One of the most in poor taste and insulting to the public things I've ever witnessed coming from someone in an elite class. As hubby pushes immigrants of one color out the door, we celebrate the faux-life of this immigrant that happens to be the color that hubby likes, stumble richly through things that regular Americans could never afford. Gilded everything, meanwhile the price of everything is going up. This is Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous on political steroids and rubbing your face in what you cannot attain without corruption. Oh yes, and there are inaccuracies, lol. Oh, and it was also directed by a guy that well.... you can just google it. So many reasons to dislike this film. I'd rather watch Gigli on repeat for 7 years than sit through this a 2nd time.
Can't believe the user score is so low on this, as it's GOT to be the best Wes Anderson film since Royal Ts/Life Aquatic. It's DIFFERENT, finally, in it's aesthetic and visual moods. I was kinda getting tired of the look of Wes films even though I enjoyed a couple. Liked Moonrise Kingdom enough, and French Dispatch was worthwhile, but was still getting a little tired of the predictable teleplay and aesthetics. The maximalist set designs and quirky for quirky sake details. Asteroid City on the other hand, albeit still quite impressionistic, goes for a much more minimal set design, one that almost looks like real life clip art. Solid backgrounds with broad strokes rather than pointillism knick-knackery. Entire cast gives a strong performance, even Jeffery Wright who I feel seems a little bit flat in everything he does, but in this film, flat kinda works in a good way. A subdued (which is refreshing) performance by Tom Hanks who fits right into Anderson-world famously. Possibly the most surreal Wes film possibly with exception to Life Aquatic with it's wildly animated creatures. If you want something with the exact opposite construction of The Grand Budapest Hotel (which I couldn't stand), then this is the Wes film for you. And don't worry, if you aren't tired of the predictable Wes look, he also made those Roald Dahl shorts which still have that. Asteroid City is a knockout which will surely end up on my 2023 top ten list! Very redeeming for Wes fans who've thought they'd had enough.
Now this is how tense dramas should play out. You don't see many of these types of films being made as much as you used to. A drama that keeps your attention with great performances rather than over-the-top jumpscares or epic reveals. Sandra Huller's amazing performance carries us through this, one of the best films of the year, with an intensity reminiscent of Cloris Leachman's breakdown scene in The Last Picture Show, or Maggie Smith's role as the titular character in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie. The best intense drama I've seen (besides all the newer Pedro Almodovar works) since Force Majeure. Timeless and perfect in every step.
A film that restores my faith in cinema. Beautifully filmed in black and white which only adds to it's quaint mundane mood. I don't use "mundane" as a negative word though. The characters live in what would seem like a mundane world, but the film itself pops with sweetness and empathy.... and humor! I thought I would be getting myself into a straightforward drama, but there were many laugh out loud-worthy moments. Any fans of the real stuff need to see this one!
So, first off, I just want to say how much I would love to give this film a higher score just because of the sheer fun I had watching it. Fun factor is surely a 10. But to grade it just by fun-factor would be irresponsible as a amateur critic, haha. It was surely a mess, albeit a controlled one. I've seen these controlled messes before and sometimes they work (Synechdoche NY by Kaufman) and sometimes they just fall flat on their faces (Cloud Atlas by Wachowskis). You gotta admire the depth Aster goes into on this big fat metaphors and slices of life condensed. Lot's of great Oedipal metaphors, mixed with 'seize the day' moods. I just had a blast deconstructing it. But at the end of the day it doesn't tie up nicely with a bow (or Beau, if you will, haha) like something like Kaufman would make. And also at the end of the day, we have to remember that we're dealing with a horror director here. So it's not quite as "heady" as it looks. But we've got some fabulous editing, great mixed media, a different kind of Phoenix shows up for this one, more subdued and quirky than ever, with a supporting cast that does just that, and does it well. Like I said, I would love to give this film a 9. And were it directed or re-written by someone like Charlie Kaufman, maybe it'd get there? But this was also a cluster of metaphors for cluster's sake and got a little messy. Definitely watch it! But I don't think you'll be jumping up to tell your friends afterward. You will have a good time though with this surrealist mind bender. One word to describe, 'fun'. Not mindblowing though. Which is what I was hoping for.
This film gnawed away at my mind for weeks after viewing. I'm a big fan of surrealist film, but when I watched this brilliant feature by "Joe", haha, I was a left wanting more. But then the next morning I woke up and began thinking about it. And I couldn't stop. It's like I needed to sleep on it. I highly recommend this for surrealist fans who don't mind taking their time in digesting it and pondering metaphors etc... But if you're the type of filmgoer that wants everything laid out explained and resolved you are DEFINITELY knocking on the wrong door with this one. As a fan of surreal cinema I gave it a 9. But people who don't like surrealist cinema might likely give it a very low score, as it is a bit of a demanding challenge. Brilliant stuff though, and gorgeously filmed with a silence that slathers the whole thing in peaceful mystery. Very quaintly and candidly filmed with humorous little treats to make you laugh while you're on a wild head-trip on the themes of what comes after death, grief, family, and more. It hits a lot of spots! Fantastic stuff.
Now THIS film should have been called 'Men', as opposed to Alex Garland's newest. What a let down that was. This well shot beguiling slowburn thriller will keep you way more engaged than the surface level tomfoolery of similar films, most notably Alex Garland's 'Men', which in my opinion should have been titled 'Mess'. This films isn't going to burn your socks off, but it is DEFINITELY worth the watch - Tim Roth delivers as usual! What a fantastic cast with this one, a cast that you can believe. Happy to give this a 7.
Let down of the year. I'm a huge Eggers fan and love love love The Witch and The Lighthouse. I know this is a very different film that those above mentioned, but it's depth is anything but, in comparison to those other films. If The Lighthouse and the Witch are cinema then this is his "Marvel" film. Watching the trailer is enough to get the story. I don't even think it's possible to spoil this film, as the trailer tells you everything right up front. If you're loving Eggers for his innovation in storytelling, you've come to the wrong place for this one. Give The Lighhouse a rewatch instead. Major bummer. All meat and no bread, which is fine when you're watching a summer blockbuster like Independence Day or the like, but when it comes to artistic filmmakers, Eggers really dropped the ball. With that said, it looks good. The cinematography certainly doesn't fall flat, but it's not enough to save it from being quickly forgotten.
I'll note that I was close to giving this a 7 over 6 because of it's great efforts to make grindhouse look better than true grindhouse horror while still retaining the feel one should receive from such a film. Definitely enjoyable, and some references that tells me the director and writers are well versed in the world of cinema in general, but it's not the strongest piece. McGuffins aren't meant to necessarily be interesting to the viewer, only the characters, but some of them in this film seem silly at times, and as if it aimed at the viewer. Does have a good polished look and some promising young cast like Mia Goth who usually delivers a realistic pitch. So many variables, but I'm going to have to go with 'almost 7'. Re-watchability factor is not high.
If you're looking for the clever and and wildly imaginative Alex Garland film that you know and love, you've come to the wrong place with this massive let down from an otherwise genius screen-writer. It's odd to think that this very two dimensional and surface level metaphor filled throwaway piece came from the same mind of such things as the great 28 Days Later, and even better Ex Machine, and a quite formidable Annihilation. If you love Alex Garland for his blend of smarts and scares, leave this one to the wayside. You might not regret watching it, but it has zero staying power, and you won't be buzzing to friends about it like one would with his other films. It also has a really dated (and will only prove to be more dated with the passing of time) CGI approach. Truly can't believe this came from one of my favorite filmmakers. Bummer.
I'm usually turned off by films that seem baited for awards, and this film surely is. But that doesn't stop ne from loving this quaint and at times charmingly funny piece of work. Truly worth it's praises. Many moments that will have you reaching for tissues for sorrow and tears of joy. A beautiful film for sure.
Easily the most overrated film of the year, and I do consider myself a Campion fan. Loved the Piano and other works, but this film is a predictable tired display of modern PC culture to which professional critics feel obliged to herald, because of it's fleeting importance of subject matter. This film has been made many times within the last few years. It's extremely cookie-cutter and a low point for Campion. As one can see the user reviews are way lower than the obligatory handouts pro-critics have been giving it. That is not a mistake by viewers, and you're not missing anything that these pro critics are seeing. I also cannot take Cummerbatch as a cowboy. It just doesn't work for him. A shame too, as Plemons and Dunst truly shined bright. The only two beams of light to be emitted from this bland attempt at Campion staying relevant. Bummer for sure. And painfully snoozy. Throw some award noms at Plemons and Dunst, and just walk away, as those two performances are the most redeemable portions of this film.
Such a slow-burn that it never makes a single flame but rather just glows like dying coals in a campfire. I love a lot of the cast. But it seems to me that the whole film was one giant McGuffin. This is a film that you merely observe rather than get absorbed by. There's not enough magnetism to keep one intrigued. I am although glad to see it wasn't trolled too badly by other users, as it's not a bomb. Just something to watch once, take what you can salvage from it and move on quickly. Gonna have to give it a 6.
As a serious Leos Carax fan, I expected a lot from this film, and maybe that's why I was so let-down. Holy Motors is probably my favorite surrealist film of the 21st century, and I could watch it over and over again. With Anette, Carax drops some dimensions and makes a flat rock opera. With characters that are nearly impossible to relate to, and don't even gel that well with each other. Maybe that was the point to show distress in the relationships of the characters? But it just didn't work for me. Although there are quite a few scenes I enjoyed, ones that harken back to the usual Carax imagery, there's not enough of it to save this film. I can't give it a negative review, as some of those parts are worth watching, so a 6 would seem formidable, which is a bummer, as Holy Motors was a total 10 and then some. Can't wait for the next Carax, to get a little redemption. A very two dimensional rock opera that is more concerned with breaking 4th walls and reprising tunes than it is concerned with making a compelling story. 6 out of 10.
A great return to form in my opinion with Wes. With films like Darjeeling and Grand Budapest, it felt like Wes was more focused on aesthetic than compelling story and characters, and had just become a caricature. This film doesn't stray from the now neo-classic Wes look, but broken down into vignettes, it allows for multiple stories which is totally what saves this film. Before you get consumed by Wes-isms, the story changes, and each one has it's own flavor. If Wes continues to make films look the way they do, I might advise that he keeps going with the vignette format, because it truly paid off in this, what I consider a very formidable and fun comeback film. His best since The Life Aquatic if we're only doing live action. Best since Fantastic Mr. Fox if including animations. The cameos weren't rubbed in one's face too hard. It all added up to quite the fun time without any of the contrived Wes-isms of the recent past. Definitely don't skip it!
Another exceptional delivery by the master realist Sean Baker. Highly enjoyable as usual, due to Baker's brilliant techniques of realism, which is always employed whether it be Tangerine, Florida Project etc... Using non-actors filming things in real places and not sets. It all makes for very candid watching, which makes the story all the more relatable and charming. Baker nails this one! I feel it is his best yet. This film is so easy to love. Baker is the 21st century John Cassavetes on digital. The truest of realism, sometimes so awkward it's cringeworthy... but such is life, at times.
As per usual, PT Anderson does not disappoint! I was a bit worried, because I wasn't too fond of his Pynchon adaptation, Inherent Vice. But I love every other PT film, so I of course didn't want to shut the door on it, just because of one stinker. Phantom Thread was enjoyable, but I wouldn't write home about it. But here with Licorice, PT kicks it back to a feeling of Boogie Nights sans the sex meets Punch Drunk Love, and then twist it into a coming of age piece. It plays out in vignettes and the passage of time is never fully clarified, to evoke a nostalgic feeling. Like this is all being pulled from Gary Valentine's adult memory and only the important parts stick out, just like how real people remember things. Great editing and smooth flow to pull off such a feat of nostalgia, with great YA performances all around, and some great but not contrived cameos! Loved it. One of the best of the year, and one of the best coming of age stories of the decade. PT nailed it once more.
I wish I could at least give this a mixed review, as I'm such great fan of Bottle Rocket, Rushmore, Tennenbaums etc... but with this overcooked mess of a star-studded cheap shot, Wes totally loses me in boredom and overbakes aesthetic. It seems Wes bought into his own hype. I'd love to see Wes break out of square he's painted himself into. I saw this in theaters and if someone told me this was actually a parody film of a Wes Anderson film, I'd believe them. One word, overcooked. And if you want two words, overcooked and overhyped. If you've been watching Wes since the beginning, there's no denying that Wes has drank his own pigeonholed Kool Aid.
Love Villeneuve's take on this. Loved all Villeneuve's other works so I knew this would at least be compelling enough to be interested in sequels, and it was. I did have some issues with things that appear in the books and the original Lynch film being left out, but it still stood it's ground strong with stunning FX and formidable cast. Paul Dano and Stellan Skarsgard are transformative yet so believable in what they represent. Two of the greatest actors in the biz right there on the Harkonnen side. My favorite Villeneuve is Prisoners, but this was quite a ride, can't wait for the next one.
Adam McKay strikes on a serious note once again, but with comedy. He is almost like a Vonnegut of film, taking heady themes and putting into layman's terms biting satire. Far from McKay's best, but still worth the watch just on themes alone, plus great and subdued performance by Leo, which is refreshing to see. Ignore the bad reviews, it's just political disagreement. This is a satire on real life things that some people just don't want to acknowledge. Your going to see a lot of bad reviews for trolling reasons, ignore them. They could have trimmed maybe a half hour off it, but it's still a quality film by McKay.
Despite a few flaws that can easily go overlooked because the visuals and creepiness are so lovely, this film is a sci-fi gem that never truly got the hype it deserved. You have alien sci fi, mystery, throwback film noir. It's a genre-bending fun romp of spookiness that every sci fi fan should put on their MUSTS lists!
There's a fatal flaw in this film. Despite it's stellar effects and mind bending timeline, Tenet has no soul. The whole time I found myself wondering 'why should I care about what these characters do'. In Nolan's best film (in my opinion) 'Inception', we get to know the characters and their flaws. Getting to know why Leo does what he does, and his being haunted by things in the past is what makes us relate to him. In Tenet there is no back story. No motive for the 'Protagonist' to do what he does. There's a great performance by Robert Pattinson, which is probably the acting highlight of the film. I can't give the film a bad review, as it was entertaining, but I also can't give it a stellar review either as it was lifeless. It would seem almost as if Nolan came up with the idea of the special effects first, and then haphazardly built a hollow story around it, as the vessel to carry this intriguing piece of eye candy. All in all, that's what Tenet is. Eye candy. It's good eye candy, but falls flatter than a sheet of paper when it comes to heart. I'd easily give this an 8 instead of a 6 if there was even an iota of reason to care about why the characters do what they do. Still worth the watch for FX alone though.
Waaaaay better than the first film. Plays out more like his Who Is America series than the first Borat film. Anyone reviewing it with bad reviews, you may notice all disagree with him politically. Ignore those reviews, because they're not film reviews, but mere political opinion. I am reviewing this as a film. Editing, sound, script, acting etc... Of course it's going to be political. Just say 'it's not my bag' if that's the reason you don't like it. Otherwise if you're going to give it a poor review, do it on it's merits of FILMMAKING. This is a film review site, not a political review site.
Although I found it to be a tad more puzzling than need be to convey such a simple tale, the imagery pays off in silver dollars. Scarlett plays a very sterile creature and although its' one of her most low on dialogue roles, actions speak louder than words in this beautifully twisted tale of morality.
Shane Carruth's sophomore full length features tops his debut, in Primer, with a beautiful mystery. One not bogged down with pricey actors and CGI effects. Money well spent in an industry where the profits of success are often misused. Intense and puzzling but with just enough bread crumbs to lead you back home. Looking forward to more from Carruth. The man knows how to utilize his resources better than any newer director. Also a big tip of the hat to the editing squad, especially in the audio department.
Carax uses the brilliant vessel of Dennis Lavant to take you on a joy ride. But not just any joy ride. One that takes you into a deep multi layered abyss of some of the best surrealism put to film this decade. Enjoy the ride. Fans of hyper surrealism will not be let down.
