#blackberry review

[agentnico]

BlackBerry (2023) Review

I have never owned a BlackBerry myself. Instead I had the enjoyment of having a Vodafone phone - a cheap rip-off that looked, felt and played like a BlackBerry only for less money. Turns out, I saved a heck of a lot as that phone lasted me all through my sixth-form and university days. Less can be said about the reliability of the BlackBerry evidently.

Plot:  A company that toppled global giants before succumbing to the ruthlessly competitive forces of Silicon Valley. This is not a conventional tale of modern business failure by fraud and greed. The rise and fall of BlackBerry reveals the dangerous speed at which innovators race along the information superhighway.

We’ve had plenty of techy origin film come and go, and many good ones at that such as The Social Network and Steve Jobs, and even the recent Tetris lent itself more to be a solid commentary on the communist regime of the Soviet Union and a study into the legal drama behind the game rather than some cheesy parody featuring tetrominoes in the style of The Emoji Movie. So I went into BlackBerry with a very open mind, as even though I’m aware of the phone’s existence, I never really knew the story behind how this popular mobile device all of a sudden vanished from the public eye so quickly. Back in the 2000s this device was all the rave, and all the kids at school would go out of their way to persuade their parents to get them one so that they can show it off to their classmates as if they were some rich businessmen. Now however this phone is all but forgotten. I checked prior to writing this review and in fact you can still purchase some models from Amazon, so if you’re feeling strangely nostalgic about your school days, feel free to waste your money. Anyway, back to the movie...

BlackBerry is a perfectly acceptable history lesson. It’s very informative and plays out more so like a visual guide of a Wikipedia page. You’re given the detailed journey of how the company Research In Motion came to create such an iconic device, and then there eventual downfall. We’ve seen this kind of tale of fraud and greed many times before, however if you’ve enjoyed similar movies before, BlackBerry is an easy watch, and again, if you’ve ever been interested in the mobile phone’s backstory, you have it here loud and clear.

Main highlight of this film are the two central performances, both of whom are very much outside their comfort zones. It’s nice to see Jay Baruchel in a serious role, taking a break from training dragons, as Mike Lazaridis, the main creative mind behind the creation of the titular device. Baruchel is very good at portraying socially-awkward personas, however in previous films he did this for comedic purposes, however as Mike he manages to find the depth in the character as a tech genius who knows his craft and is being forced to speed run his creations when in reality he wants to take his time to create the best product. Glenn Howerton, who thus far has only been known as the narcissistic self-absorbed Dennis from It’s Always Sunny In Philadelphia, is Jim Balsillie, the guy who takes over Mike’s company for his greedy means. Howerton definitely gets the more showy performance, and does a solid job at being constantly angry with everyone. Howerton also decided to go full bald for this role and you got to give the guy props for the dedication.

I’d say the primary negative I have for this film is its cinematography and direction. Director Matt Johnson evidently seems to have been inspired by Adam McKay’s The Big Short, as he chooses to have the camera repeatedly pan left and right quickly as if all the events are being captured by a hidden camera, however this effect of chaotic shaky-cam can come as very jarring and dizzying, and overall was very distracting. Characters would be having some serious discussion about technology yet I’d be busy wondering if the cameraman’s been spooked by Blair fricking Witch. But overall BlackBerry tells an interesting story behind the scenes of the phone drama, and if anything else I came out of it having learnt something. Kind of feels like being back at school when in class the teacher would stick some film on for educational purposes and then afterwards I may have learnt something, but have never had the motivation to want to see that movie again.

Overall score: 6/10

[thecraggus]

BlackBerry (2023) Review

BlackBerry is a tale of techno hubris and Glenn Howerton's bald ambition #Review

[chalkrub]

art trade stuff for @sharkflan ! love these thangs

[absolutely-not-my-main-blog]

Happy for Glenn and his big movie role and Oscar contention because Blackberry was an amazing film and he deserves a win, but it always feels kinda sad that articles and all make it out like he had to do this role to “prove he’s more than Sunny” to the public or for people to take note of his acting talent when Sunny itself is so much more than people ever give Sunny credit for and he shouldn’t have to “prove” anything because his skill and range and power is just as much on display there as anywhere, but people just willfully ignore it ‘cause it’s the “haha funny meme show.”

Like so many people straight up just don’t see or accept comedy or comedic acting as real talent or art no matter the thought put into it or sheer level of difficulty behind it. But comedy is just as real of an art form as anything, sometimes it’s the realest form of all, and it just... doesn’t get that respect or acknowledgement. Like, yes it seems silly, but it's serious for those making it. Longest running live action sitcom on T.V.! Still managing to surprise its audience in new ways each season! That means something. And I know Glenn wants to branch out, which is good for him, great, he should get recognition for bigger roles that he wants to do! But the point is, he should get recognition regardless, because I saw some people acting like all his years on Sunny were a failure on his part, for never breaking out of the sitcom market, or people acting like such TV roles mean nothing in the big picture, or are something to distance yourself from when you “finally make it,” but these shows, these roles, they’re not lesser forms of art! Man, they’re not. The talent and range has always been on display, it’s always been there! And I’m preaching to the choir here obviously but no one else wants to take notice and it’s sad, it’s sad.

[good-realtor-bad-realtor-dynamic]

Reviews from the Blackberry movie are starting to drop and they're all looking positive! The leads, Jay Baruchel and our little old man Glenn Howerton, are getting a lot of praise for their performances in all the reviews I've seen!

There's a couple of reviews on Variety and Deadline that even go so far as to say Glenn stole the show as the villainous Jim, which may be hyperbolic of them, idk, but in any case, I'm just happy he's finally getting recognition for his acting abilities outside Sunny and AP Bio!!! And it's at the Berlin Film Festival too, so fingers crossed this could lead to better roles for him in the future!

Sidenote: Going though twt, and it looks like Glenn was in Berlin today to do a panel with Matt Johnson, Jay and Cary Elwes.

[royalhenoil]

My daily berry harvest this time of year.

I highly, highly recommend growing berries if your climate is suited to it. They are cheaper, tastier, and more nutritious than supermarket berries, and they are not that hard to grow. They are easier than most vegetables.

I thought I would give a review of the four berry varieties shown here:

• Blueberry 'Sunshine Blue': This is an ornamental blueberry. It stays small, has very pretty leaves and flowers, is mostly evergreen, and is self-fertile (most blueberry varieties are not). However, it is not as productive or as tasty as non-ornamental blueberry bushes, though it will still taste much better than anything you buy in the supermarket.

• White alpine strawberry: Alpine strawberries are fun to grow. They are very tidy, pretty plants and do not send runners everywhere. There are many different varieties, all of which make very small, cute fruit. They are famously very sweet and tasty. However, I think white alpine strawberries (which have a slight pineapple-like flavor) are not as tasty as the red ones. The big benefit of the white berries is that birds don't seem to notice them, so you don't have to use any bird deterrents to get lots of berries.

• Blackberry 'Chester': This is a thornless blackberry. I highly recommend only growing thornless or near-thornless caneberries (blackberries, raspberries, youngberries, loganberries, etc.) because they make picking fruit and garden maintenance so much easier. 'Chester' is an extremely vigorous and productive plant, and the fruit tastes better than both supermarket blackberries and wild blackberries.

• Strawberry 'Cambridge Rival': This is the yummiest strawberry I have ever tasted! It is not as productive as some strawberry varieties, and the fruit is on the small side, but it easily more than makes up for it in flavor. (Warning: If you try one, it may ruin other strawberries for you.)

[ierofrnkk]

A collection of my absolute favorite letterboxd reviews for an assortment of jay’s movies.

[abirdie]

Gael García Bernal in Mammoth (2009, dir. Lukas Moodysson)

(these gifs also feature Run Srinikornchot and Michelle Williams)

Gifs are all 540px wide so you can click to see larger.

[other gael filmography gifsets]

[capncarrot]

November movie review

[ash-and-books]

Rating: 3/5

Book Blurb: For fans of the Wilderlore and Skandar series comes a thrilling middle grade fantasy adventure steeped in Welsh myths and legends about two intrepid friends who are tricked into opening the door to an enchanted world—only to get trapped inside.

On a summer holiday in Wales, Portia and Ben find a mysterious door set in a bramble hedge in the middle of a forest. If the old stories about the wonders and dangers of the Otherworld hadn’t long been forgotten, they may have realized the door was a portal to the perilous realm and should never be opened…

Robin Goodfellow, the man with the fox shadow, needs someone to open the door in the brambles so he can finally return home, and he’s willing to use the children’s curiosity to his advantage and lures Portia under the guise of his innocent fox form.

Once the portal is open, great danger arises, and Ben and Portia struggle to stop a powerful evil threatening both the human and the fairy worlds as they find themselves stuck in the wrong realm.

Review:

A summer adventure between two friends who are tricked into opening a door into an enchanted world... and being trapped in there! What was suppose to be a fun summer holiday in Wales turns into something more as Portia and Ben stumble upon a mysterious door in the middle of the forest... and are tricked into opening and going into it. Now they have to find a way to escape before it's too late. Robin Goodfellow is a man with a fox shadow who needs someone to open up a certain door so he can return home... and if that means tricking to kids into opening it for him while he's disguised as a innocent fox, why not. Yet with the door open, danger and evil can come through and both Ben and Portia must find a way to stop the human and fairy world from evil. This was a cute fairytale/summer read and I think middle grade readers will have fun with it. It didn't grip or enchant me as much as I would have liked, but it was an easy read and I think younger readers will have fun with it as an easy read. It's got fun magic and the setting makes it a good one to add to your summer tbr for middlegrade readers.

Release Date: June 4,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing | Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

[waldeswogen]

God this was so gooooood ✨🤤

* .:｡✧*ﾟ ﾟ･ ✧.｡. * * .:｡✧*ﾟ ﾟ･ ✧.｡. * . *.:｡✧ *ﾟ ﾟ･ ✧.｡. *.

[filmjoyreviews]

BLACKBERRY: Matt Johnson Isn't Afraid to Make a Hilarious Biopic -- and Glenn Howerton's Rage is at its Finest

Matt Johnson's BlackBerry is a constantly engaging and often hilarious exploration of capitalist corruption and the way media forms our world through telling the story of the rise and fall of the Blackberry--a phone that was once the status symbol and beginning of the smartphone conversation and is now largely forgotten.

BlackBerry's Impressive Pace

From the first frame, Blackberry is an engrossing experience, setting the stage by quickly introducing the characters, especially highlighting their unique personalities, predicting the clashes that are bound to come.

Research In Motion co-founders Mike Lazaridis (Jay Baruchel) and Doug Fregin (Matt Johnson) want to bring a groundbreaking product into the market, but their major concern is maintaining their friendship and making sure to never forget when it's movie night.

The nerdy and wholesome energy of Doug and Mike is in quick direct contrast with Jim Balsillie (Glenn Howerton), who enters the room like a shark constantly on the hunt for more power.

From this initial moment, BlackBerry never stops. The film flows perfectly from moment to moment, crafting scenes showcasing the different morals of Mike and Doug and their newfound partner Jim through well-placed and perfectly delivered darkly comedic beats.

Glenn Howerton, Jay Baruchel, and Matt Johnson's Memorable Performances

BlackBerry gives us Jay Baruchel's best performance to date as he captures the unease of a character slowly losing his morality over time, in the pursuit of money and relevance. Baruchel's performance makes the audience feel sympathetic for Mike, wishing we could save him as be drifts further and further away from the kindhearted, nerdy tech genius he once was.

Glenn Howerton's award-worthy performance shows the depth of Jim Ballsillie, especially his underlying insecurity and desire to present confidence, even when it isn't fulfilled--hidden behind layers of rage and sarcasm.

Howerton balances the moments where pure, unadulterated rage will best show Jim's emotions with the moments that need a quiet intensity.

Throughout BlackBerry, there are many powerful moments where Howerton shows Ballsillie's insecurity and anger through pursed lips, trying to hide anything bubbling to the surface.

His rage-filled scream of "I'm from Waterloo, where the vampires hang out" will replay over and over inside your head. The different ways Howerton displays Ballsillie's rage make for a layered and engrossing performance.

We want to know more about this man and what makes him tick. The character feels real through this stellar performance guiding us into knowing more about Ballsillie's internal life and tireless pursuit of the capitalistic dream of wanting more and more until nothing is ever good enough.

Matt Johnson's role as Doug is the moral center of BlackBerry, showing us how money and success have corrupted those around him. Mike's fall wouldn't hit quite as hard if we didn't have Doug on the sidelines, showing how much Mike has changed.

Seeing Doug trying to find his friend inside the shell of a person he doesn't recognize pushes forward the film's themes of corruption. This change is shown most powerfully as Mike leaves his integrity behind as he makes a decision directly going against everything he once stood for.

Technical Triumphs

Matt Johnson's directing and writing showcases our cultures connections with media, especially technological advances.

BlackBerry is filled with well-placed pop culture references from a montage of tech in movies/tv, glimpses of iconic movie posters like the Japanese Army of Darkness poster, scenes from the RIM movie nights, and energizing needle drops.

The movement and aesthetic of BlackBerry brings forward the nostalgia of outdated media making us feel how much and how little time has passed since the time of keyboards and trackpads on smartphones.

BlackBerry brings each time period--no matter how close together they seem--to life with unique production design by Adam Belanger and the use of specific needle drops combined with footage symbolic to the era.

In addition to this, the passing of time and how much or little our main characters have changed comes across with purposeful costume design by Hanna Puley.

Doug--who is the least impacted by the corruption of success-- barely changes, wearing his pop culture shirts and sweatbands throughout. As Mike leaves some of his morals behind, he relates more closely to Jim than Doug.

Jay McCarrol's wonderful score perfectly captures the tone of BlackBerry, using synth to tell a unique, character-driven story built around technology and how it pulls us in various directions.

Conclusion

BlackBerry is a funny character-driven exploration of the rise and fall of a company and its two very different CEOs brought to life through powerful performances from Glenn Howerton and Jay Baruchel.

[number-one-hog-hater]

Girlies I'm about to watch fools paradise I'll let yall know how it goes

[rickchung]

BlackBerry (dir. Matt Johnson).

Johnson gives BlackBerry the slick tech biopic treatment (think The Social Network but Canadian) based on the book Losing the Signal about the Waterloo, Ontario-based creators of the eponymous smartphone device, Research in Motion (RIM). It's an unlikely story of total non-players outside the major consumer electronics industries somehow starting and then dominating mobile telecommunications for a brief window of time.

[jimsmovieworld]

BLACKBERRY- 2023 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Explores the rise and fall of The Blackberry phone and the team that brought it to market.

An enjoyable movie. Glenn Howerton steals the show. Jay Baruchel was good also. Excellent soundtrack and movie references.

Does seem very much like a less good Social Network but still an enjoyable watch.

[yekokataa]

i drank a clearly canadian sparkling water beverage for the first time since high school (or maybe even middle school???). verdict: not good, would not buy again.