I cannot believe I was bored for a good portion of a movie that has Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, and Ghidorah fighting each other. I just can't.
Obviously, those sequences deliver. There's just so much blah here that it makes the 2014 Godzilla look like a 10/10 masterpiece (honestly, this one really made me think of that one differently and made me come to really like it.)
If the second half weren't so spotty this would easily have gotten 5 stars from me.
I really loved this movie though. Everything about it. No seriously, just name any aspect of filmmaking and I can praise it nonstop. Gaga and Cooper are quite fantastic. News flash: Gaga can sing. But actual news flash: Cooper can sing. It's his best performance easily, but I think Gaga has a better shot at the Oscar and deserves it more.
"Shallow" is my favorite song, and the scene when they first sang it together is the scene in which I cried. But that ending... I was close again there.
I am so split on this movie. My biggest flaw with it is that it shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence as horror. Its genre everywhere is classified as "Gothic horror", and it's just not.
Yes there are supernatural elements but it is a straight up drama.
I won't spoil the ending but I will say that it redeems the movie as a whole. I really liked how it ends.
is cemented in my mind. It is one of the very best scenes of the year. I was anxious beyond my wildest expectations. The film is honest and real, and I could relate to it a lot more than others despite them saying it’s relatable. I laughed out loud at several scenes, and as much as it has to do with Burnham, it is also the incredible actors. It takes guts to direct mostly children for your first feature, but Burnham did just fine with the help of the wonderful Elsie Fisher, who turns in one of 2018’s best performances. It goes directions one would not expect and mostly abandons tropes and cliches. All this said, it left me a bit empty in terms of what it all meant. Maybe this is just me coming from the sledgehammer that was BlacKkKlansman, but Eighth Grade didn’t seem to be too much to leave you with. One takeaway I had was that it displays a sharply critical view of social media culture, a viewpoint I am a strong advocate of.
The film plays out much like Eeyore floating down the river. It's a gently pleasant ride - even if you know where it ends up going.
I absolutely loved it though. I found it very funny, much funnier than people give it credit for. Everything that came out of Pooh and Eeyore's mouths either had me laughing or crying.
This is what happens when you spend time constructing the right story with great screenwriters, among them Tom McCarthy (Spotlight) and Allison Schroeder (Hidden Figures), both Oscar nominated for the writing of those films.
It grabs its theme (work vs. family) and runs with it, offering plenty of genuine, thought-provoking drama paired with the endlessly lovable Pooh bear.
This is exactly the kind of movie you show up with expectations for, and those expectations are fulfilled.
Those can be either: "I view film as pure escapism and want nothing else in a movie!" Check.
Or: "I expect this to be garbage but I'm going to have a good time so I don't care" Check.
Dwayne Johnson scales a building like Spider-Man using a 2 inch ledge and some duct tape, he swings from a makeshift rope and leaps to safety like Tarzan, and villains have thick accents.
If this sounds like it's up your alley, you'll have a blast. If you expect more, don't.
Is it perfect? No. But Woodley is the highlight. I would compare her performance to that of Robert Redford in All Is Lost and Naomi Watts in The Impossible. No spoilers, but she had a lot to do, and was cast perfectly in a role that in several ways defies gender conventions.
There are a couple pacing issues, but there is a twist that makes the movie better in the long run and some really neat cinematography/VFX.
Roman J. Israel, Esq. is undeniably intriguing but the script is quite messy. The 3 act structure is kind of thrown out but I can appreciate some of the bold decisions that appear halfway through.
Denzel is fantastic as usual. My opinion may change over time, because I've thought about it quite a bit...
It starts off by-the-numbers and frankly pretty bland, but what Marshall grows to be throughout the second and third acts is a thoroughly well-acted courtroom drama.
If you see it as that instead of a biopic about Thurgood Marshall, you'll get more out of it. Plus the Oscar-nominated end credits song ties in quite well to the script's message.
For those saying it's too long... it's the same length as Casino Royale. Is it as great as that and Skyfall? No, but it does not deserve the hatred I'm seeing.
It's excellent. Mendes and Hoyte van Hoytema did a great job, as did the whole cast. Exciting, well-written, leagues ahead of Quantum of Solace.
The movie is scary. It's not trying to say something, or subvert the genre. It's trying to be scary, and it accomplishes that. The acting is pretty good, and the scares are very effective, even if we've seen them before.
Definitely recommended for horror fans even if it doesn't sit at the top of the genre.
Prisoner of Azkaban may be the best Harry Potter, and Gravity is one of my all-time favorite sci-fi films, so I've been taking a look at Alfonso Cuarón's earlier works.
I would actually prefer this one to his critically acclaimed and Oscar-nominated Y Tu Mamá También.
They're very similar, analyzing sex and desire, but this is a straight-up comedy. It's pretty funny at times, but carries a nice amount of dramatic heft toward the end due to us getting to know the main character well at the beginning.
Isle of Dogs, Wes Anderson's second stop-motion animated feature, is a delight. Visually spectacular, filled with wonderful details suited to Anderson's unique style.
I feel like this must be addressed as well. Many have accused it of cultural appropriation. Ignore it. Do not give it any thought, people just insist on finding something to complain about.
I had a great time with Isle of Dogs, even though sometimes the story stalls. Definitely in Anderson's top 5.
Fantastic. Renner gave so much more than I thought he would. Honestly, it's been a while since I've seen anything so perfectly paced. Not much to say other than I look forward to seeing more of Sheridan as writer, director, or both.
What's the purpose of movies? I mean, I took 4 hours out of my day to commute to, watch, and commute back from the theater, and in the process, forking over $15. So why? What's the point? To take us into somewhere outside of our reality. This doesn't have to be a fantasy world; it can be a different time period, different country, whatever. But it's an escape from this world and a journey into somewhere else.
This is exactly what's happening in Ready Player One. Wade Watts and seemingly everyone else spend their time in the Oasis to escape reality. Similarly, along with being a parallel to why we go to the movies, RPO bows down to movies of the past, to shows, books, anime, video games, everything pop culture. Spielberg clearly is celebrating and paying homage to everything that influenced him, including a brilliant
Shining sequence. I was grinning ear to ear that entire scene. So much fun
.
Are there some problems with RPO? Yes. Particularly the characterization. Wade just isn't an interesting character, and we only get a couple brief scenes to know his background and current situation. And some story elements are a little rushed.
But the CG is insane, especially compared to the VFX trainwreck that was A Wrinkle in Time. The movie could basically have been called animated with a little bit of live-action. The easter eggs were SO much fun to find. Back to the Future was a big source of material, but there were a lot of obscure characters and references that I missed that I had to look up later. Also
Comments 1 - 25 of 97
Movie comment on Haunt
ntan
I'd definitely recommend this one for slasher fans.Of course it has its dumb character moments but the creativity of the haunted house cancels them out.
A fun and intense ride.
Movie comment on The Fanatic
ntan
Highly recommended! One of the funniest non-comedies I've seen.Movie comment on Where'd You Go, Bernadette
ntan
Not really sure why critics weren't into this one.It's nothing game-changing except for Blanchett's performance, which is stellar, but the story as well is consistently engaging.
Not a perfect movie but an easy watch. If you liked The Secret Life of Walter Mitty, check this one out.
Movie comment on Godzilla: King of the Monsters
ntan
I cannot believe I was bored for a good portion of a movie that has Godzilla, Rodan, Mothra, and Ghidorah fighting each other. I just can't.Obviously, those sequences deliver. There's just so much blah here that it makes the 2014 Godzilla look like a 10/10 masterpiece (honestly, this one really made me think of that one differently and made me come to really like it.)
Movie comment on Us
ntan
This is going to end up as one of my favorites of the year.The ending is brilliant on so many levels.
Nyong'o is Oscar worthy in this, which means she won't be nominated.
Also I like this more than Get Out, which is not something I thought I'd say.
Movie comment on The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part
ntan
I thought this was a blast.Sure, it may not live up to the first one or maybe even Batman but it's still an awesome time.
I thought it was paced extremely well and was consistently funny from open to close. The songs were 10/10 as well.
Movie comment on Mid90s
ntan
I really liked this one. It's by no means perfect but hit a lot of great notes and took unexpected turns.The chemistry between the friends was electric and they all gave awesome performances.
Movie comment on 22 July
ntan
Not a Netflix and chill type movie. Depressing and deeply emotional.The attack at the beginning is a stellar piece of filmmaking though.
Excellent film.
Movie comment on A Star Is Born
ntan
If the second half weren't so spotty this would easily have gotten 5 stars from me.I really loved this movie though. Everything about it. No seriously, just name any aspect of filmmaking and I can praise it nonstop. Gaga and Cooper are quite fantastic. News flash: Gaga can sing. But actual news flash: Cooper can sing. It's his best performance easily, but I think Gaga has a better shot at the Oscar and deserves it more.
"Shallow" is my favorite song, and the scene when they first sang it together is the scene in which I cried. But that ending... I was close again there.
4.5/5
Movie comment on The Little Stranger
ntan
I am so split on this movie. My biggest flaw with it is that it shouldn't be mentioned in the same sentence as horror. Its genre everywhere is classified as "Gothic horror", and it's just not.Yes there are supernatural elements but it is a straight up drama.
I won't spoil the ending but I will say that it redeems the movie as a whole. I really liked how it ends.
Movie comment on Mile 22
ntan
Year needs to be changed to 2018, Peter Berg is director, 94 minute runtime.Also if you're reading this you don't need to bother seeing this. Just watch Lone Survivor, Deepwater Horizon, or Patriots Day
Movie comment on Eighth Grade
ntan
TheMovie comment on Christopher Robin
ntan
The film plays out much like Eeyore floating down the river. It's a gently pleasant ride - even if you know where it ends up going.I absolutely loved it though. I found it very funny, much funnier than people give it credit for. Everything that came out of Pooh and Eeyore's mouths either had me laughing or crying.
This is what happens when you spend time constructing the right story with great screenwriters, among them Tom McCarthy (Spotlight) and Allison Schroeder (Hidden Figures), both Oscar nominated for the writing of those films.
It grabs its theme (work vs. family) and runs with it, offering plenty of genuine, thought-provoking drama paired with the endlessly lovable Pooh bear.
8.5/10
Movie comment on Skyscraper
ntan
This is exactly the kind of movie you show up with expectations for, and those expectations are fulfilled.Those can be either: "I view film as pure escapism and want nothing else in a movie!" Check.
Or: "I expect this to be garbage but I'm going to have a good time so I don't care" Check.
Dwayne Johnson scales a building like Spider-Man using a 2 inch ledge and some duct tape, he swings from a makeshift rope and leaps to safety like Tarzan, and villains have thick accents.
If this sounds like it's up your alley, you'll have a blast. If you expect more, don't.
Movie comment on Adrift
ntan
I enjoyed this film.Is it perfect? No. But Woodley is the highlight. I would compare her performance to that of Robert Redford in All Is Lost and Naomi Watts in The Impossible. No spoilers, but she had a lot to do, and was cast perfectly in a role that in several ways defies gender conventions.
There are a couple pacing issues, but there is a twist that makes the movie better in the long run and some really neat cinematography/VFX.
4/5
Movie comment on Roman J. Israel, Esq.
ntan
Roman J. Israel, Esq. is undeniably intriguing but the script is quite messy. The 3 act structure is kind of thrown out but I can appreciate some of the bold decisions that appear halfway through.Denzel is fantastic as usual. My opinion may change over time, because I've thought about it quite a bit...
Movie comment on Marshall
ntan
It starts off by-the-numbers and frankly pretty bland, but what Marshall grows to be throughout the second and third acts is a thoroughly well-acted courtroom drama.If you see it as that instead of a biopic about Thurgood Marshall, you'll get more out of it. Plus the Oscar-nominated end credits song ties in quite well to the script's message.
3.5/5
Movie comment on Spectre
ntan
For those saying it's too long... it's the same length as Casino Royale. Is it as great as that and Skyfall? No, but it does not deserve the hatred I'm seeing.It's excellent. Mendes and Hoyte van Hoytema did a great job, as did the whole cast. Exciting, well-written, leagues ahead of Quantum of Solace.
Movie comment on Lights Out
ntan
The movie is scary. It's not trying to say something, or subvert the genre. It's trying to be scary, and it accomplishes that. The acting is pretty good, and the scares are very effective, even if we've seen them before.Definitely recommended for horror fans even if it doesn't sit at the top of the genre.
Movie comment on The Book of Henry
ntan
It has its moments but ultimately is just a big fat mess. A lot of plot points also made zero sense.Movie comment on Sólo con tu pareja
ntan
Prisoner of Azkaban may be the best Harry Potter, and Gravity is one of my all-time favorite sci-fi films, so I've been taking a look at Alfonso Cuarón's earlier works.I would actually prefer this one to his critically acclaimed and Oscar-nominated Y Tu Mamá También.
They're very similar, analyzing sex and desire, but this is a straight-up comedy. It's pretty funny at times, but carries a nice amount of dramatic heft toward the end due to us getting to know the main character well at the beginning.
It's clearly a debut, but one of the better ones.
3.5/5
Movie comment on Isle of Dogs
ntan
Isle of Dogs, Wes Anderson's second stop-motion animated feature, is a delight. Visually spectacular, filled with wonderful details suited to Anderson's unique style.I feel like this must be addressed as well. Many have accused it of cultural appropriation. Ignore it. Do not give it any thought, people just insist on finding something to complain about.
I had a great time with Isle of Dogs, even though sometimes the story stalls. Definitely in Anderson's top 5.
4.5/5
Movie comment on Wind River
ntan
Fantastic. Renner gave so much more than I thought he would. Honestly, it's been a while since I've seen anything so perfectly paced. Not much to say other than I look forward to seeing more of Sheridan as writer, director, or both.5/5
Movie comment on Ready Player One
ntan
What's the purpose of movies? I mean, I took 4 hours out of my day to commute to, watch, and commute back from the theater, and in the process, forking over $15. So why? What's the point? To take us into somewhere outside of our reality. This doesn't have to be a fantasy world; it can be a different time period, different country, whatever. But it's an escape from this world and a journey into somewhere else.This is exactly what's happening in Ready Player One. Wade Watts and seemingly everyone else spend their time in the Oasis to escape reality. Similarly, along with being a parallel to why we go to the movies, RPO bows down to movies of the past, to shows, books, anime, video games, everything pop culture. Spielberg clearly is celebrating and paying homage to everything that influenced him, including a brilliant
Are there some problems with RPO? Yes. Particularly the characterization. Wade just isn't an interesting character, and we only get a couple brief scenes to know his background and current situation. And some story elements are a little rushed.
But the CG is insane, especially compared to the VFX trainwreck that was A Wrinkle in Time. The movie could basically have been called animated with a little bit of live-action. The easter eggs were SO much fun to find. Back to the Future was a big source of material, but there were a lot of obscure characters and references that I missed that I had to look up later. Also
Movie comment on The Bigger Picture
ntan
How... how did she make this? I watched a behind the scenes video and still wonder... how did she make this?https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=200Jr2QumSs
Showing items 1 – 25 of 97