and not a single moment went to waste. I can definitely confirm that you’ll be on your toes each minute; Logan never has a dull moment to spare. This is such an advantage because it makes the movie shorter than what it is, because audiences are so engaged. The story was coherent and logical. In the simplest aspect, the film was about a road trip; a journey at that. There are “bumps in the road” during their trip and some changes in events but it all escalates to one climax, a simple story road map. It keeps the film enjoyable and not complex. The factor that makes the Old man Logan adaption so spot on is because of the Logan’s R rating.

If it wasn’t for Deadpool, Logan wouldn’t have been the masterpiece it was. Hugh Jackman would not have gotten the farewell movie he deserved, and in after watching that movie, and dumbed down PG-13 rating would have done damage if anything. Wolverine is made to savage and depicted without censorship; he’s violent and gruesome with a touch of sincerity here and there. With Logan, we can finally see the full scope of what that is. Now, there were some scenes that deliberately included R rating images, I’m sure only to qualify the movie as being so. However, it wasn’t depicted in a fashion that was thrown in the movie; it was done smoothly and fit just fine.      

There are some areas that make me question a perfect score. Like the exploration of character. In Logan, all the mutants are gone, there are hints to what has happened but nothing truly answered (comic book readers know I’m sure). There are only three original mutants in the film, most likely the last. One of them (no names, no spoilers) was a supporting role but had his significance, but I don’t think we knew enough of him to see why he was in the story. It made sense why he was there during the timeline but some background would have cleared up the story; these are just my personal opinions of course. Another factor was the ending. Not giving away anything but, personally I felt like some ties were left loose, not bringing closure to a story that was meant to have complete closure (or at least I think so…).

Overall the best qualities were the depiction of Logan without a rating restriction and a new point being the realism the film had. Even though it was obviously fiction, the setting and actions of the characters and “rules of the world” were entirely placed in realism. The year was past 2020 and everything looked logically of how it might look during those times, not like a sci-fi adventure film. I think films that incorporate fiction and realism together in unity are fiction works done extremely well. It accomplishes the “what if” question.

Verdict: 9.5/10 “it’s sad to see Hugh go, but he didn’t leave wolverine without a proper goodbye”

[anonymousreview]

Arrival

Dir. Denise Villeneuve

There are two types of films. Those that set to be blockbuster hits and those that are created based on originality and independence. Arrival is set out to become original and independent, a film that is true to an artistic form of storytelling and cinema.

Arrival gains points for a number of reasons. The first, and main one, is its story. The script for Arrival was exactly what made this film. Genius, complex, engaging, and very unique is just some qualities that make it something new. Arrival is a sci-fi film that is told in a way that I have never seen before, and it blows my mind. It’s a mystery drama that keeps the audience guessing every moment, and still manages to progress the film with a steady pace, revealing bits and pieces as the run-time draws near. As we dive deeper into the story, everything becomes more complex but also comprehensible. It was a perfect set up! Aliens and time travel being merged in a coherent manner was something almost never put together, not to mention even being thought of as a good combination. The best stories are the ones that give you some minor hints and only bits of information, then adding onto that as the story is expanded. The climax is when we understand the full scope of the story, pull back and see it through an entire view and connect the dots. By the end of arrival, I was left with an “OOOOOH” factor, coming to realization what significance every scene and every piece of information had.

Another strong area was how the film was organized. Of course, the writing was written in a nonlinear fashion, purposely wanting the story to be mixed in with scenes from one area of time to another. The placement of each scene was perfect and didn’t feel “in the way of”, It was part of the story and coherent. Arrival had terrific editing when it comes to that. It’s no easy task to edit one setting in time into another one while keeping continuity and coherency. However, they were cut at the right time and moment; also done very smoothly, not choppy. Along with visual editing is sound editing, the overlapping sounds and dialogue from the other point in time to the current added and expectations to see a shot from where it came from. This added smoothness, and was included when it was required and not overlapping other sounds.

After finishing Arrival for its second time, it was near impossible to find flaws. The acting wasn’t 100% however; the characters weren’t too exciting either. They were substantial for the story, but it was the actual story that made this film worthy; the character being a catalyst. Sure, some characters weren’t explored at all, however they weren’t meant to be. It was all about one person, being Louise. On another note, the soundtrack was amazing, a unique and abstract deep music that added mystery and suspense.

Arrival truly set a new bar for originality. A script that is compelling in all aspects, it’s hard to find a story that breaks genre barriers and story tropes; leading to something far beyond fresh.

Verdict: 10/10 “A new spin to sci-fi while delivering something you won’t expect but will leave you surprised.”

[anonymousreview]

Pacific Rim

Dir. Guillermo Del Toro

Who doesn’t like a good old fashion Kaiju vs Mecha fight; I sure as hell do. Guillermo Del Toro takes a fresh approach on executing an action packed story, recreating how Kaiju monster movie are really all about.

Pacific Rim was one of 2013’s most commercially well-known films. It had a lot of good expectations which didn’t leave entirely unfulfilled. It set a reminder that Kaiju movies should still exist, and should approach a more “fun” oriented tone. There were a lot of pro’s and con’s for Del Toro creation and approach.

The film was a success in the sense of its “fun” tone and focus on action. There was nothing dark or eerie about the film, just simply mankind saving them with giant mecha’s. The story was coherent and very easy to follow. It wasn’t complex or really “explored” in any aspect; I think Del Toro really sought out to create something every audience could enjoy. It was very surface level, but also very safe. The same goes for the characters, none of them were complex at all, however this has had drawback because every character seemed really “scripted”. They didn’t appear real or believable. As far as chemistry between characters went, well it’s the same.

In 2013, Pacific Rim had some pretty good CGI. As a matter of fact, that entire film was created through a green screen and computer graphics. The Jaegers looked amazing however, and the Kaiju’s been original and also had nice visuals. The combat was engaging and there was never a dull moment throughout the scenes.  The visual team did a good job on creating how giant monster and machine would move and actually fight; that being a steady and heavy movement for each blow.  

One thing I appreciate from Del Toro the most is his casting. There were no Hollywood stars in the film, many unknown but given an opportunity to shine in a Hollywood film. The cast was diverse and included a Japanese role for a Japanese actress, Rinko Kikuchi (one of my favorite Japanese actresses to star in the American industry). Although the acting was not perfect and the dialogue was also much “scripted” they didn’t do a terrible job. In fact, I would blame the cons of their chemistry and acting on the writing, for its very basic and surface approach.  The fact remains, Del Toro puts the right people in the right role.

Pacific Rim is no perfect film. The best aspect is how fresh it feels. We need more Kaiju movies such as this with a laid back tone and something has pure enjoyment. However, it dulls in basic areas, giving drawbacks to the film. Scripted dialogue, scripted characters, and dull editing, only bring down points in their favor.

Verdict: 6.5/10 “A refreshing American Kaiju movie that actually hits the nail, reminding us that those films can still exist and the U.S. can do it right, if we tried”

[anonymousreview]

Inglorious Bastards

Dir. Quinton Tarantino

Quinton Tarantino is iconic for making films like Kill Bill and Pulp Fiction, in all honesty he’s known for all of his films. Inglorious Bastards is by far my favorite of his collection. It’s a masterpiece World War II film that has a much lighter and more enjoyable tone for its theme.

Tarantino is a legend in the film director world, there are a lot of reasons why he’s so well-known and received but to put it simply, he’s a genius story teller. Inglorious Bastards doesn’t fall short none the less. Splitting his stories into chapters makes the film easier organized and better to follow. Each chapter is significant because were watching the most important parts of an entire story. I could re watch this film over and over because every scene is just as good as the last.

There are 2 major points that make this film terrific (me personally anyway); Those being, the characters and dialogue

Now, one area that doesn’t get added points but also doesn’t drop points is the fact of having unexplored characters. Each character is explored and displayed according to their significance in the film; therefore every member in the bastards isn’t important. In reality we only really saw a handful, the others played sidepiece parts (but that didn’t hurt the film). However the characters we did see a lot of were amazing. Each had a very unique persona. Aldo “the Apache” was a well written character, Brad Pitt fit his role almost too good. The same goes for Waltz character “Hans” (arguably the best written character in the film). They all had specific traits that are recognizable, making them iconic.

The dialogue is very natural but also written with precision. This is because each characters dialogue is fit to how they would speak. Hans sounds intelligent but very persistent (almost creepy) and Aldo is just straightforward with a lot of southern slang. Also, the conversations between each and every characters engaging, not missing a single point. The first chapter is a perfect example of how the conversations are developed into climax. (I’m so fond of the dialogue, I remember lines form a few scenes. Just so good!)

Inglorious Bastards is filled with a bunch of scenes I consider to be memorable. It has moments that make a good film a great one.  The Bear Jew scene; Donnie beats the German officer and the whole escalation of the scene was perfect. Tarantino holds my favorite scene in a film hands down.

Verdict: 10/10 “Quinton Tarantino proves he can master a WWII film with a fresh spin off”

[anonymousreview]

Solanin

Dir. Miki Takahiro

If there is one thing that Japan cinema does right, it’s definitely films based around music. Solanin makes no exception. A film that journey’s the audiences around a couple facing difficulties in life and overcoming a tragedy.

Solanin just passes a 2 hour runtime, one of its drawbacks being the long storytelling (ironic saying that I 100% support drawn out screen time). The film gets more interesting the latter half of the run time but the first hour is really just telling a story leading up to the second hour. Almost like a very, very long prologue. Not to say it’s entirely boring but it’s all about how Taneda’s and Meiko’s life suck at the moment, along with more genuine flashbacks and moments to keep a balanced tone. A positive aspect is in the characters, they’re not complicated but relatable in their time of hardships. The chemistry between the couple is good, pretty natural. That also goes for the group of friends as well. They all had individual traits that really set them apart from one another and each actor/actress fit their roles extremely well (I’m a huge fan of Kengo Kora and Aoi Myazaki, so glad they worked perfectly together.)

The climax hits when Taneda commits suicide. Now, it was to be expected at a certain point, however Taneda’s character did a poor job at displaying signs of depression or hinting towards his resolve.  I was personally being lead on (so gullible) to the fact of Taneda actually coming back home, only because his dialogue and expression were displayed sincere. That was true for all the other moments of Taneda’s frustrating scenes. The point is, Taneda didn’t have good character development, and even though I’m a huge Kengo Kora fan, his acting aligned with the off character development. On the bright side, the plot point really kicked off Meiko as a character and the rest of the band.

The film branches off into an aftermath plot; where it truly focuses on Meiko (it always was but, even more so by this point).  After the tragedy strikes, the story became more engaging. It’s all about how each character reacts, and each one had their own way of doing so. I liked how each of them didn’t split away from each other; rather it was the complete opposite. It made the tone change from bitter to sweet; something that enforces emotion.  Meiko sets out to finish what a Taneda wanted to accomplish (in a way), she didn’t want the band to die. We could see that her goal wasn’t necessarily for Taneda but for herself, reaching her peak in character development.

Verdict: 7.5/10 “enjoyable and overall worth a watch with a strong finish”

[anonymousreview]

La La Land

Dir. Damien Chazelle

La La Land is definitely a film that surprised me with its worth. When one thinks a musical (Disney makes an exception), the next thought is “it’s probably lame” but La La Land will prove you wrong. It has caught my attention through the 12 Oscar nominations is has been given, so I thought “this film has to be good for something.” It is, and here’s why:

The story of the film is the same as the main character’s it follows; Mia and Sebastian are two lovers who both have aspiring dreams for themselves but share a compassionate love at the same time.  La La Land is about how each of them go through life (as a couple mainly) striving to fulfill their dreams, it follows a simple “up and down” complex of joy and struggle.  It’s a simple story but achieves an important factor, that being emotional attachment and enjoyment. Mia and Sebastian were meant for each other, and audiences drool over how their relationship unfolds. Their characters are also very likable. The film was toned as a musical, making it very fiction but the performances and dialogue were very natural. For example, the dinner scene (when Sebastian comes back from tour) was so well written, the relationship went downhill fast and I felt engaged and enraged but I was attached. Lastly, that scene proved why the casting choice was surprisingly amazing. (Bringing me to point 2)

Let’s get it out of the way, the worst point of the film was that neither Ryan Gosling nor Emma Stone could sing (They tried; brownie points for that). However, for the roles of Mia and Sebastian, they were perfect. It seemed quite off, on a surface level, to cast these two for a musical masterpiece. By the end of La La Land, my judgement was flipped on its head. Their acting was phenomenal, and dancing was amateur but sufficed (the choreography was really good though).  On my perspective, I’ll vote them for best actor/ actress.

They also have my vote for Best original soundtrack (its there’s, that’s a given), Best Sound mixer, and Best sound editing. It’s a musical, they deserve all the above because Damien Chazelle and his production team nailed it. The theme of sound score was jazz, and if you didn’t like jazz before, get ready to be blown away. It opened up the stereotype of jazz being calm, light, and a slow beat genre. Instead it explores jazz to fit every scene in La La Land, ranging from excitement to sorrow.

In the miscellaneous factors, cinematography was really good and creative. Pretty brave in the type of shots they included. In hand with camera work is editing, which was also very creative. It fit the musical, fun and took a “play like” style.  Editing was one of the best aspects this film presented. Lastly, the sets were very “imaginative”. Highly surreal but I think it sometimes worked in its favor and other times not. For example, the ending contained numerous different sets and it worked well (to the point of apparently making people cry) but one of the draw backs I had was in the space set (when they had the date in the museum/ observatory). That one just didn’t work well seeming really cheap budget.

Overall, La La Land exceeds it good points, painting over the bad.

Verdict: 9/10 “Definetly deserving its 12 Oscar nominations, La La Land has proven that musical are still in style”

[anonymousreview]

Snowden

Dir. Oliver Stone

Oliver Stone has created a film that interprets a biography of Ed Snowden to such a good extent. “Snowden” is entertaining and very insightful, but what makes this film worth watching is how engaging it interprets a story all American citizens should hear. Also, I personally recommend “the big short” as it’s similar to this film in many ways.

The story of “Snowden” is based on real events and a real person. Generally, people know who Ed Snowden is and what he did. This film expands Snowden’s background; when he worked for the government, and the process of him taking steps to exposing them. Oliver Stone executes the film well simply because it’s engaging, and not boring. “Snowden” follows a clear story structure, highlighting various parts of Snowden’s life that keeps interest and has importance.  There aren’t too many dull moments throughout the film. I think what makes the film work so well is how well-crafted the writing was. It was presented like a fiction, a simple story of some guy working at the CIA and it exposes it; while being a true story is like a cherry on top. When it comes to true events, it’s all about the selection of what events are included in the film; what will keep audience’s attention? Stone did exactly that, choosing key moments of Snowden’s discovery about the CIA and data collection, how each of his co-workers and superiors were corrupted, and even mixing in his romance. These are all points you’d see in any film.

The performances were not bad either. I am a fan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt, he did a solid role as Snowden. Although I don’t know Snowden’s real personality (beside the end scene), it seemed to reflect him well. The chemistry between characters were ok, it seemed like nothing was really “intimate” Joseph never really let out truly convincing emotion (it’s tough playing a real person I guess).  The placements of flash backs, where the film really focused on, sometimes felt nonlinear. They went in order of events for the most part but, some seemed unexplored and I almost lost track between Japan and Hawaii.  That is probably what hindered the film the most.      

Overall, I was entirely immersed in Snowden’s story. The aim was to educate in an entertaining way and without a doubt, Oliver Stone accomplished that. The choice of casting wasn’t bad, and the presentation of the “Snowden” was simply good.

Verdict: 8/10 “Snowden really does a good job at educating and entertain, a role model for future true events based films.”

[anonymousreview]

John Wick: Chapter 2

Dir. Chad Stahelski

The first John Wick was something original and definitely something special. It was a one of a kind film that was brought to the table with confidence to become well known and well-reviewed, and it didn’t disappoint. In truth, John Wick could have been a simple one hit wonder, nothing like it could’ve been recreated or even come close to that level of execution. However, John Wick: Chapter 2 doesn’t disappoint. It is a solid sequel to a masterpiece.

Of course, Stahelski doesn’t quite recreate the exact copy John Wick first came out with but he creates a new and refreshed continuity that does a sequel just right. Chapter 2 contains a completely different tone throughout the film. It’s energetic, fast paced, and focuses on the grueling action John Wick is known for. It aims to become a more “fun” film rather than a serious, dark and serious tone the original has. This changes the presentation of the film quite a bit, but it’s perfect. John Wick was adored because of its unique take on action; chapter 2 is all about just that; it’s complete fan service. The result of this is positive because the audience simply just enjoys the lighter tone and heavy action.

As for the story, it is coherent and logical continuity of the first John Wick. It starts off almost directly after the first film; John Wick actually adds closure to that story line, making way for a new plot point. Soon after coming to closure, Wick finds himself not being able to retire yet again. The overall story of Wick is how his past life as a legendary hit man reenters his life and how he can once again escape from it, chapter 2 is no different.  This is how the story stays within good context because is follows the over arcing theme (props to Kolstad, the writer).

The acting is superb; the characters stay within their traits and follow the behavior form the prior film. Nothing changes in the development of any character (including Wick), it’s a nice safety measure.  The new characters are also superb, of course seeing the matrix duo back together was quite the nod, although short lived (but may be expanded on hmmmmm). The action sequences were all spot on, there was so much refreshing combat and “flair” added that it really reminds us how unique John Wick is.  A final point, John has some of the finest camera work in films because of how fast paced the movement is. Each sequence looked gorgeous, capturing every movement and stunt. For action films, it’s important to capture what can be seen and what isn’t framed, and lands it because viewers see exactly what we wanted to see; each take down, how he executes, who gets shot from afar, who’s shooting from afar, everything!!!    

Verdict: 9/10 “of course it wasn’t special like the original, but a damn good sequel.”

[anonymousreview]

Creepy

Dir. Kiyoshi Kurosawa

In the genre of suspense and thriller, it is key to keep the audience guessing. The aim is to gradually but mysteriously unfold the story till it reaches the final act, the climax. “Creepy” follows this structure, but in an odd way. Revealing key plot points that should have been unexplored until a later time. The film had a solid start but seemed to drag on the latter half.

With a runtime of around 2 hours and 10 minutes, the first hour is the strongest the film presents. “Creepy” has a very engaging kick off. By starting where the protagonist really builds off his character.  There was great anticipation for those first 10 minutes of interrogation, climax, and then resolve. Once Takakura resigned and, along with his wife, starts a new life at a new home, the film slows the pace. This is good for a suspense film because it’s all about development. The first half of the film is great when taking baby steps. We see that the neighbors are sketchy and the introduction for a person of interest, Nishino. Yasuko, the wife, plays an essential part in the story and also keeping audiences engaged. She continues to persist on making good relations with Nishino, her neighbor, even though he’s sketchy in every way possible.  

At this point of the film, the story branches off into two narratives. One from Takakura, and another from Yasuko. There presents 2 plot sequences from both narratives and we see each develop independently. The film does a good job at creating tension, escalating questions and suspense while keeping both plots at the same level of interest. I didn’t find myself wanting to see more of Yasuko’s home life and her relationship with Nishino more than watching Takakura solve his personal case. I enjoyed seeing a balance of both, and eventually it does come together.

However, when the narratives piece together, the second half (the second hour) of the film comes into play. It was surface level expectations to figure out that Takakura’s case was in fact connected to Nishino’s sketchy character. The story was predictable, but most films are. It was when I saw bluntly that Nishino was in fact a psychopath and kept people hostage that I started to lose interest. The suspense was thrown right out of the window. From that scene on, we saw Nishino’s master plan and Takakura try to still uncover the truth, but since we already know both sides of the scenario, everything just dragged on. It was no longer a game of 21 questions; the audience just had to wait for the climax to eventually hit when Takakura finally caught up with us.

For most of the last hour I just browsed through my cellphone, until the final moments of the film. Takakura, being supposedly brainwashed, kills Nishino, taking the audience by surprise.  Apparently it was all part of some devised plan. It didn’t really take me by too much surprise seeing that the film was definitely about to have closure and “Oh let me just pick the guy who’s cuffed and could definitely try to kill me” have him take the gun. It would’ve been better if the plan was explained, the “twist” or “shock factor” didn’t quite succeed.

Verdict: 6/10 “a strong lower half, but soon deescalated. There was potential, but I have yet to see a great suspense “ 

[anonymousreview]

Ghost in the Shell (1995)

Dir. Mamoru Oshii

When one thinks about the pillars of cyber punk, Ghost in  the Shell (g.i.t.s) is considered one of those most influential pillars. Although the medium takes in the form of anime, in which it revolutionized that as well, it is no fleeting subject in regards to the portrayal of cyber punk/sci-fi. G.i.t.s was truly ahead of its time (both literally and figuratively). It displays aspects of marvelous science fiction, one of the best cyber punk environments and setting, a thrilling story, and even known for deep philosophical themes. A single movie that has branched into its own series of anime and other films (no credit to 2017), g.i.t.s has made a reputation for itself, making it marked in history and creating a vast fan base.

The film kicks off straight into the world that it creates. A brief, cryptic, overview of the setting through text but immediately starts the run-time as if we jumped into the story at a random point in time. This has great importance because the world of g.i.t.s feels natural, making everything connectable. The story of g.i.t.s is a complex one, a crime, thriller drama about section 9, an elite group against criminals specializing in cybernetics of any sort (basically the seal team of hackers). Each member of the group seems just as important as the next when in terms of operations, but in character detail and development, its all about Motoko Kusonagi. 

The character's, particularly Batou and kusonagi, are one of the most intriguing aspects of of this film. That’s because their mysterious. They add to the philosophy behind the film, questioning whats the difference between a cyborg with a ghost (soul) and a human being; when the setting of the film portrays an age when either can be replaced and include a living consciousness. G.i.t.s focuses on Kusonagi because she is vital to the story and keeps audiences engaged as to finding out her identity. It makes you think, raising questions, and ultimately keeps you watching.   

The story and understanding the who, the what, the motives, the how’s, it combines into complexity. This makes g.i.t.s exceptional because it’s not just a good cyber punk action film, but an intricate story within a vast world put in it. Above else its entertaining and enjoyable, highly engaging, and will make audiences watch g.i.t.s at least once more.       

Verdict: 10/10 “An intricate story that has to be seen more than once, it deserves recognition and reputation.”

[anonymousreview]

Delivery Man

Dir. Ken Scott

There are films that could be considered “normal” or “general”. It’s a bit weird to explain but this would be considered one of those films. To be clear, this doesn’t necessarily mean it’s a bad movie, Delivery man was actually a good one. 

Vince Vaughn and Chris Pratt delivered some well done performances. It was all about Vaughn’s character David and how an incompetent man becomes a little less incompetent by founding out what it means to be a father. The films is is a journey and has a very comedic tone, in which it executes quite well, there wasn’t a point where I didn’t laugh at the punchlines (credits to the dialogue). The story was a solid one, an easy to follow and linear script. Because of this, the film aims to be simply “fun”. This is also accomplished quite well.

With some basic moral messages of finding good in oneself, delivery man was exceptionally well as sympathizing for David. As we walked along his life as a meat deliver and other life mishaps, we learn his struggles and happiness, making the film flow from conflict to resolve. The characters, plot, and direction was light and basic but overall enjoyable. 

Verdict: 8/10 “some films aren’t meant to ‘cinema art’, it should be ranked by what it’s meant to be and delivery Man was good in their area.”   

[anonymousreview]

Little Sister

Dir. Zack Clark

The totally perfect film about all types of imperfections, little sister takes the cake for possibly the best independent film of 2016. Fitting into the world of “dark” personalities and applying a real world setting, this film is every “seen” kids desire (or maybe that’s just me).

The story is linear, well written, well thought out, and well executed. Just about every detail and piece of dialogue is coherent and doesn’t fall through a dull moment. At an hour and thirty minutes, the film isn’t drawn out but quite cut to the chase at a good pace (yeah, i wrote that)it felt like enough of each character had fulfilled their significance, those who should've been fleshed out were,making them connectable and very likable; the characters were the heart and soul of this film.

The format of the film definitely felt like an independent film, making it unique; personally this gives an informality to the film, similar to liking home made crafts rather than company made. One aspect that reflected this was the editing, also lead by the director Zack Clark. The very first five minutes of the film were cut tremendously, it incorporated a lot of things but flowed and kept me engaged. It did well establishing the film.

Finally, the direction of the films soundtrack was lined up perfectly to the film. Music in the world of metal and “dark” (best way I can put it, really) has an importance that is essentially a pillar of this culture. Not only does the image and acting of Addison Timlin and Keith Poulson portray it well, but also the song choices and included drum fills. It showed how important music composer is for a film, along with being an example of harmony with setting tone, and align with editing. (credits to Fritz Myers)

When it comes down to what sways my ratings for films it simply this: by the end of the film, can I say I enjoyed it. All films aim to be enjoyable or bluntly put “a good movie”. Little Sister has accomplished that and much more.

Verdict 10/10 “Made to be enjoyed for a specific audience, it accomplished just that, over exceeding expectations.”

[anonymousreview]

Cafe. Waiting. Love.

Dir.  Chiang Chin-lin, Jiang Jinlin

For the first Taiwanese film I have seen, this has left a good impression on them. A film about romance, loss, over comings, and splashes of quirkiness and comedy.

There was so many blending genres is cafe. Waiting . Love. That typically this would’ve never worked out (naturally tbh) but somehow, it did. From the get go, audiences come face to face with the oddness of each character and the setting of the film. Then we gradually understand the story and are following a journey of multiple character developments, including back stories. It all is sequenced so well, you’ll never get lost in the story. The mix of genres was so unique and mixed so well. It was dramatic at times, but it seemed to fit somehow. It made me laugh, in a goofy kind of way. It was odd and quirky but made the film even more engaging. I wanted to see what other wierd stuff happened next, long and behold, this dude just pulls sausage stick out of the hair of the girl he likes. Cafe. Waiting. Love. Threw in a world with magic and fantasy to be a surrealism realism (just watch it).

From the acting, production, and “interesting” script, this was a film that probably shouldn’t have been. However, it did and was nothing but entertaining. It’s not often you find films that achieve 100℅ exactly what they aimed to accomplish.

Verdict: 9/10 “simply accomplished to be quirky, fun, and entertaining”