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Reviews
The Father (2020)
Beautifully Tragic
What a beautifully constructed film. The intricate film-making creates such an immersive experience, the audience real delve into the life of the characters, which in this case is quite a heart-breaking place to be, despite its striking reality. This is especially effective in such a contained setting, which is just one of the many brilliant directorial decisions made in The Father.
You see this is really a very simple film. There are only a few characters, which gives more room for each to be fully fleshed out, which allows us to engage with each person and their role in the story a lot more. The narrative is told somewhat in a linear manor but fuddled up and moved around to reflect the state of mind of Anthony Hopkins' character (sort of similar to that of Memento) and that's it. Only that isn't it, although technically so little is done so much effect is made, this story benefits so much from simplicity because there we have so much. So much raw emotion and so much heart-breaking realism. You really feel like you are in this world firstly as a viewer, but then you begin to question yourself and your own perception and sense of being and when everything becomes clear at the end of the film you instead think of the people around you and not yourself. You think of those close to you, your family or anyone who is slowly losing touch with themselves and the world around them, only able to hold onto a few fragments of their memories. And that hits you like a ton of bricks.
I watched this with two of my friends in the cinema a few weeks ago and all of our reactions when the film had finished was around the lines of "I want to call my Mum... I want to check up on my Grandad. ... I miss ...". That's impact for you. I think that gives you plenty of reason to watch this film if you are emotionally stable enough to be taken through the ringer quite a bit. But oh my what a beautifully tragic piece of cinema.
The Green Knight (2021)
A Film of Woe and Wonder
A mysterious Arthurian tale of woe that feels more like a meditative dream than an exciting adventurous tale.
With a constant sense of grandeur permeating every shot, you are really able to feel the magic you expect from a mythic tale such as this. The Green Knight isn't a typical story of adventure and chivalry however, it's much more ambiguous than that and seems to pose more questions than it does answer. But this definitely doesn't serve as a hinderance as David Lowry makes it very clear, in his vision, that he is stylising his epic tale with mystery. He wants you to think.
We get an exploration into Pagan values which base around the idea that the world driven by honour and chivalry will always be overruled by nature, the natural force that is too powerful to control, this idea is sprinkled throughout the plot for example the Lady of the Castle has a monologue in which she expresses these ideas. Although at surface level these ideas don't have much resonating ability to a modern audience, it's not the ideas that resonate with you, it's the experience. This film feels like a hazy lucid dream, which constantly leave you in a state of awe. It's an interesting watch as this film has the ability to move you and to really take you somewhere else, yet I can't put my finger on what the reason to that is. Maybe an opportunity to escape into a complete other worldly place of dark magic may simply be the reason, but the film's got a lot more substance than that. If I was asked to describe this film I would say it's as if Ingrid Bergman directed Pan's Labyrinth. In fact saying this film is a combination of Pan's Labyrinth and The Seventh Seal is a strikingly accurate description.
Although this is a tale that dabbles with magic, spells and curses the film is also driven by human emotion. We have the typical story of an unheroic character striving for heroism. There is more risk than potential pay off and that makes for an engaging lead character. When Gawain sets off on his mission there is no way in telling if he will be successful or not. In Gawain partaking in this pursuit for honour we see him question his own morality and mortality. It poses the universal question of can we control our own fate or is it completely out of of our hands. Lowry really puts the physical world and the philosophical world in a direct yet profound conflict and it makes for such an interesting and hypnotising watch, as we all have questioned the limits of the world we live in and the capabilities of ourselves. It most definitely is one of the most impressive films of the year, for visuals alone, so i highly recommend.
Nuovo Cinema Paradiso (1988)
The Title Says It All
Life imitates art, art imitates life. Life inspires art, art inspires life. Cinema influences life and life influences cinema.
This film feels like a dream, a beautiful dream. When you love cinema, seeing a film like this is just a truly magical experience. Just seeing a character's face lit up from the light of a cinema screen sends floods of nostalgia and emotion through you, it's so incredibly visceral even though technically not much is done at all. It's a sentimental story that speaks for itself and tells itself flawlessly. It really is engaging from start to finish, you go on a journey with the characters and hope everything turns out well for them, that's a basic requirement of any good film but with these characters you're invested in their lives' right from the get go. The beauty of cinema is a major stimulant to this film but along with that we also get a thoughtful coming of age story along with a lovely exploration into friendship and what we gain as well as lose throughout our lives'. The film-making is seamless with Morricone's breathtaking score, which as always matches the emotions of the narrative and the characters so perfectly. There are also multiple brilliantly framed shots which on their own have the ability to evoke so much emotion, let alone in the context of the film when we have already built such a strong connection to what we are watching.
Malcolm & Marie (2021)
Love & Art
I'll be honest this film was very difficult to watch for me, but it was cathartic, and I think it made me love it even more.
When they started the film with the credits I knew I was in for a treat.
I forgot who said this but I saw someone say that Malcolm & Marie is not a love story but instead a story about love. That seems so simple but it's so so true. Who thought that perspective would make a romance like this so profound. Because this film is profound. All we have are two people, two people in a relationship, who love each other tear each other apart, put each other back together again and then continue this cycle all in the course of one night. I'll compare it to Marriage Story in that there is no bias on either counterpart, there are times you side with Malcolm and there are time where you side with Marie. That's the key to a great romance especially when you are showing a love affair with cracks beginning to show.
The fact both of these characters are artists in their own right makes emotions even stronger because as an artists you feel things in varying levels. Sometimes more strongly sometimes less so, sometimes your art will tie you together and connect you like nothing else but it can just as easily break you. In this context it adds another layer to a complex relationship and that's why for me it just struck a core more so than anything I've seen for a very very long time. Therefore I may be biased towards this film however you can't lie it captures love in a raw and unfiltered way that hurts like a knife to the heart but you would never want to be without it.
Technically this film is a flourish of effective understatement, with the bold use of black and white and strongly framed shots. The script is just insane and although music isn't used much and it's played within the world of the film instead of underscoring the action it fits so well. Also it would be criminal of me to not mention just how amazing Zendaya and John David Washington are. Neither of them outshine each other, they light each other up on screen and leave everything on the floor. Landmark performances from them both.
From first glance people don't seem to be liking this film as much as I am, however I do think it's that kind of film, take it how you want but you'll experience both beauty and pain and that's a killer combo.
Lost in Translation (2003)
Mirage of loneliness
If you don't watch this at 3 in the morning on your own you aren't really going to experience this film.
Ex Machina (2014)
Exciting & Thought-provoking
Do you need to be human to understand the human condition?
A thriller that turns psychological quite unexpectedly. With its deep content and profound insight into developed artificial intelligence it still manages to take an unexpected turn despite its exploration into A.I. Really how did we not see it coming? That just goes to show how brilliant this film is (Alex Garland needs to make more films ASAP) we are convinced we are watching a simplistic thriller with an enticing plot despite the themes and content being so out there and ironically unpredictable. This makes Ex Machina pretty meta in that sense, it is just so clever and crafted to absolute excellence. Not only that but the cinematography is absolutely breathtaking but it's not just for show, the visual beauty and framing choices tell the story just as much as the dialogue and action does. Looking back now I can see how we were shown certain things to make us see the story in a certain way, perspective is important.
It's full of suspense but also gnaws at your mind, it's grand but also beautifully subtle, it's an easy story to engage with but it also incredibly thought provoking. I still don't know whether this is a movie showing the dangers of A.I or how dangerous the human race is, maybe they are one in the same as A.I is a product of humanity but they are able to do things mere mortals could never do no matter how intelligent.
Jagten (2012)
One of the most captivating films to date!
A film that annoyed me. Not in any cinematic way (frankly there's nothing cinematic to criticise about it, it's technically pitch perfect) but I mean I have never hated my role as an observer more as all I wanted to do was jump into the plot and put things right because it was paining me to just watch injustice and tragedy unfold.
That annoyance definitely did not hinder my enjoyment or how much I rate the film however, if anything it made me rate it even more as I had a strong emotional response right when the problems began to arise. This made every moment nothing but intensely gripping, the smallest of actions or plot points became nail-biting and every moment conflict wasn't resolved became heartbreaking.
However, even know it seems conflict was resolved the ending made me think that it actually wasn't. I'm curious as to any opinions as to what the ending means or what anybody thinks happens because I'm not entirely sure, didn't ruin anything for me at all though it just adds extra thought to an already extremely thought provoking movie.
Masterfully directed and acted and making me want to watch Vinterberg's and Mikkelston's latest collaboration 'Another around' even more but sadly I'm struggling to find any way of watching it in the UK. A very hyped up film that lived up to its notoriety for sure!
Short Term 12 (2013)
Exceptionally raw
A pretty contained film that deeply delves into its subject matter in a nuanced and highly effective way. What makes Short Term 12 pretty damn special though is it's lack of exposition. Despite the story not straying far from one place and the characters we are presented with, a lot of guess work and suggested information. This isn't a sign of sloppy film-making however, it's actually genius. Not exactly a coming of age but a coming of character. Every character seems to symbolise something in the story and everybody learns something and therefore grows from it, meaning the audience gain a multitude of knowledge and opportunity for emotional connection. Connecting emotionally is not a challenge with this film, you'd have to be a psychopath to not feel empathy or understanding towards every character we meet.
It's a film where every moment captured speaks for itself, it's subtle and simplistic yet speaks a tremendous amount of volume to not just its subject matter but to what it is to be a human who feels, everyone can take something from this film in some way, big or small. I have to take a moment to appreciate the technical film-making as it too is so simple yet so effective, there are moments (especially the ending) that genuinely feel like poetry in motion.
The Trial of the Chicago 7 (2020)
Modern Masterpiece
I did not expect ,when I put this on at like 8 in the morning, to have my cinematic socks blown right off and to feel everything I am feeling and still trying to process.
What's advertised as being a simple retelling of the 1968 Trial of the Chicago Seven (organisers of what was meant to be a peaceful demonstration protesting for the end of the Vietnam war) actually turns out to be a deep, thought-provoking, high octane drama that although presents something that happened years ago, feels incredibly relevant to now.
Politically rooted films or films that's main focus point is that of politics in some form do not tend to be flashy or bold in anyway, they just tell the story plain and simple (JFK is my main reference point), probably so as to not be accused of bias or glamourising what shouldn't be glamourised. However, this film feels like a spectacle in its theatricality and how the information is weaved into the plot of a gripping piece of cinema. The way this film is shot feels reminiscent of Ocean's Eleven with the way music and the camera is used, it's slick and sharp and stylish. Sorkin however blends style and substance with his brilliant writing that makes every character shown to us fully fleshed and most of all human (shout out to every single performance in this film because they were all so damn amazing). Every scene makes you feel something in one way or another because Sorkin doesn't hold back in the way most directors would if they took on this project. You go through the whole spectrum of emotions and that is something I didn't expect to experience when I put this film on which makes what's put out resonate even more. The riot scene against the police in the park is genuinely one of the most impressive and subtly immersive scenes I've ever seen, from the way your senses feel invaded to seeing the characters react in different ways and just witnessing unfiltered brutality and injustice it's just actual genius the way that scene was crafted.
We know Aaron Sorkin is a brilliant writer and he is obviously just as skilled a director as this film really just is a piece of cinema in the hands of someone who is brilliant at their craft. It's an interesting subject matter for a story anyway however there's a possibility of it becoming boring but luckily we had Sorkin who told the story in the perfect way so that action was constantly happening and you were constantly pulled into the world of the film. Also as someone passionate about justice and power to the people who need it, this film really struck a core. This film made me feel passionate about our basic human rights that everybody deserves and it made me want to fight more. It's a film that makes you feel and a film that makes you feel an emotion as strong as passion is a fucking outstanding film in my eyes, I can name probably less than 10 films that have made me feel that strongly and if that's not a testament to how great this film is I don't know what is. Not only that but I genuinely learnt quite a few things: I learnt about the events leading to this trial and of the level of injustice the United States Government have the captivity of imparting (no surprise) which made me angry but I also saw how people come together despite all that to make a change and that made me very happy (I may have shed a tear in that final trial scene) and about some really amazing people who gave everything to a cause they cared for. I'm going to get the actual Abbie Hoffman's book "Steal This Book" because I do just think that man is brilliant in every way.
Paterson (2016)
About nothing but also about everything
A slow poetic insight into the life of Paterson. It isn't particularly a special life but it's not boring either, mundane for sure, but most definitely not boring. The life of a poet in its not so grand form is simplistic and effective under Jarmusch's direction who always seems to find the little fragments of the human condition and put those on full display through his films. Nothing important or mesmerising is shown here which you think would make for a pretty lacklustre feature but something small and intimate is made as charming and as interesting as anything on a bold scale. A cosy Sunday afternoon kind of film.
Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)
The best female lead
This is a universal film as in what it imparts feels relevant and true to any time or place and that is a testament to the genius of Martin McDonagh.
A brilliant story told even more brilliantly. How do you tell a brilliant story do you ask? You tell it simply and with honesty, something that McDonagh is a master of. Despite a highly serious and a highly dramatic subject matter, comedy moulds its way into the story as if it is the most natural thing and it actually is the most natural thing. Therefore you go through the entire spectrum of emotions; from anger to sadness to joy to just a state of contentment this film makes you experience it all. The characters are some of the most rich quality ever, none are perfect yet the character archs reach a level of perfection in how well constructed they are.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Entertaining!
A superhero movie that defies expectations and subverts cliches in its bold and beautiful originality. With a plot full of excitement, genuinely unexpected twists and turns, well-written characters (big and small), a heartfelt emotional core, style for days that animation is top notch omd, a brilliant soundtrack that fits perfectly. Despite it being a Spider-Man film and an animated film reminiscent of comic books it feels so real and honest, it truly is able to represent as well as being just a very good superhero film and that's extremely impressive.
Mank (2020)
Not exactly a love letter to Hollywood
We get to delve into the trials and tribulations of Hollywood screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he attempts to finish the screenplay for the 'masterpiece' we know today to be Citizen Kane. However, we also delve into his alcoholism and the chaotic characters of Hollywood.
I've just realised my title saying that Mank isn't a love letter to Hollywood may infer it's miss its mark however that is not what I mean. We don't see the bright lighted charming Hollywood dream you may expect but we instead get quite a dark and unfiltered insight into the inner world of Hollywood. Old movies and old Hollywood do hold a very special place in my heart so even classic black and white shots stir up a sense of magic for me so I found there was still a feeling of grandness and excitement to Mank despite its subject material. You can see Fincher has used the techniques and style of old Hollywood movies and even echoes the film-making in Citizen Kane and despite other people thinking it was a feeble attempt to replicate the old style I loved the fresh take. Mank serves as a brilliant ode to past film-making whilst offering up something fresh and I really enjoyed that aspect of it.
Mank does not feel like a David Fincher film in the slightest. I'm not saying that as a bad thing, if anything it proves Fincher as an even more talented director than he already is as he can vary up the tone and atmosphere of his films and bring his audiences something completely different to what they're used to and that makes me very excited for possible future projects of his (let's hope we don't have to wait 6 years again).
Despite all this, I wasn't as entranced and gripped by this film as I thought I would be. I don't really know why it is, it could be that I wasn't just in the right frame of mind or that the film narrowly missed the mark for it to be the perfect feature that ensured I never took my eyes away. Nonetheless, I think it's a brilliant film that displays Fincher as a brilliant directorial force (oh and how amazing were the performances in this? Oldman and Seyfried were the standouts for me). Definitely worth a watch even if you don't have a connection to Citizen Kane (because I bloody don't), it's for sure one of the top films of 2020.
Minding the Gap (2018)
More Than a Skating Documentary
Minding the Gap follows the lives of three young men who share a passion for skating. It's not long until we find out that skating is a way for them to escape from their troubled home lives.
This is such a deeply intimate documentary, made with a real yearning to show something to the world. Because of all the heart it was made with, everything captured is so enticing. Documentaries often feel like documentaries, that feels like quite an obvious thing to say but that is usually why a lot of people choose not to watch them. However, this film doesn't feel like a documentary, and the fact it is makes it very shocking and overwhelming at times because you are taken on such a moving journey. These are real people therefore everything we see is true, that's the obvious thing, but everything we see in Minding the Gap is raw and completely unfiltered and it's so special. It presents everything as it is and doesn't try to be a certain way which is the key as to why it is so captivating. You can't hate the characters because you know their struggle yet of course they are not perfect. I think that's why I'm starting to love documentaries like this: when you watch a film characters often fall into a good or bad category so you love them or hate them, of course cinema has a wide expanse and that includes characters so therefore we still love and identify with characters who have flaws or we love the villain because they're just so damn good. With documentaries however they are real people not trying to be like anyone or not trying to represent anything, therefore you cant love them or hate them you just accept them and digest what they have to show. It makes you learn more about the human experience, people in the world and that I think is so amazing.
I don't like the term eye-opening really because it does sound kind of patronising, our eyes should be opened to everything really, but this film does make you think and will definitely stir up your emotions. Worth the watch just so so much.
Good Time (2017)
A Heist Movie On Acid
Definitely one of the most impressive anxiety inducing trips out there, just with how fast-paced and non-stop the action is. This film's energy is just so chaotic but so enticing. It's shot in a beautifully trippy way where the surroundings are dark but the colours are bright and the shots are striking even though they capture something that is the exact opposite of that. It's not something that should work, there's no character you should really sympathise with or root for but you do nonetheless. There's also so many rise and fall moments and even though the falls outweigh the rise moments, you still hope everything will turn out right in the end but it just doesn't. The ending is actually one of the best ever because it just proves that the unrelenting lifestyle of the characters is eternal and nothing will ever change, most likely. Even though that may be the case, you can always have a Good Time.
Memento (2000)
Nolan's Magnum Opus
This is probably one of the most subtly effective cathartic movies ever made. Memento manages to completely swallow you into its protagonist's world whilst just straight up impressing you with how intelligently crafted it is. Memento throws you in straight away, giving you little information that you gradually get spoon fed through the 'hairpin structure' of the film (how Christopher Nolan describes the structure of this film). This approach just forces you to pay absolute attention which you aren't regressive about because there's nothing you want more than to just know.
This film is definitely more than a well executed high concept piece, its genuinely a brilliant mystery thriller riddled with suspense, that sends you down a path that you just can't turn back from. I feel weary writing this review because all I went into this film knowing was that it had some sort of brilliant twist and I feel like the less you know about Memento the better so do yourself a pleasure and avoid spoilers or in fact any information if you fancy giving this a watch.
Portrait de la jeune fille en feu (2019)
The rise of desire
Portrait of a Lady on Fire tells the story of a female painter who is called to a small island to paint another female subject, the portrait at hand will be send to her soon to be husband. However, it isn't long before strong feelings and emotions come to the surface between the painter and the subject.
This movie maps out like the creation of a painting. It truly is a film captured in the eye of an artist who uses their brush to bring human emotions and intense intimacy to life before our eyes. Characters equally flesh out and become exposed on screen like gentle brush strokes across a canvas, it's utterly breathtaking to watch. We get to observe the careful meditation between painter and the subject as well as the blooming of a forbidden love. Observation seems like the most romantic thing ever: it's love not lust. So much is said with small looks shared, slight expressions, wandering eyes and tiny gestures; moments are created from this and those moments seem to linger and fester in every perfectly framed shot. Before you know it a beautiful relationship- a flame if you will- has been and gone, extinguished right before us. Calling this relationship fleeting would be offensive to the level of its beauty but it does feel like it comes and goes so quickly to a painful extent. This film is all about the small and finite details: somehow the small sounds of a crackling fire and the scratching of chalk across a blank canvas build sexual tension until something honest and true manifests. The slow pace and soft editing just make the sexual tension even more sexually tense but I feel like you can't capture that kind of atmosphere in any other way it payed off more than anything. This movie is so soft and gentle that the classical music played at the end feels so harsh and so brutal, it felt like of the most brutal moments in cinema, it was so painful yet it was just a piece of classical music. Just such masterful decisions were made with this film: how does one create something so simple and yet so genius?
The Lighthouse (2019)
Pathetic fallacy on steroids
So yeah... it really was worth the hype.
Obviously I've heard so so much about this film and seen a fair few clips so I had high hopes and they were most definitely met. I'm big on atmosphere, psychological torment, single-setting films and films with only two actors. So I think you can see why this film has become an instant favourite for me. I knew Eggers had a knack for creating atmosphere and this film justifies that entirely, I don't think an atmosphere so foreboding, unpredictable, liminal and terrifying has ever been created. The Lighthouuse is literally on par with The Overlook Hotel. The score helped largely in this with it being ominous and highly immersive; I was wearing noise cancelling headphones when I watched this and the score and sounds did literally invade my senses and that's what a horror (or psychological thriller I'm not sure which genre this film falls into more) should do because that makes the immersion fully effective. I find this film ground-breaking because it's so obscure with such a sense of otherness, yet incredibly theatrical with the heavy use of dialogue (the dialogue is insanely impressive) for example and that combination makes the film so unpredictable and ultimately masterful in its tone and atmosphere. You really saw two men's mind unravel as they fall further and further into insanity because of their isolation and it got in your own head. But then it may not be two men's insanity: it could be one of the Tom's insanity and the other being victim to it, it could be neither there may be a genuine supernatural force or it actually could be two men who really just have spent too much time alone with each other and the fact all of these are possibilities make this film a contemporary masterpiece. We all know the best films are those without answers (i.e 2001: A Space Odyssey, The Shining which I've already compared this movie too). My review really did not do this film justice and I definitely have not mentioned everything that The Lighthouse made me feel, but it is one of those films where the effect speaks for itself. With Egger's innovative film-making approach along with Paterson's and Dafoe's incredibly disturbing performances, I honestly can not fault it.
Léon (1994)
He's a Professional
Leon is one of the best hitman in New York, a silent killer with no empathy for those he "cleans". However, he becomes responsible for his next door neighbour, 12 year old Mathilda, when her family is killed. Despite her age she understands revenge and wants to take it against those who killed her family. Luckily, Leon is a professional and teachers her to "clean".
Right from the get go you're hit with splashes of smooth camera angles and movements along with a cathartic score so that you are placed right into the action. Leon is a lot more though than a super slick action flick; it's the exploration of a relationship and how two people can connect despite all the odds. Leon and Mathilde's relationship is genuinely one of the best I think I've ever seen on cinema because the intentions are just never in question, you completely understand how they understand each other.
Leon is another prime example of a film that possess both style and substance: it's a cultural phenomenon in how iconic the characters are, it possesses style in the way you expect with it being shot like a fast-paced action film yet the characters are rich and fully fleshed and there are genuine stakes, complex emotions and topics that really do make you think. It really was just a film that caught my attention and kept it for the entirety of the film; it ended and my first thought was I wanted to watch it again and I haven't had that reaction to a film in a long time. There's probably a lot I haven't said in terms of how this film made me feel or what it made me think but I'm still in a state of somewhat awe so I'm afraid I can't put those thoughts into words right now. I don't need to tell you that I recommend this film highly, if you haven't watched it already you know you bloody should as soon as you get the opportunity.
Drive (2011)
He's the driver... that's all you need to know.
The Driver is a Hollywood stuntman who doubles as a getaway driver part time. Despite being a man of few words and few emotions we see him warm to a woman and her son that live in his building. This chip in his tough exterior could lead to his downfall.
Drive is a kaleidoscope of cinematic prowess with its nail-biting plot, enticing use of colours, immersive soundtrack, a solid anti-hero who's story we follow with an immense level of smoothness and style. All of these aspects make for a trippy, trance like atmosphere that pulls you in right from the get go. It also makes the ultra violent experience very unique to itself as the violence at hand here has never appeared in such a meditative form that I've seen anyway. The effect of this film is hard to describe other than a experience you fully invest in. Ryan Gosling's anti-hero has very little dialogue yet you completely get his character intention and a journey/ arch is prominent. You also see the stakes being raised at certain intervals without a major cinematic turning point kind of moment. Everything remains in this limbo-esque atmosphere throughout and I think that is the key to the widespread appeal that Drive has, a milestone in the approach to genre. Drive definitely solidifies Nicolas Winding Refn as an artist with a movie camera as his paintbrush.
On the Rocks (2020)
A not so normal father/daughter relationship
When a mother suddenly begins to have doubts about her marriage, her larger than life playboy Father (the one and only Bill Murray) helps her find out whether he is being disloyal or not.
I've noticed this film is getting pretty mediocre reviews and I can kind of get why but I also personally found it so charming and witty and sweet. Firstly I have to mention the bold colour palette and how perfectly everything was captured. A real beauty in the mundane was found here in such a simplistic effortless way, even Laura just sitting at the table in her New York Apartment caught your eye. It's similar to Lost in Translation in how very simplistic shots became so eye-capturing, aesthetics wise. That is however the only comparison I am going to make to Lost in Translation because that is literally the only similarity. I remember posting a picture from Lost in Translation on my Instagram feed and somebody commenting saying that On the Rocks is going to be the unofficial sequel, I don't know if that is/was the general viewpoint on the film that people have, but if so then that might explain the muted reaction to this, but I can confirm On the Rocks is very much it's own film and story. I just loved how plainly everything was shown, you fell in love with the mundanity of the given time and place. Not only that but I think this film makes a really nice comment on the meaning of family, love and trust. One would think love and trust come with the topic of family but these topics feel separate and then seamlessly all together into that one topic at the end: family. All of these very important things are put on the line yet none are lost by the end, if anything they're even stronger and when the credits rolled i realised that and I did just smile to myself for a moment.
Considering I titled my review referencing the father and daughter relationship it probably seems odd I haven't actually gone until detail about it. That's because it does just speak for itself, from Laura and her Father's first interaction you know exactly what their relationship is and you just get to see it blossom even more as the film goes on and it's just so encapsulating, Bill Murray shines in this role, I might be as bold to say it's his best performance.
Heart-warming in a brilliantly subtle way, Sofia Coppola continues to shine in her directing.
Pulp Fiction (1994)
Masterpiece
How do you review this? Like how do you actually review this masterpiece. It's actual pop culture now, like yes I have the poster (framed) and I have Jules on a t shirt, who doesn't? Now, I've not been making the Pulp Fiction loving part of me explicit lately because it's been pissing me off how people watch it and then act like they know everything about movies. I mean.... I was that person 3/4 years ago I really thought I knew it all watching this so yeah I get it amateur cinephiles but I still don't support it. Oh and it isn't my favourite Tarantino oh no that spot's deserves for Inglorious Basterds but this I second. I've been debating on this or Once Upon a Time In Hollywood for a while but the pure classic genius of this just had to take spot number 2. I mean I shall now and attempt to actually analyse the brilliance of this movie now that I've got the subtext out of the way. Structure-wise, writing-wise, soundtrack-wise, character-wise, action-wise and slickness-wise it gets all fucking right. All of these things just make a perfectly peculiar yet divinely beautiful amalgamation that crates the most unique vibe. The main thing with Pulp Fiction is vibe and how it makes you feel. It's not uplifting but it makes you smile, it's the prime example of style and substance. But I couldn't really describe the substance part to you because I mean I wasn't in my feels but I was invested, I was so invested in every single one of these characters even if they were dicks and even if they were only on screen for one screen. I think this is because Tarantino is brilliant at showing you real people, I mean they're in extreme and probably unrealistic situations but they're real people who talk about real things and that sits with you. I mean it's all definitely been said before but hey my opinion still matters, right?