ed-bffle Reviews

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

Hilarious. Honest. Heartfelt.

[10/10 · 6 April 2023]

I'm convinced that anyone who is violently upset about this movie is incapable of paying attention, self reflecting, and having fun. Anyone who says it's "overhyped" must live a miserable existence, because this movie is truly a work of art.

It's smart, it's action-packed, it's dramatic, it's funny - and yes, even goofy at times. It's very rare that a film will make you cackle with laughter and cry - not because its content is devastating, but because the story itself is so beautiful, wild and relatable.

The whole cast has great comedic timing while also pulling at the heartstrings. Stephanie Hsu is simply phenomenal in her role; Michelle Yeoh provides a realistic and entertaining portrayal of a mother navigating her relationship with her daughter; Ke Huy Quan's delivery is always charming; Jamie Lee Curtis does great as a supporting actress - and special shout-out to costume designer Shirley Kurata for her incredible mind.

This movie touches on strained family dynamics, existentialism, queerness, absurdism, all wrapped up in an everything bagel. I've introduced it to different friends many times since it came out and everyone has loved it in some way or another.

So if you're one of the few who just "don't get it", maybe keep it to yourself and stick to your predictable Marvel movies.

Mr. Nobody (2009)

Loved It

[9/10 · 5 May 2014]

I finally had the opportunity to watch this incredible film where Jared Leto, once again, amazed me with his great acting abilities. Though I'm not usually one for the sci-fi genre, this movie was different in that it was exciting, sad, romantic, and REAL. The word "real" is very relative, but I feel it's appropriate here: Every individual character had a purpose, no matter how much they actually showed up in the movie. Leto's character development was absolutely beautiful and, as usual, his emotional connection was spot-on. The artistic aspect—both in the script and scene editing—is phenomenal as well. I would suggest this to people who like strange and inspirational plot lines with many unexpected twists and turns. To sum it up, it was great.

The Paperboy (2012)

Shivers

[8/10 · 22 March 2014]

I just finished watching this movie and it as one of the most uncomfortable, disturbing movies I have seen. (The disturbing parts of it are rather tame actually, I just hadn't been expecting such a dark story.) Efron did an awesome job, along with Kidman, Cusack and McConaughey. The whole cast was...perfect. Kidman was the perfect amount of sexy, broken and mysterious. Cusack played an incredibly creepy, dead-eyed sociopath and McConaughey even stepped up to do quite well. While the plot line was odd and brutal, the last 15 minutes had me in between a state of shock and sadness. For some reason, it was a very emotional movie for me, sort of like Requiem For A Dream (another movie I highly recommend to those who appreciate the weirdly artistic and psychologically grotesque films). To be honest, this movie gave me shivers. I really enjoyed it.

My Suicide (2009)

Wow...just wow

[8/10 · 5 January 2014]

My love for disturbing movies is brought up again after watching this fantastic film. Awesome graphics, raw emotion, and a realistic portrayal of human suffering is demonstrated throughout.

The actor who claimed Archie's role was both charming and relatable with his honest personality. His crush, Sierra, is the typical gorgeous blonde, but we find that she has way more to herself than her killer looks. I really liked this because it's a reminder that we truly never know a person until...well...until we get to know them.

This movie had me laughing, crying, and gaping at the screen as the fantasy-like animation and true-to-life filming switched back and forth. (Usually not in an obnoxious way, but some people might not like it.) It also does display pornography and nudity (not excessively, but perhaps enough to make someone uncomfortable) along with lots of swearing, so it may not suit everyone.

Though it was a strange and risky movie, it is definitely an awesome film. 4/5

Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)

Very entertaining

[7/10 · 19 September 2013]

For being PG-13, this movie was very good. It was funny, witty, suspenseful, and I thought the acting was fantastic. I was even moved at one point, almost tearing up. I personally loved the story--you can simply read the summary because I don't want to give anything away. At first it didn't make much sense but as the movie continued, different secrets unfolded and it was far easier to understand. The special effects were great as well and there were SO many pop outs! Sometimes in film they get tiresome, but I was always jumping with every clang and slam. It was a rather original concept and very well done in my opinion. I have yet to see a truly scary movie but this is by far one of the best I have seen.

Requiem for a Dream (2000)

A beautiful, haunting film

[9/10 · 19 August 2013]

When I first began watching this I thought it was really strange and hard to follow. To be honest, it's like that for the entire movie. The filming was artistic and new, yet disturbing and unsettling. Overall, this movie is extremely dark. It's definitely not for an immature audience, nor is it for those who dislike sad stories. Oddly, I was painfully satisfied with the end--though I will not share the conclusion. The content is very explicit throughout, from sex scenes to brutality, but I didn't find any of it to be excessively unnecessary. Jared Leto does a fantastic job, along with Jennifer Connelly, Ellen Burstyn, and Marlon Wayans. (It was really weird to see a Wayans brother in such a dramatic film! Nonetheless, he did very well.) I still feel numb from the music that was constantly played, and I will never forget it.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Beautiful.

[5/10 · 29 July 2013]

I just watched this movie for the first time. At first I thought it looked like some cliché high school movie. Of course, twenty and nearly-30-yr-olds play teens, which is rather unrealistic. (I'm still in high school and NO ONE has that nice of a complexion!) I continued to watch as Charlie, played by Logan Lerman, struggles to find friends. I also thought that was silly because this guy is very handsome and he definitely WOULD have friends, even if they'd only use him for his looks. So far, it seems like I hated it. Well, Emma Watson and some other dude befriend Charlie and from then on, the story bursts with passion, confusion, secrets, lust, and a wonderfully brilliant message about "misfit" teens. I cried at least 3 times throughout this-- granted, I was very exhausted today--but it contained honest humor and emotional connections. I would have given this a 10/10, but "White Chicks" takes first place. Either way, this movie is incredible and I recommend to everyone.

The To Do List (2013)

Hilarious and witty

[8/10 · 26 July 2013]

The main character, Brandy, is intelligent, blunt, and painfully naive. The actress, Aubrey Plaza, did a wonderful job portraying this dorky yet sexy high-school graduate. The gorgeous Rachel Bilson was HILARIOUS as the bitchy older sister as well. Overall, I thought it was very funny. I watched this with my 15-yr-old sister, and realized that this IS definitely rated R for a reason. Haha, although there is no nudity whatsoever (score!) there are still many sex scenes where moaning/movements are both obvious and loud. These are meant to be funny, but it still may bring discomfort to some people. OH last note:: This reminded me a lot of "Easy A" with Emma Stone. As much as I like Emma, I found this way more entertaining.

Schindler's List (1993)

Disturbing, incredible, but...

[9/10 · 26 July 2013]

I thought this movie was insanely wonderful. It was horrifically accurate and painfully real. The actors were all phenomenal. However, for being a movie about one of the most tragic events in history, there was too much sex. Granted, there wasn't actually a lot, but the unnecessary female nudity of Schindler's sexual partners was a tad distracting. I was hoping to watch a GOOD movie without any need to show women's bodies in a sexual manner. Besides that, it is really amazing and I recommend it to anyone who loves a heartbreaking yet eye-opening movie. Please don't get angry with me for being an arrogant feminist who "doesn't understand the moral", because I certainly do. It just made me uncomfortable. Although not extremely gruesome, the violence is unforgettable and shocking at times. Still an excellent film.