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The Dark, Sad Life of Boogie2988 (2023)
A really engaging film about a self destructive figure
I've known about Boogie2988 for many years. I was a fan of his whacky content as a teenager. In later years however, Boogie's (real name Steven) popularity has depleted, along with his money. With constant controversies and restless self destruction, the Mr Rogers of the internet has fully washed up from the wave of backlash.
This documentary is a very well made film in many respects. It's not overly long, it explores many aspects of someone's life, is brilliantly edited and doesn't hold back on being real. I honestly didn't expect this doc to be as scathing as it wound up being. I was expecting it to be pity porn. Whilst it may be quite somber in approach, it doesn't appear to be taking Boogie's side when it's unjustified.
Boogie hasn't got the best reputation at this point, he's become too difficult to like or route for. He's a classic case of a guy who really can't do what's best for himself. Anyone in his situation should be removing themselves from the internet on indefinite hiatus to figure stuff out. Unfortunately, as the film makes clear, it seems he now needs youtube more than youtube needs him.
Despite all the misgivings, I do hope Steven can sort himself out, and view this work as a wake up call to finally move on and really try on his self improvement. Whilst many will be angry, I think he can get better and maybe bounce back a little in the right circumstances. The biggest enemy in his life is clearly himself, and if he can learn legitimate self respect, then the only way to go is up.
Any real criticisms of this film will be more targeted on the subject than the overall production value. The artistry of the film itself is really commendable for an independent feature with likely little money behind it. It's an entertaining and revealing piece of work.
Inside No. 9: 3 by 3 (2023)
An Exercise In Authenticity.
As we reach the latter half of Inside No 9's 8th season, it is clear that creators Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton are trying to push the boat out in terms of concepts.
3 by 3 is an episode where the presentation may trick you at first. Everything seems just too friendly and clean. The episode seems to plod along in the usual fashion of the typical prime time quiz show. Until you notice subtle hints funnelled in to entice us to ponder the finale.
Given how bright and chipper this episode is, like most great Inside eps, something just doesn't feel right. Reece and Steve have outdid themselves in terms of getting the feel of this particular kind of show right. They know how to represent a genre.
I'd say watch this episode with an open mind and just appreciate the attention to detail that the guys put into this. They do love to play games with their audience and this may be the biggest game they've played in an episode for a while.
The Bob's Burgers Movie (2022)
Everything I Wanted It To Be !
Bob's Burgers Movie Review
As Bob's Burgers approaches it's 13th season (at time of writing) and appears to show no sign of stopping. It was fairly obvious that a movie was inevitably around the corner at some point. As a fan of the show I was excited, as a fan of movies I was cautious. TV show to Motion Picture is not often a pleasant transition. To take something that you can binge hours of and turn it into a palatable 2 hour adventure can be tricky. I was quite disappointed and am still not hugely big on The Simpsons Movie despite loving the early seasons.
However when it comes to The Bob's Burgers Movie, I personally think they did a great job at showing what the show is all about in such a fluent and fun way. The opening musical number gives all the info the average movie goer needs to work out the Belcher's personalities and what their motivations are. The story manages to fit in enough side characters to make the movie feel important and not just come over as a long episode.
The story of The Bob's Burgers Movie is more slow moving and personal to the family in comparison to The Simpsons Movie which was attempting to be bigger in scope and approach. To me this made sense and this matched the toned down, awkward humour nature of Bob's Burgers.
The humour is quick witted and involves a lot of one liner responses or silly comebacks. The humour plays a big part in how much you may enjoy the show. It's not for everyone. Personally as a fan, I've grown a little tired of the more recent seasons. However, I found the movie actually quite funny and way worth my time.
The animation is also a lot better than the show with a realistic approach to lighting and shadow effects. The camera work felt more like a motion picture than prime time tv animation too which was expected. I did feel that the shadows may be distracting to some viewers but it never really bothered me. For me the effects paid off and I loved looking at the movies upgraded style.
Some questions some fans may ask is "Does this movie really matter? Does it tread on new ground? Is it just the show but on cinema screens?" In my opinion the movie feels like a film. I think a non-fan could watch this and get a kick out of it. 2D animated movies feel so rare now adays so to have one like this come along feels like a treat. So if you're not familiar to the show I would say watch some random episodes just to get a feel and you should be fine.
For fans like me however, there are plenty of references to old adventures and lots of fun to have whilst viewing the loveable belchers on the silver screen.
I loved this movie and thought I got my moneys worth. It's a really solid movie that has kickstarted my appetite for the world of Bob's Burgers once again!
Wreck-It Ralph (2012)
A Fun & Sweet Film
Every once in a while a movie will come around that should be a stupid cash grab. A movie which markets what's popular, and dresses it up as a 90 minute blockbuster. But in some cases those movies are treated with so much respect by their creators that the finished product is something too good not to appreciate. Wreck It Ralph is a movie much like that.
On the surface it's a film about video games but essentially it's a relatable tale about the quest for belonging. The film is super goofy and has enough slapstick and silly humour to entertain all viewers no matter how old you are. But for me, it's the visuals and the charm that makes me come back to it.
Despite the story being quite typically Disney and the themes not being so deep. There is just the right amount of depth to the characters for us to be able to care about them. Ralph is a misunderstood bad guy who wishes to change his path and feel like a hero. But along the way he learns the true value of self worth over seeking approval. It really doesn't matter what others think about you, but it's more about how you view your self and how those who really know you can see you.
The animation and character designs are just amazing. It's flawless even down to the movements of the 8-bit video game characters. I also really like the way the movie shows you the view of the characters inside the arcade games. The idea of video game villains having a rehab meeting in the centre of the pac-man maze is a particularly funny little visual.
The sound design and voice acting are exceptional too. John C. Reilly and Sarah Silverman put a lot into their roles. The quality of the film is at a high standard as would be expected by big budget Disney flick. The story and the characters however, are what keep this movie standing tall. I think this deserved to win best animation over the less memorable and slightly less impressive Brave, but I suppose you can't win um all. I personally feel this movie had more heart and an awful lot more in terms of content than Brave. But oh well.
Just like The Lego Movie, this production team really cared about the film they were making. It was fun and had heart which is the most important thing.
Little Nightmares II (2021)
An Incredible, Engaging Adventure
Little Nightmares 2 delivers a great atmospheric gaming environment filled with spooky ambience and thrilling environments. Much like the first instalment, this game delivers a cold and unforgiving environment. And underneath the surface of the gothic art style, there is a layer of mysterious backstory.
The story is a simple tale of a young boy named Mono, accompanied by Six (the first game's protagonist) trying to survive the brutal world they live in and find a safe place.
The gameplay is still quite clunky in places, especially with the pretty clumsy combat feature. However the physical limitations of the game and your characters only make you feel more vulnerable and in danger within the world. So in a sense it ads to the experience when you know surviving is harder.
The new environments are just as creepy as ever with 6 unique locations in the game. Each monster has a pretty spooky, creative design and fits the mood of the game. And the sheer size and scope is a step up from the first game.
The music is on par with the first soundtrack. It's haunting yet beautiful. Simple and effective. Best of all it compliments the game, adding mystique and builds the story with atmosphere. The simplicity in the music brings a child like sense of wonder that accompanies the characters through the story. And then some tracks just fill your heart with dread. Some songs just make the adrenaline flow in the more dire points of the game.
Not only is the game beautiful, it's also incredibly fun. Containing many hidden collectables, humorous achievement trophies, and some callbacks to the previous game. The game never feels stale and offers us a lot in a short amount of time. Each level progresses brilliantly.
Some of the downsides are the games short length and again the stiff controls at points. With a game as captivating as LN2, it's easy to indulge in the experience. But with the game's run time only between 5-6 hours, the time it can seem a bit brief. Less is indeed more but for me 5 hours isn't long enough. I think it could of had another level. But it's better to have 5 great chapters rather than anything that can be perceived as filler. In this case the game leaves us wanting more rather than waiting for it to end. The game is also very replay-able if not for the fun trophies and the cool hat collection.
Some further minor upgrades from the first Little Nightmares are the better checkpoint loading, nicer camera work, more challenging gameplay and fewer AI issues. So overall the experience is a lot more polished.
I love this game a lot. I've played to 100% completion but still want to play it some more so it's definitely worth an extra play through.
Ed Wood (1994)
A masterpiece with the body of a comedy, but the soul of a tragedy.
Ed wood is a brilliant demonstration on how to deliver a worthy biopic. It has style, it has truth, and most of all it has understanding.
It would be easy to look at Ed Wood in one certain angle. He was a man with many strange quirks, it's almost too strange to fully believe at first. But he was a man with many layers. He was a tortured artist, he was a piece of comedic gold, he was a man of passion, he was a man with drive and he was also a man who embraced the challenges set for him.
Whatever was said about him, you can't deny Ed Wood had a relentless lust for creating and the passion to deliver, no matter how ill prepared he was. Wood seemed to always be swimming against the tied and due to the results being so shoddy in most respects, he never managed to catch any sort of break.
Behind all the drama, comedy and beautiful imagery in this film is a story about perseverance despite failure. In many ways Ed Wood experienced nothing but failure which makes his life story seem so devastating.
Johnny Depp plays Ed Wood with a stunning level of talent. Wood is portrayed as a man who sees the best in everything. He has an incredible supply of passion, friends, stock footage and basically no supply of anything else. Money is especially tight, causing him to cut corners at every corner.
Martin Landau is incredible as the ageing Bela Lugosi, who became close with Wood professionally and personally. Lugosi was a fundamental part in Ed Wood's earlier projects, he was a legend who engaged with Wood as if he was any other Hollywood director. The film portrays Lugosi as the man who is in a huge crisis and has given up on everything.
Lugosi's story is one of the film's most heartbreaking elements. He is a downtrodden star who's turned into a rather bitter man. Once so iconic, he is now effectively left with nothing but a substance addiction and a problematic financial situation.
The fact that no one knows Bela is even alive and that he strolls around with a grouchy demeanour is humorous, however there's a great darkness lingering around him. He is old, tired, depressed and angry.
Throughout the film he makes calls to "Eddy" late at night to come to his aid as he experiences a crisis. The fact that Ed Wood was always there for Bela was an incredibly touching part of their relationship. It's just heartbreaking seeing Bela in such a self destructive state.
Every other actor in this film is really good and they all make the parts their own. And they're all incredibly funny and you warm to them all because if their commitment to Ed's vision.
Amongst Ed Wood is one of the strangest ensembles from any Hollywood project. Ed was weird but also incredibly likeable, so over time he begins to have a grip on some washed up legends, some fallen from grace TV stars and even novelty acts.
Tim Burton manages to tackle the heavy themes and all the strange events in the films with such a gentle grace. He was always going to be the best director for the job. As someone who is eccentric himself and a lover of gothic imagery, he really understood how to tell this story.
The way this movie ends is quite beautiful and respectful to Ed Wood's innocent and passionate nature. It treats him like a person, not like a joke. He's a funny and eccentric guy, but he is displayed as a hard working and heavily inspired artist. Considering that the real ending of Ed Wood's life was so bleak, it's nice to see the film giving him the beautiful ending that he really deserved.
This movie also wins great respect for one of the greatest opening credits sequences ever. This first few minutes deliver practically everything you need to know about an Ed Wood production. So thoughtful, respectful, funny, moving and stylistic.
The Lobster (2015)
A Masterpiece on Indoctrination
When it comes to black comedy, it can be a tricky job to juggle the humour with the morbid subject matter. It's a formula that if you over serve on one element, it can feel unbalanced. The Lobster is a movie that manages both elements with great care. It conjures up such an atmosphere that is equally creepy and hilarious that to me it is a work of genius.
The Lobster is a pretty bleak, yet hilarious film filled with deadpan line delivery, sexually awkward themes and a deep view on human emotion. Every scene helps to meticulously build on the themes and increase the tension.
The film is set in a world quite similar to ours, but the government have a strong authoritarian grip on the citizens. Our hero, David is sent away from his home to a dating facility sponsored by the government. Why? Because being single in this world is not tolerated and everyone must have a sexual partner in their life.
In this society there is no chance of living alone or standing out as an individual. You have 45 days at the swanky dating hotel to seek out your mate. If you fail to find one, then you will be surgically transformed into an animal of your choosing and sent off into the wild.
How is this surgery possible? Are you still your conscious self when you're turned? These in-depth questions are not ever completely explained, except the threat lingers in ambiguity and it's a race against time to save yourself from that fate.
David is a person who has a quirkiness and vulnerability that makes him very likeable and understandable. He also comes across as a bit of a worm, but given the way the world works you do warm to him and understand his motivations throughout.
He is emotionally reserved for the most part, just like everyone else. But with Colin Farell's performance you can sense how he feels internally with the slightest movements. It really is a brilliant performance.
Many of the other characters never get named and are merely referred to by their basic descriptions, such as "lisp man" or "biscuit woman". This creative choice only reinforces that nobody sticks out from David's point of view. Everyone dresses the same and is restrained from fully expressing themselves.
One of my favourite things about this film is the dry delivery of the narration by Rachel Weisz as The Short Sighted Woman (Or SSW as I'll call her). The deadpan reading helps set the dark mood and demonstrate how detached people are from their inner feelings. People in this world talk like they're reading a book infront of a class. It's unnatural and everyone acts like they're being examined in private, judged by their every move.
The film has a tranquil energy, and yet the tension is always there. There's an uneasiness between every character. The fact that you could become single at any time, makes many people emotionally reserved. Which makes sense as they have to adapt to their loved ones possibly leaving them, and them having to move on as quick as possible.
A core theme I believe this film is about is the idea of picking a side of two extremes. There is no middle ground in this film. The theories of pairing up via personal traits is something that is highly accepted and never questioned in this society. It can't be questioned because any individuality is snuffed out. Even the loners who reject coupling seem to have a lot of strict rules and harsh punishments to enforce them by. There is no happy medium.
David matches SSW's issue with her eyes to his own. And so the pair begin to bond. Almost as if that similarity gives them permission to love one another. Once this is changed however, the pair struggle to find any other thing that matches them up. Every interaction they have had, becomes irrelevant. It shows that feelings in this world are pretty redundant in the grand scheme of things. And as love is not based on rational thinking, it's mostly looked at as secondary to practicality.
In a way this makes the Heartless woman appear to be the most rational in the film, despite how nasty she is. Her lack of empathy and her cruel attitude is something that isn't seen as a problem, and her relentless ability to hunt runaways buys her more and more days in the hotel, making her a stand out guest. The fact that the compatibility of similarities is never challenged gives the audience the idea that the world may have evolved this way from primitive beginnings. As the runaway's don't even appear to understand how to love without falling into the system, and so they reject it completely. Love to them is an oppressive thing.
The film makes it very clear that the runaways and the government enforcing these rules are not that much different. They are two extreme sides of the debate and they both get an equal amount of time in the movie. Neither side seems to present an inviting way of life. And within both of these sides, David and SSW meet right in the middle. And in this space they can love and bond with each other. Though ultimately in the end the world will tear them apart because they don't fit on either side.
The Lobster is a phenomenal piece of work. It has everything I want from a film and continues to give me more with each rewatch. There is a lot to take from this movie so go ahead and experience for yourself. Watch it if you like weird, dark comedies or creepy art movies.
Alice in Wonderland (1999)
Overall Charming & Enchanting.
This TV movie adaptation of the Lewis Caroll classic has a special place in my heart, which you could call nostalgic bias. But viewing it with older and wiser eyes, I can still see the charm and strengths of the production.
One thing this film had going for it was its star power and a decent budget. But the core thing I take from this version is an intense feeling of whimsy. The magical, adventurous spirit of Alice In Wonderland is very much alive.
There is something quite artful about this adaptation. The mad hatters tea party scene is probably my favourite version and the best part of the whole thing. In this scene, the movie changes it's visuals to an autumn orange tint which creates the dream like quality.
The craziness of the tea party is on par with the Animated Disney version. Although the energy is lot more laid back than aggressively cartoonish. Martin Short is fantastic as the Mad Hatter, he truly captures the soul of the character and supplies a lot more heart into the Hatter than may be expected.
I also really liked the change of motivation for Alice. The plot essentially is about her trying to escape and avoid the anxious dread of performing. As she moves further into the fantastical land, various characters provide some lessons in self confidence. This premise makes the weirdness of Wonderland suddenly make sense. The chaotic, messiness of life is bound to get to us from time to time. The people of wonderland help us to realise that despite the madness, you can put up with it and preserver.
The overall energy behind this project feels different throughout. Various scenes feel wacky and there's a fair amount of upbeat moments. Though others are have an ambient quality, providing a dream like experience. This mood change perfectly matches how I'd envision wonderland to be. With ever changing energy and presentation.
The acting in this film can be a bit hit and miss at times. Whoopi Goldberg as the cheshire cat is still a weird decision that provides the uncanny valley feelings. However, I can't help but enjoy it for what it is.
Miranda Richardson fits very well into her role as the queen of hearts. Although she walks the thin line between funny and annoying. She appears to have little authority beyond barking orders and her irritated supporters. She's never as intimidating as the great Disney Animated version. However, she still has a presence and is a great scene chewing performance.
Tina Majorino as Alice overall is decent in the role, but she can be quite understated in some scenes. Her performance matches Mia Wasikowska's Alice in the Tim Burton film. Alice in general though is a pretty uninteresting character who is there just to experience the zaniness around her.
I do like Tina as Alice though. She has more of an innocence about her and her motivations seem more interesting to me. She also has a bit more determination than some other interpretations of the character.
This adaptation is quite an accurate one to the source material. I enjoy the charm and the overall vibe you get from the experience. I would recommend it as a good alternate version to the superb animated Disney version, if you ever want a taste of a different representation.
The Cook, the Thief, His Wife & Her Lover (1989)
A masterpiece of cinematic presentation.
I first watched this film when I was about 14 years old and it blew me away. The artistry and the visceral nastiness shook me and It opened my mind to the pleasures of artsy filmmaking.
For the past four decades, Peter Greenaway has provocatively argued that cinema has not been visual enough. He has bemoaned the Hollywood formula and denounced story as a motivator for using cinema as a form of artistic expression.
With that all said however, Greenaway has managed a perfect compromise with The Cook, The Thief His Wife and Her Lover. The film has plenty of substance for you to dig into.
I don't really know for fact, but I recon the purpose of that overly long title was one of historical significance. It feels like an attempt to mimic the Renaissance painter's lack of interest in titling their work. This could be a message that the film may be about these people but they are not the core focus. They are just the products on the fancy window display.
There is a lot to digest from the film. From the sharp dialogue, the interesting allegory of a "Thatcherised" Britain, along with the interesting change of colour throughout the movie. Plus a bit of religious symbolism mixed in because it's a Greenaway film.
Michael Gambon and Helen Mirren are perfect in their roles. Gambon is a cranked up beast that uses everything around him for his pleasure. He is an unhinged bully of the most obnoxious kind. Although you can't help be captivated by him. No one appears to be safe from his aggressive grip as he oafishly stomps around set, attempting to humiliate all in his path. Helen Mirren is a much more delicate character, however she is very strong in spirit. Her character Georgina is a person internally longing to be free from the grasp of her husband, the repugnant Albert Spica (Gambon)
The cinematography in this film is gorgeous. Every scene looks so perfectly pulled together. Every aspect of production fit so well. No matter what Greenaway says disparagingly about the medium of film, he is one of the greats when it comes to style. He always manages the strange mix between beauty and disgusting in his films. He revels in provoking gut churning reactions from his viewers. His films have very clinical and grotesque images, though for everyone of them there is and image which flares gorgeous intrigue. So in the end you're left with product which is paradoxically beautiful and grotesque equally.
You could argue that Peter Greenaway's philosophy of cinema is not really sound. The entertainment value of his vision could be really underwhelming, he himself admits this. His films can come over more like glorified art instalments rather than cinematic entertainment. People simply aren't going to invest their money into that. Although, Peter has claimed to be saying this as a form of encouragement for people to reinvent cinema rather than leave it as is. There is a playfulness to his words, he is attempting to provoke you all the time. This movie is the rod he pokes you with.
The debate is still being had about where cinema really should be going. With so much retreading in certain places, the art form of filmmaking is attempting to go down different avenues to stand out. Thanks to streaming there is now a bit more freedom of expression so now production crews can take more chances. Peter Greenaway in many ways was a maverick of the 80s. I've never quite seen anything else like a Greenaway film.
In short, this movie is a masterpiece. It's very artsy and busy with its themes, but I love it. Some will find it pompous, I think it's an amazing work of brilliance. This is probably Greenaway's most accessible film, which isn't saying much. His films are always hard to swallow for quite a large chunk of the audience. This movie in particular has a lot of nastiness, though its artistic merit is unbelievable strong.
Eraserhead (1977)
A truly pure cinematic experience.
You can call it pretentious. You can call if nonsense. You can call it what ever you want and that's the charm of this film. Eraserhead is a film of ideas and mood and is solely about experience. The story can be summed up in two lines and any messages and analysis will be down to mostly interpretations of the images. It's the movie equivalent of a fever dream.
David Lynch risked a lot for this film and from it we get a taste of what he is all about. It's a movie that is completely him and his style. Every filmmaker should have a movie they can call their Eraserhead. A film that is their stylistic and personal calling card. Something that will mess with minds or freak you out.
This movie paved the way for Lynch to continue in the film business and spread his genius further, but it may not have been possible without this freaky debut.
I love this film so much. Even if it's not so digestible or entertaining in the conventional sense, I just find it so inspirational, engaging and haunting. The cinematography is amazing, the direction is out of the box and the performances have this aura of dark comedy about them. So much so that they boost the mood of the picture.
And then there's the sound. Possible one of the most ambient and lively sounding films out there. It's a pretty industrialised sound that stays in your head ages after watching it. It's incredibly mesmerising.
This movie is a classic in cinema and one of the most important films I've ever seen. It's an acquired taste but it's too interesting not to watch at least once.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Well made and decent
When I agreed to go and see this movie with friends, I regretted that decision. This is mainly because I do not enjoy many superhero movies and I rarely go out of my way to see them. But this one was an interesting journey and had a cool concept of superhero beating the hell out of each other. So I don't regret the decision anymore.
The movie is well shot but it felt like it had quite a bit of shaky cam in the fight scenes which I find quite annoying usually. The pacing of the movie felt quite fast and neatly laid out which was great. I wasn't bored through the movie like I have been with other recent Superhero flicks so that was great. The exposition can be a bit boring and tedious but the movie gets going quite quickly and has a good balance of everything you want with this type of movie.
The action is great all the way through. There are many fights spaced out through the exposition scenes, all the fights felt brutal. And because its superheroes vs each other it can feel quite personal and gripping, even though you know they wont kill each other really. If you want to see this movie, the best reason to see it is for the action and characters, as there is a lot of both them things. Plus the stories or structure are never the strong part of superhero movies usually anyway.
The characters are pretty much all the people we've seen before in the past movies plus a few new ones added in. So if you love the characters then thats one of the greatest reasons to see any movie! As the focus of this movie is more aimed at Captain America, Tony Stark is less witty then he probably would be in a movie where he is more of the focus but he still manages to get some humour in still so its not gone completely. All the actors play their parts great and all work off of each other well. No one lets the team down with a dodgy performance.
The story of course is the main point and it may be the weakest point of the movie, at least to me anyway. Superhero movies very rarely have a story that actually makes you feel anything and the story just feels like it has to be there to keep the audience away from action for a while. With that said, it isn't badly done or in need to be ranted about. The overall point in the movie was apparently done in Batman Vs Superman which doesn't surprise me as Hollywood love to release two movies at the same time with a similar narrative and message. With all this said, this movies main focus is characters and not story. And the characters are all there, so if you love them, then you'll like the movie.
It has the humour and the drama that the other films have which you may like if you enjoyed it in the other movies. If you are a fan of superhero movies at all then you should really like it as I believe it ticks all the boxes for an enjoyable superhero flick. If you aren't a fan though then you may still possibly like it because of the concept, or something else may wow you. If you hate these types of movies with a passion then you may not like this one, in fact you'll hate it. It doesn't break any ground or do much too differently that the other movies do. And given that I don't enjoy them ones, then I guess I like the movie mainly for the concept.
The movie overall is a good experience and I enjoyed it. I wouldn't mind watching it again. If I had to choose between all of the superhero films, this would be on my list of likely to pick. People might be wondering if its better than Batman Vs Superman and id say, given all the criticism that movie got, this one must be the better one out of the two.
The Hateful Eight (2015)
One of Tarantinos greatest
This is by far one of the greatest films of the year and one of the best movies I've ever seen in the cinema ever. And could also quite possibly become one of my favourite movies after a couple of more watches. Everything seemed on point and I was sucked in from the very beginning to the very end. As a Tarantino fan and movie fan I felt like I completely got my moneys worth and I enjoyed every second of it. I felt like a kid in a sweet shop whilst watching.
With all that said, if you are a Tarantino fan, or a general film goer, or whatever your situation and you don't like it, or in fact even hate it, then I understand and you like what you like. But I personally don't care what anybody says, I loved this movie a lot and I couldn't get enough of it. Even though this is Tarantinos second western movie it is no way the same as Django unchained as the playful silliness is less present to create a more tense environment. But the movie still has the traits of all Of Quentins previous films such as the tension, Drama, humour, the Graphic violence and colourful language.
The thing I love about Quentin Tarantino is not only his appreciation and passion for all types of films (especially exploitation film) but the fact he has the confidence to make a 3 hour movie at the pace that it goes and feel that his characters, story, direction and everything that the cast and crew bring to the project will be enough. And so he should be confident, as he and everyone involved pull it off brilliantly. And what they deliver is way more than enough.
The cinematography is done perfectly and it sucks you into the movie creating that Tarantino style feel. The Soundtrack worked really well at creating the films menacing mood. I especially loved the song at the beginning credits as I think it sums up the movie perfectly. The characters were all interesting and mysterious that I wanted to learn more and more about them. The acting was superb by everyone in the movie and everyone looked great at the parts they were playing. The costumes fitted what the characters looked and acted like which was great.
The locations were atmospheric and truly represented the beauty of the old west. The main cabin location was amazingly designed, with lots of little details fitted in. The direction of every scene in my opinion was greatly executed. And the story is easy enough to follow as it is a western style who done it. The less you know about the story before watching, the better it is. Although I do think you can still enjoy this movie a lot even if you do know some important story points. The Tarantino style is very present in the movie which will please any fans of his.
The Violence like any other Quentin Tarantino movie is very in your face, graphic and mature but is a lot of fun to watch. There are also a few twisted scenes which are funny but also uncomfortable. The language, also like any other Tarantino films is also quite offensive throughout. Many racial slurs are thrown about but are usually for comic effect and I don't think should be taken too seriously.
There aren't really any big problems I had with the movie. But a few little ones are some slow motion shots which I didn't think were necessary. Also a couple of the songs felt forced into the movie but it didn't bother me too much. The biggest problem I think a fair amount of people will have is the pacing of the movie, as this movie is 3 hours of character interaction. But its got enough going on to keep your interest and the length of the movie allows for a lot of tension to build for when certain things later on happen. If you are a Tarantino fan then I don't think this will bother you, but if it does then fair enough.
I had a blast watching this movie. The more I think about it, the more I love it and want to see it again. the only reason this movies isn't a 10 is because I feel ill have to watch it a couple more times in my opinion. I hope when it comes out on DVD, it'll be an extended 4 hour version as I just want to see more of it. Like I said at the beginning if you don't like it then that's fine. I don't think the movie is for everyone but It definitely was for me. What more can I say other than see for yourself if you haven't already and see if you love it too. Also if you can see it in 70mm then id suggest doing it as that's the intended viewing Tarantino intended.
Black Mass (2015)
Decent Film, Great performance
I've only ever seen Johnny Depp in two roles where I believed he was brilliant. And this is one of them, the other being Captain Jack Sparrow from the first pirates movie. Being in a lot of Tim Burton flicks and occasionally popping up in other things now and then it seemed like Depp needed to find a new voice and I believe he found it here. To be fair I haven't seen many recent films of his but this one truly stands out from the ones I have seen. This is his best film in long while and I wont be surprised if he is nominated for the academy award for it. He gave atmosphere in every scene he was in and gave a less is more performance which worked really well. There are a couple of scenes in particular where it felt like he truly knew who he was playing. He definitely is the reason to see this film
As for the rest of the film, it is pretty decent but not great. Everyone plays their parts well such as Benedict Cumberbatch as Billy Bulger and Joel Edgerton as John Connolly. No one seems Miscast for the film. Apart from the performances I cant really think of much more reason to watch the movie. The biggest problem this movie has is that the story (being of true events) seems to be more a template for a character study of James whitey Bulger (Depp). Everything seems brushed over which doesn't give a movie like this justice, especially since this is a movie based on a true story.
The violence is shown in a very gritty and realistic way, and gives it more of a stylised look rather than the other exploitive representation in a lot of gangster movies. The film was shot really nice and a few of the scenes were really nicely composed, it all looked smooth and I saw no issues. The biggest problem is the story as it isn't very informative and really focuses mainly on the main character. If you want to see a character study of a dangerous criminal, then you may enjoy this. Its no Goodfellas but its not a terrible gangster film.