#excellent cast of character actors and a genuinely convoluted plot‚ this does feel like the series going through the motions a little bit

[365days365movies]

February 7, 2021: Emma. (Review)

Y’know, I remember nothing of this book. Really, I genuinely remember nothing from it, but the movie?

I really liked the movie! Not that it’s perfect, but I genuinely thought that this movie was excellent. Various reasons for that, primary of which would be that this movie looks absolutely fantastic. And again, I’ll get into that in the breakd won but...I mean, LOOK at this movie!

LOOK! (in Gordon Ramsay)

LOOK!!!

WHAT THE FUCK

DONKEY

On to the Review, yeah?

Review

Cast and Acting: 9/10

First things first: my favorite character in this film is BY FAR George Knightley, and Johnny Flynn is a GREAT actor in the role. Seriously, he manages to hint at his feelings and affections for Emma, far before even HE truly knows them. It’s just a great performance. But hey...I gotta talk about Anya Taylor-Joy, who...WOW. She’s amazing. Might not have been my favorite character in the first haf (which, to be fair, is the point), but she definitely sold that character transformation by the end! Just a legitimately amazing performance, and the chemistry between Taylor-Joy and Flynn is...MMMMMM, chef’s kiss! Oh, also, full credit to Mia Goth, whose Harriet is a great understated performance, and also deserves a chef’s kiss. Seriously, she’s also absolutely fantastic.

And everybody else...is good. They’re great, even, but they aren’t my favorites. Even then, they aren’t exactly always as fitting tonally with the lead performances. It’s not really distracting at all (oh, and Bill Nighy is a goddamn treasure, by the way), but some clashing performances are enough for me to take away a single point. Yeah, that’s it, because the ensemble is still strong, and it’s still fantastic in general.

Plot and Writing: 8/10

Just like the last entry, kind of hard to judge this one without judging the original, but...I don’t remember the original. So on it’s own efforts, it’s great! Credit to Jane Austen for the story, of course, and to Eleanor Catton for the screenplay. So, why not perfect? Because, uh...this movie’s complicated. It’s REALLY convoluted, and the likelihood is high that I’ll forget specific details of it...now, I[ve forgotten some of them now. THIS is why I don’t remember the book! And, no there isn’t much to be done about that, but not much seems to be done about it So, yeah, taking off a couple for that. 

Directing and Cinematography: 10/10

Um...it’s amazing? It’s also Autumn de Wilde’s first movie EVER, and she had a background in music album cover photography before this and it looks...amazing? Like, what in the shit? Cinematographer Christopher Blauweit also gets that no slouch award, because he’s goddamn great at his job. And the 10′s don’t stop there, folks!

Production and Art Design: 10/10

Because NO EXPLANATION IS NEEDED HERE. THIS MOVIE IS GORGEOUS. Just pastel cottagecore beauty splattered all over the goddamn screen. gain, I’m not goddamn explaining this shit, it’s amazing.

Music and Editing: 8/10

OK, so here’s the deal with this: it’s fantastic, it really is and all the credit in the world to Isobel Waller-Bridge and David Schweitzer for that. But...it doesn’t perfectly pass the playlist test for me. I would look this up on Apple Music (yeah, I use an iPhone, I’m sorry), but I probably wouldn’t end up downloading it at the end of the day, to be completely honest. But was it good? Of course it was good! And hey, let’s not forget the end credits song sung by Johnny Flynn himself, which I genuinely think will be nominated for Best Original Song.

94%. I really liked this movie!

Might not remember the book very well, but I will remember how much I liked this movie! Might not be perfect, but it’s highest scorer so far this month! Granted, does that mean I like it personally the most? Eh, I just think it’s the best movie, not necessarily my favorite Real talk, Pretty Woman is still winning that fight at the moment.

Anyway, this was fun, but no more Jane Austen for a hot sec. Period pieces, though...I could go for more period pieces...so let’s get NUTS.

February 8, 2021: The English Patient (1996)

[moviewarfare]

A Review of “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice - Ultimate Edition (2016)″

In anticipation of Zack Snyder's Justice League, I decided to rewatch Zack's previous two DCEU entries. I watched BvS in theatres in 2016 and remember feeling immeasurable disappointment. Now that 5 years have passed and I have watched many movies, I was wondering if my opinions on this movie would change. Additionally, I would be would watching the Ultimate edition which contains 31 minutes of additional footage. This is my first time watching the Ultimate edition so it was also a sort of new experience in a way. "It's been nearly two years since Superman's (Henry Cavill) colossal battle with Zod (Michael Shannon) devastated the city of Metropolis. The loss of life and collateral damage left many feeling angry and helpless, including crime-fighting billionaire Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck). Convinced that Superman is now a threat to humanity, Batman embarks on a personal vendetta to end his reign on Earth, while the conniving Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg) launches his crusade against the Man of Steel". So is this a misunderstood gem or still a massive disappointment?

Firstly, Ben Affleck is still an excellent Batman. I find him incredibly charming as Bruce Wayne while also portraying the jaded and the rage-filled Batman perfectly. Gal Gadot is introduced as Wonder Woman in this movie and is honestly still one of the best parts. She is very elegant and mysterious as Diana but then an absolute badass as Wonder Woman. Jeremy Irons is snarky and wise as the beloved Alfred as well. Henry Cavill returns as Superman and Amy Adams returns as Lois Lane with both still doing a great job in their respective roles. There are some other supporting actors new and returning who all do fine jobs as well.

The cinematography by Larry Fong is really good and visually there are still some great shots. Hans Zimmer returns to score but is now collaborating with Junkie XL and it is an absolute phenomenal score. The Batman theme is amazing, the Wonder Woman theme is exciting and the Lex Luthor theme is unsettling. There is more oomph in the score thanks to Junkie XL which makes the action scene feel more thrilling.

On that note, the action scenes concerning Batman are exceptional. The Metropolis destruction but from Bruce Wayne perspective is one of the most exciting intros in a superhero movie ever. It also perfectly captures the destruction from a bystander view and also illustrates exactly why Batman hates Superman. The Batmobile chase sequence is also quite a stand-out with how awesome it is. Just seeing the Batmobile destroy everything in its path is fun to watch. The Batman warehouse fight scene is the best to have ever graced the screen. It is choreographed amazingly and shot in such a way that it is easy to see what is going on while still feeling every punch.

However, the same can't be said with the Batman vs Superman fight. Rewatching it again makes me see how underwhelming this fight is. The first thing to note that is only one fight between these two characters in a 3-hour movie which already sucks but the fight itself is visually boring. It's choreographed in a way that feels like it is from a slapstick comedy. Superman launches him through some walls, Batman gases him and then punches him in the face for a bit, repeat and that's the fight. Superman acts dumb in the fight and Batman just moves slowly due to the armour which leads to a really silly fight to watch. I think people tear into it a lot but the fight resolution of Martha is still quite silly. I think the idea behind it is fine with Batman realizing Superman's humanity. It's just that the scene doesn't convey this very well and put too much emphasis on the "Martha" name instead of the human aspect. It's also executed very clunkily which leads to an ironically hilarious scene when it shouldn't be. The fight against Doomsday at the end is just a big CGI-fest against some dark grey looking thing at night. It's hideous to look at with its abundant of grey and black colours with overly flashy lights that just makes it seem dull.

The story has 4 perspectives with the Batman one being the best. His hatred for Superman is understandable and trying to get the Kryptonite to fight him is the most easily enjoyable parts. On the other hand, Superman's perspective is so boring and forgettable. The people treating him like a hero or a god while some detesting him is fine. It's just he is so mopey in every scene which makes every scene involving him just not fun to watch. There is also a weird part in his arc where he goes into a snow mountain and hallucinates his dad which was just so dumb. I do find Superman dislike for Batman a mixed bag as he is criticizing him for his vigilantism and being above the law but that is exactly what Superman does too. The Ultimate edition adds more Clark Kent investigation which adds more to it and shows that he dislikes the brutality of his method and the fear he causes which is more understandable. Lois Lane is also another perspective with her trying to figure out who is producing this mysterious bullet. It's a very pointless perspective and quite a waste of time considering it amounts to something that the audience already knows, Lex Luthor was the one who did it! Lex is also the last perspective with him dealing with senators who obstruct him and him building a monster just because I guess? His perspective is fine for the plot but it's not enjoyable to watch because of the actor.

Jesse Eisenberg as Lex Luthor is one of the worst casting choices I have ever seen. While every other actor feels grounded and serious, Jesse Eisenburg feels very cartoony and over the top. It's made worst as a majority of his lines are dumb. There are some great lines from Lex but they are poorly executed because of Jesse's terrible performance. His character's motivation is understandable but his whole plan is borderline ridiculous and convoluted. It makes genuinely no sense apart from the fact that the movie just needed a mastermind. The Granny's peach tea thing is oddly hilarious but a dumb moment too. There are also some random dream sequences in this movie that adds nothing to the main narrative. The noted Knightmare sequence just happens midway through the movie without any setup or any reference later. Likewise for the future flash sequence which you think Batman would make a note of later but doesn't. There is also the famous Wonder Woman checks her email sequence that is just so unnecessary. It baffles me that Zack didn't just have it at the end of the movie as these scenes are so distracting and unconnected to the main story.

Overall, the Ultimate edition makes the plot feel more coherent but BvS is still a massive disappointment. There are some great moments but the writing is just so atrociously bad that it is very difficult for these moments to shine through. However, it is a unique vision and doesn't completely feel like most Superhero movies. I can see why people kept campaigning for Zack's version of Justice League because even if it is bad, it's going to be unique. In the end, it's not the worst Superhero movie as some, including me originally, would make it out to be but it's not a hidden masterpiece as some others would too.

[oscar-isaacs-number-one-bitch]

“Bad Times at the El Royale” Movie Review

Bad Times at the El Royale is the sophomore effort from writer and director by Drew Goddard (The Cabin in the Woods) and stars Jeff Bridges, Cynthia Erivo, Dakota Johnson, Jon Hamm, Lewis Pullman, and Chris Hemsworth. In this film, a group of total strangers all stay at the same place: the El Royale hotel, which sits split in half by the state border between California and Nevada. As the film progresses, the characters get to know each other in ways that may seem unusual to others, but are truly only the tip of the iceberg. No one is who they say they are, including the hotel manager, Miles; perhaps even the hotel has secrets of its own. With the walls closing in and everyone getting increasingly antsy, can the guests solve this mystery before it’s too late?

This is the first Drew Goddard film I’ve seen; having not personally been privy to The Cabin in the Woods, I had absolutely no threshold or expectation for exactly the kind of film that I was in for in terms of style or script. I was curious as to how the plot would play out with the marketing and trailers having given basically nothing of it away, even accidentally. I’m very happy to say that not only did I thoroughly enjoy this movie, I enjoyed how much it enjoyed itself (to a point). Drew Goddard is an excellent screenwriter, and it is no small thing that he has an immensely talented ensemble cast to help the writing along to reach its full potential. The actual narrative plays itself out as a Hateful Eight-esque set-up a bit more in line with a “what if Clue, but the 70’s” aesthetic wherein the story opens with a mysterious dialogue-free sequence meant to shock and intrigue the audience, and then follows each character around on increasingly elaborate plot threads that one can discern weave together at various points if you’re paying enough attention and eventually piece together most of what’s going on just-too-late for the third act to really kick things into high gear.

This approach to storytelling, while having been done a few times before, is always pretty fun both as an actual exploration and exercise of mystery filmmaking and as a genuine throwback to the earlier days of films that let themselves take their time and allow the audience to relish in the fun of trying to figure it out themselves. And although the actual script (while clever) does get a bit too convoluted and show-offy for its own good on a cinematic level, it continues to work and impress enough on a theatrical level that I found myself struggling to care whether or not the film was as smart as it thinks it is because I was just having too much damn fun with it. That’s the strength of a great script, and one that I would absolutely lump in with the great “theatre films” currently under the umbrella of my cinematic vocabulary (i.e. The Hateful Eight, Thoroughbreds, etc.). It’s strange that thus far, Tarantino is the only director that I know of who continues to make that genre of film with this kind of scale, but this is a welcome surprise entry in a film category which hopefully only grows as the years go by (seriously we need more films that play out like plays with increasingly more elaborate and creative but noticeably exclusive cinematic tricks to help the story along – the genre really is full of untapped potential). The productions design is also gorgeous, with 70’s period detail just packed into every frame, of which there are many great ones (including a shot that follows Hamm down a long corridor that’s bound to be taught in film classes as a showcase for how to make your shot increasingly more interesting the longer it goes on).

The performances, of course, are all top-notch. Every member of the cast is pulling out all the stops they’ve got. Jeff Bridges has always been a reliable actor for playing a broken man who can barely remember how to talk to other people but seems warm enough, and you can tell Jon Hamm is just having all the fun in the world with the dialogue his character is given. Dakota Johnson is also really quite good here; it’s nice to be reminded that she’s a legitimate actress and not just one half of the two members of 50 Shades that have any discernable talent. In fact, the only real surprises among the cast’s swell of talent are Cynthia Erivo (here making her film debut after transitioning over from Broadway and television) and Lewis Pullman, who plays the hotel manager. Erivo is an excellent screen presence, continuing to surprise and delight with each new plot turn until one has no idea what she’ll end up doing next. Unfortunately it ends up being nothing quite as exciting as what most of the other characters are given to finish with, but that’s more the fault of an overloaded (but still clever) script than her as an actress. She holds her own well enough against titans like Jeff Bridges that one might think she’d been acting with legends like him for a while.

Pullman too has his own pretty great turn as the hotel manager. I can’t precisely remember what it is I’ve seen him in, but his acting ability has noticeably grown since then; what he’s asked to deliver in the way of lines is both hilarious and immensely disturbing, and Pullman rides that line with more natural balance than a tightrope walker in Cirque de Solei. I won’t say much about Chris Hemsworth’s character because I believe that knowing as little about him going in as possible increases the joy of watching him outperform everyone else like the second coming of Brando, but suffice it to say, he steals every scene he’s given right out from under them as if he’d just learned the secret to always winning Texas hold ‘em. It truly is an incredible thing to witness.

Where the films finds its flaws though, are in its monstrously clever script. Now, don’t get me wrong, I mean every word I’ve written on it thus far, but still it must be addressed that in order to have a clever script, it also needs to remain clear in transition from scene to scene, and occasionally Drew Goddard’s mystery boner tends to run away with itself and lose the audience in the process. It still remains fun, but that fun sometimes gives way to a bit of confusion as some decisions either in the editing room or in the script itself take the audience out of the current moment to show them the relevance of that moment to the broader story in terms of timeline or character motivation. It’s only in the third act when this stops happening, and upon reflection, it probably could have stood to happen a little earlier (though exactly where I do not know).

Following this train of thought, the second act itself is pretty long and while I certainly enjoyed watching the actors show off that they can act like nobody’s business, some of those scenes placed in the separate rooms could have stood to be a little bit shorter. I was never bored, per se, but I did start to feel those scenes being stretched out a bit too long. Perhaps this was done as a way to increase the character developments or tease further mystery, but to me, it just felt a little overdrawn. As well, there doesn’t seem to be any legitimate relevance to the idea of the hotel being literally split in half by the California/Nevada state line. There are some general rules that get addressed early on about gambling laws and monetary values, but other than that, the idea of the state line division doesn’t actually factor into the plot at all, and ultimately feels like it just Goddard trying to be clever with something he didn’t want to edit out but found no use for. In that vein, there are also one or two plot threads that never get explored or resolved that ultimately feel odd considering every other thread of their type that do get a fair amount of screen time devoted to them, but to say any more would spoil one of the larger surprises of the film, so I’ll just leave it at that.

Still, despite these noticeable (if ultimately irrelevant) flaws, Bad Times at the El Royale is a good time at the movies and gives us a welcome entry in a genre too-often passed up in both in terms of the sheer level of creativity required to play in its sandbox and the ingenuity it takes to explore that labyrinth of creation once brought to life. The performances are excellent and the characters are vibrant among gorgeous period design. It’s weirdly funny, greatly mysterious, bizarrely intriguing, and one of the better pure fun experiences in this cinematic calendar year; definitely recommended, even if only once or twice.

I’m giving “Bad Times at the El Royale” a 7.9/10

[flickdirect]

In case you're uncertain, American Horror Story is an anthology series centering on different characters and locations, including a house with a murderous past, an insane asylum, a witch, a freak show, a hotel, a possessed farmhouse and a cult. In season 6, AHS: Roanoke, we are taken on a wild, nightmarish ride through the backwoods of Virginia and the lost colony of Roanoke.

"Life imitates grisly reality TV in one of television's edgiest and most acclaimed shows ever! Told in gripping true-crime documentary style, "My Roanoke Nightmare" — this season's show within the show — chronicles shocking paranormal events. Hoping to begin a peaceful new life in a rustic North Carolina farmhouse, Shelby and Matt Miller (Emmy winner Sarah Paulson and Oscar winner Cuba Gooding Jr) flee Los Angeles, only to find murder, mayhem, and madness! From a girl ghost to a swine monster to murderous nurse sisters to a sadistic cult leader known as "The Butcher" (Oscar winner Kathy Bates), the couple's home is filled with nonstop terrors."

We are presented with a "Meta" production which sees the return of the repertory cast from previous seasons, including Cuba Gooding Jr., in what amounts to a "Reality Television" show, "My Roanoke Nightmare", within a show. It is a similar conceit as previous seasons, in that there is a haunted house and our players must confront theirs as well as the house's darkest secrets. However, the reality show reenacts the violent, paranormal events which took place to our main characters, all with a mid-season twist.

Going into this season, I must admit I was a bit uncertain since I was disappointed with the way Season 5, Hotel, fared during the later portion of the season, but I was open-minded enough to give 6 a try. I hadn't heard any details regarding the plot prior to its release, and I found out later that was by design, in this case, the secrecy worked in their favor. AHS: Roanoke, played well in spite of the usual tropes.

I haven't seen all of the seasons which preceded it, but Roanoke was off-the-rails gory, violent and genuinely creepy. At first, the switching between the actual persons and their actor counterparts was a bit confusing but once the story gets rolling and the claret begins to flow (gallons of it) it becomes familiar and you eventually settle into the pace. Unfortunately, that pace is interrupted at mid-season with an odd change for "My Roanoke Nightmare" where the show ends and then they attempt to revisit the success their producers had with a season two: "Return to Roanoke: 3 Days in Hell". It gets convoluted and this breakeven ruins the pacing and, not to mention the tension, they created in the first half of season 6. While it didn't ruin the season for me, it certainly dropped it down a few notches.

What I will say, which holds true for each season, is that the acting from the entire cast is consistently excellent, they embody the roles and this season was no different. Kathy Bates (brilliant as Agnes Mary Winstead, portraying The Butcher), Cuba Gooding Jr., Sarah Paulson, Evan Peters, Denis O'Hare ( love him in Everything he does!), the list of fine actors is endless. Not to mention the unsettling, eerie splendor of the house as well as the forlorn setting of the dark woods, even the twisted neighbors, seemingly culled straight from a small town in west Texas, while perhaps a bit overdone, these cannibals really seem to add menace to a plot filled with its fair share.

Down to the specs. American Horror Story: Roanoke is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.78:1. Each season seems to outdo the last in its look and feel and this season is no exception, especially during the presentations of the ghosts or the flashbacks to the lost colony. The scenes in this Blu-ray are vivid, lurid and most certainly deliver on the promise to frighten and even titillate.

The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 provides a clear soundstage and even delivers fantastic atmospherics, they take advantage of some scary fun sound effects, and even the music, creates a pervading sense of hopelessness and isolation. The dialog between characters all seem to be pretty straightforward, but it's never lost and the mix is pretty clear throughout.

Roanoke features aren't many, but they provide a fun Q&A from The PaleyFest 2017 which features Sarah Paulson, Kathy Bates, Cuba Gooding Jr., Denis O'Hare, Adina Porter, Cheyenne Jackson, Exec Prod Tim Minier and Co-Creator Brad Falchuk. As well as American Horror Story: Roanoke Promos, presented in 1080p, as well.

All in all, this is a solid, albeit a tad thin on extras, release, and if you are a fan of American Horror Story or a horror completest, you should pick this up, at this price, it won't feel like The Butcher chopped up your wallet.

Grade: B-

About Leonard Buccellato Leonard became obsessed with horror movies at the tender age of 7 when he first saw the movie Blacula (which quickly scared the Hell out of him). From there, all bets were off, from Grizzly and Jaws to The Thing and E.T, his love of movies took on a life of its own. His passion for movies is matched only by his love of writing and literature.

Read more reviews and content by Leonard Buccellato.

via FlickDirect Entertainment News and Film Reviews