ArtAesthetics Reviews

Walking Out (2017)

The simplicity of storytelling on screen!

[10/10 · 7 October 2017]

This simple yet profound movie hit me deep in the heart. This movie is the reason I love indies. No CGI, no loud jumps, or scares. I haven't seen a survival drama told with such subtlety. Yes there are some really heart-stopping moments but I immensely appreciated the director's restraint in letting the audience tune in to what the characters were truly feeling rather than manipulate us with loud music & startles. Most of the movie rests on Matt Bomer's Cal & Josh Wiggins' David with lots of close shots of their faces. Matt Bomer has proved his mettle as an actor but I think this is his most subtle performance ever. The emotions on his face are so subtle yet so profound that he invites the audience to not want to blink lest you might miss a nuance. Josh Wiggins plays David's arc from a grumpy teen to a man so beautifully. Bill Pullman is a delight in a small but powerful role.

I felt as though I just traveled to Montana & spent time with Cal & David, the mountains, the moose, the bear, the deer, the wildlife. What a ride. Don't miss it!

Big Little Lies (2017– )

Crappy soap

[1/10 · 26 March 2017]

Absolute soap fest full of deplorable people! I mean, are people really this dense, reactive, depraved? Desperate housewives trying to wallow in their first world problems! I do not believe a teacher would ever try to address an issue such as bullying at curbside while children are being picked up by asking the girl to point at the boy who hurt her, in the presence of all the parents & children! So darn unrealistic! And to think that's what get the whole drama rolling!

The way these people react to events around them is so mindless, reactive, and lacking self restraint.

And really how many times a day do these women go to the same café?

The women especially are shown as total drama queens with over the top reactivity, and to sort of balance it out they are trying to make the men equally messed up.

The adults seems completely clueless when it comes to their children. Always grossly underestimating their own kids! Seriously I don't believe so many adults can be so clueless & mindless! Reese Witherspoon is a powerhouse but not even she can make me want to continue watching.

So disappointed!

BrainDead (2016)

Breath of fresh air TV needs right now!

[9/10 · 4 August 2016]

I mainly watch Netflix or Amazon shows lately. Saw this on Amazon and decided to give it a try. Wasn't expecting much. I don't enjoy political shows as such. I was hooked within the first 10 minutes. One of the best pilots I've seen. The protagonist Laurel, an idealist documentary film maker, gets caught in the web of politics & mystery during her casual visit with her political brother & dad in D.C.

We follow her as she discovers the crazy politics mixed with some sci-fi mystery. We quickly identify with her as she navigates the capitol like a fish out of water, yet can see underneath the surface with her astute mind. The characters & their interaction is really fun to watch.

I hope many people watch this brilliant show. It's really like nothing TV right now. I'd say it's a combination of Veep & The X-files done in the most brilliant way.

Tallulah (2016)

Beautifully made movie. Almost perfect!

[10/10 · 31 July 2016]

WOW! After a long time I saw a movie where I couldn't take my eyes or ears off a single frame.

The story as such isn't anything new. Each character is something we've seen before. The magic of this movie is in the way the story is told. The dialog, the characters, the acting, the pauses, and the music all comes together in just the right amount of drama, never going overboard in this highly emotional story.

It has brilliantly portrayed and written flawed characters. Ellen Page is simply phenomenal as Tallulah, a young woman living on the fringe with a golden heart but a messed up mind. Allison Janney as the scorned, sad, bitter wife also with a kind heart makes you feel for her. Tammy Blanchard as an unworthy mother, and a extremely flawed woman, yet with a good heart underneath manages to make you sympathetic towards her despite her apparently unforgivable flaws.

Oh and how I LOVE Uzo Aduba! She steals her scenes in a small part. She's simply amazing.

I also loved the end. It wasn't all hunky dory yet each character finds something worth fighting for and worth living for, despite their hopelessness.

The Last Tycoon (2016–2017)

Good adaptation. Great acting.

[10/10 · 18 June 2016]

Saw this great pilot on Amazon. I'm a Fitzgerald fan and I was curious how they would treat this show, given that the author never got a chance to complete and expand on the book. I'm impressed with the way this show gave life to so many things only alluded to in the book. Nazis during that time must have definitely had a lot of influence on the Hollywood politics in those days, just as some other power groups have it today. Glad the show is addressing that angle. Monroe Stahr, the protagonist, played amazingly well by Matt Bomer is a fascinating character. He is kind of a prodigy when it comes to the movie making business, a self made man, yet emotionally tortured, and of a weak heart due to congenital heart disease. The other characters, such as Kelsy Grammar as Pat Brady, Lily Collins as Cecilia Brady were great in their roles. The show has quite a few interesting characters. Really hope it gets picked up and we get to see more of this interesting story.

Humans (2015–2018)

Love a good Sci-fi

[8/10 · 30 July 2015]

Data was my favorite character in Star Trek, only second to captain Picard, for he always raised the question "what it means to be human?".

This show really digs deeper into the philosophical, practical, and ethical repercussions of conscious robots. Given the current research in genetics & robotics, these issues seem very real & personal to me and I love how this show handles them.

The direction, pacing, and acting is pretty spot on. I hope we get more than 8 episodes.

I know this isn't the first show to address this but somehow this is first one that is handling this subject with realness, if that's a word.

Space Station 76 (2014)

Funny with a poignantly sad undertones

[9/10 · 20 September 2014]

Lots of laughter in the theater! The audience was in splits most of the time followed by a sad hush during some painfully poignant moments. It's definitely not a movie for everyone. Very experimental vibe. I loved it though. The little girl Sunshine and her dad Ted's loneliness was showcased so well and their scenes supersweet. The dialog and situations were super hilarious! Like the frozen mother in law, or Ted's robotic hand not letting of Liv's boob lol (yet sad in a way)! Didn't get why Misty was so f***d up and almost evil? But Marissa Coughlin played the bytch to the T. I love Patrick Wilson but was a little off key to me. Matt Bomer has probably the most vulnerable faces ever. He broke my heart with his conflicted sadness. The set of 70s was done very well with the hair and the costumes! The last scene was so meaningful with the asteroid grazing the ship and all the packed up belongings of the couple who was getting ready to move strewn out over in the vastness of space.