tylerkellr

An absolute mess in terms of plot, thematic development, and characters. This kind of shows what a massive influence on modern pop culture Game of Thrones has been, but also shows that it takes filmmakers with a far more deft hand than the Russo Brothers' to pull it off. It's still pretty enjoyable for the most part, but its an absolute tonal mess, and really doesn't have the guts to do much original.

You Were Never Really Here is masterclass filmmaking. Everything about Lynne Ramsay's film is meticulous and intentional. Not a single scene is wasted as she paces out the story and character development perfectly. Every flashback, every brutal beating, every intimate, claustrophobic shot of hair, foot, or scar is handcrafted with immaculate care and beautiful framing and focus. Lynne Ramsay creates a portrait of abuse and brokenness that feels intensely personal, communicating unspeakable rage, drowning guilt, immense sadness, and dreadful loss. The music is flawless, blending electronic, urban vibes with tense, idiosyncratic strings and wood basses. If only I could understand a damn word Joaquin Phoenix says.

Half Baked. Ryan Gosling is absolutely incredible in his role, as is the young lady who stars alongside him, but the story often feels very rote, and there's not much resolution to really satisfy the viewer.

[SPOILER ALERT: This review contains spoilers.]

This is an instant cult classic. A movie that only Alex Garland could have made. Will likely remain my top film of 2018. An absolute marvel and a masterpiece. Please go support this movie.

If you can, try to go into this movie with as little information possible. You probably already know the basic premise, but there are some really interesting plot turns that are really amazing if you don't know they're coming.

Who the hell did my girl Jenny Lind like this? This movie is a disgraceful endorsement of an honestly horrible human being. For more, I direct inquiring readers to Jenny Nicholson's masterful 30 minute review "I hate The Greatest Showman more every minute" on Youtube.

Full Disclosure: I actually watched this many months ago at an early test screening, so my views don't necessarily reflect the final film, which I have not seen. In short - I thought the movie was a real mess. None of the actors seem to want to be there (Josh Gad and Daisy Ridley in particular seem to rush through their lines with a certain sort of lazy eagerness). The pacing ebbs and flows, sometimes moving too fast for the admittedly-slightly-unengaged viewer to process, and other parts drag on for far too long with little consequence. The whole thing feels like a somewhat ill-advised passion project for Kenneth Branagh - a shame given that I'm typically an avid fan of his work.