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Reviews
The Happiness Salesman (2010)
Why?
It's a narrative that is just so overdone - women sacrificing their dreams for the suburban life and their baby. As if once you have children, you now have to resign yourself to a mediocre life. This narrative is just not one that I agree with. People who achieve great things in the world very often have children. Women who are single mothers can build support networks out of family and friends and give themselves time for fun or for pursuing the career they want. I found it disturbing how the film hinted at the mother killing her baby. This might be considered "high art" or "art house", but in my mind it's just horror for horror's sake and, in the process, sending a damaging message to women. It's effective and engaging to shock and disturb your audience. Yes the film is well made, the acting is great, the direction, but what message and what idea are you creating and putting out there in the world? And why?
Based on a True Story (2023)
Binged season 1 but...not good for the soul
I enjoyed the first couple of episodes and found them witty and exciting. As the show progressed, the tendency to just shock the audience with morally atrocious scenes just started to grind on me, but I was too heavily invested in the plot by the point to stop.
I do wonder why society is so obsessed with serial killers and this show didn't answer that question, it just sort of added to the phenomenon but with a slightly self-conscious tone.
I most enjoyed the occasional sweet moments between the couple. But I was also disturbed by the society portrayed in this show - these beautiful homes and beautiful clothes but the people don't seem to live for any purpose other than to party, enjoy spending money and compare themselves to each other.. that was a little sad.
The acting was good, the production good, it was definitely well made and did keep me on the edge of my seat the whole time.
The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power (2022)
Wonderful: "Go towards goodness"
I have fallen absolutely in love with this show, I just cannot get enough. Mostly what I love is the tone. Finally a show that manages to champion forces of good in the deeply philosophical way that Tolkien did is just such a breath of fresh air. I love the little snippets of wisdom, I love the characters and their moral dilemmas. Of course the action, the costumes and set and scenery are phenomenal and very true to Tolkien's world in my opinion. I have been rather confused and flabbergasted by the huge backlash against the show once I started watching it. I just hope amongst all the noise, the creators can stick to their vision and continue delighting us for seasons to come! Bring on more of The Rings of Power! This is what humanity needs more of.
The Woman in the Window (2021)
What's with the negative reviews?!?
Amazing film!!
All the way through it walks the fine line of keeping us guessing - are the people in Anna's life real or are they delusions? My partner who is a doctor was convinced they were delusions from his experience with mental health patients. For example, Ethan's slightly unrealistic behaviour must be a delusion, surely? Why would a teenager come to see his boring agoraphobic neighbour? A child who is abused just SOMEHOW ends up in the apartment of a former child psychologist? And then his behaviour is so perfectly explained when the twist comes - he was acting that way because he knew she would "like" it as his next victim.
The way the film paints mental illness is fantastic - the camera work is disorientating and really puts you in the shoes of the unreliable narrator. So many moments that had me feeling claustrophobic and uncomfortable. And Anna's coping mechanisms were very real. She is very aware of her illness but still cannot overcome it.
And then the twist, which ends up making the whole ordeal that this woman goes through a triumph over her mental illness - I found that to be highly satisfying and a message of hope.
Finally, Anna's characters herself is absolutely wonderful. Amazing acting by Amy Adams. Despite everything she has done in the past and everything she is going through, her moral compass is strong and her will is something to be reckoned with, even when she herself believes she is seeing visions. Mental illness is not glorified like it is in many similar films and used as a cheap plot device (eg Shutter Island), it is really honestly portrayed. The plot twist I thought was absolutely elegant and perfectly executed.
I expected a thriller that would keep me guessing. I got that AND I was uplifted. Really great film. (Again, I simply don't understand the bad reviews).
Catch and Release (2006)
A wonderful film
I'm sad that this film was marketed as a romantic comedy or some similar entertaining genre when it really is an arthouse film in disguise. Roger Ebert didn't even get a chance to review it and the critics tore it to shreds.
It's extremely carefully crafted and genuine. Every character is layered and then layered some more - extremely bright characters that we sort of recognise - the fat infantile man who is always joking around whose suicide attempt shows us it is all a defense mechanism. The massage therapist mom, who believes in "chi" and in "being at ease" in order for her child to behave. "It's a papaya if it'll make you happy" she says to her son who is calling a mango a papaya.
It's also really thrilling to watch, there is so much tension and every moment is 100% filled with real, raw emotion.
A misunderstood film. I'm so glad I watched it.
Jojo Rabbit (2019)
Bold and heartwarming. Heavy and light hearted.
I am really surprised at the critics who felt this movie crossed a line. If it was even a touch more serious, it wouldn't work at all. Taika Waititi walks the line beautifully. He uses his trademark kiwi humour to lighten the mood in order to be able to talk about these very difficult topics.
It is about how we are brainwashed by our society about what is acceptable and what isn't, it is about cruelty, fear, strength. It is about freedom - physical and intellectual. Of course it is about death and war and pain.
Amazing performances by all the actors, casting was immaculate!
Thank you Taika!! We are blessed to have you in this world!
The Last Five Years (2014)
I wish the director was smarter!
Having seen an amazing production of this in Auckland (Last Tapes Theatre Company), this much more expensive, full blown movie fell flat for me. I think Jason Robert Brown's musical was ultimately misunderstood here.
The structure in the original is that they sing solo, him starting at the start, her at the end, they meet in the middle when they get married and share their only duet, and then spin off into solo again. Although "together", each is alone inside his/her own emotions, and although trying to connect, they constantly miss each other. Only when they are getting married and singing a duet are they really in sync. The movie muddled this by trying to have both him and her taking part in every song throughout. An acting challenge that failed :/ The best moments were when they were singing to no one in particular, for her it was "Jamie is over and Jamie is done" and for him "Hold on, the panic recedes". This was when the actors were finally allowed to perform the songs the way they were supposed to be performed.
Basically, I thing the focus of each song is supposed to be on the subjective experience. But the movie missed this point, and tried to make every song mimic a real life conversation. This failed, although you could see how hard both actors were trying. The chemistry was very forced. Singing a conversation is awkward enough, but the lyrics are so deep and vulnerable, no one would say those things aloud. It was especially awkward when they were sung at his friends in a bar or at reporters at a party. Those poor extras on the receiving end of the songs didn't know what to do with themselves. The songs are meant to be confidante confessions to the audience, coming from deep within the characters, obviously not casual conversation. In general, the misunderstanding of the unique genre and structure of the original transformed The Last Five Years into a cringey, low-level musical.
The original is actually more a song cycle, it has virtually no spoken dialogue, like an opera. And it creates the same height of emotion as opera does. Performed, even if the director lacks creativity to make it come alive believably, it should at least not distract us from the amazing poetry in the lyrics. But there was a lot of (really crappy) dialogue inserted, a lot of unnecessary shots of miscellaneous stuff that was really distracting during the singing.
Instead of an incredibly powerful set of insights into how relationships dissolve, this was just another Hollywoody movie about guy meets girl. And what's sad is now the majority will think that that's what The Last Five Years is. But it's actually so much more than that!
Having said that, no matter how badly adapted, I don't think The Last Five Years could ever suck, the score and text is just too amazing and this will shine through. And despite awkwardness, there were some really good moments from both him and her. I would recommend listening to the songs rather than watching this movie though, or better still, try and see it live.
Kingsman: The Secret Service (2014)
Daring, talented fun, but too violent for sensitive viewers!
From the very start, you can tell this movie is on a whole other level to most of the stuff coming out of Hollywood nowadays. From the innovative opening credits to the perfect comedic timing with EVERY line, it's fast paced without being in the least hard to follow. I loved the edgy new take this movie had on the spy theme. I loved it because like my favourite James Bond movies from decades ago, it doesn't take itself too seriously. I loved the main character Eggzy, with his street gait and kinda sexy cockney accent, and I LOVED Colin Firth as a spy. He was as gentlemanly as ever and BECAUSE of this, he was really interesting as an ultra violent fighter. And of course the villains were extremely bright characters, my boyfriend couldn't suppress giggles the whole time Samuel L Jackson was on screen. However, the ever increasing violence was too much for me. The church massacre scene I found out of place and tasteless, and it completely ruined my enjoyment for the talent this movie had to show. It made me feel complete terror at how desensitized to violence Hollywood expects its viewers to be. MOST of us normal people don't find that amount of killing acceptable or "funny", and it just made me feel sick for the rest of the movie. Someone in the movie theatre said aloud "What are we watching?" and I think a couple people left. Despite that however, you can tell love, hard work, and lots and lots of guts and talent went into making this movie and no one left the movie theatre indifferent. I recommend it for anyone who can stomach violence!
Dyadya Vanya (1970)
Well crafted depressing art house film, but not much more
I think this film completely misses the point of Chekhov's play. The melancholy arises entirely from unpleasant dripping, dirty surroundings and is maybe extended by the fact that the characters are all in deep depression and act somewhat hysterical. It doesn't work and think towards its heart-wrenchingly melancholy conclusion, but is simply gloomy the whole way through. It makes a good art-house film, but with the legendary actors and script it had to work with, it could have been so much more. The actors seem bored stiff. Even actor-legend Smoktunovsky seems to miss the point and falls back on playing anger and hysteria. There is never any moment to contrast the the gloomy mood, there isn't enough tension between hope and despair, its just monotonous. This isn't a bad film, and I'm sure the cinematography is very professional and important, but Uncle Vanya isn't about colors and dripping roofs and dirty surroundings, its about the people. And for some reason, Konchalovsky ignored all the fantastic language and acting potential he had to work with and focused instead on giving the film a depressing autumn color scheme.
Paris (2008)
Amazing!
Like all of Cedric Klapisch's films I've seen so far, this one is a true work of art. It takes it's material directly from real life, all the characters, places, situations are living, breathing insights into the human condition, into life, death, misery, loneliness, love, and so much more than can be put into words. There is no main plot, there is no main character (except for maybe Paris, the city), but all the characters and their lives (even the ones who only appear for a few seconds) are given such attention, that the audience gets an intimate and full insight. Roman Duris is of course incredible as a weak has-been nightclub dancer whose thrilling life suddenly ends when he gets a weak heart and is told the chances of survival are slim. I love how this actor can immerse himself so fully in the mood of his character, he's absolutely at rock bottom, with no future, hardly any present, he is just too weak to be violently miserable, so he is quietly miserable. The thing he gets a kick out of is drinking in the lives of the people he sees from his window. Then there's a good mood kind of day, he sits on the floor listening to music and looking at old photos, and his whole face just lights up (I know it's cliché) when he remembers the past. I don't want to bore anyone and go into all the other characters, the film does it better in several seconds than I could in a whole book, but one that particularly stood out was a Parisian history professor, intelligent and with a sharp tongue he is suddenly faced with emotions he can't battle with words and a quick intellect. A terrific film, as close to perfect as anything is ever going to get.