Category: Movie Review

Movie Review

Review: Benediction

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Although more than a hundred years have passed since its inception, the world has never truly forgotten how much the First World War changed virtually every aspect of modern society – and the arts was no exception. The war gave birth to a whole new generation of ‘war poets’, with a few among them, such as Wilfred Owens and Robert Graves, having since become the most recognizable. However, there are very few quite as illustrious as Siegfried Sassoon, the focal character of the latest film from Terence Davies: Benediction. 

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Movie Review

Movie Review: The French Dispatch (2021)

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At this point, it’s safe to say that Wes Anderson has become a very… interesting figure in the film community. While his films have all grown into critical and commercial successes the more his career has moved along, with The Grand Budapest Hotel in 2014 launching him into near-stardom, general opinion of him remains mixed – and for good reason. Anderson is one of the most unique film-makers working today, with an incredibly distinct style of film usually characterized by offbeat, quirky humour, somewhat dysfunctional characters, and particularly stunning visuals – all of which are either a blessing or a detriment depending on who you’re talking to. Nonetheless, it is nothing short of impressive that the man has been able to keep making such niche products and yet amassing a larger following with each new film he puts out. But is it possible for things to become too niche? Now that his new film is out, I’ll take the opportunity to answer the question: Has Wes Anderson finally lost it?

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Movie Review

Movie Review: Dune (2021)

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Let’s say, hypothetically, someone put a gun to your head and asked you to name one long-running science fiction film franchise. You’d probably answer with Star Wars (as would the majority of people), some small minority would say the Star Trek films., and… that’s kind of it. Despite how endearingly popular the sci-fi genre is in every type of media, there haven’t really been many long-lasting sci-fi film series at all – and since the Star Wars sequel trilogy wrapped up in 2019, there’s been nothing new to be interested in. But, a new challenger has entered the fray, and that challenger is Denis Villeneuve’s Dune, an adaptation of the 1965 novel of the same name by Frank Herbert. As someone who has read the novel and liked it well enough, I awaited this film with cautious optimism – and finally got to see it.

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Movie Review

Movie Review: No Time To Die (Spoiler-free!)

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Short disclaimer: Though this post contains no spoilers for the movie being reviewed, it will assume that you have watched or are at least familiar with the Daniel Craig-era Bond films, particularly Skyfall and Spectre.

Well, if there’s one thing that the film releases of 2021 have taught me, it’s that all good things must come to an end. This statement most definitely applies to Evangelion 3.0+1.0, the finale of the Rebuild of Evangelion series that I watched back in August (no review, sorry), and now applies to this film as well – which, to be honest, I had almost forgotten was meant to come out (I was still in that post-Evangelion 3.0+1.0 haze) until that October 1st release date snuck up on me like an serial killer to his unsuspecting victim, and I had to effectively speedrun my way through the Daniel Craig-era Bond films at the expense of my own sanity. At last, I finally got to see No Time To Die – the 25th entry in the film series and the last featuring Craig as the iconic British spy. So, whether you’re a newbie or a war-torn veteran of this series, I hope that you’ll be interested in whatever I have to say.

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Movie Review

Movie Review: Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

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When the DCEU’s first iteration of Wonder Woman was released 2017, for many, including myself, it was considered the first good (if not fairly decent) DCEU film adaptation of a classic superhero – and not only a classic superhero, but one that inspired generations of women and girls. Of course, a sequel was inevitable, and, after three long years and a global pandemic, it was finally released. So, how does it hold up?

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Movie Review

Movie Review: The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)

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I’ll admit: I’m a fan of courtroom drama. The theatricals, the stakes, the tension… what’s not to love? There’s something about courtroom scenes in films and other media that really get me on the edge of my seat. However, it is rare that I watch a film (or other piece of media) where the main premise, cliffhanger, and selling point is courtroom drama. Especially when it involves a real-life story that I knew very little about… until now. I’ve watched plenty of great courtroom scenes (acted or otherwise) before: Can Aaron Sorkin’s latest film somehow surpass my expectations?

For the uninitiated: The Trial of the Chicago 7 is, as you can probably already tell, based on a true story. Beginning in 1969 and ending in 1970, the film follows the more-than-100 days long trial of eight (it is lowered to seven later, you’ll see) defendants, each belonging to a different societal or cultural movement, who have all been charged with conspiracy, inciting to riot, and several other misdemeanors regarding the 1968 anti-Vietnam War protests during that year’s Democratic National Convention. A seemingly innocuous trial of eight protestors unfolds, becoming one of America’s most publicized and controversial trials.

First things first: I was blown away by the sheer amount of talent displayed in this film – by talent, I mean both the actors that are displayed and the acting abilities that are shown. I knew little about the cast beforehand, so I was happily surprised when I saw the amount of very recognizable actors casted: Most notably, Sacha Baron Cohen as hippie Abbie Hoffman, Eddie Redmayne as student leader Tom Hayden, and Joseph Gordon-Levitt as prosecutor Richard Schultz, amongst others. But don’t be fooled, these guys aren’t just around for recognition. Every major player is casted and played with pinpoint precision, so much so that you can almost see how this all played out in real-time. Hoffman (Baron Cohen), despite acting like an ostensibly ridiculous, careless hippie, is still given his moments of subtlety, while Schultz (Gordon-Levitt) and opposition prosecutor Kunstler (Mark Rylance) both skillfully play the role of government-servers caught between loyalty and justice with nuance. In short, every actor gives it their all, and by the end you’ll likely be left with many unique perspectives.

Of course, good performances ultimately mean nothing without good writing, and that’s where Aaron Sorkin comes in. Having learned that he’d begun working on the script more than a decade ago in 2007, I’m not surprised by how well the dialogue is written: It’s quippy when it has to be, serious when it has to be, and captures the personalities of every person involved with cleverness and wit. And I believe that it is this writing that managed to make a more than 2-hour long film that takes place almost entirely in a single courtroom pass by all the more quickly.

In conclusion, The Trial of the Chicago 7 may not have the most exciting premise for most people, it is still a well-acted, well-shot, and well-written piece of work that puts a much-needed spotlight on an important cultural and societal event in the history of American protests, 60s movements, and the quest for justice – the last of which is sorely needed today more than ever.

Final score: 10/10

Movie Review

Movie Review: Tenet (2020)

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Having seen Inception, and enjoyed it, it would be a lie to say I didn’t have high hopes for Tenet. After all, I enjoyed Dunkirk, Nolan’s prior film, when I saw it three years ago as well. Though I knew little of the plot of this film preceding my viewing of it, what I did know – entropy, time travel, and high stakes – seemed promising, and if anything, it looked to be Nolan’s most ambitious idea put to film yet, and that’s not a statement to be taken lightly. So, what did I think?

The plot is set into motion when the film’s main character, known only as ‘The Protagonist’ (John David Washington), is employed by a top-secret organization known as ‘Tenet’, who are using “inverted” entropy to prevent the outbreak of a possible World War III. After our protagonist tests a couple of ‘inverted’ bullets, he learns that said bullets were inverted by an infamous Russian arms dealer named Sator. To this end, he teams up with Neil (Robert Pattinson) to try and uncover the truth behind Sator’s operation and ensure the future of the human race once and for all.

First things first, I was pleasantly surprised by Washington’s performance, given that he definitely wasn’t as well-known compared to his co-stars. Though his character has no name or even any real backstory, Washington still delivers a great performance of charismatic character that we can all root for. Not to be outdone, Pattinson plays Neil with an undoubtedly equal level of charisma, and the interactions between the two protagonists is fun to watch. While I had some issues with the main ‘hook’ of the film, watching the characters move backwards through time was visually entertaining and definitely impressive, given Nolan’s aversion to CGI, as were the action sequences, which utilized both the actors and vehicles around them in unique ways.

However (and I think this is an opinion shared by many), my enjoyment of Tenet differed from my enjoyment of Inception when the plot started really kicking in. If you couldn’t already tell, the film delves into a lot of difficult concepts, such as entropy & inverted time, and believe me, it does not take either of these concepts lightly. Unlike Inception, where the ideas were still somewhat vague, almost every scene that isn’t an action sequence in Tenet is filled with exposition explaining said concepts, and it can definitely be quite mind-draining at times. Moreover, I found difficulties in enjoying Sator as a villain, since I personally dislike the “homicidal Russian arms-dealer” trope; that, and Branagh’s Russian accent was laughable.

However, despite the obvious reservations with this film, I didn’t dislike it. While at first I was annoyed that the plot wasn’t as well-explained or put-together as it should’ve been, I enjoyed it a lot more when I didn’t try to analyze too much and simply went along for the ride. If you are going to watch Tenet, just keep this in mind: Don’t stress too much, just enjoy it as much as you can.

Final score: 7/10

Movie Review

Movie Review: Inception (10th Anniversary Edition)

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Inception - CINEMABLEND

I’m going to be real for a second: I’ve never seen Inception, partly because I wasn’t really ‘into’ film at the time and also because I was, like, eight years old. But that doesn’t mean I didn’t know about Inception; at this point, I don’t think there’s anyone that hasn’t. I knew it was the favourite film of a lot of people, that it had a really dope fight scene in a hotel, and that it single-handedly popularized the use of the DUNNN sound effect you hear in basically every trailer ever these days. So, when it was announced that Inception would be re-released in theatres as a celebration of its tenth anniversary and to promote Nolan’s new film Tenet, I knew this was my chance to actually watch the film that has been talked about non-stop for a decade.

So, what even is Inception about? Described in the least complicated way possible, the story follows Cobb (DiCaprio) and his partner Arthur (Gordon-Levitt), who work as spies… of a sort. In short, they use experimental technology to infiltrate and manipulate the subconscious and extract information through dreams. On one mission, their target, Saito (Watanabe), offers the two a seemingly impossible task: placing an idea in an already subconscious mind. In exchange for convincing the son of a rich man to dissolve his father’s company, Saito promises to also dissolve Cobb’s status as a criminal. Taking on the offer, Cobb assembles a team of experts, including Ariadne (Page), a somewhat naïve but talented architecture student. But the team of six are up against the clock, and it will require more than just luck to make the impossible possible.

First things first, I can definitely see why this film is upheld as a classic of modern cinema. Not only does it present a unique idea (well, for the time at least), but it is able to combine this idea with a tight script and good film-making, something that most ‘unique’ films today lack. The characters, while not the most in-depth, offer no shortage of entertaining quirks and talents, and every actor present gives it their all. The score, composed by Hans Zimmer, is tailored to every scene, and the action sequences are nothing short of impressive; you can tell how much work went into them and I’m surprised at how well they hold up 10 years later. Watching this film on the big screen was definitely an experience!

When you’ve got a film as well put-together as one directed by Chris Nolan, it’s difficult to find a fault. If anything, a scene in the film where the team stake out a fortified mountain base, aside from reminding me of Metal Gear Solid, goes on for a little too long and is rather boring to look at compared to the colorful scenes seen previously. Furthermore, as you may have already guessed from my plot description, it is not a film most people can walk away from understanding everything that happened. It definitely requires rewatches, that’s for sure.

But my complains are merely small potatoes compared to the full-course meal that is Inception – an intriguing story, all-star cast, and never-ending excitement. Though some may argue that it is ‘overrated’, I personally believe that it is ultimately deserving of its spot as a modern classic, if all those imitations of it haven’t already proved that. Now, off to watch Tenet!

Final score: 9.5/10

Movie Review

Movie Review: Little Women (2019)

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It’s safe to say that Little Women is not only one of the most iconic novels of all time, but it’s also one of the most popular go-to’s when it comes to adapting a novel for the silver screen. With film adaptations of Louisa May Alcott’s classic going back as far as 1917 (though, sadly, this adaptation is now considered lost), it is only fact that each generation has their own version of the famous book. It is also a piece that becomes more relevant with the passage of time, and it was clear that yet another film should be added to the collection. So enters 2019 Little Women, directed by Greta Gerwig, a filmmaker with more than her fair share of praise as of recently. But does it live up to that praise?

Although I think most people probably already know the general plot of Little Women, I’ll try and recap it quickly. The story centers around the four sisters of the March household: the oldest, graceful Meg, spunky tomboy Jo, quiet Beth, and the youngest, the artistic but bratty Amy. Unbeknown to these four girls, their lives are about to change – be it because of romance, secret ambitions, or heartbreak. Chronicling their lives from adolescence to adulthood, the film follows the inseparable four as they live, laugh, cry, and struggle together through the challenges and hardships of life.

Right off the bat, one thing that immediately sets this film apart from the rest is its use of structure and pacing. Instead of simply following the story by-the-book, that is to say starting from when the four are all teenagers and ending when they’re all adults in a linear fashion, Gerwig employs interesting techniques that involve the plot cutting back and forth between different time periods in their lives, all the while making it rather easy to follow (at least, I thought so) and not boring. It’s also clear that Gerwig has definitely learned a lot about cinematography and shot composition since her previous film, Lady Bird. This film is simply gorgeous to look at. Another aspect of this production that blew me away is the amount of acting talent involved (as I wrote this, I found out that Laura Dern, who plays the girls’ mother Marmie, won an Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, which is very much well-deserved!) from everyone involved. I was especially surprised by Timothée Chalamet as Laurie, who I felt was really playing a character, not just playing himself. Of course, it would all be empty without Alexandre Desplat’s charming score, which makes the film’s quiet scenes speak the loudest.

Although this is normally the part where I list my dislikes, I find it very hard to think of any particular gripe I had regarding this film. Yes, not everything in the book is present in the film, but all that mattered to me was that the important ones were. Yes, not every sister gets an equal amount of screentime, but all the actresses did the best they could regardless, and Saoirse Ronan as Jo is such a good performance that it doesn’t really matter if the focus is mostly on her.

Overall, compared the previous film disaster I reviewed, The Rise of Skywalker, Greta Grewig’s Little Women is a breath of fresh air. When you combine a rapidly-improving director with a talented cast, beautiful cinematography, and a tight script, you get a once-in-a-lifetime cinema experience. Whether you’re a fan of the book or not, this is certainly one film you wouldn’t want to miss.

Final score: 9/10

Movie Review

Movie Review: Star Wars – The Rise of Skywalker (Spoiler-free!)

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So, it finally happened. Six years, two (canon) movies, two (spin-off) movies, and millions of dollars have led to this very moment. Thousands of hours have been spent planning the ending to this grand saga, one that, six years ago, hadn’t been seen for over a decade in the Star Wars universe. It’s definitely been a wild ride, with epic highs and lows (see: The Last Jedi) and leaps and bounds. All that being said, now that it’s finally over, how was it really?

First off, I’d like to say: wow, this movie is not kind to people who have epilepsy. My goodness. Watch at your own risk; my eyes still hurt. By now, I assume you all have a general idea of how the plot will go: Emperor Palpatine (yes, that Palpatine) is back, so buckle up. Rey is growing stronger, but she still is afraid of who she really is. Kylo Ren’s loyalty to the dark side is being tested by the minute, and the Resistance is ready to take a final stand. Amongst tested loyalties and uncertainty, which side will emerge victorious?

Let’s start by listing what I liked about this movie. It’s visually stunning, whether you watch it in 3D or not. The action scenes are intense (if not a bit too fast-paced) and some of the cinematography is downright stunning, which sounds weird when talking about a movie where people fight with giant glowsticks, but it is true. Our main three have some great interactions with one another, which is certainly more than I can say for The Last Jedi, where the main trio was separated for most of the film. Aside from our main trio, the other cast members do a good job as well, with Adam Driver definitely being my favourite new actor from this trilogy. Whether you like Kylo’s ending or not, you have to admit that he’s giving it his all. For old-timey and hardcore fans, there’s plenty of fanservice and cameos, which you will likely enjoy if you’re into that stuff. Overall, there is a lot going on in this movie, but that’s where my problems with it begin.

Due to (I think) the mainly negative response fans had to The Last Jedi, this film feels like JJ Abrams and co. were rushing to undo it by doing pretty much the opposite of what TLJ at least tried to do differently. In short, there’s a bit too much of what hardcore fans like – returning characters, old settings, and epic space battles. Moreover, because the previous story was a bit slow in its plot, this film is trying to cram everything of what I just mentioned above and more into a two-hour and a half runtime. New settings, characters, and plot devices are introduced every moment, and the editing department is trying to finish this story so quickly that you rarely ever get time to breathe before you’re shown the next plot point or chase scene. Aside from a few quiet moments of reflection here and there, the whole film is more or less like this, which left me very confused as to what I was actually supposed to focus on. Personally, although TLJ left me feeling quite conflicted as to how this trilogy would end, it was hard for me to dislike something that honest and ambitious. With this movie, although it doesn’t have the same low points as TLJ, it never hits the same high points as TFA, leaving it feeling bland and watery.

In conclusion: Rise of Skywalker isn’t as terrible as some people make it out to be. On the whole, it’s a serviceable conclusion to this trilogy, and regarding fanboys, there’s a lot for them to enjoy. However, despite the team’s best efforts, its oversaturation of fanservice, action, and story beats leave it feeling lackluster, and I doubt that, ten years from now, people will look back on this finale as fondly as they’ll look back on, say, Avengers: Endgame.

Final score: 6.5/10