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Reviews by: @mr.cinemaaa Project Details Director: Shoojit Sircar Screenplay: Ritesh Shah & Shubhendu. B Dialogues: Ritesh Shah Produced By: Ronnie Lahiri & Sheel Kumar Production House: Rising Sun Films & Kino Works Cinematography: Avik Mukhopadhyay Music Director: Shantanu Moitra Edited By: Chandrashekhar Prajapati Art Direction: Pradip Jadhav Production Design: Dmitriy Malich & Mansi D Mehta Costumes: Veera Kapur Ee Fights/Stunts: Aleksandr B & Manohar Verma Sound Design: Dipankar Chaki & Nihar R Samal Make Up: Pia Cornelius & Peter Gorshenin Run Time: 2 Hours & 42 Minutes CBFC Rating: "U/A" Direction & Story A biopic detailing the two decades that Punjabi Sikh revolutionary Udham Singh, an associate of Bhagath Singh, spent planning the assassination of O'Dwyer, the man at helm of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. The story is neatly organized. It has all the important details of Sardar Udham Singh panning from 1919 to 1940 and the story suffuses curiously penned drama of his life in every phase of the film in a detailed manner. Shubhendu Bhattacharya & Ritesh Shah’s screenplay is brilliant in the film's second half, especially in the last hour. The starting and the middle portions have a very complex nonlinear narration that looked a bit boring. Director Shoojit Sircar does a brilliant job with his craft. The way he showcases the Jallianwala Bagh massacre is so gut-wrenching and takes us on an emotional ride. Dialogues are superbly written. “Ek wahi bass apni thi, phir sab apne ho gaye” is the best one for me. Lead Performances Late Irrfan Khan was the first choice to play the lead role. But dear Vicky Kaushal, Irrfan would be so proud from above to watch you put everything for depicting this character. This film is the finest performance of Vicky Kaushal to date and he is outstanding in his role of Sardar Udham Singh. His minute expressions are so natural and he nails the character to perfection. We can feel the pain through his character, especially in the last hour where he carries the wounded bodies from the pool of dead bodies at the Jallianwala Bagh. Banita Sandhu is neat in her limited role as Udham's mute girlfriend while Kirsty Averton does complete justice as Eileen, the girl who helps Udham in London. Shaun Scott is very believable as Michael O'Dwyer. Amol Parashar shines in his short role as Bhagat Singh. The rest of the cast & all the British actors do well in their respective limited supporting roles. Detailed Analysis The first half an hour shows the struggle of Udham Singh to reach London & then proceeds to the fateful day of the assassination. The pace at which it moves is dead slow right from the start itself and the middle portion also doesn't have much effect as it deals with the recce work of Udham & what planning he did he do over the years until the fateful day. The story also does not progress much in the first half of the film. The second half is where it gets engaging with a few interesting sequences like the Bhagat Singh scene, the scenes where Udham talks to O'Dwyer & later to a man near the statue, the investigation & court scenes. Finally, the last 1 hour is the best part overall. The most gruesome portrayal of the Jallianwala Bagh massacre will make you glued to your seats with wet eyes. The pace of the film is a big minus. But if you can sit through it, it will surely make your time worth it. Technical Team Direction: 4.5/5 Story: 3.5/5 Screenplay: 3/5 Dialogues: 4/5 Production Values: 5/5 Music & Score: 4/5 Make Up: 5/5 Cinematography: 5/5 Editing: 4/5 Production Design: 4.5/5 Art Direction: 4.5/5 Costumes: 4.5/5 Sound Design: 4/5 VFX/Graphics: 4/5 Plus Points Vicky Kaushal's Performance Jalianwala Bagh Massacre Episode Cinematography & Production Values Second Half & Last One Hour Especially Production Design & Art Work Direction & Dialogues Few Engaging Scenes Make Up & All Technical Teams Minus Points Complex Screenplay & Non-Linear Narration Dead Slow Pace & Lengthy Run Time Boring Middle Portions Mediocre Subplots Final Verdict A lavishly mounted biopic of an Indian Revolutionary. P.S.: War is very inhuman, you feel like you won but no one wins, only hatred wins! Recommended: YES Mr.Cinema Rating: 4/5 0.5 - Unbearable 1.0 - Avoid 1.5 - Flop 2.0 - Below Average 2.5 - Average 3.0 - Watchable 3.5 - Hit 4.0- Super Hit 4.5 - Blockbuster 5.0 - Mega Hit By @mr.cinemaaa

Reviews by: @thebotreviewer Above Average! Plot: A biographical picture about a world renowned mathematician Shakuntala Devi also nicknamed as 'Human Computer',whose life never stops in reaching to extraordinary heights but is held back in due to her independent approach towards perceiving people and life. Review: The movie is wittingly fun and family entertaining in addition to a major philosophical complicated mother-daughter relationship. The cast is exceptionally delightful, Vidya balan perfectly blended into the reel play with a real life character also leaving a awe of job as seeing her acting graph rising with every layer of her analysed character in the movie.Sanya Malhotra did a good job but her acting wasn't much touching and Amit Sadh naturally amazed with a little impact of his talent for a supporting role and Jissu Sengupta did greatly appreciating work.The screenplay is admirable leaving no cliché dialogues while a good cinematography made the movie near perfect,from recording the rural streets of Bangalore to 90s households of london. Shakuntala Devi's Occupation and Achievements are well known to us and on the movie front her character justification is slightly off the expectations and surprising too. The upbringing of her quick skills in maths from beginning is not very detailed,it's just like she is being carried away with success alone and her struggling days weren't given a specific importance. The movie is supposedly hinting to watch it in perception of a daughter bearing emotions to her mother which undoubtedly remained true to the dedicating part,but the very execution is not intense rather much made dramatic. The conclusion is utterly childish and could be made in better circumstance of matter in proportion to the delivering ideology behind. Overall,the movie is neither bad nor beyond good but is moderately watchable. IMDb: 6.4* By @thebotreviewer

Reviews by: @miscellaneous_media_reviews A Silent Voice, also known as, Koe no katachi, is a drama film released in 2016, and directed by Naoko Yamada. The movie follows Shoya Ishida, a young man looking to make up for his past mistakes. These being his severe grade school bullying of Shouko Nishimiya. A young woman with a hearing disability. A Silent Voice is a near flawless movie, and one that I thoroughly enjoyed. The pacing is my only real issue with A Silent Voice. The film is 2 hours long and at times the pacing really drags. Normally I have no issue with a movie letting itself and the audience breathe, but here it feels a little too slow. I think a lot of this may be due to the fact that the pacing shifts dramatically following the 20 minute mark. For the first 20 minutes the pacing is very quick. There are multiple characters introduced, and there is lots of development not only for them, but the plot itself. However, following the 20 minute mark, the movie switches gears, and begins to move much slower for the duration of its runtime. This creates a whiplash effect, and is what I think causes the movie to feel too slow at times. I think this could’ve been avoided by making this section of the movie longer, so the pacing isn’t quite as fast. It would also give the audience more time to connect to this point in the characters’ lives. There are some scenes later in the movie that could be trimmed to allow this. But again this really is my only complaint, and it hardly takes away from the film. The animation in A Silent Voice is truly astonishing. The world is incredibly colorful, vibrant, and full of life. The beautiful environments and locations create a gorgeous setting for the movie. The animation of the characters is amazing as well, and it really adds to the film. The characters are able to show so much emotion through just their facial expressions and their eyes. This works wonders for a movie that is built around its characters, and their relationships. That being said, the cinematography is great as well. The score is another major highlight of the film. It really sets the tone and atmosphere for the entire movie. This along with the stunning visuals creates an extremely engaging, and emotionally rich film. This is a very powerful movie and much of that is a result of the music. It heightens the emotion you already feel because of the story and characters. It has excellent range as well, allowing it to fit any scene in the movie. Whether that be devastating, tense, uplifting, etc. The main focus of the movie is of course the story and it’s characters. Both of which are phenomenal. All of the characters in this movie feel like real people. They each have realistic flaws, and go through growth and change. Them being in high school makes this even more impressive. This feels like a realistic interpretation of high school, and how drama can unfold. The characters have complex relationships that become more and more fleshed out as the story progresses. Each one of them feels like a deeply layered individual, which adds to the realism of the movie. The arcs that the two main characters, Shoya and Shouko have, stand out in particular. Their part in the story is incredibly beautiful and nuanced. It’s one of the best relationships I’ve seen between two characters in a movie. The character work is incredibly well done, and the dynamics and conflicts are perfect. The story and the writing behind it is also amazing. Development occurs realistically and progress is made slowly. Mistakes are made along the way, and you really see how the characters grow and change over time. These feel like real people, so what they’re going through feels real. The film also doesn’t shy away from its subject matter either. It takes a deep look at bullying, and not only the traumatic effect it has on the victim, but the effect it can also have on the bully. The story also tackles mental health in an incredibly respectful and accurate way. This film deals with very complex and delicate issues, and it does so flawlessly and maturely. The issues these characters deal with are so relatable, it results in us feeling as if we know them. Or if you have had similar experiences it creates a personal, and incredibly heartfelt experience. One that is not only heartbreakingly sad, but uplifting and hopeful. The emotion in this story cannot be understated. The ending to this movie is one of the most emotional and powerful I have ever seen. I’d also like to mention that this movie manages to balance its heavy material with levity perfectly. I didn’t expect this movie to be nearly as funny as it is. The film knows when to pour on the emotion, but it also knows when to take a step back and let the audience experience some of the happier moments. This allows for the darker moments in the story to be even more hard hitting. I think this balance is perfect and it creates a very realistic portrayal of life itself. The characters' lives are filled with ups and downs, much like our own. I loved A Silent Voice much more than I expected to. This is definitely one of my favorite movies I’ve seen so far this year. I think anyone can enjoy this film, and I think everyone should see it. However, this movie doesn’t hold back, and it can be hard to watch at times. If you’re unable to watch that, this may not be for you. But that is in no way a fault of the movie. Aside from the pacing, I think this movie is perfect. It creates one of the best character driven narratives, and emotionally satisfying stories I’ve ever seen. Objective Score: 9/10 Personal Score: 9.5/10 By @miscellaneous_media_reviews

Reviews by: @movieejunkiee Introduction I saw Pulp Fiction last night. I have been SOOOO excited to watch this film because it's one of the best film ever made, and OMG, it exceeded my expectations! I couldn't believe how good this film is. Quentin Tarantino was already one of my favourite filmmakers with Django Unchained being my favourite of his (before Pulp Fiction). His directing is phenomenal, but his screenplays are on another level. The performances he got out of his cast, the soundtrack, and the non-linear timeline are just a few of my favourite things from this film. Directing Quentin Tarantino is one of the best filmmakers ever, and his directing style is very unique. Now, I am aware that he homages/"copies" some filming techniques from other filmmakers, but, in my opinion, I don't think that's a crime. As long as you don't completely rip-off the filmmaker and they're just an influence on you, I believe that that's great. People like, Brian De Palma, Sergio Leone, and Martin Scorsese have formed the filmmaker that Quentin is today. Anyway, he did an excellent job at directing Pulp Fiction. Quentin used a lot of long, one shot takes which really kept you glued to the screen. I also loved the zooms and extreme close-ups he used when either something bad happened or to show the character's expression even more. Another thing I found very impressive was the 360° shots he took around Butch (played by Bruce Willis). A prime example of this is when Butch is on a call in a phone booth and the camera pans around him for nearly a minute straight. It's very impressive. Acting The whole cast did an outstanding job playing their characters. John Travolta was a great cast for Vincent Vega. He plays his character very chill and cool, until he has to bring Mia to Lance's house, where his acting ability really stands out. Uma Thurman was also a perfect choice for her character. She played Mia very mysteriously and discreet, while also being very memorable (and a great dancer). Although the whole cast was outstanding, my two favourite performances were Sam Jackson's and Bruce Willis'. More Acting Let's start with Samuel L. Jackson. Samuel plays Jules soooo well. This might be my favourite performance of his (along with Stephen from Django). His character is very cool, professional, and smart. I absolutely LOVE the monologue he gives (Ezekiel 25:17). It's not only well written, but very well acted. He slowly raises his voice and the "vengeance" gradually shows when he presents his monologue. Now, onto Bruce Willis. Bruce did cause the budget to raise up to $8 million dollars, but it was definitely worth it. He plays an extremely daring, brave, and rageful character. Before Pulp Fiction I thought Willis usually played the same sort of roles, but after watching this, Butch is unlike any character Willis has ever played. I LOVE "The Gold Watch" chapter, it's probably my favourite chapter in the whole film. I think the best acting from Bruce in this film was in the apartment where he is arguing with his wife about forgetting his watch. Anyway, as I said, the whole cast was insane but I just think these two hold the best performances. Screenplay Quentin Tarantino was my favourite screenwriter before I ever saw Pulp Fiction, and now, this is my favourite script he ever wrote. Pulp Fiction is a dialogue driven film with some of the best dialogue ever written. I had heard that this was a great script, but I was simply blown away. I mean, from the very start to the very end you are glued to the screen by what the characters are talking about. Most of the time the characters aren't even talking about the plot of the movie, they're talking about every day things, like Quarter Pounders with cheese, or Le Big Mac, or why awkward silences are awkward. I think that's what makes Pulp Fiction so engaging. More Screenplay There are also so many quotable moments in Pulp Fiction, like: "Zed's Dead, baby", "English Mother fucker, do you speak it", "Does he look like a bitch?" The dialogue isn't the only good thing about the script, the non-linear timeline is also really fun and interesting. Non-linear timelines are very rare. You only see Christopher Nolan and Quentin Tarantino do these types of movies, usually. When you think of a non-linear timeline the word "confusing" comes to mind, whereas Pulp Fiction isn't confusing at all. Actually, piecing together the chapters after watching the film for the first time is part of the fun. Soundtrack As usual, Tarantino's soundtracks are unbelievable. The soundtrack is one of my favourite parts of the film. From "You Never Can Tell" by Chuck Berry, to "Girl, You'll Be A Woman Soon" by Urge Overkill, this film has it all. All the songs fit the feel of the film so well. The music feels like a breath of fresh air after a very tense moment. One of my favourite scene in the film is the dance in Jack Rabbit Slim's. It's a perfect example for a breath if fresh air. Also, the Pulp Fiction theme in the opening credits is sooo cool. It let's you know that you're in for a fun ride from the very start. Tension, Disaster, Suspense Tension, disaster, and suspense are like other characters in the film. They hover over every scene ready to strike. An example of tension is when Butch sees Marcellus walk across the street with a pink box, an example of suspense is the Zed scene, and an example of disaster is when Mia OD's. There are so many more examples that have these extra characters, but the film isn't all serious, it's also hilarious. Quentin knows exactly how to balance tension and humour. He knows when the audience must laugh, and when the audience must be disturbed. Also, he can mix the two, like in the Marvin scene. That's one of my favourite things about Quentin Tarantino. Conclusion This is one of my favourite films of all time, made by one of my favourite filmmakers of all time, starring some of my favourite actors of all time. All in all, the directing, acting, screenplay, quotes, timeline, music and suspense are merely some of the best things about Pulp Fiction. If you haven't watched this cult classic film, I definitely recommend you doing so, but if you do watch Pulp Fiction, actually watch it with no distractions. This is an experience. Anyway, that's today's review. This is one of my longest reviews yet so I hope you guys enjoyed. If so, drop a comment with your thoughts on this fantastic film and my review. By @movieejunkiee

Reviews by: @insidenumbermovies @arnflix.official The Platform (2019) follows a man trapped in a vertical prison with one cell per level. A platform descends each day from the top full of loads of food, therefore those at the top get the most food but those at the bottom get none. For the most part I really liked this film! It wasn’t outstanding to me but it was an interesting and fairly unique concept. It reminded me a lot of the film Snowpiercer! The movie had some good, ominous colour palettes consisting of a lot of cold colours. The cinematography was pretty decent, however on some levels it was quite average. But I’m very interested to see how it was filmed! The movie also had a lot of gross visuals that left my stomach churning! The characters are all interesting and I loved the mystery surrounded most of them! For a film with a lot of important characters, it manages to pull it off quite well! I mainly liked the protagonist and often felt myself feeling pretty sorry for him. The film was draining to watch, but in a good way! There was a really intense sense of dread throughout the whole movie and this kept the story constantly entertaining. It took a lot of shocking twists and turns and ended up getting very dark and disturbing, I was surprised by how messed up it was. It particularly got tense in the last half an hour. The Platform has a lot of good metaphors and interesting themes and messages. However, near the very end the whole ‘metaphor’ thing gets a bit too much and left me wanting more. I was underwhelmed with the ending but luckily this doesn’t fully spoil the film for me! 3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ By @insidenumbermovies Rated: 18 Running time: 1h 34m In the #future, #prisoners housed in vertical #cells watch as inmates in the upper cells are fed while those below starve. #Arnflix rating, 2.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ #Horror #Thriller #Drama #Sciencefiction#Suspense #film #films #movie #movies Arnflix.com The Platform (#Spanish: El hoyo, transl. The Hole) is a 2019 Spanish #social #science #fiction horror film directed by #GalderGazteluUrrutia. The film is set in a large, tower-style "Vertical Self-Management Center". Its residents, who are switched every 30 days between its many floors, are fed via a platform which, initially filled with #food at the top floor, gradually descends through the #towers levels, stopping for a fixed amount of #time on each. The system inevitably leads to conflict, as the residents at the top levels get to eat as much as they can, with each level getting only the leftovers from the previous ones. The film premiered at the 2019 #TorontoInternationalFilmFestival (TIFF), where it won the #PeoplesChoiceAward for Midnight Madness. At TIFF, the film also secured a #worldwide streaming deal with #Netflix. It was released on the #streamingservice on 20 March 2020. Starring: Iván Massagué as Goreng, named after gorèng, which means "fried" in #Indonesian/Malay. Zorion Eguileor (eu) as Trimagasi, named after terima kasih, which stands for "thank you" in Indonesian/Malay. Antonia San Juan as Imoguiri, named after Imogiri, a #royal Javanese cemetery in Indonesia. Emilio Buale Coka as Baharat, named after baharat, which means spice in #Arabic used in Middle Eastern, Turkish and Greek cuisines. Alexandra Masangkay as Miharu, named after 見張る, which means "to guard, to watch over, to open one’s eyes wide" in Japanese. Eric L. Goode as Sr. Brambang, named after brambang, a Javanese word for shallot. Mario Pardo as Baharat's friend Txubio Fernández de Jáuregui as Chef Trailer 👇👇👇 https://youtu.be/6gVAIx7OeyI By @arnflix.official

Reviews by: @augustkellerwrites @aydakifilmsever @ryan_the_nixon The only clear positive of Red Notice is its cast. Johnson, Reynolds, and Gadot are interesting draws, which only highlights how disappointing the rest of the movie is. A production that snagged three A-listers would hopefully possess more substance. Red Notice isn't necessarily bad but it definitely isn't good. It simultaneously looks like an expensive blockbuster and a cheap knockoff. The decent CGI is grossly overused, smothering every action scene in inauthenticity. This artificiality extends to the production design as well. Red Notice tries to be global and elaborate, but is failed by limited sets that shrink the world it attempts to construct. Meanwhile, although the cast is famous, their acting is underwhelming. Gadot is wooden and Reynolds' constant quips are downright annoying. Johnson plays his usual role, which isn't much but is fine. Perhaps this is because the material is largely uninspiring. There is a twist that keeps the script from being completely unoriginal, but that only helps so much. In the end, this all adds up to a film that is shallow in every sense. Red Notice may be easy to advertise but is totally void of craft. Writing: 4/10 Direction: 4/10 Cinematography: 6/10 Acting: 5/10 Editing: 5/10 Sound: 6/10 Score/Soundtrack: 5/10 Production Design: 4/10 Casting: 8/10 Effects: 5/10 Overall Score: 5.2/10 For more of my work: https://guskeller.wixsite.com/moviefilmreviews By @augustkellerwrites Herkese selammm 👋🏻 Bir kaç gün önce Netflix'te vizyona giren Red Notice'ı izledim ❤️ Bitireli bir kaç gün oldu ama filmin ilk etkisinden çıkabilmek için eleştiri yazımı biraz erteledim. Genel olarak fikrimden bahsetmek gerekirse sahip olduğu ekip ve 200 milyon dolarlık 💸bütçesinden dolayı ortalamanın en azından bir tık üstünde bir film çıkarabilirler diye düşünmüştüm. Fakat beni o konuda hayal kırıklığına uğrattı 😔 Blogumda bu film hakkında bir yazı yazıcağımdan dolayı eleştirmen gözümü açmıştım 👀; filmdeki bir çok mantık hatasına, gerçeklikten uzak yanlarına ve hoşuma gitmeyen bir çok detaya rast geldim. Diğer bir hayal kırıklığımın sebebi ise tamamen kişisel. Son kısmı -filmin vurucu kısmı- hoşuma gitmedi. Ama o kısmıda fazlasıyla beğenen oldu izleyiciler arasından. Sahip olduğu güzel ekip için izlenebilecek bir film. Eğlenmek için izleyin ve bu sayede zevk alın. Zaten film Rotten Tomatoes'da eleştirmenler tarafından %36 alırken, izleyiciler tarafından %92 aldı. By @aydakifilmsever Red Notice 2021 12A Director: Rawson Thurber Starring: Dwayne Johnson, Gal Gadot, Ryan Reynolds, Ritu Arya, Chris Diamantopoulos etc When an Interpol issued red notice, the highest-level warrant to hunt and capture the world’s most wanted goes out, the FBI’s top profiler John Hartley (Dwayne Johnson) is on the case. His global pursuit finds him smack dab in the middle of a daring heist where he’s forced to partner with the worlds greatest art thief Nolan Booth (Ryan Reynolds) in order to catch the worlds most wanted art thief the bishop (Gal Gadot). The high-flying adventure that ensues takes the trio around the world, across the dance floor, trapped in a secluded prison, into the jungle and, worst of all for them, constantly into each other’s company. Wow this film was just a mediocre mess. My first few positives would be the fun background to the plot and set up. As well as strong action, great chemistry between the cast and some good humour. I thought the background into the different eggs and the links with Cleopatra was a fun way to introduce the movie and set up a fun plot to explore, the set up was also fun introducing us to Ryan and Dwayne in a fun way with retrieving the first egg. It was entertaining and fun to watch. The action was also very strong, it was thrilling and always gave the film a sense of fun and entertainment. Dwayne, Ryan, and Gal all shone in the action scenes and looked like they were having so much fun filming it. All three actors had fantastic chemistry with each other and were always fun to watch on screen. And the comedic chemistry between Ryan and Dwayne was fantastic, a lot of the jokes landed well, and Ryan Reynolds further proves that he is a charismatic and funny comedian. However, my first few negatives would be the clunky pacing and how generic and predictable the film was. As well as the poor CGI and bad script. The films pacing was all over the place, randomly ending or cutting to a scene with a new location or title sequence to showcase the rapid change in time. It was often hard to follow and poorly executed. I also thought the film was painfully generic and predictable. Nothing about it was original, taking inspiration from countless other projects before it and never carving anything new out for itself. I could predict every plot point that was going to happen, and it just made it incredibly bland to watch. The script was also poor, the writing was corny and lazy and showed a distinct lack of effort. Relying completely on the talent of the cast but even that could only take the film so far. And finally, there was a lot of poor CGI. Considering the film has a 200 million budget there was some poor visual effects. There were countless moments where there was an obvious green screen being used, or when it was a high risk stunt where it was obvious the animal or actors weren’t actually in the scene, it was surprisingly awful. My final few positives would be the great cinematography, good performances. Some fun scenes and good plot development. The film was visually stunning, with the different global locations leading to some impressive shots and there was some good use of colour grading to make a lot of the scenes stand out a lot more. I also thought the performances were strong. Dwayne, Ryan, and Gal all did a great job. They all had a lot of charm and had brilliant chemistry with each other that always made the film watchable. There was also a lot of fun scenes that really played to the strengths of the chemistry between the cast and their specific talents, the film often had a switch your brain off entertainment kind of feel to it and that’s perfectly fine. Finally, the plot development with the cat and mouse game between the different characters was fun to watch. My final few negatives would be the predictable plot twists. The generic character types, also the corny attempts at character depth and the messy final act. The plot twists that the film attempted to execute were sloppy, predictable, and ridiculous. The film thought it was being clever, but it managed to achieve the complete opposite. It just made the plot even more ridiculous and convoluted to follow and made no sense. I also thought the main characters just had extremely generic character roles that felt very safe for the three actors involved and the film didn’t challenge itself at all. Also, the films attempt at character depth just came across as corny and fell flat. Especially with Ryan and Dwayne’s characters who coincidentally had similar backstories so they felt more connected, but it just didn’t work. And finally, the final act was a complete mess. It was messy, the twist with the characters didn’t work and it didn’t know what it wanted to do with itself. Also, it felt like it had multiple endings just to have lazy set up for future instalments. Overall, red notice is a passable watch. Its switch your brain off entertainment and great chemistry between the three leads makes it fun. But this film has been done countless times. It was lazy, predictable, and bland. I won’t be revisiting this alleged new franchise for a while. Overall score 46/100. By @ryan_the_nixon

Reviews by: @warlioncomics There are a lot of reasons why the original x-factor is my favorite X book. I’m gonna discuss 2 things that are my favorite in the x-factor forever mini-series by Louise Simonson 1)Nowadays we talk a lot about Chimeras & omega level mutants thanks to HoxPox The book follows Apocalypse & Sinister’s rivalry and schemes of their plans fulfillment Apocalypse thinks that no mutants come from mutants linage but humans (Scott Summers is the son of 2 humans , Corsair & Kat Summers) and that baby Christopher isn’t a natural born kid but a chimera created by Sinister (Apocalypse theorized that Scott’s DNA has been tampered with by Sinister & of course Maddie was a clone making Nate a chimera created by sinister and not a natural child) And Apocalypse thinks that his and Sinister’s actions caused the Celestials to come to Earth and thereby dome humanity as a whole , we also got to see a lot of empty X-men vessels and talks about immortality and how Sinister even have the X-men’s personalities Reading this after HoxPox makes me feel that HoxPox was planned decades ago considering that most of the retcons in comics history have been messy and most of the time created a lot of continuities errors more than adding to the continuities 2)Jean Grey’s motherhood being explored in this mini in a way that I don’t think we’ve seen in any other comic before or after that mini Also this kinda ended the debate about Jean’s motherhood to Nate being a Step-parenting or real-parenting as she wasn’t married to Scott at that point and not only that , she at the time refused to marry Scott because she felt trapped in a cycle of manipulations & deaths Of course by the end of this comic she finally realized that Maddie & Phoenix’s feelings for Scott weren’t really manipulations but a byproduct of her feelings towards him as they were her & they (especially Phoenix as Phoenix isn’t really Jean but different entity and not a version of Jean like Maddie ) By @warlioncomics

Reviews by: @thefoxgoestothemovies Wandering the desolate streets of Bad City Iran, she’s on the hunt for any bad men unfortunate enough to come her way. For she is a vampire. And she needs to feast. It’s an astonishing feature film debut by Iranian-American filmmaker Ana Lily Amirpour. Fresh and unexpected, she blends film genres so seamlessly that it’s hard to articulate correctly the type of film it is. Perhaps a vampire western? An existential love story steeped in loneliness and melancholia? A female revenge thriller? It’s all of the above, with references to David Lynch, Nicholas Ray and Wong Kar-Wai. Yet it’s far from derivative, heralding an exciting new voice in World Cinema. It’s also arguably the most stylish and cool vampire film ever made. The Girl with her chador, riding her skateboard in the middle of the night like some dark avenger. But the chador also conveys a sinister meaning - an outsider who’s often silent until she’s ready to kill, she feels like a physical manifestation of our Islamophobia. It’s only when she meets Arash, with his James Dean looks and innocent naïveté, that she softens. And so we get a star-crossed romance, between an age-old vampire and a young man, with deep dark secrets that threaten to doom the pair. With a killer soundtrack and a black-and-white aesthetic, the film could have been too cool for school, an ironic piece of hipster pretence. But Amirpour shows great restraint, enabling us to organically care for the characters even when they do some unspeakable things. It’s a modern-day fairytale love story that speaks to the heart and the jugular. By @thefoxgoestothemovies

Reviews by: @mcneill.and.friends.podcast Score: 7.0/10 The Harder They Fall is a film that I have been looking forward to for the past few weeks. While I think it is a good film, I do not think it is as good as it could have been. The characters and the performances are awesome. Particularly, Johnathan Majors, Idris Elba, Danielle Deadwyler, Lakeith Stanfield, and Zazie Beetz were the standouts for me, but the whole cast is excellent. The cinematography is stylish, the sets are vibrant and the action is entertaining, and I think many people will enjoy the style of this film. The first act kicks off with an amazing start, and I thought this was going to be one of the best films of the year. Unfortunately, the second act slows to a crawl and did not maintain my interest nearly as much as the beginning. Additionally, I do not believe that all of the modern elements of the story work very well, and I found the soundtrack to be overkill and distracting (though some aspects of it work fine). However, the plot twist scene was fantastic, and it completely caught me off guard. Johnathan Majors showcases how strong of an actor he is in this scene, and I cannot wait to see his career continue. The Harder They Fall is a solid western that tells an interesting story about revenge and pays homage to various westerns of the past while bringing its own story and distinctions to the genre; but, in my opinion, it had the potential to be awesome had the pacing been better balanced and the soundtrack reflected the setting. By @mcneill.and.friends.podcast

Reviews by: @imo.movies I watched this on my university course yesterday, looking forward to my first outing into the world of David Lynch cinema. Straight off the bat I’ll tell you I did not enjoy said outing. For the first 90 minutes/two hours, I was quite into this film, because although nothing was making sense, I thought things would become clear towards the end. Instead, things started to make even less sense. I know that this is how the film is supposed to be, but that doesn’t mean I like it. In total honesty, I actually hate this film right now, but I think it’s definitely a case of not liking what I don’t understand. ‘Mulholland Drive’ seems like a film that isn’t intended to be understood in any definitive way, but instead, it can be understood in many different ways by many different viewers. I think if you can find a way to understand this film, then you might love it (as multiple of my course mates do), but I, personally, can’t find any way to understand it. To me, it was all a load of senseless rubbish. I do get the feeling that this movie is a Marmite matter - you either love it or you hate it. If you’re the former, then that’s brilliant. I, however, am undoubtedly the latter 😤 In my opinion, ‘Mulholland Drive’ is… 𝐍𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐥, 𝐦𝐞𝐚𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐞𝐬𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐧𝐟𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐥𝐲 𝐢𝐧𝐬𝐚𝐧𝐞 I give the movie… 🌕🌗 By @imo.movies

Reviews by: @doctorpopcorn_ @thefilmobservatory @famillemanalese Wes Anderson has made a name for himself as one of today's most well-known filmmakers. From his humble beginnings as an indie darling, his distinct style has led to great acclaim and accolades, and has cemented his place in film history. I personally have always enjoyed Anderson's work, and I would consider his films to be among some of the more formative in my journey as a film lover. I specifically remember seeing commercials for The Royal Tenenbaums as a kid, and being very curious about it, despite being too young for it at the time. I ended up watching it as a teenager, and at the risk of sounding hyperbolic, it changed my life. Anderson's use of symmetry, color, and eccentric characters was unlike anything I had ever seen at that point, and I was immediately obsessed. I quickly watched all of his other films he had made up to that point, and I am always excited when we get a new film from him. Despite this, I couldn't help but be a little nervous when I first heard about The French Dispatch. I was particularly concerned that this was to be an anthology film, as I typically don't care for those, and the fact that I was a bit underwhelmed by Isle of Dogs when I saw it in theaters. I still held out hope that he would pull this one off, however, and while I can't speak for anyone else, I have to say that this film is one of the more effective anthology films I have ever seen. The anthology film is a tricky feat, as they are made up of several different stories that must connect in one way or another. Some films connect their segments loosely, while others are interconnected. I personally feel that good anthology films need to have a good framing device to help with pacing and structure, and that this is usually the downfall of a lot of them. Most anthology films also use different directors to direct various segments, so there is usually a bit of unevenness in the finished product as a result. The French Dispatch manages to avoid both of these pitfalls by having it be fully directed by Anderson, and by having a surprisingly cohesive set of stories and recurring themes that make this a truly special film. This film details the creation of the final issue of The French Dispatch, a newspaper based in the town of Ennui, France. Through this, we see three different stories. The first, titled The Concrete Masterpiece, follows a prisoner who takes solace in painting, and what happens when he becomes a surprise success. The next story, Revisions to a Manifesto, details a student protest, and the romantic exploits of its leader. And the final story, The Private Dining Room of the Police Commissioner involves a chef who is asked to help rescue the son of a local Police Commissioner after he is kidnapped. Each of these stories is presented as a different section of the newspaper, and are connected both through the framing device, as well as themes of art and the lasting impact that it can have. Each subject of the stories is an artist in one way or another. One is a painter, one is a writer and political activist, and another is a chef. The film has an interesting way of portraying the way their works impact others, as the stories are largely shot in black and white, but have bursts of color when we experience their art. We also explore their legacies, as each of them carry on into the future in one way or another. It reminded me a bit of The Grand Budapest Hotel, in that I see that film as an exploration of legacy, and how some people can live on through stories even after they die. The French Dispatch explores this as well, but in a much different way. We see how the protagonists of these stories manage to carry on, and we see how the writers of these stories are impacted by them as well. It's hard to fully discuss this aspect without getting into spoiler territory, but these running themes help tie the film together in a fascinating and rich way. A common criticism of Anderson's work is that his films don't have any emotion. I disagree with this, as I feel his films consistently have rather emotionally resonant moments, just filtered through his unique style and the almost deadpan delivery his characters tend to have. This film is no exception, and has some moments that I found rather touching, and some that gave me a sense of melancholy. I also found myself smiling so much during the film, both because of the film's wit and humor, and because of some of the directorial choices that Anderson makes in the film. This film is just so delightful, and Anderson's style shines through beautifully. The production design is spectacular, and the world Anderson creates here feels so expansive and specific. The town of Ennui is so detailed, and it is visually stunning. The use of eye-catching colors is a trademark in Anderson's work, and while this continues here, it's quite impressive how his style isn't hindered in the moments where the film is in black and white. We still get those distinct visuals, and they are still effective even without the use of color. We also get some great camerawork from longtime Anderson collaborator Robert Yeoman, who once again captures Anderson's distinct visual style, and proves to be a perfect match for him. As is the case for most of Anderson's films, this has an excellent ensemble of actors. This film in particular is a true ensemble film, as we only get a small amount of time to spend with each character. The cast is made up of Anderson regulars like Bill Murray, Owen Wilson, and Tilda Swinton (to name a few), as well as Anderson newcomers like Benicio Del Toro, Timothée Chalamet, and Stephen Park. There's not a bad performance in the bunch, but I was particularly impressed with Del Toro, who gives a rather restrained performance, while also making some bigger acting choices that end up paying off. I also like Jeffrey Wright's character, and felt that the segment that focused on him might be the film's strongest. He makes the character feel so distinct without going too big, and the scenes where he is telling his story on a talk show are excellent. I also enjoyed Léa Seydoux, Lyna Khoudri, Tilda Swinton, and Bill Murray in this film, as they are all quite great in their respective roles. I have been seeing people say that this is one of Wes Anderson's lesser works, and I have to say that I don't quite agree with that. This isn't my favorite of his films, but it really hit me in a way I wasn't expecting. There are quite a few things happening under the surface that I found fascinating, and I'm curious to see if I uncover anything else on a second watch. This film has that comforting quality that Anderson's work tends to have, and the themes it explores really resonated with me. I can understand why some might not like this film as much, but I can't help but like it a lot. It's a beautiful exploration of what it means to be an artist, and how art can impact people in different ways. It's a bit of a deconstruction of the creative process, and it feels like Anderson is reckoning with the idea of how his work impacts the public at large. While this will differ depending on who you ask, I must say that his films connect with me and that I greatly appreciate his craft. This film manages to showcase his trademark style, while still allowing him to try new things. Much like any other work of art, this won't be for some people, but as a fan of Anderson's films, I can't help but admire it. Rating: 4.5/5 By @doctorpopcorn_ 3.5/5 Comedy/Romance After editor Arthur Howitzer Jr. (Bill Murray) of The French Dispatch newspaper dies of a sudden heart attack, the publication’s writers collate past short stories and articles fit for a final farewell issue. In many ways, I see Wes Anderson’s The French Dispatch to be like a box of chocolates. It’s intricately designed, with an expansive variety of bold flavours, while not coming together to distinctly form a central focus. Each misadventure and quirky character provide much entertainment value but The French Dispatch’s biggest flaw in my eyes is its structure, which halts it from achieving the levels of Anderson’s more memorable and ambitious The Grand Budapest Hotel (TGBH). However, this doesn’t prevent those small components from tasting so charmingly satisfying, and the world on display is undoubtedly up to Anderson’s wonderfully idiosyncratic standards. Before the Wes-heads redirect their attention to the comments section to explain exactly why I’m wrong and am being too harsh, I’d like to give my overall consensus, as a viewer not particularly acclimatised to his style, and discuss why The French Dispatch has flaws but is still a finely understated treat, amidst the common ‘necessity’ for high-stakes intensity in much contemporary cinema. To start with the good, each segment of The French Dispatch is enjoyable and original in its own way, and that success is due in no small part to the stellar cast. This is a movie that’s driven by A-listers, in which other A-listers, such as Willem Dafoe, Saoirse Ronan and Christoph Waltz, appear in roles so brief that they could be considered cameos, and I’m still marvelling at how Anderson was able to assemble so many of the best talents in modern cinema. Although TGBH had stronger character dynamics and performances in Ralph Fiennes and Tony Revolori, The French Dispatch’s blend of Anderson’s established muses, along with the current dominators of non-blockbuster cinema, is delightful and it makes for one of the best casts of 2021. Owen Wilson (wow) leads the opening of the newspaper, which is composed of a short but hilarious journey through the past and present of the fictional French town of Ennui-sure-Blasé. With young boys drunk on the blood of Jesus Christ poking people with sticks (I think that was more or less the gag?) and satisfyingly framed architecture aplenty, this opening is exemplary of the absurdist comedy and style that Anderson does so well, and I was excited by the prospect of The French Dispatch potentially becoming his funniest film yet. The film gets even stranger when we move to the first of three main stories and meet Benicio Del Toro’s convicted murderer/abstract painter, Moses Rosenthaler, who’s having an affair with his art subject/prison guard Simone (Léa Seydoux). So, pretty much a typical Wes Anderson storyline. This section utilises black and white to demonstrate the past setting, contrasted by Tilda Swinton’s more chronologically modern narration, but Anderson’s intentions can become a bit confusing, as I noticed that the prison setting was also depicted in colour at various points. It felt strange that Anderson therefore seemed to be switching between the two just for stylistic purposes rather than for a more defined reason. However, this storyline’s commentary on the farce that is how much buzz is generated for some splotches of pink surrounded by orange on a canvas (sorry to roast abstract art so badly) is extremely original, and it comes to a fittingly wild and violent conclusion. Anderson has a peculiar ability to craft these tales without clear, apparent meaning that, in their cartoonish and preposterous ongoings, offer a strangely astute meditation on the existentialism with which people float through the sometimes exhilarating and sometimes disappointing mess that is real life. By @thefilmobservatory A weekly magazine covering the world of politics, arts, fashion, food and stories of general interest. After the death of the editor-in-chief, the editorial team decides to publish a final edition to highlight the three best stories of the last decade. My opinion : Wes Anderson still signs a very great film. He paints a fictional France...and we believe in it!! He finds in the cast many actors who always follow him in many films. A soundtrack that is a work of art on its own. An animated scene that concludes this film and makes it even more memorable. By @famillemanalese

Reviews by: @miscellaneous_media_reviews Waves is a drama/romance film directed by Trey Edward Shults and released in 2019. This A24 movie follows a family as they undergo severe tragedy and hardship, dealing with loss, hate, and forgiveness. I haven’t been this blown away by a movie since I first saw Parasite in 2019. Waves is an indescribable experience, and an incredible emotional journey. This film has not left my mind since I first watched it, and it has quickly become one of my all time favorite movies. The visual presentation of Waves is unlike anything I’ve ever seen. As with the vast majority of A24 produced films, Waves has gorgeous cinematography. This movie is filled with so many beautiful shots and colors that it can be overwhelming both emotionally and visually. Waves uses these spectacular visuals to help tell its story and convey the emotions and mental state of its characters. Through the use of color, lighting, camera work, and changing aspect ratios, Waves constructs a visual language. This language helps to convey to the audience a character's inner thoughts and feelings without saying them outright. It also helps to transport us into their shoes and further immerse us into the film. During scenes where the characters are happy and carefree the aspect ratio opens up letting the shot fill the screen. Similarly to how overflowing positive emotions are overtaking these characters at this moment. This also opens the characters up to the audience, it's beautiful and comforting. However during tragic and darker scenes, the aspect ratio tightens, and those black bars begin to overwhelm the screen. This boxes both the characters and the audience in, and we can see how they feel trapped, cut off, and overwhelmed. To an extent, the audience feels the same way, unable to escape what's on screen. Color works in tandem with the aspect ratio to further establish this visual language. During the films more happy, innocent, and carefree times the colors are very natural. The beautiful and vibrant colors come from the real world. Such as with the blues from the ocean, or the pinks of the sunset. However when things take a turn for the worst the colors become unnatural. The colors and lighting come from artificial sources. For example, the uncomfortably bright and violent flashing red lights at a party. As things spiral out of control this natural and organic color is gone and is replaced with something artificial and uncomfortable. This remains consistent throughout the entire film. Whether consciously or subconsciously the audience becomes conditioned to this, just as I was. Whenever flashing lights or harsh colors began to fill the scene I held my breath and feared for the worst. The use of color in Waves is used as effectively as in Perfect Blue. Not only does it paint a breathtaking film, but it sucks you in and doesn't let you go. The sound of Waves is another way the film manages to fully immerse the audience. First of all, the actual soundtrack of the movie works very well. The songs fit each scene they’re in and they perfectly compliment particular beats in the story. They also work as a manifestation of the inner thoughts within different characters as well as their emotions. The original score itself is very effective and is now one of my all time favorites. It perfectly balances a calm, somber, and quiet sound, with something loud, overbearing, and heavy. For its quieter moments it uses lots of traditional instruments, the piano especially. This actually mirrors the calm and serene aspects of the ocean. The louder and more violent parts of the score are filled with electronic/synthesized sounds that overpower the film. Crashing into the characters and the audience, like waves. This is one of the first movies I’ve watched where I was truly impacted by the sound design. Specifically how, again, it manages to immerse the audience. Using very visceral sound effects the movie forces you to feel a character's physical pain. That sound design working with the lighting, the color, the score, and the performances, creates something so real it hurts. The acting in this movie is on another level. Every actor and actress in Waves does a phenomenal job. They each display an incredible range of emotions. Kelvin Harrison Jr., Taylor Russell, Sterling K. Brown, and Lucas Hedges all do a particularly spectacular job. They manage to feel real in scenes where they have to show lots of emotion and when they have to show very little. I fully bought into each and every one of these characters. The characters in Waves all feel so real. They’re each fleshed out beautifully so that you get a great understanding of who they are, their relationship to one another, what they have been through, and how it affects them. The characters feel like real people, they feel like a real family. They are each incredibly flawed, they make mistakes and mess up, but they are incredibly relatable. They are incredibly human. This movie handles very heavy and mature material very well. This movie feels incredibly personal and I think that is because everyone can see a little of themselves in this movie, in one way or another. And much of this is due to these performances and the writing for these characters. The story and plot itself is marvelous. Waves basically acts as a character study for an entire family. It looks at different family dynamics, and the conflict associated with them. It looks at the pressure put on teenagers, toxic relationships, loss, and much more. And despite all of that, it never manages to feel like artificial drama. This feels like it really happened, it feels organic and raw. This story manages to be incredibly tragic and sad, while also being incredibly uplifting and hopeful. This story at its core, is about family, love, hate, healing and forgiveness. Every aspect of this movie perfectly complements those core ideas. It is one of the most powerful, resonant, and impactful stories I have ever seen, and it is told perfectly. I have no issues with Waves, this movie is a masterpiece. The pacing is perfect, the story is incredible, the characters are astounding, the cinematography is breathtaking, and the music is heart wrenching. This, to me, is a perfect movie in every single way. In the last 3 years I have seen 152 movies for the first time. Some of those movies I don’t like, some are just ok, some are pretty good, and there are some I really love. But there are a few movies in that list that are indescribable. They’re these awe-inspiring works of art that shattered my heart and mind when I first saw them. These are the movies that remind me why I fell in love with film. Waves is one of those movies. Objective Score: 10/10 Personal Score: 10/10 By @miscellaneous_media_reviews

Reviews by: @art_fanatic_313 This comic takes place about a year after Batman: Year One and it's mostly an origin for the first Robin, Dick Grayson. Dick is 12 years old and he works at the circus with his parents. One day, Bruce Wayne goes to the circus with Vicki Vale and they witness Dick's parents getting killed. Bruce, as Batman, takes Robin to the Batcave and he leaves Vicki behind, almost dying, because of a car accident involving Batman. The news that Batman has kidnapped a minor reach the newspapers and the other superheroes very quickly and the Justice League decides that it's their job to stop him. After spending some days in the Batcave and after confronting his parents' killer, Dick becomes Robin and together with Batman they meet with Green Lantern to discuss about the situation. This is the most straightforward plot synopsis of this comic I can give. There are multiple side-plots with Black Canary, Joker, Catwoman and Batgirl that really go nowhere and aren't worth mentioning. All-Star Batman & Robin is easily one of the most controversial comics of the last few decades and it's considered by many as one of the worst Batman comics. I understand very well both the people who hate this comic and the ones who love it. As a huge fan of Frank Miller, although there are comics of his I hate, I still always try to find something good in each of his works and I think that there are many good elements to be found here. One of the biggest arguments against this comic is that Batman is acting like a psychopath and that's sort of true, but I think that in order to understand this comic we need to see it for what it is. In this comic, Bruce Wayne has been Batman for not that long and he has already become a legend. This has clearly affected him a lot and it's the reason sometimes he acts in ways people would describe as psychotic. In his mind, he's the coolest motherfucker in the world and whenever that's questioned he feels attacked and without understanding it he gets in defence mode. I think that's why he insults Robin every time he questions his authority and makes fun of him. The Batman in this comic is flawed. He hasn't become yet the almost perfect Batman he evolved to later and he's more arrogant than the Batman in Year One. His biggest flaw is that he doesn't understand yet what makes him what he is. He thinks that he became Batman become he didn't grieve for his parents' death. He thinks that pain makes him what he is and he tries to stop Dick Grayson for grieving, in order to make him more like himself. As the story continues though, he understands that dealing with his pain is what helped him become Batman and by the end he finally let's Dick grieve for his parents. Personally I really loved this journey. This comic is certainly flawed, but Batman's characters growth in it is great and very realistically written. Something else I really liked in the comic is the action, which was really fun. Another thing that's interesting is the multiple different ways that each group of people sees Batman in. He's seen as everything from a god to a psychopath and that's very well written and it makes a lot of sense given the different ways he affects people's lives. Unfortunately, here end the positive aspects of this comic and start the negative. What I hated the most in this comic are the absolutely horrible dialogues. They are just bad and they have no redeeming qualities. The way Batman talks simply feels wrong and no one talks realistically, but that's far from the worst. The worst is Frank Miller's repetition. Frank always loved repeated dialogue and in most of his works I really like that and I think it has actually affected my writing, but the repetition in this is unbearable. At some points characters repeat things again and again and again and again and again for no good reason and it's so bad that it makes me want to rip my eyes out. Another big flaw of the comic is the sexism. In Frank Miller's defense, I really think that he tried to make this comic progressive and at some points even empowering for women, but he failed miserably. Vicki Vale, a successful reporter, sees going out with Bruce Wayne as the best thing that has ever happened to her. Black Canary does end up beating the people who were hitting on her, but before that we suffer through word balloon, after word balloon of horrendous pick-up lines and misogynistic comments. Wonder Woman does try to be a badass, but Plastic Man's horrible sexist comments really destroy her character. Almost all women in this talk like stupid creatures that are dependent on men for any kind of happiness and it really affects the comic very badly. Another thing I didn't like in this comic is Batman and Robin's chemistry. Exactly what I didn't like about it is its absolute absence, up until the end when it's extremely forced. Batman and Robin usually have great chemistry, but in this they kinda hate each other and then without any real explanation they care about each other. I think that Miller missed a few steps in the development of their relationship. Another big problem of this comic is the way that every superhero other than Batman is presented. I think that in the more recent years, with comics like DKIII and Superman: Year One, Frank Miller found a way to appreciate characters like Superman and Green Lantern, but in this they are presented as complete idiots and annoying assholes and personally I don't particularly enjoy seeing them like that. I really don't understand why, but Frank Miller seems to really hate Green Lantern more than any other superhero and it's honestly frustrating to read. Yet another flaw of the comic is the fact that almost all the characters are unlikable. As I said earlier, I understand why Batman acts the way he does, but that doesn't mean that I like him as a character in this. He's really annoying and offensive towards people he shouldn't be. But let's say that's ok, let's say that's understandable, why is everyone else also so annoying though? Robin could very easily be a very likeable and even relatable character, but Frank writes him as an annoying little kid who doesn't appreciate almost anything. Why? Why Frank? Why did everyone had to be so unlikable? This really makes the reading experience less enjoyable. That being said, somehow, maybe thanks to its craziness, this comic manages to be a pretty fun read, so while I probably should, I don't hate it. One of the things almost everyone agrees on is that the artwork by Jim Lee is amazing. In my opinion that's only partially true. Batman is drawn really beautifully and so is Robin. Every action scene is awesome and epic. The cars are remarkably drawn and so are all the surroundings. But, in my opinion, the panel layouts don't really work. Jim Lee is a great artist, but I don't know if he's an equally good storyteller. The placements of some panels feel very weird and multiple times it affects the story badly. Something I really did like is the lettering by Jared K. Fletcher. Throughout this comic we read narration from many different characters and every narration box has a very different style that fits perfectly with each narrator. I especially liked Joker's narration boxes, which capture his insanity in an amazing way, while they're still readable. Overall, while this comic has many flaws, I still enjoyed it and while I certainly wouldn't out it amongst Frank Miller's good comics, I probably wouldn't put it amongst the bad either. It's somewhere in the middle. 6/10 By @art_fanatic_313

Reviews by: @theenchantedpen In honour of Red Taylor's version release, I wanted to share my opinion on the album that touched my heart so profoundly that I was weeping, screaming and throwing up after listening to it. First of all, we are absolutely blessed that we get to be a part of something so heavenly and listen to iconic songs in the mature and grown-up voice of the queen herself, Taylor Swift. Now I know some of you might not like Taylor or her music but this blog only contains my opinion and I hope that you will respect it. Before I begin with it, let me tell you that this album is Taylor's favourite baby and so is ours. Starting with the most ethereal song I have ever heard, I hope you have got your RED tissues because the next song can make you feel so emotionally destroyed, All too well (10 minutes version)(From the vault) (Taylor's version), I can never be more thankful to swifties who constantly asked Taylor to release this song. You know that feeling when you know that a song is going to be amazing but it turns out to be even more of a masterpiece than you expected? YES, that's exactly how I felt with ATW 10 min version. After listening to 'You kept me like a secret and I kept you like an oath' I can safely say that no one can ever match this lyrical masterpiece plus the fact that this song is #1 everywhere even though it is 10 minutes long is so iconic. We will never get rid of this album and we will always remember it ALL TOO WELL just like a sacred prayer. This is rare and we are here to remember it ALL TOO WELL. When it's 3 am and everyone is asleep, I am awake thinking about how astonishing is 'I bet you think about me' because this song will take you to an unknown place and that's when will realize that the love that you are looking for is the love that you had. And then I bet you will think about this blog post but I won't say I told you so ;) I know that he says he doesn't believe anything he hears these days but even he will agree that 'Forever winter' is the most underrated and overlooked song in the album. No matter what, this song will be one of my favourite Taylor Swift songs because her voice is immaculate, the music is so soothing and the lyrics are heart-wrenchingly beautiful. When I heard this album for the very first time in 2012 I was too young to know it gets better but it has and I am speechless. In conclusion, all the vault songs are sensational and I can't believe how the scarf thief is breathing right now. But the true joy is in the songs that raised us, the songs that stood by us in our childhood, the songs that we liked because of the music rather than the heartbreaking lyrics because we were too clueless. State of Grace will forever and always have my heart because how can Taylor write 'We are all alone in our changing minds. We fall in love 'til it hurts or bleeds or fades in time' and expect us to survive that? By now I am sure you all have got the idea as to how much of a chef-d'oeuvre is this album and how much I adore it. LOVING THIS ALBUM IS RED. Now I'll leave you to enjoy the All too well: the short film <3 By @theenchantedpen

Reviews by: @come.and.review Far from Noe's characteristic cinema about "sperm, blood and tears", Vortex is his most intimately emotional film ever. A filmmaker well known for a controversial filmography that often employs graphic violence and nudity directs a radically different film that might just prove to be his masterpiece. An elderly couple's difficulties due to the alzheimer's disease suffered by one of the two might not be a subject that has been seen very often, and the plot involves some clichés regarding the difficulties in common lifestyle of the less young ones, but Noe still manages to find innovation. Through the gimmick of the split screen, he depicts the parallel actions undertaken by the husband and the wife, two halves of the whole, and their adult son. A visual strategy that employs a set of narrow frames, borrowed from László Nemes' Son of Saul but here reimmagined allows the viewers to follow two different points of view on the same plot. Noe's use of the Split Screen is so striking that even the more skepticals towards this technique will most likely end up accepting its greatness. Despite being a much slower, quieter, much less distressful Gaspar Noe film, it is still a work of his at its heart. The orange-tinted colouring dominates most frames, the editing style with the black frames permains. A sense of anxiety, not as distressful as in other Noe films, still is present in those sequences where the effects of Alzheimers shows on the characters. Drug abuse, a recurring trope in Noe's cinema, here is realligned to the abuse of medical drugs undertaken by many elders, as well as the addiction of their son. The main roles are portrayed by Dario Argento, the famous horror film director, and Françoise Lebrun. Argento's notoriety allows to shadow his character in an aura of ambiguousness, which emerges in some aspects of his characterisation such as the references to his infidelity, his strictness in certain scenes and tenderness in others. Françoise Lebrun stands out however more than Argento in her performance. The pacing does become tedious at a certain point. It feels like the film continues past its natural ending point. When the film eventually ends, however, this sense disappears, and an even more emotional final scene ends up wrapping up the entire work perfectly. A film dedicated to "those whose brains decompose before their heart", it is a meditative reflection on mortality and the effects of senility, a family portait worthy of Bergman and Tarkovsky. It is not a traditional Noe film, and perhaps that is its best trait, what makes it probably his best film to date. www.comeandreview.org By @come.and.review

Reviews by: @miscellaneous_media_reviews @dylanandhismovies @silverscreencritiques The Thing was directed by John Carpenter, and released in 1982. The movie follows a group of American researchers at their base in Antarctica, when they begin to encounter strange and terrifying “things.” These creatures can assume the appearance of anyone or anything, and the group must use all of their wits to survive. The Thing is one of my all time favorite movies, and might be my all time favorite horror movie. And I honestly have no real complaints or criticisms about it whatsoever. To me this is a perfect, flawless movie, and your enjoyment of it will mostly come down to your personal preference. Technically speaking the film is again, near perfect. The pacing is great, and the movie never feels slow or boring. The writing is also top tier, with each character avoiding standard horror cliches. The characters feel like real people that make realistic decisions, and this makes it easy to become invested in them. This works along with the personality of each individual. The writing also does a great job explaining the rules for how these creatures work. This film has some of the best practical effects I’ve ever seen. And despite being nearly 40 years old I still think they hold up beautifully. The effects for the “things” in this movie are still miles ahead of the effects for other movie monsters being released today. These effects are easily one of the biggest highlights of the film and are part of what make it such a classic. I’d put the practical effects in The Thing on the same level as those from the original Star Wars trilogy, if not even higher. Another highlight of, The Thing, is the incredible score by Ennio Morricone. It perfectly sets the tone and atmosphere, and creates a sense of dreadful mystery right from the get go. The tone and atmosphere of this movie is unmatched, you feel the isolation, the fear, and the paranoia of each character as their situation gets worse and worse. The setting mixed with this score creates a unique experience that’s unlike any I’ve felt in a movie. The Thing is filled with great acting, with each character being played perfectly for their role. Kurt Russell in particular, is phenomenal as MacReady. My only criticisms of this movie come down to, quite literally, a few moments. Some scenes in the movie have weird audio, that is likely due to its age, but I think this is only in maybe 2 scenes near the beginning. There are also a few weird cuts here and there, but I think they’re funny and add an edge of dark humor to the film, and I think it works well. There are also a few background shots that haven’t aged amazingly, but these are the smallest of nitpicks and don’t take away from the movie at all. I think the story of this movie, the mystery, the threat of the things hunting the crew, and the ambiguity of certain plot points are amazing. I could go on about how perfect this movie is forever. It is, in my opinion, a perfect horror movie. I think it illustrates its themes of distrust, and the fear of the unknown perfectly and creates a movie that is still very creepy, and incredibly enjoyable today. Objective Score: 9.5/10 Personal Score: 10/10 By @miscellaneous_media_reviews The Thing has been a movie that I’ve been meaning to check out for a long time, and thankfully, it recently popped up on Netflix. So, here’s my review! The Thing has been touted as one of, if not the best remake of all time. It definitely does live up to that title. It does help that there aren’t many great ones, but still… The Thing is really great. I think the thing everyone talks about is the practical effects and Rob Bottin’s work throughout the film. For something that was made 39 years ago, it still manages to be gut-wrenching and scary. While computer generated effects have come a long way, nothing beats the tangibility of these practical effects. This, combined with Ennio Morricone’s haunting score creates a very chilling atmosphere where these characters inhabit. The funny thing about Morricone’s score here is that it feels a lot like Carpenter’s scores. Just with a little twist. Carpenter takes on the directing role here and he does a really great job. I think it would be really easy for a normal director to force things to move along, but Carpenter does his thing by letting events unravel. Therefore building the suspense for these rare, and grandiose payoffs. And for a film that takes its time in almost every scene, it always keeps you on your toes. I was always questioning “who is ‘The Thing’ now”, or “who’s next”. I think the only scene that could’ve needed some chopping is probably the opening part with the Norwegians. The way it was executed felt kind of awkward. I think it helped to establish our main players, but it felt too direct, and lacked some subtlety that the rest of the movie (including the ending) has in bunches. My only other complaint is that as the deeper we get into the cast, the more similar these characters get. Some of them share a lot of the same attributes or looks. So sometimes I would lose track and mix up certain characters as it went along. Now these may just be me, but other than these minor issues, I don’t really have much to say. The Thing is a phenomenal film that is the benchmark for practical effects. It’s a great horror/thriller, that with a few tweaks, would be perfect. Almost everyone involved is iconic in their own right; and them coming together creates a hodgepodge of legendary proportions. I feel like this would be a great theatre going experience. Great sound design, great score, great everything. By @dylanandhismovies The film follows a group of scientists in Antarctica. They're researching there when a dog and Norwegians turn up at the camp. The Norwegians chased the dog to the American base in an attempt to kill the dog. The Americans save and keep the dog. But later learn that the dog has an alien in it, and it can shape-shift into other things. I am currently writing and posting this while I'm in quarantine. I rewatched this movie about a week ago, and it was very interesting to watch it again but in a post-2020 world. Of course, I'm talking about the pandemic that basically shut down the world in March 2020, and is currently still happening today. In "The Thing" the trouble all starts when some people from different countries show trying to kill a dog that has an Alien viruss in it. And that virus has fully mutated and has taken out an entire foreign base camp, and has come to another countries base camp. Sound pretty familiar? The scientist who is studying the dog and the alien that is in it grows increasingly worried as he finds out about it more and more. He finds out that the alien can be transferred or spread from living thing to living thing. And he even estimates the time it could take to infect the whole world. The scientist who studied the dog and the alien then locks himself away from everyone else because he doesn't know if he's become infected or if anyone else has become infected. Eventually, the whole film is about distrust and being wary about the people around you. Everyone towards the end starts questioning each other if they're safe or infected and start testing each other to get them to prove that they're OK. I was at a pretty big gathering a couple of weeks ago, and I was worried about the virus spreading to me or my family, and I know it was gonna spread, and well, I'm in quarantine now. I might be reaching with this one, because I don't think this was the original intention with this film, but I think the parallels between the movie and our world today are interesting. Obviously they are two completely different situations, but I think the behaviors are similar. By @silverscreencritiques

Reviews by: @augustkellerwrites @_xkrow_ @miscellaneous_media_reviews @casualpunditry @soyseriefila @ryan_the_nixon Eternals is an overstuffed movie that fails to thoroughly focus on any of its ideas. Recognition is deserved because it touches on some interesting themes and provides light twists that break the ironclad Marvel mold. However, these themes are diluted by a cluttered story, and the twists (though uncommon for Marvel) are fairly standard for films overall. So, while Eternals has some relatively ambitious attempts, it still falls into classic pitfalls of franchise movies. The most fundamental flaw of Eternals is its unclear intentions. Is it creating a cohesive experience, or is it merely a stepping stone to expand a franchise? When the main protagonist (Gemma Chan) has neither characteristics nor an arc, the narrative at hand feels like an afterthought. Meanwhile, side characters are superfluous, the villain lacks pay off, and the tone/pacing are erratic. Furthermore, the themes of Eternals aren’t fully explored. Ideas of autonomy, utilitarianism, and consciousness are introduced but, disappointingly, go nowhere. This lack of follow through applies to the filmmaking as well. Eternals has occasional visuals but is bogged down by CGI barf and bloated action. Ultimately, the movie reaches for respectable goals but fails to commit to a specific direction. Writing: 5/10 Direction: 6/10 Cinematography: 6/10 Acting: 7/10 Editing: 4/10 Sound: 6/10 Score/Soundtrack: 6/10 Production Design: 7/10 Casting: 7/10 Effects: 7/10 Overall Score: 6.1/10 For more of my work: https://guskeller.wixsite.com/moviefilmreviews By @augustkellerwrites Browsing some reviews for the MCU’s latest entry, Eternals, I saw someone say that people are only complaining about this movie because its attempting to be “emotionally mature” when they have gotten so used to kid focused content. I guess to some people emotional maturity amounts to bringing up questions that have already been treaded in previous (and better) movies while posing characters for a model shoot every 10 minutes. Might just be me though. Chloé Zhao latest is a story introducing the Eternals to the MCU – a group of cosmic beings sent to Earth to protect its inhabitants from the mutant “deviants” and help shepherd humanity into the future. Throughout the film we slowly learn secrets that have been kept around the group that in turn lead to huge questions on morality as these characters fight among themselves and others in an attempt to question their own creator. In theory. In practice, however, what we have a colorfully presented story about essentially nothing. Sure, we have a three-act structure. Sure, we have to save the world. But what is undercutting this story is not immortal beings coming to love the existence of mortal creatures or exploring the uncaring morality of a God – but a story about kicking some people around until one of them takes their metaphor too seriously (you’ll understand what I mean if you see it). The main reason for a lot of this is due the fact that the story does a lot more “telling” than “showing” – I heard many times the Eternals say they cared for each other and how they are a family, but aside from the odd paring I did not buy their dynamic at all. This may not seem all that important, but the climax of the movie quite hinges on loyalties that characters hold to one another that we are never aware of. The object through which they defeat the big “bad” is also a “macguffin” that we find out can “operate” in a way just because we are told it does. This all leads to a serious case of information drought that works to isolate me from the characters rather than pull me towards them. Talking more on the characters, at its current stage, the cast is seriously too big. There are way too many intertwined characters being introduced for them to not be the main focus of the story. You could take out about 30-40% of them that currently do nothing more than fluff up the runtime and still be left with a sizable chunk to work with. The motivations of the characters don’t make sense either. Why is Phastos (Brian Tyree henry), the only eternal with a human family, not the main character that goes on to motive others to join? It seems out of all of them, he is the one with the biggest stake. But no, instead, he needs to be the one to be convinced. Makkari (Lauren Ridloff) was also thrown in at the end haphazardly. I’m happy a deaf character was able to join a superhero team and be featured so prominently but she seriously has no reason to be there other than that the script demands all of them join. Same with Druig (Barry Keoghan) who controls humans like pawns to make them stop fighting or Sprite who at no point shows any interest in saving humans and as such tagging along. My problems with Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani) are somewhat personal. It was great to see a south Asian man in the MCU, but did he really have to be the comic relief, when there is another south Asian man who is also the comic relief? And introducing with a Bollywood dance number that’s not even good? For all its claims of representation, it really failed me as a brown man. My point is: There could have been so many points you could have explored with a cast this huge! Fuck telling a story about another world ending threat. Put these characters into emotional tangents. Explore their unique relationship with every single other character. Rather than telling snippets of stories through flashbacks thousands of years earlier, make that be the full focus. Take some inspiration from Scorsese and create a grand opera that builds these characters up (The Irishman’s decades spanning story comes to mind). I don’t want to just see a sex scene and have that be the only point of love! I don’t want just one scene of someone looking at another couple to show their jealousy. Explore these! How do you have more than 2 and a half hours and I still don’t care for half of the characters – and that’s still me being generous. Having ranted enough about the characters, let me quickly touch on the other points of the film quickly. This is probably the most natural looking MCU film, and that probably stems from the fact that it was shot on real locations, so good job on that. But its nowhere near MCU’s best looking film as its being touted – Ragnarok and Guardians (I&II) still take the cake for me. The dialogue itself is stiff and ham-fisted. I never really got a real sense of how each character talks. On the acting front, Richard Madden (Ikaris) feels like the only one trying to give his character an emotional balance. Others are fine but they never really jump out as being good or great. I really wish we got more from Kit Harrington, I was excited to see the Game of Thrones starts reunite on a screen. With all the bashing I have done, it might be curious that I ended up giving it a 3 but I have reasons. For all its failures, there is still an attempt made at exploring all the ideas I have mentioned above, but they all get either the minimal attention or are undercut by bigger, dumber things. But there is still some heart pored into it, and thought it did not resonate with me, I cannot ignore it completely. I just wish with a cast this large, Chloé Zhao could have given us the best team-movie for the series. By @_xkrow_ Eternals is an action adventure film directed by Chloe Zhao and released in 2021. The movie follows a group of ancient and immortal heroes known as the Eternals, as they reunite to combat a world ending threat. Eternals is the latest entry into the Marvel Cinematic Universe, and it is easily one of the most divisive in it’s long catalogue. Eternals is the first MCU movie to get a “rotten” score on Rotten Tomatoes, and is even being hailed as the worst Marvel movie by some critics. I went into Eternals hearing all of this negative press and expected to at best, think it’s ok, and at worst, really dislike it. The trailers didn’t really peak my interest and I didn’t know what to expect. All that being said, I really loved Eternals. This is a very flawed movie that I can’t help but love regardless. One of the biggest aspects of Eternals is it’s characters. The Eternals are made up of 10 heroes. This along with the movie’s villains and side characters creates a massive cast. Unfortunately, this is one of the areas the movie falls short, but not to the extent as some have said. I didn’t find the characters to be lifeless and flat like many did, in fact quite the opposite for the most part. I found myself thoroughly enjoying almost every single character in the main cast, and becoming attached to them. To me each one of them is memorable in one way or another, and none of them were forgettable. Through charismatic personalities, and cool, visually impressive abilities, each member of the Eternals is either an interesting, or likeable character. With the best characters in the cast managing to become well established characters that I really like. However, some characters aren’t fleshed out to the extent they really should be. And unfortunately the worst example of this comes from the movie’s protagonist, Sersi. Sersi has cool powers, and while likeable she doesn't have a strong personality and is very flat overall. This is especially detrimental considering she is in a romance with fellow Eternal, Ikaris. The lack of direction as a character hurts that romance and the story. It’s a detriment to the film that it’s main character isn’t given the same vibrant personality and attention that other characters are. Especially later in the film as Sersi takes a back seat to newer members that have to be introduced. However, while definitely preventing the film from reaching greater levels I don’t believe it ruins the movie. Aside from Sersi every other character is given enough personality and identity to be likeable. Furthermore they are given good relationships between each other to cement the family dynamic the movie goes for. While many thought this group doesn’t feel like a family in the slightest, I found myself believing in the bonds they shared. While these aren’t the deepest characters in the MCU, or in film, I was given enough information to form an attachment to them. I wasn’t left feeling disappointed, but rather intrigued, I wanted to know more. The film gives you a taste of these characters. Who they are, their personalities, their beliefs, their powers, and it leaves you wanting to see more of them. Much of the movie focuses on the group reuniting and seeking out the members of the Eternals after centuries apart. I think the movie makes a great decision in letting this happen slowly. Instead of going from 3 members traveling together to 8, we go slowly gathering 1 or 2 at a time. This allows each character to be slowly introduced to the audience giving them their time to shine. Characters and their dynamics with one another are also further introduced through flashbacks. Eternals uses flashbacks in a really great way. Throughout the movie the story goes back to different points in human history, and we see how the Eternals influenced that period of time, and how they feel about it. It’s interesting and provides for some great moments and ideas. While they could have been given more development I think, aside from Sersi, the level of development the characters receive works for the movie for the most part. The story itself is also one I found myself enjoying quite a bit. The plot is full of twists and turns and forms a complex narrative that I was left very entertained by. It is messy in places and has a few plot holes. As well as some potential gaps or plot holes in the larger continuity of the MCU, but I don’t think any of these issues are that damaging. It was easy for me to overlook most of these issues, but I can understand why someone might get caught up in them. I think the finale does also lose a bit of steam, due to the way the story is wrapped up. The resolution regarding the film's main villain could have been better, and definitely felt rushed. Kro’s place in the story feels a bit weird. He is the main threat in the movie for a while, but once the larger threat is uncovered after a twist he is kind of forgotten about. It’s a bit awkward, and his inclusion in the finale feels rushed and a little lackluster. I feel like he should have just been beaten earlier in the movie, or just been left on the loose, to be finally beaten as a more fleshed out character in a future installment. As it stands his return in the climactic final battle feels very jumbled. His character is interesting, just very misused in the end. Aside from issues with Kro I think the story of the movie works well. It tells a monumental story befitting these all powerful heroes, with an appropriate scale and fitting stakes. I think the twists were executed well for the most part, and I was invested in the story, and the characters' place in it. The world building in Eternals is one of my favorite aspects of the movie. Similar to Guardians of the Galaxy, or Shang-Chi, Eternals introduces a new corner of the MCU. I think the presentation of this is very well done, and it fits within the universe crafted by the MCU. The celestials are imposing and fit well into the story. The Eternals' place in the MCU is also very interesting. Who they are, their purpose on Earth, and their abilities are presented well. Those concepts and ideas, as well as others, are explored in the story and produce a very reflective story and narrative. While it doesn’t always succeed in fully realizing it’s themes, they are very interesting. I found them to work well for the most part, even if they don’t quite live up to their full potential. I can’t get too deep into the ideas present in this film due to spoilers, but they’re some of the most interesting in the MCU. The Eternals are supposed to be protectors of Earth but their actions have profound influence on its people. They have to grapple with the morality of this influence and what it causes. They have also been instructed by the celestials to only intervene in conflicts regarding deviants. Deviants being mythical creatures that act as foils to the Eternals. In having to stand by and watch human conflict knowing they have the power to save lives, the characters are left troubled. These characters, their identities, and purpose are very complex, and it creates a great narrative, with a lot to reflect on after the credits roll. The nearly impeccable visual effects help to display this new world we’ve been introduced to. The CGI is great as usual for a Marvel movie, and the way the Eternals’ powers are illustrated is very effective. The unique style of them helps to differentiate them from the other heroes we know about in this cinematic universe. These elements help to create an exciting new world of possibilities. The more artistic elements of Eternals are also very great. The cinematography for this movie is great. The different visual style introduced differentiates this movie from the rest of the MCU. The world seen and inhabited by the Eternals is one massive in scale. It’s grandiose and magnificent, emphasizing nature and the beauty of Earth. The score for Eternals is also phenomenal. Ramin Djawadi has created one of the best scores in the MCU. Stylistically it feels different from anything that has come before it. The score is very calming, emphasizing the beauty and wonder present throughout this movie. It’s subtle orchestral sounds perfectly accent the grand scale of the film and it’s stakes. This magnificent score adds an extra layer of emotion to the movie through its gorgeous sounds. It also adds a hard hitting and powerful element, which works in line with the power of the Eternals. It’s becoming one of my all time favorite scores overall and is fantastic in every single way. The movie also excels in 2 areas that Marvel often struggles with. It does a great job managing it’s comedy, and displays its action scenes beautifully. The action in this movie is legitimately phenomenal, and continues the MCU’s streak of great action movies. With Shang-Chi producing some of, if not the best action scenes in the MCU. Eternals is right up there with Shang-Chi in that regard. Action is filmed in a way that lets the visuals, choreography, and powers of the Eternals speak for themselves. And due to the power levels of these heroes these are some of the most hard hitting action sequences in the MCU. Each character’s powers are incredibly fun to see utilized, especially in combination with one another. Makkari is one of my favorite characters just because her powers as a speedster are displayed so perfectly. Her super speed is shown so well that it even beats the scenes of Quicksilver in the X-Men movies. I couldn’t be happier with the action, and I’m glad Marvel is continuing to improve in this area. The comedy is also continuing to improve. I think almost every joke in the film landed for me, and almost all of it felt well integrated into the movie. Even more so than in Shang-Chi. The finale and climax of the movie features almost no humor and is all business, which I love. Eternals takes itself seriously for the most part and I think it works to have a serious finale. But comedy doesn’t feel out of place either, and I really enjoyed the jokes for the most part. It definitely didn’t feel like “typical” Marvel humor, and it doesn’t act as a crutch like in What If. Overall I really loved Eternals, and there is a good chance it will become one of my favorite MCU movies following a few rewatches. It feels like it’s own entity, despite referencing the MCU. I think that this is a great movie for those wanting something truly unique and new from Marvel. However, those that like the “MCU formula” can also enjoy this movie. The movie has it’s fair share of flaws, and doesn’t reach the heights it could. The film is definitely hurt by a messy script, and at times shallow characters. The story may also come across as boring to some, considering it’s 2 hours and 37 minute runtime. This is definitely a slow burn that takes a little while to really get going. I can completely understand why someone may be turned off by these issues. While I can see it’s flaws and say this movie won’t be liked by everyone, personally I still adored this movie. Eternals was a very pleasant surprise, and this along with Shang-Chi shows a lot of growth in Marvel to me. This makes me even more excited for the future of this franchise. In my opinion this is nowhere near the worst Marvel movie. I think it is in contention with some of the better ones. I wouldn't be deterred by the negative reviews, and I encourage you to experience it for yourself. It isn’t for everyone, but who knows, you may end up loving it like me. Objective Score: 6.5/10 Personal Score: 9/10 By @miscellaneous_media_reviews I found myself dissecting the movie instead of enjoying it, because the poorly written screenplay took me right out of it. The actors are doing their best, when they're not staring blankly at each other waiting to say their lines. The first thing that felt off was the the dialogue. I found myself thinking, "people don't talk like this ", and I almost excused it since they're aliens. Phastos was the only one that came off as natural and not practiced. The deviants were nearly realized as complex beings with weight and meaning, and then they end up wasted like most of the cast. The flashback structure tried to convey the ever changing dynamic of the eternals' interpersonal relationships with each other and their love of humanity. Only I didn't buy it because they didn't show me, they just talk it all to death. I kept waiting for flashbacks to fill me in on how some of the eternals got to where they are in present day, but it never happened. Instead they expo-dumped everything in the dialogue. So much info and lore. For a film this big in scope and this ambitious, it should have showed me the things it didn't have to tell me in forced unnatural dialogue. I walked out feeling informed. Now I know who they are and I suppose I'm curious to see how they will fit into the MCU in the future. But I'm not rushing to see this again. By @casualpunditry Directora: Chloé Zhao ¿Dónde la encuentro? Disney + Al fin tuve la oportunidad de ver esta película que causó impresiones muy diversas. En resumen, la película nos presenta a los Eternos, unos seres inmortales con poderes que llegaron a la Tierra hace miles de años y se mantuvieron ocultos mientras protegían a los humanos de unas criaturas llamadas Deviant. Su misión (supuestamente) era sólo ésta, y no debían intervenir en el desarrollo de la vida humana (ya sean guerras o incluso los conflictos con los aliens y Thanos). Pero el punto de inflexión aparece cuando los Eternos descubren que la Tierra está a punto de ser destruida. La película no me encantó, pero me gustó. Decir que es de las peores de Marvel me parece un montón. Tiene una fotografía hermosa, efectos visuales muy bellos, y además cuenta con un gran elenco que nos brinda buenas actuaciones. ¿Dónde está el problema? Ahí depende de la interpretación de cada uno. A mí me hubiese gustado más desarrollo de personaje. Y si, se que son demasiadas incorporaciones, pero recién al final de la película comienzan a aparecer esos rasgos que despiertan interés hacia un personaje. La que más me llamó la atención fue Thena porque ya presenta un conflicto a inicios de la historia, y Phastos que formó una familia. El resto medio de meh. La “pareja principal” siento que no funciona. Que se hable más de Druig y Makkari con solo mostrar indicios de que algo pasaba ahí, que de Sersi e Ikaris lo dice todo. El trabajo de Salma con Ajak me encantó, creo que la quise mucho más por Salma que por el personaje en sí. Angelina es hipnótica, como siempre, y no podía dejar de verla. Agradezco profundamente a Gilgamesh, Kingo (y su ayudante) y Phastos, que le dieron al film el humor a lo Marvel que tanto me gusta. A pesar de las críticas y las opiniones encontradas creo que Eternals va a traer más tela para cortar en el universo Marvel. Muchas cosas quedaron abiertas (el personaje de Kit Harington, Harry Styles siendo hermano de Thanos -wtf?-, la nueva misión de los Eternals, etc). Veremos cómo estas storylines se entrelazan con otras películas/series. 🍿 Calificación: 3.5/5 By @soyseriefila 2021 12A Director: Chloe Zhao starring: Gemma Chan, Lauren Ridloff, Angeline Jolie, Barry Keoghan, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Ma Dong Seok, Bryan Tyree Henry, Richard Madden, Salma Hayek, Kit Harrington, Bill Skarsgard, Harish Patel etc Following the events of Avengers: Endgame (2019), an unexpected tragedy forces the Eternals, ancient aliens who have been living on Earth in secret for thousands of years, out of the shadows to reunite against mankind's most ancient enemy, the Deviants. This film proves that rotten tomatoes isn’t always right, and people should make their own opinion. As I really loved this. My first few positives would be the fantastic cinematography and action. As well as fantastic powers and representation. And finally, the fantastic performances and chemistry between the cast. Eternals for me is one of the most visually stunning movies I have seen. And especially from the MCU. The cinematography was unique and large in scope. But also having that rich grounded appeal of an arthouse film, with Chloe Zhao finding the perfect balance between them both. I also thought the action in this film was excellent. It wasn’t overused and balanced well with the rich and detailed plot. But it was always entertaining and felt different and unique to other MCU movies. This is mostly because of the variety of amazing powers by the characters. All the characters had their own distinct set of powers, that were both visually stunning and interesting as a concept to use. I also thought the representation in the film was fantastic. The MCU is finally starting to bring some more diversity into its movies which is amazing. The LGBTQ+ representation was great and the deaf representation with Makkari (Lauren Ridloff) was particularly excellent with the use of sign language. Finally, I thought the performances and the chemistry between the cast was fantastic. The performances from the whole cast were excellent and some of the strongest I have seen in a superhero movie. Particularly from Angelina Jolie, Gemma Chan and Richard Madden who all did particularly fantastic especially with their more emotional scenes. The whole cast also worked well together and had fantastic chemistry, there relationships with each other just felt very natural and believable. Whether it was comedic or emotional they all worked brilliantly together. Kumail Nanjiani had great comedic chemistry with everyone. My next few positives would be the great character designs. The amazing set up and explanation to the plot. As well as the amazing humour, and excellent worldbuilding and themes. I thought the general design of the eternals with their different coloured suits was really interesting and distinguished the different characters well, also making them more God like which fitted with the aesthetic of the film. And the design of the deviants was also particularly strong as they resembled different creatures. I also thought the set up was strong. Establishing the characters normal lives as humans was an interesting way to start. It made me connect with the characters on a more human and personal level which is rare with superhero movies. And introducing the deviants was an effective way to break the norm and set up the rest of the film. I also thought the explanation to the plot and the worldbuilding was fantastic. There wasn’t one detail that was left out of the movie as it was written excellently. With some of the most outstanding and fascinating lore and worldbuilding I have seen in the MCU. Introducing us to a whole new part of the superhero genre. I also thought the humour in the film was particularly strong. It wasn’t overused like some MCU projects. It had just the right amount and the humour worked. With some great gags between Kingo (Kumail Nunjiani) and Karun (Harish Patel). Finally, the film tackled a lot of deep themes. Chloe Zhao really added her artistic touch to the superhero genre, and I loved it. The film was moving and thought provoking and tackled issues that haven’t really been used in superhero movies before. Highlighting the greed and cruelness of humanity as it has grown and how horrible the violence and hatred has become. Which tied in with a lot of the characters morals and powers excellently. This film was not perfect though, and I did have some issues. There was lack of character background to certain relationships. As well as a lack of emotional connection in parts. Also, some of the film was very exposition heavy therefore impacting the pacing. And some characters were underused. I would have liked some more background into certain characters relationships before the set up. Particularly between Sersi (Gemma Chan) and Dan (Kit Harrington) as their relationship felt a bit rushed to me. I also found myself emotionally disconnected in parts. Particularly with the death of Ajak (Salma Hayek) it was very oddly places right near the beginning, and considering she was such an important eternal, and her role was big I found it hard to be emotionally connected to the death. It was oddly placed within the structure of the film and felt out of place. Some of the film was very exposition heavy, explaining every detail is great. But it also impacted the films pacing in parts when there wasn’t a lot going on with the characters. I also thought the deviants were underused and needed to play more of a role within the film. The villain was strong, but I felt like it needed to be in the film more to add more impact. My final few positives would be the interesting elements. As well as the fantastic plot twists and development to the plot. As well as the great character conflict and structure. Finally, the fantastic script and final act. I thought there was a lot of interesting and unique elements added to the film. Particularly with the powers of the deviants taking eternals different abilities and the mythology surrounding them as a race was really fascinating to me and it was well explored. I also thought the plot twists were excellent and developed the plot excellently. They weren’t just used for shock factor, it had relevance to the plot and motivated the characters to change the way they were living. I also thought the character conflict was excellent, not only did it help split the group up more easily. It raised a lot of interesting questions with the films themes and the morals of the characters. I also thought the structure of the film was fantastic. I liked the switches in time and how they were structured within the film. They held a lot of importance to the film and its characters and filled in any plot holes that were created in the present. The script for this film was fantastic. Chloe Zhao did such a good job at adding her intelligence and depth to a superhero movie and a lot of the issues tackled really made me think and it was a great reflection of society. The final act was also excellent, the stakes and the action were incredibly strong, and it ended in a satisfying and conclusive way, whilst also setting up a lot of great new things with the excellent end credit scenes. Overall, despite all the pieces not fulling meshing together. Eternals is a visually captivating and ambitious movie. That takes the MCU in an amazing new direction. Further solidifying Chloe Zhao as a fantastic director. I applaud Marvel for creating something so different and going against the formula. Overall score 86/100 By @ryan_the_nixon

Reviews by: @miscellaneous_media_reviews @thefilmobservatory @filmography007 @ryan_the_nixon @mind_of_a_nerd Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is an MCU film directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, and released in 2021. The movie follows Shang-Chi, a young man, who is forced to confront his past when his father comes searching for him. I was excited for this movie going in, and it still managed to blow me away. Shang-Chi is everything I have been wanting from Marvel. While Loki was a breath of fresh air that had me excited for the future, Shang-Chi feels like a leap in the right direction. Not only is this one of the best MCU movies, but it's just a great movie. While it isn't perfect, I still absolutely adored it. One of the reasons I love this movie so much, and one of the reasons I think it is one of the best Marvel movies, is because it avoids so many pitfalls Marvel is becoming known for. I love the MCU, and while I’m not one of the people who thinks the “marvel formula” is inherently bad, I do think it has its fair share of flaws. Oftentimes movies in the MCU rely too heavily on comedy, which can hurt emotional or dramatic moments. At times action can fall victim to choppy editing and quick cuts, making it incoherent. Many of the movies forgo a sense of individuality for the sake of maintaining the feel of a connected universe. Visuals and filming techniques can be unexciting, and CGI is occasionally overused. Villains are sometimes forgettable and lacking any depth. These are just some of the issues present in many Marvel movies. Not all, but definitely a good few. Even when these issues are present it doesn’t necessarily mean they ruin the film, but these are common criticisms that I can agree with at times. These issues can often hold the movies or shows back. Even the best MCU movies can suffer from at least one of these problems. Being such a big fan of these movies and Marvel itself, these issues don't particularly bother me, but I can see the merit in them. I can also admit that these issues can be annoying and I find myself wishing they would move past them. Shang-Chi, similar to Loki, works to separate itself from many of these criticisms. It feels almost entirely unique, to the point that you may forget you're watching a Marvel movie entirely. While not every MCU movie needs to be completely different from anything we’ve seen before, I think this variety is welcome. With the number of films, and now shows, that Marvel Studios releases every year, burn out can occur. I think these movies are at their best when they take risks, try different things, and embrace the craziness of their comic book roots. The best Marvel movies feel like the visions of directors telling an epic, emotional, and impactful story. Stories spanning several films crafting something fun, satisfying, and unlike anything else. The best MCU movies manage to find a balance between standing on their own as a great movie, and also fitting into the larger story of the Marvel universe. Guardians of the Galaxy, Thor: Ragnarok, and Avengers: Infinity War, are just a few examples of Marvel movies like this. And that brings us to Shang-Chi, a Marvel movie that manages to find this perfect balance. The style of this movie, specifically the look and sound of it, is entirely unique and amazing. This may just be my favorite MCU score. It mixes in traditional Chinese music, with hip hop to great success. It creates a bombastic and powerful sound that helps to elevate the action. But it can also be beautifully majestic, mythical, and magical. It perfectly introduces and immerses you into the new world we discover in Shang-Chi, similar to how Black Panther's score introduces the audience to the world of Wakanda. It’s memorable and unique, and perfectly sets the tone of the film, fitting any scene. The visuals are also a highlight of the film. Like most Marvel movies the visual effects and CGI are as close to perfect as possible. The movie is full of vibrant colors, which sets it apart visually from other MCU films. The cinematography is good overall, with some seriously incredible shots in this film. The designs of creatures, environments, and locations really makes this movie unique. From the creatures inspired by Chinese myth, to the locations displaying adaptations of beautiful Chinese architecture. The setting in China and others in the movie are so different and welcome. They feel perfect for the story, and they're easily some of the best in the MCU. The overall look and sound of this film feels lovingly and thoughtfully made. To me the action of Shang-Chi is where the movie shines the most. This is a martial arts movie and it really nails all of the action. This movie easily has the best fight scenes of any in the MCU. Fights are creative, hard hitting, and each one is different from the last. The story is perfectly integrated into them, and they give lots of great emotional moments. The choreography is spectacular, and they are all beautifully shot. I stated before that Marvel movies can sometimes film action scenes poorly, particularly in the case of hand to hand combat. In Shang-Chi that issue is completely gone. The fights are displayed perfectly to the viewer. They’re shot in a way that lets the choreography speak for them, with wide or sweeping shots. The fights utilize the environment, different weaponry, show character development, and are incredibly entertaining. They never overstay their welcome and I love how they pay homage to classic kung fu or martial arts films. Whether the action is very grounded and simple, or massive in its scale it works perfectly. The action and fight scenes alone are reason enough to see this movie. I think the story and characters are all great as well. Shang-Chi is a very likeable protagonist and he quickly became one of my favorite characters in any Marvel movie. This movie handles his origin story in a refreshing way compared to many superhero origins. Him becoming a hero has more to do with an internal conflict than a physical one, and I really like that. All of the characters are likeable, and their performances are good. Simu Liu does a great job as Shang-Chi, as does Awkwafina as his friend Katy. Their friendship dynamic feels very realistic and avoids the cliches often used between best friends in movies. Tony Leung Chiu-wai is great as Shang-Chi’s father. He plays one of the best villains in the MCU, someone with real growth and change. His actions are reasonable and while his logic is flawed you can understand his perspective. Scenes between him and Shang-Chi are great, and I think they are some of the more emotionally powerful in the MCU. The story itself is great, it's simple, character driven, and fun. It fits a classic hero's journey style story, and I think it works really well. While there is a lot of exposition it doesn't feel unnatural or forced, it fits well into the film. I also like that the movie occasionally uses Mandarin with English subtitles at times. It’s just another way the movie fully embraces its setting. I don’t really have any issues with the movie. The pacing is great, despite it dragging just slightly near the middle. I fully enjoyed Shang-Chi, it gave me everything I wanted and more. It tells a fun, satisfying, epic story. Filled with great characters and an exciting new world within the Marvel Cinematic Universe. The film feels dynamic and different in its tone and visual style from other entries into the MCU. One area I was worried about before seeing it was the comedy. I was worried it would be forced into the film as it often is in other Marvel projects. While it is still pretty typical Marvel style humor I think it's used well, and the charming characters make it work. Additionally, once the movie reaches its third act there is little to no comedy until the end. Shang-Chi and Loki are exactly what I’ve wanted from Marvel. I’m more excited than ever to see if future movies and shows can follow their example in telling new stories in different ways. It’s good to see the issues in many Marvel projects be corrected, and I hope they continue to improve. Shang-Chi is a great movie that I really love. I’m very excited to see more of this world and these characters and how they fit into the coming Marvel phases. I think this movie can be enjoyed by anyone, it stands alone well, so even those unfamiliar with all of the MCU can enjoy it. I can’t wait to watch it again, and I can easily see this moving into my top 5 favorite Marvel movies. Objective Score: 9/10 Personal Score: 9.5/10 By @miscellaneous_media_reviews 3.5/5 Action-Adventure/Superhero Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) lives a regular life in San Francisco as Shaun until, his past catches up with him, and he’s thrown back into a world of violence, tough love and martial arts mastery. SPOILER WARNING Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings (Shang-Chi) is not flawless but, amidst the kinetic kung-fu action sequences and surprisingly good sense of humour, there is a certain level of enjoyability to it that elevates it beyond Marvel’s previous 2021 film entry, Black Widow. Regardless of its problems, it will be at least memorable for its ground-breaking, and unfortunately overdue, Asian representation for superhero cinema. It continues the trend of Marvel’s inability to sustain the same quality of the catalogue that was being put out leading up to and including Avengers: Endgame (I quite liked Spider-Man: Far From Home too) but I did have a good time, all things considered. If you’re hoping for top-tier Marvel action, then… probably just go watch Captain America: The Winter Soldier. Bad joke, I apologise (although you should go see it if you haven’t already)! Seriously though, Shang-Chi does have some of the best action that Marvel has to offer. What’s particularly admirable about it is that it’s unique and defined. Liu, coming from a stuntman background, is more than believable at pulling the sequences off, and one of my biggest takeaways from the film (especially the first act) is that Shang-Chi undoubtedly kicks ass. A particularly impressive fight between Shang-Chi and the masked enforcer of his father’s orders had a certain visual flair to it, with the purple of the city’s neon lights influencing the cinematography at this point, but the strongest element of the sequence was that it felt less like a brawl and more like art. All throughout, the smoot yet sophisticated choreography accentuates the originality and distinction of the film overall, compared to the rest of the MCU. Shang-Chi starts strong and then falters in the third act, largely because of the CGI overload that causes the film to lose its authenticity. The action works at its best when it’s more grounded, so the film shoots itself in the foot when it climaxes in the titular hero firing ambiguous energy beams, while riding a mystical dragon in a computer-generated forest world. Perplexingly enough, after years and years of Marvel being able to hone it, the film showcases some of their ropiest CGI ever. Major use of green-screens and special effects isn’t inherently a problem but the execution of it here is probably the weakest element of the film, as little seemed to be shot on location and the CGI was simply unbelievable, which really takes you out of the experience. It’s often undermining to sequences which otherwise could have been things of visual beauty. A confrontation between Shang-Chi’s parents during their initial meeting was an impressive demonstration of martial arts being so refined that it felt like a dance, but the patchy green-screen was distracting the whole way through. I will elaborate on my issues with the film as a whole but I’ll reorient my focus back onto the good for now. Liu presents a charming, likeable lead in the titular role and, as previously mentioned, he excels in the movie’s action sequences. From not seeing him in a film before watching Shang-Chi, there does seem to be a limit to his acting ability and range but I feel that the script also doesn’t give him too much to work with. Driving the storyline is an interesting dynamic between him and his power-hungry, seemingly immortal father Wenwu (Tony Leung), who puts him through brutal training as a child and ultimately becomes one of the better villains of the MCU. He’s no Thanos but Leung’s performance makes him stand out and his past history of ruling with the Ten Rings adds something fresh to the Marvel canon (and offers potential for a spin-off series, which I think is perfectly feasible, as I wouldn’t have been surprised if a spin-off centred around Black Widow’s sandwich from Avengers: Endgame was announced, at this point). Seriously though, a Ten Rings series set back around the time of the organisation’s beginning millennia ago, as an epic tale of power struggles, conquest and treachery, with creative influence from Peter Jackson or the Game of Thrones team, would actually be awesome, although I know that that epic a property would sadly never happen. Anyway, I apologise for getting off track, so back to Shang-Chi. Liu and Leung confidently sell the family drama, rooted in past trauma, side of it, and I like that Shang-Chi ends in a battle between father and son, as it adds a personal, tragic touch that Marvel films often don’t possess in the dynamic between their protagonist/s and antagonist/s. Another positive aspect was that Liu and Awkwafina, in the role of Shang-Chi’s best friend, Katy, have good chemistry. While I wasn’t sure what she, a regular, non-super-powered-or-trained-in-combat human being, was still doing in the central plot towards the end of the film, her character brings fun and light-hearted comic relief to the table, to balance out the intensity of some of the story beats. Though there was a certain line that felt a bit on-the-nose regarding their ongoing status as friends, I was very happy to see two lead straight characters of opposite sexes not being awkwardly forced by the writers to be romantically involved. Ben Kingsley’s welcome return as the fake ‘Mandarin’, Trevor Slattery, reeled in some good laughs too. It felt ridiculous for him to appear again after his quite literal joke of a character in Iron Man 3, but he was charismatic and funny enough that I could push past it for the sake of enjoyment. Meng’er Zhang, Fala Chen and Michelle Yeoh are all pretty good too, as Shang-Chi’s sister, mother and aunt. While Chen doesn’t get the spotlight, thanks to fridging, she leaves a mark as a mysterious and powerful guardian of the secret haven Ta-Lo, and the graceful love interest of Wenwu. Zhang and Yeoh get plenty of opportunities to be badass, despite the explanation for the former’s fighting ability and skill being ludicrous. However, it’s easy to overlook this kind of issue when the choreography is often so cool. Zhang’s similarly rocky relationship with her and Shang-Chi’s father adds to the central theme of emotional estrangement, while she also portrays well the long-brewing rage at her brother for abandoning her. Yeoh doesn’t have too much to do with her character but she’s a solid addition to the team of protagonists, in the aspect that she adds of immense prowess and experience coming with seniority. From that paragraph, you might be expecting top-tier Marvel, so take heed when I recommend lowering your expectations, because Shang-Chi is fun but there are problems here aplenty. Firstly, the film is a blaring example of what doesn’t work about the ‘MCU formula’, as the film applies to it to its own detriment. While I’ve already gone into detail about how weak the CGI is, there are issues with the pacing and the third act too. The longer that parts of the film went on without an action sequence, the more I lost interest, simply because the acting and the script weren’t strong enough to fully sustain extended sections of things like quieter character moments. Mostly averse to the typical cheesiness and anti-climactic abruption of stories that heavily use flashbacks, Shang-Chi overall does a good job of weaving them into the plot, especially since there’s the hook of interesting world-building in each one. However, they commit the cardinal sin of doing that annoying thing where a character is about to die so they replay some shots from previous flashbacks to remind the audience that they’re meant to be sad about the character dying. While not the main issue with it, this is the kind of thing that made the third act lose its steam. It’s hard to connect with the emotion of a scene that feels such a need to spoon-feed the audience with uninspired dialogue and cliché character moments. Compared to some of the worst comic-book films, Shang-Chi’s third act is far from a mess but I did leave the film with the feeling that it was one of the weaker elements, letting it down. Another problem is that Shang-Chi feels a bit like it’s trying to break free of the mould but that it’s being held back by the aforementioned often formulaic style of the MCU. Smaller things like cameos from Wong and Abomination felt shoehorned in, almost as if the audience wasn’t allowed to forget that this couldn’t solely be a standalone martial arts flick. I took a particular issue with how they utilised Abomination because the trailers were edited in a way that made it seem like Shang-Chi was going to have a fight with him, but he only briefly appears with Wong and then disappears for the rest of the film. In no way is Shang-Chi the first to do this sneaky kind of move but I strongly dislike it when studios do this, as it feels cheap and disrespectful to the fans. Finally, I’m gonna have to say it. Somebody has to. Why did they call it Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings?! It’s comparable to calling Tony Stark’s classic first MCU outing Iron Man and the Terrorists Who Kidnapped Him in the Desert. Admittedly, it’s not really a problem unless you’re writing a review and don’t want to have to keep repeating that long a name. But still, calling it simply Shang-Chi would have been fine, as the eponymous hero is kind of, you know, the main character of the film centred around him. I apologise again for getting a bit carried away, I’ve been reviewing various arthouse films recently and it’s a lot harder to crack jokes about and make fun of various elements of them, rather than blockbusters which are predominantly made to entertain. I promise that that was the end of my direct criticisms of Shang-Chi, in this review. One way that the film builds character and atmosphere well is through the score (composed by Joel P West), which feels more subtle and unique than that of your typical comic-book film. I may be wrong but I believe that, in Shang-Chi’s theme, I picked up on use of the pentatonic scale, a common feature of traditional Chinese music, and the instrumentation seemed to include or imitate the ‘dizi’ (which is like a bamboo flute) and/or the similar, but gentler sounding ‘xiao’. (Disclaimer: my research into traditional Chinese instrumentation only began for the first time around 20 minutes ago from when I’m currently writing this line, so I’d love to hear feedback in the comments if you have any about the ins and outs of traditional Chinese music, to learn more). My ultimate point here is that I appreciate the smaller aspects like music being considered in such detail to pay tribute to and not forget the main character’s cultural background. I dug the score and I’m glad to see the lack of creative restraint that Marvel seems to offer its skilled composers, as it allows many of them to feel separate and defined. Lastly, another major take-away I have from Shang-Chi: holy crap, the action was shot well. The film’s fight sequences serve as the antithesis to Black Widow in this regard, in which they were mostly boringly choreographed and weren’t given enough space to breathe, due to partly sloppy camerawork, and choppy editing. However, Shang-Chi demonstrated much talent behind the camera in this department, and the awesome martial arts sequences were treated with the attitude that every shot counted and that using lots of quick cuts to help cover up things like stunt doubles wasn’t going to be a viable option. The different camera angles that were adopted in these action sequences effectively portrayed every single punch, kick and parry, so that the fights felt more whole and consequently enjoyable. It would be a wise decision for Marvel to double down on these kinds of choreographers and offer them more projects, because their techniques work and can drastically help fights feel more grounded, as they’re taking place in what feels closer to real time. Overall, Shang-Chi is unlikely to disappoint casual martial arts fans. In conclusion, Phase 4 has been a rocky start to the MCU post-Endgame but Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings is enjoyable and promising enough to have been worth the wait. I would recommend this film to fans of comic-book movies and kinetic action-adventures, as well as anybody excited to get back into the cinema for a blockbuster after so long. By @thefilmobservatory 9.5/10 So where do I begin? This film deserved the round of applause it got when it ended in my cinema screen. I won't make this review too long as I will post a longer version with more spoilers on my Tumblr. So the main things that stood out to me in this film where the incredible fight scenes, I love how they mixed the traditional martial arts film style like in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon in the fights scenes that needed to be more fantasy based and happened in the magic realm, and then more hardcore fighting martial arts in the real world fight scenes. For me the magic aspect and the martial arts aspect were evenly balanced, there wasn't too much of either of them so you never got bored of seeing them. I did feel like the big battle scene focused too much on the dragon and not the powers of the ten rings, and correct me if i'm wrong but don't all ten rings have different powers? We only saw maybe 2 or 3 of those powers and they were very weak. I can understand Shang-chi not knowing how to use the rings to their full potential but his father was over 1000 years old and only used the same power and that did get pretty boring after awhile. The graphics and cinematography were amazing though, it’s not often I come out of the cinema and think wow I want to live there. The CGI at the beginning on the bus scene was a bit patchy but they made up for it when introducing us to the magic side of this story and the mythical creatures, such as the Kitsune and the Dragon. The comedy was good, glad Marvel has stuck with that lighthearted feel, it did feel a little out of place or scripted sometimes but it wasn't bad. I'm glad they referenced the Blip and the Mandarin from Iron Man, it really helped bring this film into the MCU and connect loose ends from years before. Oh and the Mandarine, or Tony, I can say he was so funny and I love that they brought him into this film. All in all this was a great introduction to Shang-Chi’s character and his sister's character who we find out has her own plans and her own part to play in the MCU in later years. I'm glad they didn't just toss the sister to the side like they usually do in films. By @filmography007 Shang Chi and the legend of the ten rings 2021 12A director: Destin Daniel Cretton starring: Simu Liu, Awkwafina, Ben Kingsley, Tony Leung, Meng’er Zhang, Fala Chen, Michelle Yeoh, Wah Yeun, Florian Munteanu etc Shang Chi (Simu Liu) the master of unarmed weaponry-based kung Fu. Is forced to confront his past after being drawn into the ten rings organisation. Wow what a film Shang Chi was and one of the strongest additions to the MCU. My first few positives would be the character background and set up. As well as the fantastic cinematography, worldbuilding and action. As well as the likeable characters and performances. I really liked that the film went into the character background for the Mandarin and the mythology of the ten rings and how he got them, with an action packed and well explained opening sequence that set the tone for the film very well, offering something different from the MCU from the very first scene. I also thought the set up was strong, the film established Shang Chi and his life without his dad excellently, making you connect to the characters, but also did a great job at setting up the villain’s intentions well and developing the plot nicely. The cinematography in this film had to be some of the most beautiful visuals I have seen from the MCU. There were so many beautifully shot scenes especially within the action scenes with mid or long shots where you could actually see what was happening. The colour grading and scope of the film was seriously impressive, I was in awe. I also thought the action was probably the strongest I have seen from the MCU. The action was incredibly choreographed, very entertaining, and incorporated Asian culture and kung fu and they were so well shot it was one of the films strongest elements. The worldbuilding was also very strong. This film introduced us to such a rich and beautiful new world, it was beautiful and well explained and really explored in a lot of detail but left more to be explored for the future. This film was like seeing Wakanda for the first time. The film had such likeable characters. Particularly with Shang Chi and Katy (Awkwafina) all of the new characters introduced were instantly likeable and I connected with them quickly. This was also helped by the fantastic Chemistry between the whole cast, everyone worked amazing together, especially Simu Liu and Awkwafina who were both amazing here, and did amazing performances. They both had loads of charm and charisma. Other cast standouts were Tony Leung, Ben Kingsley, Michelle Yeoh and Menger Zhang. My next few positives would be the humour and sound design. The family dynamic and character depth. As well as the fun cameos and Plot twists. The soundtrack for the film was also excellent, it gave the action scenes in particular an intense atmosphere and really elevated a lot of the scenes well. I really liked the family dynamic the film had. Having the villain be Shang Chi’s father and his mother and sister be involved was a great idea. It made the film more personal to the characters and increased the stakes for the characters, they had a connection and the conflict between the different members of the family was very well written. This gave characters like Shang Chi and the Mandarin a lot more character depth. The mandarin was so crushed by his wife’s death because she made him a good man, and his quest to find his wife really gave him some emotional depth, and Shang Chi’s attempt to live a normal life and escape his father’s shadow, but also look for his dads love and acceptance was really well handled, as well as his character decisions involving his sister and his regret over his mother gave his character a good amount of layers. The cameos in this film were a lot of fun, there was a few Easter eggs sprinkled throughout but it still felt like its own film. But having Wong back was a great surprise and that was in the trailer so not a spoiler. I also thought the plot twists were strong. The twists involving the family’s secrets and the new world were well executed, unexpected and added some great layers to the film, it never once got boring. I did have a few minor issues. The villain was underused going into the final act, there was a few issues with the creative decisions in the final act. And there was a slight overusage of flashbacks. I did find that the mandarin was taken out of a big chunk of the film in order to delay the final act and expand the story world more, it would have been nice for his character to be incorporated within the plot as a whole instead of being used for more flashbacks. I did find that there were too many flashbacks. A lot of them served the plot well and had purpose, but some of them felt unneeded and repetitive and were occasionally jarring. There were just a few creative decisions in the final act I wasn’t fond of. There was some overusage of CGI that took me out of a couple of scenes, and there was a deux ex Machina with Katy that was slightly cheesy to me. My final few positives would be the set pieces. Great development to the plot and balance to the villain. As well as interesting elements, great dialogue, and a great final act. The films set locations were beautiful, they really captured the magic of the world as well as Asian culture, the representation for the Asian community in this film was excellent. The plot development was also excellent, the twists gave the film multiple layers to work with, and the different acts flowed well, with constant new elements being added to keep the film feeling fresh. I also thought the film did an excellent job at making the audience sympathise with the Mandarin but also making it clear he was still the villain, as the film showed what kind of man he used to be with his wife I understood him wanting to be reunited with her, but the film excellently balanced this with his cruel and controlling behaviour to make him one of the strongest villains I have seen in a while in the MCU. I also thought there was a lot of interesting elements to the story world. The world of Ta lo was fascinating, and the film went into great detail of the culture and the lives of the people living there which was fascinating. The dialogue was also great, raising great themes of acceptance, family and grief that was excellently told through the lines of dialogue that felt personal to the characters and were very well written. The final act was also amazing. They went all out with the visuals and action. In a thrilling, exciting and breath-taking final act that conclude the story and the character arcs excellently and setting up Chang Chi’s future in the MCU very well. Overall, Shang Chi has a few structure issues and falls into some MCU tropes with the CGI in the final act. But this film was visually stunning, with some of the best worldbuilding and action from the MCU. With star making performances from Simu Liu and Awkwafina. Also, with amazing Asian representation. This has really taken the MCU in a different direction and is one of their strongest origin stories. Overall rating 92/100 By @ryan_the_nixon Everyday I wake up saying “man I am such a nerd”. And it’s movies like this that make me understand why it’s not a bad thing. So Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings was directed by Destin Daniel Cretton who previously directed Just Mercy in 2019. It tells the story of Shang-Chi. A man who is trying to live a life away from his father but is brought back by him for a dangerous task. I was really looking forward to this. I thought the trailers were really cool and I have a soft spot for new heroes being introduced into the MCU. Mainly because we have never seen them before and so there’s this wonder when you go into an MCU origin movie for a new hero and man did I love it. I had such a good time with Shang-Chi. This movie reminded me a lot of Aquaman from 2018 but while Aquaman was a great movie because of its silliness, this movie is great because it takes itself seriously and I think it knocked itself out of the park. Right off the bat the action sequences are phenomenal. Literally after every one was done I said “holy shit that was awesome” and trust me I said that a lot in this movie. The action is honestly really hard hitting and intense and if this director wants to team with James Gunn on a new Mortal Kombat movie, I think it would be the greatest video game movie of all time. The acting across the board was great. Simu Liu proves that he is here to stay in the MCU. He was awesome in the movie and I cannot wait to see what he does next as the character. Awkwafina as his friend Katy I thought was really charming and hilarious. She had the potential to be annoying but for me wasn’t at all. The standout for me here though was Tony Chiu-Wai Leung. This guy as the true Mandarin was amazing. I loved his story and I really loved his performance. No disrespect to everyone else but man he was just so good. The soundtrack for the movie was really good. It reminded me a lot of Black Panther in a really good way. This is gonna sound strange but I want to mention the ten rings themselves. I say that because the way they’re utilized in the movie are amazing. The way they were used in the action sequences were so amazing and I loved seeing them in action. The sound design for them was also very well done. You felt the impact of every time someone was hit with them and it was very well handled. I think the story in the movie was very well done and the third act was legit awesome. Again it reminded me a lot of Aquaman but in all the right ways. I thought the finale was just so much fun and had so many great moments. My only real negative with the movie is that the second act slowed things down a bit. For me personally it didn’t bug me as much as it probably will a lot of people because most that watch movies don’t have patience and claim a movie is boring when nothing is happening. Sorry conversation for another time. Guys I had a great time with Shang-Chi. I thought it was a really great origin story and I can’t wait to see what this crew does next both in and out of the MCU. I’m giving Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings a 8.5/10 By @mind_of_a_nerd

Reviews by: @e.r.f.g_films This movie has fascinated me since I first saw it. It is a snapshot of 90s New York. Although it is the inspiration for movies like “Mid90s” (2018) and is considered a skate classic, I think skating is only a small factor in this story. This film is raw, it is so raw people thought this was a documentary upon first watch. They assumed the dialogue was all improvised. In fact, Harmony Korine (director of Gummo 1997) wrote the screen play for this film. He made the screen play so true life, people mistook it for improvisation. Like the title of this film suggests this is a story surrounding “Kids”- the unsupervised youths of 90s New York. We barely see adults in this film. The main characters are not likeable, in fact they are vulgar and vile. Telly (Leo Fitzpatrick) and Caspar (Justin Pierce) play their roles perfectly. I appreciate this movie for its realisic storytelling, we are really just bystanders, flies on the wall. It is a depiction of young America that is rare to see. It is funny to think that “Clueless” (1995), came out in the same year. Both films are about teenagers in America in 1995 and yet they couldn’t be more opposite. The movie has received a lot of backlash over its young cast. People have said they were exploited and that the movie is basically porn. I often see this film being compared to more recent shows such as “Euphoria” (2019), which also tackles such issues as adolescent drug use and sex. Bearing in mind this movie was made in 1995, production took place in 1994. This was one of the first films to tackle the AIDs crisis in its plot. So, needless to say, it is before its time. This film I think can over step a few boundaries and this is what makes it uncomfortably realistic. The directing is brilliant. Set over the course of a day and a night we follow the boys freely around the city. Often when films are only set over the course of a day it can feel slightly claustrophobic. However New York through the lens of a teenage boy is far from boring. One of my favourite scenes in this movie is the “boy vs girl talk”. It is one of the few humorous scenes in the film. The different conversations the group of girls have compared to the group of boys regarding sex. It is funny to hear the boys say one thing, cut-clip and the girls completely disagree. It is dirty, it is uncensored, it is real. Unlike Mid90s I think you will find this movie is harder to romanticise. You may at times be distracted by the warm colour scheme, baggy clothes and skateboards of New York on a summers day, a city that is lusted over time and time again. But this depiction is gritty. This is not a fun coming of age. In fact it bares more resemblance to “The Lord Of The Flies”, a place of little adult guidance, where the young characters of the story have been allowed to run wild. The ending to this film is heart-breaking, an outcome that leaves you with a sick taste in your mouth. This film is not for the faint-hearted. By @e.r.f.g_films

Introduction I wanted to review Goodfellas, one of my favourite films, because it got the number one spot on the @magicoffilm Filmstagram Top 100. I rewatched Goodfellas for the second time a couple days ago and I truly believe it deserved the number one spot on the list (It's also my 4th favourite film). I don't like to over use this word too much, but Goodfellas is a masterpiece in filmmaking. It is simply top tier cinema. Everything from the adapted screenplay to the beautiful cinematography, Goodfellas is an art piece. My favourite things about Goodfellas is the characters, the acting, the fabulous directing, the script, the cinematography, the music, etc. There's nothing about this film that isn't perfect. I'll go into more detail now. De Niro & Conway Goodfellas has undoubtedly some of the best performances in the history of cinema. The three main characters give fantastic performances (as do everyone else, especially Lorraine Bracco and Paul Sorvino). Robert De Niro as Jimmy Conway is so perfect. From the opening scene as the legendary, 28/29 year old Jimmy Conway, to the phone booth scene, De Niro plays this character perfectly. I especially loved that you can see the difference between his fake and real laugh. Pesci & DeVito Joe Pesci as Tommy DeVito, some could argue, is quite possibly the best performance ever. He takes on this fucked up character with such inner rage that you can feel through his eyes and through the screen. Tommy DeVito is such a complex psycho character and Pesci plays him perfectly. He deservedly won the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor. I would guess the main reason he won Best Supporting Actor was because of the "Funny How" scene. That scene is acting at its finest. Not to mention his speech. That is speeches at its finest . Liotta & Hill Finally, Ray Liotta as Henry Hill. Ray Liotta is such a talented actor and I simply don't understand why Scorsese didn't work with him ever again. He gives his career defining performance in Goodfellas and I just think he's so cool. You can see the transformation of his ego and power. You can also see where his downfall started, and why he ended up where he did. Ray Liotta plays this character as a guy who wanted to live like a king, lived like a king, and then ended up as a normal paycheck worker. He also gives one of my all time favourite narrations, along with Fight Club and Forrest Gump. The tone of his voice and his fake laugh is pure perfection. Martin Scorsese Scorsese is a living legend (and has the right to say Marvel isn't true cinema). This is my favourite film of his (from what I've seen) and this proves that he is, debatably, the best director ever to live. His style is so distinct, and his visions are extraordinary. Two of my favourite shots in any film are in Goodfellas. First one being when Hill, Conway and DeVito are burying a body in the mist of the read light from the car. Second one being when Lorraine Bracco is holding the gun up to Liotta's face. That whole scene is FANTASTIC! One of my favourite scenes of all time. I also love the "Funny How" scene, as does everyone. The cinematography is another thing about this film that's fantastic. The angles that are taken (especially for the one with Pesci getting "made") and the lighting that's chosen (I love how the main colour of the film is red, it emphasizes the danger and blood in this film) is fabulous. I also wanted to mention that the editing is amazing. It plays along with the fast pacing. Scorsese is simply a genius, and is still producing banging films, which he proved with The Irishman. Screenplay Goodfellas beholds one of my favourite screenplays. You get to live (almost) the whole life of Henry Hill for an 2 and a half hours, and you get to see how the Mafia lives and how they get to live like kings. Nicholas Pilegi adapted his book, Wiseguys, into a perfectly written script, with a touch of Scorsese magic. I can't wait to read Wiseguys because I want to see how well the book was adapted into a film. The characters are so well written, the true story is perfectly executed and is said to be the best representation of the Mafia in media entertainment, the suspense is built up brilliantly in every scene, and the pacing is unbelievable. Goodfellas may be 2.5 hours long, but when the film is finished, you wish it was longer. The fast pacing is perfect. It still gives you time to understand everything and appreciate/enjoy the film. The editing helps with the fast pacing. To sum up this paragraph, the script is perfect. Music Goodfellas is also one of my favourite soundtracks of all time. It brings you along this 30 year long journey with the different decades of music and lifestyle. Every song from "Life Is But A Dream" by The Harptones, to "Gimme Shelter" by The Rolling Stones perfectly fits the scene it's in. The music of this film truly enhances the viewing experience and brings you on this fabulous journey. I can't praise it anymore, you guys get the idea. Conclusion I could talk about this film for hours. I seriously love every shot, every scene and every second of this film. Goodfellas is one of the films that inspired me to become a filmmaker and it's one of those films that introduced me to the magical world of cinema. Goodfellas is top tier filmmaking and I'm so happy it go the number one spot on the Filmstagram Top 100. Perfectly crafted characters, amazing performances, fabulous directing and cinematography, great editing, perfectly chosen music, and a masterfully written script are the reasons why Goodfellas got number one on the list.

Reviews by: @movieejunkiee Introduction I rewatched this last night because Game Night is one of my favourite comedies of all time. This film is funny, surprising, entertaining and full of plot twists. The acting is great and so is the directing. I also loved the dramatic noises from the score (kind of like in The Shining). This film is so underrated. It should get as much praise as something like The Hangover because it's that good. Acting First, let's talk about the acting. Jason Bateman is one of my favourite comedic actors (along with Carrey and Carrell). Even though almost all of his roles are pretty much the same character, he plays the sarcastic and "worried" guy so well. Bateman gave my favourite performance but Jesse Plemons is a close second. He plays Gary, a boring and sad man who lost his wife, so seriously and well. Everytime he is on screen he gives me the creeps. I can't wait to see him in Scorsese's new movie this year. Everybody in the cast did a great job but Jason and Jesse, in my opinion, were the best. Directing One thing I loved about this film was the directing. Both directors (John Francis Daley and Jonathan M. Goldstein) did an excellent job on the directing for Game Night. There were so many shots in this film that actually made me say "WOW" out loud. I loved the tracking shots where they would follow a character through walls. There was also another tracking shot of cars in a car chase. John and Jonathan would fixate on the car making the car the centre of attention using an angle that would face the back and the top of the car (shown behind the text). One other shot I loved was the one take shot where all the characters are running around a mansion throwing an egg around, it's so well filmed. More Directing Another big part of the directing was the framing. There are two specific shots that I absolutely adored but I couldn't find them online. There was one shot where Sarah was in frame as she pulled a Jenga piece away from the tower and her face was in the centre of the Jenga tower. The other shot is where Gary is sitting down while everyone's playing Jenga and two guns are hanging on the fireplace behind him. There's one gun on either side of his head. I also loved the gradual zooms on Gary's facials expressions. Even More Directing Last but not least, the shots hovering the town (shown behind this text). At first I was sure that the shots of the town were miniature sets but after researching I don't think they are. They actually used a tilt shift effect to make the town look like a board game (such as Monopoly) to reinforce the title and overall story of the film, Game Night. Animations/Editing From the opening credits this film draws you in with it's animation (shown behind this text). There are a lot of uses for the animation in this film and it is simply aesthetically pleasing. I really enjoyed the opening credits with all the board game pieces falling in slow motion with the use of powerful animation and editing. It really shows that in this day and age every film is able to resemble something like this. Also, the editing is phenomenal. There's specifically one thing that I loved about the editing and that's the quick millisecond shots of coins dropping or Jenga pieces getting thrown on a table. Every once in a while in Game Night there would be three or four different shots of objects getting thrown or splashed which flashes before your eyes. It is very similar to some shots in Snatch. Favourite Scene My favourite scene of this whole movie is the Bullet Removal Scene. This scene is HILARIOUS. When Jason Bateman gets shot in the arm, he and his wife go to the drug store to fetch tools to get the bullet out of his arm. This whole scene's dialogue is so well written. I love how calm Jason and Rachel are considering that one of them got shot in the arm. Anyway, at the end of the scene they realise that the bullet also had an exit wound so there was no point in cutting open his arm and fiddling around with tweasers trying to find a bullet. Plot Twist and Conclusion (Spoiler Free). This film is filled with plot twists. The script is amazingly written by Mark Perez. He incorporated plot twist after plot twist it's unreal. It leaves you questioning what the hell is going on for the whole 3rd act of the film. If you haven't already please watch this movie. It's one of my favourite comedies of all time. Anyway, that is today's review. I hope you like it because I have spent hours making this post. Make sure to drop a comment with your thoughts on Game Night and my review/essay! Thanks for reading! See you tomorrow! By @movieejunkiee

Reviews by: @e.r.f.g_films This movie is criminally underrated. Set in 1987 Pittsburgh our main character James (Jesse Eisenberg) is forced to get a summer job due to his parents sudden financial situation. Far from the “Yuppie” lifestyle he is used to, he finds himself having to get a job at the local amusement park. It is here we meet the weird and complex employees of “Adventureland”. From Joel (Martin Starr) who, despite being no older than 24, chooses to smoke a pipe as it “relaxes” him. We also meet Em (Kristen Stewart) a mysterous Lou Reed enthusiast, who immediately catches James’ attention. The movie follows James’ summer at Adventureland as he tackles romance, friendship, parties, drugs and alcohol. Casting for this film is immaculate. We have big names such as Kristen Stewart, Jesse Eisenberg and Ryan Reynolds, as well as comedic legends Kristen Wiig and Bill Hader. These actors brought to life the wacky characters, adding the perfect amount of subtle comedy. Both Stewart and Eisenburg are perfect for their roles. Eisenburg gives an amazing delivery, really brought the awkward, sensitive, hopeless romantic character of James to life. I adore when films give characters substance. Take, for example, the “heartthrob” of the movie, Lisa P. She is not just some girl who says two lines the entire film. She is a person and has character delevlopement, she is someone you would picture being a member of society. Which unfortunately is quite rare to see in movies, expecially when it comes to the romantic interest. I love the mellow pacing of this movie. It is nostalgic and cosy. It gives you that feeling of long sticky summers. Adventureland itself matches that gloomy suburban aesthetic the movie is going for. It is an intriguing location, in a world you wouldn’t normally see. Somehow they manage to romanticise this run down 80s amusement park perfectly. I would definitely recommend this film. By @e.r.f.g_films

Reviews by: @_gameing_dude_ Story: Vincent Brooks is unwilling to commit to marrying his longtime girlfriend Katherine. One night at the Stray Sheep Bar, a drunken Vincent meets an enigmatic young woman named Catherine; they have a one-night stand which turns into an affair. Simultaneously, Vincent begins experiencing surreal nightmares where he and other men must ascend a tower while outrunning terrifying demons; if they fail in the dream, they die in real life. Gameplay: I kinda see a pattern when it comes to atlus games now.There are 2 type of gameplay.First you have the "bar gameplay" where you walk around talk with people have drinks with your buddys sometimes there are choices that decide at the end of the game your ending.Second we have the puzzel gameplay where you clime a huge tower made of block and your job is to navigate up the tower moving the block and making a path for yourself. Visuals: I liked the visuals a lot from the in game cutscenes and the anime type cutscenes.But i have to give credit to this games for the music its amazing. Final thoughts: I like the game yes i do it has a great story and a more serious story about adulthood and the choices we have to make in life.The gameplay was great to and near the emd the puzzels get more and more intense.I like every character in the game and they all felt real on how they act. Its just a shame that this game has a lot of endings but is not short and not long at the same time so it can be a drag to see all the endings.Catherine Full Body gets a...... 8/10 By @_gameing_dude_

Reviews by: @mr.cinemaaa Project Details Director: Tha.Se. Gnanavel Written By: Tha.Se. Gnanavel Produced By: Suriya & Jyothika Production House: 2D Entertainment Cinematography: SR. Kathir Music Director: Sean Roldan Edited By: Philomin Raj Production Design: K. Kathir Costumes: P. Selvam & Poornima Ramasamy Fights/Stunts: Anbariv Sound Design: S. Alagiyakoothan & Suren.G Choreography: Dinesh Audiography: Raja Krishnan M R Hair & Make Up: Pattanam Rashid Run Time: 2 Hours & 44 Minutes CBFC Rating: "A" Direction & Story Jai Bhim is the story of a lawyer who fights for justice of a pregnant woman from a small tribal community who searches for her husband, who is arrested on a false case and goes missing from the police custody. The story is the biggest plus of the film. It is inspired by the real-life incidents in Tamil Nadu and is based on Chandru, an activist turned lawyer turned judge who fought many cases on behalf of small-town women, low-economic people & marginalized communities. Screenplay is brilliantly written. It keeps you engaged through its lengthy runtime & will never bore you. The tribal lifestyle is shown very authentically & the tension that is expected in a courtroom drama prevails neatly. Director Tha.Se. Gnanavel hits the ball out of the park. and surprises us with his conviction & command over the craft. He manages to raise the right kind of questions and throws light on several harsh realities. Lead Performances Lijo Mol Jose & K. Manikandan who play Sinnathalli & Rajanna respectively are the real heroes of the film for me. They both breathe life into their characters and come up with spotless & memorable performances. Lijo Jose's emotional performance is the solid anchor on which the entire film rests and the fight she put up as a pregnant woman is commendable. Manikandan comes up with a raw performance as the victim who gets oppressed by the police. Right from his look to the way he showcases the pain in all the investigation scenes looks very realistic and will move you for sure. Suriya is terrific as lawyer Chandru. He puts in a sincere and intense act with no commercial trapping. This is one of his career-best performances & a reminder that the actor is evolving. He deserves all the appreciation for agreeing to act & produce such a hard-hitting and socially relevant subject about the tribal community. Other Performances M.Sinrasu, Rajendran & Subadra are equally good as the other victims who get suffered due to the cops. Tamizh, Bala Hasan, Rajesh, Kumaravel, Jaya Prakash, Ravi. V & Subramani are excellent as the police officers. Prakash Raj is solid as the IG. He shines in the scene where he listens to the problems of the tribal people. Sanjay Swaroop, Shankar Sundaram, and Kumar Natarajan are neat and dignified as the judges. Rao Ramesh makes his Tamil debut. He is confident as the opposition lawyer and gives a solid fight to Suriya. Rajisha Vijayan also came with a decent performance in her limited supporting role as Maithra, the teacher. MS.Bhaskar, Ilavarasu, S.Dhanasekhar, Jayarao, Jijoi Pr, Maheshwaran, K.Raj, Bigil Siva, Srikanth, and Sujatha are adequate in their respective supporting roles. The rest of the cast and the other people who played the tribal people are good in their limited roles. Detailed Analysis It starts off well. The whole tribal lifestyle is realistically showcased and the conflict is introduced neatly. The film effectively showcases caste discrimination, the plight of the oppressed & abuse of power by the cops. The film has the required drama that is expected in these kinds of films and the courtroom scenes are the best parts of the film as they are engaging, authentic, and pretty much convincing with the law and logic. There are quite a few memorable scenes in the film. All the scenes of police brutality in the police station will make you empathize with the characters. The scene where DGP calls up the station and asks the SI to drop Sinnathalli back home is kickass. The climax of course will definitely leave you in tears after the verdict. The small twists are revealed at the right time making us glued to the proceedings. All the investigation scenes also are shown in a very natural manner. Technical Team Direction: 5/5 Story: 4.5/5 Screenplay: 4.5/5 Dialogues: 4.5/5 Music/Songs: 4/5 Background Score: 4.5/5 Production Values: 5/5 Cinematography: 5/5 Editing: 4.5/5 Costumes: 4.5/5 VFX/Graphics: 4/5 Sound Design: 4/5 Production Design: 5/5 Things to Look Out For Sean Roldan's background music uplifts the emotions neatly and is supportive for the majority of the scenes. SR Kathir's camerawork and his lighting is brilliant as his visuals act as an effective tool of the narrative. The production design and costumes are authentic. The edit is on point & the makeup Production values are top-notch. team deserves a special mention. Plus Points Lijomol Jose & Manikandan's Performance Suriya's Performance All Supporting Cast Performances Well Written Story & Screenplay Gripping Court-Room Drama Superb Direction & Neat Presentation Hard-Hitting Realistic Scenes Beautiful Cinematography Extraordinary Background Score Emotional Connect & Message At The End Minus Points Few Unnecessary Songs Final Verdict A fine balance between disturbing reality and mainstream filmmaking. P.S.: A sincere attempt that deserves a National Award. Don 't miss this film!! Recommended: 500% Mr.Cinema Rating: 5/5 0.5 - Unbearable 1.0 - Avoid 1.5 - Flop 2.0 - Below Average 2.5 - Average 3.0 - Watchable 3.5 - Hit 4.0- Super Hit 4.5 - Blockbuster 5.0 - Mega Hit By @mr.cinemaaa

Reviews by: @coldculture_films Martin Scorsese’s 1991 dramatic thriller explores the potential of the human psyche when fuelled by revenge. This form of evolution has been explored by artists throughout time, however Cape Fear presents this idea in world embedded in moral greyness, as a lawyer must atone for his past sins as he seeks to kill a monster of his past creation. Nick Nolte plays Sam Bowden a criminal defence lawyer who unethically misrepresents his client Max Cady (Robert DeNiro) in a heinous felony. Fuelled by hatred and revenge Cady serves his 14-year sentence as he pushes his human extremities by transforming himself mentally and physically into a monster to hunt down Sam for his years of incarceration. Scorsese thoroughly shows the depravity of Cady’s character as DeNiro delivers an unnerving performance as a jaded sociopathic criminal influenced by nihilistic principles of Nietzsche and theological ideas present within the bible. Cady creates his own moralistic spectrum where he justifies his actions as acts of God. The supporting cast including Bowden’s wife Leigh (Jessica Lange) and daughter Danielle (Juliette Lewis) delivers excellent performances as they navigate through this world of moral gloom masterfully setup by Scorsese’s. Danielle’s innocence and naivety is exceptionally contrasted with Cady’s darkness yet subtle charm as he manipulates and deceives her character, involving her in his revenge against her father. Cape Fear is also a love letter to golden age of Hollywood as the film has fourth wall breaking moments and styles reminiscent to the original Cape Fear (1962). Iconic scenes of colour inverted images are shown to present the primal fear brought on by Cady’s Prescence. Although being an overall exceptional film, the third acts does suffer from being stretched out as the final encounter between the Bowden family and Cady panders for too long. Furthermore, a great suspension of disbelief is required from the audience as Cady suffers through rounds of torturous attacks as he tries to enact his ultimate revenge. Cape Fear is a true outlier of excellence within Scorsese filmography. Rating: 4/5 By @coldculture_films

Reviews by: @_gameing_dude_ Story: In 1930, impoverished taxi driver Thomas "Tommy" Angelo is strong-armed by two members of the Salieri crime family - Paulie and Sam - into helping them escape an ambush by the rival Morello family. Tommy is compensated for his help and offered a position in Don Salieri's organization, which he is forced to accept the following day, when two Morello gangsters track him down and destroy his cab in an act of revenge. Tommy is welcomed into the Salieri family and begins assisting with running their rackets across Lost Heaven, overseen by Salieri's trusty consigliere Frank Colletti. Gameplay: Mafia is like every other one world sandbox game with one difference.The police in this game is better the in gta or any other open world game.Why?Easy they wont let you drive like crazy person there are speed limits which helps the game feel more real.The combat and gun fights are done great too because in every sinhle shootout ammo is limited for the most part so you cant waste to much.Driving comea down to the person playing some say its bad because the cars feel heavy turning but i love it, cars back then were not made to driver fast and turn easy at the same time. Visuals: Wow the really did a amazing job in remaking this game.From the streets to character models everything looks as best as it can. Final Thoughts: Mafia 1 left me with wanting more.The story is never borning because it jump cuts from year to year and that has its reason that i wont spoil.Combat driving and story feel so diffrent the other samdbox type of games like GTA, Watch Dogs which is refreshing.And Mafia 1 has in my opinin one of the best ending scenes.In the end Mafia 1 is a great crime game with great characters.The only downside for me really are some performance issues i had with the game and the fact that the game is kinda short.Mafia 1 gets a ....... 8/10 By @_gameing_dude_

Reviews by: @thebotreviewer @ilcommentatore_serietv_film What was the smallest thing you saw? : Human Kindness. Taboo is a UK tv series starring Tom Hardy, Jonathan Pryce, Oona Chaplin, Jessie Buckley and others. Directed by Anders Engström and Kristoffer Nyholm, while Tom himself and his brother Chips Hardy performed the screen writing with some great excellence of cinematography from Mark patten. Plot: James Keziah Delaney returns to 1814 London after 10 years in Africa to discover that he has been left with a peculiar legacy by his father.Dumped in mysterious consequences, Delaney finds himself in a face-off against the East India Company, whilst playing a dangerous game between two warring nations, Britain and America. Thoughts: Taboo,like the title goes,is expectedly dark, witty,grippingly political and beautifully ugly. I reckon the ones reading this,might not be aware of this tv series amidst having Tom Hardy on lead and with other such amazing cast. Though, this series was like real hard to find to watch until I realized it's streaming on fx and BBC iplayer which need both subscriptions and vpn to stream. But lucky enough, after searching much in depth, I found it on telegram and I must say it was worth all the way. Never been familiar with Tom Hardy's dark roles to such an extent which is terrifying and surprising at the same time and I believe it's his best till now and this needs serious recognition. The Story is just spellbound along equally dedicated cinematography sniffing a lot of dark tales behind characters and places, it's just that cinematography done here is inevitably attention worthy.There are total of 8 episodes completing to season one and I'd say for the first five episode it lacked proper pacing and the story build up within those five episodes was slow and dull perhaps a partial revelation of both the characters and plot like in ride to foggy path. But it eventually started to make sense with coming episodes towards the end making my eyeballs glued to screen and becoming debauch. The musical score wasn't much noticeable and was convincing for seeming gloomy enough.Conclusion was definitely a cliffhanger so there will be season 2 coming up. Must watch! My ratings: 4.5/5 By @thebotreviewer Serie recuperata disponibile su @netflixit. Non ne conoscevo neanche l'esistenza, e spinto dalla curiosità l'ho vista. E dico MA MENO MALE!!!! La cosa più bella che ho visto negli ultimi tempi.... @tomhardy, protagonista assoluto! La sua presenza si vede, e si sente, mettendo in ombra tutti gli altri, seppur sono attori di tutto rispetto, rendendo bene i loro i personaggi. La trama, non brilla per originalità ( un uomo solo che combatte contro i Grandi e i Potenti) è ben scritta, soprattutto gli ultimi due episodi, che con con un cambio di ritmo e dei colpi di scena creati ad hoc sorprendono lo spettatore. Molti, anzi, tanti sono ancora i punti non spiegati, ma il finale aperto, e la 2° stagione già confermata, mi fanno ben sperare di trovare le risposte ai tanti interrogativi lasciati in sospeso. In conclusione: un drama assolutamente riuscito, con una storia intensa e coinvolgente. @tomhardy è assolutamente perfetto! Una serie IMPERDIBILE. A è piaciuto davvero tanto è a voi???? Scrivertelo nei commenti!!! Voto: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 By @ilcommentatore_serietv_film

Reviews by: @solemnreads 9/10 🌾 Tis the spooky season! I found this book stashed away in the sci-fi section after raiding my local bookshops for new horror novels and decided to take a chance on it. I’m pleased to say it’s become a fast favourite. The novel follows the recently divorced Kara as she moves into the spare room of her uncle’s Glory to God Museum of Natural Wonders, Curiosities, and Taxidermy, and it only gets stranger from there. The digestible prose and intriguing premise made it easy to sink into, and once the dominos start falling, it became almost impossible to put down. The characters are lacking in number but their personalities are more than large enough to fill the vacuum. The dynamic between Kara and the barista who joins her in her explorations injected the perfect amount of levity into the work without sacrificing the tension. Overall a perfect read for anybody who enjoys cosmic horror that occasionally wanders into the realm of fantasy. Manages to be an enjoyably fun read that will still keep you up well into the night. By @solemnreads

Reviews by: @rabz_reel_review I’d been a big fan of @adamwingard ‘s 2011 Horror/Thriller crowd pleaser “You’re Next” so by the time his next big project came around in 2014, I was honestly so damn hyped yet still made an admirable attempt to put my anticipation in check for fear of disappointment. My fear was unfounded. The Guest was arguably even cooler than what came before. I don’t use the word cool sparingly without reason, cause or justification..but because this movie is best defined by exactly that, it’s innate coolness. This is one of the many reasons I enjoyed this movie so much which also includes but is not limited to some fantastically violent action scenes, an absolutely brilliant soundtrack, a fun, albeit slightly over the top narrative and a tense, invariant, slick and captivating performance by @thatdanstevens . Further to that @maikamonroe also gives a really fun performance as the warey Anna. Wingard and Cinematographer @rbaumgartner also use some wickedly entertaining and stylish neon infused visual sequences which feel in line with the energetic pulse of film and the movie itself often feels like a bit throwback to that 80s style of thriller, less grounded and slightly more ridiculous…but even more fun. I’ll be honest, I had a really good time with The Guest and even years later I have been waiting patiently for it to arrive on 4K blu ray, which @secondsightfilmsofficial have just recently released ..and it’s surely on my Christmas list. For fans of a fun thriller, with some sexy visuals, sexy synth and well, sexy people…(I mean they are)…The Guest is absolutely for you. I loved it. And that soundtrack though… By @rabz_reel_review

Reviews by: @_gameing_dude_ Story: Many years have passed since Kratos took his vengeance against the Olympian gods. Having survived his final encounter with his father Zeus, Kratos has since travelled to Midgard in Ancient Norway and now lives with his young son Atreus in the world of the Norse gods, a savage land inhabited by many ferocious monsters and warriors. In order to teach his son, whose mother (and Kratos's second wife) has recently died, how to survive in such a world, Kratos must master the rage that has driven him for many years and embrace his newfound role as a father and a mentor. Gameplay: Gameplay has changed from the pure slash gameplay of the old games to a more exploration puzzel game with amazing combat and rpg elements.The combat was done great getting exp poitns for exploring and fighting enemys while you explore.And the best thing they added to the combat was Katos new Axe that comes back to you like thors hammer best weapon that they could have give him. Visuals: The game looks stunning and has really pushed the limits of the PS4.Its one of the best looking games i have played so far. Final Thoughts: I heard a lot good things about it but i never thought i gonna get hooked by this game.Kratos new charater is great hes not a only angry charater anymore he has his sad amd calm sitw now that he has a son.I liked the combat a lot every move every attacked felt heavy and powerful just like it should.I even learned a lot about the nordic mythology.So now i cant wait for the next game to come out. 10/10 By @_gameing_dude_

Reviews by: @filmcore98 This is a movie that really caught me off guard. Not being a big Pete Davidson guy myself, this film caught my interest and was really a pleasure to watch. The film follows Scott, played by Pete, who is a troubled man in his young twenties stricken by drug abuse, acting out, and deep rooted mental problems due to his dad passing away at a young age. He struggles to come to grips with his life and his troubled friends and relationships, all the while his mom starts dating a fireman, played by Bill Burr, who is part of the same firehouse Scott’s dad served at. This deeply troubles Scott as he tries to find a way around it and move on with his life. It’s style is very sporadic and funny. This is a movie that manages to be hilarious throughout, sometimes unintentionally, and very serious with deep moral messages and meanings under the surface. As it covers moving on with life after tragedy and grieving processes the can effect family and children for generations. The performances all around are amazing. Especially Pete and Bill. Pete carries the film and his performance keeps you invested and interested in his story and character arc throughout. The film is very touching, simple, and down to earth, even sometimes poetic in nature to life lessons and being humble. As well as covering family tragedy and the human condition. While there wasn’t a whole lot of content released last year imo worth watching, The King Of Staten Island may be the best and is definitely a must watch. By @filmcore98

Before I took up Instagram, I ran a blog. In that blog, I created a series called In The Mind Of, where I did a deep dive into several fictional characters. There were no criteria needed in picking these characters; if I felt they warranted further discussion, they got it. My first post talked about my all-time favorite Disney villain and one of my favorite villains in cinematic history period. That is none other than Scar from The Lion King. In that sense, I figured it fitting to kick off my IG version of In The Mind Of with the devious feline. At first glance, there is a certain level of sympathy to have for Scar. There is a lot in his character that implies insecurity due to feelings of inadequacy compared to Mufasa. In a way, being king is Scar’s way of combating those insecurities by proving to others and himself that he could be on the same level (if not more so) of prestige as his brother. So when that chance is taken away by the birth of Simba, it’s easy to understand why Scar becomes so bitter. That being said, these sympathies in no way justify Scar’s actions, which prove him to be a cold, ruthless creature with no loyalty or love for anyone but himself. It’s one thing to be upset over losing a chance at something you believe you’ve earned. It’s another to feel so entitled to it that you’ll murder to gain it, least of all that of your own brother. And not only does Scar do just that, but he goes the extra mile by manipulating his nephew (who at this point is a child and is crying over his father’s body after having just witnessed him be killed) into thinking that it was his fault and uses that knowledge to convince him to run away. The fact that he had his hyena minions go after him with the intent to kill him shows that he did this last part purely for kicks, revealing that not only is Scar immoral enough to kill Mufasa, but he also has a sadistic edge to top it off. Speaking of said minions, he couldn’t care less about them either, as while he promises them endless amounts of food in exchange for their service, he never follows up on that promise by the time he finally gets what he wants, and when the chips are down and he’s backed into a corner, he throws them under the bus as swiftly as he threw Mufasa from the cliff. Now there have been divisions over Scar by the time he becomes King. Some say he loses his credibility as a villain because of how much he whines, boasts, and complains. For me, I think this fits his character perfectly, as it shows Scar for what he truly is deep down: a petulant, cowardly man-child who takes the responsibility of being King as an opportunity to indulge himself and when he’s faced with the weight of his responsibilities, he breaks down and makes a fit. In the end, it can be easy to relate to Scar on a surface level because of his insecurities, but in the end, those same insecurities allow his pride and ego to take over and lead him to commit deeply atrocious acts. And any iota of sympathy that may have once been had is thrown completely out the window when he allows his home to turn into a barren wasteland while he sits around treating himself to whatever little trinkets he can muster up. Ultimately, there is nothing good within Scar’s heart, and when he meets his end at the hands of his so-called “friends,” it’s appropriate and fitting. All that said, I love Scar. He is one of my favorite villains for a reason. He’s got a great design, excellent voice work by Jeremy Irons (and Jim Cummings for a bit,) and “Be Prepared” is a top-tier Disney villain song. What makes him really work though is his ambition. While his actions are evil, the methodical planning and pure drive to achieve his goals are what makes him so compelling, and the fact that he achieves those goals for a time and generations of families were traumatized by Mufasa’s death make it fair to say that he has more than earned his place in the hall of villainy fame. Long Live The King indeed! By @icanwatchthisallday

Uriel awakened. She was lying in Tyndur's bed. His hands were on her hips. He was sleeping profoundly. She looked at the sunrays coming from the windows landing on the bed. The room's whiteness was weird and off putting. She didn't like it. But she was happy to be there. "Hey" said Tyndur while opening his eyes. "Hey" said her. "How was yesterday?" "Good. I didn't expect it to be this good. At first I was worried but you know how to make me feel safe" He hugged and kissed her. "Wait here" said Tyndur while waking up. "What do you have in mind ?" asked her, trying to understand what he was going to do. She stayed on the mattress, waiting. He came back with a wooden tray made of coffee, tea, croissants, juice and an egg. "Wow, what is that?" asked her impressed. "Well, I thought that you would've liked to have an old style breakfast" "That's so sweet" She looked delighted at the tray and kissed him. "You've changed a lot since our first encounter. You make me so proud Ty" They had breakfast and then they prepared themselves to get out. "Are you sure about returning home at this hour?" asked Tyndur concerned. "Yes. We're together. We're carefull. Nothing will happen to us" answered her with confidence. They went out of Tyndur's flat and reached Uriel's secret place as quick as possible. "After you Uri" said him, letting her going thorugh the door after saying the necessary words. When they landed on the platform at the tube's base something felt off. "Why are the lights so dim? The generator usually doesn't malfunction" said her. "Does your mother know how to turn the lights off and regulate them?" "She used to, now she's too old to do that" They started walking faster. "Do you think that...?" started asking Tyndur but she cut him off. "Not now Tyndur" Fear was in her voice. Umay's house wasn't far. The lights were on. They reached the small building and found the door uprooted. "Mum..." No one answered. They got into the tiny house. She wasn't on her chair. They looked down. Umay was lying down. The mouth was slightly open and her arms were spread wide. "Mum...no...mum" started mumbling her to the lifeless body. "Mum...wake up" "Mum...don't...please answer me" She was crying on her body. He wasn't able to understand how to act. He was seeing a dead body for the first time. He was standing there. "I...I'm sorry Uri" said him. She didn't reply. "Uri...I don't know what to say. I'm just...sorry" tried him again. "Are you?" answered her. "Yes...I...am" He was scared. She wasn't just sad. She was furious. "If it wasn't for you my mother would still be alive" "I...I didn't know. I don't know how..." Her crying intensified. Her voice too. "You...I've never left my mother alone in all these years...you" "I was...I just wanted to stay with you" "Did you? Or was it a plan to lure me out and leave my mother at the mercy of your kind" "My kind?" "Your apathetic lifeless society of drones. Was it your plan all along ?" "I...I...didn't know. I..." "Get out" shouted her. "I..." "Get out, I don't want to see you anymore. Cause of you I've lost the only person who truly loved me" "I...Uri, I didn't know..I just wanted to stay one night with you at my flat" "I've said to get out. I don't want you to comeback. I don't want to see your face again" He felt powerless. "Leave me alone" screamed her. He moved away. He wanted to help. He wanted to try. He didn't know how to help her. He runned away. He stumbled down. He was crying and then he felt it again. Coming up stronger than ever. A crushing force. Sadness. He moved back home and felt on the couch. He was crying and started sobbing. Hands on his face, he stayed there, destroyed by the pain. He felt like it was his fault. Uri's mother didn't deserve to die because of him. Uri didn't want to see him anymore. He felt hated and despised. He never felt like that, not without a pill. It was hurting. He was feeling his heart running. The emotional connection with Uriel was still in place and she was feeling what she was feeling. It was becoming more clear what does it mean to lose someone. He wasn't able to move. Everything felt hard to accomplish. His job, dumb and useless, was like an unnecessary burden. He just wanted someone to get him back on his feet. No one would've helped him now. No one was interested in his psychological condition. Kassar and Vanth were too detached to understand what he was going through. He wanted to stay alone. A day passed. Two days passed. A week. He didn't went to work for a week. It was enough to get him fired. Days started piling up. Two weeks. He tried to get into the safe place again but the security system didn't let him. He tried one time. Two times. Three times. Under the scorching sun. Under the shuttering rain. Under the fluffy snow. She never let him in. His boss, Kassar and Dr. Batastyr, all of them tried to contact him. After two months the boss fired him. He started living without a purpose. Food became tasteless. He started losing weight. He sustained himself with cheap street food picked up from a vendor in his street. It wasn't enough but it was what he was able to afford. A car was always parked in an alley in front of his bulding. It was suspicious. It was there everyday. It started form the fourth month. The bank started questioning his ability to afford his car. He got three months to get a job and get his finances back on track. It didn't change anything. After five months he became unable to move freely. Walking became hard and painful. Then, one day, he recalled about the pills which were left by Kassar when he came to visit him last time. They weren't what he was looking for. He needed to feel good again. He looked for his phone among all the mess in his apartment. He found it behind the couch. "Kassar, I'm Tyndur. I need your help" said him on the phone. After six months hearing his voice was weird. He realised that he didn't like it. "Yeah, I know about it. Could you get me twenty Hummingbirds, ten tigers and five tigers? Yes, for today. You can bring the pills in a bag" "Money. I'm not able to pay you now. Are you sure that it isn't a problem? Thank you Kassar" After it he threw it away and waited. Kassar came perfectly on time. "Hi Tyndur. I'm here to give you what you asked" said him. It was hard to interact with an apatethic person again. "Just give me them" said him while snatching the bag off Kassar hands. "Vanth told me that he will visit you in the next months to check your health's stats" "Perfect, he will bring more pills. Now you can go away" said him while taking a blend of EC2H and AM5F. Kassar walked out of the flat by himself without saying a word. He looked at the window to see if he was gone. An old blue car was standing across the street in an alley. The same blue car. Uriel didn't go through the best of times either. She buried her mum after days of mourning, alone, in a little grass field in the suburbs. She didn't know how to get past it at first. She felt powerless but she didn't stop doing what she believed in. She still tried to look for other strays but everyone resembled Tyndur in her mind. It wasn't hard to get him out of her mind. He tried for so long to get her attention and let him back into the safe place. She wanted to see him again but she wasn't able to accept the fact that he was the reason why her mother died. She was still thinking about the two days which annhilated their relationship. He delved through the warehouses to keep her mind active but it was hard to find anything interesting among old stuff. In the past she would've enjoyed it but at the moment it seemed extremely harsh. Four months passed. She was still thinking about her mother's murder. But she still thought that it was all Tyndur's fault. She was still blinded by her anger. She was reading Dostoevsky when she run into a quote which let her think about the time she has passed accusing Tyndur of her mother's death: “Above all, don't lie to yourself. The man who lies to himself and listens to his own lie comes to a point that he cannot distinguish the truth within him, or around him, and so loses all respect for himself and for others. And having no respect he ceases to love” Something was activated in her brain. An idea. Her mother's death could've been orchestrated by someone else. He could've been the only one who knew about the safe place beyond her and her mother but it could be possible that someone else got inside the building while she was with him. A lot of things happened that night and her memory was a little blurred but he wasn't sure about her certainties. If Tyndur left the flat without her noticing it, it means that he should've planned everything. Was Tyndur able to take down a door so easily? She thought about his contact and one thing which he said when she met him at his place. Something about a doctor. Someone who was in her mother's pictures. She went to her mother's house and picked up a familiar picture. One which has always been there on the wall. Kassar was working when his phone started to vibrate. A name appeared on the screen. It was Tyndur. He didn't flinch, even though it was a long time he didn't hear from his assigned friend. Since the Liberty Bell their friendship was on he rocks. He didn't feel useless. He reported it to the authorities and Vanth but they told him to keep his relationship with him because it could've been useful in the future. He picked it up. "Who is talking?" asked him. It was a rhetorical question. He knew exactly who he was talking to. Tyndur asked him to bring a bag full of pills. He didn't care about his tone and the fact that he seemed in a bad condition. He stood up and got to his superintendent. "The target is back online" said Kassar to him. The superintendent tilted his head a little and he left the room. He went to the Sjelsukker Institute and met with Dr Batastyr. He didn't seem surprised, like he was expecting it. He lent him a bag and Kassar went away. He drove to Tyndur's block and parked his car. While getting off he noticed a blue old car which was parked there. The glass were obscured and he wasn't able to see if someone was inside. He took the elevator and got to Tyndur's flat. Seeing Tyndur after a long time didn't make him exude any kind of emotion. He delivered the pills to his friend and left. He reached the ground floor with the elevator and moved toward his car. He noticed that the blue car was moved. He was going to get into his car when someone hit him in the head. He lost his senses and collapsed on the pavement. Uriel started investigating a bit about her mother's past after looking at the picture she cared so much about. It was hard to find anything about Edderkopp and there was so little about Gehenna. It seemed like everything was about her and Batastyr. They studied together in Belgium and wrote some notes together but it wasn't clear to her what was their relationship. Maybe she was trying to find clues in the wrong place. She thought about the night her and Tyndur met. She seemed to remember that he was with someone. She didn't remember his name. Tyndur used to hint to a colleague but he never said his name. She thoguht that it was time to keep an eye on Tyndur's flat for a while. Considering the distance she had to travel, she opted to use an old car which was in one of the warehouses. It would be enough to make her unnoticeable. She started watching over Tyndur. He didn't come out once. No one ever came in. It was weird. She was a bit worried but she was still enraged with him. In her mind he was still responsible. After four months someone came for him. He was a muscular man sharply clothed. He was carrying a bag. She was wondering if there were pills inside it. That worried her. She moved the car and got off while carrying a metallic stick . She was waiting for the individual to come back. Not long passed that he reappeared under the building. He walked to his car and then stopped. It was her time to act. He could've snapped her in two if he found out about her. She moved quickly and hit him in the head. The body collapsed on the ground. Kassar opened his eyes. His head was aching, like his limbs. He found himself tied to a chair in the middle of a dark room. The lights turned on and Uriel showed herself, while keeping her face under the Noh mask, she proceeded in her plan. "Who are you?" asked her. He didn't flinch. He wasn't impressed or scared. "Why should I tell you?" answered him. "Tell me your name" said her again. "Alright, I'm Kassar. What do you want?" "What have you done today?" "I went to my assigned friend to bring him some pills. What's the point of this question?" "Have you ever been to the Liberty Bell's pub?" "Yes, it's just one of the many recreational spot in the city" replied him disinterested. "Did you go there with your assigned friend last time?" "Before the other one blew up his life due to a calculated accident. Yes" "Who was the other assigned friend?" "A guy named Tyndur" "Did you see him today?" "Yes" "How was him?" "Stable" She didn't understand. Apathetic people are hard to read. "What was the calculated accident?" Her heart was moving weirdly again. Tyndur's addiction was affecting her ability to go by the day. "What was it?" asked her again. "The task was to isolate him and inject a dosage of EIT to stimulate his cerebral activity and trace him" "You don't look like a person who would be able to manufacture a compound like that. Who gave it to you?" Again. It seemed like Tyndur was getting double shots of Joy's pills. It was hard to stay focused. Maybe the emotional link wasn't the best idea. "His doctor" "Give me a name" insisted her. "I don't think...." The alarm started. The safe place was compromised. They were at the main entrance. They were ramming it in order to get inside. "Time to save yourself or die for treachery" said Kassar. "Oh shut up" said her while punching him in the face. He felt on the ground and started screaming. He was trying to get her caught. She ran away and reached the entrance to the tunnel which would've brought her to the abandoned ShuagXi Dresses salon. She looked back while chaos was approaching her. She was melancholic because she was leaving her house. The one where she grew up. There was no choice. Two months passed after Kassar left him the bag of pills. He consumed almost all of them. He was becoming addicted to them. It was the only way to avoid thinking about Uriel and what happened to her mother. He didn't want to feel sad and powerless again. He knew that his happiness wasn't real but he wanted to feel it anyway. It was intoxicating. He sold almost all the furniture present in his apartment in order to keep it. He was going to be homeless in a month or two if he wouldn't have started to work again. The TV was turned on. There was a running message about a dangerous criminal who betrayed the Leader called Uriel Alim. Her beloved Uriel. Troops of Whiskers, the Leader's secret police, were looking for her. He wanted so hard to see her again, not only in a picture. He missed her face. Her mind. Her knowledge. Her smell. Her. Someone knocked at the door. He had an hard time standing up because he was losing all his muscular strength due to an ipocaloric diet. It was his doctor. He let him in. Meanwhile Uriel was looking at the window. She was looking for incoming black vans. She knew what happen to the people who are considered traitors by the Leader. She knew that she had little time left. She was still thinking about the words said by Kassar. He couldn't belive that what happened to Tyndur wasn't natural. She loved him because she falled in love with her in what seemed a natural way. She was still in love with him. She missed him. His naivety and curiosity, his growing empathy and passion. He was perfect. She was worried about him. She knew that he was using again and that broke her. She just wanted to bring him back on the right path. A buzzing sound of drones was approaching his position. She covered herself behind a wall and regulated his respiration in order to get past theirs scanners. The sound stayed over the building for some time. It hovered over her. It was dreadful. It slowly went away. The Whiskers where close. "How are you Tyndur? It's months that I've not been able to contact you" said Dr. Batastyr. "I...I'm just unable to interact with anyone right now" "What happened to you?" "When?" asked Tyndur without a clue. "Alright, you don't have to tell me. "Are you taking your pills?" "Yes" "How does it feel to get back to them Ty?" asked Batastyr. "Get back...?" answered Tyndur without understanding how he knew about it. "You didn't use them for quite some time I remember" "How do you...Are you?" Tyndur was confused. "It seems like the Seratonine is back on track and the Dopamine is fading away" "What does it mean?" "That you're ready to get back to work" "Are...I don't think so" said Tyndur without delay. "You don't have a lot of options" "What are my options?" Tyndur was worried. "We'll think about it later. We'll talk about it later. We're going to have guests next" A rythmic thumping of feet started in another direction. She was feeling it now. Whiskers were closing on her. She looked around her to find a weapon. There was a long metallic stick. It wasn't enough but at least she would've defended herself for a while. They were approaching the main entrance. It was sealed. She had enought time to think how to get out of the situation. Unfortunately there wasn't enough resources to pull it out. An automated battering-ram started hammering the main door. The building was shaking after every hit. Dust started to come down from the ceiling. "Guests? Who?" Tyndur didn't understand. "We'll find out together, as always" Tyndur moved on his couch. He was under pressure and every position felt heavy. "Would you like some water? No, I'll get some anyway" said Batastyr as he got three glasses from the dishwasher and filled them with water from the sink. He came back and put them on the table. "I said that I'm..." was saying Tyndur but Batastyr cut him off. "Would you like to take another pill?" "Hmmm...I don't think so" "It's a good one, you'll like it" remarked the doctor while putting a pill on the table. One. Two. Three. Boom. One. Two. Three. Boom. The relentless thumping of the battering-ram didn't hint at stopping. She was able to hear the door's hinges succumbing under the Whiskers action. It went on for some time. After the fourteenth hit, the door felt down. The sound of cracking metal resounded in her hears. "I won't take it" said Tyndur. Vanth looked at him, puzzled be those words. He then expired and moved his finger a bit while whistling. His big, towering butler appeared at the door. Tyndur looked at him. He was freightned. "Carver help us please" ordered the doctor. "Sure Sir" said him as he approached his target. He moved toward Tyndur. They looked at each other for a moment. The boy started to move but it wasn't enough, his body was too weak to move. Carver jumped on him and put his forearm on his chest to keep him down. Tyndur tried to wriggle out of his grasp but Carver didn't flinch. Vanth stood up, took the pill and came towards him. "Open the mouth now" said Vanth. "No" answered Tyndur with a throttled voice. "Alrigh, I have always to do everything by myself" said Dr. Batastyr while looking at his butler. Carver tossed a punch at Tyndur throat. It was enough to let him open his mouth. As he did that, Vanth Batastyr pushed the pill down his throat. After that they left him there. He was breathing heavily and he felt like choking. He poured all the water's glass in his mouth to the point of wetting himself. The Whiskers crashed into the building and started seizing everything. They were looking for her. Only the stairs were dividing her from them. She squeezed the stick and exhaled but something felt wrong. Her breath was heavier, like her heartbeats. Something was happening to Tyndur. Their steps were closer. Closer. Ten steps. It was the best moment to be connected with him. Nine. Shoutings all over the place. Eight. Pounding heart. Heavier. She was worried about Tyndur. Seven. Gun's muzzles in the air. Six. Five. She got set. But she wasn't focused. Four. She was ready to charge. Three. Two. She moved. One. "What....What...Have you done?" "I'm giving you the necessary medicine. I'm your doctor after all" remarked Vanth. "No..You're not. You're not a doctor" "Well, I'm the one who can save you from your fate Tyndur. Don't forget it" His heart was running. Uriel was in danger. He wasn't able to help her. He felt worse. "Well, now we just have to wait. Usually Raphtalia take a bit to activate" said the doctor as he extended his legs on the table. "Why....are you...doing it?" asked Tyndur. "Do you think that you're the first person the fall in love?" replied his interlocutor immediately. "I...Yes, I think so. She told me" "How does it feel?" "Good, wonderful. It's the best natural emotion we have...." "How is it when you lose it?" Tyndur didn't reply. "I hated when I had to leave my wife. I was in love but she wanted something else. Killing her was just a way to kill my past" "Why...why did you need to do it?" "Because she was the only thing which kept me down. In this society to be best you've to get rid of your attachments" "I disagree. I didn't have a choice for a long time and for a time it was good. When I discovered that it was the opposite I've tried to change" said Tyndur. "You don't know how it is to sacrifice a life to survive under a dumb tyrant. You're just a nobody who got lucky" "Maybe..but...it felt good" "You're just like her. You're an idealist" said Vanth with an accusatory tone. The pill started to kick in. "It's time for you to enjoy what me and my wife created together. Let it in. Don't resist" said Vanth, pleased. At first there was Vigilance, The Eye. She hit one whisker on the head and the next one on the knee. Her heartbeat started to accelerate. They felt down and she overpowered them. She felt more focused out of nowhere. Another one came but she defended herself easily. After him came two of them. She tried to get them down but they started to surround her. They pointed their guns at her. She was keeping her stick up. She wanted to fight. She wasn't done. She was too focused on what was in front her. From the crowd emerged one whisker which moved quickly toward her. She turned towards him but someone hit her in the head. His heartbeat slowed down. "You did it. All...the pills? Why?" asked Tyndur with difficulty. "It was the only way to create a perfect society" "A...society made of drones, apatethic slaves" "Exactly. It was the only way to make the economy flourish and to keep everyone under our control. Emotions, passions...they never produced profit. The Leader needed profit above all, to keep paying for all the things you've enjoyed so far. The pills are hard to produce" "You have...a lot of emotions for being one who wants...to exstinguish them" "I don't think so. Once you're gone, everything will get back to normal" "How can you call it normality?" "Because it has to be" Rage came without a warning. The heartbeats were louder and stronger. She woke up, panting. She was gagged. In front of her there was a whisker with a familiar face. He put his finger on his ear and said: "The target has awakened" She tried to scream. She knew that was him. Rage was growing inside her. It was bigger than ever. She thought that Tyndur was experiencing it too. It went along for some time. After a while the whisker take off her the gag. "I thought that you were a simple worker. Is Kassar your real name?" asked her. The whisker didn't reply. "Answer me". He looked at her. "You don't know. Your ignorance is revolting" "Where are we going?" "Where your life begun" "Why did you make me fall in love? Why did you make me feel something?" asked Tyndur enraged. "It wasn't me actually. It was all you. I just asked Kassar to put a tracker in your body. As I can see your partner didn't just awake you. She made you aware of yourself. We didn't foresee it" "So...you did this?" "I was lucky but you got us to our targets" "It was you. You bastard. You killed her" Loathing came along. "How can you call yourself humans? Do you understand that this isn't right?" said Uriel with disgust. "It doesn't matter" answered Kassar. He looked at his watch. "You're Uriel's father" pointed Tyndur out. "Unfortunately yes. I didn't like what you did with her and what she did with you. She has always been under her mother's influence. I just wanted her to be more like me, with the same ideals" "She's too...clever to do it" And then dreariness followed. The van stopped. She was brought out and dragged to a door. The place was familiar. The door opened. She saw him. Tyndur was looking like a spectre. Pale and frail. "Tyndur..." said her. He looked at her. Tears were in their eyes. "Uriel, you're still alive" he wasn't able to believe it. The man in front of him turned and showed himself. "Good evening daughter" Amazement kicked in. "You're not my father" said her. "Your mother had a lot of secrets. I was one of them" answered Vanth. "You can't be" "Stubborn and close minded like your mother. No wonder she is dead now" "It was him Uri" told her Tyndur. "You..." her pointed his finger at him. "Are you going to be like that with me now? It's the first time we see each other" asked Vanth. "Yes I will. You killed the only person who cared about me when you weren't around" "She won't be the only one darling" said him amused. "What, why? What has Tyndur in his body right now?" "The octagon is already in his veins" And then it was the time of Terror. The heart started pumping blood faster. Tyndur felt a clutch on his chest. Uriel bent down, screaming. She looked at her father. "Really. You did it again. Fools" said Dr Batastyr while Tyndur and Uriel were suffering on the floor and the couch. He didn't say more and left the room. Carver went after him. He was weeping a bit but he was trying to conceal it. She went beside Tyndur with much hardship. "I'm sorry Ty" said her, while contorcing herself. "Don't be. We were played by someone who doesn't care about anyone" "Is it going to be like that, our last evening together?" asked Uriel. Admiration presented itself. "Yes Uri. I'm sorry. I just wanted to...love you with all myself. I just wanted to stay with you. I just wanted to be the best version of myself" She tried to hug him. "I..I think that this is the best way to die. With you" said her in tears. He hugged her with all his strength. What was left of it. Ecstasy, The Hummingbird showed itself. They kissed. And stayed together. One hugging the other. The heartbeats amped up. "I love you, Tyndur" He smiled. "I love you too Uriel" She smiled. They smiled. Together. They kissed. With their last breath. By @the_owlseyes

Reviews by: @augustkellerwrites Antlers is ambitious but fails to come together. There is plenty to appreciate here but, unfortunately, it is less than the sum of its parts. The story is interesting, using creature horror to mirror family trauma, and the acting meets that material. Keri Russell, Jesse Plemons, and Jeremy Thomas (a child actor) all fill out complex characters in a gloomy world. The pacing is methodical, creating mystery and suspense. The imagery is bleak and somber, applying darkness and muted colors. Lastly, the design and effects are especially nice. The monster is mostly shrouded, but what's shown is creepy and unique. However, Antlers doesn't land as a great film because none of this synergizes into something more. The family drama juxtaposes well with the monster, but those themes don't intertwine enough. Our protagonist is compelling, but she doesn't have a character arc that connects with her baggage. The fascinating monster has some built-in environmental messages, but none of that is explored or related to our protagonists. Sadly, this all leaves the movie feeling like a collection of attractive pieces. The filmmaking is engaging and its intentions are admirable, but, ultimately, Antlers is a bit of a let down. Writing: 6/10 Direction: 8/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Acting: 8/10 Editing: 6/10 Sound: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack: 7/10 Production Design: 8/10 Casting: 6/10 Effects: 8/10 Overall Score: 7.2/10 For more of my work: https://guskeller.wixsite.com/moviefilmreviews By @augustkellerwrites

Reviews by: @mr.cinemaaa Project Details: Director Anil Paduri Written By Puri Jagannadh Produced By Puri Jagannadh & Charmme Kaur Production Houses Puri Connects & Puri Jagannadh Cinematography Touring Talkies Music Director Naresh Rana Edited By Sunil Kashyap Art Director Junaid Siddiqui Action/Stunts Jonny Shaik Sound Effects Real Sathish & Prudhvi Sheka Lyrics Bhaskarabhatala & Puri Jagannadh Choreography Prem Rakshit, Jaani & Annie Run Time 2 Hours & 15 Minutes CBFC Rating "U/A" Direction & Story: The film is a love story between a young upcoming gangster and a music student and also about their wild journey of sensuality and love beyond anything. The story & screenplay by Puri doesn't offer anything fresh. Though the story is a mix of his popular hits Businessman, Pokiri. 143 & Idiot, Puri makes sure that he has all elements which attract his target audience. His screenplay forms the regular Puri universe which is filled with drugs gangwars, romance, comedy & action. Puri's dialogues hit us very hard and are superbly written as they have his signature all over them. The best one & my favorite one - “I Love India... Roopyai Karchu Undadu.. I Love You... Sarada Teerchestadi.” Director Anil Paduri makes a decent debut and scores well in the handling of his actors. The way he elevated Akash is commendable. But I have a strong gut that Puri himself must have directed most parts of the film. Lead Performances: Akash Puri has got loads of talent and this can be seen in this film. He has improved a lot when compared to his first film 'Mehbooba' and delivers an impactful performance. Though he plays a gangster which is a bit heavy for his age, he looks fully convincing with his confident screen presence, body language, and dialogue delivery. He carried the entire film on his shoulders and he is superb in all the action sequences. He is definitely a star in the making and one proper solid hit, he will surely be in the number game among the three-tier heroes. A bright & talented kid indeed. Delhi girl Ketika Sharma does a pretty decent job with her performance and she looked red hot in her glamorous avatar. Her sensuous looks in the songs will be a treat for the youth audience. Also, the chemistry between Akash & Ketika works well on-screen and all their romantic moments are superbly shot. Other Performances: Ramya Krishna leaves her mark with her amazing screen presence as a sincere IPS officer. Her character could have been more powerfully and intelligently written as after a point in time, she is only interested in the love story than in her duty and on the case. Deviyani Sharma impresses big time as the hero's best friend. She expresses well and is good in her role. Sunaina is the only one who makes us laugh in the film with her funny characterization & witty dialogues. All her comedy scenes in the first half are hilarious. Makarand Deshpande, Ravi Awana, Aziz Naser, and Temper Vamsi are good as the baddies in the film. Uttej & Rama Prabha are neat in their limited roles. Khayyum, Naveen Neni, Mahesh Vitta, and others are fine in their respective supporting roles. Cameo appearances by Hero Ram & director Puri Jagannadh in a song are a treat for the fans on screen. Detailed Analysis: The first half is filled with youthful elements which one expects from a Puri's film. The gangster drama though looks like a rip-off from his previous films, it keeps you engaged. The romantic track which looks a bit forced into the plot, comes after 30 mins and is stretched for no reason with an extra overdose at the interval. Hero’s lust for the heroine and her advances towards him looks unrealistic and sometimes a bit odd as well. Second half has many predictable and routine scenes which don’t add much to the overall experience. The climax isn't fully convincing. The cops surround the hero who is a criminal but nothing happens and all we get is a long conversation about the love story. The climax isn't effective because the love story is very poorly established. Having more romance than love brings down the emotion at the end. The police investigation & tracking scenes get repetitive & look bland. Technical Team: Direction 4 Story 3 Screenplay 2.5 Dialogues 4.5 Music/Songs 4 Background Score 4.5 Cinematography 5 Editing 4 Art Work 4.5 Costumes 4.5 VFX/Graphics 4 Fights/Stunts 4.5 Things to Look Out for: The camerawork by Naresh Rana is top-notch. The beautiful Goa beaches & the fights are captured well. Sunil Kashyap's music is good. All the songs are good to hear and his background score especially is superb. 'Naa Valla Kadhe' is the best song of the album. The production values are super-rich & the edit is neat. The action is choreographed well. The artwork, costumes and the production design are on point. Plus Points: Akash Puri's Kickass Performance Youthful Elements & Dialogues Ketika Sharma's Glamour Ramya Krishna & Sunaina Cinematography & Production Values Songs & Background Score First Half & Action Scenes Minus Points: Lack Of Novelty In The Story Predictable & Boring Second Half Not So Convincing Climax Overdose Of Romance Unnecessary Songs Final Verdict: A typical Puri's massy love saga that has all his trademark elements. P.S.: Looks more like a "Younger Version" of Mahesh Babu's "Businessman". Recomended: Yes Mr.Cinema Rating: 3/5 0.5 - Unbearable 1.0 - Avoid 1.5 - Flop 2.0 - Below Average 2.5 - Average 3.0 - Watchable 3.5 - Hit 4.0- Super Hit 4.5 - Blockbuster 5.0 - Mega Hit By @mr.cinemaaa

"Hey, you !" asked a soft, tender and crystalline voice behind him. He turned around. She. She was there. She came closer to him and kissed his lips. It was a passionate kiss. Something he never experienced before. His heart was pounding loud and strong. He wanted to embrace her body and touch her, to feel what she was feeling. It was love. After sometime her mouth moved away and she whispered in his left hear. "We have little time left" He didn't understand. "Grab my hand and follow me" He did as she said and went after her. They walked for 15 minutes till they reached a small alley. They got into it and stopped at a wooden door which was old and rotten. A small window opened. "My Name is Nobody" a feminine voice said on the other side. "And Empty Words are Evil" answered her. The door didn't open but he dragged him toward it anyway. He closed his eyes. An invisible force field passed through him. He opened his eyes again and they started to fall down, in a tube of some sort. They landed on a platform which amortized the fall. A little gate opened and he followed her in a tiny square with four street lamps and four benches. "How can I call you?" asked Tyndur a bit intimidated by such a bold girl. "Uriel. Don't worry, you can trust me" reassured him. "It isn't just that. It has been two weird days for me since I saw at..." started narrating him but was cut short by Uriel. "How was it?" "What?" asked him confused. "Your awakening" "My awakeing?!" "What you felt, did you like it?" remarked her. "Yes...I mean. Yes. What's happening to me?" "You're starting to use a part of your brain wich was inhibited at your birth. You'll get used to it" "Wait, my brain has been manipulated to avoid this feelings? Who did it and why?" asked without a clue. "The Leader. It's the only way to keep everyone under his fist" "Ok, slow down. What is the point of the pills then? If he dislikes emotions why does he allow us to have them with the pills?" "Because there're strays and he doesn't need them?" "What happen to them?" "We don't know. We're lucky that we've found you" "Who's we? And what's this place?" asked him a bit tense. "During the Leader's rise my family bought ShuangXi Dresses and used it as a front to help whoever was against the Leader's apathic vision. Unfortunately our mission didn't last and everyone got caught. We decided then to move here, a small unknown ShuangXi warehouse" "I...I didn't know" said him, trying to show her his newly discovered empathy. "Don't worry about it. There's something to be cheerful today" said her and accompanied him through a little door. The light was suffused in the room. There werea dozen chandeliers which granted a bit of heat and a bit of light. On an old armchair was sitting an old woman. Her wrinkles were thick and graced, like an handdrawn sketch, a peaceful, strong and beautiful face. She was wearing a blue robe with hummingbirds and cammelias. Her hair were short and dun. On both sides of her chair a lot of pictures, vinyls, movies posters, books and more were standing and expanding like she was the source of all that knowledge. 'Strange Fruit' by Billie Holiday, The Autobiography of Miss Jane Pittman, Romeo and Juliet, a Noh mask and a black and white picture which captured his attention. Two men and two women were smiling at the camera with oval glasses in their hands. Edderkopp, Batestyr, Alim, Gehenna Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium - 1948 "Is that him?" asked her with a tremble voice. "Yes mum" answered Uriel. "It's...a pleasure...ma'am. I'm sorry if I'm a bit...embarassed and my hands are a little sticky at the moment" said him while shaking her weak hand. "Don't worry darling, in this dark times it's like a breeze of fresh air to meet someone who feels anything" joked her. "And call me Umay. It has been almost two hundred years since I've been able to introduce myself. I hope that Uri has been able to explain why you're here and why you're so important for our cause" "She did. I still have to get a grip of all those emotions but I'm liking them so far" "You can stay here darling. You need to come here more often now. Vigors doesn't like the people like us..." "How do you know his name?" asked him, out of balance. "Well, that's a long story. I used to go by a different name when we were younger" "Anyway...we have to go mum. Me and Tyndur need to talk about a few things" intruded Uriel. "Sure, Uri. We'll talk again darling" and they detached from her who was shaking her weak hand. They moved out of the room and reached some kind of hut situated on the other side of the road, which seemed more like a corridor. "She seems like a fun woman. What about your father?" asked him. "He is....left us long time ago" answered her swiftly. "I want to show you something, to help you in this journey of self discovery" said her, changing the topic. "Oh, I'm a bit excited to know what's going to be" exclaimed Tyndur. Uriel smiled at him. They arrived in her room and she showed him her vinyl collection. "Music is the best source of emotions. It can change your mindset, enhance your feelings, help you focus and more. It's a necessary element in our life" and put on a vinyl. It was 'Time after Time' by Cindy Lauper. The music spraded out in the room and the vibrations went into Tyndur ears. His body started moving. Slowly, a bit shy at first but he acquired more confidence along the way. Uriel started singing and he tried to go after her. "Wow, you're good. Why...why do I feel so uplifted, so happy?" asked him. "That's the music. The vibrations sooth your mind and change your state of mind. It's pretty powerful, isn't it?" "Ye...I just wished that something like it never got banned. I feel like I can draw something outlandish or write a story which has never been told. It's truly beautiful" They stayed there, talking, listening to music, reading and exploring a whole new world which was unveiling in all its power for Tyndur. Later in the day he looked at its watch and stood up. "Where're you going?" asked her, worried. "I have to go..." said him with sadness in his voice. "Stay. Out there no one will accept you for what you know and what you feel. Here you can be safe. Here we can be together" remarked her while hugging his back. "If I don't go to work tomorrow, they will start to investigate me. I don't want to let them find this place. This is too good to perish in the hand of the Leader" She understood but she didn't detached from him. "I...We will see each other again. Every evening and every weekend I'll be here. I want to know more about my newfound..." "Empathy" said her smiling. He hugged her and left while she was staying on her bed, looking at him going away. From that day, she started meeting regularly as he said. Every evening he came, visited Umay and stayed with Uriel. His culture and emotional intelligence grew a lot. He started reading, writing and playing the guitar. They watched a lot of movies together. Animation, Thriller, Horror, Fantasy, Sci-Fi,...everything. After four months something changed. Something new happened. Tyndur arrived at 5:30 pm as usual. He was wearing something different. A white suits with black and grey stripes, an unusual dress which he founded in one of the many wardrobes of Uriel's father. There was a small embroidery which was partly cancelled: D. Anstyr In his hands there was a bouquet, made of flowers handpicked by him in a minuscule park in the suburbs. He concealed it in his car all day in order to be able to get them to her without being caught. He still felt pain in his arm but it was less than four months ago. He knocked at Uriel door. A sound of heels approached the door and the door opened. She was wearing a red tight dress which enhanced her breasts and defined her shapes. It was perfect on her. "Hi, Ty" and she kissed him on his lips. He immediately revealed his gift. She took them and put her nose on the flowers. "They smell so good. Where did you find them?" "A small green spot in the suburbs" "Come here" she grabbed him and they kissed again. She took his hand and brought him inside. The room was different. There were some candles, music and a little table with two glasses and some food. They ate almost of all of it and drunk a bit of red wine. After it they woke up and got on the bed. They were lying down, looking at the ceiling. "Do you think that I'm ready Uri?" asked him. "Well...yes. I think that you can do it. I just want to be with you" "Me too" "Sometimes it feels like a forbidden love, like the one about that old writer" "Do you think that things aren't going to change for us in the future? Ty, you're a spark of hope. Maybe things are not going to change immediately but we will be together nonetheless" "I just want to do something. I just want to help you. The truth needs to get out" remarked him. "That's true but not today. Today will be your rebirth, after four months of pure emotions and no pills" said her and put her head on his breast while hugging him. "Uri, is there a way to feel what you're feeling?" "Yes, Ty. I've never thought about it but we can use it" said she while waking up. "Go get some water. I'll get the synchronizer" "Is it safe, Uri?" asked him a bit worried. "Yes it is" They both went outside, one to the main warehouse and the other to the smallest one. Once he was inside he founded the usual mess. Ancient objects of another era and a lot of paper. He looked for some water's bottles. He found them, hidden behind an old Athame, a vehicle which was used a lot during the first years of the Leader's reign. It was hidden under papersheets. A lot of papersheets. While he was moving them he read some lines. Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium - 18th June,1952 Our trials with the latest subject didn't go as expected. The side effects are too much, even for us. Spasms and lower brain activity in hypothalamus, amygdala and limbic cortex. We're trying to solve this issue by changing the tablets chemical composition. I think that we should lower the dosage for red and dark green. We're in a hurry because the Department wants results and will cut his losses by shutting down The Octagon. I'll ask to Gehenna to help me with our complications. Fortunately the experimental intravenous tracer is proceeding well and we're going to test it on rats soon. He put it to his side without giving it much importance. He grabbed four bottles of water and got back to Uriel's room. As he entered, he founded her on the bed in his lingerie and a small machine. "Get undressed and do as I say" said her. He nodded and did as she wanted. "Now, we're going to link our brains and our hearts. Take these two and put them on you head and your chest. Then lie down with me" He followed her instructions. "Now, once we press this button we'll just have to relax. If you resist it, it won't work" She kissed him again. They lied down and together, hand in hand, pressed the button. At first they felt their heartbeat. Their hands intertwined. Then came a different kind of heartbeat. It felt at first distant but then it became closer. He was feeling her and she was feeling him. Their heartbeats were talking to each other. At times one was faster than the other. Slowly they started to synchronize. Till. They became one. They detached from the machine. She got rid of her clothes. He did it too. He kissed her on her neck, on her shoulder, on her back, on her breasts and get down. After a short time of foreplay they got to it. But it was different. He didn't feel lust like last time. It was love. Pure love. He was feeling her and how his movements were affecting her body. This was beautiful. He was smiling. She was standing with her mouth open and her head slightly bent back. She hugged him. Her soft hands on his strong body. He kissed her. Again. And again. It lasted a few minutes. When they stopped making love, he moved to her side while keeping his hands on her body. They looked in each other eyes. Both smiled. "I love you, Uri" said him. "I love you too, Ty" said her as she kissed him again. The knife was cutting through the mid cooked steak. The muscles were being chopped by the sharp blade. The slice went into his mouth who chewed it slowly and with delight. To the steak's side there was a bunch of potatoes cooked in the oven with white truffles grated on them. He took the red wine's glass on his right and sipped it. In front of him there was Kassar in his usual clothes. "Do you want some? It's delicious" asked him. He didn't reply immediately. He lingered a lot. Kassar always felt a sense of awe in front of him. "You can answer to me. This isn't the first time you're here" ordered him to Kassar. "Thanks doctor, but I'm full" answered him. The pill was being effective. He was in control because Kassar was under the influence of a blend of TE4S and AM5F. "I've liked your services so far but I won't need you for the foreseeable future. I get that you're worried about Tyndur but this time I'll step in. You can go" commanded him. Kassar stood up and went away. While he was moving to the door the doctor said one last thing. "Do no interfere with what was set in motion. I'll get you executed as any other stray if you get in my way" threatned him. He didn't answer but he moved quickly away. He sipped again from his glass and looked at the direction where Kassar went. An old man appeared from a door on his side. He was sharply dressed and his mustaches were carefully groomed. "How did it go Mr. Batastyr, sir?" asked him. "Marvellously Carver" "Are you sure about the outcome?" "I didn't left half your empathy to undermine my confidence Carver. Everything is good, anyway" "Excuse me, sir. It won't happen again" "Is there anything else you need to tell me?" asked Batastyr annoyed. "Your wife called three times this week. Do we have to block her number in order to eliminate this nuisance" "Don't. Carver, I think that it's time to meet her again. We should celebrate with her for all which has been accomplished in the last four months" said him with joy. As he said that, Batastyr drinked again his wine and savoured it in his mouth with great pleasure. Mr. Nicklas: Are you a doctor? Rosemary Woodhouse: He is an actor. Mr. Nicklas: Oh! An actor! We're very popular with actors! Have I seen you in anything? Guy Woodhouse: Well, I did "Hamlet" a while back, didn't I, Liz? Then we did "The Sandpiper"... Rosemary Woodhouse: He's joking. He was in "Luther" and "Nobody Loves an Albatross" and a lot of TV and commercials. Mr. Nicklas: That's where the money is, right? The commercials. Guy Woodhouse: And the artistic thrill too! Uriel smiled after hearing the character's joke. "What...what are commercials?" asked Tyndur. "Well, they're like...Imagine a short movie which tries to convince you to buy something" tried to explain her to him. "Just it? You look at one...commercial and immediately after it you're going to buy the product" "Not like it, silly...In the past they used to swamp TVs with a load of commercials. It was before capitalism was bent to the Leader's will. Today there're some firms but all of them are in his hands. There's no need for competition today. Your job exist only to keep your mind in check and to avoid any kind of revolutions which could threaten the nation's stability" explained her to him. "So, I've been a cog for all this time. A simple, dumb cog in an unchangeable system" said him. "More or less...yes" "That's bad" "That certainly is" "Who is free then?" wanted to know Tyndur. "Me, my mother, you, the Leader and his associates. Who is off the grid, who knows about and who controls it" "How do I know if I'm really free?" "That's an hard question Ty. Ask me something simplier" said her while hugging him. "If we're free, why can't you come to my apartment just one night?" "It isn't safe and my mother is too old to stand up for herself" "But, it's just one night. It's months that we're taking the necessary precautions. I just want to stay in a normal apartment for one night" "I don't think that's the best choice. At least here we have books, music and movies. We won't be able to watch Rosemary's Baby at your flat, if you think about it" "I know. I just want you to be with you for one night at my place. Allow me that. You can trust me. Nothing's going to happen" "I'll talk to my mother and we'll think about a solution together" "I've already talked to her about it" "When? Why? I thought that it was hard for you to interact with her" said her bemused. "Well, I thought that telling her would've put you at ease" "It did but what did she say?" "Something like The night should be yours darling. Regret could be bad." "Just it?" "Exactly" "So, I think that one night will do. Only because you've insisted Ty" said her while messing up his hair. He hugged and kissed her. "Finally" said to himself. A few weeks passed since Tyndur and Uriel had this conversation. He was looking at life in a radically different way. Knowing that he was inconsequential let him be free to enjoy more his time alone, because he had a lot to think about. His mind was firing up like a star. He also stopped meeting up with Kassar because he wasn't able to talk with him anymore. His emotional mind was on a different track now. He was isolated and only two people were able to understand him but at least he wasn't miserable. He wasn't able to believe that he has been clean for more than eight months. Uriel was happy of it too. "Everything is well then, isn't it Tyndur?" asked him Vanth. "Yes" said him while trying to be as apathetic as possible. "It's odd anyway. I've never seen a brain like yours in all these years. You seem changed" He didn't say anything. He just felt a little embarassed. "I was thinking that maybe we can have a little test today. What do you think?" "I agree" said Tyndur but he was afraid about the test. "I just want to know how you react to mental stress to evaluate your mind. We don't want you to feel sad or lonely" "I agree. I'm ready for it" He wasn't. He was afraid. He just wanted to be at home. With Uriel. Unfortunately Vanth wanted to do it. He just had to be relaxed and everything would've been alright. He hoped. "Alright, we'll start now. Don't worry, it will be quick. I'll just have to put you those on you..." said him while he was sticking three probes, one on his mind, one on his heart and one on his wrist. "Now. You'll watch a short video of five minutes. Just watch it. You won't be hurt in anyway" He pressed a button and the tape started. A bunch of scenes started appearing on the screen. The waves undertow on a sandy beach. Green trees moved by a gentle breeze. A crystal lake graced by the dawn. The sunset in a cloudy day on a beach. Water creeks singing a smooth and gentle song. A valley surmounted by mountains. A burning greenwood. Animals killed in a slaughterhouse. Animals hunted down by men. Animals running away from the raging fire. Fishes in nets, struggling for their lives. Fishes dying of chemical intoxication. Dying children. Dying babies. Dying people. People begging for food and money. People dying of cold. People killing other people. Men killing women. Men raping women and children. Riots. Police hurting citizens. Inmates hanged and killed by the electric chair. People tortured in gruesome ways. The atomic bomb. The bomb's aftermath. Blood. Blood. Blood all over the screen. Light. The tape ended. He was trying to keep all quiet and emotionless. It was hard. The tape left him destroyed. "Well then, how do you feel Tyndur?" asked the doctor while freeing him of the probes. He didn't answer. "Tyndur, you have to tell me how you feel. It's necessary for the evaluation" "I.." answered him with a feeble voice but stopped in order to give it the right tone. "Nothing has happened here. What I saw was inconsequential" said him with confidence. He was lying but it was the only way to avoid exposing his secret. "Good, now you can go. We'll meet again, shortly" said Vanth. Tyndur stood up and went out of the room quickly. He reached his car and went straight home. He was shaken to the bone. He had some troubles getting into his apartment because his hands were shaking. His heart was accelerating. He drunk a glass of water and lied down. Time passed slowly. Slowly. Slowly. Someone knocked at his door. He looked at the time. It was already late. Who could've been? He went to the door with caution and looked in the camera. A hooded person was looking for him. There was something familiar about it. He opened the door and the person hugged him while closing the door behind her. "I thought that the worst was going to happen to us today" said her. "Uri?" asked him. "Yes, it's me" "What are you..wait, is it today the day?" "Yes it is" He kissed and hugged her again. "After today's experience, you are what I needed the most" and kissed her again. "I felt it too, what happened?" "My doctor wanted to do a test. It was sick. It pushed me to the limit. He wanted to see if I would've manifested any kind of emotion" "I knew about it. Usually they use it during citizen's examination. Did you show something because my heart was running with yours?" "I didn't but it was hard to get through" "Who is your doctor?" "Vanth Batastyr" "I think that he's in one of my mum's pictures" "I saw it. Does your mother know him?" "I don't know. She never spoked about the things happened before my birth. I don't think that it's a big deal. He could've been just a classmate" "Are you sure?" asked Tyndur worried. "Yes...I think...I think so" said her lingering a bit. Meanwhile Umay was sitting on his chair, looking at the door. She was waiting for something to happen. Der Tod und das Mädchen by Schubert was being radiated by a small gramophone which was brought to her by Tyndur. He found it in one of the many warehouses where there was everything which she and her friends have been able to save during the Leader's first years of terror. She was extremely quiet and relaxed. She was enjoying the music. The sound of approaching steps came through the door. She tilted her head a little and moved her hands toward's the chair's armrests. Someone knocked at the door. One time. Two times. The knock evolved into a ramming. Someone was trying to tear the door down. One time. Two times. At the third the door unhinged and felt down. An old but muscular man was there. He was wearing butler's clothes. "As always Carver has to be so dramatic" said a smooth voice behind him. She didn't flinch but tried to catch who was behind Carver with her eyes. "Carver, leave us alone now" commanded the voice. The huge butler moved and the voice's owner showed himself. She squeezed her armrests. "Good evening my love. Aging didn't break your beauty" said him while kissing her trembling hand. "I've seen that you kept our picture. You are not able to get past after our...separation, don't you?" said him while looking around. "You...you came back" said her, afraid. "Yes, my love. It would've happened one day or another. I've always had an eye on your little shithole" "You still are so young and...beautiful. How Vanth?" "You should've accepted Gehenna and her studies. You would't look like...you know how you look like now" answered him. "Living longer doesn't mean...living better" "You wouldn't understand. You and your ethics. If it wasn't for me we won't be living in a modern utopia" "You've taken...my...researches and turned them into an abomination" said her with a blaming tone. "Ours my love. Ours. You didn't understand the potential of your achievements" "The people should've become more empathic. Emotions should've been the driving force of...our society" "And sacrifice productivity, moral and more just for your delusion. Today the people are exactly what we wanted. Free" "Freedom...isn't coercive" "At least we won't have to worry about unwanted pregnancies and psychological problems because they're not relevant anymore. This is peace for all time" "This is slavery...nothing more. Are you saying that Uriel was a mistake? Are...you saying that our daughter shouldn't have lived?" "Exactly. She doesn't deserve to live, actually. She is just what I'm not. She has grown into the most hateable kind of person: a strong and independent being" "You...you're a monster" Vanth stopped for a while and then turned off the grammophone. "Am I? You are the one who wanted to play with people minds. You're the one who concealed the truth to your daughter. We're both monsters. At least I've created a society which isn't made of nightmares" "You...you're just sad because I wasn't able to give you a son" He looked at her and then smiled. "If you despise me that much why have you tried to reach me?" asked him. "I...I just wanted to get you back. The old Vanth. The one I felt in love with" "That's so...you" answered him disgusted. "At least...I'm myself" "That's enough. Carver, bring Raphtalia" said him, with an agered voice. "What...what are you doing?" "Carver, you know her. If she tries something funny, help her get her medicine" said Vanth looking to his butler. "Of course, Sir" Vanth came towards her, opened one of her hands and put a white pill in it. It was characterized by a octagon's symbol on one side and a raphtalia on the other. He kissed her lips then moved away. She stayed there looking at the pill in her hand. Tears in her eyes. By @the_owlseyes

Reviews by: @averagejoereviews Joker came out at exactly the right time to give the comic book genre the medicine it so badly needed. Hark back to October 2019 and we’d just had a blockbuster year of Marvel releases - Captain Marvel, Avengers: Endgame, and Spiderman Far From Home. Whilst I do believe that Captain Marvel aside the other two are probably some of the best Marvel content we’ve had in a while, they lacked a certain level of humanity. These were flashy heroes jetting around with the latest technology or the greatest superpowers - they weren’t grounded enough. Joker is a stark (pardon the pun) contrast to that, fuelled by an incredible Joaquin Phoenix performance we see one of the greatest comic book movies of all time. The Joker is a character we all know well, the perennial villain, crown prince of chaos and Batman’s arch nemesis. We have seen some wonderful iterations of the infamous character over the years, from Jack Nicholson in Tim Burton’s ‘Batman’ to the voice of Mark Hamill in numerous animated shows. Obviously, the greatest of them all came from the late Heath Ledger in ‘The Dark Knight’ - which is in my opinion one of the greatest performances in one of the greatest films of all time. Here, we see the Joker’s origin story, how a man can become so twisted that he becomes the ultimate villain. It is important to note that this has been labelled as a stand-alone film, which is for the best, although I can certainly see them cashing in and making a sequel. Regardless, we are introduced to Arthur Fleck, a literal clown that is neglected and shunned by society for his conditions and mannerisms. Also because he’s downright creepy guy. Arthur is living in 80s Gotham, in squalid conditions caring for his mother, Penny (Frances Conroy), who is a tired old woman that used to be in the employ of a certain Thomas Wayne. Penny has been writing letters to Wayne, begging him to help them out of their predicament, but when Arthur opens one of the letters and reads it he learns something disturbing that will push him over the edge. It isn’t just Arthur that will be pushed over the edge, the lower classes of Gotham join him, taking a part in wild protests and riots on the streets of the fictional city. It is a message of the class structure of society, not just in a fictional world but here, today, and what happens when the more privileged fail to act in the greater interests of the much larger and poorer working classes. The rich, as epitomised by Thomas Wayne, are ignorant of the troubles of everyday people - content to play politics and make unfulfilled promises all the while contributing from the pain and misfortune regular people go through everyday of their lives. Arthur’s way out of these troubles is comedy, he’s always dreamt of being a comedian and watches the celebrity comic Murray Franklin’s (Robert De Niro) show with his mother all the time. He aspires to be like Murray but theres a slight problem - he’s just not that funny. Everyone around him knows it, his mother even says “don’t you have to be funny to be a comedian” and when Arthur goes on stage to perform at the comedy club he suffers badly from his condition - uncontrollable and spontaneous laughter. His one shining light in all this is neighbour Sophie Dumond (Zazie Beetz) who is the object of all Arthur’s affection. Despite this, and even because of this, Arthur is clearly in need of help, not the kind of therapy you see in the film mind - he’s depressed, psychotic and suicidal - a maniac to all that see him on the street and disregard him as the bottom of the barrel trash. Take a moment to think about yourself and your own life, how often have you seen a person on the subway or the tube home looking in a real bad state. They’ve lost all hope in life. How often do you go over and check if they’re alright? The answer for most, myself included, will be zero. Mental health is one of the most important things, we need to check out for each other because it only takes one pattern of events and you see somebody like the Joker come out in all of us. These themes are masterfully presented to us by Todd Phillips, who echoes classic Scorsese like ‘Taxi Driver’ or ‘The King of Comedy’ in every shot. This is a marked contrast to his classic ‘Hangover’ trilogy, which is one of the best comedy trilogies out there. Here, he takes a turn for the serious and whilst it feels like a Scorsese movie, he was originally supposed to direct, Phillips makes sure that this is most certainly his own work. It is almost arthouse at times, something that you could never say for any comic book film prior, and Phillips revels in the greens and reds that have become so embedded in the Joker’s character. In each shot Phillips echoes the decrepitude Arthur and Gotham finds itself in, almost making the constraints of an impoverished life beautiful. Joaquin Phoenix fully deserved his Oscar win for this immense display, the award had been a long time coming for him given his exceptional performances in Gladiator, Her, The Master and Walk the Line to name but a few. Phoenix went to extreme levels to portray Arthur, losing 52lbs for the role, and it shows, he is gut-wrenchingly skinny. The hard work paid off though because as he dances, laughs maniacally, cries and commits numerous atrocities we see him as a man, a human being that you ultimately pity despite the knowledge of what he has done. Phoenix gives a performance which moulds the Joker in his own right, away from the glory of Ledger which many have compared it to. Whereas Ledger’s Joker was a clever, maniac with no sense of human emotions, Phoenix is the same maniac with every ounce of emotion you could possibly have in his body. De Niro and Beetz are also both great, its always nice to see Robert De Niro - in particular in such a well suited role, and Beetz is undoubtedly on the path to stardom. However, this is the Joaquin Phoenix show in every sense, nobody deserved that Oscar more than him. The Joker is undoubtedly one of the greatest comic book films of all time, on par with Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy and a few of the Marvel collection. It is not a perfect film, the last ten minutes you are just asking them to pick an ending and ultimately they choose the wrong one, however, it is so much better than anything else the genre has to offer at current that it can get away with that. Guided by Phillips and featuring some beautiful cinematography and some of the greatest acting of the past decade from Joaquin Phoenix, this is not your typical action-packed blockbuster, but rather a study of a man in need of help and the situation that put him there. It sucks that since then we have not received a single comic book film near this kind of quality, but, that’s life. By @averagejoereviews

Reviews by: @existentialskeptic In 1859, Charles Darwin published his culminating work On the Origin of Species, which immediately received many critiques both scientific and religious, as well as political and sociological, among others. With so many groundbreaking ideas of evolution that challenges belief in its time, the most controversial part of this book was the last sentence: “There is grandeur in this view of life ... whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved." This was a dangerous idea at the time since it did away with the idea of a creator’s involvement in natural history. Moreover, it demotes human's privileged position with the idea that we are the result of evolution and chance rather than fate and purpose. Natural selection cares not for any comfort. Why should it? Things simply follow from laws acting all around us, and nature is indifferent to the suffering that follows its guiding principle, survival of the fittest. In this view, Darwin recognizes that truths about the real world, however distasteful, have to be faced. "All that we can do, is to keep steadily in mind that each organic being has to struggle for life and to suffer great destruction. When we reflect on this, we may console ourselves with the full belief, that the war of nature is not incessant, that no fear is felt, that death is generally prompt, and that the vigorous, the healthy, and the happy survive and multiply." With physical laws and natural selection at the driving seat, there is no reason for self-aggrandizing nor self-pity. There is no need to bother with finding meaning in life or questioning fate. We are just another part of the natural show, and not even not the best part of it. But what a show this is. There is grandeur in this view of life, but if you can't see them, it's on you. By @existentialskeptic

At first he felt it in his nose. It was like a scent made of Daisies yellow disc florets, Coriander's pink umbels, dark chocolate's bitter sweetness and apple's juiceness. An image appeared in his retina. At first blurred but slowly it became clear. He saw her. Voluptuous body, little wide hips, plain abdomen, luxuriant breast, not too little shoulders, arms thick enough, gentle face, full red lips, small nose, little ears, mesmerizing blue eyes, refined eyebrows and long waved dark hair. Her arms were wide and a light was behind her. She was like a raven with open wings. She turned and showed her back, tonic and straight, and her ass, which was plump and fine, like a mature peach. She started dancing, moving her sinuous body like a balck and yellow striped cobra. She moved toward him and he felt her big boobs on his face. She caressed his legs with his ass and started moving around his cock. He felt her mouth on it. His mind started to wander as she got down. The blood was pumping in his heart and he started panting. He squeezed the chair's handles and started moving his pelvis back and forth. She was looking at him. He licked her nipples while she started to ride him. It was frantic. He was there. Almost. She bent her back and opened her mouth. She bursted in a flaming ball of light. All became shiny. Blinding. "How was it this time?" asked a sullen voice. He opened his eyes slowly. They were teary and his head was heavy. He rubbed his eyes and then looked around him. A tidy and minimalistic room made of a few chairs, a couch, a desk and three windows. Fourteen vials of an unknown purple liquid were set longitudinally in a wooden case with a metallic tag. On it there was written 'Carrot and Stick'. A tall man was standing behind the table. His face was relaxed and quiet. "Tyndur, are you there?" asked the same voice accompanied by a repetitive snapping. "Wow, usually it isn't like it. Sure, it's good but not that good" said Tyndur. "This time your EC2H dosage has been higher. You're the first one in my clinic to reach this level of seratonin in one session. Would you like another, to help with our researchs?" asked the doctor while lending him a yelllow pill with an Hummingbird icon on a side. "No thanks, I'm ok. I have to work today. I need to stay focused" declined Tyndur without any kind of emotion. He got off the chair. While he was turning to get out of the room the doctor told him one last thing. "Don't forget to take a double dosage of TE4S and AD3C. Our Leader requires it" said him while showing him two pills. One was green and presented a spider icon and the other was a waner green with a camellia symbol. Tyndur closed the door behind him and found himself in one of the countless corridors of the Sjelsukker Institute. Other people came out from other doors and looked at him. An alarmed buzzed and all of them moved. He followed and reached a large entrance hall made of three statues. There was the Leader's statue and under him the three most important symbols of the nation: the Code of Hammurabi on the right, the papal bull Dum Diversas on the left and between them the Bible. Tyndur walked pasted them and went through an automatic door. Behind him the clinic was gigantic and frightening with its pyramidal structure and white bricks. He got into his brand new Treve and drove to the Bondsmaid incorporated. "Hey, do you want a bit of AM5F to keep up with all your work? Or, maybe, it's better to use VI1E in case something unforeseen happens?" said a cybernetic peddler while showing the symbols of Fire and and an Eye. He avoided it without even looking at him. He took the elevator, which brought him to the twentieth floor underground, where it was smoking hot. "Have a good day Mr. Kef" said a monotone voice in his ear once he seated at his desk. It was made of a white computer, white keyboard, white chair,...it was like winter, like before. "Tyndur" said his cubicle's partner. He turned on his chair and looked at him. He was a buffed guy with long beard and shaved head He was dressed with a white shirt, grey pants and white tie. "Yes Kassar, we'll see each other at the Liberty Bell's Pub" He worked his shift for ten straight hours. Tyndur and Kassar woke up and took GR6T and LO7L. The Raven and the Lizard. One of the most used pills. "Today has been a wasted day. Tomorrow we'll be better for our Leader" said all the employers as a single body. They all went out. Kassar took a RA8T, the Tiger's pill, and screamed out loud while punching his chest with ardor. After that Tyndur looked at him without flinching. "Kassar, we'll see each other this evening. Goodbye" and got away as quick as possible. The Liberty Bell's Pub was a cubic building made of glass and concrete which was located in a big street of the city's downtown. It was frequented by a lot of state workers and businessman and it represented one of the few moments when people could calm down and forget about their jobs. "Finally. You made it" said Kassar to Tyndur. They were both wearing the same suits of that morning. "What are we going to do? We just have a few hours before the curfew will set in" asked Tyndur. "Don't worry. We'll take a medium dosage of Spidey and, after that, a full one of Tiger Lizzy" exclaimed Kassar without changing his tone and mannerism. "Follow me" Tyndur went after his friend. He followed him in the crowded room. It wasn't easy. Then she saw her. Blonde waved hair, green fascinating eyes, reddish cheecks and a yellow dress. He and the girl bumped into each other. "I'm sorry. It wasn't my intention to hurt you my lady" said him in an apathetic way. She didn't answer and he lost her in the moving drove. A wave of white suits and dresses eclipsed her. He felt something in his forearm, like a itching. He checked it and saw a minuscule hole which was probably left by a syringe. His head started to ache. He brought a hand to his forehead to check if it was fever but it wasn't. He felt fear. None came to comfort him. Everyone was minding his business, without even looking at him. He thought that someone injected an high dosage of TE4S but it wasn't like it. TE4S doesn't take effect in so short a time. He felt anger because he wanted to find who did it to him. He pulled himself out of the throng and leaned on a chair. He thought about throwing up but it wasn't the right time. It would've been against the Leader's code. He felt sadness. He didn't want to die there. He started panting. He put his right hand on his heart and felt it thumping. "Tyndur" called a voice, a feminine voice. He felt more optimistic and tried to compose himself but he was too weak. His vision started to blur. All was fading to white but there was a yellow light among this candid mayhem. "Talk to me" said the voice again. "We'll see each other...." He wasn't able to get all of it because he fainted on the ground. His head was aching badly. It was like an hangover. He opened his eyes and founds himself on a white couch made of leather. "Your biometric stats seem normal. You didn't get a concussion or else" said a voice in front of him. After a while he associated it to Kassar. He was standing in front of him with a white steamy mug. "The only thing which leaves me and Vanth without an explanation is the fact that your hypothalamus, amygdala and limbic cortex's activity is above the average. I've never seen something like that but Vanth didn't seem impressed. What happened yesterday Tyndur?" asked Kassar with an inquisitive tone. "I don't...I don't know really. I was...like...following you when someone stinged me with a syringe..." answered him with difficulty. He was weary and discombombulated. There was still fear in his mind and a blend of anticipation and pensiveness. "Have you met someone, someone who could have harmed in any way? Maybe someone who stood out? Someone who felt out of place?" asked Kassar again, with an even more inquisitive tone. A yellow dress. Blonde air. Green eyes. "No...I don't remember. My memory is too...blurred" lied Tyndur. "Are you sure?" insisted his friend. He made Tyndur feel uneasy and uncomfortable. "I don't...don't know really. I just need some time to...to think about yesterday. Maybe something will come up meanwhile" tried the investigated to divert his friend attention from the truth. "Vanth told me to tell you to stay inside and to not, and I repeat, to not leave your apartment. He doesn't want another situation of Raphtalia's overdose" said Kassar. "I will" lied Tyndur with a reassuring tone. Kassar leaved and he stood on the couch till his feet's sound faded in the distance. He got up and looked on the small glass table beside the couch for his PC and phone. Instead he found two pills. One of AD3C and another of TE4S. Tyndur got up, changed his clothes and went out of the door. He was locking the door when something catched his eyes. An Ad was being showcased on one of the airships which used to fly over the city: ShuangXi Dresses, We know What You're Looking For Beside these words there was a Black and White Sunflower blended with a Wunjo rune. He didn't know why but he found it weird. All the whiteness around him was becoming hard to endure. He knew that Sunflowers are black and yellow. He got to his car and set the destination. "ShuangXi Dresses is an abandoned building on Geheim Avenue. Are you sure you want to reach this destination?" asked the AI which managed the navigation system. He didn't reply but, instead, pressed a 'Y' on the dashboard. The vehicle moved quick through the city's streets when an incoming call appeared on the dashboard. Dr. Vanth Batastyr, Sjelsukker Institute "Tyndur, why have you left your apartment? You're not..." he terminated the call without notice and shut off his phone. While he was doing it he saw a yellow dress in the car's right mirror. "Stop. Right here. Park" demanded Tyndur to the AI. The car immediately stopped and positioned itself beside another car, while turning the emergency lights on. He got off and ran on the other side of the street. He looked for the amber dress. It disappeared. He looked around. Again. He moved swiftly in the direction which he thought she was travelling. He started to run. He felt them again. Emotions. Joy. Apprehension. Anticipation. Vigilance. By @the_owlseyes

Reviews by: @film.review.club Here Are The Young Men is a drama directed by Eoin Macken and follows a group of teenagers from Dublin as they transition out of school and into a life without purpose, fuelled by alcohol and drugs. This life affects each of these teens differently, one a monster, one mentally ill and one who can’t help but continue to make bad decisions. CAST & THE ACTING I was really impressed by this cast, I am a big fan of most of the actors and they didn’t disappoint because the acting in this film is brilliant. Dean-Charles Chapman plays Matthew, Finn Cole is Kearney and Ferdia Walsh-Peelo plays Kez. They make up the main three characters for the film and they deliver really strong performances. Kearney is a real monster and Finn Cole’s performance is that good that a lot of his scenes made me feel so uncomfortable which was the purpose of his character. He also does well to portray the decline of Kearney, where he becomes more and more of a psychopath as the film goes on. Chapman’s performance was also great because he also portrayed a mental decline but instead it was the effects of just being friends with Kearney and the guilt that comes with simply being so easily led astray by his friend. His portrayal of the drug and alcohol abuse was also very convincing. Anya Taylor-Joy played Jen in the film and as usual she understood the assignment completely! Although she was probably under utilised, she still done well in the scenes she was a part of. There is also a surprise appearance from Travis Fimmel as the TV presenter in the film, a role I assumed to be insignificant but actually he actually played a huge part at representing the mental state of the other characters. There are plenty of other familiar faces that pop up in the film too, the stacked cast is really what drew me into this film. PLOT & THE STORYLINE This is the area where most of the other reviews I have read slated the film, but I think they may have taken it too literal. There was criticism of there not being any real consequences in the film. There are terrible things done by some of the characters and there are pretty much no consequences for those actions but I think Here Are The Young Men is hugely representational. I believe it just wants to emphasise the worse case scenario when young people are unguided and making one bad decision after another (Matthew) but they also showed a character that just can’t be helped, a monster that will always be bad (Kearney). It also highlights the effects of toxic masculinity and the dangers of not pulling up friends for their actions. Again they done this by showing a worse case scenario situation but I actually enjoyed that element because the shock factor made the message sink in. They used Finn Cole to creat a monster in Kearney and he was meant to make the audience feel uncomfortable, to shock them and that’s absolutely what he did. To emphasise my point on the film being very representational, the TV presenter and the metaphorical game show was an element I really liked about the film. I think it was a brave approach by the director because it’s not something I see very often in film but it worked well at portraying the mental state of Kearney and what made him how he is and what made him tick. The start of the film is a little slow paced but it does improve as the film goes on. The ending is a little disappointing, I think a better ending would have been Matthew getting Kearney arrested or something along those lines, I won’t give away exactly what happens but it’s just a little extreme. But the film is full of things like that so I’m not surprised. CINEMATOGRAPHY & SPECIAL EFFECTS I was impressed by the cinematography throughout the film! James Mather the cinematographer, used a variety of camera techniques; from blurred motion with bright colours to emphasise the heavy drug use, to time lapse which I felt represented the boys wasting their lives away. It looked good and it was a nice way to incorporate effective cinematography on a really low budget. I think the special effects were probably created from the different camera techniques and lenses, there certainly wasn’t any CGI and I wouldn’t expect any in a coming of age film like this. I think the TV show scenes looked good and it was really trippy at times which was understandable because they were trying to illustrate Kearney’s crazy mind. OVERALL (6.8/10) This is way above any official ratings for the film but I’m fine with that. I loved the cast and I think everyone delivered fantastic performances that created interesting characters that really had a strong impact on the audience. The film, in my opinion, is very representational and shouldn’t be taken to literally, yes there aren’t really any true consequence for the characters actions but I think it’s because the director wanted to show you just how bad things could get if things were left unchanged or no one intervened. Especially when it comes to Kearney’s character, who Finn Cole portrayed brilliantly. I would have changed the ending to perhaps make it a little more realistic and I would have liked to have seen Anya Taylor-Joy utilised a little more but other then that I think it’s good film which impressed me considering it was done on a very low budget. Thanks for reading. By @film.review.club

Reviews by: @insidenumbermovies Guns Akimbo (2019) follows the story of a man who gets forced to take part in a violent battle that will be streamed on the dark web where he is tasked to kill a woman with much more skills than him. I was pretty impressed by this film! It was a lot of fun! In terms of visuals, this film had it all. I loved the graphics that appeared on screen near the start as they immediately caught my eye. The film also had some vibrant colour palettes and intense and crazy cinematography and editing which fit the tone of the movie. I liked the character designs and costuming too! Nix looked absolutely amazing. It had a brilliant soundtrack that was upbeat and high-energy, and fit the movie very well. I also liked the narration, some of the humour appealed to me however most didn’t! But, I totally understand the appeal of it and the narration was great nonetheless. The movie is crazy from the get-go, and was a pretty original concept which was a lot of fun and consistently interesting which meant I didn’t get bored at all while watching! Even the ending lived up to the standard set by the build-up. In a lot of ways, this movie reminds me of Spree (2020) which is a film I love dearly. The high-energy and unhinged, feral pacing is so similar! Guns Akimbo truly excels with it’s acting and characters. Daniel Radcliffe gets to show his range perfectly which is nice to see! The characters are introduced in a nice, fun way and although Miles is rather unlikeable at first, I think this was intentional. It’s always nice to see a genuinely awkward and flawed character that isn’t glamorised. I also loved the character of Nix, she was a badass and her death was insanely heroic and fit her perfectly. I think Miles and Nix made a great team. 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ By @insidenumbermovies

Reviews by: @existentialskeptic Order is an illusion and everything moving toward chaos Everything comes from chaos and gradually will decline into disorder. It's the entropy principle of thermodynamic law and nothing in the universe could ever escape it. Try as we might, every effort to create order is just a temporary illusion to make our life more comfortable. While they aren't entirely useless, just remember the order we created is not a solid ground to stand on. There is always danger if we cling too much to them We barely know anything, even the simplest things under our feet It's in the title of the book, fish don't exist. That's because all life evolved out of the water. Reptiles, mammals, birds, all came from something that we would say looked pretty much like a fish. In an evolutionary sense, there's no way to draw a category that will encompass everything we call a fish. The most accurate way is to call the species by its name - shark, grouper, angler, eel. It's the lesson of humility. "We have been wrong before and we will be wrong again. The true path to progress is paved not with certainty but doubt, with being open to revision." Humans don't evolve to become higher species There is no single hierarchy on evolution. "This was what Darwin was trying so hard to get his readers to see: that there is never just one way of ranking nature's organisms. To get stuck on a single hierarchy is to miss the bigger picture, the messy truth of nature," Miller writes. In this sense, our ego as humans often get in the way. We tend to think that we are the "gardener" or worse, "master" over other species. That everything else was provided for us by the creator. Just look where has this line of thinking got us now. Does human existence make the earth a better place? Universally speaking, we don't matter In the first chapter of her book, Miller recounts how, when she was seven years old, she asked her father about the Meaning Of Life. His response was: “Nothing!” Miller writes, “Chaos, he informed me, was our only ruler. This massive swirl of dumb forces was what made us, accidentally, and would destroy us, imminently. He informed me that there is no meaning in life. There is no point. There is no God. No one watching you or caring in any way. There is no afterlife. No destiny. No plan. And don’t believe anyone who tells you there is. These are all things people dream up to comfort themselves against the scary feeling that none of this matters and you don’t matter. But the truth is, none of this matters and you don’t matter." There you go. But maybe for someone, you are the universe "It was the dandelion principle! To some people, a dandelion might look like a weed, but to others, that same plant can be so much more. To an herbalist, it’s a medicine; to a painter, it’s a pigment; to a hippie, a crown; a child, a wish." Telling stories of how groups of people support each other in their small ways, Miller writes, "Slowly, it came into focus. This small web of people keeps one another afloat. All these minuscule interactions- a friendly wave, a pencil sketch, some plastic beads strung up a nylon cord- might not look like much from the outside, but for the people caught inside that web? They might be everything, the very tethers that keep one bound to this planet." Chaos and Order be damned. The only thing to do is to give up the fish Sure, we can continue to believe nothing out of order could ever fall upon us. We can choose to cling to what we always believe to be true. We can choose comfort over truth. It's the power of positive thinking, they said. "Scientists have discovered, it's true, that employing positive illusions will help you achieve your goals. But I have slowly come to believe that far better things await outside of the tunnel vision of your goals," Miller writes. "When I give up the fish, I get, at long last, that thing I had been searching for: a mantra, a trick, a prescription for hope. I get the promise that there are good things in store. Not because I deserve them. Not because I worked for them. But because they are as much a part of Chaos as destruction and loss. Life, the flip side of death. Growth, of rot." As Darwin promised, there is grandeur in this view of life. A wondrous debut from Lulu Miller, Why Fish Don’t Exist is a dark and astonishing tale of love, chaos, scientific obsession, and—possibly—even murder. Part biography, part memoir, part scientific adventure, Why Fish Don’t Exist reads like a fable about how to persevere in a world where chaos will always prevail. Personally, it's the best book I have read this year. And what a year it was to read such a book. By @existentialskeptic

Reviews by: @the_owlseyes C’est un gros tas de merde ambulant Putain de bordel de merde ! C’est des conneries Ça me fais chier Merde Je m’en fous Tas de merde C’est con Sale Enculé Pauvre naze C’est naze And now ponder about your life PLOT "A young American woman from the Midwest is hired by a marketing firm in Paris to provide them with an American perspective on things" or "A dumb mockery of European and French costumes and people" SCRIPT The plot is thin as ice and the characters, all of them, are like cardboards. Emily doesn't have a personality. French people are represented as douchebags. French men are all sex addicts who crave sex and cheat on their partners. It tries to condemn the politically correct by being politically correct, just found out by yourself because it's clear since the first scene. Every dialogue is filled with sexual innuendo an sexual jokes. The women are all heavily sexualized and they seem more like sexual objects. The homosexual character is defined only by his sexual orientation. All the fashion's managers are self-centered, selfish and greedy sharks with no motivation. Just a few French people talk french and it's an insult to french people. Only the elitè is represented here and the series doesn't address paris's problems. It's ludicrous how this series is able to misrepresent the french population by putting only a character of african origins, when most of the french population is made of maghreb's immigrants. This series is infuriating because it foster betrayal, assault, minor sexualization, women objectification, shallowness,... It's also for the perpetuation of social immobility and youth unemployement. This series is all we hate about society and all we hate about Netflix. This isn't a simple trainwreck. This is a disaster. I can't give 0 but I feel like the producers should be fired from every job. This series doesn't deserve a continuation, it doesn't even deserve to exist. I'm done. Script: 1/10 ACTING Lily Collins is the only decent actor because the others aren't actors or they don't feel like ones. That's unfortunate, because it makes the experience even worse. Acting: 4/10 PHOTOGRAPHY Flat Light and colours whitout a meaning. There're just a few good shots but this series isn't able to show us the beautiful Parisian sceneries. Just that. I'm disappointed. Photography: 5/10 EDITING Uninspiring and basic. It works but it doesn't bring anything new and bore most of the time. It's a technical 6 but I would've given a lower rating sincerely. Editing: 6/10 SPECIAL EFFECTS There's just a few of them and they're imperceptible. Fortunately. This is supposed to be set in a realistic world after all. Special Effects: 6/10 SOUNDTRACK I hate it. It doesn't make any f***g sense. It's just made of a pop music's jumble. Most , or all of them, are obnoxious and boring. I don't understand what James Newton Howard has done to craft such an horrendous soundtrack. I wanted to kill myself after every f***g transition. I don't want to say more about it, because it's just shitty and dumb. Soundtrack: 4/10 COSTUMES This is the only aspect which is good. Considering that this is a show about fashion, it isn't impressive. The point is that most of the time it feels like a long ad for clothes, which is boring. I want to add that some clothes are laughably bad or funny to look at. Costumes: 6/10 CONCLUSION Script: 1/10 Acting: 4/10 Photography: 5/10 Editing: 6/10 Special Effects: 6/10 Soundtrack: 4/10 Costumes: 6/10 AVERAGE: 4,57 Skip it. Don't even think about it. It's flying shit. Director: Andrew Fleming, Zoe R. Cassavetes Screenplay: Darren Star Cast: Lily Collins, Philippine Leroy-Beaulieu, Ashley Park, Lucas Bravo, Samuel Arnold, Bruno Gouery, Camille Razat, William Abadie Soundtrack: James Newton Howard Running Time: 27 minutes By @the_owlseyes

Reviews by: @ryan_the_nixon @miscellaneous_media_reviews @mrbmnb @averagejoereview @_xkrow_ @aydakifilmsever @thebotreviewer 2021 12A Director: Dennis Villeneuve starring: Timothée Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Zendaya, Jason Mamoa, Josh Brolin, Javier Bardem, Stellan Skarsgard, Stephan McKinley, Sharon Duncan Brewster, Chen Chang, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling etc Paul Atreides, a brilliant and gifted young man born into a great destiny beyond his understanding, must travel to the most dangerous planet in the universe to ensure the future of his family and his people. As malevolent forces explode into conflict over the planet's exclusive supply of the most precious resource in existence. A commodity capable of unlocking humanity's greatest potential-only those who can conquer their fear will survive. Dune was incredible and for me one of the strongest films of the year. My first few positives would be the fantastic set up and worldbuilding. As well as the incredible cinematography and sound design. Also, the chemistry between the cast and performances. The film set up the storyworld excellently. Establishing the villains well, as well as introducing the world of Arrakis and the people that lived there. This film had some of the strongest worldbuilding I have seen. The storyworld was so rich and incredible it was beautiful to see. There were so many different elements to the world that were so well explained and explored throughout that I was invested and in awe from start to finish. The film was visually stunning, the sheer scope the film managed to execute was astounding. The colour palette and the creativity with the shots really helped with displaying not only the beauty of the world but just how well-crafted the film was. Another very strong element was the sound design. It added such a cinematic appeal to the film, with one of the best scores I have heard. The sheer volume and cinematic appeal of the score just transported me into the film and I didn’t want it to end. I also thought the performances from the whole cast were so strong. The cast was incredibly impressive for this film, and everyone delivered. Key highlights for me were Josh Brolin, Oscar Isaac, and Rebecca Ferguson. Jason Mamoa was another highlight with a charming and likeable performance. And Timothée Chalamet did a fantastic job in his first big action role and delivered an impressive performance. The whole cast had great chemistry, and the different relationships shown were great as we got to really dive into the characters and their relationship with each other. My next few positives would be the great action and script. As well as the interesting elements to the story-world and strong plot development. The action within the film was excellent, it was intense and well-choreographed. Incorporating fascinating technology from the storyworld making the characters glow blue, which led to visually unique and entertaining action sequences that left an impact. I also thought the script and dialogue was very strong. There was so much attention to detail with the script and there wasn’t one plot point that was left unexplained with the rich world. And the dialogue was very insightful and raised a lot of important questions with its political themes. I also loved the interesting elements to the storyworld. All the different technology and elements to the world was fascinating. With some of the characters powers being able to control what people do being interesting. I also thought the plot development was strong. I think Paul realising the weight of his responsibilities with being the chosen one really was the focus as the story developed and the true intensions of the villains were revealed. My only slight criticism would be the pacing issues in places. This wasn’t an issue most of the time. But the film had so much exposition and explaining to do in places that the pacing was slightly inconsistent. My final few positives would be the strong themes and villain. As well as the great plot twists and fantastic final act. I think the political themes conveyed with the house of Atreides taking control of Arrakis but trying to find a balance and peace sent a strong message, also with its themes on power and family throughout were strong as the characters relationships developed. I also thought the Baron was a very strong villain. The character design and the intimidating force of his character was fantastic. His ruthless aggression and lack of emotion when it came to killing entire bloodlines really made him a strong villain that will no doubt be explored even more in the sequel. The final act was also excellent. The plot twists were unexpected as the characters didn’t know who to trust and it kept the tension high. And the score, action and the arc for Paul was very strong. Leading a lot open for part 2 as he strives for peace with the people of Arrakis. Overall, Dune is one of the most visually captivating and impressive films I have seen. With an incredible cast, amazing and rich worldbuilding. And one of the strongest scores I have heard. I was in awe from start to finish. This is one of the strongest films of the year, and one of the strongest adaptations I have seen. Overall rating 96/100 By @ryan_the_nixon Dune is a sci-fi adventure film directed by Denis Villeneuve and released in 2021. Dune follows Paul Atreides, a talented young man destined for greatness, as he and his family move to the planet Arrakis. They must carry out the emperor’s wishes and take the responsibility of watching over the planet and harvesting its valuable natural resources. When chaos begins to unfold and their world begins to crumble, House Atreides will need to fight for its survival. Dune is the first of two parts, with the second part coming out in 2023. I knew nothing about Dune going in, and my expectations were mild at best. I figured I would end up liking it, but I had no idea I would end up loving this film. Dune is unlike anything I’ve ever seen, and it is easily my favorite new release of this year. The visuals of Dune are absolutely phenomenal. Christopher Nolan said that Dune was, “...one of the most seamless marriages of live-action photography and computer-generated visual effects that I’ve seen,” and I couldn’t agree more. Dune perfectly combines practical and digital effects to create one of the most visually pleasing movies I’ve ever seen. Not only is the combination of these two types of effects perfect, but the digital effects themselves are flawless. There is not a single frame of this movie that looks off in any way. The cinematography is also breathtaking. The film is filled with so many colors, and the visual effects are made even more impressive by the way they are presented and framed. Each and every shot in this movie is like a painting. The sets and locations in the film look so real and tangible, and full of detail that it’s almost like you could reach right out and touch them. The movie is filmed in dynamic ways, and lets the grandiose visuals of the world of Dune speak for themselves. The lighting is also used wonderfully to complete this visual masterpiece. Another way the film fully immerses the audience into the world of Dune is through its incredible score. Hans Zimmer’s score is unlike anything I’ve ever heard, and it’s probably one of my all time favorites. The movie just has such a distinct sound to it. The score mixes synth, drums, electric guitar, and new instruments created specifically for Dune. There is also a heavy influence from both African and Middle Eastern music that is present throughout. This music works wonderfully in tandem with the angelic and mysterious vocals of an alien language. It is an absolutely perfect and distinct sound for this movie. The music does a fantastic job setting the tone and working with the visuals to create the incredible atmosphere of Dune. The score manages to be beautiful, intimidating, oppressive, grand, and powerful. Intense and emotional scenes are perfectly illustrated by the score which brings Dune to life. The story of Dune is a complex one, but one that never feels alienating. Although I found myself feeling lost at times trying to keep everything straight, it never felt like a byproduct of a poor script. I found the mysteries and lore of Dune to be incredibly captivating. Not having a full knowledge of this universe wasn’t dismaying in the slightest. Each mystery and question I had just continued to hook me and pull me into the movie. While the story itself does benefit from a second watch I was still able to fully piece everything together by the end of the first. Dune has a slow burn story that slowly reveals itself over time. It puts the politics of its world first, and action second. However, don’t let that deter you; the politics of Dune are gripping. And when the action scenes do appear they are a marvel to behold. Featuring incredible fight choreography, and massive sci-fi spectacles they’re some of the best I’ve seen. The story requires lots of patience and attention, but if you give it that, you will be rewarded by the incredible narrative, extensive world building, and cathartic action. I liked several of the characters, but most are not fleshed out to a great extent. However, I think this works for the type of movie Dune is. I think the best character in the movie is Paul Atreides, which is great, considering he is the character we spend the most time with. At the very least I was able to get a sense of who each character was, even if it didn’t go much further than that. The few moments of character development we got, allowed me to form some attachment to the characters. This made certain parts of the movie much more emotional as a result. In a way each character seems small, both literally and figuratively. They pale in comparison to their massive man made creations; such as the imposing machines and spaceships. But due to the nature of the story they also seem like pawns within a larger plot. The conflict and odds they face seem insurmountable, and that creates a formidable enemy for Part 2. The acting behind each character is pretty great overall. Most of the performances in Dune are very subtle, with only Timothee Chalamet really showing a wide range of emotions. Chalamet gives a great performance as does Oscar Isaac, Jason Mamoa, Rebecca Ferguson, and Stellan Skarsgard. I have very few issues with Dune overall. The main one being that it feels like the movie drags on a bit too long. I feel like the last 30 minutes of the movie could have been shortened just a little. In the final 10ish minutes the movie goes out with a bang, but leading up to that it can feel a little too slow. I think this is mostly due to the fact that the climax of the movie ends around the hour and a half mark. Leaving an hour and five minutes of falling action as a result. I don’t mean to say that the movie is boring after that point, not at all. There is still great action, epic moments, and great story progression. But after that point nothing quite manages to reach the level of intensity as the climax. This first hour and half also seems to move much quicker than the rest of the movie. Leading up to the climax much more has to be established, we’re introduced to much more, and there's generally more world building and plot development. This makes the last hour feel much slower in comparison. And because the resolution is saved for part 2, the film doesn’t have the same sort of “wrap up” that other films might have. After a second watch I enjoyed the last hour much more than during my first watch, and it seemed to go by significantly faster. Although, during the first watch it definitely dragged for me at times. Because of this I can understand why some people might feel like the movie is too slow. Despite a few issues with the pacing I still love Dune, and I don’t think they detract that much from the movie at all. Even in that last hour I was still very invested in the story, and the world itself. While I don’t think Dune is a movie for everyone I do think it is an amazing movie. I can’t remember the last time I was so invested into a fictional world. Watching Dune for the first time was amazing; it felt like I had just watched Star Wars for the first time. Despite my feelings of a slow conclusion I still wanted to rewatch it immediately after I finished it. It made me want to read the books, I wanted to see part 2, I wanted to know all of the lore. I just wanted more Dune. The action is visceral and phenomenal. The story is fascinating and has a grand, unique scale. The visuals are extraordinary; they paint a world full of so much detail and intrigue. The score resonates in your spine and elevates everything in the movie to a whole other level. And my favorite part about Dune is the incredible atmosphere that just permeates throughout the entire movie. It creates a serene, mysterious, awe-inspiring world that I can’t get enough of. Dune is a near perfect movie, I completely adore every aspect of it, and I will be eagerly awaiting part 2. Objective Score: 9/10 Personal Score: 9.5/10 By @miscellanous_media_review I've watched Dune by David Lynch before. I was actually planning on reading the book before watching the film, but that didn't come to fruition. As usual, you plan things but end up with things deciding things for yourself. I don't think Lynch knows how to direct adaptations, as the film shows. I think Lynch wasn't even a fan of the book, if I'm not mistaken. And it clearly shows. Now here comes someone with a real passion for the source material: Denis Villeneuve. I'd imagine it'd be something like the Lord of the Rings films by Peter Jackson. If anything, leaving a fan with something like this always seems like a good idea, even though it doesn't always turn out that way. And boy, did this turn out to be a good idea. The film actually doesn't really feel like a Villeneuve film, but not in a bad way so to speak. It's actually faster paced than most of his older films. So anyone telling you this is a slow burn film, nuh-uh. This ain't it, chief. Not even close. It's paced just about nicely. The first thing that would awe anyone of the film is probably its design language. All of it; the spaceships, the ornithopters, the stillsuits, the wardrobes, the wargears, they all look and feel foreign and alien. I can almost feel scared and mesmerized if I met these people in real life; they are all coming out of the huge-ass spaceships with their all-black garbs. They would all seem larger than life. It's just the effect you would want. Next thing is the cinematography. Grieg Fraser shot the shit out of it. Some of the shots definitely felt real, even though it's probably CGI. I wouldn't even be surprised if some of them are actually miniatures. Since Villeneuve does use a few of that for Blade Runner 2049. A real good blend, iconic with his past films like Arrival. And added to those scenes with a very haunting score by Hans Zimmer. Its beats are designed perfectly for each scene. And you got yourself a beautiful film. As for the film's story, I don't think I really need to elaborate all that much on it. It's your standard monomyth "chosen one" stuff type of story. But having said that, even though Star Wars basically took many of its inspirations from Dune, I have to say I definitely prefer Dune more in terms of the way they tell things. The way they do expositions is just exquisite. They don't explain things too heavily. The film treats its audience well. "Show, don't tell" they say. It does make you want to know more about the lore even though it is told rather minimally. The story uses things that are very relatable in modern civilization like religions. Using Islam as some its inspiration for the chosen one like Mahdi, sayyidina, jihad and obviously using the Bedouin and Arab culture besides desert as its backdrop. So of course as a Muslim, that will always intrigued me. Having said that, other religions do have their own version of the messiah. So it's always nice to see these kinds of things in a film. Since I have a thing with films that take its reference with ancient biblical or philosophy. One thing that I really liked about the story is that it isn't afraid of killing a few of its characters. Even though this story does have quite an ensemble cast, the story actually only revolves around 3 people at most (even though the ramifications of those events affect others, might I say intergalactic conflicts). And besides the obvious villains, some of its best characters are actually the ones that are morally gray. At least that's what I feel. I don't really like Paul or Lady Jessica. I like Liet Kynes and Dr Yueh better. I think the film chooses the perfect moment to end itself. Sure it's a cliffhanger, and for someone who hasn't watched the older film or read the books they would probably feel robbed and unsatisfied. But it makes sense in terms of the storyline to end there for the time being. The only weakness that I can see for the film is that there are probably a few things that I feel like the film can afford to leave out. And a few things that I feel like the film should include (like the Butlerian Jihad; where basically humans fight with AI). I feel like the film could've been longer and shorter at the same time. Which is weird since it is contradictory. But I guess I can see why Denis chose not to include those; probably to make the story seem more mysterious and alien-like, or streamlined and make the story more focused. Plus, it'll probably lead some of the audience to go out and pick the book up, which is always a good thing for the fandom. The other "bad thing" for the film is since the film ends on a cliffhanger, many would probably feel cheated since the story is basically unresolved. And there's also the looming threat that Villeneuve might not even get the chance to finish it; rumours are that Warner Bros are looking into the film's reception before deciding on whether or not to greenlight the sequel. So there's also that. By the end of it, I feel greedy. I want to watch more of it, and I want it now. And even if we did get that sequel, I feel like a few other films and spin-offs isn't an outlandish request. Now I'm not saying I want this to be another Star Wars or MCU. But a few films about the Butlerian Jihad, or the inception of the Bene Gesserit would be fine in my opinion. Just don't continue the story after the first book. All in all, it's a very good film. And a very good adaptation. It's no Star Wars, I tell you that (even though it basically pioneered tons of sci-fi stories). But that doesn't necessarily mean it's a bad thing. I'm just setting your expectations right if you haven't watched but are interested in watching. It's got action, but it's not action packed. It's not slow, but it's not fast-paced non-stop either. It takes its time, but it earns it. Imagine you finally get to drink water after wandering for a full day in a desert, but you only get a glass. Sure you could drink more, but there's none anymore and it's enough for you. It quenched your thirst. For now. Dune is now in theatres. Watch it in IMAX if you have the chance. This is a film made exactly for it. By @mrbmnb If anyone needed a reminder that cinema is truly back, Dune provides that and so much more to cinephiles and regular viewers alike. I have been laughed at and labelled a ‘nerd’ all year by my friends for calling Dune my most anticipated film of the year, it gives me an immense amount of pleasure to tell them that I was right all along, it is the best film of the year, and the decade so far. Denis Villenueve has done what many called impossible in making a film that fulfilled Frank Herbert’s 1965 novel to its fullest potential - giving modern audiences a look into his sci-fi vision. There have been other adaptations, David Lynch’s 1984 adaptation and a 2000 mini-series, but neither of them come anywhere near to the quality of Villenueve’s work. This film deserves to be watched in cinemas, with IMAX, I know its available to watch on HBO Max in the States - please don’t do that to yourself, Dune is the ultimate cinematic experience. Set far off in the distant future, we meet our main protagonist Paul Atreides (Timothée Chalamet), a boy destined with great purpose, not only as the heir to the noble Atreides family but also from his mother’s background. Paul has been having visions of a girl on a far off desert land called Akkaris, a planet which has been ruled by the empire for many years who want to farm the land for its spice, in effect its oil. The empire has been in conflict with the local Fremen people for a millennia, however when the Atreides household is placed in charge of overseeing the planet, they intend to do things differently, cooperating with the Fremen. What the Atreides household, led by Duke Leto Atreides (Oscar Isaac) don’t know is that all this is part of a power play from the Harkonnen’s to cement their power under the emperor. This is just Part One of this spectacular story (my words truly do not do it justice), and Dune is a film that desperately needs a Part Two. Many have said that the ending is incomplete, well pay attention to the beginning and you’ll see Part One on the title cards. In this regard the film is similar to ‘Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring’ and epic film of magnificent grandeur that cannot stand on its own without the remaining pieces of the puzzle. It baffles me that Warner Bros had not already signed off for the inevitable part two, did anyone really doubt that the film would be a success? Villenueve has worked on many great films over the past ten or so years - from ‘Incendies’ to ‘Prisoners’ to ‘Sicario - but Dune stand tall over them all. He has said many times that making a film adaptation of Dune was his childhood dream, even using his previous sci-fi epics ‘Arrival’ and ‘Blade Runner 2049’ as something of a warm up for this. It shows, everything is controlled masterfully by the director, from the gorgeous visual shots of the desert, to the beautifully coordinated action sequences and the delicately laid out story. Villenueve hasn’t rushed to make this film and he hasn’t rushed the plot, he takes time to lay out every detail so that you can understand what’s going on whether or not you’ve read the book. A lot of this is done in glorious exposition that doesn’t even feel like exposition, it is world-building at its finest. The score from Hans Zimmer is magnetic, some of his finest work to date, its gripping, edge-of-your-seat stuff which complements what we see on the screen beautifully. The cinematography from Greig Fraser is, as is always the case with a Villenueve film, glorious, I sense an Oscar on the way in that department. Also, production designer Patrice Vermette manages to create such a sense of grandeur and pomposity that you will drool at what he, Fraser and Villenueve have created for your eyes. I don’t normally go this far into the technicians behind a film but the Costume Designers Bob Morgan and Jacqueline West also deserve huge amounts of credit, as do the entire crew behind the film. Together with the cast they have all contributed to one of the finest films in cinematic history. Now, onto the cast, they are all incredible, every last one of them. I remember when I first saw the cast announced I was shocked that so many well-known actors would fill out minor roles and worried that it may become crowded. I was so wrong. Timothee Chalamet is outstanding as Paul Atreides, at first he is callow and I was uncertain whether or not he’d work in the role but he grows into it so well that I believe his slightly shaky beginning was a reflection of the character. As the story develops he becomes so much more compelling as Paul realises his destiny so that by the end you are prepared to back him all the way. However, the standout performance for me was Rebecca Ferguson as Lady Jessica Atreides, I have not seen anything from her aside from the Mission Impossible films, however here she is enigmatic and takes over every scene she’s in with an understated ferocity. Elsewhere, you have a brilliant Oscar Isaac display as Duke Leto Atreides, he conveys a sense of authority mixed with weakness so well. Jason Momoa’s character is one of the most likeable put to screen in a long while and Momoa proves that he is a brilliant action star. Zendaya is beautiful as ever, we get to see a lot of shots of her, although she has little speaking time she is perfect the moment we hear her speak as Chani - we’ll be seeing a lot more of her in Part 2. Stellan Skarsgard is formidable as the grotesque Baron Vladimir Harkonnen and I can’t wait to see more of him, whilst Sharon Duncan Brewster holds herself admirably with the big names around her. Josh Brolin and Javier Bardem are also very good (they always are) in relatively minor roles and I’d like to mention Stephen McKinley Henderson as Thufir Hawat - he’s a very underrated actor and a lovely man. Overall, could Dune be anymore perfect - no I don’t think so. This is only the beginning of the story and if you take it as that it is immaculate. The story is well explained, the acting is great, the visuals are staggering, the list could go on and on. On top of that we now have a world which has been perfectly set out for us to explore further in Part Two, which I have no doubt will only be bigger and better than Part One. Now I ask you a favour, not just for me, not just for cinema but for yourself, watch Dune on the big screen - where it truly belongs, trust me, you won’t regret it. By @averagejoereview “Dune” by Denis Villeneuve was under a lot of pressure for me – it was my most anticipated movie for 2020 and after many delays, for 2021, and so the expectations were built quite high for the Quebecois director. But it is my pleasure to announce, this modern space (spice?) opera masterpiece was able to surpass everyone one of them. Walking out of the theatre, I was confident I liked it, but thinking about it for days now, I can confidently say how much. Set in the far, far future, with humanity having colonized much of the known galaxy, Dune (2021) is an adaption of the 1965 classic by Frank Herbert chronicling the politics and ecology surrounding the planet Arrakis, known informally as Dune. We follow Paul (Timothée Chalamet) and house Atreides as they are tasked to oversee the extraction of the spice melange from Arrakis, and their conflict with the weather, sand worms, and the other major houses. There are a few things you need to know before getting into film. First, this is only one half of a complete story with a sequel that seems likely to come but still not guaranteed. Second, being only half allows this movie to take its time and as a result may feel extremely slow to some. And third, though for me it felt fitting, the ending may also feel anticlimactic to some. But, if reading all of these you are still willing to take a dive, you will be rewarded by one of the greatest film experiences of the last few years. Touching on it briefly, the story we see here is mostly a set-up for the next half but that doesn’t mean it lacks its own structure. We still see a glimpse of the inter-galactic politics with one of cinema’s creepiest antagonist, the Baron of house Corrino, being played perfectly by the always great Stellan Skarsgård. And Paul’s slow journey in accepting his dreams and learning of his role makes a great coming of age that makes the ending a satisfactory stop point for me. Learning of the rich Fremen culture also works as a great draw and lady Jessica’s desire to protect her son conflicting with her duty as a sister of the Bene Gesserit gives the film its emotional core. The performances given here are all strong and satisfactory given the wide scope of the story. The standout performance comes from Rebecca Fergusson as Jessica, she just imbues her so much emotional and care that she doesn’t even need any lines to make me care for her. Timothée Chalamet is a good leading man, capturing Paul’s quiet demeanor and expressing much with his face. Jason Mamoa is charming as Duncan and Oscar Issac gives Leto Atreides an emotional touch that compliments his stoic nature. And now, we come to the meat and potatoes of this whole thing – the visuals and the score. Oh man. Even days later, when I think of a scene, I can perfectly picture the moment I experienced it in my mind. When Villeneuve says this film was a love letter to cinema, I believe him completely. The cinematography done by Greig Fraser is out of this world (literally) and just makes me excited for his future work on The Batman. If you have the chance to, watch this thing in Imax. When the film wants to show you something and its aspect ratio quite literally opens up because it cannot contain the scope of this world, that’s the moments worth experiencing. The moment the sand worm first shows up stands out as the best scene in the movie, being a perfect display of the scope, the world, the weird, and the music. And the soundtrack, oh wow. At first, I was disappointed Hans Zimmer wasn’t able to work on Tenet due to his schedule with this but now that I see the finished product, I can say whole heartedly he made the right choice. The music does as much work to bring this movie to life as the visuals do, those echoing voicing ringing beside you as Paul is stuck in his visons truly take you into the sequences. There were moments I find myself thinking I bought 4D tickets because of how the music was shaking me in chair. If there is a worthy Oscar for sound design this year, it belongs to no one other than Dune. Wrapping this up, I want to say, if you have even an inkling of motivation to watch this movie, do so in the theatre. Its scope is far to large to fit onto even the largest of television, and the soundtrack deserves no less than the best speakers. I had my doubts as to whether this film would hit or miss, but stands firmly as Villeneuve’s magnum opus, and if you are at all familiar with his filmography, you know it’s a high bar to reach. I will be watching this movie again in the theatres as soon as possible and I will also be reading the book as soon as possible. This is a world I cannot wait to get back into, and so I give Dune (2021) a solid 10/10. By @_xkrow_ Yorumum uzun olduğu için sığmadı bu Dune yorumu birinci part Evettt sonunda Dune yorumuyla geldim. Dürüst olmak gerekirse ben filmi 10 gün önce izledim. Ama film beni çok fazla etkiledi ve bu yüzden bu yazıyı durmadan erteledim. Ama artık bura için yazmanın zamanı geldiğini düşünüyorum. Blog yazımı ise filmi bir kez daha internetten izledikten sonra yazıcam. Ben filme ilk çıktığı gün -22 Ekim'de- gidecektim ama ne yazıkki sınav haftamdı ve sınavlarım ayın 11'ine kadar sürdü. Sonra da anca zaman bulabildim fakat yakında IMAX'te izleyebileceğim yer bulamadım o zaman. Yani beni normal sinemada bu kadar etkileyen film kim bilir IMAX'te izleseydim bana neler yapardı. (iyi uzattım yazıyı cjcjcbd) Film her noktasıyla doğruydu. İyi film ile güzel film arasında ince bir fark vardır. Sizin sevdiğiniz her film güzel filmdir ama çok azı iyi filmdir. İyi film olması için sadece oyuncular, görsel efektler, sürpriz sonlar yeterli değildir. Her sahnenin akıcı olması, kamera açıların doğru olması, işlediği konu haricinde derinden mesajlar vermesi, insanı düşündürtmesi, mantık hatalarına yer vermemesi, zor bir konu bile olsa onu en iyi şekilde bütün filme yayarak açıklaması, iyi ışık, iyi mekan, doğru mesaj, doğru psikolojiyi yansıtma, doğru karakter gelişimi ve bunlar gibi şu an aklıma gelmeyen bir çok özellik barındırmalı. Ve ben bu filmi izlerken bunların hepsinin filmde olduğunu fark ettim. Gerçekten büyük bir iş. Daha filmi izlemeye başladığınızda sizi CİDDİ bir işin içinde olduğunuzu hissetiriyor. Müzikleri, prodüksiyonu, detayları her şeyiyle sizi içine çekiyor. Ben filme gitmeden önce kitabının ilk 100 sayfasını okumuştum. Ve o kadar kafam karışmıştıki. Ama film her şeyi o kadar iyi açıklamışki hayran olmamak elde değil. Yani kitabını okumadan izlerseniz bence hiç bir sıkıntı yaşamasınız. Zaten film kitabın yaklaşık ilk 350 sayfasını anlatıyor. Değinmek istediğim diğer bir konu ise soundtrackler... Filmin uzunluğuna rağmen sıkıcı olmamasının diğer bir sebebi soundtrackler. Sinema salonunda beni içine çekmişti. Filme odaklatmıştı. Ağır ciddi ama aynı zamanda mükemmeldiler. Kısaca oyunculardan da bahsetmek istiyorum. Hepsi mükemmel oyuncular ve rollerine çok iyi oturmuşlar. Pek Timothée Chalamet izlememiş olsam da sanırım adama biraz hayran oldum. Gerçekten role çok yakışmış ve bir Timothée maratonu yapmaya karar verdim. Umarım hep beraber yaparız. Zendaya'yı ise herkesin tersine ben sevemiyorum. Bence oyunculuk onun için doğru meslek değil. (benim kişisel görüşüm umarım saygı duyarsınız) Kısaca bu uzun yazıdan sonra şunu söyleyebilirim. Bu filmi izleyin. Ama sadece bir film izlemek için değil, gerçekten altındaki derin mesajları anlamak için izleyin. Belki de benim hayallerime ve dünyama çok yakın bir film olduğu için bu kadar sevdim ya da belki de 10.000 küsür yılında geçen bu filmin sanki geçmiş ile teknoloji birleşmiş havası, tarih her zaman tekerrür eder imajından dolayı. Ama herkesin bu filmi, kendine değinen bir noktası olmasa bile seviceğinden eminim. By @aydakifilmsever One of the most anticipated films of the year, Dune stays up to the mark, delivering a solid class of narration,visuals and score. Adapted from a book of the same title, Dune has a history of Bad adaptations and becomes a hard piece of film to make.I never read the book or watched the Dune-1984 film directed by David Lynch, and my judgements are purely based on just Villeneuve's version of Dune. For starters, I'd like to appreciate Denis Villeneuve for his artistry and creative work on such a movie and managing to bring forth a master style of storytelling.For obvious reasons, I was afraid if i could ever perceive this film and might get lost because that's the sheer signature mark of Villeneuve and of his previous films that leaves on audience(or just me) however Dune inevitably has it ways of baffling with your mind but with enough focus on screenplay and rewatches,things will start to make sense and Dune seemingly becomes an amazing price of art. In the light of other facets, the immeasurable splendid cast that Denis gathered,pulled off in making Dune a spectacular film.Every single actor and actress have done a magnificent job and are perfect fit to their respective roles. For a runtime of nearly three hours, of such huge cast, it's understandable that some characters we expected didn't get more screen time or squeezed out enough for which knowing that this is only a partial half of the whole franchise and we hopefully might get more of them in other parts.Talking of pacing, at times it can be slightly boring probably cause of the narration being perplexed but eventually becomes immersive once the plot take turn and twists,what comes bit early but still thrilling with the narration becoming much clearer. By @thebotreviewer

Reviews by: @ryan_the_nixon @michaels_movie_bay @mcneill.and.friends.podcast 2021 18 director: Ridley Scott starring: Matt Damon, Jodie Comer, Adam Driver, Ben Affleck, Harriet Walter, Alex Lawther, Nathanial Parker, Tallulah Haddon etc Based on the true story of France's last trial by combat in the Middle Ages. Knight Jean de Carrouges challenges his former friend Jacques Le Gris to a duel after Jean's wife Marguerite accuses Le Gris of rape. Told in multiple Rashomon-style points of view. What an incredible and powerful film this was. My first few positives would be the amazing cinematography, set locations and action. As well as the strong use of gore, great plot structure and fantastic performances. This film was visually stunning, it bought to life the medieval period in such a striking and realistic way. The action scenes were so well shot and crafted; the film made the most out of its budget. The set locations were also amazing and so large in scope, it really made me just escape to the past in the best way as I was invested at the grandness and sheer scale of each location. I also thought the action and gore was very strong. It was gritty, gruesome, and hard hitting. Certainly not for the faint hearted. But the gore really added impact. The film showed how easy it was for the knights and people of the time to die so young. As the chaos of the battles and how brutal they were really showed how intense the fighting was within the war. I also thought the plot structure was fantastic. Splitting the film into 3 parts from 3 different perspectives was fascinating and an interesting dynamic to the film. Seeing similar scenes repeated but from a different perspective or hearing a conversation that wasn’t heard the first time around was cleverly done. Plus, how the film manipulated what the audience knows due to who the perspective was from was fantastic. The performances from the whole cast here were also fantastic. Matt Damon, Adam Driver and Ben Affleck delivered passionate, hard hitting and often uncomfortable performances and were incredible. But the true star for me was Jodie Comer. She is an incredible actress. Her performance was moving and powerful, bringing so much emotion to her character. My Next few positives would be the character conflict and likeable characters. as well as the chemistry between the cast and fantastic pacing. And the great tone, dynamic between characters and fantastic themes. I thought the character conflict was very strong, it played into the films themes with its male characters very well. The conflict felt very personal so therefore the tension and stakes were high not just for the plot but for the characters as well. I also thought the characters were likeable in particular Marguerite, she had such a caring charm to her. Despite the limitations of what she could do, she still made the most out of her opportunities and was a genuinely kind person. I also liked how the film manipulated the audience into believing Jean (Matt Damon) and Jacques (Adam Driver) were likeable and good characters but once we saw the truth it was the complete opposite. I also thought the whole cast had fantastic and believable chemistry which made it so much easier to get invested in the plot because you cared about the characters. Next, I thought the films pacing was perfect. For me there wasn’t one single dull moment, and I was intrigued and glued to the screen from beginning to end. With the constant action and the fascinating storytelling, I was always invested so the runtime went very quickly. I also thought the film balanced its different tones perfectly. The blend of gritty action and gruesome gore, and more personal and emotional drama was fantastic and there was a great balance of them both that never felt like the film was going too far in one direction tonally which I loved. I also loved the interesting dynamic the film gave the characters. Depending on what point of view was being told the relationships were always conveyed in a different way. Which was fantastic storytelling for me as it made characters look better than what they were. So, when we saw the truth the dynamics between relationships changed completely. One of the strongest elements of the film for me was its themes. Themes such as power, honour, and pride were handled brilliantly and in depth. Whilst also highlighting the disgusting way women were treated at the time. My final few positives would be the building of stakes and plot development. As well as the fantastic script and uncomfortable tone. And the fantastic final act. This film-built stakes incredibly. The duel that was built up throughout had so many lives on the line, but Marguerite risked that to be heard and to speak her truth. I also loved the development to the plot. Each scene had purpose and was important to the plot, and as it developed into the different point of views any pieces of information missing was given a scene to explain or explore. This just further proves how fantastic the script was. The attention to detail was incredible, the dialogue was powerful and moving and it was just incredible writing. I also appreciated the attention it gave to the horrors of rape and the lack of people who get prosecuted. It was very uncomfortable seeing the scene twice, but also seeing it from the point of view of the man making it seem consensual and the truth was awful but also a sad reflection of issues in today’s society. The final act for this film was incredible. It was entertaining, intense, and moving. The duel was incredibly shot and gruesome and ended the film incredibly well. Overall, the last duel for me is what cinema and film is all about. with powerful performances, a clever and well-constructed plot. And its themes handled in a powerful and thought-provoking way. It gave a voice to a woman who refused to be silenced. Overall score 100/100 By @ryan_the_nixon 2/5 After Marguerite (Comer) accuses Jacques Le Gris (Driver) of rape, her husband, Jeane De Carrouges (Damon), must face Le Gris in a duel to the death, the outcome of which will determine the fidelity of her testimony. The film, based on a true story, is told in three parts, with each part highlighting the unique perspectives of the three main characters. Rather than enhancing the story, this method merely shows the same events happening multiple times with slight tweaks. After seeing the same interaction for a third time, a woman behind me loudly exclaimed, “Oh dear lord, now we have to watch the whole thing again!?” The repetitive storytelling was unnecessary, inflating the runtime and making it feel like an episode of Showtime’s “The Affair.” The writers are transparent in their choosing of sides in this diegesis—heralding Marguerite’s account as the truth despite historians debating both her veracity and Les Gris’s guilt. As a result, the film is less a historical retelling and more a diatribe against problematic medieval gender, sexual, and religious politics. While cinema can be a good platform to address the difficulties of the past, this film regularly crosses the line from timeliness into preachiness, something I personally have little patience for. An uncomfortable watch due to its weighty subject matter and unflinching portrayal of sexual violence, this is not an enjoyable film. Ridley Scott’s directing choices also felt jarring, a disappointment from one of my all-time favorites. While the final duel is visceral and engrossing, by the time it arrived, I was anxious for the film to be over. Damon, Driver, and Comer are all perfectly suited for their roles and Comer specifically is incredible throughout, her facial expressions conveying so much depth and feeling. The true standout here is Ben Affleck whose too-infrequent appearances provide not only some much-needed comic relief but also a truly hateable villain. The film is almost worth watching for these great performances. Hot take: This could have been a riveting and important film—a necessary exploration of the injustices of the past—but instead it lands as a heavy-handed, preachy mess. Also, Matt Damon’s mullet is unforgivable. By @michaels_movie_bay Score: 8.7/10 I saw The Last Duel last night and decided to do my first written review on Instagram! You can find all of my written reviews on Letterboxd! I was extremely surprised by how great of a film The Last Duel is. There is so much to unpack with this film, and I do not think I will get into all of my thoughts about this movie so I can avoid spoilers since it was just released. With that said, The Last Duel is an incredibly original film, and I truly cannot think of another film that tells the same story three times from different perspectives (which is an extremely daunting task). On top of that, it manages to become more interesting with each version of the story. As writers, Nicole Holofcener, Matt Damon, and Ben Affleck deserve serious props for delicately crafting this story for the big screen. From a technical standpoint, The Last Duel is a true masterpiece, and the production on all levels is amazing. The replication of the medieval setting through the production design, costume design, and lighting is phenomenal. Additionally, the cinematography is stunning. Furthermore, one of the best qualities of The Last Duel is Harry Greyson-Williams’s phenomenal score, and I think it is one of the best, if not the best of the year. Lastly, the action in this film is shot and choreographed very well and is extraordinarily tense and brutal in the finale. Also, every performance in this film is fantastic. Adam Driver and Ben Affleck do a great job with playing detestable people in this film, Matt Damon does an incredible job with portraying a character depicted in two drastically different perspectives, and Jodie Comer delivers an amazing performance as a very brave and conflicted character. Plus, I cannot not mention Ridley Scott, who was at the helm of this film, and I truly believe this is some of his best directing of all time. Now, as audience members, we obviously know which version of the story is the truth; but, what I find so interesting about The Last Duel is how it showcases the inhuman behaviors of which the human mind is capable. This movie highlights that people mentally rewrite their own history and begin to believe their own lies and construct false narratives that benefit their self-image. The horrible true events that are focused on in this movie still happen to this day, and, unfortunately, people do not learn from history but repeat it. I believe this is an important message to take away from this film. However, what we can do with that message is up to us collectively, but we need to be on the side of truth and morality in order to grow as a society. The Last Duel is a movie that frankly deserves more recognition than it is receiving, and it is a true shame that it is underperforming in the box office (screw you, Halloween Kills). This is a film that could easily seem very slow to some audience members (because it is a bit slow during the first act), but I think it gets more and more interesting as it goes along, and the third act will have audiences at the edge of the seats. The Last Duel may not be for everybody, as it can be tough to watch at times, but I think it is one of the best films of the year thus far, and I believe it deserves to win some awards at the Oscars next year. Check out The Last Duel in the theaters, if you can! By @mcneill.and.friends.podcast

Reviews by: @ryan_the_nixon 2021 18 director: David Gordon Green starring: Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Maticheck, James Courtney, Nick Castle, Will Patton, Dylan Arnold, Robert Longstreet, Anthony Michael Hall etc The Halloween night when Michael Myers returned isn't over yet. Minutes after Laurie Strode (Curtis), her daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) left masked monster Michael Myers caged and burning in Laurie's basement, Laurie is rushed to the hospital with life-threatening injuries, believing she finally killed her lifelong tormentor. But when Michael manages to free himself from Laurie's trap, his ritual bloodbath resumes. As Laurie fights her pain and prepares to defend herself against him, she inspires all of Haddonfield to revolt against their unstoppable monster. The Strode women join a group of other survivors of Michael's first rampage who decide to take matters into their own hands, forming a vigilante mob that sets out to hunt Michael down, once and for all. I have to say, Halloween Kills was good, but I found it disappointing and anticlimactic. My first few positives would be the fantastic gore and kills. As well as the amazing soundtrack and sound design. Also, the great flashback sequences and campy tone. The film truly lived up to its name with a much more brutal tone when it came to its kills, that were much gorier, and the body count was much higher. The kills were creative and left an impact truly making Michael Myers even more of a threatening presence within the film. I also thought the soundtrack was amazing as always, the theme tune always gives me so much nostalgia. And it always adds such a cinematic and tense feel to each scene. The sound design as well was particularly strong with the diegetic sound of breathing and the impact of the kills being felt more. I also really loved the campy tone this film had. It really bought similar tonal qualities to the original with the over-the-top performances and dialogue. It felt like a truly classic slasher, and it was a great pay to pay homage to the original. Another great element was the flashback sequences. Not only where they excellently shot to look like the 70’s but they actually had a reason for being there and had importance to the story in the present. So, it wasn’t used just for nostalgia. My next few positives would be the great cinematography and Jumpscares. As well as the nostalgia of bringing back older characters, adding an interesting dynamic to the film. The cinematography and visuals for this film were very impressive. Some of the shots with Michael Myers, especially the mid shot of when he steps out of the burning house was just amazing. The kill scenes were also excellently shot, and the film tricked the audience into believing Michael was somewhere he wasn’t. With the use of diegetic sound, close ups and tracking shots that was executed brilliantly. These made the jump scares of the film work excellently. They were startling and well executed, as the film made you believe Michael was somewhere he wasn’t, so when he appeared from somewhere different it always was executed well and the threat and danger to the characters made the scenes even better. I loved the nostalgic elements to the film and the interesting dynamic it bought. I think adding characters from the original added a lot of great nostalgia to the film, but it also focused on the victims of Michael and how they survived the ordeal, it added a great dynamic to the film as different generations stood up and fought back against Michael. However, I had a lot of issues with the film that made it disappointing for me. The script was mediocre, there was a lot of genre tropes used. As well as lapses in the logic, a restrictive plot and messy final act. The script for this film was pretty poor. As a campy slasher you can get away with over-the-top performances and some corny dialogue. But this took it to the extreme, with so many on the nose and corny moments that it actually took some of the enjoyment out of the scenes and made the characters seem dumb. There was also a lot of frustrating genre tropes used with the kills. The first film was mostly just innocent bystanders, but this time around a lot of the characters deliberately put themselves in danger or tripped over when being chased and it made the film feel less original and more generic. I also thought there was a lot of lapses in the logic, mostly due to frustrating character decisions and the film trying to over explain motivations for Michael that just felt unneeded. A lot of the film threw logic out of the window which was never explained until the final act where it felt too late. I also feel like the plot was very restrictive. It felt very much like a middle chapter, where it felt more like set up instead of its own product, always feeling like it was delaying having more plot and trying to distract the audience due to wanting to have more development in Halloween Ends. Because of this the final act was a big mess and it felt anticlimactic. I thought the film got repetitive and had completely unnecessary and unneeded storylines especially within the hospital. And wasted its main characters. My final few positives would be the interesting elements to the plot and building of tension. As well as some good development with Michael, and strong set up for the final instalment. I think that the film having the residents hunt down Michael added an interesting element to the film. And turned the plot in a different direction compared to the first instalment. It made the film had a fresh and different appeal to it and made it easier to rally behind and support the characters. I also thought the building of tension was strong. Due to the plot development with Michael and his sister, as well as the guilt especially from Officer Hawkins of not killing Michael. Really increased the stakes and tension, as you understood Michael’s motivations more whilst also balancing the fact that he is pure evil and will kill anyone. Finally, I thought the set up for the final instalment is strong. The film introduced some great elements and concepts for Halloween Ends to explore, with the more killing Michael doing the less human he becomes. Overall, Halloween kills lives up to its title. With a much more gruesome and gritty nature to it. Some very strong visuals and delivered as a campy slasher with some great character moments. But it suffers greatly from its restrictive plot and being a middle chapter. It honestly felt like filler, it didn’t have enough to it to stand out and be anything more than set up for the final instalment. Overall score 64/100 By @ryan_the_nixon

Reviews by: @ryan_the_nixon @brofilmcriticwnie @insidenumbermovies 2021 15 director: Andy Serkis starring: Tom Hardy, Woody Harrelson, Michelle Williams, Naomie Harris, Reid Scott, Stephan Graham, Peggy Lu etc Eddie Brock attempts to reignite his career by interviewing serial killer Cletus Kasady, who becomes the host of the symbiote Carnage and escapes prison after a failed execution. What an absolute mess this was. Let’s be nice and start with some positives as there was some. The character background and set up was solid. As well as great cinematography and humour. As well as the performances and chemistry the characters. I thought the background and set up involving Carnage (Woody Harrelson) and Shriek (Naomie Harris) despite being rushed was solid. It established clear motivations for carnage and set out a clear darker tone, whilst also serving as a good introduction to how unstable Cletus is as a character. I also thought the cinematography was strong for this film. Considering the film had essentially the same budget as the first film they paid a lot more attention to detail. The film was visually stunning, and visually creative with the great character designs especially for carnage. I also thought the humour for the most part landed well. The film had witty, fast paced jokes that kept you laughing a lot of the time. The film embraced its campiness with its characters and the humour, and I enjoyed it. This was largely helped by the fantastic on-screen chemistry between Eddie and Venom. They are just infectious and hilarious to watch as there back and forth interactions were always a highlight to watch. Plus, the performances from Tom Hardy, Woody Harrelson and Naomie Harris were fun. They delivered passionate and campy performances and just looked like they were enjoying playing the characters. However, my first few negatives would be the terrible pacing. Lack of character depth or development. The poor script and over reliance on comedy. The film was all over the place in terms of pacing. It needed to be at least 20 minutes longer. Coming in at 97 minutes the film moved at such a frantic and messy pace, it never allowed anything to breathe or leave any room for any form of development. It felt like lazy writing as there was so many plot holes and it felt like the writers were cutting corners just for the sake of it. Because of this there was a complete lack or character depth. It was one dimensional and lazy. And any attempt at development or depth just felt like copy and paste from the first film and it bought nothing new to the table. The script itself for me just felt lazy, poorly structured and the humour especially became tedious. It became so over-relied on that it just got annoying after a while. The script fell into countless genre tropes that it didn’t even try to escape from. My final few positives would be the action, strong horror elements. The fun villain and great end credit scene. I thought the action scenes that we did get were great. They were entertaining, thrilling and had great horror elements to them particularly with Carnages powers, I wish they had used more horror. As the moments of horror we did get were so strong with carnage. I thought Carnage as a villain was strong. The film found a good balance of campy and over the top, but also making Cletus very unstable. He was undoubtedly fun to watch whenever he was on screen and Woody Harrelson did a great job. And of course the end credit scene was great, setting up a lot of future implications for Venom as a character and it was an exciting set up. My final few negatives would be the underused elements. The lack of connection with venom and carnage in the plot. As well as generic elements and a messy final act. The film lacked any form of focus or development of one particularly thing. The characters were underdeveloped. The use of horror which would have been so strong for a character like Carnage felt wasted. And the characters were underused especially Anne (Michelle Williams) she could have been used so much more and given some depth to Eddie, but it just felt repetitive. The film was also generic and fell into so many genre tropes in the final act. They made Anne a damsel in distress and an innocent needing to be saved. It was lazy, very poor in terms of representation and it really frustrated me. The final act despite its entertaining moments was a mess with the complete lack of motivation for Carnage to go against Venom there was a complete lack of anything really connecting either character to each other. Cletus’s goal was to reunite with Shriek, and it felt like that was it, so it was a waste of his character and the end credit scene only proved that. Overall, Venom: Let there be carnage is for the most part entertaining. And boasts strong visuals, committed performances and the chemistry between Eddie and Venom is undeniably charming. But this film was lazy, rushed and frankly a complete mess. And tried to do too many things at once, therefore it lost itself. Overall rating 46/100 By @ryan_the_nixon Title: Venom: Let There Be Carnage Year: 2021 Directed By: Andy Serkis (Marvel/Sony) Rating: 5/10 • • • I watched this movie on my flight to America, so I had an additional experience to the actual movie, which I'm not sure made it better or worse. But let's just say, my review on this movie isn't exactly pleasant... I didn't like it! Now, that doesn't exactly mean I don't like the character of Venom (I love Venom, he's more advanced than the Tobey Maguire Venom, which I appreciate), and the symbiote is given much more personality than I expected prior to watching the first Venom movie. I also like the idea that Venom is a loser, and how petty and argumentative he can be. It's pretty clear that Eddie and Venom's relationship in the movie is vastly similar to a traditional husband-wife relationship, which is comical. I love the aspect of how they're both stubborn and think they don't need each other, when full well they need each other literally and metaphorically. I like how Carnage was created, by the imprisoned serial-killer Cletus Kassady (played by much-loved actor Woody Harrison, and his portrayal was brilliant!). Carnage was created by a part of Venom and Eddie's blood being combined, and ate by Cletus, which is different than usual. Tom Hardy's acting was also brilliant as usual. So that's what I like about the movie. Now onto what I dislike... Anne and Dan, seriously don't care. Boring. And that's the most in-depth analysis I can go into that, just stop including them in the movie. The detective? And his backstory with Shriek? Don't care. The idea that Carnage is more powerful than Venom was BARELY proven. Marvels/Sony's continuous belief that Venom, or every Marvel movie, has to have loads (too much) comic relief is frustrating. It tries to hard to be funny. Me and many other fans love the more serious Marvel movies, such as Amazing Spider Man 2 (and by Marvel, I mean everything Marvel). I believe Venom 2 would be much better if its tone was more serious, maybe psychological, in a way, somewhat like Joker, but less serious, of course. Actually, it turns out what I care about in the movie is literally only at the very end: the post-credit scene. It was shocking to see Venom and Tom Holland's Spider-Man in the same scene. I can't wait to see what that means (I have seen Spiderman: No Way Home, and there will be a review of that soon). There's a theory out there that Andrew Garfield's Spiderman is highly likely in the same universe as Venom! So, maybe, possibly, Andrew Garfield will be in Venom 3 or Venom will be in Amazing Spider Man 3, which hasn't exactly been confirmed yet, but I'm sure it'll happen. By @brofilmcriticwnie Venom: Let There Be Carnage (2021) follows Eddie Brock trying to reignite his career by interviewing serial killer Cletus Kasady. Kasady becomes the host of a symbiote named Carnage after a failed execution. From the reviews I’ve seen, this is a film many disliked! However, I really enjoyed it and found it to be better than the original. I had a lot of fun with this one! I really liked the characters and how they were portrayed! They all had a decent amount of backstory, but not too much to make it become confusing and crowded. The character of Cletus is incredibly interesting and I think they couldn’t have picked anyone better than Harrelson for the role! I also loved the humour, I often found myself laughing out loud which is a big change from my reaction to the first film. The pacing was steady, but also fast. It had a perfect balance of fast intense scenes whilst also giving the audience time to breath and take in said scenes. The story and plot were quite simple, but I feel the film benefits from this. It doesn’t take itself too seriously and you can tell the filmmakers had a good time with it. Visually, this movie was stunning. It was what grabbed my attention from the trailer too. I’ve always loved the design of movie Venom, but Carnage’s design was absolutely insane and I loved it. His first appearance on screen had me breathless, the CGI is genuinely very impressive in my opinion. This movie also had some nice colour palettes! For example, in the scene where Venom goes to the club. Lastly, I’d like to discuss the post credits scene. To me, this was SUPER exciting. I’ve often felt like they are just cramming too much into the new Spider-man film, for example I would prefer Doctor Strange not to be a main character as such. But, the addition of Venom makes a lot of sense and I think this will be a very positive thing! 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ By @insidenumbermovies

Reviews by: @_movies.shmovies_ To my surprise, I only discovered that this was a Mike Flanagan project after finishing the first episode. I have a divided opinion of this guy as I absolutely loved Haunting of Hill House and absolutely hated Bly Manor but here, he earned a place back to my good graces. Using a slow approach, Midnight Mass gradually builds up its narrative by adding layers to the plot while simultaneously pulling off the veil of mystery until we are allowed to peer into the darkness that lies beneath. Even though, this series barely had any scares, it is the overall religious atmosphere and the high production value that made me enjoy it. Taking place in a small island town with a population of 127 people who seem to have nothing but religion on their mind, we meet an enigmatic priest who arrives from the mainland. The inhabitants don't give him the warmest of welcomes but the moment he performs a "miracle", people begin to attend the weekly Mass with a burning passion. This allows Flanagan to skillfully tackle the topics of organized religion, basic humanity and fanaticism. The series relies heavily on its dialogue while absolutely reveling in its glacial pace. Occasionally, both of these elements have tested my faith in the show and if it were not for my enjoyment of the religious theme, I would have given up before reaching the big revelation. By big, I mean BIG!! Towards the end, every second seemed to have the objective of inducing an anxiety attack which ultimately turned into a heart-poundingly spellbinding spectacle. The story managed to provide an interesting and engaging twist to a concept that has been re-used multiple times and for that alone, the show is worth seeing. Unfortunately, some of the dialogue was complete nonsense and ending did seem illogical considering how well thought out everything has been going the entire time. On top of expensive production, the show also has some compelling acting and if you manage to withstand the pacing and the occasional blabbering, you might enjoy this. By @_movies.shmovies_

Reviews by: @_pilots_on_the_ground_ Hell To be You Baby is the second studio album released by American singer songwriter and producer, MNDR, it was released today actually, 26th June 2021 in the UK for me. Let's just go. I am NOT disappointed at all, I had high hopes for this album and those hopes were not lowered, this album is a different sound to Feed Me Diamonds, but in a good way, it shares the same aspects but somehow it's so different, I don't know how MNDR does it. 'Love In Reverse' is my favourite song on the album, it just really caught my attention, I also really like the way it's sung, as a musician myself I really appreciate the clarity of each word. 'Hell To Be You Baby' was the first song to be released from the album, I like it don't get me wrong, it's a very different song, it just struck me different from the rest, it's so chaotic in the most organised way possible and everything works and I have no idea how, that probably makes no sense to anyone but whatever. 'Fragile' is just a pretty chill song in my opinion, and the bassline is very cool. The chorus is nice and calm and I'm actually listening to it right now because I don't have enough brain cells left to listen to Royal Blood. Conclusion, very good album, and I got right on it on the day of release because I liked the previous album so much, so if you like Feed Me Diamonds then you'll like this one, and if you don't like Feed Me Diamonds then shut up and listen to this album. By @_pilots_on_the_ground_

Reviews by: @ryan_the_nixon @learicmoviereviews The Tomorrow War 2021 12A Director: Chris McKay Starring: Chris Pratt, Yvonne Strahovski, JK Simmons, Betty Gilpin, Sam Richardson, Jasmine Mathews, Edwin Hodge etc The World is stunned when a group of time travellers arrive from the year 2051 to deliver an urgent message: Thirty years in the future, mankind is losing a global war against a deadly alien species. This film was very mediocre, and the definition of a stupid, dumb, and fun blockbuster. My first few positives would be the fantastic cinematography, the chemistry between the cast. A fun set up, the characters were established well, as well as some interesting worldbuilding elements and character conflict. This movie visually was fantastic, it had a high budget, and it was used effectively, the film truly popped visually with realistic looking action scenes, amazing use of colour, and some creative shots involving the aliens that built tension well and the scope of the film was tremendous. I also liked the chemistry between the cast. The connection between Chris Pratt, Betty Gilpin and Ryan Armstrong was charming and believable making you connect with there characters very easily, and Chris Pratt is the kind of actor who has great chemistry with whoever he works with, and this was no different. He had great chemistry with the whole cast, and they all worked really well together. I thought the set up and establishing of the characters was excellent, the film did a good job at building the characters up, establishing their lives, and how they are as people. Making it seem like a normal day to setting and life for all the characters, so the set up of the time travellers was a lot of fun. Having a big get together to watch the football felt normal, and to have people from the future suddenly appear on the pitch was a fun surprise and a clever way to set up the main plot points. I thought the film had some interesting worldbuilding moments that they set up with the rules of the story world and how to go into the future. These weren’t executed well (more of this shortly) but they at least set up a lot of interesting things on the different processes into how they travel into the future and how long they can be there for. With an interesting and fascinating selection process where they had to be dead before 2051 in order to be chosen which was interesting and set up some development for the main character, and the conflict that went with this as so many people didn’t come back alive and contemplating whether the characters should even be trying was also handled well and in a decent amount of detail. My first few negatives would be the rushed pacing, lack of explanation to plot points. The extreme amount of plot holes, as well as the forced humour and use of exposition. This film’s pacing and structure was an absolute mess. It rushed through everything that shouldn’t have been rushed. Jumping from one scene to the next without an ounce of thought into developing the scenes. There was also a complete lack of explanation to so many scenes. It was a bunch of set up ideas that were never developed or explained properly the film just expected you to keep up. It was confusing and muddled, they rushed explanations into the process of teleporting and how it all worked and was messily written. There were also countless plot holes, there was so many plot points that either weren’t explained or even mentioned when it was obvious that it needed to be developed. Or just plot points that were introduced and then never talked about again or changed as the movie went on. There were also parts that simply didn’t make sense and logically even for a film like this felt out of place. The script was also very poor. The humour was very forced and clunky, the jokes never landed and were honestly awkward to watch. The film also completely overelied on exposition. Completely relying on spoon feeding and long unneeded moments of dialogue to explain everything instead of through the action of the film which would have made it more enjoyable and still achieved the same thing. My final few positives would be the performances, great character motivation and depth. The great development to the plot, plot twists and emotional weight. As well as the fun final act. Chris Pratt delivered a great performance here; he is great lead role material. He delivered as expected with the action scenes, as well as having loads of charm and charisma, whilst also delivering in the more emotional and personal scenes as well which was a nice surprise. The performance from Yvonne Strahovski was also very strong here, she had excellent chemistry with Chris Pratt and showed and gave a lot of emotional depth to her character. I also really liked the motivation for a lot of the characters and why they wanted to fight, in particular with the character of Dorian (Edwin Hodge) who I thought was a very interesting character and his reasoning for fighting multiple times due to his battle with cancer and not wanting to be stuck living the rest of his days doing nothing was interesting. I also really liked the character depth and emotional weight to the film. I really liked the relationship between Dan and Muri as well as his relationship with his father. Having his father abandon him as a young child and him not having a father figure in his life really impacted his character and his relationship with his daughter. So, having the colonel in the future be the older version of his daughter was a really interesting element to the film. And learning that he left his wife and daughter in the future added a lot of depth and emotion to there characters as their relationship developed. I also loved the development to the plot and the plot twists. The part of the film that I am classing as the final act was great. It developed and built tension excellently as the threat of the aliens increased. I thought the twists involving where the aliens were situated in the present as well as the increased stakes of Dan bringing back a cure to stop the future war from happening was an unexpected twist to the film that definitely made it more interesting in parts. Plus, the final action set piece was fantastic and thrilling. My final few negatives would be the tonal imbalances, odd character decisions. Poor dialogue. And the messy and unneeded final act and ending. This film didn’t know what tone it wanted to go for. At first it was a sci fi drama. And then it morphed into an action/disaster film and it tried to add too much. It felt tonally unfocused and it really didn’t work for me. I liked it at its best as an action/ disaster film with hints of horror. I thought the film also had odd character decisions. The film made it really hard to tell who to support in places. Characters either made harsh decisions, or where incredibly dumb just for the sake of an extended action scene that didn’t need it. The dialogue here was also poor and held the film back from the depth that it could have had with its characters. Generic and corny lines, awkward and clunky conversations. It was just often very robotic or too by the books and it really showed the films weaknesses with its writing. One of my biggest issues with the film has to be the ending. The film should have ended with the last big action piece and Dan getting back to present day and end on the twist of the location of the aliens. Instead, the film kept going and going. It felt like another half of a film and a completely different film compared to all of the other acts. It was sloppy, poorly written, and unneeded. What baffles me is that they plan to do a sequel which I really don’t understand how considering they wrapped everything up with this film. Overall, The Tomorrow War is admittedly very entertaining and fun in places, and if you switch your brain off you can have a good time with it. Plus, Chris Pratt is a great lead actor. But the film was so poorly written it couldn’t fully justify or explain its complex plot. Leading to a messy, poorly structured train wreck that ended on a sour note. Overall rating 48/100 By @ryan_the_nixon 🍿🍿🍿 Futuristic sci-fi flick has a cool premise at the center of its plot — but the uneven pacing pervading the first two acts slows down what should be a surge of storytelling.  It’s a shame because the phenomenal final act has a sense of urgency and realism the previous section was lacking. Chris Pratt’s relatability as the protagonist helps sell the idea of his transformation into a soldier, but his character could’ve used some further development.  Feels like the focus was much more on visual effects and pulling off set pieces, which is all well and good — however, if I was able to know the characters better it would make me care more and give it more replay value. Sam Richardson steals the film with uncanny comic timing — every time he’s on screen the movie gets better, fueled by his elevation of the dialogue with brilliantly subtle reactions and delivery. The film’s unnecessarily long 2 hr 18 min runtime makes it feel bloated, lacking the sharpness it needed and limiting its effectiveness.  If it had substance to spare and a good balance between story and visuals, the length would feel justified.  As it is, it needed more editing. Still functions on an entertaining level, but not as memorable as it could have been, with its potential far outweighing its potency. By @learicmoviereviews