SvdW | Every Movie I've Watched in 2023
- All the movies I've seen for the first time and rewatched in 2023. So every movie I watch in the span of Sunday, January. 1, 2023 till Sunday, December. 31, 2023 counts.
- I add some "short thoughts" to every movie I watch. These are mini-reviews that will later be made into more in-depth reviews. Spoilers are tagged with the "spoiler tag".
Update Nº 2 | Sunday, December. 31, 2023:
Thank you for the views!
Update Nº 1 | Tuesday, April. 4, 2023:
Thank you all for the 1K views!
- My ranking system:
- ✮✮✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
- ✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮
- ✮✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
- ✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮
- ✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
- ✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮
- ✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
- ✮/✮✮✮✮✮
- ½/✮✮✮✮✮
- Movies I’ve (re)watched, but unavailable on IMDb:
1. | The Power of Suggestion - Making Trance [Trance] (*) | Monday, January. 2, 2023 [first time watch]
A documentary about the making-of Trance.
2. | Danny Boyle Retrospective | Monday, January. 2, 2023 [first time watch]
A retrospective of Danny Boyle's filmography for Fox Searchlight Pictures.
3. | Genèse de l'histoire [Elle s'appelait Sarah] (*) | Sunday, February. 12, 2023 [first time watch]
4. | A Beaune la Rolande... [Elle s'appelait Sarah] (*) | Sunday, February. 12, 2023 [first time watch]
5. | Recréer le Vel d'Hiv [Elle s'appelait Sarah] (*) | Sunday, February. 12, 2023 [first time watch]
6. | Mélusine [Elle s'appelait Sarah] (*) | Sunday, February. 12, 2023 [first time watch]
7. | Madame et Monsieur Starzynski "L'histoire de Natasha et Arben" [Elle s'appelait Sarah] (*) | Sunday, February. 12, 2023 [first time watch]
8. | Une nuit en 1942 [Elle s'appelait Sarah] (*) | Sunday, February. 12, 2023 [first time watch]
9. | Chez les Dufaure [Elle s'appelait Sarah] (*) | Sunday, February. 12, 2023 [first time watch]
10. | Un thé avec Kristin [Elle s'appelait Sarah] (*) | Sunday, February. 12, 2023 [first time watch]
11. | Dans l'ombre d'un tournage: "La Régie" [Elle s'appelait Sarah] (*) | Sunday, February. 12, 2023 [first time watch]
12. | Dans l'ombre d'un tournage: "La cantine" [Elle s'appelait Sarah] (*) | Sunday, February. 12, 2023 [first time watch]
13. | Shut Eye 2 | Tuesday, February. 21, 2023 [first time watch]
A short horror film directed by Lauren Cooney and Isaac Tomiczek.
14. | Le passé: Making of [Le passé] (*) | Tuesday, February. 28, 2023 [first time watch]
15. | Ana | Thursday, March. 16, 2023 [first time watch]
A short film directed by Kibwe Tavares, Jonathan Gales, Factory Fifteen and Paul Nicholls.
Starring Richard Brake and Georgina Sutcliffe.
16. | The Making of Schemer [Schemer] (*) | Thursday, March. 16, 2023 [first time watch]
17. | xVoid | Thursday, March. 23, 2023 [first time watch]
A short film directed by Meny Hilsenrad.
18. | HIDARI (Pilot Film) | Wednesday, April. 5, 2023 [first time watch]
A short film directed by Masashi Kawamura.
19. | Falling Apart | Thursday, April. 6, 2023 [first time watch]
A short film directed by Thomas Hefferon and Troels J. Hundtofte.
20. | SUUNS - Arena / 2020 / Bambi (a 'FD' short live film) | Saturday, April. 8, 2023 [first time watch]
A short concert film.
21. | Urbance | Thursday, April. 20, 2023 [first time watch]
A short film directed by Joel dos Reis Viegas and Sebastien Larroude.
22. | Making Of Komt een vrouw bij de dokter [Komt een vrouw bij de dokter] (*) | Saturday, April. 22, 2023 [first time watch]
23. | Beau temps, vent léger [Les vacances de Monsieur Hulot] (*) | Sunday, April. 23, 2023 [first time watch]
24. | Tout est beau!": Des signes, des lignes, design [Mon oncle] (*) | Saturday, April. 29, 2023 [first time watch]
25. | Je vous en prie! Asseyez vous! [Mon oncle] (*) | Saturday, April. 29, 2023 [first time watch]
26. | HIDARI (Pilot Film) | Saturday, May. 13, 2023 [second time watch]
A short film directed by Masashi Kawamura.
27. | Making-Of - Introductie [Rendez-vous] (*) | Saturday, May. 20, 2023 [first time watch]
28. | Making-Of - Spanning [Rendez-vous] (*) | Saturday, May. 20, 2023 [first time watch]
29. | The Chamber | Thursday, May. 25, 2023 [first time watch]
A short film directed by GMUNK.
30. | Like Home [Playtime] (*) | Saturday, May. 27, 2023 [first time watch]
31. | De leeuw [Prooi] (*) | Sunday, June. 4, 2023 [second(?) time watch]
32. | Scooterstunt [Prooi] (*) | Sunday, June. 4, 2023 [second(?) time watch]
33. | Stunts [Prooi] (*) | Sunday, June. 4, 2023 [second(?) time watch]
34. | Trafic International [Trafic] (*) | Monday, June. 5, 2023 [first time watch]
35. | Zillion: Behind the Beats [Zillion] (*) | Wednesday, June. 14, 2023 [first time watch]
36. | En Piste [Parade] (*) | Wednesday, June. 14, 2023 [first time watch]
37. | Devolver Direct: The Return of Volvy | Wednesday, July. 5, 2023 [first time watch]
A short film directed by Joseph Pelling.
38. | Spijt! - The Making Of [Spijt!] (*) | Wednesday, July. 5, 2023 [first time watch]
39. | The Making of Tomorrow, When the War Began [Tomorrow, When the War Began] (*) | Wednesday, July. 19, 2023 [first time watch]
40. | Remembering the Future: A Personal Journey Through Tomorrowland with Brad Bird [Tomorrowland] (*) | Sunday, July. 23, 2023 [first time watch]
41. | Casting Tomorrowland [Tomorrowland] (*) | Sunday, July. 23, 2023 [first time watch]
42. | A Great Big Beautiful Scoring Session [Tomorrowland] (*) | Sunday, July. 23, 2023 [first time watch]
43. | The World of Tomorrow Science Hour - Hosted By Futurologist David Nix | Sunday, July. 23, 2023 [first time watch]
44. | The Origins of Plus Ultra | Sunday, July. 23, 2023 [first time watch]
45. | Brad Bird Production Diaries [Tomorrowland] (*) | Sunday, July. 23, 2023 [first time watch]
46. | Blast From the Past Commercial | Sunday, July. 23, 2023 [first time watch]
47. | From the Director’s Chair - On Casting [Gandhi] (*) | Sunday, July. 30, 2023 [first time watch]
48. | From the Director’s Chair - On Music [Gandhi] (*) | Sunday, July. 30, 2023 [first time watch]
49. | In Search of Gandhi [Gandhi] (*) | Sunday, July. 30, 2023 [first time watch]
50. | Looking Back [Gandhi] (*) | Sunday, July. 30, 2023 [first time watch]
51. | Madeleine Slade: An Englishwoman Abroad [Gandhi] (*) | Sunday, July. 30, 2023 [first time watch]
52. | Reflections on Ben [Gandhi] (*) | Sunday, July. 30, 2023 [first time watch]
53. | Shooting an Epic in India [Gandhi] (*) | Sunday, July. 30, 2023 [first time watch]
54. | Designing Gandhi - Building The Ashram [Gandhi] (*) | Sunday, July. 30, 2023 [first time watch]
55. | Designing Gandhi - The Tent [Gandhi] (*) | Sunday, July. 30, 2023 [first time watch]
56. | Finding Trains [Gandhi] (*) | Sunday, July. 30, 2023 [first time watch]
57. | The Funeral [Gandhi] (*) | Sunday, July. 30, 2023 [first time watch]
58. | Les Leçons du Professeur Goudet | Sunday, July. 30, 2023 [first time watch]
59. | Animating Spirit [Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron] (*) | Thursday, August. 3, 2023 [first time watch]
60. | The Songs of Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron [Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron] (*) | Thursday, August. 3, 2023 [first time watch]
61. | International Star Talent [Spirit: Stallion of the Cimarron] (*) | Thursday, August. 3, 2023 [first time watch]
62. | Learn to Draw Spirit with James Baxter | Thursday, August. 3, 2023 [first time watch]
63. | Het maken van De eetclub [De eetclub] (*) | Sunday, August. 13, 2023 [first time watch]
64. | Deleted Song Performance [Straight Outta Compton] | Monday, September. 11, 2023 [first time watch]
65. | N.W.A. The Origins [Straight Outta Compton] (*) | Monday, September. 11, 2023 [first time watch]
66. | Impact [Straight Outta Compton] (*) | Monday, September. 11, 2023 [first time watch]
67. | Director's Journey [Straight Outta Compton] (*) | Monday, September. 11, 2023 [first time watch]
68. | The Streets: Filming in Compton [Straight Outta Compton] (*) | Monday, September. 11, 2023 [first time watch]
69. | N.W.A Performs in Detroit [Straight Outta Compton] (*) | Monday, September. 11, 2023 [first time watch]
70. | Becoming N.W.A. [Straight Outta Compton] (*) | Monday, September. 11, 2023 [first time watch]
71. | New Future, Old School [Looper] (*) | Sunday, September. 24, 2023 [first time watch]
72. | The Two Joes [Looper] (*) | Sunday, September. 24, 2023 [first time watch]
73. | De dingen der helaasheid [De helaasheid der dingen] (*) | Sunday, September. 24, 2023 [first time watch]
74. | Patients - Candace Burns [Gothika] | Wednesday, October. 25, 2023 [first time watch]
75. | Patients - Wanda Clinton [Gothika] | Wednesday, October. 25, 2023 [first time watch]
76. | Patients - Jeanne Howard [Gothika] | Wednesday, October. 25, 2023 [first time watch]
77. | The Road to Rabat [Rabat] (*) | Wednesday, October. 25, 2023 [first time watch]
78. | James McTeigue & Larry Wachowski in Conversation [V for Vendetta] | Sunday, November. 26, 2023 [first time watch]
79. | Natalie Portman's Audition [V for Vendetta] | Sunday, November. 26, 2023 [first time watch]
80. | Apartheid [Black Butterflies] (*) | Wednesday, November. 29, 2023 [first time watch]
81. | Father and Daughter [Black Butterflies] (*) | Wednesday, November. 29, 2023 [first time watch]
82. | How Ingrid met Jack [Black Butterflies] (*) | Wednesday, November. 29, 2023 [first time watch]
83. | Ingrid Jonker [Black Butterflies] (*) | Wednesday, November. 29, 2023 [first time watch]
84. | Making-of Sint [Sint] (*) | Sunday, December. 10, 2023 [first time watch]
85. | The Music of Love Actually [Love Actually] (*) | Wednesday, December. 13, 2023 [first time watch]
86. | The Storytellers [Love Actually] (*) | Wednesday, December. 13, 2023 [first time watch]
87. | Bringing Life to Animation [The Princess and the Frog] (*) | Wednesday, December. 27, 2023 [first time watch]
88. | Magic in the Bayou: The Making of a Princess [The Princess and the Frog] (*) | Wednesday, December. 27, 2023 [first time watch]
89. | The Return to Hand Drawn Animation [The Princess and the Frog] (*) | Wednesday, December. 27, 2023 [first time watch]
90. | The Disney Legacy [The Princess and the Frog] (*) | Wednesday, December. 27, 2023 [first time watch]
91. | Disney's Newest Princess [The Princess and the Frog] (*) | Wednesday, December. 27, 2023 [first time watch]
92. | The Princess and the Animator [The Princess and the Frog] (*) | Wednesday, December. 27, 2023 [first time watch]
92. | Conjuring the Villain [The Princess and the Frog] (*) | Wednesday, December. 27, 2023 [first time watch]
93. | A Return to the Animated Musical [The Princess and the Frog] (*) | Wednesday, December. 27, 2023 [first time watch]
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- DirectorDanny BoyleStarsJames McAvoyRosario DawsonVincent CasselAn art auctioneer mixed up with a group of criminals partners with a hypnotherapist in order to recover a lost painting.[Review]
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Date Watched: Sunday, January. 1, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: Simon Says Strawberry
Best actor: Rosario Dawson
And we’re off with the first 2023 watch.
Man… this was a weird one!
I had known of this movie for years now, but I have never seen it somehow. I became more curious for it because it does something which almost every movie hasn’t shown [I’ll get to that later on].
Danny Boyle is a good director, but I don’t like some of his directorial flair, especially the movie he made around the late 2000s and early 2010s, and this movie has some of the same issues. It is overly energetic, too chaotic, weird (Dutch) angles, loud and overbearing music, etc.
The directing does work in some moments [nice transitioning shots, action sequences and bloody and gory moments are shot really well. I also appreciate that they used practical blood squibs/effects.
The story is all over the place though. John Hodge and Joe Ahearne’s script does work in place to deliver a mind-bending story.
My issue with the story is that I didn’t care for any of the characters. The acting is really solid from everyone involved. I didn’t care if any of them died.
And once Simon kills Franck, but it revealed he was under hypnosis and didn’t kill him, it felt cheap. And frankly, the film loses a lot of steam due to the movie constantly using this to fool you became tiring. I also didn’t like how this film is structured.
I mentioned before how this movie showed something a lot of movies don’t, and that is showing an shaven labia. Rosario Dawson is completely naked in this twice and it does work in the context of the story of the beauty in classical art Simon is an fan of. I don’t like how it got to that point though [which is an screenplay issue].
I probably need to rewatch this one to fully understand it, but for now it is a low 3 out of 5 stars. - DirectorSpencer SusserStarsMichael GovierKarolina WydraCandace HammerA man checks into a hotel and is mysteriously delivered an intriguing gift.Date Watched: Monday, January. 2, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
I wasn’t planning on watching an short film so soon this year, but this was one included on the blu-ray disc of Trance.
This was very mediocre. Michael Govier is not charismatic enough to lead something like this and while I don’t mind the idea behind the film, I don’t get the end goal here.
I get the idea of social isolation and how Eugene wants to be with an woman. I get his intensions, but Alice was in the right frame of mind too because she didn’t get what was going on.
This didn’t make me laugh much either. The talking fish made me laugh a little bit. - DirectorJérôme SalleStarsTomer SisleyKristin Scott ThomasPredrag 'Miki' ManojlovicAfter a powerful billionaire is murdered, his secret adoptive son must race to prove his legitimacy, find his father's killers, and stop them from taking over his financial empire.[Review]
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Date Watched: Tuesday, January. 3, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: Jumping off an Cliff
Best actor: Tomer Sisley, I guess?
Yeah… This didn’t do it for me.
A few weeks ago I read through the first two issues [De Erfgenaam (Largo Winch #1) and Groep W (Largo Winch #2)] which were both the basis for this film adaption.
And I really liked the first one a lot, but the second one lost a bit of steam early on.
I was originally planning to watch this in the weekend, but I felt like watching an film after an annoying day of education.
I often don’t watch any films/series on normal working days because my mind is on work and I feel more tired after working.
And this proofed why I don’t (re)watch films and series on working days, because I just can’t bring myself to bring the energy required for it. And this film was an disappointment too, but enfin.
Jérôme Salle’s directing is really so-so. This was his second theatrical film and his first action film, and it really shows. There’s a lot of shaky cam during action sequences [there are some moments through where it is visible what’s happening] and annoyed me to no end.
I hate watching action films from this time because of every film trying to be what Paul Greengrass brought to the Bourne franchise, which killed action films for a while, but I digress.
The screenplay is a big mess. I haven’t seen a film like this for a long time, trying to move so quickly through its events, but not building characters up well. It also feels like a lot is missing here. And because I’m familiar with the first two issues of Largo Winch, I hate how characters and situations are changed.
Yeah, both issues aren’t the brightest bulb, but still. The two issues built on its characters and made them interesting. The film wants to introduce so many characters without introducing them.
And what’s up with the Hong Kong setting here? Why isn’t it New York? I don’t mind that some characters are left out, or added, but the villains are just weak.
And how does Largo Winch regain his knife? He left it at the Restaurant’s door!
I’m a bit split on Tomer Sisley’s performance. He does looks the part of Largo Winch [he even is more realistic to be in his late 20s, with the first two issues making him look like he’s in his 50s], but his joke-y side isn’t as strong as the comic’s counterpart.
But he is in good condition and does deliver. And he does a great job with making the different languages he speaks look easy. Kristin Scott Thomas is fine, but I cannot look at her with an straight face. The redhead wig looks awful and I don’t get why they went for that.
Predrag 'Miki' Manojlovic was the picture perfect casting for Nerio Winch and I was surprised to see Benedict Wong in an supporting role.
Alexandre Desplat won the "Soundtrack Composer of the Year World" award at the "World Soundtrack Awards", but his musical score is uneven to say the very least. I really like some of it, but there are also moments in it where it feels too much like a superhero score, or something out of a comedy. And Desplat isn’t even a bad composer, but his score underwhelmed me.
And, before I forget, I watched the English dub. There are two dubs (English and French) and the French dubs everything in French, while the English (the original?) dub has everyone speaking different languages (English, French, Serbian and Portuguese). - DirectorSteven SpielbergStarsRichard DreyfussFrançois TruffautTeri GarrRoy Neary, an Indiana electric lineman, finds his quiet and ordinary daily life turned upside down after a close encounter with a UFO, spurring him to an obsessed cross-country quest for answers as a momentous event approaches.[Review]
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Date Watched: Friday, January. 6, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [third(?) time watch]
[Theatrical Cut]
✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: The Abduction of Jilian's son
Best actor: Cary Guffey
This was also one of the first blu-rays I bought back in 2016 or 2017.
I had this film on my rewatch list for an eternity, but never got around to it. A large part of that is because there are three versions and I want to watch them all.
This used to be one of my favourite films, but I rewatched it and I began to see more flaws with it.
Steven Spielberg’s directing is superb. I especially like the Abduction of Jilian's son and this is my favourite sequence of the entire film. It is so atmospheric and is one of the best horror scenes in a film not classified as horror.
I began to see more flaws with the screenplay. The child aliens are friendly, but there are acting really weirdly though. They abduct people like it’s nothing, and I don’t really get the reasoning behind it. And why do some people board the main U.F.O.? The story is a bit more questionable now.
And while I wanted the "Theatrical Cut", one short scene really bugs me. There’s a scene where the camera shows one of the eyes of one alien, and it looks like there was CGI work placed over it. I might wrong here though.
I will watch the other two cuts of the film this year. - DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsMickey RourkeMarisa TomeiEvan Rachel WoodA faded professional wrestler must retire, but finds his quest for a new life outside the ring a dispiriting struggle.[Review]
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Date Watched: Sunday, January. 8, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: The Final Match
Best actor: Mickey Rourke
My laptop didn’t save these "short thoughts", so I am writing them again.
I was planning to watch two films on Sunday, this and Shame. But after finishing this film I didn’t want to watch anything else.
This was so effective in making me emotionally invested. I am so glad I finally watched something for the first time again that I truly enjoyed [the 4.5/5 or 5/5 stars enjoyment I mean].
I am familiar with Darren Aronofsky’s filmography, but his films never really grabbed me. This film made me want to check out more of his work [my father watched Darren Aronofsky’s Noah one week ago, which looked terrible, but enfin].
However, I wasn’t an fan of some of the directing. This is filmed almost like an documentary, and I wasn’t an fan of the "European Editing" either. Both feel a bit distracting, but weren’t the worst either.
The screenplay made me care for Randy 'The Ram' Robinson. I even got tear-y eyed at the final few minutes because the character really was fleshed out so well and I just felt his pain.
Mickey Rourke is sublime here as Randy 'The Ram' Robinson. And like his character, he was also a bit washed out as an actor. This performance really proofed he has so much talent. He is nicely supported by others like Marisa Tomei, Evan Rachel Wood and Mark Margolis [I didn’t recognize him].
Excellent stuff. - DirectorJerónimo RochaStarsSofia HelenaFrederico AmaralCesário MonteiroTrapped inside the Space Freighter/Refinery DÉDALO, SIENA tries to survive an infestation of diabolic creatures.Date Watched: Tuesday, January. 10, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
My laptop has some problems with saving some "short thoughts" I wrote on Word, so if these are posted a bit later, it is because of this reason.
My first watch of the ALTER shorts in 2023.
This one surprised me a lot.
This is easily inspired by the Alien franchise, but I like this with some of the same things like the female protagonist having to fend for her own life (while the rest of the crew died), etc.
I kinda predicted the final moments where Siena stabs the alien creature with the "coloured healing stuff", I however did not expect more than one creature though. I like that they don’t show what happens to her.
It is really impressive the filmmakers made the entire running time without dialogue and without it being confusing once.
My second favourite of the ALTER short films so far [ABE (or Abe) is still my personal favourite]. - DirectorNiko TaverniseStarsDarren AronofskyScott FranklinClint Mansell[Review]
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Date Watched: Tuesday, January. 10, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
I was highly impressed by The Wrestler, so I decided to watch the making-of documentary on the blu-ray of The Wrestler.
This was a really good documentary!
This was the type of (making of) documentary I missed. Extensive, but also to the point.
I like how they discuss every aspect of the film, like the directing, cinematography, acting, stunts, music, location scouting, etc.
While I like this documentary a lot, there’s some flaws with it too. The footage is spliced together really funky. And I wished they interviewed people like Marisa Tomei. Her performance was great, why can’t we hear her experience [like what she thought when offered the role of an stripper or how demanding the role was?]. - DirectorJordi WijnaldaStarsRick Paul van MulligenThomas RyckewaertSouhail AttahiriAn all-male foster family tries to enjoy one last morning together, before their unity will be broken by what was inevitable all along.Date Watched: Thursday, January. 12, 2022 | How I Watched: recorded off Nederland 3 off TV, watched on Ziggo Mediabox [second time watch]
I have rewatched all the KORT! short films from the official YouTube channel, but this was one that wasn’t on the channel.
I had recorded this from TV and I had watched it almost one year ago, but because I can only hold on to recording for one year I decided to rewatch this short film.
This is still really good, but I do see more flaws with it now.
The directing is really solid, and the framing [under the aspect ratio of 1.37:1] is really nice looking.
Rick Paul van Mulligen is not the most charismatic, but he’s still fine here. Thomas Ryckewaert did not impress me this time. He flubbed his lines quite frequently and this was really noticeable. - DirectorMike NewellStarsHugh GrantAndie MacDowellJames FleetOver the course of five social occasions, a committed bachelor must consider the notion that he may have discovered love.[Review]
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Date Watched: Thursday, January. 12, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: The Funeral
Best actor: Hugh Grant
I am gonna be frank and say I was planning to watch this as the last first time watch of 2022, but I got the blu-ray from my local library almost one week later than expected.
This is not the type of film I would watch very often, but it still disappointed me regardless. Richard Curtis delivered better work on the screenplay for Love Actually.
Hugh Grant is solid, but I thought Andie MacDowell was terrible here. She comes off as very unlikeable, and her entire performance seconds that. The rest of the cast deliver good performances.
I didn’t care for Charles to get together with Carrie. The scene that really made that clear was when she was recounting every man she slept with [about 30-ish men!]. I would’ve given the film some credit if he left her after that scene! At that point Fiona would’ve been an better love interest.
I really loved the funeral sequence. This is where the film got into gears for me, and lost me right after as well. I love how serious and emotional the film is during the funeral, with that poem from W. H. Auden. That moment really packs that emotional beat that I wanted.
A reason why I hadn’t seen this film was largely because of my parents. They had seen this film in theatres and they walked out after the second wedding sequence. I am an Christian, and so are my parents. They took offence to Rowan Atkinson’s dialogue and the scene in general. But I saw this scene and I didn’t think it was offensive at all. I actually thought Rowan Atkinson was funny and it fits in how nervous his character is to perform his first wedding. And having Atkinson being an part of your cast, his comedy should be an given. - DirectorMasaki KobayashiStarsTatsuya NakadaiMichiyo AratamaChikage AwashimaA Japanese pacifist, unable to face the dire consequences of conscientious objection, is transformed by his attempts to compromise with the demands of war-time Japan.[Review]
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Date Watched: Friday, January. 13, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
[Japanese Version]
✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: The Executions
Best actor: Tatsuya Nakadai
For my 23rd birthday I asked for the Arrow Academy blu-ray of The Human Condition trilogy, but I got tickets for "Andrea Morricone conducts Ennio Morricone", which was an amazing experience, but enfin.
So some weeks later I decided to just buy the trilogy myself. And a few days later it arrived all the way from Malmö [from Sweden to The Netherlands]!
I am going to try and watch the trilogy this weekend.
And I was really overwhelmed by this first one. After some things in the morning, I finally sat down and watched the "Japanese Version", which is the film (204 minutes long) split up into two parts [and I believe doesn’t affect the spoken language].
Masaki Kobayashi’s directing is really good. I did have some issues regarding the sound editing. In several scenes the sound of an recording film camera [I believe?] is heard, or some sequences don’t have sound [slaps, the sound of an electric fence, etc.], which is an shame because it held me back from being immersed more.
I also like how ballsy this film can be at points. The Chinese POWs run like zombies towards food, prostitutes being send to the Chinese POWs and the involvement of the Japanese and the main character.
Definitely curious for the rest of the trilogy, although I have to admit I am too overwhelmed to watch anything else after this one. - DirectorMasaki KobayashiStarsTatsuya NakadaiMichiyo AratamaKokinji KatsuraAs a conscript in war-time Japan's military, a pacifist struggles to maintain his determination to keep his ideals.[Review]
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Date Watched: Saturday, January. 14, 2023 | Continued and Finished Sunday, January. 15, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
[Japanese Version]
✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: The Japanese Against the Soviet Army
Best actor: Tatsuya Nakadai
Because I was quite busy this Saturday, I decided to only watch the first part, and the second part the day after [The Japanese Version is this film split up in two parts].
I might actually like this a bit more than the first film. It has some of the same issues as the first has [the sound issue (which I mentioned in my "short thoughts" for the first film), among other things], I really found the final 20-ish minutes to be very intense.
The final 20-ish minutes are very tense because we now see the Japanese fighting the Soviet Army. Masaki Kobayashi directs the action and the entire set piece really well.
The plot holes here are a bit crazy. The first film had some plot convenience with the Chinese POWs being able to successfully revolt by shouting, this film had more issues with the plot. Kaji and some other character both pull the pin from their grenade, only to not throw it? The grenades should’ve exploded a few seconds later. And the Soviet Army shoots at the Japanese, but they don’t notice Kaji and shoot at him in the last minute? And Kaji and another character went mad really quickly, don’t they?
Because it took a bit longer to watch this, I won’t be able to the third and final film in this trilogy until the next weekend. I am even thinking of not watching any (short) films before I have watched and finished the third film. - DirectorMasaki KobayashiStarsTatsuya NakadaiMichiyo AratamaTamao NakamuraHis ideals challenged by life as a conscript in war-time Japan's military, a pacifist faces ever greater tests in his fight for survival.[Review]
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Date Watched: Friday, January. 20, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
[Japanese Version]
✮✮✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: Left Behind
Best actor: Tatsuya Nakadai
Yes, I know that I waited five days to finish this trilogy (and I watched nothing during it), but I finally watched the third and final film of the trilogy, and boy this one is my favourite out of the bunch.
I had some issues with the first two films with some plot holes and sound issues, but this film does fix most of those problems.
This does make me wonder what happened to the Japanese soldiers who were still alive at the end of the second film. I believe the soldiers alongside Kaji aren’t the same ones we saw in the second film.
I do still have some issues with the editing. Some of it is quite janky. I do think this has the best soundtrack out of the trilogy, especially the first act. And like the first two films, the film has some scenes where sounds aren’t added, although here it is less of an issue. And the sound of the recording camera is almost not hearable, so I’m good.
This was easily the most violent out of the trilogy. Things like a stab wound, a man’s intestines, blood, etc.
Man, the final few minutes of this film really broke me. To see Kaji slowly dying was hard to watch. I was really rooting for him to survive, but alas. This is one of the only times killing the main character worked in the films advantage. - DirectorDiane MichelleStarsJoseph KathreinAthena Isabel LebessisPenelope PiccirilliAfter a young couple puts their daughter to sleep, a paranoid mother starts to believe something else is in her daughter's room.Date Watched: Friday, January. 20, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
I wanted to keep up with watching the short films on the ALTER YouTube channel, so before cleaning and hours after watching The Human Condition III: A Soldier’s Prayer I decided to watch this.
I didn’t like this one much, but it has some great elements. The acting is pretty weak, but the performance from Penelope Piccirilli is excellent. One thing that really is solid from most ALTER short films is that the child actors are always really good.
I like that didn’t really go for jump scares, but the scene where Carrie gets dragged under the bed(?) is really predicable and such low hanging fruit [with the sound being way louder than it should be]. And really, of course it is low hanging fruit too that William is the monster and he is obviously the enemy of the piece when we see him slap his wife’s buttocks [I can already sense some misandrist comments]. - StarsTim HofmanMarije de RoodeJohn de MolA ''Boos (2016)'' Special for all the insults and the charges that have been applied through events that have happened during the recordings of the Dutch version of The Voice. Tim Hofman is the host of this documentary. He talks with the formal owner of the famous program, John de Mol.[Review]
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Date Watched: Friday, January. 20, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [second time watch]
I decided to rewatch this documentary because it came out exactly one year ago [the exact date too] and I wanted to see how much of it changed the Dutch media landscape.
This really brought me back to when I first watched it. At that point I was in my last year of my education [financial administer] and I remembered how much of an topic this was. - DirectorBobby BoermansStarsHannah HoekstraIsis CaboletRobert de HoogA young psychology student is drawn into the dark and fearful world of a diabolic and mysterious App that starts to terrorize her, distributing compromising photographs, videos and text messages about herself and delves deeper and deeper into her personal life, flawlessly exposing all of her deepest secrets. Originally in Dutch, international version dubbed to English.[Review]
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Date Watched: Saturday, January. 21, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [second(?) time watch]
✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: An Electronic Radio in the Swimming Pool
Best actor: Hannah Hoekstra
Okay, confession time. I had placed this as an first time watch at first, but I have seen this film before. I watched it during an High School day [somewhere in 2015-2017 – don’t know on what medium I watched it] and I remembered most of it, so I marked it as an rewatch now.
But enfin. I really got interested in watching this because I really loved Het gouden uur and I am curious to see if Bobby Boermans directed any other great things.
This wasn’t an good film, but I had a lot of fun with it! And I had forgotten how quick watching films is without an break of some sort.
Hannah Hoekstra is very cute and I really liked her performance. And I believe this performance is what got her the job for Horizon Zero Dawn.
Because I had some memories of what happened in this film I knew what was going to happen. The story isn’t this films stronghold. Tim Maas is so obviously the villain, but I found it so strange that Dr. Carlo is involved with Maas. Is he so hungry to try something completely radical and new on Stijn Rijnders, In the Name of Science?!
And I mentioned that I loved Het gouden uur. That series uses shaky-cam like this, but some of the shaky-cam here is actually really annoying. The suicide scene of Andrey is overdirected [too chaotic and bad shaky-cam here].
I would probably never rewatch this one.
It is not really clear if the blu-ray version is 24FPS or 25FPS. This version was 75 minutes, but some websites mention this to be 82 minutes. I dunno.
And yeah, I didn’t use the "Second Screen" feature. I’m better off with just watching the film. - DirectorSteve McQueenStarsMichael FassbenderCarey MulliganJames Badge DaleA sex addict's carefully cultivated private life falls apart after his sister arrives for an indefinite stay.[Review]
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Date Watched: Sunday, January. 22, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: Following Her through the Crowded Subway
Best actor: Michael Fassbender
I had placed this on my watchlist for December 2022 for an Challenge on Letterboxd, but I replaced this film by Nobody, and then I wanted to both The Wrestler and this film, but I was overwhelmed after watching The Wrestler, so this film wasn’t on my schedule yet.
But enfin. I needed to return the blu-ray back to the library, so I finally watched it.
And I was left severely disappointed by the film.
I do want Steve McQueen’s filmography to watch more of his films. His directing isn’t bad, but it feels a bit too distanced for my liking.
Michael Fassbender does an superb job as the lead. But I do have some issues with the screenplay. Why should I care for his character? I get that his performance is great, but I feel no reason to care when he’s on screen. And because he’s in it a large bunch, why should I care for it again?
At first I was annoyed by the ending, but I do get what they’re going for when showing Brandon looks at the woman on the subway train. She wears an wedding ring. In one of Brandon’s monologues to Sissy he tells her she slept with an married man, and the ending shows the protagonist losing all morals and ideals [of what was left though] to what he said before.
What annoys me about the ending is that nothing seems resolved at the end. Its distanced directing and screenplay really made this an one-time viewing only. - DirectorJason KupferStarsJordan Woods-RobinsonRicky WayneLarry BukoveyA pair of home invaders consider their potential character choices just prior to their planned invasion.Date Watched: Tuesday, January. 24, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
I felt like watching something short during working at home, I put this on and I really liked it!
The twist really surprised me. I was thinking that the two invaders were going to be successful in their mission, but this turns really funny when one of the two invaders gets stabbed with an household item, and he’s bleeding like crazy. I also like how the other invader gets into trouble due to his partner(?) and by his own mistakes.
I hope ALTER brings more of this. - DirectorRian JohnsonStarsDaniel CraigChris EvansAna de ArmasA detective investigates the death of the patriarch of an eccentric, combative family.[Review]
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Date Watched: Saturday, January. 28, 2023 | How I Watched: Netflix on TV [second time watch]
✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: You've got ten minutes before dying
Best actor: Ana de Armas
I first saw this film [alongside my father] back in 2020 when I rented the blu-ray from my local library. Something was off about the picture quality [it was quite grainy, in places where it shouldn’t be?] and something made me not love the film.
I never rewatched it though.
I was at an friend’s house and we rewatched this one. But after another watch [second time watch] I finally know why I this above average for me [to the point I even lowered it ½ star].
The issue I had with the picture quality what annoyed me here again. What’s up with this film and me? It has some crazy grain usage and blooming. I love film grain, but I believe something’s off about it.
Is Daniel Craig even trying with his accent? I also found it quite annoying how the character of Jacob Thrombey is supposed to be this "Alt-Righter", when it is clear Rian Johnson just wrote this character to stick it to the critics of Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi. Johnson, just write the character like it is, and don’t mention the Left and the Right in this, it is very cringy. I had forgotten how different Ana de Armas looks in this compared to her performance in No Time to Die. It is like she’s ten years younger here. This is also a bit harder to watch Christopher Plummer because he passed away two years after this film. - DirectorJi-hoon KimStarsKim Sang-kyungSol Kyung-guSon Ye-jinA Christmas Eve party at a luxury residential building takes a horrific turn when a fire breaks out.[Review]
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Date Watched: Sunday, January. 29, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: The Christmas Party
Best actor: Sol Kyung-gu
I don’t know how I discovered this film, only I know that I saw that I could rent the blu-ray from my local library and I placed it on this year’s ACTIONx52 Challenge (on Letterboxd) to finally watch it.
South Korean cinema haven’t really clicked with me. I really liked Oldboy, but I haven’t seen it since 2017 [and knowing the plot twist I don’t know if I can rewatch it!]. But other films like Parasite, I'm a Cyborg, But That's OK, The Handmaiden and Decision to Leave did (almost) nothing for me. They are well made films, but I don’t love them like others do.
This has the makings to be really bad, but when it got into gear, it became highly engrossing.
With disaster films comes the (high) possibility of CGI, as is the case here. I didn’t mind some of it, but other times it looks a bit off and removed my immersion too.
I can’t talk about the disaster portion without spoilers. I like the scene where people go into an elevator and the effects of them (almost) stuck to the elevator door. It is stupid that characters do this, of course, but I like the visual side of it.
There’s certain leaps in logic when watching an film like this. There’s the issue of both towers collapsing, only to show it happening to one of them. Or when Seo Yoon-hee (and others) are meant to die [powerful scene too!], only for them to be alive minutes later.
What I really like is that I grew to really care for most characters. And the breakneck pace during the action makes it all the more intense.
I mentioned how this could’ve really been an bad film, and that’s because of the few half hour or so. Characters act like they’re in an unfunny comedy, like the crying/bonding scene, or the naked fireman scene. These scenes had me worried. When the fire breaks out it became an much better film, but the scenes where Sergeant Oh Byung-Man is seen by some to be an (divine) saviour were highly cringe and added nothing to the story.
Not bad.Note: Monday, February. 6, 2023: I got something wrong when talking about that elevator sequence. I watched that sequence again, and now I changed some of the text because I wasn’t in the right.
- DirectorSteffen HaarsFlip Van der KuilStarsSylvia HoeksFerdi StofmeelFlip Van der KuilTwo brothers have their friendship put to the test when they both fall in love with the same girl.[Review]
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Date Watched: Sunday, January. 29, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: The Proposal
Best actor: Raymond Thiry
While walking in the woods I got an idea to watch The Tower [hours before watching it] and this film to get catch up with some films(*).
I was in the mood for an stupid comedy. It did deliver in that regard, but my enjoyment level wasn’t there.
Tim Haars was okay here, but he is only okay in small doses. Sylvia Hoeks isn’t bad, but she seems lost. Daniël Arends wasn’t that good and Henry van Loon became real annoying after an short while.
This film makes fun of everyone [race, sex(ism), disabilities, etc.], but it only got a couple of laughs out of me. I didn’t mind the idea behind an rom-com which has one of the main characters dealing with an porn addiction. This was really interesting to me, but the plot line gets ruined when Suzanne asks René to marry her. This wasn’t built up well.
I don’t mind the video store setting either, but I just don’t believe nobody sees an Luger lying on the floor.
This film "tries" to make an case that First Blood is "so bad, it’s good", but I fully disagree with that. There’s an reason why that film is considered an classic, and it ain’t because of "corny dialogue".
Not enough Raymond Thiry.
(*) = I watched this a bit too late in the evening. I couldn’t turn the volume up too much because of my parents. - DirectorStellan KendrickStarsCourtney GainsCaige CoulterZoë Simpson DeanAfter mom gets hacked to pieces by her latest lover, a devout child fights to escape the same fate.Date Watched: Tuesday, January. 31, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
This was another weekly ALTER watch.
This was above average.
The child acting (courtesy of Caige Coulter) is fantastic, but the short films on the ALTER YouTube channel have had great child acting when they are featured.
I was expecting the villain was Satan/the Devil, but alas it ain’t. I don’t really believe the Cross being this loose on one side of the wall and it magically returning to the original place seconds later.
I don’t get the whole story either. Gracie’s mom gets murdered, and Gracie will be too (although it isn’t shown though). It feels like there isn’t much more depth that this simple premise, which could be much more. - DirectorJ. Lee ThompsonStarsDavid NivenGregory PeckAnthony QuinnA team of Allied saboteurs is assigned an impossible mission: infiltrate an impregnable Nazi-held Greek island and destroy the two enormous long-range field guns that prevent the rescue of 2,000 trapped British soldiers.[Review]
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Date Watched: Friday, February. 3, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: Going Up the Mountains
Best actor: Gregory Peck
This was a long time coming. I finally watched this film!
But first some backstory. I loved Where Eagles Dare so much, but The Guns of Navarone is mentioned by many to be an inferior film when talking about Alistair MacLean’s film adaptions.
I bought the DVD back in 2019 or 2020, but I never watched it. But then I placed it upon this year’s ACTIONx52 Challenge to finally sit down and watch it.
But problems arose soon. I tried renting the blu-ray from my local library, but the copy never was found. Some weeks later however the copy was finally available for me to rent.
I really loved this film. Where Eagles Dare is mentioned often as an comparison, but I won’t do that in these "short thoughts", because this stands on its own two feet.
Gregory Peck is such an charismatic leading man for this, and I like the supporting actors as well. People like David Niven, Anthony Quinn, Stanley Baker, Anthony Quayle, James Darren, Irene Papas, Gia Scala and Richard Harris.
I got surprisingly really invested into the story. The first few minutes I wasn’t really feeling the film yet.
But after the laundry boy scene the film got really interesting I also like the usage of Maria Pappadimos and Anna. And when it is revealed Anna was an spy and an traitor, the film really builds the suspense well too.
The version I watched was 156 minutes. I don’t know why this version is two minutes shorter [I believe the 4K UHD version has the same running time as the blu-ray I watched], I didn’t really feel the running time too much.
Really surprised by it! - DirectorMichael ArickStarsEve Williams-JonesPeter YatesDate Watched: Friday, February. 3, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
I loved The Guns of Navarone, so I definitely want to view the extra features on the blu-ray disc.
This was solid, but has the same problems as making-of documentaries of that time. They are too short and split up into different parts. Taxi Driver and Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb also suffer from the same issue [although older documentaries (also on the blu-rays) like Making 'Taxi Driver' and Inside: 'Dr. Strangelove or How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb' are superb].
But all things considered, this was fine. There’s some talk about the switch of directors, casting, etc. Those things really interested me, but I would’ve preferred it to be longer, so we get more of an idea of how this film was made.
I did like when they told that the characters of Maria Pappadimos (Irene Papas) and Anna (Gia Scala) were added to the film and weren’t in the original book. And I love the inclusion of them. Or when they talk about "The Guns of Navarone" were made with fiberglass. It is not noticeable [which is an good thing]. - DirectorCatherine HardwickeStarsKristen StewartRobert PattinsonBilly BurkeWhen Bella Swan moves to a small town in the Pacific Northwest, she falls in love with Edward Cullen, a mysterious classmate who reveals himself to be a 108-year-old vampire.[Review]
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Date Watched: Sunday, February. 5, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: I don't know
Best actor: Robert Pattinson
This was an watch I wasn’t really looking forward to. I was ready to never watch it, but then I joined an Letterboxd Challenge (The {Todd} 10,000 Followers Scavenger Hunt Spectacular) which asked to "Watch a Twilight film you haven't seen or any film that could be considered an paranormal teen romance. Use your imagination but here's a list with some ideas".
I went into this with an open mind. I know Twilight for its reputation(*), memes, etc. Either people love or hate the film and I watched to give it a fair shot.
But enfin, I am not an fan of this film.
Catherine Hardwicke’s directing is a real mixed bag. She brings some style and flair to the directing side of things, but it doesn’t really gel together well. 50% of the film is directing fine enough, but there are also scenes that feel like a low budget student film, or an 2000s Gothic music video. I do appreciate the makers not going for jump scares [especially because this an PG-13 affair], but the directing is just not that good.
I don’t mind Kristen Stewart as an actress, but her performance here is not that good. And the same can be said for Robert Pattinson. And I knew I recognized Anna Kendrick when I saw her on screen [didn’t know her name when watching though]. The acting from everyone is very bad.
And when the end credits appeared, I was shocked to see that Carter Burwell did the musical score. He’s an underrated composer, but his work here is instantly forgettable. This film also boosts some awful pop music, which made me not want to remember my good childhood during the 2000s [man, the music during that time was terrible – still is!].
This film tries to make new rules for Vampire lore, but I am not an fan of this (at all). Instead of being burned by sunlight, their skin radiates. They’re fine with garlic or onions, or their reflection is visible in an mirror. I would be fine with this, but breaking established Vampire lore should be treated more carefully.
Still a better love story than… oh wait.
(*) = When I was in elementary, I know for a fact that one of the teachers had one of the (Dutch translated) books of Twilight in the class room. I did remember this right now, although I’m questioning why she had that book in class? - DirectorSteven McCarthyStarsSteven McCarthyAlyx MeloneSandra ForsellA man races to find shelter in a roadside motel so he can take the necessary steps to feed his companion's addiction.Date Watched: Tuesday, February. 7, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
And here is another weekly ALTER (short film) watch.
This has me confused by its premise and how I would rank this.
I didn’t like this one a lot, but I found it to be above average, but still ranks above some other ALTER short films.
Steven McCarthy, Alyx Melone and Sandra Forsell all did well with their performances. This is a pretty wordless piece and yet it is really well acted by their facial emotions.
I had no idea what this was about, even when I finished the short film. This doesn’t really explain its story to the audience. And what happened the woman’s body? We see her blood sprayed all over the bathroom, but we never get to see her.
There’s some nice practical blood effects too. But I am not an fan of this genre of horror and I think I would’ve liked this more if it was more psychologically driven. - DirectorTyson Wade JohnstonStarsJustin ZacharySusanna EricssonIndie DesRochesSet in Los Angeles City, 2057, an outlaw is captured and sentenced to a penal colony on the moon (à la Australia). To reunite with his family, he must become the first convict to escape the corrupt prison system and return to earth.Date Watched: Thursday, February. 9, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
I found out recently that the DUST YouTube channel is an thing. It is the ALTER YouTube channel but for Science Fiction short films.
This was a weird one. It has a lot of good going for it, but there’s too much going on for a mere seven minutes.
The CGI effects aren’t the best, but I will give it leeway because of its limited budget.
There’s too much going on. It shows the convict with his wife and the baby, him trying to escape(?) and getting caught. But there’s also him escaping the moon prison and crashing back to the city. This needs more time to fully tell its story.
The IMDb description cracked me up. It says and I quote: "Set in Los Angeles City, 2057, an outlaw is captured and sentenced to a penal colony on the moon (à la Australia)". What has this entire short film have to do with Australia? If we were talking about the Covid quarantine compound, then I would get it. - DirectorDavid CageStarsValorie CurryTercelin KirtleyHanako DanjoKara is a visually stunning and emotional PS3 technology which is here "represented" by a female android who becomes self conscious.Date Watched: Friday, February. 10, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
I somehow taught of this short film / tech demo for some reason.
I had seen some parts of it, but was my first time watching [I believe] it completely.
I know this was the basis for Detroit: Become Human, but I’ve only played one part of that video game [at an friend’s house].
I did really think this was effective short film.
I like Science Fiction based on androids becoming self-conscious. Valorie Curry’s voice is just right and you feel her pain.
The CGI rendering isn’t my cup of tea, but I don’t mind it much here, because this is an tech demo after all.
You can watch this short film here! - DirectorRuben SmitMark VerkerkStarsHarry PiekemaAnimal life in the nature reserve Oostvaardersplassen in the Netherlands during four seasons.[Review]
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Date Watched: Friday, February. 10, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
I felt like watching this because I do like nature documentaries.
This was an solid film, although the blu-ray doesn’t have the best quality transfer(*) when moving shots are shown.
I had seen some criticism about Harry Piekema’s voice over work as the narrator, but I thought he was fine. I do also like the line delivery.
There’s some humanizing of the animals that I am not the biggest on. It isn’t the worst, but I would’ve been better off with less of that.
(*) = IMDb mentions this film is 97 minutes, but the blu-ray is 101 minutes [102 minutes if rounded out]. - DirectorGilles Paquet-BrennerStarsKristin Scott ThomasMélusine MayanceNiels ArestrupIn modern-day Paris, a journalist finds her life becoming entwined with a young girl whose family was torn apart during the notorious Vel' d'Hiv Roundup in 1942.[Review]
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Date Watched: Friday, February. 10, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: Opening the Closet
Best actor: Mélusine Mayance
I can already tell this is going to be a hard one to write "short thoughts" for. A few weeks ago I finally finished the Dutch translated version of Tatiana De Rosnay’s Elle s'appelait Sarah [after months and months of reading it], but the book disappointed me severely.
It has me questioning if I should even go on with reading or just quit it altogether. My review for the book is up here.
But enfin, this film was a slight improvement over the original source material, but just barely. It has some of the flaws and mistakes.
The directing is really good. Despite some scenes being a bit too up-close and wonky looking [I don’t like the look of modern buildings here], the director did a good job.
Where this really falters is with its screenplay. They [I mean the screenwriters] luckily cut the misandry from the source out of the script, but they still focused a bit too much on Julia Jarmond, when the focus should be on Sarah’s storyline and Julia looking into Sarah. It is also unclear here why Julia visits William Rainsferd. In the book it is explained [although it is still wonky too], it feels rushed.
I do think the film got me more emotionally invested. The entirety of Sarah’s story [safe for her suicide car bit] was really powerful, but when it focuses on Julia Jarmond’s story arc it becomes an bore. The ending is an nothing burger too. I don’t buy that Julia would call her new born Sarah. It comes as bad faith and honestly is a real weird move.
Kristin Scott Thomas is quite good. Her French accent is great, but I don’t buy her American one. She comes off as an Brit trying her hardest not to sound British, but alas. Mélusine Mayance really delivered one of the best child acting performances I’ve seen so far. It is a shame she didn’t go on to bigger things.
There’s a case to be made with her character in this film growing up quite quickly, which the book made clear she did over a short while, this isn’t her fault though. The acting especially when Sarah sees Michel dead in the closet is just heart breaking. Mayance’s performance should be the standard.
A low 3½/5 stars. - DirectorPeter LordDavid SproxtonA door-to-door salesman tries to use the gift of the gab to sell an elderly couple things they don't really need.Date Watched: Saturday, February. 11, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
I am trying to watch some more Aardman (short) films and other stop motion animation this year.
This is another weekly Aardman short film.
I am not feeling the Animated Conversations shorts yet. Down and Out and this one aren’t the most exciting.
The stop motion animation is great. The voice work isn’t bad, but I don’t like how they added background noise. This distracts a lot and I already have trouble with thick accents to begin with!
Hopefully the rest of my Aardman watches will be better… - DirectorLauren CooneyStarsDaniel HolmeDaniel HolmesHaley McGeeLets play a game. Take the most potent sleeping pills on the planet. Just try to stay awake. Last one to fall asleep wins....Date Watched: Tuesday, February. 14, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
Sorry if I am going to sound too harsh for these "short thoughts", but I really didn’t vibe with this short film.
I can’t really talk about this short film without spoilers, so here we go. I will use Perfect Blue('s spoilers) as reference.
This short film uses an storytelling technique that makes my blood boil. That technique is the "dream within an dream, within an dream". Perfect Blue uses this technique too to show the (in)sanity of the main character and her losing her mind. Here it is to show the possibility(?) of murder and death, but it is unclear if the things we see are real. I would be fine with the technique being used, but it is too incomprehensible and too incoherent to follow.
This is my second least favourite ALTER short film (for now), just behind Van. - DirectorKaleb LechowskiStarsDavid MastersonA member of an alien species is being interrogated and tortured by a machine.Date Watched: Thursday, February. 16, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
This is another weekly DUST short film watch.
I did like the idea behind the Alien Invasion story being flipped on its head. Instead of aliens invading our planet, it is an alien and his home planet being invaded by another alien species.
This would almost be a good short film, but there’s some problems with this as well.
There’s too much CGI. Every scene has some sort of special effects and it becomes tiring. I would normally give it leeway, but the over-usage made me reconsider. - DirectorLawrence KasdanStarsKevin KlineScott GlennKevin CostnerA misfit bunch of friends comes together to right the injustices which exist in a small town.Date Watched: Started Sunday, February. 12, 2023. Restarted and Finished Friday, February. 17, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: An Stampede
Best actor: Kevin Kline
I had this film on blu-ray (still sealed) in my collection. Those who know me know I am not an fan of Westerns. The cast for this one did interest me though.
I had seen some scenes back in 2016, when I was in England on vacation. It was on TV but I believe I hadn’t seen the entire thing.
I tried watching this Sunday, February, 12. 2023, but the neighbours were working on their house and the noise of that made it neigh impossible to focus on the film.
So almost one week later (Friday, February. 17, 2023) and I finally watched it.
This wasn’t half bad!
Kevin Kline really surprised me here. He’s known for being an comedic actor (his performance in A Fish Called Wanda is one for the ages) but he is fantastic here.
Some other actors like Scott Glenn, Kevin Costner, Danny Glover, Marvin J. McIntyre, Brad Leland, Sheb Wooley, John Cleese, Todd Allen, Brian Dennehy, Linda Hunt, Jeff Goldblum, Joe Seneca all do well.
Kevin Costner’s performance however is pretty groovy, but that is more of an screenplay issue. I really like Brion James as an actor, but his performance here is terrible. And I don’t know what his accent is supposed to be.
I found the storyline of Mal and Ezra to be the most interesting out of all the characters. Their story is quite interesting to follow. When Ezra gets killed, it gives more reasons to care for Mal. I also like how they wrote around Stella’s height in the saloon.
Good stuff. - DirectorRenny HarlinStarsJackie ChanJohnny KnoxvilleBingbing FanA detective from Hong Kong teams up with an American gambler to battle against a notorious Chinese criminal.Date Watched: Friday, February. 17, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [second time watch]
✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: Steakout on the Syndicate
Best actor: Fan Bingbing
I had some good memories of watching this back in 2018, but I hadn’t seen it ever since. And several years ago I bought the blu-ray on the cheap, but never felt like returning to it.
But I finally watched it, and I don’t like anymore. This even dropped 2 stars from my original rating.
Jackie Chan doesn’t do bad for his age, meaning he’s still great in performing the stunt work, but there’s too much CGI. And Johnny Knoxville isn’t as grading as he could’ve been, his role just isn’t that interesting.
I had forgotten some of the plot. And kudos for the film to throw me off. I was expecting for Tang to the main villain, but I wasn’t expecting Yung to be still alive (and running the criminal organisation as the "Matador").
I do like Renny Harlin as an director, but his work here isn’t that good. It looks like an DTV film at points, and there’s too much CGI too.
I’m good on never seeing it again. - DirectorMarc ForsterStarsTom HanksMariana TreviñoRachel KellerOtto is a grump who's given up on life following the loss of his wife and wants to end it all. When a young family moves in nearby, he meets his match in quick-witted Marisol, leading to a friendship that will turn his world around.Date Watched: Friday, February. 17, 2023 | How I Watched: Pathé Zwolle [first time watch]
✮✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: Attempt of Suicide with Rope
Best actor: Tom Hanks
My parents and my sister wanted to go to the cinema to watch a film. The only issue was finding an film. All three don’t like horror, among other things, so when this film came upon my path I decided this was probably the best choice to watch.
And I’m glad I did. This was an solid film.
I didn’t know beforehand this is an adaption/remake of En man som heter Ove, so I can’t say how much it differs from the original novel and film.
Tom Hanks is very fun to watch playing an old grumpy dude. Mariana Treviño however was very grading, and this because of her script. At points I began getting annoyed by her. I know she was playing it up, but I blame the screenplay for making her so irritating.
I am split on how they used the character of Malcolm. The only reason to her character was added was because to fill the diversity quota. The rest of the acting cast deliver okay to fine performances.
The film is pretty slow paced. Furthermore, it is more of an small independent movie. Director Marc Forster is better for films like this then Quantum of Solace.
This film felt a bit too clean. While it has some ballsy stuff with Otto to commit suicide in different ways, the plot around it is more of an social drama/comedy. I didn’t really care when Otto died though.
After watching this, my parents and my sister wanted to watch more in theatres, so job well done, film!?! - DirectorPierre MorelStarsSean PennIdris ElbaJasmine TrincaA sniper on a mercenary assassination team kills the minister of mines of the Congo. Terrier's successful kill shot forces him into hiding. Returning to the Congo years later, he becomes the target of a hit squad himself.[Review]
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Date Watched: Saturday, February. 18, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [second time watch]
✮✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: Designated Sniper
Best actor: Sean Penn
I read Jean-Patrick Manchette’s The Prone Gunman [the version I read was the film tie-in version shortened to The Gunman] one year ago.
To watch this film was a bit of an hassle though. I could rent the DVD for free from my local library, but I had to pay €3 to get it on blu-ray. So I rented that blu-ray.
This film is actually a bit better now. Oh, I had seen this back in 2018 [when I rented the DVD from my local library] and thought it was okay at best. Something just clicked this time around, and that it why I bumped it up ½ star.
I am mixed on the action sequences. It features a lot of shaky cam and quick cut editing, but it wasn’t as bad as some films [cough, cough, the Bourne trilogy, cough]. It is a shame too because Pierre Morel has shot/directed better action sequences too [some scenes I’ve seen of Banlieue 13, The Transporter and Unleashed].
Sean Penn is an idiot in real life, but his performance isn’t an problem here. He is jacked up to eleven and gives an great performance too. Jasmine Trinca isn’t half bad, but she hasn’t got much to work with. And Idris Elba is severely underused.
I remember on my first viewing that I wished Javier Bardem was the main villain, but I don’t mind Mark Rylance’s villainous turn now. And he’s an definitive improvement over Cox's portrayal in the book!
Even though I like it more now, I probably will not watch it another time, or not for a few years. - DirectorMichael ArickStarsChristopher FraylingDate Watched: Wednesday, February. 22, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
I had almost forgotten to watch these extras on the blu-ray disc of The Guns of Navarone [too many things on my mind, like other hobbies, my social life and my education], but I am getting to these now finally.
Like several documentaries of this time [2007 and such] always explain the characters, their goals and ideals, but I got that out of the film as it was completely fine.
There’s also some talking about "the gay subtext", which I didn’t gather from the film at all. If you look hard enough, you think of things that aren’t there. - DirectorMichael MatessinoStarsGregory PeckAnthony QuinnJ. Lee ThompsonThe cast and crew of The Guns of Navarone (1961) recall the making of the film. Highlights include: the choice of director, the dangerous shipwreck scene, the ongoing chess games during down times, a visit from the King and Queen of Greece to the set, and Anthony Quinn's surprising choice of underwear.Date Watched: Wednesday, February. 22, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
This was an general improvement over The Guns of Navarone: An Ironic Epic of Heroism.
Documentaries of this time [around the late 1990s and early 2000s] were more in-depth about the films they were talking about, and this has the cast and crew that worked on The Guns of Navarone recalling their experiences.
There’s some talk about the red (under)shirt Anthony Quinn’s character wears, and I never noticed it until now. It is a nice idea when the ending has more of an blue and grey tint. - DirectorMichael ArickStarsRobert GittDate Watched: Wednesday, February. 22, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
This was an decent little featurate about the restoration of The Guns of Navarone.
I like how they explain how the first few scenes were lit differently when viewing the original print [difference between daytime and night] or how colours/sounds were restored to their original state [with some examples of different colours shown as an example].
So far the extras on the disc of The Guns of Navarone don’t feel like filler yet. - DirectorLiam MurphyThe world is a desolate, unforgiving place in this action sci-fi with a surprising amount of heart. We follow NO-A (Noah), as he attempts to rescue Aixa, the young woman that created him. In his attempt to save her, he must face an unknown enemy and fight to keep them both alive.Date Watched: Thursday, February. 23, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
And this another weekly DUST (short film) watch.
I am not feeling these short films yet. This was actually the worst of the three I watched so far [those being Lunar and R'ha].
I don’t mind CGI in films, but this just made me loath it. The CGI effects are very distracting, and the added bonus is that everything feels very weightless. When No-A picks up Aixa, it is like he’s picking up an flower, it is that wonky.
The story isn’t even that bad, but it still feels very thin and undercooked. We get the cliché of No-A sacrificing himself(?) to save Aixa (and to buy her some time). I am so done with this cliché! - DirectorAsghar FarhadiStarsBérénice BejoTahar RahimAli MosaffaAn Iranian man deserts his French wife and her two children to return to his homeland. Meanwhile, his wife starts up a new relationship, a reality her husband confronts upon his wife's request for a divorce.Date Watched: Saturday, February. 25, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [until the 113 minute mark] and blu-ray on blu-ray player [everything after the 113 minute mark] [first time watch]
✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: Comatose
Best actor: Bérénice Bejo
I was a bit curious for this one mostly due to the fact that Asghar Farhadi is an director with an decent following, but I hadn’t seen one of his films yet.
This film disappointed me greatly!
The acting is everyone is fine. It is especially impressive for Ali Mosaffa, who learned French two months before filming. And he sounds really good!
I just couldn’t care for the story. Should I care who delivered those e-mails to Samir’s wife? I don’t mind how the film ends with his wife tearing up, yet it is unclear if she will awake from her comatose state.
The film did bore me at points. I cannot forget to mention that the film skipped an few seconds during the 113 minute mark on my PlayStation 3, but the disc played without issue on an blu-ray player, so I watched it via that way where my PlayStation 3 faltered.
I wouldn’t mind watching more of Asghar Farhadi’s filmography, but I might never rewatch this one. - DirectorYeStarsSelita EbanksPavlina CervickovaJade ClaytonA romantic relationship between a man and a half-woman, half-phoenix.Date Watched: Sunday, February. 26, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
Kanye West is an rather divisive figure. Take his musical career, or his rather recent interview on Alex Jones [I believe West has Bipolar disorder].
I had seen one year ago that this short film is an thing [on Letterboxd], but I now finally got around to it.
This wasn’t that good, but it has some good qualities to it as well. Kanye West directed this and he surprised me because his directing is very good + nice framing. There’s a lot of CGI here, and some doesn’t look the greatest though.
I didn’t really care for the story. I couldn’t care if The Phoenix went back to her planet(?) or not. - DirectorMelanie LightStarsPollyanna McIntoshVictoria BroomCharlotte HunterPaula is imprisoned in inhuman squalor with other women; her captors abuse as resources her existence and human function. Escape on any level is hopeless as the women are condemned to lives of enforced servitude at their jailers' whims for one reason only: their milk.Date Watched: Tuesday, February. 28, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
After I watched Shut Eye 2 I had witnessed the worst short film on the ALTER YouTube channel so far.
So, I was hoping this would be a more charitable experience. And after watching, I can say it was, but this is still above average.
I get what they’re going for with the plot. This is an critique on animal cruelty (in this case cows). But the cruelty here is inflicted upon women. Their milk is used for an beauty product.
While I don’t mind the idea/premise, I found the ways it portrays the terror inflicted upon these women a bit too over the top. It doesn’t help either that this was written out of an feminist angle, so it is clear the self-victimizing shown here is in their mind.
And the upload I watched was the "Uncensored Cut", it does still feel cut up. The upload of ALTER is 16min and 24sec, while this site claims the short film is 21min. I will look into this further. - DirectorAndré van DurenStarsMatthias SchoenaertsSylvia HoeksFrank LammersNetherlands, 1938. In a small town in the province of North Brabant called Oss, Johanna wants to change her life and quit the criminal gangs of the town. The harder she tries, the more she is involved.Date Watched: Wednesday, March. 1, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: Death by the Lake
Best actor: Matthias Schoenaerts
I have a weird history with this one. A friend got me his DVD of this film and Takashi Miike’s Dead or Alive, but I’ve only watched the latter one.
For some reason I got curious for the film [maybe because it was on TV some weeks ago] and I decided to rent the film on blu-ray from my local library.
And I decided to break my own (unwritten) rule [to watch something on a working day] after I found out about an job interview one day in advance! I wanted something to watch to have my mind of those things.
I didn’t fully hate this one, but it is severely above average.
Sylvia Hoeks is so-so. Her accent frequently flubs back to her real accent, when it is supposed to be sounding more "Brabantish". Matthias Schoenaerts delivered my favourite performance out of the lot. He is very believable in playing an criminal and petty husband. I am not an fan of Frank Lammers, but he isn’t miscasted here, but he doesn’t really need to change his accent much. The rest of the performances ranges from bad to good.
The screenplay is not the film’s strength. There’s too much focus on the character of Johanna van Heesch, when it should be on "de Bende van Oss". It does feel slightly more focused than in how Nova Zembla uses Doutzen Kroes, but this film would’ve been more interesting if it was focused on the beforementioned gang.
And while I believe that Matthias Schoenaerts delivered the best performance out of the bunch, he gets killed off too soon. It also feels historically inaccurate. I will definitely watch De Bende van Oss episode of Andere Tijden soon! - DirectorTomas VergaraStarsTomás VerdejoLuis GneccoWaking up after a car crash, a man is faced with a vicious threat he has to escape from.Date Watched: Thursday, March. 2, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [second time watch]
I only rewatched this because I am watching the DUST short films in YouTube release order.
This still isn’t good by any stretch of the imagination.
The CGI animation feels very weightless and a bit ragdoll as well. There’s some decent framing and directing on Tomas Vergara’s side, but it is not enough.
I also thought more about the plot issues this go around. The lead character was bitten some hours ago and hasn’t turned? Sorry, I don’t buy it.
DUST really must step their game up, ALTER did that at the very least! - DirectorMichael ArickStarsJon BurlingameDate Watched: Thursday, March. 2, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
I have to return The Guns of Navarone within a few days, so I decided to finish watching the extras on the blu-ray disc.
This was solid. I liked Dimitri Tiomkin’s musical score for the film, but I wouldn’t call it an classic all-timer though.
There’s some nice insights about the music that I didn’t know about. I also like the fact that they mention the more calmer music at the end of the film when the "Guns of Navarone" are blown up. - Promotional featurette for the new feature film "The Guns of Navarone".Date Watched: Thursday, March. 2, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
There isn’t really much to talk about when it comes to this "promotional featurette".
It has some nice behind-the-scenes footage of the cast and crew filming on location (Rhodes). It was just funny to see some of the actors on donkeys, Gregory Peck playing soccer with local boys and Gia Scala and Irene Papas shopping. It is a okay featurette, but it is a good one time watch for fans of the film. - Promotional featurette for the new feature film "The Guns of Navarone".Date Watched: Thursday, March. 2, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
Another short featurette, but this one focuses on the activity on and off the movie set. Locals joined to watch the filming and production, and even the Greek royal family showed up one day.
Fine for one time viewing only. - StarsJames DarrenCarl ForemanDavid NivenPromotional featurette for the new feature film "The Guns of Navarone".Date Watched: Thursday, March. 2, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
This was a really weird one because it is an "promotional featurette" about James Darren’s honeymoon on Rhodes before returning to film The Guns of Navarone.
It was funny to hear James Darren doing the voice over about his own honeymoon and acting. - StarsIrene PapasGia ScalaPromotional featurette for the new feature film "The Guns of Navarone".Date Watched: Thursday, March. 2, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
This was another weird one because it is about Irene Papas’ and Gia Scala’s time-off of the set.
It is just hilarious to see both so out of character and shopping in the marketplace of Rhodes. Irene Papas also narrates the thing. - StarsCarl ForemanCarl Foreman, producer of The Guns of Navarone (1961), sends his greetings and regrets to those attending its Australian national premiere at the new Barclay Theatre in Sydney. He is unable to attend because he is filming his new picture The Victors (1963) at Shepperton Studios in England, where most of The Guns of Navarone was also made.Date Watched: Thursday, March. 2, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
This is a short introduction for the people who attended the showing of The Guns of Navarone for the Australian national premiere at the new Barclay Theatre in Sydney.
The picture quality is superb, and I like that the other featurettes have the same amount of care put into them. - DirectorPeter LordDavid SproxtonA probationer wants to miss a meeting to go and see his brother, but must negotiate with his officerDate Watched: Saturday, March. 4, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
Man, I don’t know if I will continue with these (early) short films of Animated Conversations (which were made by the people of Aardman).
I will give credit were credit is due. These short films deal with more mature themes, but everyone of them is a massive bore. The stop motion is great, but there’s not enough for me to return back to these short films.
In this case it is about an probationer wanting to miss an meeting and instead see his brother, but he must negotiate with his officer.
The sound design is way too chaotic. There’s a lot of background noise. This is quite realistic, but it doesn’t bode well with understanding the characters and their accents. - DirectorDarren AronofskyStarsBrendan FraserSadie SinkTy SimpkinsA reclusive, morbidly obese English teacher attempts to reconnect with his estranged teenage daughter.Date Watched: Monday, March. 6, 2023 | How I Watched: Pathé Zwolle [first time watch]
✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: Epilogue
Best actor: Brendan Fraser
I was curious for this one after seeing some information about last year, and after seeing The Wrestler [which is from the same director who directed this - and was my favourite first time watch of this year so far], I knew that I had to see this one in theatres.
On Friday, February. 10, 2023 I bought tickets for the showing of this film on Monday, March. 6, 2023, and because this was only shown in Pathé Zwolle twice, it was only the possibility of the 6th or 13th, so I skipped Judo once more!
To my shock however, the weeks after my reservation more showings were planned, but I wasn’t planning on moving my reservation to another time.
But enfin, I broke an unwritten rule to not watch films on working days, but I broke that another time, but this film was the best out of those.
I haven’t really grown up with Brendan Fraser’s filmography, but he’s fantastic here. Sadie Sink is fine, but her angsty teenage shtick got old after an while. Despite its limited cast, everyone delivered good to great performances.
This is based off an play, and it does feel like it at points. This is based on a central performance and very talkative. What makes this work is the performance and character of Brendan Fraser’s Charlie. Not only is he very believable as the leading man, the protistic effects and weight he put on look very convincing. And I can relate to the character, because I am (slightly) overweight as well. I like how it tackles the problems with (severe) obesity.
It also features an absolute knock-out ending. Charlie was doomed either way, and I like how the open ending subtly tells you that Charlie died.
I have seen some people on Letterboxd give this low review ratings [and I haven’t read the reviews though], but this was an great film to me. I am not even an fan of A24 (who distributed this film, I did like First Cow and Good Time). I would be fine with more films from A24 like this one, instead of another Everything Everywhere All at Once, Hereditary, etc.
I am definitely planning on watching more of Brendan Fraser’s and Darren Aronofsky’s filmography.
Powerful stuff! - DirectorChristopher JoppStarsEleonore DendyShawn DunbarCharles HubbellMEOW is a bloodstained genre mash offering life lessons in demonic cats, dubious landlords and overbearing mothers.Date Watched: Tuesday, March. 7, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
And I am back with another weekly ALTER short film watch!
This was an okay one. It is not very good, but I had a lot of fun with it, which is something I cannot say about some of the other ALTER short films I’ve seen so far.
The acting is terrible. Eleonore Dendy and Charles Hubbell ham it up to eleven. The directing however is very dynamic and actually an great part of bringing this crazy over the top story to life. We get POV shots of the cat, sped-up shots, etc. There’s some nice photography.
The story is utter trash. A cooky landlord frames Samantha’s cat to make it seem it murdered people, when he did it. Even the killing of the landlord (by the paw[?] of the cat) was way over the top, and I don’t like cats to begin with, but I can’t see them slitting throats like this.
And seriously, Samantha’s mom is okay with the landlord brutally being murdered because the cat got the idea from the films Samantha is an fan of? Really?!?
I will give some credits for the film references. Films like the original Cat People, Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht, Der Himmel über Berlin, etc. - DirectorJimmy LowereeStarsRoy ElghanayanGeorgia KingMatthew SimmonsA woman is kept sedated by a cold-blooded kidnapper.Date Watched: Thursday, March. 9, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
I wasn’t a fan of the DUST short films so far, but this one was surprisingly an okay one [and the best one so far].
I did watch this hours before my last week of my education and I feels so weird to be done with it.
This one is more based on action, which is captured and choreographed very well [I thank John Wick and some other good/great actioners for bringing back awesome action sequences!].
The story is where my issue lies. There isn’t that much of an story here. An woman is kidnapped, there is an attempt to rescue her, but she gets the final blow to the kidnapper by some sort of psychic interlinked personal link? I mean that the kidnapper copies the suicide move performed by the kidnapped woman. And even if this is done by her, wouldn’t that mean she’s an goner as well [if that is that link thing-y]?
Maybe if short films like these are more common on the DUST YouTube channel, I would have less of an issue continuing them. - DirectorRidley ScottStarsOrlando BloomEva GreenLiam NeesonBalian of Ibelin travels to Jerusalem during the Crusades of the 12th century, and there he finds himself as the defender of the city and its people.Date Watched: Friday, March. 10, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first(?) time watch]
[Director's Cut]
✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: The Siege of Jerusalem
Best actor: Edward Norton
This is a film which I have a strange relation with. In High School I watched this in History Class [somewhere around 2014-2015], but I am not sure if I watched it all the way through.
I do remember however that I listened to the soundtrack quite a bit after I watched it in History Class, but the film was never that much on my mind.
I was planning on watching films for the Challenges I joined on Letterboxd, but I felt like watching this instead [this wasn’t on one of my Challenge lists].
This was an fine film. I didn’t love it, but I had an good time with it.
Ridley Scott did an good job as the director. Cinematography wise this film looks fantastic, but there’s some green screen effects that look very distracting. I also wasn’t an fan of the amount of slow-mo. This film overuses it like crazy, and even in some scenes where it isn’t needed.
Orlando Bloom is fine here. I had to get used to him. His acting was a bit iffy at points, but he ultimately does fine. I do remember people saying that Edward Norton was the one playing King Baldwin, and he is really good here. At points it doesn’t even sound like him! Every actor/actress delivered good/great performances.
Even if I watched "The Director’s Cut", which is the 189 minute cut [190 minutes if rounded out] there’s still some issues with it. Events either happen too quickly or too late. There’s also an strange and obvious jump cut later on, which is really peculiar. - DirectorHanro SmitsmanStarsMatthijs van de Sande BakhuyzenGaite JansenRoos NetjesThe haunting search to discover why fifteen-year old Jessie was murdered by her closest friends.Date Watched: Saturday, March. 11, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: Jessie's Story
Best actor: Gaite Jansen
Well… I can already sense this is going to be an hard one to write "short thoughts" for.
I like Hanro Smitsman as an director. Dajo and Raak are both excellent short films, Commando’s and Commando’s: The Mission are great too. This one was really disappointing though.
I don’t mind the actors here, but the line delivery and acting feel off. And the reason for these teens to kill Jessie is very weak to say the very least.
I do fancy Gaite Jansen quite a bit, but this uses her in a weird way. It was hard to see her getting killed, and it did feel wrong to see her breasts because she plays an fifteen year old [she was around 18-20 years old when filming, but the idea makes me sick].
The story structure became a bit old after a while. Raak did it in a more clever way and Dogman did the same story better, but in chronological order.
I should’ve just watched something for my Letterboxd Challenges. - DirectorAdil El ArbiBilall FallahStarsDimitri 'Vegas' ThivaiosPaloma Aguilera ValdebenitoEduardo AlmeidaThe lives of four dealer friends spin out of control when they steal a shipment of cocaine. They trigger a full out war between them, an Amsterdam drug lord and the Colombian cartels.Date Watched: Sunday, March. 12, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [third time watch]
✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: The Amsterdam Massacre
Best actor: Matteo Simoni
After listening to the soundtrack for this film, I felt the need to rewatch this one.
I still really like it this third time around. It was also good to see it on an bigger TV screen now.
Ali B. is a real piece of work, and it is hard to watch him now. But he’s hamming it up so much, his performance really seconds that.
After watching it, I felt like rewatching it again. It is such an fun film! - DirectorJean-Marc ValléeStarsMatthew McConaugheyJennifer GarnerJared LetoIn 1985 Dallas, electrician and hustler Ron Woodroof works around the system to help AIDS patients get the medication they need after he is diagnosed with the disease.Date Watched: Monday, March. 13, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: A "Little" Trip
Best actor: Matthew McConaughey
I am really good with postponing films. I planned to watch this back in 2021, but I never got around to it.
Matthew McConaughey is an excellent actor, and he’s perfectly casted for the main role of Ron Woodroof. This makes me wants to watch more of McConaughey’s filmography this year!
I wasn’t an fan of Sharp Objects, but Jean-Marc Vallée delivered much better work here.
Good stuff! - DirectorRob BrunnerJustin HardingStarsAlana ElmerBowen HardingPeter HigginsonAn obsessive choreographer on a creative retreat with her toddler awakens a fairy corpse with disturbing intentionsDate Watched: Tuesday, March. 14, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
This was a very weird one.
The creature didn’t creep me out, and I don’t like how he(?) gets killed. It is also quite strange to see the woman breastfeeding the creature. And what is up with the flyer of "Latched" having moving dancers?
Peter Higginson was very fun, and one of his lines is pure gold.
The directing is fine. Luckily there are no jump scares. - DirectorJ.J. AbramsStarsChris PineZachary QuintoSimon PeggThe brash James T. Kirk tries to live up to his father's legacy with Mr. Spock keeping him in check as a vengeful Romulan from the future creates black holes to destroy the Federation one planet at a time.Date Watched: Tuesday, March. 14, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: Getting On-Board
Best actor: Karl Urban
Before starting these "short thoughts", I have to admit that Star Trek is a very alien thing to me. I watched the first ten films years ago, and I also tried to watch this years ago, but I turned it off minutes in, because I got annoyed by the lens flares and shaky-cam.
The only reason I watched this was because of an Challenge I joined on Letterboxd. I tried to replace the film with The Wild and Zambezia, but both films didn’t work out [the blu-ray for The Wild is 82 minutes, and the running time is 95 minutes… And as for Zambezia, the blu-ray disc didn’t even work…]. It was either going to be this film [if it didn’t skip], Atlantis: The Lost Empire or DodgeBall: A True Underdog Story.
The blu-ray for this film did work however, so I only need to watch Rise of the Planet of the Apes and War for the Planet of the Apes to finish the Challenge.
This film did not impress me however. A lot of it has to do with J.J. Abrams at the director’s chair. There’s so much lens flair in every frame, and some in places where it shouldn’t even be. And add shaky cam/frantic editing to the mix, and you have me very annoyed.
There’s also some stylish directorial choices I wasn’t fond of, with it having the same colour pallet as Mission: Impossible III, which makes this film very ugly to look at.
I couldn’t care about any of the characters. Kirk is made to be a bit too cocksure, to the point he’s very unlikeable to watch. I don’t believe Spock would be all love-y dove-y with Uhura [from what I remember from my limited knowledge of Star Trek] and I don’t believe the older Spock would meet with his younger self [remember what he said before?].
Maybe I’ll return when I am more informed on Star Trek.Note: Saturday, March. 18, 2023: I got something wrong when talking about that Challenge. I need Rise of the Planet of the Apes and not Dawn of the Planet of the Apes.
- DirectorRupert WyattStarsJames FrancoAndy SerkisFreida PintoA substance designed to help the brain repair itself gives advanced intelligence to a chimpanzee who leads an ape uprising.[Review]
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Date Watched: Wednesday, March. 15, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: Escape from the Ape Shelter
Best actor: Andy Serkis
I have to admit I feel really bad for not watching this sooner. I got the "modern Planet of the Apes trilogy" on blu-ray for my 20th birthday (back in 2019) from an good friend, but I never was interested enough to watch it. I rented this film on DVD (back in 2017) from my local library, but the disc skipped and I wasn’t into the special effects either, so I quit watching it.
I needed this film and War for the Planet of the Apes to finish an Challenge on Letterboxd, so I finally watched it and I really enjoyed this one.
I do still stand by my critique of the special (motion capture) effects, because animatronics in films like Congo and Mighty Joe Young (the 1998 one) show the power of practical effects so well.
What makes the motion capture effects work is the excellent mo-cap and performance by Andy Serkis. Every emotion is delivered so well and the story is a big reason why I loved this film so much.
I grew to be really invested in Caesar’s story. There’s some story beats which are an critique on animal testings, but these plotlines are woven in naturally. And I really liked how they made this film more sympathetic to the apes (as opposed to the human side which was more of an focus in the 1968 original and 2001 remake).
I can’t wait to watch the other two next. - DirectorMatt ReevesStarsGary OldmanKeri RussellAndy SerkisThe fragile peace between apes and humans is threatened as mistrust and betrayal threaten to plunge both tribes into a war for dominance over the Earth.Date Watched: Thursday, March. 16, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: Full Scale Assault
Best actor: Andy Serkis
I was really interested to watch this film after Rise of the Planet of the Apes surprised me.
And this film was even better.
Matt Reeves’ directing is an general improvement over Rupert Wyatt’s directorial effort of Rise of the Planet of the Apes [ Wyatt didn’t do a bad job, but Reeves is an better director]. Reeves is very good at capturing locations and actors/actresses, and there are some drop dead gorgeous shots in this too.
The story is great. It is an slow burn for the first hour or so, but once Koba kills two humans at the armoury, the film becomes this giant action piece.
I can’t wait to watch War for the Planet of the Apes tomorrow! - DirectorMatt ReevesStarsAndy SerkisWoody HarrelsonSteve ZahnAfter the apes suffer unimaginable losses, Caesar wrestles with his darker instincts and begins his own mythic quest to avenge his kind.Date Watched: Friday, March. 17, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: The Escape
Best actor: Andy Serkis
How to even write "short thoughts" for this film? I loved Rise of the Planet of the Apes and Dawn of the Planet of the Apes, but this one was my least favourite out of the "modern Planet of the Apes trilogy", but I still give it four stars and it was a great way to end the trilogy [I’ll go on a rant later in these "short thoughts"].
Matt Reeves is an excellent director. He really knows how to film a pretty (grim) picture, and he gets the best out of the actors/actresses.
Andy Serkis' performance is great, but I notice now that he is a bit too talkative. It was a very powerful scene when Caesar finally said "No!" in Rise of the Planet of the Apes, but here he is talking like a woman on a phone to the other apes.
Bad Ape, like Caesar, also talks like him. The problem with this is that the other apes don’t understand him, while in later scenes they do. It is a bit weird.
The screenplay is a bit too on the nose for my liking. Sure, some of the symbolism and themes of the previous Planet of the Apes are pretty obvious too, but this one is really obnoxious. There’s a scene where Caesar is almost like an Moses figure, the quarantine facilities look like concentration camps, etc. It is just a bit too obvious for my liking.
And yeah, I got a bit tear-y eyed when Caesar died. I was actually curious for more modern Planet of the Apes content until I saw that Caesar’s death. Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes is supposed to have an release next year, but I have no interest in watching it. This "modern Planet of the Apes trilogy" worked so well around the character of Caesar, and what’s the point of even continuing without his character? And oh yeah, Disney is behind the film, so I have no hope for that film, and Wes Ball is the director? I cannot wait to never watch it! - DirectorCharles BarroisStarsJacques TatiHélène PépéeRhumAn amateur actor, hen-packed loser, signs unwittingly a contract to fight against professional wrestler.Date Watched: Saturday, March. 18, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [second time watch]
I decided to finally go through Jacques Tati’s filmography [at least everything on the 4-disc Lumière Classics blu-ray boxset - Jacques Tati: de complete collectie].
I will watch them by release order. I had seen this one [and two of his short films and one feature length one] before (two years ago), but I quit for a very specific reason, because I wanted an better screen to watch films/series. I had an small monitor where I watched most of the films/series on, but I was in dire need to go big.
But enfin, this one is still rather enjoyable. Jacques Tati delivers the comedic moments very well, and most of the jokes still land. I do wonder how he won by other people helping out though? - DirectorNeil JordanStarsStephen ReaJaye DavidsonForest WhitakerA British soldier kidnapped by the IRA soon befriends one of his captors, who then becomes drawn into the soldier's world.Date Watched: Saturday, March. 18, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: The Scorpion and the Frog
Best actor: Stephen Rea
Man, I had high hopes for this one. The IRA is very interesting to me, and this seemed like an very intriguing one to watch.
I however did not enjoy this film.
The first twenty [or so] minutes are fantastic. The relationship [if you can call it that] between Jody and Fergus is what I thought the entirety of the film was going to be. But after Jody got run over by an British armoured personnel carrier and killed, the film takes an nosedive.
I want to refrain from going overtly personal, but I have to do it here. Dil is an man, clear and simple. Fergus can’t seem to make his mind up if he is one or not. And speaking of Dil, he is one of the annoying characters I’ve seen in a while. Jaye Davidson’s performance was really poor too [just as unbelievable to be an woman as Dylan Mulvaney]. Forest Whitaker actually delivers a fine performance, and I didn’t mind his British accent. I’ve seen people bewildered [in an negative way] by his accent, but I didn’t think it was that bad.
Now I can’t get that Boy George cover out of my head. - DirectorDavid CageStarsDavid GantCarl Anthony Payne IIChristian EricksonPlay as the Dark Sorcerer in a world where magic is illegal and goblins and Demons rule the land. From the creator of Indigo Prophecy, Heavy Rain and Beyond Two Souls.Date Watched: Saturday, March. 18, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
After Kara I was curious to watch more of David Cage’s short films [which are more like tech demos, but enfin].
But this was a really disappointing one! It is too long [even for clocking in at a mere twelve minutes], and the idea gets rather lame even early on.
David Gant doesn’t deliver a bad performance [I mean, getting an actor from that calibre is an plus], but he’s bogged down by the story.
I don’t get the story. David Gant appears to play himself on set of an movie [which is generated on the hardware of PlayStation 4], but what’s up with the things that go wrong on the filming set? And having Satan[?] as this flamboyant gay character? What’s up with that? - DirectorJacques BerrStarsRhumJacques TatiTwo friends try to raise money by tricking people into an improvised leisure tour.Date Watched: Sunday, March. 19, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [second time watch]
I am slowly going through Jacques Tati’s filmography, and this another solid one.
There’s some great humour here. I still laugh pretty hard when I see that little girl with that horn (like giving a call to action).
It scored pretty low with people, and I do wonder why. I like this short film a lot, and Jacques Tati is pretty well regarded for classic (French) comedies, so what gives? - DirectorRené ClémentStarsJacques TatiMax MartelLouis RoburA boxer is out in the country with his entourage, training for his next fight. Meanwhile, on the farm nearby, Roger is neglecting his chores. As he watches the boxer and his sparring partners at work, Roger starts to fantasize about being a boxer himself. Then, when none of the boxer's sparring partners can continue, he is asked to fill in, although he doesn't know anything about how to box.Date Watched: Monday, March. 20, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [second time watch]
I have a history with this short film. Back in 2021 I watched it, but watching this in the living room was hard because of my parents and my sister being around.
So, I wanted to rewatch this one.
Out of On demande une brute, Gai dimanche! and this (short) film, this is my least favourite out of the bunch, but the ending made me click with it.
I had some lolz when the postman gets punched (by accent) and rallies against the puncher for the wrong reasons. This is when the humour really worked for me. - DirectorSam RaimiStarsTobey MaguireKirsten DunstWillem DafoeAfter being bitten by a genetically-modified spider, a shy teenager gains spider-like abilities that he uses to fight injustice as a masked superhero and face a vengeful enemy.Date Watched: Monday, March. 20, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [second time watch]
✮✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: The Birth of Green Goblin
Best actor: Willem Dafoe
Okay, confession time. I had only seen this film once before, back in 2016 [or 2017?], when I bought the DVD from my internship.
I began to grow out of superhero flicks at the end of 2017, and since then I’ve only seen a handful of them.
I did buy the blu-ray [along with Spider-Man 2] back in 2017[?], but they collected dust [although the ex of my sister first used the blu-ray last year], but I finally rewatched the film and… It is pretty good!
Sam Raimi’s directing is excellent. He gives it a very comic book-y feel, and his horror background is clearly visible in some sequences.
The CGI isn’t the greatest. Some of the CGI Spider-Man look very weak, but there’s still a lot of practical effect work done here. I also like how most of the final fight between Spider-Man and Green Goblin is done with mostly practical effects.
I remember not being impressed by Tobey Maguire, and I am still not. His Peter Parker is just a bit too much for my liking, but he isn’t that bad as Spider-Man. Willem Dafoe is one of my favourite actors and he’s perfectly cast as Green Goblin / Norman Osborn. And J.K. Simmons idem dito. And Kirsten Dunst was something, I guess? That rain scene was amazingly sexy.
I got goosebumps with the opening titles, Danny Elfman’s musical score really helps with that. - DirectorAram SarkisianStarsMatt KellyThrough the series of letters written to his younger brother Marcus, we get inside the mind of a man (Winston), who slowly falls into his own hell, by his own means.Date Watched: Tuesday, March. 21, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [second time watch]
This was my first rewatch out of the ALTER short films, because I had seen this one back in 2019. I wrote a "little review" on Letterboxd where I called it and I quote: "Solid enough short. Beautiful animation intercut with some bad moments of editing." I however do think I was completely in the wrong then.
What was I thinking!?! Bad editing? The editing is great, constantly making you wonder if Winston lost it or not. Matt Kelly’s voice work also works wonders.
The animation is also gorgeous. I love the art style and colour usage. The directing also is very dynamic. There’s a sort of tracking shot and this looks amazing!
I don’t think I really get the ending, but I believe Winston was picked up by an bird, as shown by the blood trail stopping halfway.
My second favourite of the ALTER short films so far. Abe [or ABE] is still my favourite one, but by an small margin. - DirectorSam RaimiStarsTobey MaguireKirsten DunstAlfred MolinaPeter Parker is beset with troubles in his failing personal life as he battles a former brilliant scientist named Otto Octavius.Date Watched: Tuesday, March. 21, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [third time watch]
[Theatrical Cut]
✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: At the Hospital
Best actor: Alfred Molina
I finally decided to rewatch this one! Like the first film, I bought the DVD back in 2016(?) from my internship and I’ve seen it twice [once on my own and one time during an Birthday party in 2016 or 2017?].
I liked this film a lot, and I finally understand the superhero hype again, but I still have some issues.
And before starting my full "short thoughts", I have to mention I watched the "Theatrical Cut". I will watch the "Extended Cut" later this year.
Sam Raimi’s directing is definitely improved over the first one [but I’m not saying the first one is badly directed]. There’s some nice moments where Raimi in fully in his horror roots again, but there’s a bit too much CGI in the third act.
There’s a lot of CGI in the third act, and it becomes a bit much. Where the first film has a lot of practical stuff in the third act, this one overdoes it. When Kirsten Dunst’s Mary Jane Watson is grabbed by Doc Ock, there are some wonky effects.
Tobey Maguire still doesn’t impress me as Peter Parker, but like the first film, he’s a fine Spider-Man. And am I the only one who thinks Kirsten Dunst looks younger here than she did in the first one? Alfred Molina delivered such an great performance.
I wasn’t too fuzzed about Harry Osborn’s hereditary trip to become the "new Green Goblin". I don’t really get how and why he has Green Goblin / Norman Osborn’s voice in his head.
The comedic tone is definitely a bit much. There’s the "Raindrops Keep Falling on My Head" sequence, the many posters of one Mary Jane Watson, the Violinist playing and singing the 60s Spider-Man theme, etc. The plotline of Peter Parker losing his powers as Spider-Man, didn’t make much sense either. He loses his powers due to social pressure weighing him down, but he regains his powers by going after Mary Jane Watson to save her. The film sets up that Spider-Man / Peter Parker needs to learn to not always get what he wants himself, but to live the life of an superhero, but he regains his powers by going after what he wants, which is against his own point [although I get he has to save her from Doc Ock].
Even with the qualms I have with the script, I still love the film. - DirectorMamoru HosodaStarsAoi MiyazakiTakao OsawaHaru KurokiAfter her werewolf lover unexpectedly dies in an accident while hunting for food for their children, a young woman must find ways to raise the werewolf son and daughter that she had with him while keeping their trait hidden from society.Date Watched: Thursday, March. 23, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: Winter
Best actor: Aoi Miyazaki, I guess?
I’ve avoided this film like the plague. Some people I know [in real life and some on the internet too] who watch a lot of anime and have gone insane. I’m not saying anime is the inherent cause of this, but it makes me want to avoid it like crazy.
However, I decided to bite the bullet and watch this one because it had such raving reviews. But after watching it, I can safely call it the "Twilight, but with werewolves".
Twilight romanticized vampires until they were no longer scary, and this film does the same thing for werewolves. Werewolves should always have some sort of body horror involved, but here the film is best suited for furries. The scene before Hana and Ôkami otoko have sex is immensely creepy.
This film is also very emotionally manipulative. There’s the constant crying for one. But also there is the need to make Yuki hide with that one boy, and telling him what work they are going to do. Why talk about work and not going back to home? Why is the water level so high at the school, while in the forest it looks like normal rainfall? And when Hana curses out Ôkami otoko’s picture, I began getting really annoyed by the film. It is not like he kept his werewolf secret an secret and she slept with him, so have some respect [I know that Ôkami otoko died, but the cause is unknown]!
There’s some excellent animation + directing by Mamoru Hosoda, but the story drags too much.
The blu-ray I rented from my local library wasn’t the worst, but some of the Dutch translation was rushed. And apparently, that short shot of the nipple was removed in the English dub, but the version I watched [the Japanese dub] has that shot intact.
I don’t hate anime, but like I mentioned before, I don’t want to go insane. So, I probably won’t watch anymore anime for some time. - DirectorChad StahelskiStarsKeanu ReevesLaurence FishburneGeorge GeorgiouJohn Wick uncovers a path to defeating The High Table. But before he can earn his freedom, Wick must face off against a new enemy with powerful alliances across the globe and forces that turn old friends into foes.[Review]
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Date Watched: Friday, March. 24, 2023 | How I Watched: Pathé Zwolle [first time watch]
✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: The Apartment
Best actor: Donnie Yen
I was ready to watch in theatres, but when I saw that the running time was a total of 169 minutes, I got a bit scared. Was this going to be a giant bore?
I decided to go see it anyways, because I have a few days before the end of my vacation(*).
This film made my jaw drop to the floor. Even hours after watching it I was still left overwhelmed by it.
Let’s start with the giant running time. I did not need to be scared after all. The action sequences are very long, choreographed brilliantly, and all shot marvellously. I actually didn’t feel the running time either way. Very impressive.
I knew at the back off my mind they were probably going to kill John Wick, and I was right. I don’t mind how they did it here, I did have some issues with the "video game logic" presented here. John Wick survives hundreds of baddies, jumps out of a window (which is several stories high), and even survives a shotgun shell to his bullet proof jacket. When he died, the examples were at the back of my mind. I know this film isn’t realistic in the slightest, but this is still something that bothered me.
I wasn’t expecting that Charon was going to die. It is quite sad that Lance Reddick passed away one week ago, and it does add some extra sadness to the picture.
Bill Skarsgård is probably one of the weaker villains in the John Wick franchise. His character is fine, but I expected John Wick to shoot him dead with that one bullet before the film showed it. Also having him speak that really funky French accent was hilarious. And the same can be said for Scott Adkins’ German accent.
I did not catch the post credits sequence, and I’m kicking myself for not sitting through the end credits to see it. I’ve read what was done though.
(*) = After the film was over, I found out I have one more week of vacation, but it was because of an dumb reason, so that was annoying. - DirectorIan KirbyStarsLeonardo DiCaprioJoseph Gordon-LevittLukas HaasThis Inception prequel unfolds courtesy of a beautiful Motion Comic, and explains how Cobb, Arthur and Nash were enlisted by Cobol Engineering. Diehard fans of the film will be especially interested in this one.Date Watched: Saturday, March. 25, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [second time watch]
I can't use Microsoft Word anymore, so this is the reason why I am so late with these "short thoughts" [and my laziness also kicked in - which was an byproduct of having so much time to watch whatever I wanted].
But enfin, I was watching Inception, and I stopped watching that one to watch this prequel first.
My issues with this short film still remain. The animation [this is an Motion Comic] isn't my cup of tea.
It does set up things nicefully before the events of Inception. - DirectorChristopher NolanStarsLeonardo DiCaprioJoseph Gordon-LevittElliot PageA thief who steals corporate secrets through the use of dream-sharing technology is given the inverse task of planting an idea into the mind of a C.E.O., but his tragic past may doom the project and his team to disaster.Date Watched: Saturday, March. 25, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [third time watch]
✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: The Hallway Fight
Best actor: Leonardo DiCaprio
I felt in the mood to rewatch this one (again).
Last year I finally rewatched Inception and I did really like it, but I had some issues with it. I was curious if the film would grow even more on me with this third watch.
I was alone at home, so I could just crack up the sound to eleven now.
I still have the same issues with the film, but it is still an great film.
When Robert Fischer sees Maurice Fischer on his deathbed, this should be an really emotional moment, but alas it ain't. Pete Postlethwaite and Cillian Murphy are both excellent actors, but the emotions are not there. I still don't care for Cobb and how he made his wife go insane. I am not fond of that part of the story. - DirectorMike van DiemStarsWillem NijholtMaeve van der SteenCoen van Vrijberghe de ConinghA slaughterhouse worker appears to be romantically involved with his boss's wife. They plan to leave the country together, but at the airport she waits for him in vain. Slowly but surely the three of them get entangled in a fateful web of betrayal, jealousy, and revenge.Date Watched: Sunday, March. 26, 2023 | How I Watched: Eye Film Player on TV [casted from phone to TV] [first time watch]
I was curious to watch this when I saw an Letterboxd review saying it was on the Eye Film Player. They have some free stuff on there, and I do use it at points. The downside of them though is that most of their stuff is changed to 25FPS, yet J'accuse [the 1919 one] and this one are the right running time.
When I saw that Willem Nijholt and Coen van Vrijberghe de Coningh were in this film, I knew I had to see this one soon. And I'm rewatching the season two of Penoza, so watching more of Willem Nijholt's work isn't an bad thing.
At first I wasn't sure of this film and if I would like it, but I really appreciate how the film uses an non-linear storytelling technique, without explaining the time. It remains me of how Submarino uses that technique, and that's a good thing.
The film got under my skin. Willem Nijholt's Man makes Mario freeze to death. I had my doubts at first of this being a bit too cold-hearted [sorry for the pun], but I get the point of Mario sucking up to his wife, and this was the perfect unpunished crime.
But I have some questions though. Did Man (the character of Willem Nijholt is called "Man") chop up Mario? If so, the scene where Vrouw (Maeve van der Steen) feeds the dogs with meat from the factory is insanely screwed up.
I was suprised to see that Coen van Vrijberghe de Coningh not only starred in this, he also composed the soundtrack. His musical score wasn't the greatest though... When watching I didn't understand why Coen van Vrijberghe de Coningh was speaking in another language, but after an while I understood he's not playing an Dutch character here.
I was so creeped out by this film, only for the doorbell to ring. Little did I know that there are was only one minute left. Thanks sis! - DirectorRoko BelicStarsJoseph Gordon-LevittWilliam C. DementJayne GackenbachCan the dream world be a fully functional parallel reality? Joseph Gordon-Levitt and leading scientists take you to the cutting edge of dream research in this documentary produced for Christopher Nolan's Inception.Date Watched: Sunday, March. 26, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
Due to time limitations last year I wasn't able to watch the extras on the Inception 2-disc blu-ray, but I decided to watch them now while the film is still on my mind.
I almost turned this off, but I felt like finishing it, only to up my watched total of 2023. Silly me.
I expected this to be an documentary on Inception, but it really isn't. This documentary is about scientists talking about their dream research. This honestly bored me to tears.
The visuals do explain a lot, but they look really childish. That woman (in the dream sequences) next to Joseph Gordon-Levitt though, she is really cute.
I should've just watched Inception: Jump Right Into the Action, which is the making-of Inception. - DirectorJames CameronStarsSam WorthingtonZoe SaldanaSigourney WeaverA paraplegic Marine dispatched to the moon Pandora on a unique mission becomes torn between following his orders and protecting the world he feels is his home.Date Watched: Monday, March. 27, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: The Siege at Pandora
Best actor: Stephen Lang
I have to admit I had tried to watch this years ago, but I wasn't focusing on it.
There was an (bare bones) re-release of the blu-ray last year and I decided to rent it from my local library, but two things held it back to watch it. First off, the running time seemed off [like Disney (who re-released the film on DVD/blu-ray) removed things] and I was never in the mood to watch it.
I did some research and I found out the re-release blu-ray disc was the normal blu-ray from years ago and I re-rented the re-release blu-ray.
As for the film, it is painfully mid.
James Cameron is an director who's early filmography is fantastic. Take his films like The Terminator, Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Aliens, The Abyss and True Lies are all fantastic, but he lost me with Titanic. I hated that film and I couldn't wait until it was over.
This film is very frustating. James Cameron directs the entire thing very well, but the overusage of CGI is really noticeable. 95% of the film is behind an green screen! The visuals do really pop on my television and the blu-ray transfer [a.k.a. the picture quality] really works wonders [safe for those terrible CGI fire effects], but leave the pretty effects out of the conversation and you're left with an very bland film.
Jake Sully is an very weak leading man, which is not that suprising that Sam Worthington isn't that much of an leading man himself. The themes also are very forced into this. Themes of nature and the destruction that men does to it. The human characters are a bit too much like cartoon characters [too one dimensional] for my liking. Even the mineral the humans are after is called "Unobtanium", which is so on the nose that I groaned at my television.
I have heard Avatar: The Way of Water is an upgrade over this film, so I might watch it??? However, James Cameron should return to his roots. - DirectorJoe RussoStarsJessica MorrisKurt KubicekCaige CoulterAn unstable husband forces his family to celebrate a macabre and deadly Christmas.Date Watched: Tuesday, March. 28, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
And I'm back on my weekly ALTER short film watch.
This had some potential, but it is squandered by the screenplay and the acting.
The film picked up the wrong way. When we first see David it is like I'm watching an bad Christmas rom-com [one of those terrible Hallmark Christmas films], where the only difference is that the adults are on the verge of an mental breakdown. And after watching it downed on me the makers of this short film took the term "Nuclear Family" way too seriously. Speaking of the "Nuclear Family", what's up with the Nuclear stuff that is being dropped?
Jessica Morris and Kurt Kubicek deliver terrible performances, but Caige Coulter and Kue Lawrence are fine, but limited by the screenplay. - StarsLeonardo DiCaprioJoseph Gordon-LevittChristopher NolanJoin filmmaker Christopher Nolan and his cast and crew as they reveal the secrets of Inception, its development, characters, performances, story and jaw-dropping special effects in this solid 14-segments piece.Date Watched: Tuesday, March. 28, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
I mentioned in my "short thoughts" for Dreams: Cinema of the Subconscious that I should've just watched this documentary instead, but I'm glad I finally did watch it now.
After my first time watch of Inception [back in 2014?], I remember watching some of this documentary, but I hadn't seen it completely [I believe?].
This is an excellent documentary. Looking at the World in a New Way: The Making of Tenet still remains a bit better because it goes into every detail of filmmaking, musical score, costuming, etc. in its 75 minute running time, but that's not to discredit this one.
There are two options to watch this documentary. The first being to watch the film and the extras in-between the film [which makes that viewing 3+ hours long!], or watch the different fragments of the documentary. I chose the latter option.
Because of this I do have some issues regarding the way the fragments are stitched together. The best way to describe it is like a faulty disc. Some scenes are used before the different fragments of the documentary appear, so I was constantly checking the running time in case the documentary skipped a few seconds/minutes, which luckily didn't happen.
Lots of stuff is discussed. Things like the practial/visual effects, musical score [if rather brief], location scouting, etc.
Despite my issues with the stitch-y nature of the editing, the documentary is superb. - DirectorWilliam PrinceStarsFrancesca ParkerLucy HirdDaniel LeachAt the end of a long day, five children fill in the remaining hours of sunlight before they return home. Bored, and looking for a new playground, they enter an imposing, decaying building that has been abandoned for years. A warning to visitors the children should have noticed. Using classic horror motifs and contemporary characters, CLICK discovers why we are afraid of the dark. A discovery that the children make in possibly the last building they will ever enter.Date Watched: Thursday, March. 30, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
I haven't really been able to connect with the DUST short films, but this one really clicked with me [sorry for the pun].
One of the reasons I really began to like it is that the cinematography feels a bit more focused than the other DUST short films so far. And the story grabbed me as well.
Out of the things I've seen of DUST so far, this was most akin to a horror film and I would probably not even place under the Science Fiction banner either. An evil lamp would be silly concept, but the directing, editing, etc. really made this work. I've seen some reviewer call the characters not that likeable, but I don't mind this too much. They're not one dimensional either and I did feel tension when they disappear one by one. It is also great to not have any jump scares here.
Hopefully short films like this are more common for future DUST watches, and not short films that are more like tech demos (f.e. Ana, xVoid). - DirectorTodd FieldStarsCate BlanchettNoémie MerlantNina HossSet in the international world of Western classical music, the film centers on Lydia Tár, widely considered one of the greatest living composer-conductors and the very first female director of a major German orchestra.Date Watched: Thursday, March. 30, 2023 | How I Watched: Pathé Zwolle [first time watch]
✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: Lecture
Best actor: Cate Blanchett
I had plans to see this one months back, but there was one big problem. It was only shown on Mondays, which makes me have to choose for either practicing Judo or going to the cinema, so I chose the first option.
When looking at my schedule, I wanted to watch something at the theatre, and I saw this was making another round at the cinemas in my hometown, so I booked my tickets.
And I'm glad I did.
At first I didn't think I was going to like this one very much. The dialogue kept on going for far too long, but it began to click with me during the Lecture scene. I hate progressive dialogue being used in films, but this uses it wisely. One of the students is crying victim points, but I like how Lydia Tár is the most sane person in the room.
Speaking of Lydia Tár, her character is really interesting. Not only did Cate Blanchett deliver in spades with her performance [finally an good German accent!], I like that her character isn't the most respectable one. She lies and abuses her power/status before it all crashes down.
The film also goes into #MeToo with Lydia Tár's words inside of the Lecture class being montaged to make her seem guilty of being an racist and such. Tár makes an decent point that the footage is shot in different angles [how are some of those angles even possible?] and edited to frame her.
I do have some issues with the film. It is a bit pretentious after all. The opening credits really confused me. It is like an end credits crawl, only this time it is at the start of the film and the end credits are normal though. Why wasn't the opening credits crawl an part of the end credits crawl?
Lydia Tár is an great character and her switch to lose everything is good and all, but the scene where we first see her losing grasp is utterly ridiculous. It has her shouting theatrically and it was no wonder why the other people in the theatre were laughed at her, and not with her. And I don't know what's up with the final scene. She composes music for an audience of cosplayers??? I don't get it?
Some of the scenes could've been cut down a bit or removed in its entirety. There's a scene where Lydia Tár hears screams coming from the woods, and it is never brought up again. The interview sequence could be shorterend up a bit too. Some scenes are just pading a bit too much.
I will probably never rewatch it though, even if I liked it. - DirectorNikolaj ArcelStarsAlicia VikanderMads MikkelsenMikkel Boe FølsgaardA young queen, who is married to an insane king, falls secretly in love with her physician - and together they start a revolution that changes a nation forever.Date Watched: Friday, March. 31, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: The Execution
Best actor: Mads Mikkelsen
I have to be honest and say that this film was only on my watchlist because Mads Mikkelsen plays one of the main characters. I don't really care for period dramas or Danish films [the only ones I've liked so far were from Thomas Vinterberg], but this film floored me. What grabbed me from the beginning was the cinematography and the musical score.
Alicia Vikander also suprised me. She was the wrong gal to play Lara Croft, but she's better in this like this. Mads Mikkelsen shows one again why he's so well regarded as an actor. Mikkel Boe Følsgaard on the other hand is terrible from the first frame he's in. He overacts and he's the weak chain in an great cast. I don't know if Følsgaard was asked to ham it up like this, but it got tiring after an while.
I was so engrossed into the film that it really annoyed me that my sister was making noise downstairs. I had to eat dinner before finishing the film, but I was more tired while watching the last twenty (or so) minutes. It did affect my enjoyment a bit too.
This is now my third favourite first time watch of the year (so far). - DirectorLourens BlokStarsManuel BroekmanTim MurckHanna VerboomFreshmen, seniors and alumni clash with each other, themselves, and the police during an Amsterdam fraternity's epic opening party.[My April Fools Review]
-------------------------------------------------------
Date Watched: Saturday, April. 1, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [third time watch]
✮✮½/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: Motto of Life
Best actor: Marcel Musters
I only rewatched this with the purpose of making an Letterboxd joke review [because it was April Fools] and I wanted to experiment with linking.
But I am actually kinda glad I rewatched it. On my first viewing I liked this film, the second watch made me hate the film, but with this third viewing I am split on the film now.
Season three of Feuten was a great way to end the series. Bram Wagtmans' bond with Olivier de Ruyter and Marie-Claire de Ruyter is stronger than ever, but this film destroys that entire ending.
Bram Wagtmans is now married to Marie-Claire de Ruyter and their relationship is going terrible. Not to mention that the new characters of Elias de Leeuw and Lieve are terrible additions to the franchise.
Some of the comedic moments actually made me laugh a bit too. It is such low hanging fruit to call the Police Nazis, but in context of Olivier de Ruyter saying it, it makes perfect sense. I also good a good laugh at seeing Noordzij (without an shirt on) kicking an police officer more equipped than he is. Or when Elias de Leeuw slaps Remco like an girl.
The weakest part of the film is the fact it opens itself up to more seasons/films of Feuten, which to this day has not yet happened. Elias de Leeuw now is an part of the group, but his change of heart feels unearned.
I am rewatching season two of Penoza, so I was fun to see Marcel Musters and Tom Jansen appear in both in this and that series. - DirectorGore VerbinskiStarsJohnny DeppIsla FisherTimothy OlyphantRango is an ordinary chameleon who accidentally winds up in the town of Dirt, a lawless outpost in the Wild West in desperate need of a new sheriff.Date Watched: Saturday, April. 1, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
[Theatrical Cut]
✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: Rango vs. Hawk
Best actor: Johnny Depp
And here's annother example of why I am possibly the biggest postponer in the world.
I've seen the trailer and I believe I've seen some scenes, but I don't believe I've seen the film in its entirety [I believe?]
This is great stuff.
Johnny Depp's voice work is perfect for roles like this, but he is also nicely supported by Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin, Ned Beatty, Alfred Molina, Bill Nighy, Harry Dean Stanton, Timothy Olyphant and Ray Winstone.
There's some weak stuff. It is never made clear how he and Rattlesnake Jake are related. Rattlesnake Jake even mentions it later on, but I don't know if the breeding joke is an reality [I don't want to imagine that]? The themes of nature vs. construction didn't feel too forced luckily enough, but I don't really get the Western setting. The Mayor is building new builidings post-Western era, but the other side is modern Nevada, Los Angeles. Why is the one so advanced, while the town of Dirt seems to stem from ages ago?
This film is also pretty ball-sy at points, especially with Nickelodeon (Movies) being one of the producers. There's a lot of gun battling, mild swearing (f.e. "Sign the damn paper woman!" and "Go to hell!!!"). This makes the film more interesting to people like me.
At first I rated this 4½ out of 5 stars, but I did change it because of the issues I mentioned before.
Oh, and this will probably be the last film I watch before I start with my new job. Wish me luck! - DirectorIzzy LeeStarsBrea GrantSteve JohansonAdam Egypt MortimerChristmas is coming. If that's not stressful enough, Lily (Brea Grant) has to contend with a clueless partner (Adam Egypt Mortimer) and an unexpected, inter-dimensional holiday guest who just wants two things -- blood and cuddles.Date Watched: Tuesday, April. 4, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
I had a long day at work and when I found to watch this short film and finished it, it feels like I lost braincells while watching it.
This was absolute garbage.
Izzy Lee delivered such low effort terms of directing. Every frame looks cheap. The outside view at night looks even worse, like an cheap set with ugly CGI mist. The effects on the monster aren't bad [safe for his CGI breath?], but it is the only good thing out of this entire short film.
The acting is some of the worst I've seen in quite some time. Brea Grant has been in some films, but she's horrible here and the same can be said for Steve Johanson and Adam Egypt Mortimer.
The Monster apparently wants Lily's blood and then he will leave her alone. But cut to the next scene (which is one week later) he's together with her, with the only difference being that she now sees Adam Egypt Mortimer's character outside instead of the Monster. What am I supposed to think about this???
My second least favourite of the ALTER short films. - DirectorMasashi KawamuraDate Watched: Wednesday, April. 5, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
Yesterday, I found out about HIDARI (Pilot Film) on Letterboxd, and I decided to watch this and that one afterwards.
This short film was very charming. I am very fond of stop motion animation and Masashi Kawamura's directing is superb. The animation is very fluid and I like how they show Ochibi and him going through the four seasons.
I am very interested in watching HIDARI (Pilot Film) now. - DirectorKristian LevringStarsMads MikkelsenEva GreenJeffrey Dean MorganIn 1870s America, the fury of a notorious gang leader is unleashed when a peaceful American settler avenges the death of his family. Then as his cowardly fellow townspeople betray him, he is forced to hunt down the outlaws alone.Date Watched: Wednesday, April. 5, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮
Favourite scene: Stagecoach
Best actor: Mads Mikkelsen
After my first two days of work I had a day-off, and I decided to watch this one.
The only things I knew about the film was that Mads Mikkelsen and Eva Green stars in it, and that it is an Western. So, I went into this film blindfolded.
But because I am not a fan of Westerns I postponed watching this, only to see I had to return the blu-ray to the library within a few days, so I watched it and...
This was a real disappointment!
I'm split on the directing. There's some natutal lightning during night time sequences, or the yellow tint of the landscape at day time, but I wasn't an fan of neither. The night time sequences look a bit too dark for my liking, and the yellow tint get a bit old after a while. The action isn't directing badly, but it looks a bit cheap as well. And some of the framing and directorial choices felt a bit too artsy-fartsy for my liking.
One of the things that annoyed me most was the screenplay. It starts off strong though. Jon Jensen losing his wife and son by some recently released crooks made me care for him from the start. But then the film takes a nosedive off a cliff. Apprently Saloon have stores? Why is Eva Green's character an Princess? This isn't an fairy tale! How is a gang of crooks able to kill some off the people of a village when the authority is watching along? And I especially hating seeing Mayor Nathan Keane be working together with Henry Delarue. It just comes out of left field and I would've been fine with him not being that.
This is probably a one-time watch. - DirectorJaume Collet-SerraStarsVera FarmigaPeter SarsgaardIsabelle FuhrmanA husband and wife who recently lost their baby adopt a 9-year-old girl who is not nearly as innocent as she appears.Date Watched: Sunday, April. 9, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: A Bird and A Stone
Best actor: Isabelle Fuhrman
This was a film I was looking forward to watching, but I never got around to it until now.
It started off a bit weak, but once it gets going, it became one of the most tense films I've seen in a while.
The directing most definitely caught my eye from the start. There's some nice directorial choices here. There are several jump scares in the first act that should've been cut out, but the second and third act luckily don't go into jump scare terrority.
Every actor/actress does well, but Isabelle Fuhrman is the definitive stand-out. She did a superb job.
I didn't know what the plot twist was going to be. I thought it was going to be that Esther has a evil twin, because I thought the poster was implying that. But I like the plot twist they went with. The hypopituitarism/deranged twist was more refreshing than a possession plot. The film also makes more sense for Leena Klammer [her real name] to know about sex, and such.
I am not curious for Orphan: First Kill. - DirectorJosh OreckStarsJaume Collet-SerraPeter SarsgaardVera FarmigaDate Watched: Sunday, April. 9, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
I really enjoyed Orphan, so I was curious to watch more some kind of making-of about this film.
This isn't that good of an documentary, and a large portion of that is due to it not really being about Orphan, but more about the history of the evil children horror genre. While I didn't know every aspect of that genre, this should've been focused more on the beforementioned film, but that's just me. - DirectorJacques TatiStarsJacques TatiPaul DemangeSchool for Postmen" is a 1947 short film directed and starring Jacques Tati, playing a French postman adamant to prove he can be just as fast as American postmen at delivering mail.Date Watched: Monday, April. 10, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [second time watch]
I knew I had to rewatch this before rewatching Jour de fête, so I did.
Jacques Tati is too good at playing these goofy characters, it is insane. Not to mention he also directed and wrote the thing.
This one is really charming. - DirectorJacques TatiStarsJacques TatiGuy DecomblePaul FrankeurA village postman with no sense of humour delivers his mail via bicycle on the day the travelling fair comes to town. He is disrupted by a short film about US speed and efficiency and the playful teasing of the village folk.Date Watched: Monday, April. 10, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [second time watch]
[Original Cut]
✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: The "American Way"
Best actor: Jacques Tati
I decided to finally rewatch this one and I'm glad I did, but I saw more flaws with it.
But let's start at the beginning. Jacques Tati delivers a good performance, and so does the rest of the cast.
While I like most of the characters, most of the side characters are not that important to the overall story. And they introduced one to many for my liking. The character of La commère could be cut out and it wouldn't make much of an difference.
I don't mind the changes they made from L'école des facteurs. This is more of an critique on American culture (in this case the American postal service) and the main character caving to the pressure of expectations and letdowns.
The blu-ray I watched has the excellent picture quality for an film from the 1940s. There are three versions of this film, and I watched the original cut (which is 86 minutes long - 87 minutes if rounded out). The B&W looks fantastic. - DirectorVivian LinStarsRobin CarelessJohn CiancioloHannah LeberA horror morality tale about the custodian of an electric chair and its last casualty. Inspired by the recent reinstatement of the electric chair in Tennessee.Date Watched: Tuesday, April. 11, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
Frankly, I was suprised by this short film on the ALTER YouTube Channel. It has all the makings of an disaster, but it worked so well that it became of my favourite ALTER short films.
I know the story is an critique on the electric chair as a form of an death penalty. As an non-American I am not against this type of death penalty. However, I still like the story that is presented here. A "wrongfully accused" man gets the death penalty with the electric chair, and begins haunting (it is not explains how he came back from the dead) the janitor that was there watching the ordeal. And there are no jump scares, so that's a big bonus in my book!
I did have some issues with the cinematography. I've never been big on digital photography and this is one of the prime examples. One of the characters looks like an animated CGI character. Go back to filming on film, guys and gals! - DirectorDavid GrifhorstStarsDragan BakemaAnnette BarloEmma DeckersDate Watched: Wednesday, April. 12, 2023 | How I Watched: recorded off Nederland 1 and watched via TV [first time watch]
I was ready to watch this one, but sleep/work related issues made me postpone this one.
So almost one week later (six days later) I finally decided to watch it.
This was decent. Granted, if you've seen one version of The Passion, you've seen them all.
One of the first things I noticed was the digital photography. I can't stand digital photography for the most part. There are some nice drone shots, but that's it [some motion blur during one scene with an drone shot too].
Sinan Eroglu was terrible. He flubbed his lines quite frequently and the same can be said for Ferdi Stofmeel [although not with his lines]. Buddy Vedder surprised me and Marlijn Weerdenburg is really good. Nhung Dam was only added to show her as Pilatus' wife and she might as well be cut altogether because she didn't add much. Louisa Janssen was an terrible addition as Barnabas. Why is she playing an male character? The crowd is even calling "her" a "him"!
I'm actually laughing out quite hard that this was added to IMDb because I am running behind on watching films [work has taken my time], so this is nice to add. - DirectorKate PhillipsStarsBryan AtkinsSofia Leal De La RosaGare BrundigeThe Man wanders a barren purgatory, seeking those he lost.Date Watched: Thursday, April. 13, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
I almost forgot to watch this, and was almost too tired to even sit down and watch it.
Where to even begin with this short film???
I didn't completely hate it, but it is very flawed too.
All the actors delivered good to great performances, the directing is fine [This also boosts some annoying European Editing], but the problem lies with its screenplay.
What is even the point of this story? Well, I get the main plot, but it is very unclear why The Woman and The Kid left The Man. Why are The Woman and The Kid not the real ones when The Man finds them at the park?
I was left confused as to why this was uploaded on the DUST YouTube channel because this isn't an Science Fiction short film.
Also, my goodness, the rating is quite low! It isn't bad as the rating says it is. - DirectorDana NechushtanStarsAnoukAnneke BlokIgone de JonghInspired by the melancholy tracks on Anouks album: "Sad Singalong Songs" Dana Nechushtan developed four shorts films, all connected by a single theme, yet each telling it's own dramatic story. 'Sad Singalongs' is a visual unity of four titles, each echoing the strong emotions and dramatic expressions of Anouks compositions. In 'Pretending' we discover how a soon-to-be groom travels back in time, exposing his affairs. 'The Good Life' tells the story of a young man making a gruesome discovery about himself. In 'Kill' a wife and mother is making a painful sacrifice by hiding the truth, while 'Birds' is a primaballerina's dark fairy-tail.Note: Originally I had some issues putting my thoughts in a readable form, so this is why they're up so late. My work/social life has massively busy too, so my "short thoughts" will be up a bit later.
I felt in the mood to rewatch these four short films. Back in 2020 I watched them for the first time after wanting to see more of Dana Nechushtan's filmography [which was more of an half-baked attempt, but I digress].
I had some issues with finding the right viewing order, which isn't that clear to begin with. So I decided to watch them in this exact order: 'Birds', 'Kill', 'The Good Life' and 'Pretending As Always'. All the four short films/segments connect to one another in some way or form.
So I will make an review for every short film/segment below here.
Segment: 'Birds'
Date Watched: Friday, April. 14, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [second time watch]
I do still remember this short film/segment like it is yesterday. It is a solid one.
My issue solely lies with its premise. I'm not into the ballet scene, so it is a bit harder to get invested in the life and death of one ballet dancer. I get that the themes of acceptance and life are explored here, but I didn't care much about the story here.
Some of the CGI effects are a bit iffy. The CGI birds look way off, but I like that they didn't show the suicide dive of that ballerina, only the aftermath [which isn't (that) bloody though].
Monic Hendrickx has a small supporting role here as the piano player. I thought her acting was fine, but I didn't buy the other ballerinas and the piano player not being utterly shocked by the suicide one of them commited.
Segment: 'Kill'
Date Watched: Friday, April. 14, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [second time watch]
This is another solid one.
We have the connections of Monic Hendrickx appearing again (although a different character?), birds soaring in the sky, and connections to the forthcoming short films like the men in bunny suits, and the police officers.
I like the morality here. A woman choses not to kill her cheating husband and decides to go on living with him.
It is very funny to see Raymond Thiry getting it on with Anouk. She is the singer of these short films, so that's funny. And the police officers have the Decepticon [Transformers] logo on their outfits, which is so strange!
Segment: 'The Good Life'
Date Watched: Friday, April. 14, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [second time watch]
This is one that's a bit more different on my second viewing.
Because I've seen it before, I knew Martijn Lakemeier's character was a goner and I started paying more attention to how the filmmakers made subtle hints towards that.
The main connecting thing were the police officers (played by Raymond Thiry and Anouk - both play the same role as they did in 'Kill'). It was weird to see Anneke Blok again play the mother of Martijn Lakemeier [years after one of my favourite films in Oorlogswinter].
Segment: 'Pretending As Always'
Date Watched: Friday, April. 14, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [second time watch]
And I'm rounding things out with this one.
What I really like is how the footage is played backwards, slowly revealing that several men in bunny suits terrorize the streets of Amsterdam. One of them cheats on a pregnant young woman (who is played by the amazingly cute Hannah Hoekstra) and sleeps with a prostitute. - DirectorEric GoldbergWalt Disney's Oswald the Lucky Rabbit returns in his first traditionally animated short in 95 years, created for Disney's 100th anniversary.Date Watched: Saturday, April. 15, 2023 | How I Watched: YouTube on TV [first time watch]
I found out about this short film hours before I watched it. One of my followers on Letterboxd watched it and I began searching it out. To my surprise it is on YouTube!
This was very solid!
I do miss hand drawn animation and this was a step in the right direction, although this short film isn't that popular and probably won't turn any heads [when seeing the slate Disney is releasing this year/the next few years - their stuff looks like dog crap].
Lol, I have spoilers for a 1-minute short film, but I like the way Oswald gets into the cinema screen to kiss that gal.
It should've been longer, but this was fine enough. I would be more interested in more stuff like this. - DirectorStéphane GoudetStarsJacques TatiSophie TatischeffFrançois EdeDocumentary by Stéphane Goudet in which he analyzes "Jour de Fête" by Jacques Tati.Date Watched: Saturday, April. 15, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [first time watch]
I was curious for this documentary after rewatching Jour de fête.
Because I had to return the blu-ray back to the library within a few weeks, I decided to run through the making-ofs and films a bit faster.
This was solid. While it is a bit too long for my liking [a rare thing I would say for a making-of documentary], I did enjoy it.
What is most impressive is the behind-the-scenes footage. This film is from the 1940s and yet that footage was found.
I must admit that some of the jokes, themes and such went over my head when watching Jour de fête twice. Things like the circle motif in various things, different jokes, etc.
It felt weird weird seeing Jour de fête in colour because I'm so used to the original cut (which is in B&W).
This documentary also talks about the other films directed/starring by Jacques Tati, and Stéphane Goudet did a good job as the director and narrator.
Some of the talking points can become a bit too repetitive and this is probably why it should've been a bit shorter. - DirectorJesse V. JohnsonStarsScott AdkinsRay StevensonDavid PaymerMike is a tough hitman, who makes his hits look like accidents or suicide. He's in a gang of hitmen, each with his own style. When his loved ex is killed, Mike looks for those responsible.Date Watched: Sunday, April. 16, 2023 | How I Watched: blu-ray on PlayStation 3 [third time watch]
✮✮✮✮/✮✮✮✮✮ | ♛
Favourite scene: A Scene of Crime
Best actor: Ray Stevenson
This was a last minute watch. Originally I was watching Defiance, but the disc skipped after the first two and a half minutes!
So I decided to watch this blu-ray from my collection [which was sealed for years] as a replacement for this year's ACTIONx52 watches.
Back in 2018 I rented the DVD from my library and highly enjoyed it [even saw it twice] and bought the blu-ray on the cheap some time later [in 2019?], but only now rewatched it.
This is still a great time, but I lowered it half a star from my original rating.
The action sequences are superb and this film feels like an British Guy Ritchie crime film, mixed with John Wick.
There's some issues I have with the cinematography. Digital cinematography has not yet fancied me [safe for some films] and some of the shots here look a bit cheap because of it.
I had such a good laugh throughout this entire running time. Milton shouldn't work as an character, but he does here. And I know for a fact a character like Jane The Ripper would never fly in Modern Hollywood.
Mike Fallon arguably is too much of an unlikeable character in his deeds and actions, but part of the humour also stems from that too. There's a scene that really confused me. Poison Pete tries to poison Mike Fallon, but it doesn't work? What happened?
I can definitely see myself rewatching it (again) and I'm up for watching Accident Man: Hitman's Holiday.