jedrekmalnegro Reviews

Flipped (I) (2010)

Best romance movie I've probably EVER watched.

[7/10 · 7 March 2024]

First off, there are, surprisingly, a ton of great quotes in this film.

Secondly, I like just how characterized yet real each character is. Even the side characters: Bryce's dad is genuinely just a jerk because of some mysterious past that doesn't get explained or developed; it feels incomplete, but that's what makes it so real. Not everyone goes through a character arc. Bryce's friend is a bully, but you don't realize it until Bryce himself realizes it as well.

Thirdly, the pacing makes it so easy and light to watch. I just finished watching it, and I feel like I could watch it again immediately. The back and forth between their perspectives is done so well and intricately that it feels like something you've never seen before when it obviously isn't revolutionary, just perfectly executed. The narration between the two and their different reactions, thoughts, and emotions were delivered so naturally and enjoyably.

And lastly, I haven't even begun to talk about the actual main plot line, Bryce and Juli. Such a pure love story and a breath of fresh air from all the other formulaic, boring, cheesy, and unthought-provoking romances besides it.

There is so much genuine thought and care put into this film that love just comes out of the screen. It is undoubtedly one of the best feel-good movies there are.

It may not be the greatest film, but it's certainly one of the favorite movies I've watched and will continue to rewatch for a very long time.

Forrest Gump (1994)

A perfect movie for everyone, anytime.

[9/10 · 5 September 2023]

9.2/10

This film made me genuinely laugh and genuinely cry. Few movies can do one of those things, this movie does it both. The story is so simply yet so compelling and fun. And Forrest narrating it to people he sat on the bench with was absolutely genius, first it's a smart way for them to tell the story, second it gives mystery as to where he's heading off to, and third it gives us great silly moments. So because of that, this movie has impeccable pacing. It never bores you and it never overwhelms you. The smart writing does help quite a lot with that of course. Tom Hanks acts the heck out of this movie, he knocked it out of the part and utterly became Forrest Gump. You know someone's done a legendary portrayal of a character when you forget what their real personality in real life is. Gary Sinise also stole every scene he was in, and that's impressive cause Tom Hanks' aura alone carries this movie. There's just something about him and his performance here that just never gets old watching. Him and Forrest's chemistry and friendship was super wholesome. Some other things would be the amazing cinematography by Don Burgess and the underrated score by Alan Silvestri. Overall just a masterpiece in storytelling, acting and cinematography. A pop icon for a reason, anybody can watch this and not get bored. No matter how many times you watch it in your life.

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

For some reason, surprisingly absolutely dig it!

[8/10 · 25 August 2023]

8.8/10

My first ever Quentin Tarantino film and I absolutely adore it. It's like a movie from the past but with today's quality and resources.

The story by itself in the way the film presents it is quite literally what the title of the movie suggests, just some completely random and ridiculous things that happened... in Hollywood. And I absolutely loved it. The whole vibe and atmosphere of the film was so great. Really captured just the absurdity and weirdness that is, Hollywood.

Of course, it's a lot deeper than that in actuality but even then it was still such a fun & silly way of storytelling.

Seeing Leonardo DiCaprio and Brad Pitt finally star on a movie together was a treasure! And not just that, they're best friends in this! It was awesome seeing the two of them together on screen, just bantering.

Leo is as always a treat to watch. His portrayal of Rick Dalton was incredible, every scene with him was fantastic. Especially the ones that were on set, oh boy those parts were so fun.

Brad Pitt definitely pulled off the weird, crazy & intimidating yet charming Cliff Booth to perfection. You never know what Cliff was gonna do or say next. You never predict his intention, is it good or bad? Not a thing, but sure thing is it's gonna be entertaining.

One gripe I do have is that Sharon Tate's involvement in the movie deserved more context. Most people, including me would never understand what her character's purpose was in the film. Now that I know, I think it's pretty genius of course but in my opinion could have been done better.

The cinematography is absolutely beautiful. The camera movement and shots was phenomenal.

The pacing of it was brilliant as well. I was worried getting into this that it would, like most other long films directed by big shot directors, be sorta boring. But no, never was I waiting for it to end. And that is crazy because there's almost no main storyline in this film. Just three people who live in Los Angeles, going about their day and a fantastical retelling of an event that scarred Hollywood.

World War Z (2013)

This movie's existence is both brilliant and disappointing at the same time.

[6/10 · 25 August 2023]

6.8/10

The plot and premise of the movie is so good! And there are moments where it's done so well, yet at the same time there was so much more they could have done with it. I can imagine all the ways this movie could have made a massive impact in pop culture.

Things I like: 1. The plot. The whole "world plague" story that's in every zombie movie is done so well here, and traveling around the world was great.

2. The zombies. It's so unique and fun. Zombies being fast and strong makes them so much scarier and more dangerous. It's like a zombie movie in hard mode.

3. The cure. It's actually very smart and is foreshadowed in a really nice way throughout the film. The whole "Mother Earth disguises its weakness as its strength" thing was really good.

4. The score is actually surprisingly really good at times.

5. They're not afraid to call them zombies.

Some things I felt could have been done better: 1. Dialogue. It's so awkward at times and the delivery is very weak.

2. The action. There was so much potential and I'm not saying it wasn't fun, just could've been even more fun with the concept that they had going.

3. Climax. It was predictable and not that thrilling if I'm being honest. Wish someone died amidst the climax for some tension and suspense.

Catch Me If You Can (2002)

A timeless movie I will never get bored watching.

[8/10 · 24 August 2023]

8.8/10

Not afraid to admit that it is simply one of the best movies ever. One word for this film, "fun." The entire time watching I had a smile on my face. Steven Spielberg's style shines in this grounded but sillily exciting plot. The story was simple but engaging & relatable. Love how they wrote Frank as a character, but of course Leonardo DiCaprio just absolutely carries this movie with his charisma, confidence and acting skills. Tom Hanks is great as per usual. The back and forth between Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks was phenomenal! Their chemistry was strong, every single time they interact with one another was just so fun to watch. This movie is in it of itself very funny, but you sprinkle in some of that "Leo-acting" and there are actually some very touching and heartfelt moments. Lots of quippy and smart moments that makes you smirk, but at its core an actually emotional film. The score by John Williams is not only iconic, but perfect for this movie. The entire movie was paced really well, the two timeline thing was really smart and made it flow really nicely. I really can't express enough how much I love this movie; the directing, the score, the story, the acting, everything is excellent and entertaining.

Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

Bohemian Rhapsody is a fun concert movie!

[8/10 · 21 August 2023]

8.4/10

I don't care if some parts were inaccurate or whatever and I don't care if it isn't a masterpiece in filmmaking. I had a blast watching this movie!

I don't know how true the story is to what really happened. But I don't mind at all cause let's be honest, we all watched this film for two reasons; to see how this legendary band made the most legendary songs of all time and to experience a glimpse of what it was like to be in a Queen concert.

The Queen themselves really gave the producers a big head-start with this film, just the amount of iconic songs that Queen made is historic. And it absolutely carries this movie. Every time you're about to get bored or it kind of slows down, you're immediately jolted into excitement and joy because when you hear the music.

Of course, the performances in this film were great too. Casting popped off because everyone in this looks exactly like their real life counterparts. Especially Rami Malek who was brilliant in this, he absolutely embodied Freddie Mercury in a way no one else in all of time will ever be able to. Not just him but all the actors for the band; Brian May, John Dean and Roger Taylor, they all crushed it. The chemistry between them was so much fun to watch, everyone felt real and each had their own personality which all meshed well together. Could watch hours of just interacting with one another.

Obviously, the buildup of this film is the live AID performance and it absolutely paid off. Utterly jealous of the people who were born early enough to attend that concert.

Overall, a fun movie to watch for everyone cause who doesn't like Queen? With great performances and good cinematography, maybe not a 1 for 1 depiction but still a joy!

Inception (2010)

Inception is a masterpiece that changed cinema forever.

[10/10 · 19 August 2023]

Inception is a movie everyone in the world has to watch completely, from start to finish, in the best and most comfortable way possible, at least once in their life. Everyone.

An intense thriller with a unique idea done in a way we've never seen before on screen.

The mere concept of this film is done and portrayed to perfection by Christopher Nolan. In Nolan's own words, the best way to enjoy this movie isn't to understand it but to feel it.

The concept can be confusing, but if you completely focus when watching then I don't think it should be too confusing. Everything made perfect sense to me while watching.

The cinematography in this is incredible. The action is simple but some of the most edge of your seat stuff you'll ever find.

The visuals are amazing, I do not know how Nolan managed to film and even think of some of the things shown here. Nolan captures the notion of dreams so well.

The score by Hans Zimmer is as always of course, outstanding. It's what allows to connect all these crazy and different dreams so well.

The performances were all great, of course the main highlight is Leonardo DiCaprio, he carries the film. But everyone else was great. Two other surprisingly great showing was Cillian Murphy, something about him just makes you so invested and interested in his character. The other is Marion Cotillard, she steals the scene and owns it every time she's in one.

The way this movie is paced and designed is phenomenal, you almost never get a break while watching it. The only time it ever slows down is when the movie ends, and that's done intentionally, we feel the exact same way the characters did in that moment, the experience everyone gets after waking up from a crazy dream.

Overall, one of the best movie experiences I've ever had. Every moment of this film was just so interesting, so well directed and breathtaking.

Dune (2021)

An incomprehensibly good movie. Masterpiece!

[9/10 · 15 August 2023]

Dune is an absolute masterpiece. I genuinely cannot think of any flaws in this film.

Direction: Directed by Denis Villenueve, he brings to life the most impossible and unimaginable things.

Visuals & cinematography: The visuals and cinematography is one of if not the best I have ever seen. Words can't even begin to describe just how beautiful and unique and unreal each shot of this movie looks.

From the set designs, costume designs, sound designs. Everything was phenomenal.

Score: And crazily enough, that's not even the best aspect of this film. It is the bone-thrilling soundtrack done by Hans Zimmer. Sometimes it's so good I couldn't even focus on the movie, but it just elevated everything.

Cast: The performances were all great, of course Timothée Chalemet, but Rebecca Ferguson & Oscar Isaac were really good in here too. The entire cast was awesome.

Story & pacing: A worry I had coming into this was number one: the pacing and number 2: the lore. I thought I would be confused as hell and would be bored too from not understanding anything. But not at all! The story is great, and the script moves the plot in a nice, linear and clear way.

The movie requires your full attention, but the plot is that good and engaging that it wasn't hard at all to focus yourself in the dialogue. Subtitles are a must in watching this though.

Heard that the movie was slow but not at all! Never while watching was I ever bored or uninterested, always wondering what's next each scene. The beautiful cinematography by Greig Fraser and one of the greatest soundtracks ever probably helped with that, but all the way throughout this film had my attention.

One last thing I love is the editing, the mixing and the sound designs that are integrated into the scenes are just done to absolute perfection. The Voice scenes especially were so riveting.

Overall: one of the best movies I have ever watched. Every shot is beautiful, every scene thought out well, and captures you into the world of Dune completely. It used its runtime perfectly, never did it feel too slow and never did it feel too cramped. It wasn't rushing things but it still glued you into the screen. If you're hesitant, don't be! This movie will be one of the best you've watched if you just give it a chance.

Prisoners (2013)

One of the best thriller mysteries you'll find!

[8/10 · 15 August 2023]

Prisoners delivers in all the things it goes after. Everything; from the performance, the mystery, the eeriness, the tone.

Hugh Jackman provides us with a powerful performance. Almost makes you think he's not even acting, that's how good it is.

Jake Gyllenhaal as the detective does a fine job here, only until the last parts of the movie does he really shine. You see just how important it is for him to find these girls. And the last drive scene with him was movie perfection.

The conundrum was great, and the reveal was done in a nice way. Very thrilling, lots of moments that'll make you gulp in silence.

Overall, a great mystery film with amazing performances by both Hugh Jackman and Jake Gyllenhaal.

Sicario (2015)

Disappointed. Wish I enjoyed it more than I did.

[6/10 · 15 August 2023]

I really wanted to love this movie, I really did! Denis Villenueve is one of the best directors our there, and I really loved Arrival. I've heard this film is one of his best and was very interested.

But I just couldn't really find anything interesting about it. I was bored the whole way through, the action was fine, a few shocking moments here and there but that's it.

Emily Blunt is the only outstanding performance here, everyone else is just fine I guess.

The score is good, really fits the chaos and messiness of the location.

Story's fine, but it really felt like not a lot happened. Just felt slow. Was waiting for it to pick up the pace but it never really did.

Overall, a meh movie that I wish I really wanted to be enjoyable for me.

5.6/10.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

I loved this movie so much and I don't know why.

[8/10 · 14 August 2023]

I don't understand why I love this movie but I do.

Maybe it's cause I relate to it in some way, or that Emma Watson is just very pleasing to look at. But something about this film is so charming.

Logan Lerman delivers a very convincing portrayal of a shy, introverted 15-year old high schooler. And I rooted for him throughout this whole movie.

Emma is just, beautiful. They picked the perfect person to cast as Charlie's first love because dang it you just fall in love with her. Maybe that's just me growing up with Harry Potter, but it was great to see her in this film.

I don't exactly know what speaks to me with this movie so much but everything about it was just wholesome & endearing.

Also, that one scene when you're just flashed with all the things that happened in the film was amazing. Had me glued and mesmerized to the screen.

7.8/10!

Mission: Impossible - Dead Reckoning Part One (2023)

Impossibly delivers in all aspects!

[9/10 · 14 August 2023]

Tom Cruise does it again! This movie has all the things you'd want from a Mission: Impossible; high stakes, emotional moments, some good action and of course the awesome stunts!

There are surprisingly many unique fight scenes in this movie. Some concepts we've never seen before, done in ways we haven't seen before. Even outside the M:I franchise.

Plenty of "on the edge of your seat" moments here in this film, and a lot of misdirects. Everything about the M:I franchise is portrayed and done perfectly here. Some of the "twists" were obvious to me but that's only gonna be the case for people who recently watched the other M:I movies, which I did coming into this.

I can't really think of any flaws in this film, every moment was well directed, well choreographed and even well written.

Very funny movie, but not in an in your face way. It does comedy in a very smart way, jokes aren't the only way this movie makes you laugh.

Not to spoil but things to look out for are: taxi, alley, bridge and Uncharted 2.

Overall, it's a fun and intense ride all the way throughout. It almost never slows down and even when it does, every moment contributes to the story.

8.6/10.

The Fabelmans (2022)

Not what I expected, but a decent watch.

[6/10 · 12 August 2023]

I went into this film knowing 2 things: 1. It's directed by Steven Spielberg 2. It's about Steven Spielberg

So knowing just those 2 things, I for some reason assumed this would be a story of how this young man who dreams to be a filmmaker turns into one of the greatest directors of all time.

Turns out, nope! It truly is just a movie about the childhood of Sammy Fabelman, played by Grabiel LaBelle who is pretty good here. Nothing extraordinary but a compelling enough performance.

This movie is to me split in 2 halves: the art and the family.

As a cinema nerd and an aspiring director, I loved every bit of the filmmaking part in this movie. Every time he films something, all the small creative things to elevate his cinematography, that moment he really connected with one of this actors, whenever he shows it to the audience. I loved it every minute of it.

The family part of the story were also very good, and was of course, the main driving course of the story.

Overall, it's a good watch. I guess I just expected something different, and wanted something a bit more. But it's definitely a good family movie to watch!

6.2/10.

Little Women (2019)

Little women is a flawless movie.

[9/10 · 11 August 2023]

Greta Gerwig outdoes herself with this film. Had big expectations after watching Lady Bird, did not actually expect it though to deliver the way that it did!

Saoirse Ronan with these 2 films alone, has become one of my favorite actors of all time. Your emotions truly become so connected with her character that; when she's happy, you just can't help but smile. And when she's sad, you can visibly see and feel all the emotions inside her.

I cried in multiple parts of this film. Not just teary but really cried, was not ready for that.

All the actors were great, everyone, even the ones with smaller roles give you a lasting impression.

Dialogue between each characters are so fluid and natural. Pacing for each scene and the way it transitions to the other was just perfect.

The entire runtime it's like you were trapped in the year 1800's, everything was visually stunning.

The score was another aspect of this film that really elevated it even more.

Overall, this movie will make you laugh, cry and wishing for more. It made the best use of its runtime, never dragged & never feel crammed.

As a guy who didn't have a single clue on what the book was about, I recommend everyone to go watch this. There are amazing messages behind this beautiful film, please check it out if you haven't!

9/10.

Lady Bird (2017)

Masterfully written & acted coming of age story.

[8/10 · 10 August 2023]

Greta Gerwig shines as a writer & director, she is able to write such a simple yet compelling story of a normal girl.

And that is of course brought to life by the amazing performance by Saoirse Ronan, she is just phenomenal here. Very convincing portrayal of a 17 year-old girl, almost made me forget she wasn't actually a teenager. Perfectly portrays a teenager who wants to grow up asap.

The dialogue and interactions between the characters feel so real, like I could relate with them so much. How people react, how people talk and converse; everything is conveyed in a realistic and genuine way.

There's nothing really I can point out about the movie that it failed to deliver in.

Overall, just one of the best coming of age films I have ever watched. Really because of the simplicity of it all; how Greta Gerwig manages to capture Lady Bird's story and make us feel and relate with this person so much.

8.4/10.

The Founder (2016)

Did its job showing the history of this empire.

[6/10 · 10 August 2023]

The Founder was a movie that did its job,

1. Was to show me how McDonald's was created and what made it different from the rest.

2. How it became the biggest restaurant chain in the entire world.

And 3. Made me hate Ray Kroc.

Michael Keaton does a great job portraying his character very well, you could see early on just how discontent he was with life.

Immediately we are shown how eager he is to become rich, though he has this seemingly nice personality. But the truth, he was and was always been a selfish man.

Keaton presents Ray Kroc perfectly, he has always been out there for himself but we only realize it once the opportunity was there for him. And when the moral switch happens, it is natural and in character for him.

And it is heartbreaking to see what happens to the McDonald brothers. Nick Offerman (Dick) and especially John Caroll Lynch (Mac) do an incredible job acting out their characters. You really feel for their characters.

Yet, I also like how they don't portray Ray Kroc as a villain. It really is just how the game is played, they do a great job showing just how terrible of a person he is yet not making him complete villain.

Overall, I used the word job 6 times in this review because that's really what this movie did. Do its job. A good watch if you're interested in how the highest fast food chain came to be.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)

The best transformers movie I have watched!

[7/10 · 10 August 2023]

This film is exactly what I wanted back when I was in my Transformers phase we all went through as a kid. I remember being very bored and very disappointed watching the long Bay Transformers films, though of course it had its moments.

The Transformers in this film are a lot more emotive and have more character in them.

Optimus for one is a lot more of a flawed character in this, in a good way. He actually makes mistakes and he knows he made those mistakes. And it was very nice to see him have a mini character arc and slowly get back to being the optimistic, Optimus Prime that we all know and love.

The chemistry between Noah and Mirage was also surprisingly very entertaining to watch.

There were actually some very emotional scenes that actually do hit you. I can remember 2 scenes off the stop of my head that almost made me want to tear up. One including the Maximals and one including humans and Autobots.

The visuals was good, enough for you to not be distracted by it.

The action was fine, nothing too creative. But fights between the Transformers are still a lot better than anything we got in the Bay films. Best ones were the Mirage chase scene, Optimus vs Scourge's last battle and every Bumblebee fight.

The jokes do land, was worried Mirage was gonna be cringe but he was a nice addition to the live action films.

There are some corny dialogue but you kinda get used to it as some point, just gotta watch it in a child's perspective and you'll enjoy the dialogue much more.

Overall, I knew this movie had potential to be very good and I did not expect it to deliver but it surprisingly does! Very fun movie to turn your brain off and just have a good time.

Arrival (II) (2016)

So underrated! Make time to watch this film!

[8/10 · 10 August 2023]

Directed by Denis Villenueve, it is wonderfully directed. This is the most real alien movie I have ever watched, he manages to make an otherworldly story seem so grounded and realistic.

Because the film feels so real, you are terrified yet enthralled at the same time. And it does that in a very natural way, it doesn't forcibly try to freak you out, but watching it makes you think it can exist or it can actually happen in real life.

The story was surprisingly very good and interesting, the revelation at the end made it even better. It was very fun to think about the mystery, and it reveals to you the answers in an again, very natural way. It doesn't spoon feed to you all the answers, the movie makes you think and figure it out on your own. The movie is smart and creative, but in a simple and non-confusing way.

The score, composed by Jóhann Jóhannsson, is beautifully horrifying and perfectly captures the feelings and emotions you would feel if something like this were to happen in real life.

One small gripe is it feels too dark at times; which is intentionally done of course, to set the tone of the film and to give us a sense of realism. But I feel they could have made it a tad bit brighter in some scenes.

Overall, an underrated movie and a fun film to go watch with your family. Or alone, like I did. Whichever way, you'll be invested in this movie all the way out and it'll be worth the investment! Go watch Arrival please!

Dunkirk (2017)

Thrilling, unique and well directed war film!

[8/10 · 9 August 2023]

Christopher Nolan's war movie is in classic fashion, strangely paced. But make no mistake, it is definitely one of the movie's strongest factor.

The three timelines is intentionally confusing, it makes the audience think and invested into the events that unfold.

The other factor is the amazing soundtrack made by the legendary, Hans Zimmer. Who can turn even the simplest scenes, into one of the most intense sequences you'll see.

There are 2 other factors that make this film as intense as it is. First is the camera movement by Hoyte Van Hoytama, that captures you and traps you into the action scenes. The second is the editing of this movie, done by Lee Smith. The editing is masterful, and is what turns this movie from a regular war movie to something smart, creative and never before seen.

Overall, it is a short but enjoyable war movie. It has thrilling cinematography, an intensifying soundtrack and a triumphant ending. A good watch for any movie lovers.

Oppenheimer (I) (2023)

Simply phenomenal cinema!

[9/10 · 31 July 2023]

In classic Nolan fashion, this story is not told in a straightforward manner, but in an action packed and thrilling way. Encapsulating the messy, chaotic and important life of Oppenheimer.

There is never a dull nor boring moment in the movie. And it's all tied together perfectly by the amazing score of Ludwig Göransson.

Everyone acted their roles perfectly, especially Cillian Murphy.

Only 2 nitpicks are the scenes being hard to follow at times and the lack of those crazy practical effects.

Simply a masterpiece & near perfection of a film. This 3 hour long biopic is a must watch for every movie lovers.