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Reviews by: @lacompagnia.official ⚽ RATING: 5.5 FIFA is a bit like drugs, you enjoy it, but in the end it's always the same story. Today, a few months late, let's talk about FIFA 22. After playing and savoring it, with my modest decades of experience on the franchise, I can say that from FIFA 10 to today, there have been some important but not epochal changes. It would have been absurd that in 12 years something hadn't changed. If it hadn't been like this, it would have been right to send a nice message to EA like: "svejateve because sinno go bankrupt". With this I don't mean that you shouldn't buy, on the contrary, I simply say that you shouldn't expect innovative game settings compared to previous fifas. Numerous bugs have been fixed which in past editions have clearly ruined the game and added a new mode that I think is very interesting. In Proclub mode it is finally possible to play in a team of 11 players, each controlled by a different player. This increases the difficulty and requires great coordination between the players. For the rest, it always remains a cult, which over the years you must have at home a bit like the Christmas tree after December 8th. Then I stick to my idea: fifa is like drugs, it amuses you, but in the end it's always the same story. And I like this story. M.O ☕ By @lacompagnia.official

"What difference does it make to the dead, the orphans, and the homeless, whether the insane destruction is carried out in the name of totalitarianism or in the holy name of liberty or democracy?" Mahatma Gandhi Society sh! T is Has it ever been good for its people? I can't remember a time when we were truly happy in this pit of despair called reality. Just look around you and tell me: are things going well? Are we feeling at peace? I don't know but I think most of us are cynical, pessimistic or have simply lost our will to change what we don't like. We have become dazzled and dazzled by the mortal happiness caused by wealth and power. We are not under their control, they control us. They do since their invention and discovery. Decay's twin, always present, always ruins our lives. He has so many faces that it is difficult to defeat him. They are in every aspect of our lives, they are in symbiosis with us like parasites. This aspect of our life, which is truly a pillar, has affected everyone. Thinkers and artists, all have expressed their position on this matter. I'm talking about people like Baudelaire, Kubin, Balmont, Beardsley, Wilde, Pirandello, Delville, Carrère, Chambers, and Stenbock. They have even created a cultural movement called Decadentism. But, after that, things did not get better and this toxic society has been an inspiration for various singers, poets and more. Among them is an American independent band from Long Beach, California called The Overrides. Among them are members of Pee N' Blood and Dime Runner. After taking a brief break in 2015, singer/guitarist Cam Mosavian began writing new songs and reworking unreleased tracks he'd been producing over the years, The Clash & The Ramones Meet Fugazi & The 90s described as laying the groundwork for a new band. Option. He quickly enlisted the services of longtime bandmate and drummer Parker PJ Johnson (also from Pee N' Blood and Dime Runner), and soon after his brother Brando on bass. The band then conducted a lengthy audition process to find the right second guitarist to compliment their sound. It immediately took off as soon as Denzil Dunn entered the studio, bringing not only his own unique vocals, but custom made equipment. For the next two years the band privately developed the sound that would eventually become The Overrides. Since playing their first show at the Doll Hut in Anaheim on March 31, 2018, The Overrides have shared the stage with bands such as: Bum, D.I., J.F.A., Narcoleptic Youth, D.F. His interest in music began at an early age, as Cam states: "Where do I start? Maybe as a kid I was listening to music on the radio while driving with my mom. Some of the first dreams I remember were soundtracks by the Beach Boys, Neil Diamond, and Stevie Wonder. were. Every time I hear "I Called to Say I Still Love You" or "Good Vibrations" I still get chills. Those are perfectly composed songs" Which influenced their musical journey and shaped the band's inspirations: "My biggest inspiration is the love of music itself. Music was and is a very important part of me and my life. I love many different types of music from classical to jazz, but punk rock gave me a place to call home. The number one band that represented/represented the most to me is Fugazi. Since I first saw them live at the Palace in LA in 99 where they blew the fuck away out of me, they will always be my favorite band. Inspirations that resonate in his musical tastes include Sew Fisted Fiend by Fugazi, London Calling by The Clash and Dear Prudence by The Beatles, and his media enthusiasms, such as Terminator 2, The Big Lebowski, The Three Amigos, Westworld, Arrested Development is more. Breaking Bad. Today we're going to be analyzing their latest EP Attention, the follow up to Brain As A Fist, which includes an original creative process: "My creative process for songwriting usually starts with an acoustic guitar, then from that session I'll decide on a lick or chord progression I want to expand on. Once I'm in that flow it's It flows naturally. Sometimes I'll build music around some song I've already written, and other times I'll have an idea of what I want to write a song about, then I'll build it around that idea. The music and the lyrics are all in mind. The new EP "Meditation" is four songs that form almost like a concept album. Each song has almost identical chords and very closely related chord progressions So for these particular four songs, the first song I wrote was "Part Two" which was an instrumental, and I loved the chords and the progression (I think it's one of the best progressions I've ever written) so much that I Used it again in another song but with a different tempo and tempo. Then I did it again because why not?" An EP that's about the hardship of life, as Cam explains to us: "The main theme of the album revolves around living your day to day life and watching the crap that constantly surrounds you – things like ads in your face every second, trying to buy your attention. Or sometimes you're just a slave to the system." feel like, where every time you think you've gone a little too far there's something that rears it's ugly head and drags you back a few steps. I think song-wise it's an emotional and aggressive subject matter, and it makes sense to me that I wrote most of the music and lyrics for the song a while ago when I was going through a difficult period in my life". The first song from this EP is Attention. It starts with an interesting bass riff. It reminds me of 90's rock songs. It is very attractive. It maintains a consistent tempo throughout the song. It slows down a bit in the middle to get up to speed. It's a great song, a strong way to start an EP. The following is Shout. Like the previous song, the beginning of this song is not strong but after some time it picks up the pace. This article is about the need to let go of all your anger, rage and stress in order to free yourself from the burden caused by such feelings. It is smaller than the first one but I find it more attractive. Then there is part two. Which is the best start ever. It sounds like a transition track and lacks lyrics. It fits perfectly into the album because, I think, it represents a break of sorts from the style of the other tracks. The ending is weird. Overall I think the name is what makes this the strangest track of this EP, as it is not clear which part one is (is it a song or a theme or...). And last but not the least is the Observant Servant. It is different from other tracks as it starts with a fast tempo set by the drums. He put it in a pleasing manner but the subject here is quite difficult. I mean, they reflect about the fact that we are all slaves to something and no one can escape. It's a dark way to end this EP but it sure is one you'll remember the experience with. Epiphany is hard to accept, especially when we become accustomed to illusions. This is an interesting band that deserves to be acknowledged for their style and themes. This EP looks more like a teaser and it is mouth watering. And they're already working on something new, as Cam says: "I just finished scoring my first feature film, so I'm so excited to see where it goes! My best friend Josh Rouse wrote and directed it and it was so crazy that I let it score" An interesting turn of events for a band with simple but laudable goals: "Our goal as a band is to write and play the music we love to play first and foremost, maybe even meet interesting people and kick some ass while doing it. We hope that what we're doing People like him so we can leave it." Though working a full day job and doing music full time, let's be honest haha. But seriously we just love music - we love playing it, listening to it, talking about it and being in a band is a way to be part of the conversation, to be a small part of the conversation, to add to the conversation in your own not-entirely-irrelevant-way" We can't wait to see how his next project turns out. By @the_owlseyes

Reviews by: @movie_pill 본 아이덴티티에 이은 본시리즈 두 번째 영화 전작이 본시리즈의 서사를 만들어 스토리 위주의 진행이 이어졌다면 슈프리머시는 좀 더 흔히 생각하는 첩보물적인 진행 위주로 이어졌다 액션넘치고 스릴있고 그러다보니 눈으로 보는 즐거움은 훨씬 커졌지만 킬링타임에 조금 더 가까운 느낌? 전작을 보고나면 슈프리머시가 아이덴티티와 이어지는 느낌이라 훨씬 컨텐츠 재밌게 즐길 수 있는데 이것만 따로보면 그냥 첩보물느낌.. 하지만 개봉연도 생각해보면 첩보물의 기틀이 되는 영화니까 이것만으로도 상징성이 참 크다 개인적으로 차를 되게 좋아해서 그런가 그시절 차들 나오며 추격전하는거 정말 재밌게봤다 ㅋㅋㅋ 조만간 얼티메이덤까지 보고 그 뒷작품들은 보고싶다는 느낌이 들면 봐야겠다. 아! 그리고 다른건몰라도 마지막 장면, 이후에 나오는 브금은 정말 영화사 전체를 통틀어 가장 인상적인 엔딩 중 하나가 아닐까 싶다 평 ★★★☆☆ By @movie_pill

I've been aware of and following Nolan's career for quite some time now. Of course, I remember when The Dark Knight came out and everyone was loving it and talking about it, but I hadn't seen it at the time and didn't watch it until a few years later. I did watch Inception, and that one was also pretty popular in High School, and I enjoyed that one at the time. He is probably the first filmmaker I've known, even before I became a movie buff/cinephile. I have mixed feelings about Christopher Nolan; there are things he does very well, and there are things he does poorly. It's one of those things where his strengths are very strong, but his weaknesses are pretty glaring. His Strengths One of the things he is very good at is production designs and scale. The worlds that he builds for his films feel very real, grande, and they fit his stories very well. The production design is the main thing that suspends our disbelief and keeps us invested in the story. I'm sure we've all seen a film where everything felt artificial, and you couldn't help but feel disconnected. His concepts and ideas are also good, a lot of people complain that Hollywood is only doing sequels and reboots, but that's not the case with Nolan, not really. It seems hard to be original these days without it feeling like it's similar to something else that's already been done. Just look at Bio-pics. Nolan does deserve to be praised for his ideas. If he was strictly a producer, I feel he would do very well at that. His weaknesses His weaknesses are his writing, dialogue, and characters for sure. I just said he has good ideas and concepts, but that's all his films generally focus on. Throughout his filmography, I have never felt a connection with any of his characters or felt what they were going through. His characters feel artificial, like they are characters in a movie and nothing more. This works in a movie like Dunkirk, where it focuses on many different soldiers and people, and they're supposed to represent the every man in crisis and war, where the situation is what matters the most and not necessarily them as a person. But it doesn't work in his other movies where something sad is happening, and I'm supposed to feel something, but I don't. Overall I do mostly enjoy watching his movies, he is one of the better mainstream blockbuster directors working today. I mostly watch or revisit his movies when I want mindless entertainment. Which is kind of ironic, since all of his movies try so hard to be big-brained, and he wants us to think and dissect his films. But to me, they don't offer a lot to think about. Anyways, I'm always interested in seeing what he's gonna do or make next. I hope he continues to make original movies and make movies with over the top production designs. By @silverscreencritiques

Reviews by: @picturesinflow Prey is the newest entry into the Predator universe, and it takes us back to the 1700s. Now now, almost all of the franchises from the 70s and 80s (mostly action ones) are getting newer entries every few years. These entries serve the studios directly, so they don’t lose the right to make movies with these characters and in their respective universes. No harm done there, but harm is done when the outright bring back dead characters, break or invent new rules, and overall are just or sometimes below passable. Prey is one of the few exceptions to this rule, it easily beats all of the sequels and for me specifically, it’s even better than the original. Don’t know how, but they actually made a good Predator film while staying true to what aspects made him a force of nature, but that are undoubtedly conquerable and beatable. Design wise the Predator has an interesting look this time around and with the movie being set in the past, it seems like he is as well. He does what he does best, stalking his pray, studying their patterns and ultimately going in for a (stylish) kill. In this film we follow a tribal village in North America who are going about their everyday life when a sudden object enters the atmosphere. That ‘object’ is here to challenge stronger and stronger foes to prove who is the strongest. Now the characters need to find a way to stop him, but still leave with their lives, and at least, some of their limbs. In addition to all of the well written characters and their designs, nothing beats the absolute breathtaking atmosphere induced by beautiful cinematography and brilliant sound design. This movie was an absolute treat after so many bad Predator films and now hopefully Alien can get the same treatment. By @picturesinflow

Reviews by: @natsfilmreview Little Miss Sunshine (2006)(1h 46m) ⭐Steve Carell, Paul Dano, Abigail Breslin (Synopsis) The Hoover family puts the fun back in dysfunctional by piling into a VW bus and heading to California to support a daughter in her bid to win the Little Miss Sunshine Contest.The sanity of everyone involved is stretched to the limit as the group's quirks cause epic problems as they travel along their interstate route. REVIEW: (7.5/10⭐) 🍿The atmosphere of this movie is extremely chaotic making it super attention grabbing. 🍿Paul Dano and Steve Carell both have the strongest presence and best scenes in my opinion. Steve Carell perfectly portrays the suicidal uncle, that it's almost unbelievable when compared to his role as Michael Scott in The Office who is the total opposite of his character in this movie. Paul Dano is also amazing as Dwayne who is silent for most of the movie, until his meltdown which is one of the movies best scenes based on the climax to his outburst and the change his character takes on afterwards. 🍿There was no memorable music or soundtrack which was disappointing as I feel that a good use of music can add more to making a scene stand out. 🍿However the cinematography is decent with some nice shots seen in particular in the opening of the movie, and the set-up of Dwaynes breakdown. 🍿Although this isn't one of my most favourite movies to have watched, I still feel that it is a movie that everyone should watch at least once in their lifetime as it really is an experience to watch! By @natsfilmreview

Reviews by: @the_nut_shell_horrorreviews 8/10 Film by F.W. Murnau As a young real-estate agent, Hutter is sent to the land of thieves and monsters to assist reclusive Count Orlok with the purchase of a property in his own home town. After achieving this goal, his new neighbour appears to take a fancy to not just the property but his real estate agent's wife also. They will try to endure the terror living next door or else try to discover a method of its destruction. A truly great 1920s silent horror film! Artful and stylised. Though absolutely definitely based on Bram Stoker's Dracula, the story goes that Murnau was keen to make it different enough that the rights would not need to be paid for, and they would not be sued. This plan did not succeed. It's easy to see why, beat for beat it's the exact same story, with a scarier ending. Accompanying music is obviously of vital importance, and it's some of the greatest movie score I've heard! Max Schreck's Orlok is terrifying in appearance and action. Plenty of disturbing imagery to be viewed. Though illegally created it was faithful to its inspiration. Dialogue was a bit amusing but likely because it was translated to English from German. Some truly great sequences here, and really engaging to watch original horror performed with methods from the earliest era of filmmaking. I realised this was my first silent film horror viewing a few minutes in, when recognising this medium of filmmaking lends itself perfectly to horror. There is already something so unnerving about movement, acting and soundless line delivery. This was clearly made with passion, as they were not allowed to but did it anyway. Watching was an entirely amazing experience, will be seeking out further terrors from this period. Cheers to @hk_movieaddict for the recommend. Gore Suspense ☠️☠️☠️☠️ Jump scare ☠️ Dread ☠️☠️☠️☠️ By @the_nut_shell_horrorreviews

Reviews by: @augustkellerwrites @tylersnerdy_review Fusing slasher tropes with Black Mirror-esk commentary, M3GAN is familiar entertainment yet oddly guilt-free. Plus, there's natural comedy, grounded (though convenient) sci-fi, self-awareness, setup, and honored drama. Consequently, everything feels crisp and earned. Some cinephiles might've liked more commitment to technological dependency themes while some horror buffs might've wanted more scares, but there's enough substance and thrills to appease most viewers. Meanwhile, the acting provides layering and vulnerability to make their surprisingly motivated characters relatable. With such a campy premise, having stable emotions and messages is key. Thus, M3GAN is optimized indulgence. Technically, M3GAN is valid. Its sound harnesses mechanics, stings, and volume shifts. The music offers funky electronics and recontextualized pop singing for a quirky personality. Its editing is nicely paced (never rushing but concise) with constructive montages, smash cuts, jump cuts, inserts, and intercuts. The robot design is modern with retro fashion, making it quite distinct and timeless. Its imagery lacks striking flair but remains proficient with engaged movement, composition, framing, moody lighting, and focus. Also, the direction balances genres, effects are diverse, and the cast delivers despite their limited resumés. Overall, M3GAN lands an impressive variety of tones. Writing: 8/10 Direction: 7/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Acting: 7/10 Editing: 8/10 Sound: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack: 8/10 Production Design: 8/10 Casting: 5/10 Effects: 8/10 Overall Score: 7.4/10 By @augustkellerwrites I am so ready for M3GAN to take over the world. I’m ready for a full franchise that spans generations and just continues to get campier and stupider the longer it goes on. M3GAN works when it really shouldn’t because it knows exactly what it is. It knows exactly what it brings to the table and it is ready to sit with you and have a laugh at it. Jenna Davis and Amie Donald work together to bring M3GAN to life in a spectacular way, with a great voice and great movements respectively they make her feel like something that could really exist. Allison Williams is pretty good as Gemma but the character has no real depth or range. Violet McGraw is a face I am happy to see again. She played a young Yelena Belova very briefly but very well back in Black Widow and I think she’s just great here. Jen Van Epps, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Ronny Chieng, and Stephane Garneau-Monten make up a fun supporting cast that wound up with more screen time than I was expecting. Blum House combines a great amount of humor, heart, horror, and camp to craft this movie. A good balance of each to make a movie that doesn’t take itself too seriously and just has fun. That being said I think it could have used some more horror elements or at least a few more deaths (maybe some gore as well). It takes awhile for M3GAN to kill and in the end she only takes a handful of lives. But I will be patiently waiting for the Chucky/M3GAN crossover, I think they would love to compare notes. This will definitely be your first good watch of 2023 and I’d highly recommend you check it out knowing full well it’s camp. I give M3GAN a pretty solid 8/10 and the default title of best movie of 2023 so far. Check it out and let me know what you think of it. Bring some friends out with you and have a laugh. -Tyler. By @tylersnerdy_review

Reviews by: @s.sohan2005 The Godfather is the quintessential American mafia epic film. It is an epic tale of a man falling from grace and trodding a darker path. It is at the heart of the cynicism of the American dream with the screenplay of Mario Puzo and Francis Ford Coppola. This film is a reinvention of the classic American gangster stock figure as a dysfunctional slow-burn drama. Francis Ford Coppola's direction is some of the best directions in cinema right from the opening scene. The marriage scene is a great set piece as it sets up and gives important context about important characters and their worldviews and the cinematography gives it a sense of realism. The opening scene is a vicious and cynical statement about organized crime and violence in America. Marlo Brando as Don Vito Corleone is a stinking cobra who is a well-respected man from the outside but is a bigoted patriarch from the inside who cares deeply about his family and business and is a battle-hardened gangster. Al Pacino gives a stunning performance as Michael Corleone portrays duality in his arc. James Caan as the hot-headed son of Michael Corleone gives a stellar performance as the counterpoint to Al Pacino. Robert Duvall is great as the calm-headed illegitimate son of Don Corleone and his pairing with Al Pacino makes it a well-rounded performance. Francis Ford Coppola alongside Gordon Willis's cinematography is stunning with great lighting contrasts with experimental usage of darkness to punctuate the tension and tone. It conveys a sense of fear paranoia and dread and is done organically while fitting the narrative of the underbelly world of this film. This film has an energetic yet slow-burn pace bringing depth to its quality and providing character-rich moments for Don and Vito Corleone and pivotal side characters Sonny and Tom Hagen. This makes us invested in their characters and the choices they make in their respective arcs and builds a narrative tapestry around it. Overall The Godfather is the pinnacle of cinematic achievement of the likes which will never be replicated in film history. By @s.sohan2005

Reviews by: @tylersnerdy_review @augustkellerwrites On Thursday I went out for a double header of two solid back to back films. Starting with DC League of Super Pets and then right after that Vengeance. I still don’t know if the reason I loved League of Super Pets so much was because it was actually good or just great compared to the shit animation we’ve been getting this year. It was the first one besides Bob’s Burgers that hasn’t disappointed me since Turning Red. Kate McKinnon absolutely nails it as the villain here. I have been in her corner for years now and wish nothing but massive success for her. Dwayne Johnson and Kevin Hart work so well together and it’s nice to get back to a duo that works for Hart after he fell flat with Woody Harrelson this year. Vanessa Bayer, Natasha Lyonne, and Diego Luna are great supporting characters here. Each of them are fun and delightful and leave it to Lyonne to give us not one or two, but THREE curse words in a kids movie. That’s right, they are bleeped but they are here. Two implied uses of “shit” and an implied use of “fuck”. I was absolutely rolling when I heard each of them, give me more please. John Krasinski, Keanu Reeves, Jameela Jamil, Dascha Polanco, Jemaine Clement, Daveed Diggs, and John Early make up such a great interpretation of the Justice League and I really hope we see more of them. Marc Maron, Olivia Wilde, Ben Schwartz, Thomas Middleditch, Maya Erskine, Yvette Nicole Brown, Alfred Molina, Lena Headey, Keith David, Busy Phillips, and Dan Fogler make up an amazing supporting cast that I can’t ever see them assembling again. Like what a cast, and all of them fully commit to the movie and have fun with it. One thing you will not be for sure is bored, this movie is just so funny and full of great little Easter eggs, like an amazingly hilarious post credit scene (of which there are two by the way). For going on day one I also got a great comic that takes place right after the movie and it just proves more so how well all of these characters work together and how much we need a sequel to see them all together now that they are established and ready to fight crime. DC League of Super Pets is funny, fun, and full of good lessons for kids, albeit cheesy and unoriginal. 8/10. -Tyler. By @tylersnerdy_review League of Super-Pets is complete commercialism, combining extremely popular and oversaturated genres, yet making no effort to differentiate itself. It follows generic superhero beats and makes expected talking animal jokes. Really, the only surprise or drama comes from Kevin Hart's backstory, which is sad but hardly complex. Characters don't earn their forced arcs, dialogue is obvious, humor is mindless, and the entire plot is predictable. There's simply no attempt at vulnerability or creativity, leaving the film void of heart and mind. Also, the voice acting just isn't enthusiastic (outside of McKinnon). Ultimately, League of Super-Pets is only concerned with marketability. Technically, Super-Pets is apathetic. There are interesting moments with match cuts, dolly zooms, and complex sound, but those are rare. Generally, the filmmaking is minimal. The editing has an adequate runtime but offers no other noticeable strengths. The cinematography uses some movement but is largely basic. Plus, the sound gets distractingly goofy. Meanwhile, the soundtrack overuses pop hits, the CGI lacks detail, and the production design is hollow. Overall, Super-Pets is a cheap and limited experience. Clearly, it hopes to ride the popularity of other products because it provides nothing valuable of its own. Families are probably better off skipping this. Writing: 3/10 Direction: 2/10 Cinematography: 6/10 Acting: 4/10 Editing: 5/10 Sound: 6/10 Score/Soundtrack: 4/10 Production Design: 4/10 Casting: 7/10 Effects: 4/10 Overall Score: 4.5/10 By @augustkellerwrites

Reviews by: @tylersnerdy_review The other day I finally got time to see Spoiler Alert and I have to say right at the top, this movie wrecked me. Like, AMC could use the security footage of me bawling as some A+ black mail. It felt like right as I wiped away one waterfall another would be right behind it. I want to thank Michael Ausiello for opening up and not just writing the book that this is based on but letting it be made into a movie. I’m sure it wasn’t easy reliving the pain and grief once to write it let alone a second time to make the movie. There’s a beautiful and brief clip at the end of the movie of the real Michael and Kit and I can’t even begin to say how great of casting Jim Parsons and Ben Aldridge are. I’m just so happy for Parsons, I loved Sheldon for 12 years but now that he can play gay characters I can tell there’s been a passion being reborn in him, he really makes you feel every emotion you’re meant to feel. Aldridge takes his transformation very well and does a good job selling the descent into illness. Sally Field and Bill Irwin play some of the best parents ever, Kit’s parents are just fantastic. Tara Summers and Brody Caines do a good job at being the best parts of my least favorite bits of the movie. The sitcom style flashbacks just aren’t done as well as they could have been. I think it’s a really good idea it just needed some work. And honestly that’s my only issue with the movie. I really liked the rest of it. Spoiler Alert is a touching movie about how to accept the things life throws at us, grief, and how to move on after a devastating loss. I’m giving Spoiler Alert a 9/10, I would definitely recommend checking it out whenever you find time. -Tyler. By @tylersnerdy_review

Reviews by: @s.sohan2005 Back To The Future is the epitome of classic blockbuster filmmaking with well-written characters with clearly defined motivations and arcs and a simple time travel story as a tool used effectively for great storytelling with 80's music being prevalent. It's a great comic strip story with great comedy not undermining its sci-fi and fantasy setting. The pacing and story structure is rock solid with clear-cut character arcs and high stakes throughout the film with big character revelations and wacky situations. Its tone is balanced between dark comedy and wacky comedy. It provides themes of coming of age responsibility and adulthood. It's an original story with a well balanced tone, iconic dialogue detailed payoff and heartfelt cliches with its heart on its sleeve aproach. It's the perfect blockbuster with great art and great filmmaking. Back To The Future is a stylized movie reminiscent of it's Ronald Reagan era with its idylic throwbacks albeit undercutting it at times. The direction is stellar with smash editing, employing inserts, intense editing which ramps up in the final act with great character focus and stylized direction and groundbreaking visual effects. It's desaturated color grading gives this period piece life while commenting on its era with daft cynicism while having heart to revel in it with indulgence. The iconic music sequence is well directed with tension and intense editing giving it weight and substance while making the payoff satisfying. The casting is perfect with Michael J Fox, Christopher Lloyd, Lea Thompson and Crispin Glover giving them breakthrough roles of which some transcend generations (Christopher Lloyd). Overall the acting is great across the board while telling a classic story. Overall Back To The Future is a great blockbuster while employing great direction and art and transcends it's genre of teen incestuous comedy into something special. By @s.sohan2005

Reviews by: @tylersnerdy_review I have been such a big fan of the Saints Row series. My very first one was Saints Row the Third, then I went back and played 1 and 2 before getting myself prepared for Saints Row IV. I’ve enjoyed every game in the series, and although I enjoy this reboot a good deal, it is an embarrassing return to the franchise for Volition. I don’t know what happened and I don’t want to shit on this game too hard because I did enjoy it but I can’t deny how disappointed I was. I have NEVER lost my shit more playing a game on fucking EASY mode. This game is aggressively broken and not just in the sense of difficulty but it is full of the most bugs I have ever seen in a game. And either they just don’t care or there is a lot of bugs to fix because there has still not been an update to this game since the last time I played (about 4 days ago). Not even to get into how low par the graphics are, it’s only upgraded a small amount from the last game, which is fucking 9 years old now, in the sense that it’s smoother now. It also is not a very long game, I don’t know what makes a game worth the full $60 but this did not feel like a $60 game. I found myself enjoying the side stuff more, that one they did do good with, this series has always been the best at the crazy side stuff. The story was actually quite fun and I want to punch all the bigots in the face who call this woke simply because the main cast is all people of color. The only white person would be their created character. But let’s not forget that most of the original cast was also people of color. Sure the series has lost a little edge, there isn’t a dildo bat or a tentacle bat that goes up the ass in this one, but that hardly makes it “woke”. I’m actually in love with Santo Illeso, it’s a really fun city and the biggest map Saints Row has ever made (which is still pretty small honestly) but going from city to desert and exploring all of it is a lot of fun. Taking over districts is easy and awesome as you turn districts purple and then purple and gold upon full completion. I think this team deserves another chance and hopefully they learn how to stomp some bugs before release. It pains me to drop a 6/10 on this. -Tyler. By @tylersnerdy_review

Reviews by: @s.sohan2005 Star Trek Undiscovery is an absolute gem of a Trek movie only behind the popular installment (Wrath Of Babylon 5 is a landmark space opera done in television. Babylon 5 is a science fiction television unlike no other. It's a five-year story about a station fighting off fascism and authoritarian rule with great science fiction ideas and allegories about religion. It's a five-year novel in television and a crowning achievement in the television and science fiction medium. Writing: The show's science fiction themes are well-written and well-crafted with interesting ideas and three-dimensional characters who are the POVs in this universe. The status quo changes throughout the show and J. Michael Straczynski's writing makes the audience care for these characters and their respective arcs balancing it with large-scale ideas and worldbuilding. Characters: Babylon 5's characters are thematically rich and filled with nuanced depth and interesting characters to follow for this show. Characters like Londo Mollari, G'Kar, Sheridan, Delenn, Ivanova, and Garibaldi are just to name a few of the vast characters we explore throughout the show and the acting is stellar with sincerity and depth which comes from a great understanding of the characters. Production value: The show's weakness stems from its dated production values and dated CGI but I appreciate its use of CGI in space battles and its depiction of various alien ships. It's restrained yet emotive with it being on television. It's a mixed bag with a lot of practical effects not holding up well. The direction is shoddy at times with spinning camera movements and generic making its presentation awkward and jarring for contemporary viewers. Balance between serialization and stand-alone episodes :- Babylon 5 has a great mix of standalone and serialized episodes which gives the showroom to explore science fiction ideas and military ideas with religious undertones but with a great worldbuilding up with the A plot. It has a character focus and questions the ideas of certain characters while staying true to their depiction. This provides better pacing to the show's merit and doesn't let the focus of its characters and story falter. Concluding thoughts: B5 is a groundbreaking television show which broke out from the Star Trek science fiction course and carved its own path in the science fiction genre. Babylon 5's success allowed for other Science fiction mainstream and cult favorites like SG1, Farscape and the return of Battlestar Galactica to get off the ground. It's legacy on modern television storytelling cannot be understated and with it having a great legacy behind. By @s.sohan2005

Reviews by: @thefilmobservatory 4/5 Teen/Drama After teen drug addict Rue (Zendaya) emerges from rehab, she and her classmates deal with the whirlwind of drugs, sex, and falling in and out of love, making up their lives at high school. If there’s one thing that Sam Levinson’s teen hit Euphoria has always managed to be, it’s a show of extremes, which does nicely tie into its name, partly literally as well as somewhat ironically. I will say that season 1 and the special episodes achieve the balancing act of finding a common ground for the tone impressively, especially compared to season 2, which is an overall mess of a script for a TV series, albeit one that I largely still enjoyed watching. From start to finish, the (rightfully so) Emmy- winning Zendaya is undeniably the glue holding it together even through some of the rougher moments, in easily her strongest turn to date. With her and many others’ brutally honest performances, Levinson’s consistent writing-directing, phenomenal cinematography and creative music, season 1 of Euphoria feels like a clever yet also deeply personal project, to the point where it could have opted to have wrapped up storylines to end it as a limited series and I would’ve been perfectly happy with it. Then, I watched the specials and both were fantastic, leaving me excited for what season 2 had in store. If only they hadn’t given me so much hope… in all seriousness, I don’t think that Euphoria’s sophomore season is bad, and there are certain elements that remind me of how fresh and brilliant the show can be. However, it does give the impression that Levinson had conceived season 1 like a tightly crafted film, with narratives and themes smoothly interlocking, but didn’t know what to do with the characters and setup he’d created after then. Season 2 demonstrated that Euphoria’s extremes can unfortunately damage and oscillate the quality of the show too but, anyway, let’s start with the good, the great and the not as great but still good of season 1! Season 1 of Euphoria is broadly a strong and distinctive season of TV, starting with our protagonist, Rue Bennett. While narration can feel like a lazy and uninventive technique, Zendaya’s dry charisma makes it really work, with some of the funniest sequences of the show being witty cutaways to, for example, Rue as a teacher, basically addressing the audience, classifying the trustworthiness and reliability of ‘explicit pictures’, and another where she, during a manic episode, visualises her friend and herself as a Freeman-Pitt-style detective duo trying to figure out a (superficial) mystery at the school. Why does she seem to be an omniscient god of her area in knowing all her classmates’ backstories for the cold opens? I honestly have no idea but they’re entertaining and I’ll get to what’s great about those later. Back to Zendaya: she’s heart-wrenching and simply phenomenal in this show, consistently presenting a realistically painful and tumultuous depiction of drug addiction. Rue’s actions can absolutely be mean, selfish and unfair yet never feel random for her character and we still root for her, as her conversations with Jules (Hunter Schafer) and ex-addict Ali (Colman Domingo) shed light on what it’s like to be Rue Bennett, why she is the way she is, but also that she’s not past redemption and recovery. Euphoria is emotionally poignant often through how much time we spend with Rue, who suffers from long-term depression, frequently self-deprecates when she feels that she’s letting those close to her down, and unhealthily relies on others for any glimpse of happiness, a toll which we see fall heavily on some in particular, despite the fact that clearly nobody is inherently in the wrong. The central relationship between Rue and Jules feels brutally emotional, as the potence of their bond consistently feels like a major swaying factor being the most important element of their lives for them. This dynamic’s initial culmination at the end of episode 4 is sublime, however, Zendaya also makes it evident that she’s just as strong a performer on her own, such as her more subdued monologue in episode 1 about the moment of freedom and relief that she feels that drugs allow her, and the heavy final scene of the first season, that encapsulates all the nihilism of the show, while Rue arguably still feels like the most human character around, by her heart-breaking yet powerful arc. (Also, the latter is the moment that Labrinth blessed us with his genius fusion of choir singing and rap in ‘All For Us’ so it gets bonus points for that). Another major plus for season 1 is the simple yet massively effective use of the cold opens. For those who haven’t seen the show, each episode essentially begins by exploring one of the main characters’ backstories in a whistle-stop tour of their lives up to the point of the present setting, and then focusing that particular episode on them more than usual. This is really important to how the show functions because high schoolers’ actions can often be unpredictable and seem strange, however, Euphoria helps us understand why they may react so strongly in some situations, therefore preventing them from becoming confusing, underdeveloped caricatures. Possibly the best example is the presentation of football (the crappy American kind) jock Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi) who’s nasty and quick-tempered, often verging on acting as the show’s villain. However, Nate isn’t a boring or derivative presence, as Elordi delivers a rich performance consistently enhanced by Levinson’s writing, as toxic masculinity, internalised homophobia and an immensely broken dynamic with his father, Cal (Eric Dane) become imbued in his character so that the audience can practically feel his rage boiling beneath the surface. While Nate’s an aggressive bully, it’s important to note that his anger is largely “beneath the surface” because the most terrifying thing about him in season 1 is that he isn’t simply a brutish ‘knucklehead’: he’s coldly calculating, using his physicality and status to intimidate others in plans to keep him always in control. Apart from that one showstopping moment in episode 7 when his character, all the way from early memories in the cold open to the present, is done building up the tension and it finally explodes: fantastic stuff from Elordi. My overall point about the cold opens is that they never feel throwaway, rather all are fundamental and work in tandem with the character explorations to provide much depth necessary to make and keep us invested. And props to Labrinth for the wonderfully unique music that scores them, with the energetic and encapsulating ‘Nate Growing Up’ probably being my favourite for the openings. Euphoria is not always a particularly realistic depiction of high school, however, I feel that Zendaya consistently grounds it enough for me to let this slide and set it apart from other teen dramas. It also helps that it’s an ambitious series in the amount of heavy topics it’s tackling, with some of the most prominent apart from the obvious being toxic relationships and domestic abuse in Maddy’s (Alexa Demie) storyline, toxic masculinity with college student McKay (Algee Smith, who was gone from the show too soon in season 2!), and the complexities of gender identity and transitioning for Jules. Overall, they’re treated with enough nuance and sensitivity that I really appreciate how raw yet meaningful the show manages to be. Other standouts in the supporting cast include Angus Cloud’s loveably caring yet contrastingly dangerous drug dealer Fezco and Kat (Barbie Ferreira), who begins as one of the popular clique but whose story goes in a wildly different and unique direction that manages to be enjoyable and empowering. An advantage of the genre for this show is the way that the suburban high school setting allows everyone’s lives to feel intertwined so that the story can cross over and feel super coherent, a satisfying effect and payoff that’s especially present in season 1’s carnival episode. Cinematographer Marcell Rév, who’s been the main D.O.P. on the show, captures this particularly well in an impressively crafted, lengthy single shot moving around the carnival to span across pretty much all our main characters to concisely introduce where they are and the setup for the episode. I won’t go on for long about the cinematography because I won’t have anything to say that’s not already been celebrated in a few thousand film/TV buffs’ video essays about this show on YouTube, however, I must confirm that the framing, colour gradients, lighting and choices of shots are just as remarkable as they all say. The camera possesses this energy in its movement like no other show that I’ve seen recently, with enough whip pans to make it feel like its own character, while also being unusual and psychedelic at times, for example, during party sequences. Hollywood producers would be wise to have Rév on their radar, as he’s clearly a talent. As for season 1’s weaknesses, I only have a small list: episodes 6-8 get into some slightly soapy stuff that doesn’t always gel with Rue’s storyline and the heavier themes, which make it lose a bit of its steam, and some of the high school stuff simply isn’t as compelling as Zendaya’s work. However, there isn’t too much to detract from the highs of Euphoria’s initial season, and I would have no doubts in strongly recommending giving the show a go, if I was only talking about season 1. The specials continue what worked in season 1 and, for me, take it to the next level, as we are treated with two intimate character studies that seamlessly bridge the first and second season. After the dramatic ending of season 1, it was a wise move to take some time to reflect and examine our protagonists to avoid any distance between them and their actions from the audience, and I really appreciate that nearly the whole runtime of each episode is spent on two characters talking in a room, leaving the writing and acting to do all the work, both of which are stellar. Rue’s episode sees her meeting with NA sponsor Ali on Christmas Eve and is a sublimely executed discussion about addiction, religion, identity and potential for redemption, and what actually matters in life beyond superficiality. Zendaya and Domingo share phenomenal chemistry with the latter passing on his lessons from experience as an ex-addict in an unpretentious human way, as no bulls*** gets past the charismatic and honest Ali. Their dynamic is always a pleasure to watch, and this episode is pretty much peak Euphoria. While Jules’ special episode didn’t quite pack the same impact for me, I still love it and it’s fantastically crafted. Prior to it, we’d had small hints as to how Jules feels about her identity and mental health but we get a much more in-depth yet still sensitively executed look into these aspects in this episode. This one spends longer than the first special on psychedelic imagery and visions, while exploring Jules’ history and emotional state, which show highlights in the stunning cinematography. However, I most appreciate the unique discussion about gender and the complexities of the spectrum, which is like nothing I’ve ever seen in how honest and down-to-earth it is. Hunter Schafer is brilliant, channelling all the charisma and energy of the character while also accessing the side of her repressed trauma from her brutal past. Like Zendaya, she’s magnetising to watch and this episode does wonders in helping us understand Jules, even through her mistakes. So, season 2… insert disappointed sigh. One of the main problems with Euphoria’s sophomore outing can be effectively summed up by an exchange of dialogue in the finale, between a character staging a play and her cohort – “It could be worse.” “How? “It could be boring”. This unfortunately demonstrates how Levinson’s takeaway from season 1 seems to have been that Euphoria is a show defined by its superficial extremes, as these lines seem to acknowledge the shows’ flaws yet act as if they don’t matter as long as a lot of high school craziness is happening onscreen. It feels like Levinson thinks that gratuitous nudity and drug use were what made Euphoria special amongst teen dramas, and that it’s simply enough to continue being daring and dramatic like this. Honestly, it kind of feels like the power and status from Euphoria’s immense popularity have gone to Levinson’s head, as he writes in season 2 as if the fans will happily eat up any of it, regardless of the quality and wits. There needs to be others joining Euphoria’s writing room for season 3, as it seems to be too much for one person to keep handling alone. Many characters seem thinner and less intriguing this season, with some of the worst examples being the massively side-lined Kat, and Jules, who ceases to be a character carrying importance other than in her relationship with Jules. Instead, we spend far more time with pointless love triangles, new characters like Elliott (Dominic Fike) that I don’t really care about and who are often pretty unlikeable, and the crime side of things, with Fezco and his surrogate brother Ashtray (Javon "Wanna" Walton). The latter isn’t badly executed, however, I really don’t think that it gels with the high school part of this show, as it’s interesting, sometimes even compelling, but feels largely disjunct to the partly soapy ongoings in season 2. I was pretty disappointed with the progression of Nate because the writing makes him become an almost farcically cartoonish villain half the time, with a particularly ridiculous scene involving a gun that completely ruined any form of immersion for me. Plot points frequently seem to get forgotten, such as drug dealer Laurie’s (an subtly intimidating Martha Kelly) threats, some of which are probably being saved for the confirmed next season but it’s clear that some were just clumsily handled. Strands of story also don’t cross over like they did in season 1, making much of it feel quite disconnected. Despite all the flaws, there are things I liked, especially episodes 1 and 5, which are both arguably peak Euphoria. The former maintains Euphoria ‘tradition’ in a fantastic premiere that brings us back into the world with both style and substance, containing this season’s most memorable examples of cinematography at the episode’s large party sequence, where nearly everyone’s storylines cross over for once this season, and each subplot introduced seems to be an intriguing premise. Also, I love this episode’s ending, with a truly explosive start to the New Year (if you know, you know). Episode 5 is brilliant in a very different manner, as it refocuses the show, which had gotten distracted on less important matters, back to Rue’s struggles with drugs, in an uncompromising and intense look at the harsh reality of her situation and how her addiction brutally affects others, including her mother, Leslie (Nika King), and sister, Gia (Storm Reid), both of whom are quietly powerful in their emotional ruin she causes them. It’s a gripping showstopper, making it all the more unfortunate that the following episodes never again reach its height. Back to the good, I did like the meta twist with Lexi (Maude Apatow), who viewed herself to have been a bystander in her life, in correlation with how small a role she played in season 1, and, although it went on too long, I really enjoyed her play, especially when it was developing her and Rue’s friendship, filling in some of the gaps previously hinted at by giving us more context as to their past history. Also, the ‘Holding Out For a Hero’ sequence is amazing, with Austin Abrams’ theatre kid Ethan getting some time to shine, and Lexi’s slightly irresponsible but caring mother, Suze (Alanna Ubach), is hilarious in this episode as well as throughout the rest of the season. The surprise ‘MVP’ is Sydney Sweeney, who takes her performance as Cassie to the next level in her vulnerability contrasted with her selfishness, despite her character being left in a strange, lazily written place by the end of the season. I honestly quite liked what happened with Cal, with Dane clearly committed to his performance in the character’s wild breakdown and deserved ending this season. While it doesn’t pack season 1’s fresh punch, the cinematography adopts a grainy, 1970s-esque vibe for season 2, which I do appreciate, as it also proves that they don’t just do the one shtick of visuals in this show. In summary, Euphoria’s second season was a mess, albeit a generally enjoyable one, with a few of the series’ highest highs but also most of its lowest lows. For better or worse, there’s nothing quite like Euphoria on TV right now, as the show is unique and possesses certain moments of brilliance. If the writing can be tightened up again, with such a talented cast and crew, there’s no reason to think that season 3 can’t be a return to form, so I’m going to stay optimistic about returning. Overall, I would recommend this show to fans of teen dramas and unconventional, slightly genre-warping A24 projects. However, I’m adding a trigger warning here for anybody who struggles and/or has struggled with drug abuse, depression and/or suicide (there may be topics and issues that I’ve missed so it’s probably best to search it up before watching if you have concerns, stay safe). By @thefilmobservatory

Reviews by: @cinemaa.wiz This post is about, most probably, the most influential Pakistani Movie of all time. A movie that inspired a whole Movie Culture. Maula Jatt is one of those wonders that comes in a Lifetime and turns the whole scene upside down. The movie is still talked about in High regard. Spawning an entire unofficial franchise, several cultural nodes, remakes, and, what not. Even the people who haven't seen the movie, are well aware of lots of its Dialogues. The Review Maula Jatt has pretty mediocre production, several average Fight choreographies, some outdated cultural norms, and a few scenes that should've been trimmed, BUT still... It delivers where it has to. (Maula Jatt is by far my favorite Pakistani film and a film I won't recommend to people who don't have the know-how of Punjabi, Although it is available with subs on Youtube, to be honest, the fun resides majorly in the context and delivery.) Now, characterization is the best the ing about the movie. Maula Jatt is a Loud, Unapologetic, and egoistic Macho, who in true meaning is a beacon of Rage. Against him is Noori Natt, a soft-spoken and sharp-witted goon who craves an enemy who can give him toe, in true nature, a beacon of organized chaos (If that's a thing). The World of Maula Jatt feels like Dystopia, and the music gives it the feel of a Western. With Over the Top nature of the movie, everything fits in to give out a very well-placed Action Blockbuster. More than Action, the movie has Barrak* and Barrak's are the things that make this movie enjoyable as hell. And increases its rewatchability factor. The constant Back and Forth between the characters in the fight over who comes up with a better one-liner gives this movie a different and unique taste. Dialogues like "Nawa Aayaan ae Soneya (Are you new here, buddy)" and "Maule nu Maula na maaray te Maula Nahi Marda (If Maula (Almighty) doesn't kill Maula (Jatt), Maula won't die)" are two of the most popular dialogues in the history of Pakistani Cinema. The acting performances are all great, what good is a great character if it is not acted well? Sultan Rahi plays Maula Jatt with sheer brilliance, his body language is top notch and he does feel like a force to reckon with... Mustafa Qureshi as Noori Natt, the antagonist of this movie is, hands down, one of the best acting performances I've ever seen. He makes you feel his terror through the silence and sweet demeanor. So damn good. One actor I adored there was Chakori, who plays the role of Daaro Nattni, and plays it to perfection. 10/10 . . . Barrak? Barrak is quite an important aspect of Fights in Punjabi Cinema. Barrak is the verbal comments/one-liners the protagonist and antagonist pass at each other to demean one another and establish one's superiority. It's the Punjabi way of saying "Don't mess with me, I am far superior to you". . . . Franchise and Remakes Maula Jatt was the first Pakistani movie to spawn a (not so official) Franchise. The movie "Maula Jatt" itself is an unofficial sequel to a movie named "Wehshi Jatt" and has 2 unofficial sequels being "Maula Jatt te Noori Natt" and "Maula Jatt in London". And a side character (Daaro Nattni) appears in a movie named "Wehshi Aurat" in a Cameo. The movie got remade in Bollywood as "Jeene Nahi Doonga" which starred Dharmendra and Shatrugan Sinha. A new wave Pakistani Movie "Legend of Maula Jatt " was said to be a remake of the movie but later it was cleared by Director that he just took the names of the characters and made an original story, it stars Fawad Khan, Mahira Khan, and Hamza Ali Abbasi. The film was scheduled to release back in 2018 but was stopped due to a copyright case. The case did in the end get settled. The latest reports say the movie will release in September 2022. . . Gandasa Culture Maula Jatt was a huge hit, it ran for over 300 weeks, despite having a brawl with Govt. officials who wanted it to be banned. It is said that the movie would've broken all the records if it wasn't for several bans. across its run. With its success came a wave, a wave replicating the formula, a wave that was named The Gandasa culture as the common ingredient of all the movies was the symbolization of Gandasa, which is a tool of Cultivation. In action movies, it symbolizes the fact that an oppressed has taken up the role of executioner, hence the only tool he got is his Gandasa. And as the movies started following the idea, they did get hit tag, BUT none of them reached the level of the OG Maula Jatt . . (This post is part 8-posts series, 4/8) . . . . Thanks for Reading By @cinemaa.wiz

Reviews by: @tylersnerdy_review I’m at a complete loss, and not in the good way this time. I’ve only seen the very first season of American Horror Story and each season since 1984 to now. This is by far the worst season of a continuous show I’ve seen. Look, trust me, I know how horrible the aids crisis was, I know how many lives it took. And at a certain point you have to look at the screen and say “I fucking get it!” I’m severely held up on this two part season finale which is devoid of any satisfactory conclusion and doesn’t drill home a message but rather beats you violently over the head with half assed artsy metaphors that just come off bland and tasteless. I mean, that second half of the finale is essentially a really long music video. Parts of this season were quite interesting but overall the season is just violently unhinged. I mean hell, the opening scene alludes to the aids crisis (though it’s obvious what it is) and then it gets brought up (barely) throughout the season and is finally focused on in the finale as we watch multiple characters slowly die of aids. It’s truly the most depressing thing I’ve ever seen, not a single person gets anything near a happy ending. They just tried to shove too much into this, it either needed to be a short season or just something else. If you couldn’t figure out how to do an entire season about aids, then just do a season about violence against queer people. And even then, that story was pointless because the person doing it was queer himself. The scariest thing about this season was the first episode when we thought a straight serial killer was targeting queer people and then the police were just not giving a shit. That’s a fucking season, and it wouldn’t need to be tied down to the 80’s. And honestly I don’t want to tag any of the actors because I know they’re all good but you’d never tell from this season. All of them are so god damn depressed for 10 fuckin episodes straight, watching two episodes every week felt more like a chore rather than something I looked forward to. American Horror Story NYC could have been so much better, could have been a story it’s fans would have really connected to had the writers just picked one thing. 6/10. -Tyler. By @tylersnerdy_review

Reviews by: @movie_pill 진작부터 보고싶었던 영화.. 그런데 감독판이 아닌 잘린버젼이라 그동안 못보고 두고있었다.. 우연히 감독판이 나와있는걸 보고 바로 결제하고 봤는데 휴 진작에 봤어야했는데 이걸 왜 이제봤을까 하는 생각밖에 안들었다 히트맨은 원래가 외로운 직업이다. 냉정하고 감정에 휘둘리지 말아야 하며, 주변에 소중한 사람이 있다면 일을 그르칠 경우 문제가 될 수 있기에 그러한 여지도 모두 제거해야 한다 단조롭고, 뜬눈으로 밤을 새고, 깔끔한 청소부가 되는 일에 그는 겉으로는 진작에 적응했겠지만, 그럼에도 마음 속 한켠에는 인간적인 삶에 대한 의지와 평화가 필요했을 것이다 레옹에게 화분은 그런 의미였을 것이다. 본인이 삶을 살아갈 수 있도록 하는 작지만 유일한 원동력, 삶에 대한 의지 그런 그에게 있어 마틸다의 등장이란 인생을 송두리째 바꿔놓을 수밖에 없는 빅 이벤트였다 혼자서만 생활하고 일하던 그가 마틸다와 함께 생활하고 장난치고 일하고 많은 것들을 함께하니 그녀에게 삶에 대해 배우게 되었고, 아마 다시 새 삶을 살고싶다는 생각도 엄청 들었겠지? 처음엔 다소 삐걱거리고, 걸리적거리기도 하며 쉽지 않은 시간을 보냈지만 둘은 서로에게 삶의 의지를 만들어주었다 그에게 참 많은 의미가 담긴, 의지의 표현이기도 한 화분이었는데, 그 화분을 들판에 옮겨심어 자유를 준 엔딩은 너무나도 아름다웠다 90년대에 만들어진 영화가 맞나? 연기도 연출도 스토리도 뭐 하나 빠지는 것 없이 완벽했다 이제 진짜 행복하세요 레옹 평 ★★★★★ By @movie_pill

Reviews by: @tylersnerdy_review Alright, I’ve been gone a minute, that’s because I’ve been in hardcore gamer mode trying to beat Marvel’s newest game Midnight Suns. Despite the fact that I quite enjoyed the Avengers game, I feel like it’s flop made everyone completely skip the Guardians of the Galaxy game and now this one. I have not heard many people speak about either but they’re so good. Midnight Suns assembles a truly amazing group of playable heroes that allows you to somewhat create your own brand new Marvel superhero, The Hunter. They obviously wanted you to pick the female form of the hero but at least they use gender neutral terms the whole game. What this game does well is that it genuinely feels like a crossover comic event. There’s the main story and then there’s the missable tie-ins and they repeat certain things all the time because they assume you missed a chance to hear it somewhere else. It all feels so grand with three teams coming together, Avengers, X-Men, and Midnight Suns. For me though the best thing about the game is that it feels like a truly lived in universe. They waste no time telling you who characters are because this game was made for comic readers. There are so many Easter eggs vaguely establishing where in the time line this takes place, like they’ve already fought Ultron, Thanos, Apocalypse, Galactus and more. And now the teams come together to deal with the biggest threat to Earth so far, Lilith the Mother of Demons. Blade, Sister Grimm, The Scarlet Witch, Ghost Rider (Robbie Reyes), Magik, Iron Man, Captain Marvel, Doctor Strange, Spider-Man, Captain America, Wolverine, and Hulk come together with The Caretaker, Agatha Harkness, and The Hunter to kick demon ass in a card centered, turn-based, strategy RPG game. I was hesitant going in because the only card game like this I had played before was Gwent in The Witcher but you catch on quickly and end up having a lot of fun. But I can see the style not being for everyone but I implore you to try. I had so much fun with this game and I’m very excited for our DLC characters; Deadpool, Morbius, Venom, and Storm. This is a must play for comic readers and average Marvel fans alike. I’m giving this an 8/10. -Tyler. By @tylersnerdy_review

Reviews by: @cine_contigo 🎥DISNEY+ and PRIME VIDEO🎥 @laotramirada_tve It is a revolutionary series that defends the values of feminism and invites women to empower themselves. It makes visible the role of women in the 1920s. Josep Cister himself says: "the series wants to make the invisible visible, to talk about those women who do not appear in textbooks because their role has been silenced for a long time." 💜 Each chapter is a teaching, based on the experiences of the characters and their reflections. ♀️ All the episodes also available on RTVE, through this link: https://www.rtve.es/play/videos/la-otra-mirada/ By @cine_contigo

Reviews by: @michaels_movie_bay 4.5/5 Childhood friends Judah Ben Hur (Heston) and Tribune Masala (Boyd) become bitter enemies after Masala has Judah’s family wrongfully imprisoned over a false accusation. Judah, now a slave, is kept alive by his burning quest for revenge. A spectacle of scope, scale, and storytelling, Ben Hur is a masterpiece of cinema. Its basic human story is told against the dramatic backdrop of the Roman Empire and it features a cast of literally thousands and some of the most impressive non-CGI set-pieces ever featured on the silver screen. The film’s thematic core addresses patriotism, vengeance, and forgiveness and features one of the most powerful depictions of Jesus Christ in cinema. His presence in the film is central to the story and His impact on each of the characters is made clear despite never uttering a single line of dialogue. The film never preaches, but its message is clear: love is more powerful than vengeance. The rivalry between Judah and Masala is the central driving force of the film. When they share the screen, their interactions are explosive and tense. And the culmination of their opposition is the iconic chariot race scene which is perhaps one of the most impressive filmmaking feats of all time. The sequence is the centerpiece of the film and is both riveting and brutal. But the scene immediately after the race, when Judah confronts Masala for the last time, is equally brilliant and devastating. At well over three hours, Ben Hur requires dedication, but the extended runtime gives the characters opportunities to grow and develop, making their ultimate redemption that much more meaningful. Because of its religious iconography, the film is a perfect choice for Easter weekend and still holds up as a technical and narrative marvel almost sixty-five years after it was made. Hot take: When they say “they don’t make movies like they used to,” this is the movie they are referring to. By @michaels_movie_bay

Reviews by: @tylersnerdy_review I will admit that I didn’t know much about Whitney Houston going into this movie, her height of fame was before I was born and during my youth when I was forced to listen to only country. But I have of course heard a few of her songs and heard a couple details about her life from the news when she died. I would like to say at the start here though, they do not shine a light on the fact that Whitney’s daughter Bobbi Kristina died 3 years after her in the exact same way, “drug related drowning”. Whitney Houston: I Wanna Dance With Somebody is a long movie that still manages to speed through large portions of a troubled persons life. As much as I absolutely loved Naomi Ackie as Whitney, they didn’t do a good job changing her appearance through the years and have her jump years often with only minimal help in saying what year we’re in. Nafessa Williams is fantastic as a person I had no idea was so close to Whitney. But I have to ask, is it common knowledge that they were together? Was she Bi? Ashton Sanders is good here but he’s not a good Bobbi Brown especially near the end. Stanley Tucci is amazing in everything no matter what and that does not change here. Tamara Tunie and Clarke Peters are good as her parents but not enough time is spent building the relationships and showing the dynamic between the three of them. Honestly a lot of time is wasted on development of relationships, even Whitney’s relationship with drugs. She’s only shown using them a few times and the rest of her problem comes from people talking about it. I don’t know how I feel about the ending wrapping back around to a longer version of the opening piece. As great as I Wanna Dance With Somebody is as a song, this movie feels less about the themes of that song and more about the themes of the medley she plays at the AMAs. This isn’t a bad movie, I did really like it but I think they dropped the ball trying to encompass such a massive career into the constraints of a single movie. Whitney Houston meant a lot to a lot of people and that kind of pressure to keep being at the top is not explored the way it could have been. But I’d still recommend checking it out if you can. This is a good 7/10 for me. -Tyler. By @tylersnerdy_review

Reviews by: @tylersnerdy_review The dreaded moment has finally come, The Walking Dead is over. 177 episodes, 11 seasons, and a decade of memories. I don’t even know where to start but to just thank Angela Kang from the bottom of my heart. The Walking Dead was the first comic I ever read and to see fans lose interest broke me. But to see the mass reinvigoration the fans had after she took over with season 9 made me so happy. I really don’t know if the old leadership could have delivered such an amazing series finale. A part of me really wanted an ending similar to the comic ending but I fully understand why it’s different, with the universe expanding it really just didn’t make sense to do it that way. My only hope is that these new shows don’t overstay their welcome. I think the two season format set up by World Beyond should be the new direction for these spinoffs. Norman Reedus, Melissa McBride, and Lauren Cohan have absolutely carried this show for years. Who would have thought that a character who was never in the comics, a character who was meant to die at the prison, and Maggie would rise to the point they’re in by the finale? Christian Serratos, Josh McDermitt, and Seth Gilliam have had such an interesting trio and the three of them have had some amazing character development over the years, hell a fan jumping from Eugene and Gabriel’s first episodes to the finale wouldn’t recognize them. Ross Marquand, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Khary Payton (my longtime fav), Cooper Andrew (my sweet Jerry boy!! I love you Cooper), Eleanor Matsuura, Nadia Hilker, Callan McAuliffe, Lauren Ridloff (the standout badass herself), Cailey Fleming, Cassady McClincy, Kerry Cahill (my underrated Queen), Angel Theory, Paola Làzaro, Nadine Marissa, Michael James Shaw, Okea Eme Akwari, and Dan Folger make up such a phenomenal ensemble cast who have stories I have loved seeing develop no matter how long we had them with us. This chosen family has been through so much and the stakes are so ridiculously high in the finale. The last 8 episodes are so stressful and this entire final season has just been full speed to the endgame. I’d say it’s hard to say goodbye but I know this is just until we meet again. 9.5/10. -Tyler. By @tylersnerdy_review

Reviews by: @tylersnerdy_review The last of my Thanksgiving week theater watches was Devotion. A movie about America’s Forgotten War, The Korean War. I only ever learned about this war in one class years ago and we spent a very quick class period rushing through it. And sadly, this movie taught me just as much as that one class period. There aren’t many things to learn here other than the names of places where important things happen, how the war started, why the war is starting, and who is involved. I mean hell… this war could have started the third world war if it got more out of hand. What’s crazy is this is Jonathan Majors’s second time in the Korean War and the second time where I still learned nothing about it. That being said, he’s pretty good here, not his best work but even his so so work is better than most peoples. He also has a completely unexplained character quirk. Glen Powell knocks out his second aviation movie this year! I still haven’t seen either Top Gun movie so I can’t compare him between the two yet. But I’m just gonna assume he’s better there. His character is pretty surface level, no digging required to know what he’s thinking. Christina Jackson is really good here, she works really well with both Majors and Powell and really sells the emotional moments. Thomas Sadoski and Joe Jonas (yeah you read that right) are good here as members of the crew, the only two with significant screen time and dialogue at least. Serinda Swan gets to play a pretty good version of actress Elizabeth Taylor. The flight sequences I thought looked pretty good and the action scenes we have look good but they’re both too short and too few. There’s literally only two battles on display and neither of them last very long or even come anywhere close to what we see in All Quiet on the Western Front. Not to mention the music that backs it all up is just generic action music that does nothing for me anymore, most of the music here is generic. I did enjoy the small reading blurbs at the start and end of the movie but the one at the end says nothing about the rest of the war. This is most definitely worth a watch, just wait until it’s streaming. 7/10. -Tyler. By @tylersnerdy_review

Reviews by: @tylersnerdy_review I’ve stated before that I’ve only played The Witcher 3: The Wild Hunt, and I now own all the novels (just haven’t read any yet) so my lore knowledge is fairly low when I went into Netflix’s The Witcher series. So when it comes to this new prequel, The Witcher: Blood Origin I wasn’t too aghast at any lore detachments. But I know god damn well that most people who hate this show are hating on it for the wrong reasons. I think we all know what I’m thinking. Because I see a lot of people complaining that this has nothing to do with The Witcher when it has everything to do with it. It’s the story of the very first Witcher so of course he won’t look like they normally do. It has Jaskier, it has the Conjuction of the Spheres it has (spoiler) prominently featured who will appear in season 3. Listen, if you’re afraid white people are having roles stolen from them for the sake of diversity then obviously you haven’t seen the cast list for upcoming films. I mean hell… Oppenheimer looks like a whole saltine box. Now is Blood Origin great? No. But it’s not as bad as everyone with an agenda, whatever it may be, is making it out to be. Sophia Brown and Laurence O’Fuarain have no chemistry together and I’m tired of having this straight agenda shoved down my throat with these nonsense romance stories just to have one. But I like their characters individually. Mirren Mack could have been a very interesting character had any amount of time had been devoted to building her up more. Lenny Henry downgrades from Rings of Power to this but he’s still pretty decent. Michelle Yeoh is fantastic but really needed more screen time and more fights. But what she has is great. Francesca Mills is one of the best members of the team, I’d love to see more of her. Zach Wyatt, Lizzie Annis, and Huw Novelli round out the rest of the team but we don’t get enough time with any of them to really care. Jacob Collins Levy is someone I’m very much looking forward to seeing more of going forward. I would really like to know more about Minnie Driver’s character, I liked her and her mysteriousness. Amy Murray is okay but could have used more time. Samuel Blenkin is more important than first thought. 6/10. -Tyler. By @tylersnerdy_review

Reviews by: @tylersnerdy_review I have no idea how to review a movie like White Noise, Noah Baumbach crafts an insane movie about family and human mortality. A movie that is two distinct halves melted together beautifully into a single narrative. I don’t know how I feel about Dadbod Adam Driver but his acting will never fail to be amazing. And he works so well with Greta Gerwig and Don Cheadle who are both great in their own rights. Gerwig is fantastic and sells a great emotional moment later in the movie. I kind of wish more of the movie had been about the “Airborne Toxic Event”, the lead up to it was fantastic and the tension of it all was handled so well. I really liked how they showed how fast misinformation can spread in situations like this, even before cell phones. What I found most interesting though is how none of the characters felt like real people but in a good way. They all seemed like caricatures of ideologies. The fear of death, the reluctant leader, and more that I have yet to fully think out. I don’t think this is going to be for everyone because it’s so weird but I really liked it. It kept me invested trying to figure out what was going on and how I was meant to interpret it. It also has one of the best credit sequences of all time and you could probably watch it a hundred times and notice something new each time. Netflix does really good when they want to and if they continue to give money to good filmmakers they could have a lot more hits on hand. I would definitely recommend it just know that if you’re not into weird movies that are hard to dissect then this one isn’t for you and that’s okay. I’m giving White Noise a pretty hefty 9/10 and I’m really excited to hear what other people had to think about this. -Tyler. By @tylersnerdy_review

Reviews by: @loquepuedesverhoy GRUPO 7 de Alberto Rodríguez. 2012, 🇪🇸 REPARTO: Antonio de la Torre, Mario Casas, Joaquín Núñez, José Manuel Poga, Inma Cuesta, Estefanía de los Santos, Julián Villagrán, Alfonso Sánchez, Alberto López, Adrián Pino. PLATAFORMAS: Amazon Prime Video y HBO. Aunque ya he hablado de él en algún otro post, Alberto Rodríguez es de los mejores cineastas que tenemos en nuestro país. Con una muy buena filmografía, el sevillano levanta pasiones cada vez que presenta un trabajo. La película nos lleva a Sevilla en el año 1987, una ciudad preparándose para un evento tan importante como lo fue la Expo de 1992. Un joven policía, con anhelos de ser inspector, ingresa en la brigada antidroga, donde estará acompañado por otros policías con pocos escrúpulos con la finalidad de limpiar las calles de Sevilla. Grandísima cinta policíaca que dio entradilla a la que posteriormente sería su gran obra, "LA ISLA MÍNIMA". Una cinta llena de acción y adrenalina, que hará el gusto de los amantes de este tipo de cine, con un reparto de lujo que dotará al título de coralidad. Con un montaje que otorgará a la película gran dinamismo y que no decae en ningún momento, con escenas muy bien trabajadas, una película con pocos fallos en la que está bien hasta Mario Casas. Una de las mejores películas españolas de los últimos años, con mucha acción, que hará acercaros a la historia de mi ciudad, con un metraje muy dinámico y que hará las delicias de todos los amantes del cine. By @loquepuedesverhoy

Reviews by: @augustkellerwrites Embodying excess, Babylon is controlled chaos and a bittersweet homage. Some might find it messy as it jumps plotlines, underdevelops characters, and sidelines messages. However, Babylon ambitiously honors and criticizes the medium, highlighting the industry's cruelty and art's immortalization. Stars may fade but their work is forever. Meanwhile, there's constructed tension, big personalities, meta comedy, consistent payoff, refined set pieces, and earned drama. Plus, the acting elevates the material with manic emotions, fearless commitment, layers, extreme range, convincing arcs, and underlying vulnerability. Overall, Babylon flamboyantly heightens its themes of exploitation and immortality. Technically, Babylon is polished maximalism. Its flashy imagery uses composition, framing, lighting, focus, extended takes, movement, angles, color, and steadiness. The editing adds brisk pacing, jump cuts, rhythm, dissolves, intercuts, inserts, match cuts, smash cuts, montages, and organized momentum for an electrifying structure. Its dense sound adds varied volumes, silence, smash cuts, split cuts, transitional stings, voiceovers, echoes, and symbolic emphasis. Similarly, the epic music drive sequences, shift tones, and create motifs. Finally, there are elaborate production designs, tangible effects, and a star-studded cast. Ultimately, Babylon is energized filmmaking and powerfully captivating. Writing: 8/10 Direction: 10/10 Cinematography: 10/10 Acting: 9/10 Editing: 10/10 Sound: 10/10 Score/Soundtrack: 10/10 Production Design: 10/10 Casting: 9/10 Effects: 8/10 Overall Score: 9.4/10 By @augustkellerwrites

Reviews by: @augustkellerwrites Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is flashy. Its script is cliche but includes serviceable themes of mortality. Some might excuse its writing as targeted toward children, but a script can be substantial for all ages. Ultimately, there are flat characters, predictable arcs, transparent dialogue, generic plot points, and mediocre humor. Furthermore, the voice acting is limited. Banderas is ideal casting but there isn't much range, intensity, or flamboyance to any performance. Still, it's all executed competently and the premise cleverly recontextualized fairy tales. So The Last Wish is built on an adequate foundation even if it doesn't go anywhere particularly fresh. Technically, The Last Wish updates classic influences with painterly animations. Switching from 3D CGI to 2D hand-drawings (plus varied frame rates), the action pops with impressionistic motion. Also, it balances real textures and surreal vectorization. The energetic editing uses wipes, match cuts, smash inserts, jump cuts, dissolves, montages, and creative transitions. Its garish sound adds voiceovers, stings, emphasis, muffling, echoes, and complex genre elements. These aspects solidify the production design marriage of medieval fantasy with modern cartoons. Meanwhile, there's proactive imagery and dynamic music. Overall, The Last Wish has derivative drama but an inspired blast of audiovisuals. Writing: 5/10 Direction: 8/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Acting: 6/10 Editing: 9/10 Sound: 9/10 Score/Soundtrack: 8/10 Production Design: 10/10 Casting: 8/10 Effects: 10/10 Overall Score: 8.1/10 By @augustkellerwrites

Reviews by: @augustkellerwrites The Whale is emotional. Its pristine acting gives extreme vulnerability, chemistry, range, layers, outbursts, physicality, nonverbals, motivations, cathartic releases, and sincere humanity. Meanwhile, the ambitious script tackles passionate ideas in a limited space. Themes of change, health, shame, enabling, addiction, loneliness, honesty, denial, companionship, and trauma are covered bluntly but with raw compassion. Plus, the significant dialogue builds tension, drives the plot, creates parallels, and flows naturally. Furthermore, characters are challenging, arcs are earned, and the ending is interpretable. Some might find The Whale melodramatic but most will connect with its fearless heart. Technically, The Whale slightly overcompensates with music and camerawork that could feel soapy or exploitative at times. It intends to heighten empathy but that's a thin line here. Still, most shouldn't mind. The visuals are cramped, drab, and divided. The music is grim and moody. The production design is unkempt and dingy. These aspects deepen the confined story and reflect internal conflicts. The editing has apt tempo, informative inserts, and surreal smash cuts. Its sound adds voiceovers, split cuts, echoes, and symbolic diegetics. Finally, the cast balances gravitas with humility and the prosthetics are transformative. Overall, The Whale has debatable flaws but undeniable emotions. Writing: 9/10 Direction: 9/10 Cinematography: 7/10 Acting: 10/10 Editing: 8/10 Sound: 7/10 Score/Soundtrack: 8/10 Production Design: 8/10 Casting: 9/10 Effects: 8/10 Overall Score: 8.3/10 By @augustkellerwrites

Reviews by: @tuseptimoarte 👋🏻 ¡Hoy es tarde de miniserie documental! Se trata de Nevenka. 👋🏻 La verdad que me gustó mucho el documental, tenía muchas ganas de verlo y no me defraudó. Tenía un poquito de recelo por si acaso no me gustaba la forma en la que se enfocaba el caso, pero la verdad que creo que se hizo de una forma excelente. Me alegro que una mujer como Nevenka, que sufrió lo que sufrió, 20 años después sea capaz de romper su silencio y mostrar al mundo con la clase de miserables que te puedes encontrar en la vida. Nevenka es el claro reflejo del NO ES NO. Sin duda, yo se lo recomiendo a todo el mundo, para que nunca nadie olvide la cara de aquel que destrozó la vida de una mujer. ✅ Te gustará si...: Te interesan casos judiciales famosos en la historia de España. 🎥 Sinopsis: 20 años después de los hechos, Nevenka Fernández habla por primera vez de cuando denunció haber sido acosada sexualmente y tuvo que enfrentarse a su agresor y a toda una sociedad machista. Documental que reconstruye la historia de la primera vez que se juzgó en España a un político por acoso sexual. (FILMAFFINITY) ⏰ Duración: 40 minutos. ⏳ Capítulos: 3. ⭐ Valoración: 8/10. ➡️ Disponible en: @Netflixes. By @tuseptimoarte

Reviews by: @michaels_movie_bay 3/5 A random group of soldiers, mercenaries, convicts, and a doctor find themselves on an alien planet, hunted by an alien species, and trying to figure out what commonalities they share that led them to this harrowing fate. This film attempts to inject some plot and nuance into the Predator franchise and creates a really thrilling atmospheric world around its fascinating concept. The film emphasizes solving the mystery of these characters and their sordid pasts as much as it gleefully picks them off one by one in true creature feature fashion. And while the reveals and developments never match its potential, this winds up being a really entertaining alien romp. The humanoid cast is littered with some of the best character actors of the 2000’s with Laurence Fishburne, Walton Goggins, Topher Grace, and Danny Trejo chewing scenery even as they themselves…are chewed upon. There’s also a great Mahershala Ali cameo in one of his first feature film appearances. And the creatures look pretty real with many of the action scenes unencumbered by obvious CGI. Anchoring this cast of murderous misfits is the wonderful Adrien Brody who, along with Alice Braga, provide some emotional stakes. And unlike the classic 1987 original, character development plays a large role. Unfortunately, some of the creature action and plot twists are cheesy and silly which diminishes the overall experience, trivializing what could have been a much more interesting film. Hollywood has recently led us to expect that action movies be devoid of clever plotting or writing. But looking back at some of the best action movies of all time, (Jaws, Jurassic Park, The Matrix, Gladiator, Terminator 2), they often were hugely successful because the action was bolstered by strong writing, interesting characters, and mastery of cinematic technology. Predators doesn’t belong anywhere near this list, but it tries admirably; in a way that many other similar films do not. Hot take: This is the best film in the Predator franchise. By @michaels_movie_bay

Reviews by: @picturesinflow Wildcat Gun Machine is a bullet hell dungeon crawler indie game developed by Chunkybox Games. Enticing players with an overall solid bullet-hell experience with minimal downtime between, gradual difficulty bump, on the move decision making and a steady influx of new items/spells. Gameplay is coherent enough, it doesn’t try to stand-out of the crowd, rather introduce another stepping on point for further exploration for this specific genre. Where it did surprisingly great was its soundtrack and weapon/enemy variety with them introducing new mechanics constantly, and then testing you if you can remember what each enemy can do. Another one of those games where mastery is rewarded and figuring out how to deal with each obstacle is a satisfying feeling. Gameplay: With it being a bullet hell at the forefront, we must focus on crowd control, ability cooldowns and following projectiles, as these mechanics will lead to victory. Wildcat Gun Machine starts off being of course easy and welcoming to new players, but as we get more and more into the game it gets gradually more and more unforgiving with more enemies, harder hitting weapons, reduced armour and health pick-ups, and much more. You start going through rooms and beating enemies, whilst trying not to lose much health along the way. From time to time, you get your usual specific room challenge with narrower tiles, so that dodging can be harder, lasers that fire when you get close so that you have to choose whether to stay back. These specific rooms add to the challenge and each player must decide how they would engage them to hopefully not get too overwhelmed. Progression is serviceable, with each beaten boss you get more and more weapon and skill upgrades. To unlock all these goodies they first need to be bought from a store at the start of each level, letting you choose what to bring, as inventory is limited. You can imagine them as sections of 4-5 weapons on offer and with that section being a set level, and after beating a chapter another set is unlocked. With the steady introduction of enemies, mechanics, weapons, interesting world designs and even for a game long but a few hours, it’s still serviceable. Another aspect worth mentioning is how the overall checkpoint system works, where when you die you can respawn right before that specific room, but only a few times. After losing all respawns you are brought back to the start of that level and must beat all enemies again up to that same room, and this time to hopefully beat it. Respawns are represented with ethereal cats which were a surprising addition and added to the overall style. Graphics: Graphics are always up for debate, as one graphical style could be to the liking of some players, while these same graphics can be atrocious to others. Wildcat Gun Machine brims with creativity when it comes to their enemy designs with them being fleshy/robots with grotesque features. World and environment design is on the backend, as most has gone into those aforementioned enemies and unique weapons. Music and soundtrack: Here they did great in terms of soundtrack, even from the start menu when the dark/disco music sets in and the highly stylized menu snaps into place, it’s great. Each time music kicks in its overall great and with every boss having their own unique song never hurts. On the other hand, we have every single weapon and monster, each weapon does have its own unique sound, but they weren’t that different to each other or specifically sounding ‘punchy’ enough. Sadly with it bugging for me so that sound just disappears, it didn’t help its case. Monsters suffer the most from just a bite sized 3-4 second sound looping over and over, I don’t know the reason for it or if it was done so that another aspect could be improved, but this was a heavy let-down. Customization: Almost non-existent, but it doesn’t suffer from that. Changing which weapons your character holds is the only visual change there is, but as stated in the previous sentence, it doesn’t suffer from that. Weapon variety: Here they did great, weapons are plentiful and offer different play styles, you have your classic ones that just boost up damage with each new weapon, piercing weapons that damage everything in a shot path (extremely useful), exploding ones like RPGs or grenade launchers (great for crowd control), energy beams (great for bosses), heat detection (for when you can’t be asked to focus on who is important and just want whoever is closest to die). Wildcat Gun Machine implements interesting mechanics to break up the monotonous gameplay of a bullet hell, and if it does or doesn’t, it’s a question that each player must answer for themselves. Difficulty: Gradual but understandable. The difficulty in Wildcat Gun Machine is constantly ramping up with newer mechanics being introduced to the player. Bosses were lukewarm for me, as most of them were just staying in place and just shooting projectiles everywhere, if they were trying to corner the player at all times it would have increased their challenge significantly, nonetheless they were still well done. Difficulty is great throughout the whole game, but it slightly suffered at the very end. At the end you are tasked with defeating each enemy again in a constant barrage of enemies and projectiles. Except for that specific moment at the end, in which difficulty ramps up way too harshly for comfort everything else was well done. Visual and Gameplay Bugs, Crashes and Such: I did encounter some visual bugs from guns not changing to what I have equipped, specific sound cues being cut-off for instance not hearing enemy fire or your own, spells not activating, getting hit by invisible projectiles. A few bigger ones that needed a full-fledged restart thanks to my weapons deciding not to fire or the respawn button doing nothing. It definitely needed more time in QA than what it got, even if it’s for a pretty short game. Replayability: Wildcat Gun Machine does offer many weapons with which each player can experiment with, but with those aforementioned sets of weapons, the previous set gets outmatched quite heavily with enemies becoming semi bullet-sponges even if you are slightly behind. In addition, with it being short in terms of overall playtime and weapons only being viable for a set amount of time, Wildcat Gun Machine is a game you play once, and if you like it that much, try to go through it again but with a different style. DLC: Wildcat Gun Machine has just one DLC (so far) and it is called a Supporter Pack. With this addition you get two exclusive weapons skins, the whole complete soundtrack (which is surprisingly good) and a companion called "Captain Chunky" which follows you around. It's a pretty cheap overall DLC and it is an additional way to support the developers, but as always, the decision is purely individual for each player. Wildcat Gun Machine is a solid entry point for those interested into the bullet hell genre and it does offer an option for experimentation, even if it’s to a very limited extent. For about 4-5 hours (it took that long for me) it’s a pleasant experience and an easy game to beat in a session or two. Sadly, with it being filled with gameplay and visual bugs they severely brought down the overall experience. You can find Wildcat Gun Machine on Windows (Steam, Epic Games Store, GOG.com, Humble Bundle, Green Man Gaming, Xbox App), Xbox (One, Series X/S), PlayStation 4, Nintendo Switch. By @picturesinflow

Reviews by: @michaels_movie_bay 4.5/5 In the future, genotype profiling is encouraged and scientists genetically engineer children for maximum potential. These “valids” are given every opportunity while “invalids” are relegated to society’s most menial roles. When “invalid” Vincent (Hawke) aspires to greatness, he must team up with Jerome (Law) to transcend his status. But a brutal murder threatens everything they hope to achieve. Gattaca’s high-concept sci-fi premise does not dominate the film but instead serves as a dystopian backdrop for the struggles the characters face throughout the film. And while the concepts are original and thought-provoking, the filmmakers seem much more concerned with exploring the depths of human emotion and experience than with the science behind their existence. Gattaca is an entertaining cat and mouse thriller that is unafraid of delving deeply into difficult themes. The characters wrestle with the meaning of life, the role of science in society, the ethics of genetic engineering, and even the existence of God and the interplay of faith and biology. Its thematic depth immerses itself in grey areas, providing more questions than answers. As a result, the film is haunting, often unsettling, and one that I will be thinking about for some time. Ethan Hawke is absolutely phenomenal in his role as Vincent Freeman, a “faith-birth” who aspires to the honors bestowed on his engineered sibling. The rivalry of species is the propulsive force behind every choice Vincent makes. Jude Law is ruinously cynical as Jerome, a “valid” who cannot shake the dissonance between his superior DNA and his imperfect reality. And as these characters find common ground, their conversations become that much more meaningful and devastating. Andrew Niccol, whose writing and directing credits are decidedly hit (The Truman Show) or miss (In Time) is an expert at creating concepts and building worlds. Gattaca is the perfect marriage between a grounded futuristic story and quality filmmaking. From a production and narrative standpoint, the film is almost unassailable. Gattaca is an entertaining thriller and a thought-provoking character study and I highly recommend it. Hot take: starring in a sci-fi movie doesn’t mean you have to play a robot. Sorry, Uma! By @michaels_movie_bay

Reviews by: @italia_di_genere 1985 - Dario Argento Giudizio: 🔴 🔴 🔴 🔴 su 5 Phenomena è considerato da molti fan come l'ultimo dei grandi "classici" girati dal maestro Dario Argento; dopo di esso qualche buon film (Opera, Trauma, Non ho Sonno) e molte pellicole da dimenticare. Lo stesso Argento considera il film come il suo preferito tra quelli puramente horror (ovvero tra tutti quelli che presentano elementi di tipo fantastico all'interno della trama). Del cast fanno parte una giovanissima Jennifer Connelly (all'epoca a malapena 15enne, ma non all'esordio) nei panni della protagonista, coadiuvata da una sempre ottima Daria Nicolodi e da Donald Pleasence, attore icona dell'horror mondiale (e non solo) grazie al suo celebre ruolo del Dottor Loomis in Halloween di Carpenter. Un ottimo successo lo riscosse a suo tempo anche la colonna sonora che, oltre al tema portante dei Goblin, vedeva la partecipazione straordinaria di gruppi come Iron Maiden e Motorhead. Jennifer è una ragazza dalle doti straordinarie, ovvero è in grado di stabilire telepaticamente delle connessioni con il mondo animale, ed in particolare con quello degli insetti. Figlia di un noto attore, Jennifer viene mandata a studiare presso un facoltoso collegio svizzero. Peccato che proprio nei pressi suddetto luogo un misterioso serial killer stia trucidando alcune sfortunate vittime. Jennifer si troverà suo malgrado coinvolta in una storia macabra e raccapricciante, ma alcune inattese creature saranno con lei in questa lotta... By @italia_di_genere

Reviews by: @the_owlseyes "The brain drives our thoughts, our behavior. It holds all of the secrets of the universe. There's a whole hidden world inside each of us which only needs to be deciphered" Maura Franklin PLOT "Multinational immigrants traveling from the old continent to the new encounter a nightmarish riddle aboard a second ship adrift on the open sea" or "It's all a simulation" SCRIPT The weakest aspect of this series because it's all about the plot and the characters are just devices used to propell it. Characters which are too many to get attached or to remember any of them. I would like to add that the lack of a real threat makes everything worthless. The villain is introduced in the last episode, a big mistake in my opinion. The worst thing about it is that it's, unlike Dark, unoriginal and boring by tackling themes and concepts in a trite and unsinspired way. The ending is the most upsetting thing because it saturates a dumb trope( Everything is a simulation) and erase every king of character development and world building by devolving everything to a meaningless mess. I'm not simply disappointed. I'm enraged because it felt like a waste of time in the end. Script: 4/10 ACTING The cast is made of people from different countries which is an advantage and a disadvantage. An advantage because the plot requires the characters to speak different languages. A disadvantage because the cast is mostly made of rookies and newcomers with little experience which shows. Considering that this series has been produced by the Dark's creatives, I've expected way more than that. Acting: 6/10 PHOTOGRAPHY This is gorgeous. There're a lot of wonderful shots and the light is never used in a trite way. Colours have a meaningful role and the use of grey, blue and red. Overall I'm satisfied with it because it elevates the quality of the entire show. Photography: 8/10 EDITING There're some interesting shots but the majority of it is just repetitive, especially in the first minutes of every episode. Editing: 6/10 SPECIAL EFFECTS Even though I don't consider these top notch, they're still appreciable. Sometimes those seem redundant and lower the quality of the whole series and others are well employed. I would have preferred a show with less CGI but here, some are needed in order to create the set. Overall it's just ok. Special Effects: 6/10 SOUNDTRACK The soundtrack is interesting as is made of different sound like panting, ticking of clocks and more. It defines the show's tone and style but doesn't add much to it. Every episode ends with a pop song which seems a bit derivative. I'm disappointed to be honest. Soundtrack: 6/10 COSTUMES Those are in line with the time period and bring something to the plot only in one case, which isn't relevant. This section is decent at best, nothing more. Costumes: 6/10 CONCLUSION Script: 4/10 Acting: 6/10 Photography: 8/10 Editing: 6/10 Special Effects: 6/10 Soundtrack: 6/10 Costumes: 6/10 AVERAGE: 6 Watch Dark instead. This isn't worth your time and patience. Director: Baran bo Odar Screenplay: Jantje Friese, Dario Madrona López Gallego, Emma Ko, Jerome Bucchan-Nelson, Juliana Lima Dehne, Emil Nygaard Albertsen Cast: Emily Beecham, Aneurin Barnard, Andreas Pietschmann, Miguel Bernardeau, José Pimentão, Isabella Wei, Gabby Wong, Yann Gael, Mathilde Ollivier, Jonas Bloquet, Rosalie Craig, Maciej Musiał, Clara Rosager, Lucas Lynggaard Tønnesen, Maria Erwolter, Alexandre Willaume, Tino Mewes, Isaak Dentler, Fflyn Edwards, Anton Lesser Soundtrack: Grace Slick Cinematography: Nikolaus Summerer Running Time: 55 min

Reviews by: @mr.cinemaaa Project Details Director: Varun V. Sharma Written By: Varun V. Sharma & Aditya Chopra Produced By: Aditya Chopra Production House: Yash Raj Films Cinematography: Gavemic U Ary Music/Songs: Shankar–Ehsaan–Loy Background Score: Julius Packiam Edited By: Aarif Sheikh Art Direction: Bilal Hashmi & Kailash Sahu Production Design: Rajat Poddar Costumes: Sabyasachi. M & Leepakshi. E Sound Design: Dileep Subramaniam & Ganesh. G Action/Stunts: Vaibhavi Merchant Choreography: Parvez Sheikh Run Time: 2 Hours & 18 Minutes CBFC Rating: "U/A" Direction & Story Bunty and Babli are forced out of retirement by a cop after a spate of robberies with their trademark sign start appearing across India. How will these two pairs of con artists from different generations set out to prove who's better forms the rest of the plot. The story by Aditya Chopra is just about okay as it is almost similar to what we have seen in the first part, but this time with an additional young pair. Screenplay by Varun Sharma is interesting in the first half as the con games played by the young pair are engaging but the film goes downhill as the humour and logic both go out of the window in the latter half. Director Varun Sharma's work is neat and devoid of complications. But it fails to tickle the funny bone at many places where it should have. The implausibility factor also gets to the viewers head coz of a few dull scenes especially in the Abu Dhabi part in the 2nd half. Lead Performances Rani Mukerji is the stand-out performer out of all the 4 lead actors. Her comedy timing is superb and she comes up with an entertaining performance as Vimmi. Saif Ali Khan performs ably as Rakesh. He is also good with his trademark comedy timing in the first half & he aces it after he gets a stylish changeover in the latter. Siddhant Chaturvedi leaves a mark and proves that he is a hero material. He is very effective as Kunal. Sharvari makes a confident debut and looks sizzling hot in the songs and in the beach scene with Saif. Pankaj Tripathi, as usual, is dependable and hilarious whenever he makes an entry on screen. Agrim Mittal does a good job as the son of Vimmi. Yashpal Sharma is decent while late Mohit Baghel leaves a mark in his limited screen time. Gopal Dutt,Rajiv Gupta, Neeraj Sood, Asrani, Brijendra Kala, Prem Chopra and the rest of the cast are fine. Detailed Analysis The film has a good start with a deja vu feeling of the first part. The three cons done by the young B&B that are shown in the first half keep viewers engaged. The entry of Jatayu is heroic and funny. Also, the episode where the original B&B try to catch the newcomers is quite entertaining with a pretty decent interval bang. The second half is where things get bogged down coz the purpose of Rakesh & Vimmi Trivedi to nab Kunal & Sonia for misusing their brand name B&B is not fully convincing in the narrative. Also, the climax becomes a bit predictable but it ends with a good twist. The beach scene of Vimmi and the scenes between Jatayu & Vimmi's son Pappu don't work as expected. The fun and comedy which is there in the first part is clearly missing in this part. There is a bit of comedy but it is very inconsistent in the plot. Few dialogues by Varun Sharma are witty & entertaining in the first half. Technical Team Direction: 4/5 Story: 3/5 Screenplay: 2.5/5 Dialogues: 3.5/5 Music/Songs: 5/5 Background Score: 2.5/5 Production Values: 4/5 Cinematography: 4.5/5 Editing: 4.5/5 Costumes: 4.5/5 Choreography: 4/5 VFX/Graphics: 4/5 Sound Design: 4/5 Plus Points Rani Mukerji's Performance & Comic Timing Saif Ali Khan's Witty Performance Siddhant & Sharvari's Performances Few Comedy Episodes Funny Con Scenes In The First Half Cinematography & Production Values Climax Twist Minus Points Predictable Screenplay A Bit Boring Second Half Missing Logics Songs Few Dull Scenes Final Verdict Has more CONS than COMEDY which makes it an average watch. P.S.: Can try it if you are a fan of the first part and for Rani & Saif' s comedy. Recommended: 50-50 Mr.Cinema Rating: 2.5/5 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: @culturevulture221 It’s just weird, and not in a good way at all. It’s comprised of crammed ideas and confusing creative decisions. There’s no passion here, and everything is way too poorly executed to make me think otherwise. The bulk of the film is comprised of poorly descriptive world building, an incoherent narrative, and lifelessly cliched characters. I can easily appreciate a weird film if there’s a purpose or any substance behind it’s decisions, but I couldn’t notice any element that went deeper than surface level or at least was decently executed. Watching these dumb things was fun, but the show can only really entertain by belittling itself through its bizarreness. Trying to be positive, the fight scenes were executed with a refreshing edge and there were a few good moments of entertainment. Negative: World Building The world is poorly captured and expanded on in nearly every way. First off, the movie never gives the audience a moment to absorb or appreciate the world. Something always has to be happening, it’s like it wants to constantly keep the audience engaged but it’s this repetitiveness that ends up killing any interest in the world. As the narrative moves locations and leads into a character standoff which then builds into more character standoffs, our perception of the world doesn’t deepen. Rather, it stretches itself too thin with uninteresting ideas while wasting too much time on narrative exposition and not enough time deepening the lore of the world. This wouldn’t be as much of a problem, but this movie seems like it wants to be the next Mad Max. It had boisterous characters, a conflict between two groups and an apocalyptic wasteland that only cars can traverse. But, where Mad Max provides meaning within its conciseness, Prisoners of the Ghostland just seems confused with what kind of world it wants to have and tries to hide it with a lot of personality. But precision is important, and due to Prisoners of the Ghostland unrefined nature, it ends up making the audience ask questions about the world which it never had answers to. I didn’t understand the worlds scope once, what we’re shown by the cinematography (a few of the same repeating narrow alleyways) doesn’t reflect what it’s trying to be (a city which is ruled by an overlord and has a monopoly over this world). The outcasts place also is pretty poorly defined, there’s a main plaza and a car repair place but there’s no sub sections and it feels very basic for what should be a camp filled with suffering people. Also, outside of these two places we know nothing about the world, it seems like nothing else exists but at the same time the movie alludes to the possibility. There’s a prison transport which moves from the city to somewhere else, but we have (and previously before this had) no idea that there were other places in this world so it’s new and important information but it’s never acknowledged. I’m not asking for Star Wars, I’m asking for roughly defined borders or just a sense of consistency so the world has some logic to ground itself in. It a show can’t define the scope of whats happening, it’s usually a bad omen for everything else that follows. Negative: Narrative/Characterization The precession of events is very rough. Any potential for the developing sub plots is sapped by poor placement within the plot structure. Nic Cage has a past which haunts him and the regret he feels is constantly alluded to by us seeing snippets of what happened. The unveiling of his past is tied into the present, its a balance that lets us into the internal conflict of Nic Cage gradually while building up to its significance in the plot. Until,  this stops being the case and his whole backstory is shown at once. There’s still an hour left of this movie and not only do we know everything about his situation, but his character arc gets concluded. He is given closure and moves on, unfortunately this means that any intrigue that was being built up was cut short and his place in the film no longer feels personal. It also interferes with the main plot, the 10 minute backstory has a lot going on so it distracts from what the main plot line is trying to deliver. When we come back to the present, it just feels disorienting. Also, Yasujiro had good potential as a cool character forced to work under the bad guy for the protection of his sister. He has the cool presence, the sympathetic backstory, and the internal conflict of being forced to do the bad guy work. Unfortunately, this character arc is so inconceivably rushed that all the good ideas are squashed underneath a relentlessly fast pace. It’s hard to appreciate anything about him when it’s over too quickly, not really being given time to meditate with the character results in an aura of mystery that isn’t created out of good writing, but rather a lack of understanding of anything about him. The narrative doesn’t make any time for him and his character is nothing more than a cool facade as a result. Also, I’m not done talking about Nic Cage’s character. It feels like his character was made to embody the weirdness that he’s known for channeling in performances, but at the same it doesn’t go far enough while also never providing something interesting underneath this. Nic Cage will do some weird things, but for a lot of this movie he’s silent and it kills the potential for any dynamics with any other characters. Him and the bad cowboy guy could’ve had a fun back and forth which would’ve made the exposition dump at the start of the movie more bearable, no. Him and Bernice could’ve had a heartwarming dynamic where they began to talk and open up to each other more as they became more comfortable around each other, no. Him and Yasujiro could’ve had more going on than just a staring contest, no. He isn’t completely silent, but even when he talks his dialogue feels pretty meaningless since it doesn’t progress the plot or bridge connections with characters, it just states the obvious. Also, the weird bits are just jokes with no consequences that say nothing deeper to the character. Why does Nic Cage start riding a bicycle into the wasteland instead of the car he was provided? I don’t know. Why do we watch his left nut explode? I don’t know because it didn’t play a factor in the rest of the film. Why does he act all proud when he takes his underwear off in front of some very impressed women and one begins to draw him naked? I DONT KNOW BECAUSE THIS COCKINESS (ha) IS NOT PART OF HIS CHARACTER IN ANY OTHER SCENE. I’m gonna lose ThePlokoonyReview posture if I talk about this character anymore, I’m gonna move on this is one of the most inconsistent and horribly defined characters ever thank you. Bernice ranged from being silent to being unexpressive and the straightforward performance from her actress made it hard to see this portrayal as anything else other than bad characterization. The bad cowboy guy is barley worth talking about, he has a lot of stylistic personality but this just ends up looking like compensation for the lack of an interesting (or even slightly developed) personality. We know he’s a bad guy, but we’re given no understanding of what he’s done that makes him bad, his backstory with Bernice and Susie (kinda like sus) goes completely unexplored. This movie is given a lot of opportunities to make the audience hate the bad guy, or even make him sympathetic with just some exploration into any of his motives or relationships. But it doesn’t develop (or even properly introduce it just appears at some point) a single one and leaves him as a husk who says one liners and has cowboy stereotypes. Speaking of which, the culture fusion of Traditional Japanese and American Cowboys is more annoying rather than creative. It’s already frustrating since it’s just two different pre existing cultures mashed together so creativity or an original idea wasn’t very present, rather it’s just copying. But it never goes acknowledged either, having this in the background just begs questions and the film never seems to be interested in providing that knowledge. In the review, I didn’t acknowledge cinematography, editing, music, or anything in that vein because there’s barely anything to talk about. The core problems end up residing within its world, narrative, and characters and when a films flaws are so heavily internalized within the foundations of the film, nothing can really save it. I liked the fight scenes, the ending of the movie had more of a mellow tone which I appreciated but these small positives are too minor to make up for the rest of the experience. Enjoyment rating: 3.5/10 Critical rating: 2/10 Final rating: 2.5/10 By @culturevulture221

Reviews by: @cinefeelic Today I want to review one of the bravest films of recent years, Wild Tales (2014), directed by Damián Szifron. Wild Tales is an anthology, whose common axis is the violence of the human being, its dark side. Wild Tales is a very good film at all levels, very well directed, the performances are great and the photography is good, plus all the shorts match each other so it is well compacted. The shorts each deal with different themes, but whose main axis is violence, but that axis is used to criticize many aspects of society, each short of this film has a deep criticism, either of the system, of the social classes or whatever, but in all of them there is a very well executed critique. (I'll try to do a more detailed review of each story, in the future.) This film is one of the best films in this decade, it is a film that with very black humor criticizes many things in society and reflects a side that all human beings have. It is a pleasure to be able to see how, using different situations, using various themes and genres, he manages to make such a compact film, each short of the film has its own soul. And in this type of film that gives it a lot of merit because it is an anthology that all its shorts are terrific, they are excellently acted, they leave you tense, they provoke feelings and they are wonderful, with this film you will love and hate its characters, you will pass fear, but you will also laugh, you will get angry to see social injustices etc. And all this to make a critique and a reflection of how the human being would be taken to his limit. If you haven't seen wild tales, you have to see it, it's a unique film and it's very worthwhile, it's very well cared for and its details are great, plus it's a very different proposal from what we see today. __________ 8'5/10 By @cinefeelic

Reviews by: @guimondreviews This might be one of the most pleasant surprises that I've ever seen as far as movies go. I went in to this not expecting to enjoy it and found myself loving a majority of it. I was not sold on this at all until I heard about the great cast and saw some positive reviews that were encouraging. Free Guy follows Guy, who's a non-playable character in a video game who begins to learn more about the world he's living in. This film is quite the fun ride, with tons of hilarious moments among the variety of characters that we get, including some noteworthy cameos. Guy is a really kind and likeable character that you easily root for, selling himself as the underdog who can still hold his own and prove he's not just an NPC. While Guy is great, my favorite character in this has to be Molotov Girl/Millie. She's just so incredibly charming in this, even if she's standoffish at the beginning. Her and Guy have this amazing chemistry going between them throughout that I was attached to. This ends up being a wonderful romance story disguised as a comedy. One issue that I did have with this is that it felt like it didn't portray video games and people that play them all that accurately, and seemed more like a haphazard attempt of what the writers think it's like. Though it is an interesting concept to explore a game that could be this immersive in its ability to place the players inside of the game. The flaw that stands out the most to me though is the villain, Antoine, played by Taika Waititi. I was so unamused by this character, where the logic of his stance that he was taking against the main characters just didn't make sense all that much. It seemed like he was just doing everything for the sake of being the bad guy. He also has some lines of dialogue where he tries to sound cool and makes references to pop culture, and it just made me cringe often. Waititi was going for it here, but it misses the mark. As far as other performances go, Reynolds doesn't fail to disappoint in his humor and appeal, even though he still has that Deadpool-like persona. Comer nails her role as the love interest of Guy's character, while Keery plays a nerdy yet endearing character in Keys. Lil Rel Howery was also a great fit for this film, with numerous hilarious moments with his character. Cardarople has a hilarious cameo, but the one who really stole this for a bit was Channing Tatum. His cameo was definitely one of the best highlights of this movie, and he pulls it off so well. Free Guy ends up being a surprisingly great comedy with a well-done romance fit in between along with many likeable characters, with the exception of an illogical and unamusing villain. Rating 8.7/10 By @guimondreviews

Reviews by: @augustkellerwrites Elf excels at juxtaposing Christmas cheer with harsh realism, yet never fully commits to that contrast. Instead, it follows a formulaic arc toward a generic climax and a contrived romance. The balance of adultish humor and holiday merriment is refreshing, but it feels like a missed opportunity when it ultimately abandons cynicism. Still, the premise and jokes are largely successful. Furthermore, this is arguably Farrell's best comedic performance because his defined character isn't overbearing. Plus, the supporting cast plays things straight (especially Caan), which counterbalances Farrell's antics. In sum, Elf's solid humor and familiar drama maintain engagement. Technically, Elf is sporadic. Its North Pole production design and special effects are surprisingly detailed, using stylized sets, forced perspective, and stop-motion. However, this comprehensive dedication is deserted throughout the rest of the film. Similarly, the editing employs wipes, montages, passing cuts, and match cuts, but those are somewhat inconsistent. Meanwhile, the visuals are mostly flat, the cartoonish sound design is fitting yet mild, the skilled peripheral cast is underutilized, and the music is downright bland. Nevertheless, Elf's direction adequately blends tones, appealing to all ages. It isn't everything it could've been, but Elf's sweetness is widely appreciated. Writing: 6/10 Direction: 6/10 Cinematography: 5/10 Acting: 8/10 Editing: 7/10 Sound: 6/10 Score/Soundtrack: 5/10 Production Design: 8/10 Casting: 8/10 Effects: 8/10 Overall Score: 6.7/10 By @augustkellerwrites

Reviews by: @augustkellerwrites Emancipation is passionate and sincere, yet struggles to solidify. Its plot is conventional, but its messages have value. Furthermore, some might find its brutal approach exploitative, monotonous, or overemphasized, but Emancipation's goal is to desanitize awful truths. Still, the script stumbles because it underdevelops characters, mostly reducing them to stereotypes. Viewers are likely to broadly care about the tragic subject matter, but are unlikely to specifically connect with the vague protagonists. Consequently, the acting has little range or layers, but the cast compensates with vulnerability and measured intensity. Overall, Emancipation is imperfect but valiant. Technically, Emancipation is skillful. Its visuals utilize desaturation, composition, movement, and lighting to convey hope, dehumanization, and tragedy. The effects use prosthetics, pyrotechnics, and CGI for horrifying violence and war. There's elaborate production design, heightened sound, atmospheric music, and a recognizable cast (despite being controversial). Its editing feels slightly tiresome due to its plain structure and clunky momentum, but it adds some dissolves, inserts, and intercuts. Ultimately, Emancipation is bleak yet honest, general yet fiery, and monotone yet crafted. Some audiences may dislike its approach, but respect is warranted. Writing: 6/10 Direction: 8/10 Cinematography: 9/10 Acting: 8/10 Editing: 7/10 Sound: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack: 8/10 Production Design: 9/10 Casting: 7/10 Effects: 9/10 Overall Score: 7.9/10 By @augustkellerwrites

Reviews by: @tvnerdaran Cormac McCarthy's literary masterpiece, Blood Meridian, published in 1985, serves as the definitive "anti-Western"; the definitive deconstruction and demolishment of the Western genre and everything it stands for. Whereas Westerns of the past, such as John Ford/John Wayne films served as racist historical revisionism which depicted the white man and cowboys as heroic purveyors of freedom, liberty and civilisation dominating the "evil, savage Indians"; Blood Meridian serves as the complete antithesis to everything those works stood for. Rather than brave "civilised" heroes, the white cowboy men in Blood Meridian are depicted as psychopathic, mass murdering, genocidal and rapacious monsters who torture, rape and murder Native Americans for profit and pleasure. Borne out of the more critical thinking lens to US history brought upon by the Vietnam War, McCarthy produced a work that is a national epic which could be considered on par with "The Odyssey" or "Moby Dick". The plot of the novel follows a 14-year-old male outlaw runaway known only as The Kid, who after various mishaps with the law, soon finds himself joining the Glanton Gang, a group of ruthless state-sponsored mercenaries headed by John Joel Glanton, who are paid by the U.S. and Mexican governments to hunt down, kill and scalp Native Americans fighting off white settler invaders. Among the Glanton Gang is a mysterious and sinister figure known as Judge Holden, a bald, 7-foot-tall, muscular, pale and hairless man with vast intelligence and unlimited knowledge of arts, history, sciences and culture. As the gang rape, pillage and massacre their way across the West, they become increasingly corrupted by the Judge's nihilistic, socially Darwinistic philosophy that "War is God" A novel that shows in visceral bloody detail, the horror and murderous sadism of Manifest Destiny and Native American genocide, Blood Meridian not only serves as a dark mirror to America's dark past, but also as a deconstruction of the very idea that Western nations were founded on "honourable means" or the utterly fanciful notion that they stood for "freedom, liberty and justice" What emerges is a dark, gruesome, violent, bleak, haunting and disturbing novel about both the atrocities of Manifest Destiny and Native American genocide, and humanity's almost unlimited capacity for violence, evil, barbarity and cruelty. "You can find meanness in the least of creatures, but when God made man the devil was at his elbow. A creature that can do anything. Make a machine. And a machine to make the machine. And evil that can run itself a thousand years, no need to tend it." This quote, spoken by the old hermit who only appears briefly towards the beginning of the novel, both speaks volumes of the book's literary power, and encapsulates many of the core themes central to the novel. If Blood Meridian could ultimately be summed up as one thing, it would be this: the nature of human evil. The "machine" that the old hermit speaks of could possibly indicate the genocides of Natives presently happening in the novel, but it could also serve as a meta prediction of the wars and genocides to come in the following century. World Wars I and II saw the birth of heavily mechanised and machine-like warfare, causing levels of deaths and suffering almost untold in human history. Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler also engineered the first industrialised genocide of European Jews in the Holocaust, giving a possible double meaning to the "machine... an evil that can run itself a thousand years"; as Hitler infamously also wanted the Third Reich to last a thousand years. The highly mechanised warfare deployed by the U.S. in Vietnam, including the use of deadly chemicals such as napalm and Agent Orange against Vietnamese civilians, once again hints at the "machine" that the old hermit predicted. Evil has been here since the dawn of humanity, and Blood Meridian serves as a dark reminder not only of the evils of the past, but of the very evils that continue to this very day. "Men are born for games. Nothing else. Every child knows that play is nobler than work. He knows too that the worth or merit of a game is not inherent in the game itself but rather in the value of that which is put at hazard. Games of chance require a wager to have meaning at all. Games of sport involve the skill and strength of the opponents and the humiliation of defeat and the pride of victory are in themselves sufficient stake because they inhere in the worth of the principals and define them. But the trial of chance or trial of worth all games aspire to the condition of war for here that which is wagered swallows up game, player, all. War is the ultimate game because war is at last a forcing of the unity of existence. War is god." This is arguably the novel's most infamous quote, spoken by its main villain, Judge Holden. The Judge is one of the deepest and most thought-provoking characters ever conceived, literature or otherwise. His aforementioned limitless knowledge of arts, sciences, culture and history makes him stand out as a mastermind; a genius among geniuses. With all of his knowledge of humanity and the vast resources at his disposal, he should use that to help humanity for the cause of good, right? Wrong. The Judge as is later revealed is a nihilistic, psychopathic, genocidal warlord who wishes nothing short of permanent war and eternal violence upon the world, believing cruelty and barbarism are the true nature of humanity. "Moral law is an invention of mankind for the disenfranchisement of the powerful in favor of the weak." Judge Holden is to me personally, easily the most evil and terrifying fictional character ever created. An unstoppable warmonger who genocides, tortures, murders and scalps Native Americans and who frequently rapes, murders and scalps numerous innocent young children; the Judge is the epitome of evil. He is war and barbarity personified. He represents all of humanity's atrocities throughout the course of history. Believing war and violence to be the true state of humankind, the Judge is a symbol for all of the atrocities humanity has committed throughout history. His violence and depravity, shocking and horrifying as it may be, serves a deep historical, socio-political and philosophical purpose in the novel. His complete disregard for morality as "an invention of mankind" for disenfranchising the strong in favour of the weak is echoed throughout various mass murdering dictators and leaders throughout history, including Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, Emperor Hirohito and many, many others. If we are to better ourselves as a species, we must reject the philosophy of men such as the Judge and work towards making the world a better place for us all, rather than the Judge who wishes to make the world a place of permanent violence, war, chaos and barbarity. "He never sleeps, the judge. He is dancing, dancing. He says that he will never die." At the end of the novel, as the Man is about to leave the town he's visiting, he is mysteriously lured into an outhouse in the middle of nowhere. Inside is the Judge waiting for him, pale and naked. The Judge violently grabs him and shuts the door. It is never explicitly revealed what happens to the Man but after the Judge leaves, a group of men arrive in and shout "OH DEAR GOD!" It would be very safe to assume that the Judge raped and killed the Kid/Man in a manner too horrifically gruesome to be depicted. The Judge likely did this because the Kid/Man refused to commit to the "dance" most likely the "dance of death". Judge Holden, now having rid himself of the Kid/Man dances frantically at the tavern and celebrates his victory, completely getting away with every horrific act he's done and emerging victorious at the end of the novel, laughing, and "dancing, dancing, He never sleeps. He says that he will never die." The novel's ending is as bleak, haunting and ambiguous as any in fiction. The fact that the monstrously evil Judge gets away with everything, is never punished, and emerges victorious most likely demonstrates that evil has won. Evil never sleeps, and as long as humanity is alive, evil will never die. As the novel's living embodiment of evil, the Judge never sleeping and saying that he will never die is deeply symbolic of how as long as humanity is around, there will always be evil, violence and depravity in this world. Like the Judge, evil never sleeps. And evil... will never die. Overall, this novel is by far, the darkest, bleakest, most violent and disturbing piece of fiction I've ever come across, written or visualised. A seething indictment of America's dark past of violence, greed, racism and genocide, the novel is indicative of the nature of evil and how war and barbarity dominates the pages of history. The novel's graphic content and philosophical density has made it near-unapproachable to adapt to film or TV, despite multiple failed attempts. personally hope it is adapted as a HBO miniseries with Glenn Fleshler, notable for his villainous role in "True Detective, plays Judge Holden, but even if it never is adapted, we still have a searingly haunting piece of fiction with the most bleak, ambiguous and haunting ending this side of Twin Peaks: The Return. An amazing novel and piece of art that remains seared in my mind and will undoubtedly stay with me forever. By @tvnerdaran

Reviews by: @augustkellerwrites Empire of Light's polish misses some key blemishes. The writing has concise exposition, thematic dialogue, real friendships, a defined protagonist, solid setup, impactful climaxes, and honorable messages. However, it's overambitious, touching on loneliness, prejudice, neglect, nurturing, mental illness, shame, fear, integration, and the unity of art. This means some subjects are underdeveloped and might have viewers bored or unclear of the main point. Still, Empire of Light packs emotional punches through its acting. There's nuance, layers, explosiveness, affection, chemistry, range, conflict, evolution, and vulnerability. Ultimately, Empire of Light's drama might meander, but it still strikes. Conversely, Empire of Light has unquestionable craft. Its artistic visuals aren't flashy but use precise lighting, composition, focus, framing, colors, movement, and spacing. The music is elegant, atmospheric, trans-diegetic, intense, and narratively significant. Its production design reflects the era, mood, and characters. The sound is mostly subdued and diegetic, but uses key symbolism, split cuts, and voiceovers. Meanwhile, the minimal effects are impactful, the editing is restrained, the cast is skilled, and the direction has a strong tone despite imperfect themes. Overall, Empire of Light isn't peak cinema or entertainment, but it has clear strengths. Writing: 7/10 Direction: 8/10 Cinematography: 9/10 Acting: 10/10 Editing: 7/10 Sound: 8/10 Score/Soundtrack: 9/10 Production Design: 8/10 Casting: 7/10 Effects: 7/10 Overall Score: 8.0/10 By @augustkellerwrites

Reviews by: @tvnerdaran Twin Peaks is a rare piece of fictional artistic media that is almost impossible to describe in words. Having recently re-watched the entire franchise in its entirety, including the original series, Fire Walk with Me, and The Return, have now overwhelmingly found Twin Peaks to be my favourite piece of fiction and work of art ever created. The show follows FBI Special Agent Dale Cooper (played by the great Kyle MacLachlan) who travels to the small wooden industrial town of Twin Peaks, Washington to investigate the brutal murder of popular high school girl Laura Palmer (played by Sheryl Lee). What initially starts out as a simple murder investigation soon evolves into a mythical and cosmological battle between the forces of light vs. dark, good vs. evil, life and death, and almost everything else in between. Few pieces of written or visual media match the raw emotional AND intellectual power of Twin Peaks and with the franchise still fresh in my mind, I wanted to do a detailed analysis of arguably my favourite piece of media ever created. Prior to 1990, mainstream television existed almost entirely in the form of mundane and formulaic soap operas with horribly diched and predictable plotlines. David Lynch and Mark Frost's seminal TV masterpiece "Twin Peaks" changed TV forever. Paving the way for other TV masterpieces such as "The Sopranos" and many others, Twin Peaks' original run from 1990 to 1991 introduced us to countless odd and colourful characters, some good, others evil. The original series has an irresistible charm to it, from Kyle MacLachlan's eternally pure and loveable protagonist to the quirky small town mysteries and high school drama associated with it. Lynch and Frost also introduced several concepts of life and death, good and evil, and time and space explored through illustrious and transcendental dream sequences that were almost completely foreign to the medium of television at the time. The mystery of "Who Killed Laura Palmer?" captured the TV cultural zeitgeist like almost nothing else before or after it. Unfortunately, creative differences and butting of heads between Lynch and ABC network executives forced Laura's killer to be revealed halfway through the second season, setting the show on a slight decline in quality for much of Season 2. Fortunately, Lynch returned for the final episode of the original series, and gave a breathtaking finale which simultaneously left viewers in awe and hopelessly frustrated with the infamous "How's Annie?" cliffhanger, but by then, the damage was done. Twin Peaks was cancelled in 1991 after declining ratings. But fortunately, that was far from the last we would see of the Twin Peaks franchise. Shortly after the original series was cancelled by ABC in 1991, a prequel movie to the Twin Peaks franchise, "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk With Me" was released in 1992. The film centres Laura Palmer as the main character in the final days of her life before she was tragically murdered. Sheryl Lee gives a tour-de-force performance as Laura, portraying her as both a sympathetic victim of male violence and sexual abuse, but also as a strong, independent, free-willed woman who chooses self-sacrifice over giving into the evil forces of BOB and her father Leland that have been plaguing her entire life. The film is a feminist masterpiece way ahead of its time. By centring the narrative entirely around Laura, the film gives Laura back her agency and humanity as a person, rather than just simply a lifeless female corpse to be studied and whose mystery to be solved by male detectives. The film also has an astoundingly empathetic depiction of female victims of sexual assault, centring the narrative entirely around Laura and how her lifelong abuse has damaged and affected her. So many films, even the great ones such as "A Clockwork Orange" and "Once Upon a Time in America" terribly mishandle the topic of rape and sexual assault, using such serious topics as merely a plot device to further the male character arcs, leaving the female assault victims as dispensable and their pain disregarded in service of the male character arcs. Not so with "Twin Peaks: Fire Walk with Me". The abuse that Laura suffers is front and centre in the narrative of the film. The film only ever shows the abuse from Laura's perspective, showing how the pain and trauma affects her, while in no uncertain terms, completely condemning the demonic Killer BOB and her pedophile father Leland. There is no male perspective to the abuse in this movie, or sexual assault being used mechanically in favour of male character arcs. The film is 100% Laura's story, and through both that and Sheryl Lee giving one of the greatest performances I have ever seen, registers itself as a feminist masterpiece that was far ahead of its time, and shows as a stark reminder how to properly handle such traumatic and sensitive topics in film and TV. Twin Peaks: The Return, which aired on Showtime in 2017, revived the series and picked up where the story left off 25 years after the original series ended. The Return is not only my favourite part of the Twin Peaks franchise, it is also arguably my favourite work of art and piece of fiction ever created. The Return takes what came before it in terms of transcendental imagery and mythical, cosmological and philosophical themes of the eternal everlasting struggle between light and dark, and good and evil, and ramps it up to eleven. The Return, with all of its thematic and plot density, is best described in its simplest terms by creator David Lynch as "Agent Cooper's odyssey back to Twin Peaks" The Return revolutionised television once again just as the original series did back in the early 90's, achieving the impossible yet again for the second time in a row. Kyle MacLachlan gives arguably the greatest performance I have ever seen in any medium in The Return, portraying a multitude of characters, including the evil, icy cold and ruthless doppelgänger of Cooper known as Mr.C, the loveable, childish and dumsy Dougie Jones, and finally at the end, the brave, heroic and idealistic regular FBI Agent Dale Cooper we all know and love from the original series. Playing three different characters with wildly different personalities is no easy task, but MacLachlan pulls it off easily and in spades. The Return very deeply examines the ghost of the past, and how the darkness and mistakes of the past burn their way into the future. The Return is layered with ambiguity, like a puzzle to be solved piece by piece. Cooper's inability to let go of what happened to Laura and move on is what ultimately proves to be his own downfall, mirroring how us viewers and Twin Peaks fans can't learn to let go and move on from our love of the franchise. The Return is genius and meta-textual on so many different levels, but also introduces social-political commentary on the decay of America and the American empire, as well as humanity's original sins, and the birth of evil. Twin Peaks: The Return, having aired in the America of 2017, introduces a level of socio-political commentary rarely if ever seen before in the franchise. No longer the small, idyllic, quirky town of the original series, the Twin Peaks we see in The Return is now a decaying corporatised shell of its former self, heavily assimilated and folded into the heavily corporatised, capitalistic oligarchy of modern America. The Return covers various topics ranging from the corporatisation of American society, the plight of the working class, the prevalence of Big Pharma and the oil industry, the prevalence of drug addiction, and the drastic increase in mass shootings and gun violence in modern-day U.S. society. The plight of the working class is best showcased through the struggles of the residents of Deer Meadow Trailer Park and Harry Dean Stanton's character, living in rotting run-down trailer parks having to fend for their own way of living, being left behind by the government and the powers that be, mirroring how the working class has long been left behind by the mega-corporatisation of U.S. establishment politics, leaving the US working class in a state of alienation, which the fosters the conditions for a demagogue like Donald Trump to rise to power. The Return also showcases through the inability of many characters to afford their essential life-saving medical treatment and the depiction of the sinister Woodsmen characters, the prevalence of both Big Pharma and the oil industry, and how those destructive forces of corporatism rule large and supreme over the America of today, buying their way through most of the country's politicians, while ordinary people are left to fend for themselves with almost nowhere to go. The prevalence of drug addiction is also showcased through the drug-running gangs showcased in The Return and through Amanda Seyfried's Becky character and her extremely troubled relationship with her violent, abusive and drug-addicted boyfriend Steven, which chillingly mirrors the opioid epidemic in modern U.S. society, and how drugs have served as a temporary escape for poorer Americans from the troubles of their everyday lives, only to cause much more long-term damage. Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, The Return also heavily depicts the drastic increase in open public violence in modern-day America. The horrifying scene in which Richard Horne, Audrey Horne's vile son, carelessly and remorselessly runs over a little boy in a hit-and-run, killing the child on instant impact, while the boy's crying mother and horrified onlookers look on in sorrow, is perhaps Lynch's answer to the drastic increase in gun violence and mass shootings across the country, whether it be in countless schools or at various LGBT nightclubs. The violence, the hate, the cruelty, the intolerance of the original series no longer occurs beneath the bubbling surface, but instead happens in open broad daylight for everyone to see. These social and political themes of the open decay of American society speaks volumes to the current state of the country today, with these themes remaining as chillingly relevant today as they did five years ago when The Return first aired. One of the main themes, perhaps THE main theme at the core of the entire Twin Peaks franchise is the eternal everlasting struggle between the forces of light vs. dark, and good vs. evil. The show has various figures of pure unbridled good, such as Dale Cooper and Laura Palmer, and pure evil such as the demonic entity Killer BOB in the original series and Cooper's evil doppelgänger Mr.Cin The Return. Twin Peaks explores good vs. evil not in simple, but through vast philosophical, psychological mythological and cosmological terms. Cooper is the very beacon of hope, justice and goodness that all of humanity should strive for. He aims to do good wherever he goes, and to fight against all forms of evil, cruelty and injustice until his dying day. Laura is the innocence that Cooper aspires to protect, the victim of evil and abuse that Cooper and we the audience should strive to protect from the darkness and evils of the world. And Killer BOB, the demonic, mass murdering serial raping entity and the main antagonist of the entire franchise, is perhaps mainstream TV's answer to various powerful symbolic forces of pure evil most often found in literature such as Judge Holden in "Blood Meridian and Nyarlathotep from the Lovecraft mythos. He is a symbol for all that is wrong with the world, the injustice that plagues the innocent and is who most often unable to face true justice, accountability and punishment. The creation of BOB and the Black Lodge as shown in Part 8 of The Return, created through the atomic bomb and nuclear testing of 1945, is also reflective of humanity's original sin and the very unspeakable evil that the U.S. perpetrated onto the victims of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. To continue on this ever-occurring theme throughout the Twin Peaks franchise, both the original series and The Return brilliantly showcase how the struggle between good and evil will last forever. Evil cannot simply be defeated with good forever prevailing in one simple battle. As long as the world and humanity still exists, there will always be evil, cruelty and injustice in our world. But as long as evil still exists, so too will good. Twin Peaks also has an astounding level of empathy deeply ingrained in its heart for its characters. Just as it does with female assault vicdims for Laura, the franchise also has positive and respectful depictions of characters from various minorities, such as Deputy Hawk, a wise and gentle Native American policeman who plays a key role in rescuing Cooper from the Black Lodge in The Return, and Agent Denise Bryson, as transgender female FBI agent who is treated humanely and respectfully by both the narrative and other characters, making the show once again way ahead of its time in the 1990's, at a time when trans characters were often mocked, villainised and degraded in popular media. I am hard-pressed to find any other work of written or visual media that has as much empathy and kindness rooted so deeply in its heart as Twin Peaks does. The franchise itself, if ever to possibly be described in a single phrase, would be to me, as an encapsulation of the entire human experience. The eternal struggle between light and dark, good and evil, the great mysteries of life and death, time and space, and the injustices of the world and our job to step up and challenge them. Twin Peaks is perhaps the most layered and thematically rich piece of media I've ever seen, and will live on forever and have a special place in my heart. Twin Peaks: The Return ends on arguably the most ambiguous, puzzling and haunting conclusion have ever seen in any work of fiction ever. Here, I will give my own personal interpretation of what happened. In the final episode, Cooper travels back in time to that fateful night to prevent Laura's brutal rape and murder. But as he guides her back to her home, her mother Sarah in the present who is possessed by the extreme negative entity JUDY, smashes her picture in rage-stricken grief, causing Laura to vanish and disappear in front of Cooper. Cooper remains headset in saving her though. He travels to the present and locates Laura, now Carrie Page with no memories of her former life, in Odessa, Texas and travels back to Twin Peaks to reunite her home with her mother. However, Cooper realises he has literally changed the course of history. Twin Peaks is now a ghost town, a haunted shell of its former self, and discovers the Palmer household is now owned by a completely different family of strangers. As Cooper walks around in confusion, he worryingly asks: "What year is this?" Laura then hears her mother's demonic chants from the house, and lets out a blood-curdling scream. Cooper looks on in panic and the house's lights go out. Cut to black, and end credits roll. Wha ar this? My interpretation of the ending is that no matter how hard he tried, Cooper truly failed to save Laura. His own virtuous goodness and determination to save her from her grisly fate led him to overlook her self-sacrifice and the peace she found in death. Cooper, albeit with the purest of intentions, destroyed the mythos of Twin Peaks and rewrote everything. Now Carrie Page has seemingly no memories of being Laura, and Twin Peaks is now an unrecognisable ghost town. The ending is once again a stark reminder that there will always be evil, injustice and suffering in our world. To think we can so easily put an end to it with a single or few actions would be ridiculous and utterly fanciful. Cooper's unintentional butchering of the timeline reminds us how we as a species can only combat evil and injustice piece by piece, and step by step. Evil, injustice and suffering will always exist in our world, and we are powerless to swiftly and easily overcome and defeat it. But we can make a difference through small individual acts of resilience and be as kind to each of our fellow humans as possible. Cooper may have failed, but that doesn't mean the fight is over. Making individual differences in the fight against injustice one step at a time will be a slow and gradual but essential pathway towards a better world, and as long as we still have good people like Dale Cooper in our world, then it is a cause worth fighting for. Thank You to David Lynch, Mark Frost, Kyle MacLachlan, Sheryl Lee, and everyone else involved in creating this masterpiece. You made a difference in my life and many others. You inspired me as a writer, as an artist, but most of all, as a human being. Thank you, all of you. Your work will forever hold a special place in my heart. By @tvnerdaran

Reviews by: @augustkellerwrites @tylersnerdy_review Like its predecessor, Avatar 2 is more experience than story. There are still cartoonish villains, superficial themes, obvious exposition dumps, and cliche plot devices. However, it develops deeper motivations and relationships. Unfortunately, there are superfluous characters so some protagonists are sidelined, but at least there's an acceptable arc. Furthermore, there's significant loss, giving space for passionate acting of uncontrollable grief and bloodlust. Still, Avatar 2 undermines itself with a redundant conflict that's insufficiently resolved. Ultimately, Avatar 2 fortifies its drama and advances its world-building, but the narrative remains mixed. Technically, Avatar 2 is a continuation. Its cutting-edge special effects create unparalleled textures, details, and physics. The production design offers new Na'vi subcultures and bioluminescent ecosystems. Plus, the immersive sound design covers jungles, voiceovers, emphasis, battles, coastal ambiance, underwater muffling, split cuts, smash inserts, abstract echoing, and animal calls. The illuminated cinematography provides lighting, movement, composition, focus, color, mounts, POVs, and angles. Finally, there's indulgent but effective editing, predictable but fitting music, and consistently grand direction. Overall, Avatar 2 is in line with the original. Writing: 6/10 Direction: 9/10 Cinematography: 8/10 Acting: 8/10 Editing: 7/10 Sound: 9/10 Score/Soundtrack: 8/10 Production Design: 10/10 Casting: 7/10 Effects: 10/10 Overall Score: 8.2/10 By @augustkellerwrites Wow. I don’t know when the world decided to turn on Avatar but the first one was one of the first movies I remember transforming my imagination. I was 9 when it came out and it invited me into a world I had never even thought of. And now I hope everyone has learned to never underestimate James Cameron. Avatar: The Way of Water is the most visually stunning movie of the year that manages to tell a fantastic, albeit very long, story of family and respect for the world around us. The world building is insane, two movies have fleshed out Pandora so much already, granted that’s like 6 hours of content at this point. I love the added bioluminescence that is all over the place in this movie. Now yes, this movie is long as hell but it’s paced so well that it almost seems to fly by. I was tempted to look at my watch once but then got sucked into the movie and never thought about it again. Sam Worthington still does a great job as Jake, and it’s nice to see him changed now that he’s a father. Zoe Saldana is such a gift, she is truly amazing as Neytiri, but she does get done a little dirty with a severe lack of screen time in the 2nd act. Sigourney Weaver does a good job making herself sound like a teenage version of herself. Stephen Lang becomes a much better villain this time around with more depth. Kate Winslet, Cliff Curtis, Joel David Moore, CCH Pounder, Edie Falco, Brendan Cowell, Jemaine Clement, Jamie Flatters, Britain Dalton, Trinity Bliss, Jack Champion, Bailey Bass, Filip Geljo, Duane Evans Jr, Giovanni Ribisi, and Dileep Rao make up a great supporting cast of new characters and brief returning faces. Honestly there are a lot of characters and I hope I got everyone because the blue faces make it a little hard to recognize some of these great actors. The score from Simon Franglen is the perfect cherry on top of this movie. It truly is just so beautiful and deserves the praise it’s getting. IMAX is a MUST, the 3D is good but not necessary. I am most definitely giving Avatar: The Way of Water a big 10/10 and a bigger recommendation. I am just so excited to see the rest of this franchise now, I never left the ship but I welcome back all those who left. -Tyler. By @tylersnerdy_review

Reviews by: @movies_produce_memories Howl’s Moving Castle (2004) 👒🔥🪷 BBFC rating: U | MPAA rating: PG Directed by: Hayao Miyazaki Starring: Chieko Baisho, Takuya Kimura and Tatsuya Gashuin / Christian Bale, Emily Mortimer and Billy Crystal Old Sophie: “I wonder what Howl disguised himself as? Surely not a crow. Can't be a pigeon, he's too flamboyant for that.” Howl's Moving Castle (Japanese: ハウルの動く城) is a Japanese animated fantasy film, loosely based on the 1986 novel of the same name by English author Diana Wynne Jones. The film is set in a fictional kingdom where both magic and early twentieth-century technology are prevalent, against the backdrop of a war with another kingdom. It tells the story of Sophie, a young, content milliner who is turned into an elderly woman by a witch who enters her shop and curses her. She encounters a wizard named Howl and gets caught up in his resistance to fighting for the king. The film went on to gross $190 million in Japan and $236 million worldwide, making it one of the most commercially successful Japanese films in history. The film received critical acclaim, with particular praise toward its visuals and Miyazaki's presentation of the themes. (Wikipedia) I’d seen Howl’s Moving Castle when I was younger but wasn’t in a position to fully appreciate it. Having watched it again a few days ago, it’s safe to say I’ve fallen in love with it! Ghibli films are like being wrapped in a big, warm comfort blanket, often whisking you away from reality. Soft yet vibrant colours, lovely voice acting and a brilliant score, Howl’s Moving Castle is a pleasure to spend time with. The characters are charming and well-rounded. Whimsical, strange things happen one after the other, and you just have to surrender yourself and go along for the ride. By @movies_produce_memories

Reviews by: @movies_produce_memories Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon (2000) 🐅🐉 BBFC rating: 12 | MPAA rating: PG-13 Directed by: Ang Lee Starring: Chow Yun-fat, Michelle Yeoh, Zhang Ziyi, Chang Chen and Cheng Pei-Pei Lo: "We have a legend. Anyone who dares to jump from the mountain, God will grant his wish. Long ago, a young man's parents were ill, so he jumped. He didn't die. He wasn't even hurt. He floated away, far away, never to return. He knew his wish had come true. If you believe, it will happen." Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon is a wuxia film based on the Chinese novel of the same name by Wang Dulu, the fourth part of his Crane Iron pentalogy. A multinational venture, the film was made on a US$17 million budget. With dialogue in Mandarin, subtitled for various markets, it became a surprise international success, grossing $213.5 million worldwide, and was the first foreign-language movie to break the $100 million in the USA. It won over 40 awards and was nominated for 10 Academy Awards in 2001, winning Best Foreign Language Film, Best Art Direction, Best Original Score and Best Cinematography. Along with its awards success, it continues to be hailed as one of the greatest and most influential non-English language films. The film has been praised for its story, direction, cinematography, and martial arts sequences. (Wikipedia) Similar to The Matrix, as a kid, Crouching Tiger Hidden Dragon was a really, really cool action movie to me. It wasn't until I grew up that the weight of love story had its effect on me, and only made me love the film even more. The film is one of the reasons I love Asian culture so much. I often listen to the incredible soundtrack in the car or at home. I own many versions of the film, including a limited edition alternative DVD cover with CD of the soundtrack, a video CD which is a low quality transfer suitable only for laptops and computers spread across 2 discs, and the beautiful steelbook 4K Blu-ray. By @movies_produce_memories

Reviews by: @foxredfilmreviews Catch me if you Can is a film which has interested me for a long time for some reason, so I finally decided to check it out. And boy it did not disappoint. It follows the story of real-life con artist Frank Abignale Jr and his many travels as a teenager while evading the pursuit of an FBI team led by Carl Hanratty. This is the most unique true-crime film I think I have ever seen. In my experience, most are brought down by muddy aesthetic, inconsistent pacing and bland characters. None of these apply to Catch me if you Can, it is a fantastic all-round film. On the exterior, it is pure escapism. The nature of the story allow for varied locations and generally desirable situations we see our lead protagonist in and it is all captured brilliantly by Spielberg. However, underneath is a twisting and turning crime story to fuel the entertainment. It is very well structured and paced too, put together with memorable dialogue with plenty of well-suited humour. The writing here is fantastic and among the best I've seen from any crime drama I've ever seen. I'll say it, this is Dicaprio's most underrated performance. As he plays many roles here (being a con artist), we essentially get many mini performances, all varied and memorable. I loved watching this character. The only major flaw of the whole film is, to me, the other man on the poster, Hanks. It's a fine performance but nothing we haven't seen from him before. The problems mainly lie with his character. We don't get to know him on any level similar to Abignale Jr despite being the secondary lead here. It's not a huge problem, but he just isn't as interesting to watch as Dicaprio. Overall, while taking on a slightly long runtime, it's still a hugely entertaining and fast-paced adventure with great directing and hugely impressive writing and performances (Christopher Walken is the scene stealer of the century). I highly recommend it to anyone wanting a different take on true crime. By @foxredfilmreviews

Reviews by: @foxredfilmreviews Jackie Brown is said to be Quentin Tarantino's most mature and sensible feature, with gore and violence turned down, in favour of a more character-driven story. Because I was so used to see Tarantino go nuts with the blood and feet shots, I was intrigued by Jackie Brown and what it potentially had to offer. Needless to say, I was quite disappointed. I love Quentin Tarantino. He is a big reason why I'm into film at this level. Pulp Fiction impacted me with an unexplainable feeling that drove me to watch his other films. I have loved almost every other of his films I have seen so far, with only Kill Bill Vol. 2 being below 9/10 for me (still a high 7). Jackie Brown was next in line on my watch list of his films so I was naturally excited to check it out. Tarantino's direction is always fantastic, however it is his scripts that always get me to love his films. The unique dialogue, the complex characters, the geography he sets out for his stories, everything always sits well with me. The script was easily the weakest aspect of Jackie Brown for me. It was just so bloated and pretty confusing in some parts. There was not much in it that kept me absorbed into this world, and it lacked many of the finest aspects that I love about Tarantino's other scripts. It didn't have the intrigue of Reservoir Dogs, the personalities of Pulp Fiction, the brutality of Kill Bill or Basterds or the romance of Django Unchained or, well, True Romance. I have no problem with Tarantino trying something new with this script, however it just didn't pull me in. It was decently entertaining, particularly towards the end, however it was plagued with bad pacing, uninteresting geography and characters who just really lacked something compared to QT's other work. The performances are really where I believe the film's qualities. Pam Grier is our lead, a consistently good performance that I feel didn't quite steal the scenes in which I wanted it to. However the stand-outs among the supporting cast are Samuel L. Jackson (naturally, and this time sporting long hair) and the late great Robert Forster with an Oscar-nominated performance. Jackson was almost on the level of Jules Winnfield, this was one of my favourite performances I have ever seen from him. Forster's nomination was well-deserved, giving an incredibly mature performance which really stole scenes, despite other characters being louder and more flamboyant. Robert De Niro, Michael Keaton and Bridget Fonda are all good as you would expect them to be, but not as memorable as the main three. While far from a bad film, Jackie Brown was quite the missed opportunity in my opinion. What could have been an emotional and melancholic crime story brought down to earth by compelling characters turned out to be a bloated and overlong film with no visceral filmmaking to drag you into the story's world. Jackie Brown is also a film which I’m not inclined to ever re-visiting, which really hurts the film as Tarantino's other work is endlessly rewatchable. A mildly enjoyable film, but a real missed step by my favourite writer/director. By @foxredfilmreviews