#it’s brilliantly acted and has some great cinematography but i spent so much of it going ‘what the actual fuck’ 🫣

[nessa007]

[smylealong]

Year End Drama Recap

This was a year that tested me in more ways than one. I have had highs and lows unlike any I had experienced before. I lost much, spent a long time in throes of anxiety and depression. I also managed to beat something that was making my life miserable. A decision I took has led to a happier, healthier me. I made lifestyle changes that have yielded fantastic results. Overall, this was one heck of a roller-coaster year. Amidst all these upheavals, dramas grounded me and provided with some much-needed distraction. In fact, I managed to watch quite a few dramas, both Korean and Chinese. This post is a recap of the dramas I watched/abandoned or am currently watching. Since this will be a long post, I will put it under “keep reading”.

K-Dramas

That Winter the Wind Blows- (Abandoned) -This drama had been on my to-be-watched list for a very long time, primarily because of Kim Bum. I love that guy and I wanted to like this drama. Alas, this drama was much too strange for me. That the central romance goes down the whole “fake-cest” route, with one party actively defrauding the other was too icky for me to continue. The cinematography was excellent, but the dull grey tones were too dreary for me.

Black- (Abandoned)- The concept of this series was fantastic. It even had Jo Jae Yoon (Cheetah for Mad Dog/ Perm job from Save Me), someone I love to bits. I absolutely adored the character played by Kim Dong Jun (Oh Man Soo), and enjoyed the male lead, Han Moo Gang, played by Song Seung Hoon. The story was interesting, and the acting was great. Why then did I stop watching it? Because this series has the unfortunate tendency to use bodily fluids as a crutch for humor, which grossed me out thoroughly. I can’t stand that brand of humor. I had to stop.

Goblin- (Completed)- Loved this drama. Enjoyed every second of it. The bromance between the Goblin and the Reaper was the cherry on top of this fantastic sundae. Also…. Lee Dong Wook! *fans self*

The Guest- (Completed)- One of the best horror series I have seen in a while. I liked that this series did not go the gore/jump scares route. Instead, it went the environmental and situational horror. Led by capable, strong, and decisive leads. Supported by able side characters and a tight plot, The Guest kept me glued to the screen. Also… Kim Jae Wook! *fans self*

Strangers From Hell- (Completed)- This was such a disappointment. It started off brilliantly – a naïve, young protagonist stuck in a claustrophobic, ready to explode situation. And then, it turned into a torture-porn with believability diminishing with every episode, this was an arduous watch. The caricatursih portrayal of the villains only exacerbated my frustrations. I only held on because of Lee Dong Wook. But it was an uphill task.

Hotel Del Luna- (Completed)- This was one heck of a ride. I loved the quirky and deliciously evil Jang Man Wol played by the competent IU. The male lead, Gu Chan Sung played by the incredible Yeo Jin Goo, was delightful to watch. A perfect supernatural romantic comedy that warmed my heart. Worth the hype.

Crowned Clown- (Watching) – This Korean take on The Prince and The Pauper has Yeo Jin Goo in a brilliant double role. The guest appearance of Jang Hyuk makes that series that much better.

C-Drama

The Wolf- (Abandoned) – I began watching this drama for Xiao Zhan. I love that guy and I had to watch it. The drama had the added benefit of Li Qin and Xin Zhilei, so I was looking forward to it. But then, the drama was chopped by the censors and the end result was one hot, incoherent mess. It did not help that the main couple, Bo Wang (Darren Wang) and Ma Zhai Xing (Li Qin), were one toxic mess. Xiao Zhan’s Ji Chong was the only good thing about the drama but even he could not salvage it for me.

Dance of the Phoenix- (Abandoned)- Started watching this drama for Wang Hao Xuan. But the male lead, Jun Lin Yuan (played by Xu Kai Cheng), had all of half an expression on his face throughout the drama. It did not help that the drama went down the whole, “Black is ugly, fair is beautiful” route. I was disgusted.

My Heroic Husband- (Abandoned)- Half the cast of Joy of Life meant this automatically became a drama I would watch. Guo Qi Lin is a delight to watch, and Song Yi was competent. I was enjoying myself watching this drama, until I wasn’t. Guo Qi Lin’s Ning Yi was a little too much of a Mary Sue for me. This just wasn’t my cup of tea.

The Rebel Princess- (Completed)- Rarely has a drama elicited such a polarizing response from me. Even though I was not entirely sold on Zhang Zi Yi playing a teenaged A’Wu, I pushed through, primarily because of Liu Duan Duan’s Song Huai’en. But slowly, I was sucked into the complicated palace drama. It was thrilling, entertaining and fun. I loved it right up to the point where Purba Rgyal’s character, Ma Zilu, died. From that point on, the drama meandered. It went into a lala land and when both Song Huai’en and Jia Yi Ping’s Wang Su went rotten, I was ready to give up. But at @terribleteej’s behest, I continued. In the end, I loved some bits, liked some bits, got annoyed with some things and downright hated some of it. In the end, I did end up writing some fanfics. So yeah… there is that.

Hope All Is Well With Us- (Completed)- Watched it for Liu Duan Duan. Not worth the time spent, can be skipped.

The Long Ballad- (Completed)- Unpopular opinion perhaps, but I really enjoyed this drama. I watched this drama when I was in a really bad place mentally, and it gave me exactly the distraction I was seeking. I wanted something that did not need me to think too much. I went in with zero expectations and enjoyed myself. I liked all four leads, and fell in love with Liu Yu Ning’s singing.

Love Me if You Dare- (Completed)- When I watched Mindhunter, I became interested in understanding the mind of a serial killer. Since a character in one of my original stories is a serial killer, I needed to study more about them. One thing that I learned during my studies is that most TV series get the portrayals wrong. I have seen interviews of real killers and trust me, they are far more chilling than any actors I have seen. Love Me if You Dare also fell in the trap of a wildly gesticulating, weird face contorting, and monologuing serial killer instead of how they can be. The real ones don’t need all of those bells and whistles to chill you to the bone, they can unnerve you with one casual, throwaway remark. That said, I did enjoy looking at the beautiful faces of Wallace Huo, Sandra Ma and Wang Kai.

Nirvana in Fire- (Completed)- Well, well, well. What do I say about this fantastic political drama? Intelligent characters, glorious sets, gorgeous costumes and a taut script. I enjoyed this drama fully. Mei Chang Su reminded me of Chanakya with his cold, precise, and calculative political maneuvers. It was even better with competent and useful female characters and some fantastic battle choreography. I would highly recommend this drama to anyone who wants a smart political thriller.

Longest Day in Chang’an- (Watching)- This is a show that requires 110% of my mind and attention. This is a thrilling and complex series that doesn’t believe in spoon feeding the audience. It needs a certain state of mind, and I will admit that it is taking me forever to watch the show but finish this show I will because I like what I see.

Sword Snow Stride- (???)- Am I still watching this show? Am I abandoning this? What does this show want to do? What exactly is happening? Do I like this show? I don’t know yet. This show confuses me.

Feng Qi Luoyang- (Watching)- I am loving this drama and enjoying everything that this drama has to offer. Just three more episodes to go, and if this drama ends the way it has been going, this would be one of the best things of 2021. Also… Liu Duan Duan *fans self*

Hindi/English

House of Secrets - (Completed)- I would also use this space to talk about a documentary I watched on Netflix that had me thinking for a very long time. This three-part documentary seeks answers to a horrifying and bizarre incident that took place the Burari area of New Delhi, India, in 2018. A family of 11 were found hanging, with their mouths gagged, eyes blindfolded, hands tied and cotton stuffed into their ears. The documentary chronicles the police investigation that took place amidst mounting political pressure and the media circus. The documentary seeks answers to some difficult questions. And the answers that do come forth are even more bizarre than the incident itself. This is definitely a documentary I would recommend highly. However, be warned, this is very disturbing and is likely to give you some sleepless nights.

[sol1056]

I keep finding new salt about s7, like: Sendak has 5 warships, which is less than Voltron destroyed in s1 when they went to save Allura. They also had fully recharged the Lion Energy to form Voltron again through the power of friendship. Why why WHY didn't they just fly in, form Voltron, destroy all the ships, and then help sweep up the pieces/defeat Sendak's final ground assault?

My family has a long-running gag about Haley’s Comet. If there’s only one cookie left on the plate, someone will point off in a direction behind everyone and shout, “Oh my god! Haley’s Comet!” and when someone (because someone always does) turns to look, the person who shouted grabs the last cookie for themselves. 

One of the hardest parts of a large-scope story is the final set piece. You need the antagonist (or obstacle) to be big enough that it’ll appear unbeatable, with the odds stacked against the heroes. And you don’t want the heroes coming up with something out of left field (*koff* magic *koff*); the solution is most satisfying when it’s an ingenious extrapolation of some skill or knowledge you’d planted earlier in the story. 

The strategy — defeat the Big Bad — is almost never in doubt. The tension lies in how the heroes will manage that, the tactics they’ll use. Unfortunately, when you dissect most of VLD’s finales, they consist of Attack of the Haley’s Comets. 

S1, they went in with no plan except a frontal attack against an opponent with a thousand times their resources. Good thing they all had plot armor. 

S2, the finale involved getting Zarkon to come to them, so they could shut down his servers to implant a virus (that did what, exactly?) while the rest of the lions dog-fought (lion-fought?) a bunch of sentries for the nth time, then Allura forced the entire station-ship-whatever to go through The Universe’s Largest Teladuv to send Zarkon, uh, far away, for some reason. Then they formed Voltron and sliced at the big station that was again a thousand times larger, fought Zarkon in a Voltron-sized suit of armor and, uh, lastly left the scene via wormhole. Like the station was back online, clearly not destroyed, and besides, Zarkon spent most of S2 easily able to catch up with them, once he knew where they were, so not sure why ‘sending him far away’ had any purpose. 

(This makes Star Wars’ “shoot at this tiny duct on the surface of the Death Star” look downright brilliantly efficient in comparison.) 

S3 had no finale, and S4 involved, uh, Voltron going up against a planet. And almost getting blown up. While two other teams tackled super cannons a system away. Shutting down the relay station to leave a gap for those teams to capture the cannons was possibly the only tactically smart move I’ve seen in a VLD finale, tbh. 

S5′s finale… uh, Oriande, right. S6′s finale was… well, we had the copy-paste Winter Soldier fight between Keith and not-Shiro, followed by Sincline and Voltron facing off. The latter of which seemed to mostly involve a lot of yelling. *yawn*

S6′s finale, well, you already summed it up. I guess ‘just go right for the warships with the cannons’ would’ve ended the battle too soon, so they had to run around for an episode or so. Y’know, make sure we’re suitably distracted from the Haley’s Comet gambit and not realize until too late VLD had stolen yet another cookie.

When it comes to prepping for the finale, Star Wars is a great example of a simple finale that works, because it laid a solid foundation. From very early, the story drives home two things: the plans to the Death Star contain major intel, and Luke’s an amazing and intuitive pilot. We get early chatter about Luke racing, with reminders like his crack about shooting womp rats. Both elements are made credible by the story never contradicting these setups, so when you put together teeny duct + amazing pilot + tunnel-shot cinematography, you get a marvelous heart-pounding finale.  

With the exception of S7 using the shields (a callback to S6E1), VLD has been pretty weak at hinting at skills or knowledge ahead of time. And that’s ignoring that the EPs/writers don’t seem to understand battle tactics vs a solid and efficient strategy. 

They do manage to give Lance consistent tactical smarts (despite fen calling him the best strategist, which he’s not), but otherwise the EPs/writers seem fuzzy on how the two perspectives impact characterization. So right there, they don’t even have a solid sense of how a team would split duties to play to each person’s strength, and that means we end up with battle scenes where Shiro is focused on A, Keith zooms off for B, Lance yells at Keith, while Pidge and Hunk just scream a lot in the background.

A strategy is the big-picture objective: “We need to retrieve Allura.” It’s what must be achieved to consider any action complete: capture that hill, rescue the princess, block the reinforcements. “We come from this direction, move fast, hit here, and hit hard” are tactics: the steps to achieve that objective. Against an enemy with 1000x more resources and size, it’s also a damn stupid tactic. 

The commander sets the strategy, the tactician figures out how the army will manage that. The team’s arrival at the Balmera is one of the few times VLD uses the concepts properly. As the general, Allura defines the main strategic goal. As the field commander, Shiro divides up the labor. Keith and Lance are tasked with blocking reinforcements, and Lance figures out the most efficient tactic: lock the barn doors before the horses get out. 

For the most part, Keith is a strategic thinker, not a tactical one, and that makes him a less useful second-in-command compared to Lance’s pragmatic tactical approach. In fact, those two would be a powerful pair if the writers understood the differences to highlight the two approaches, and how each is crucial for a successful outcome.

What most insults me, as a viewer (and yes, I would’ve said the same at age 10, thanks to reading plenty of history with battle strategies), is that the EPs/writers seem to have decided complicated is a synonym for smart. The result is a series of finales that are actually… pretty stupid. 

I mean, have these people never even read Lao Tzu? Just as a bare minimum. 

What about subterfuge? Like, say, a cloaking mechanism. Wouldn’t that be handy. That got used once for all of Voltron, and it was never mentioned again. Sure, copilot to assist Pidge with the cloaking mechanism? Take your pick: Shiro, Coran, Romelle, I’m sure at least one of them could’ve managed it. Hell, as much effort VLD put into making Kosmo the smartest plot device ever, the damn wolf could’ve done it. 

All warfare is based on deception. It’s not a dishonorable thing to pull one over on the enemy. Wormholing in is only half the sneakage, people. 

Avoid striking at what is strong; hit the enemy’s weak points. Instead, Voltron just goes head-on, over and over, and the only reason it wins is because that’s what’s in the script. Take advantage of chaos: with Zarkon absent in S3, threre should’ve been tremendous opportunities (mostly from previously strong areas now weakened by the internal turmoil), but instead Voltron’s on the outskirts freeing planets like Puig. Well, sure, fine, but is that really the best use of the team’s limited resources? 

Don’t move until you have the advantage, or something to be gained. Aim for what the enemy holds most precious. When the enemy fights blindly and desperately, use their blindness against them to lure them into an ambush (which is possibly the one maxim at use in S2′s finale). Related to that, Lotor does act on at least one principle: rousing and forcing the lions to reveal themselves, so Lotor can determine their vulnerabilities. 

In a war story, I’d look to the uses of strategy and tactics as a way to reveal characterization (of which Lotor circa S3 is the best, if not only, example). But specifically this quote from Sun Tzu: 

If you know the enemy and know yourself, you need not fear the result of a hundred battles. If you know yourself but not the enemy, for every victory gained you will also suffer a defeat. If you know neither the enemy nor yourself, you will succumb in every battle.

It’s a classic trope in war stories to have the strategist insist that knowing the enemy — thinking like them, understanding them — is key to victory. Thing is, it’s true. If you don’t understand the enemy’s assumptions, biases, desires, and dislikes, you won’t know how to use those against the enemy. You won’t be able to divine strength from weakness. 

In S1/S2, Allura (and Coran) was the best-placed to understand Zarkon’s objectives, the way he thought, the reactions he’d have to any action. Shiro was a distant second for strategist, with more immediate (if fuzzy) experiences of the empire. In S3, with Lotor as the new antagonist and a completely unknown variable, this really would’ve been the best time for Keith to come to the forefront as a strategic thinker. Allura or Shiro might assume their understanding of Zarkon could be applied to Lotor, while Keith’s lack of firsthand knowledge meant a lack of bias for seeing Lotor as, well, Lotor. 

There could’ve been some interesting contrasts to play with, there, in terms of the different strategic minds on the team. Especially when places against the differing tactical brains on the team (Lance, Hunk, Pidge). But I guess we’ll have to leave that for fandom to fix, along with that mess of a finale in S7.

[kwamesafoboateng]

Kwame safo Boateng - Top 5 Best Action and Adventures Movies

Kwame safo Boateng - I like to watch independent films. The fact that I’m multilingual allows me to appreciate foreign movies as well. As a 28 year old, my tastes are still in evolution. Although I can appreciate a wider range of movies, I find that I am willing to spend a lot of time looking for the perfect movie. I have spent as much time searching for the right film as I actually spend watching the film. Even if my efforts are sometimes laborious, satisfaction is a silver-lining.

Listed by Kwame safo boateng best 5 Action and Adventure Movies of All Time, these films are some of the best action and adventure films of the past 60 years, but each has a good, distinct approach to action within the plot.

Kwame safo Boateng's favorite Best Action & Adventures movies

King Kong' (1933)

This film is directed by Merian C. Cooper (uncredited), Ernest B. Schoedsack (uncredited) and written by James Ashmore Creelman (screenplay) (as James Creelman), Ruth Rose (screenplay), Merian C. Cooper (from an idea conceived by), Edgar Wallace (from an idea conceived by), Leon Gordon (contributing writer) (uncredited), Edgar Wallace (story) (uncredited). You can watch this movie or download the “Seven Samurai” movie, Here.

Over the years, King Kong has been one of the first three films to pioneer the giant monster movie genre along with Godzilla and The Beast From 20,000 Fathoms. What makes the film so cool is that is has a beautiful scenery featuring stop motion bugs and dinosaurs which were all done by stop motion pioneer Willis O'Brien and there would also be parts where actors and actresses performed in front of a mere projector which would be combined while having the creatures being animated at the same time which caused it to break new grounds. The music in the film happens to be a well done masterpiece in cinematic history throughout the 1930's. 

Also, there's even a documentary on the two disc Special Edition which I own on DVD where Peter Jackson (who is the director of the 2005 remake) recreates the lost spider pit sequence which was a lost sequence in the film that never happens in the film. Although, throughout the years other filmmakers have been inspired by these special effects such as Nick Park, Henry Selick, and Ray Harryhausen which means the stop motion technique became revolutionary throughout the old days. But anyways, this film gets 4 stars because it features stop motion sequences and live actors. 

The 39 Steps' (1935)

This film is directed by Alfred Hitchcock and written by  John Buchan (adapted from the novel by), Charles Bennett (adaptation), Ian hay (dialogue). Sir Alfred Hitchcock movies are all about craftsmanship and flawless cinematography. Not to mention his ability in crafting gripping scores, which eventually adds to the tally and makes his work a complete package to the audience who are watching it. However, I wouldn't be too surprised if someone argues that the actual movie is an underrated one. Taking into account, the age at which the movie was made, everything right from the beginning till the very end seems flawless. Clever yet funny and effortless acting from Robert Donat. Sir Alfred Hitchcock has proved it yet again that he's the master of suspense forever. You can watch this movie or download the “Seven Samurai” movie, Here. 

The Treasure of the Sierra Madre (1948)

This film is directed by  John Huston and written by B. Traven (based on the book by), John Huston  (screenplay by). This film made a huge impression on me when I first saw it at the age of 20. You can watch this movie or download the “Seven Samurai” movie, Here. 

"The Treasure of Sierra Madre" won Oscars for Best Director (John Huston), Best Supporting Actor (Walter Huston) and Best Screenplay (John Huston). The film was also nominated for Best Picture but unfortunately lost to Lawrence Olivier's "Hamlet". It was another notable performance by Humphrey Bogart in a difficult role and proves once again what an outstanding actor can be if given the right material. It was a stunning performance by Humphrey Bogart - one of his best - and completely different to his spontaneous portrayal of Rick in "Casablanca". Fred C.The film has now truly become a classic and is receiving much acclaim by "movie buffs".

Seven Samurai (1954)

This film is directed by Akira Kurosawa and written by Akira Kurosawa (screenplay by), Shinobu Hashimoto (screenplay by). This movie is brilliantly crafted, excellently scored, extraordinarily choreographed, well acted and gorgeously written. This is well deserving of it's high place and I would consider it nothing short of a masterpiece. You can watch this movie or download the “Seven Samurai” movie, Here. 

A veteran samurai, who has fallen on hard times, responds to the village's request for protection from the bandits. He gathers 6 other samurai to help him, and they teach the townspeople how to defend themselves, and they supply the samurai with three small meals a day. The film ends in a huge war when 40 bandits attack the village.

The French Connection' (1971)

This film is directed by William Friedkin and written by Ernest Tidyman (screenplay by) and Robin Moore (based on the book by). It’s a super cop thriller based on historical events and starring Gene hackman in one of his best performances. This movie shows us the realistic problems of life on the street and the drug trade, it also totally entertains us. You can watch this movie or download “The french Connection” movie, Here. 

The French Connection is best known for its car chase scene, but this would be a great cop movie without it. With it, it becomes the greatest.The plot is intriguing.The setting is gritty and cold.There is almost a hopeless feeling throughout it.  Hackman is superb, Ahab-like is his obsession to arrest the drug dealers.  It is exciting and fascinating to watch the malaise of the early 70s in NYC. This had to be filmed on location. Would not work anywhere else.  Please, watch this movie.

These are the best Action and adventure movies listed by Kwame safo boateng. Don't forget to watch!

[popcornblotter]

My Top 10 Favorite Films of 2017

Good news everyone! No need for intros here, let’s end the year on a high note shall we! Here, we, go!

#10

Writer/Director Sofia Coppola further proves her mastery of filmmaking with The Beguiled. A drama set in Virginia during the Civil War when a wounded Union soldier makes his way to an all girls school in the summer, the Headmistress and students wonder what to do with him, and subsequently find out how he affects their lives.

The biggest standout for me was the lighting and cinematography. Each shot is perfectly well framed as well as only using light sources that would be available in that setting. Candles, lanterns, and the sun brought this ambiance of uneasiness. The location of schoolhouse and it’s surroundings was marvelous as well, transporting you to an almost ethereal bayou of sorts.

Colin Farrell continues to impress as he furthers his career. Bringing an edge of quiet fear, seduction, and anger all within a 95 minute runtime.

#9

I know this film was very divisive for comic book fans, and I can understand some of their qualms, but Justice League was just a heck of a lot of fun.

I loved the coming together of the team, as well exploring a bit into the newer character’s stories. Ezra Miller and Jason Momoa were the standout actors here.

I loved the humor, the interactions between the characters, and man did I love the scene when The Flash knew he was in trouble.

Despite it’s problems, the sometimes not great CGI, I still had fun, and would easily revisit this film again as it made me hopeful for what is to come from DC Films.

#8

The first time I saw this movie, I wasn’t super crazy on it. Did I think it was funny? Yes, but something didn’t quite hit the first time. So after a second viewing, I grew to love this film. While the first Guardians is a little more straight forward, plot wise, stop the bad guys from doing this, and save the day. Guardians 2 is a little less structured, there isn’t a necessary Point A-Point B plot because most of this film is exploring familial relationships. Whether its Peter and his dad, Gamora and Nebula, or Yondu and Rocket. It brings forward the idea that your family doesn’t always have to be blood. And by the time this movie ends, I was a mess.

#7

Blade Runner 2049 was a surprise for me this year. Mainly because I’ve never seen the original. I was curious, it looked cool, I’ve enjoyed director Denis Villeneuve’s work in the past, so I thought I’d give it a shot.

The way this film is shot is extraordinary. You could take any  shot out of this film and have it be a painting on your wall. The sound was so booming and explosive it transported you to this neo-noir Los Angeles. The acting is superb as well, especially the chemistry between Ryan Gosling and Ana de Armas. You felt from the first scene they have that this is a couple who’ve known each other for a while.

My only nitpick with this film is a pro and a con, which is it’s pacing. This film moves much slower than a normal film does these days. It has a very slow pace, which I enjoyed for most of it, because it allowed you to soak in this world with so much to see and hear. But towards the end, when things start coming together, you expect for things to speed up, which they don’t. In that, its very realistic to a world that is far removed from ours. I’d just hoped it would’ve wrapped up a little faster.

Despite that nitpick, I loved this film, its great, and it is genuinely a great mystery that keeps you guessing until the end.

#6

This past July, the web slinging, wall crawler returned to the MCU in a big way.

The biggest achievement of this movie is the cast that is multi-racial, extremely talented, and can make you laugh at a moments notice. Director Jon Watts was able to represent the population of New York with the characters they have, even changing the origins of some to fit the story.

Tom Holland is obviously the standout, being able to be funny, awkward, and charming all in one go. I just loved that we actually got a high school looking Spider-Man. Yes, I know Tom Holland is in his 20’s, but it’s all about what age you can play, not what age you are. Versus Maguire and Garfield, looking like they were both about start investing in 401k’s.

Michael Keaton as The Vulture does a great job, probably being the second best villain, behind Loki. He was able to make you understand where he was coming from and why he was doing what he was doing.

This is a big thumbs up for me that’ll have you laughing all the way through.

#5

All I can say is cool, cool, cool. I’ve been a fan of writer/director Edgar Wright for a bit, and his films always have this top, fun layer that you can appreciate, but then there’s this emotional layer underneath that just hits it home, and Baby Driver is no exception.

Ansel Elgort plays Baby, a get away driver with tinnitus, so to drown out the ringing in his ears, he constantly plays music on old iPods. What comes out of this film is a rollicking good time with all of the great witty dialogue Wright is known for, along some of the best edited action I’ve seen in a film. Since we watch the film through Baby’s perspective, we’re constantly hearing the music he’s listening to, either loud, or droned out. But when the action kicks up, you can’t help but say wow as gunshots and hits are timed perfectly to soundtrack in Baby’s ears. And I’m just a nerd for that kind of stuff.

Ansel Elgort has charm coming out of his ears in this film, and makes you wonder how he isn’t swarmed by women everywhere he goes. You also have a great supporting cast in Jon Hamm, Jon Bernthal, Jamie Foxx, and a small role from Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

If you’re looking for an action flick with a twist check this one out.

#4

With no surprise to myself, Marvel Studios gets another spot on this list with Thor: Ragnarok. I was immediately hooked into this new tone change from the first trailer. Marvel was finally going to let Chris Hemsworth do what he does best, and that’s be hysterical. I think the person to thank for that is New Zealand director, Taika Waititi, who’s known for wacky, off the cuff humor that works brilliantly.

I was hooked within the first minute when Thor is trapped in a cage, talking to someone about how he got there, and they flip the camera, and it’s a skeleton, which then proceeds to drop his jaw. That is the type of ridiculous humor I love. We then get a taste of the awesome action accompanied by Led Zeppelin’s Immigrant Song. And I was smiling ear to ear like a fool.

While the previous Thor movies have been done with a more serious, Shakespearean tone, this one goes for crazy, balls out, 80’s metal look with almost every frame look like something you’d want painted on the side of a van.

All of the actors were great. Tessa Thompson was great as Valkyrie, I loved the appearance by Benedict Cumberbatch as Doctor Strange, and of course you can’t forget Tom Hiddleston as Loki and his chemistry with Hemsworth. Other great additions were Jeff Goldblum as The Grandmaster and Taika Waititi voicing a rock alien named Korg.

To me this was the tightest made film that Marvel Studios put out, with a crisp runtime of a little more than two hours it’s just enough to make you want more, but not long enough to check your phone.

#3

Anyone who knows me knew this would be on my top 10 of the year. I’m a Star Wars nut! What can I say that I haven’t already? Porgs, porgs, porgs, porgs, and porgs.

If you haven’t seen this film yet, do yourself a favor and get your ass to theater.

#2

I’ll be completely honest here, I didn’t have high hopes for Wonder Woman. At the time, here’s a studio with three movies with mixed results critically, and this one being directed by someone who hadn't made a film since 2003. But I went opening day with some slight chance of hope. And I gladly ate my words.

Words can’t necessarily describe how great a film Wonder Woman is. Patty Jenkins made what some have called a masterpiece in superhero filmmaking. I agree with about 98% of that. My only qualm was that on the second viewing in the theater, I did feel its runtime a little more, which is why it isn’t in the number 1 spot.

Gal Gadot and Chris Pine have a romance that seems practical for the amount of time they spent together, it seemed genuine, and I loved how Diana would call people out on their shit if she thought they were wrong. The No Man’s Land sequence left me in tears of joy at how wonderful everything worked from the cinematography, the music, the acting, the action, just everything.

You can’t miss this one, even if you aren’t a fan of DC characters, this is just a damn good movie.

I wanted to put some honorable mentions that didn’t quite make the cut.

What would’ve been #12

Christopher Nolan’s war film, Dunkirk is a technical marvel. The cinematography is breath taking and the sound scared the shit out of me. I saw this in an IMAX theater and when bullets fired, you never knew where they were coming from until they made contact. This literally made me jump several times throughout. The reason that this didn’t make the top 10 is that none of the characters particularly stood out in any way. I could tell you the names of the actors, but not their character’s names.

What would’ve been #11

The reason It isn’t higher is because I’m not a fan of horror movies. But I was intrigued at all of the critical success this movie was gaining, so I saw it with a few friends.

The reason this movie works as well as it does is because of the writing and the great child actors they got. Aside from Finn Wolfhard, of Stranger Things fame, the rest of these kids were unknown. But damn it if they didn’t knock it out of the park with their acting chops and chemistry. But if it wasn’t for that reason, I probably would’ve left the theater within ten minutes because I don’t do scary well. And as much as I enjoyed this one, I probably won’t revisit it.

And my favorite film of 2017 is

Logan is the perfect combination of my two favorite types of films. Action blockbusters and deep, emotional character pieces. When I went into Logan, I didn’t know exactly what to expect. I’d heard it took some inspiration from some of the comics where Wolverine is an older man, but that was about it. What I got was something that seriously fucked me up.

Like a lot of people, I grew up with Hugh Jackman playing Wolverine since the first X-men film in 2000. And it seemed with each iteration Jackman tried to deepen the character to reveal Logan’s core, instead of just being a mindless killing machine. With this you get the best of both worlds. Jackman stripped Wolverine down to the point it seems like he’s given up and is ready to die. But at the same time we get to see what would actually be the effects of a guy with claws for hands mauling people like an animal, and you learn that in the first few minutes. It is gory, but damn is it awesome!

Patrick Stewart also has a phenomenal performance as a Charles Xavier that we’ve never seen the likes of in the films. His mind wandering, breaking down, plagued by what I assume is the mutant version of dementia or Alzheimer’s. Seeing Stewart’s and Jackman’s near 20 years of working together is heart warming, heart breaking, and brutal.

This film also breeds a new star in newcomer Dafne Keen as Laura. This is a girl who is wise beyond her years as an actress. For about the first half of the film she doesn’t say a word, but you see all the emotion in her face communicated brilliantly. She is definitely someone who will have a prosperous career.

What director James Mangold succeeds with Logan is that he’s able to make a superhero film, but not have it be about something super, per se, but makes it about something everyone can relate to, family. Whether it’s Logan’s relationship to Charles, Logan to Caliban, Logan to Laura, its about the relationships that you grow with and foster when you inevitably have to say goodbye. Mangold was able to make a western, a superhero film, a family piece, a deep character study, an action film. This literally has something for almost everyone. I think Logan is the perfect example of what the superhero genre could and should become.

I’ll be completely honest, like I said before, this movie fucked me up. And I was crying for almost the last five minutes. And for me to cry at a piece of media, whether it be a series or movie isn’t uncommon, but to the degree that I did was what stayed with me. It was a typical silent cry that I usually do with most films I see, but this was uncontrollable, hard breathing, loud noised, ugly face sobbing. When the word “Daddy” is said, I lose it every time.

I guess I didn’t expect to get as attached to this film as I did. But I guess with Jackman playing that character for as long as he did, he sort of became synonymous with that role. I guess it’s to the effect of Mark Hamill as Luke Skywalker or Daniel Radcliffe as Harry Potter. But the sendoff Jackman and Mangold give this character is one of pure mastery, sadness, and hope. With the Fox/Disney deal, there is some part of me that wishes Jackman will return as Wolverine for the MCU, but if he doesn’t, that’s fine as well. Because this film is all but perfect to me.

I hope this film gets nominations for Jackman, Stewart, Keen, and Mangold for the Oscars because I think it deserves it because it broke boundaries of what a superhero film could be. And that is why Logan is my favorite film of 2017.

I want to thank you guys for reading this and for the support. Here’s hoping that 2018 will be even better! In the vain of a dumb catchphrase I tried to start years ago, stay tuned for more blotter!

[chicagoindiecritics]

New from Kevin Wozniak on Kevflix: Review – The Other Lamb

          The Other Lamb brings together two genres I didn’t think would mix well: cult horror and coming of age.  However, the result of the film is a rather good one.  This is a gripping, chilling, slow-burning film about one girl who begins to question everything in the cult she has spent her entire life in.

Selah (Raffey Cassidy) has lived her entire life in a cult run by a man known as Shepherd (Michiel Huisman), a controlling, messiah-like figure with a frightening dark side.  The cult is an all woman cult with two groups, mothers and daughters, with Shepherd fathering all the daughters.  Selah’s mother died while giving birth to her, so she has been raised by this community, which is completely cut off from modern society.  But when Selah starts to have startling visions and disturbing revelations, she begins to question the Shepherd and her entire life.

Director Malgorzata Szumowska does an excellent job of setting up the film’s atmosphere.  This is a very creepy and unsettling movie.  What she does best is never give away too much information about the cult itself.  It is never explained how the cult was started or how these women got into this cult or why the follow Shepherd.  What makes this great is that it really puts us in the mind of Selah.  She’s a young girl who didn’t think anything of the place she lived until she started having dreams and visions and paying more attention to Shepherd.  As she begins to unfold what is happening, we are unfolding what is happening too, getting new information each scene from other characters about the cult, yet never getting too much information to keep us guessing and compelled to see where the story ends up.  The pace of the film does drag a little bit, but there is a lot of compelling material to keep you hooked even at the slower moments.

The Other Lamb is a really gorgeous film to look at.  The cinematography is like if Terrance Malick made a horror film.  The colors of the wives and daughters outfits pop off the screen in contrast to the dark, monotone forrest the cult is traveling through.  Szumowska also does a stellar job sliding in some really startling images that really shook me.  She places these images at the perfect time to really frighten and shock us.  They don’t act as jump scares, but show us the horror of the dreams and images Selah is seeing.  The images are horrifying and stick with you long after the movie is over.

The Other Lamb is a movie for those who like intelligent horror movies.  This isn’t a movie that is worried about making you jump in your seat while you are watching it but rather one that will make you squirm in your seat while watching and then think about what you saw once you leave the theater (or now, due to the current circumstance, stop the stream).  Again, it does get a bit slow in the middle there, but The Other Lamb is interesting and creepy and pays off brilliantly at the end.

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[absolute--woman]

Here’s my analysis of a masterpiece I watched yesterday.

"Leave me alone, please"

Last Year at Marienbad is French/Italian movie by Hiroshima, Mon Amour director, Alain Resnais and written by Alain Robbe-Grillet. The main characters are The Man, The Woman and The second Man played by Giorgio Albertazzi, Delphine Seyrig and Sacha Pitoeff. The movie deals with subjects like dream-like state, repetition, loops and surrealism, in a way it reminded me so much of Maya Deren‘s (1943) experimental short film Meshes of the Afternoon dealing with the same subjects and also one of my favorite movies that I have seen lately.

Aside from the stunning cinematography, the haunting opening and ending scenes, and the great performances, the actual shooting of this movie is pretty artistic and interesting, the real Marienbad is located in Czech Republic and the director brilliantly blended two different palace complexes in and around Munich resulting in a beautiful goth like environment and an absolutely atmospheric imagery.

This one of those movies were anyone can watch it and interpret it differently and there won’t be a real incorrect inputs, but I’d like to share my take on it;

For me this movie is like a bizarre portrait of depression, that of which is being played in a literal form by Giorgio Albertazzi. The repetition of the dialogue and imagery gives the sensation of being trapped and stuck in a state that only ends to start all over again.

One thing I noticed is that he is always following Delphine Seyrig around, not only in the sense of him putting ideas in her head, never responding to her constant begging to be left alone, but he was literally always one step behind her when moving, he is never walking beside her, he is always crawling behind until the very last scene, when he succeeds in making her “go away with him” and leaving her conveniently barely even around , unaware of her struggle loved one behind, who, strangely enough, never seem to notice that she spends most of her time with Albertazzi. There’s this one scene where he approaches her whilst having a convesation with The Man and doesn’t even acknowledge him.

The hotel seems to be full of people but she is always alone, and they are a few scenes where they are suddenly frozen, one in the first opening scene an a couple later on, if you are familiar with depression symptoms you will know that it affects your sense of time, where time somehow feel like it’s slowing down or standing still/freezing. It also affects the way one connect with another human being, to her they are almost robotics, we never see her engaging in any sort of games or conversations with any of those guests, she is alienated and only has one voice in her head, even when she cries for help in front of them hoping someone would notice her, nothing really seem to change.

There is also a key scene that might be a clue that she’s been suffering/fighting depression for a long time, the scene is where she opens a drawer and finds a significant number of pictures of her,  and it happens to be the exact same picture that the man gave her, which indicates that he’s given her the picture before, many times because depression is always the same.

I think the references of the last year spent in that place was to foreshadow a traumatizing event, betrayal, or even guilt of some sort that took place sometime ago which is actually briefly hinted for in a scene of a play that was acted out at Marienbad where we see sequence of flashbacks that had to do with a sexual abuse incident.

The movie is titled Last Year at Marienbad, and since we already know she’s been there few times, and she’s been suffering from depression for years, what if in the same way that The Man is depression, Marienbad is life? What if the last scene where she is walking into darkness with The Man is actually her committing suicide? What if the Last Year in Marienbad is her last year being alive?

I am not really sure of my analysis and it really doesn’t matter if it’s what’s intended but that’s what felt during this experience, such an amazing piece of art.