striklix Reviews

In the Mood for Love (2000)

Peak!

[8/10 · 18 May 2024]

Ow this movie hurts, and I love that? I actually did not expect for this to leave such a lasting impact on my soul but I am kind of glad that it did and I absolutely need to watch some more films from this directors filmography because I've been putting them off for far far too long at this point. This movie was actually given to me for a sort of secret Santa film thing in this group I am apart of and to whoever it was that recommended this to me I thank you and I will never be the same mentally after watching this thing. The funniest thing about the way this movie affected me is that during the watch itself I can't even say I was loving it nearly as much as I have have to in the hours afterwards just reminiscing about the movie itself, it wasn't a fun watch and I wouldn't even say it clicked with me in the moment but the more I dwell on it the more amazing it becomes and it has permanently shifted something in my brain that I did not expect, and I wholeheartedly need to give this one a rewatch because I can already tel it's going to be so much better on a second or third viewing.

This is just such an excellent showcase of unrequited love and the way different people react to the relationships they can find themselves in.. how feelings can develop on a dime and just as much never go away despite how much they are disregarded. It's both hauntingly depressing with how it handles emotions but also unbelievably beautiful and romantic at the exact same time, I cannot understand or really put into words why this is or how it was ever even made but it all just weaves together in such a fascinating way that I couldn't help but love and hate every single second of it. Wong Kar-Wai is an utter genius and I cannot believe this is the first time I'm experiencing a film of his because I've been meaning to watch "Fallen Angels" for ages now but have consistently put it off, however I am going to be watching that as soon as possible after seeing this because if it's anywhere near as good I can already tell I'm going to love it.

The romance or lack there of that is present in this movie is without a doubt carried by the amazing writing done by Wong Kar-Wai himself, and of course the phenomenal performances from our two leading stars. My personal favorite being Tony Leung Chiu-wai as the central male leading character and who is easily one of the most engaging characters I've ever watched in a romance move, and it is obviously helped massively by the very talented performance from the man himself which in my opinion really carried every single scene he was in and I absolutely loved it. The other notable person that's very integral to the story being Maggie Cheung as the central female lead here, and she brings an insane amount of talent and emotion to her role here that if I'm being honest I was not expecting in the slightest but wholeheartedly loved every second of, and despite not particularly liking her character due to said emotions she plays them immensely well and at the very least it's so incredibly easy for me to understand her perspective.

Plus I don't wanna talk about this movie without talking about it's gorgeous direction and it's superb music which is genuinely some of the best I've ever heard in any motion picture in my lifetime. I really did love the acting from the two leads here but I honestly do not think their performance would've been nearly as excellent if it wasn't for the direction by Wong Kar-Wai which is without a doubt supremely stunning and often left me speechless throughout its entirety. Some of the most minimalistic yet inherently brilliant shots are present in this film and for some reason they had me floored, they all feel immediately personal and immersive while also giving the impression that we as the viewer really are just getting a glimpse into these peoples lives without being able to influence or alter them in any way, leading to one of the most intimate and grounded experiences I've had watching a movie but also one of the most deeply sad ones feeling as if I didn't get the entire interpersonal experience that the characters might have had with each other and those around them. Plus I need to mention the exquisite score that is present in the major scenes of this thing because it is truly something of beauty in my eyes, as it both sounded incredible but also really elevated every scene that it accompanies, making this one of the best soundtracks I have ever have the pleasure of hearing for a movie and I thoroughly enjoyed how much it uplifted its surrounding parts.

All in all I greatly enjoyed my time with this but also definitely didn't enjoy my time with this at all. It's a very real and personal story that affected me in a way I can absolutely say I was not expecting it to and changed my brain chemistry I would say permanently, and that's amazing. I'm not going to lie and say that it entirely clicked with me during my initial viewing experience as it kind of didn't honestly, but after it ended it all connected to me like a wave and the time I have spent since watching it pondering on it has really helped my understanding and appreciation of it quite a great deal. "In the mood for love" is a movie that isn't always fun or happy, it's a movie that if filled to the brim with romance but almost all of it hurts in ways I couldn't have seen coming... it's a truly beautiful experience that I am glad I finally got the chance to endure and I will think about it for a very long time after this. I didn't love watching this, but I love the movie itself for how well it's made, told, and just how much it made me feel. I think it's very obvious that I recommend watching it for yourself if you have the chance because it is so much more than worth the time spent on it, which is barely even 90 minutes, and I have a feeling this a story that will resonate with a large majority of people. It's great but it hurts and I loved it, and I really really need to watch more of this man's filmography after this because goddamn. Peak?

Wind Breaker: Sakura Arrives at Furin (2024) Season 1, Episode 1

Peak incoming?!

[9/10 · 16 May 2024]

Wow this is off to such an incredible start man, I really enjoy the vibe that this show is going for here and I actually cannot wait to see what more comes from it in the upcoming episodes. First of all the characters are already super intriguing despite only having around twenty minutes to get introduced to them, most notably the main character Sakura who I will say definitely doesn't fit his name but looks and just is awesome honestly. Plus I can't not mention the gorgeous animation for the hand to hand combat in this episode because it's spectacular and exactly what I wanted. Truly can't wait to watch more of this and absolutely recommend starting it, it's dub is great btw.

Kaiju No. 8: Fortitude 9.8 (2024) Season 1, Episode 4

"The strongest Kaiju in history"

[9/10 · 16 May 2024]

Oh my god this episode was PEAK! Everything I have been wanting from this show is in full force in this episode and I could not be happier to see it unfold. I am incredibly pleased with where the story is heading and it's ten times better do to what I might consider some of the best animation I've seen from an anime of this year, truly something spectacular here and the part of the episode that I quoted in the beginning of this was so hype and I absolutely loved it. Kafka is looking to be one of the better protagonists in recent shonen and I can't wait to see what this mystery kaiju no.9 ends up doing in the story. Peak.

Kaiju No. 8: Revenge Match (2024) Season 1, Episode 3

Enter Kikoru Shinomiya

[8/10 · 16 May 2024]

This show is really keeping up with being such an entertaining and enjoyable time man. This episode is a lot slower than what we got in the previous two as it documents the beginning of the exam to become a kaiju hunter but it's still just as engaging to watch in my eyes. The side characters that are being introduced are genuinely some of the best I've seen in any recent anime's and I cannot wait to see more from them and the animation is keeping up with the expectations I have set for it. It's a show that looks good, has good voice acting, and is pretty well written so far and I am looking forward to the following episodes.

Lovely, Dark, and Deep (2023)

"I owe this land a body."

[5/10 · 15 May 2024]

That quote right there is probably ten times more interesting than the movie itself sadly.. but that's not to say that there isn't things to like here because I did ultimately enjoy this movie just a tiny bit, however I definitely did not love it like I was hoping to do. This really could've been a whole lot better in my opinion but whether it be the slightly meh presentation of it all or just that it was really obvious where the story was going from the very first five minutes.. but the combination of all of it just made it a film that was slightly better than bad, not great but I wouldn't say it's horrible in any remarkable way either. The most shocking part about this entire movie for me was the fact that the very first place it started streaming was on Tubi, which I didn't expect but I suppose it does make sense due to the budget and such, but I was surprised to find it on my recommendations on there randomly.

There's not exactly all that much noteworthy about this movie as depressingly not much actually goes on throughout its runtime? What does happen I would consider to be engaging enough but it's nothing particularly spectacular either, there's a few cool sequences here and there that I really enjoyed but the large majority of this film is lacking in a lot of detail, that's not to say I thought it was bad in any significant way but it was most definitely incredibly bland in it's execution and could have been handled much better honestly. The best part about the movie as a whole is probably it's intrigue, and just the overall premise of a horror movie taking place from the perspective of a national park ranger because that's one of the most interesting premises possible in my eyes, and was executed beautifully in the game "Fears to Fathom: Ironbark Lookout"... sadly however this movie absolutely was nowhere near the same level. Although the idea of a forest for the setting of a horror movie isn't anything new, I mean "The Blair Witch Project" is literally that, but the details going into the forest here are super interesting but not touched on nearly enough to warrant praise... but they are really cool and if the movie had just focused on that portion more I think it would've been much much better.

By far the best thing about this entire movie has to be the extra acting from our leading actress, Georgina Campbell brings her a-game to this performance and is like ninety percent of what carries this movie from being extremely mediocre to actually surprisingly decent. I have been a fan of this girl ever since I saw her in Zach Cregger's 2022 film "Barbarian" which was a really good surprise for me and her part of the movie was without a doubt the best part (other than Justin Long). She brings the same amount of energy to her role in this movie and especially towards the latter half she really pops off and shines in what is an otherwise very meh experience. I cannot wait to see what else she does, she's in the upcoming Ishana Night Shyamalan film "The Watchers" and I am thoroughly looking forward to seeing what she's going to do there, and I would love to see her in more wacky horror roles because she truly excels when it comes to being put into these bizarre situations and making it all seem incredibly believable and entertaining to watch.

Despite not personally loving this film for the whole of it there is one other major part of it that I want to mention other than the premise itself and Campbell's acting expertise... that being the gorgeous way this thing is shot and just how stunning it all visually looked in my opinion. I was genuinely surprised whenever I started this movie and got hit in the face with some of the coolest looking shots I've ever seen in a horror film and I wholeheartedly loved every single one of them. I doubt they're actually all that impressive when it comes to a filmmaking perspective but I am immensely easy to please when I see a "cool" shot in a movie and the use of perspective here really got me down bad and I thoroughly enjoyed the experience just due to how much I liked the way it all looked... some really cool dynamic shots as well. Overall the use of the camera here by Rui Poças to capture the haunting beauty of the forest landscape and what lies within it was awesome and I absolutely loved it, and I really need to see this guy shoot some more films because this was super impressive and just stunning to my eyeballs. Also there's a cool monster in this movie that has a really great design but is sadly only shown for a few seconds.

All in all I really wanted to love this movie ever since I saw it's trailer a couple months back and saw what I would consider to be the best shot of the film of someone crawling backwards down a tree which I will admit made me very uncomfortable and I enjoyed it, but the rest of the surrounding movie didn't particularly work all that well for me. I don't think this is a bad movie in any significant way but it's also not amazing in any way either, it has some extraordinary parts to it and some fantastic moments that I really did like but the full final product didn't hit the way I was hoping it was gonna. Despite me personally not loving this movie I do still highly recommend checking it out for yourself, it has a super short runtime at even under ninety minutes and is super well acted, well shot, and has a really engaging premise that will absolutely work much better for a lot of other people than me. Plus the movie is free to check out on Tubi which is always a good excuse to watch a movie since you have to give nothing but your time to it, and watching it will (I presume) help those who made it and hopefully they can create another movie even better than this one.. because they definitely had the parts here to create something spectacular and I would wholeheartedly love to see more from the director here, Teresa Sutherland, and I would definitely love to see more movies with cinematography done by Rui Poças. It's not the best but I wouldn't say it's horrible either, give it a chance because it's still worth the time and might even be a favorite for people other than me.

Wanted Man (I) (2024)

Uh... why'd he make himself racist?

[4/10 · 13 May 2024]

Yeah well I definitely didn't like this movie I'll say that much, but I don't think it's like horrible in any significant way either... it's most definitely a bad movie but it isn't particularly horrendous. It's the exact type of movie I think you might expect it to be just from its title and the man that it stars and that's either going to be a great thing for you or in my case be one of the worst things about the entire movie. This wholeheartedly feels like a movie that my nana would watch which is absolutely not a compliment because the types of movies she watches are really low budget action movies that feel very poorly made, and that's pretty much exactly what this is here.

This movie both stars and was directed by Adolph Lundgren, who I only know from his atrocious performance in the sequel to "Kindergarten Cop" but who is for sure most well known for his role in the fourth Rocky movie. He's not a horrendous actor I'll give him that much, but his direction could really use some improvement that's for sure. It's not that anything he chooses to do here is all that bad but it's just the fact that it's all so mediocre in nature that it's boring and like ninety percent of this movie is just meh. The movie itself doesn't look all that bad either, it's just so dull in atmosphere and tone, plus the really boring color on display doesn't help at all. Not exactly the worst direction I've ever seen from a movie but it really does feel as if this belongs on some discount dvd shelf in the back of a dollar store.. and it probably does exist there actually. Dolph's acting here might actually be my favorite part of the entire movie, and no it's not because he was good at it but at least he was somewhat entertaining to watch.. although; it definitely does not help that he made himself be immensity racist pretty much the entire runtime and the very first thing we ever see him do is assault a man and call him "Mexican scum", which makes it very hard to care for him like at all or like his character in the slightest. Very unique choice there and I can't say I under why it was done but I guess that's just how they wanted it to be?

The acting other than Dolph present here is okay at best, there's a character played by Kelsey Grammer who is quite literally Frasier and was in the best movie of all time "Money Plane" a few years ago, and the love interest (I think?) in this movie is played by Christina Villa and I am so sad for this poor woman because what she got to work with here was awful, and her relationship with Dolph's character is both really badly done and also just inherently cringe worthy to watch and not exactly enjoyable in any real way. On another note, if there is to be one thing I somewhat enjoyed about this movie without it being so bad it made me laugh, that would have to be its actions, which for an action movie this has very little of but what we do get is done in a very decent manner and is probably the most engaging part of the whole experience. There's some okay action in the beginning, middle, and towards the very end here but that's just about it.. which is somewhat disappointing. Although; I do have to say that the gunshot wounds themselves looked perfectly adequate for a movie like this and I was actually kind of surprised that they looked nearly that good, so props to this movie for having good blood effects sometimes, but that's about all I can really give it.

"Wanted Man" is a really boring and dull action film starring and directed by a Swedish man which is probably the most interesting part about the film as a whole, it's not good in any meaningful way and is kind of annoying to watch due to just how bland it all feels. Nothing here is done particularly well other than a few action scenes which are still just scraping the very bottom of what they're meant to be.. from the writing which is some of the worst I've ever seen, to the acting which isn't awful but nowhere close to good, and the direction which is at its core just super disappointing and I wish there was more to like here. This movie is bad I would say and I very clear do not recommend trying to watch this one for yourself no matter how much time you have to waste as it's not even a fun bad movie, it's just below average and upsetting. I wish I could've liked this movie more because I have faith that this man can actually direct and star in a decent movie but this was nowhere close to that, but I do want to see what more will come out of this 66 year olds mind... don't watch it unless you're like putting it on in the background while you do something much more important. It's not worth your time and way too politically motivated yet somehow isn't the worst movie I've seen this year.. shocker?

Unfrosted (2024)

Where the funny at

[3/10 · 12 May 2024]

Personally I don't know if Jerry Seinfeld was ever really all that funny outside of his role in the bee movie which is of course peak cinema, but I am very confident in my saying that he is not funny now.. and "Unfrosted", a movie about the creation of pop tarts is a very good example of this because almost nothing in this entire movie is entertaining or at the very least funny other than maybe like a gag or two here and there, the rest is undoubtedly some of the worst stuff I have seen all year... not the bottom of the barrel exactly but getting extraordinarily close to it.

Basically nothing here actually worked for me which is disappointing as when this movie was announced I was hoping it was going to be a fun time like the product biopics we got last year (Air, Tetris, and Blackberry), but instead it just feels incredibly boring and inherently dumb in every single way, and don't get me wrong I like dumb humor but when it feels as lifeless as this does I can't exactly find the appeal there. The funniest part about this movie to me is just the fact that Seinfeld had said before it came out that comedy was being killed by Hollywood and then proceeded to direct and release one of the least funny comedy movies I've ever had the displeasure of watching.

If there was one slight positive I think I could give this movie it would have to be that it's cast is relatively alright for the large majority of its run time, and by relatively alright I more or less mean they're not entirely awful but we still get a surprisingly good amount of all that. For one.. a central character of this movies plot is played by Amy Schumer who I had previously forgot even existed and dear god do I wish I could go back to that time because she manages to get less funny every single time I see her and I wish I never had to see her in anything again. Though; she's the main glaring bad in the rest of the mediocrity present here, but since the large majority of this cast is very meh in my opinion I will just focus on those who I kind of enjoyed - Seinfeld himself did a decent job acting but was never really funny which felt odd so despite being the leading man here and he guy who directed it he's one of the dullest parts of the entire film - on the other hand there's a really fun amount of more minor roles given to much better actors that I really enjoyed seeing such as Christian Slater who was great, Peter Dinklage who was surprisingly funny here, and of course the best part of the entire movie Hugh Grant who is unbelievably funny here and I truly loved every single second of screen time he got... and he is the only reason I am giving this a one star instead of a .5 star.

The biggest problem I have with this movie is despite it being incredibly over the top to the point where it includes a literal living ravioli creature that has a face like a genuine stingray... is just that despite getting so out there that it goes to those lengths this movie somehow still manages to be an absolute bore? I don't know what happened here but for a comedy movie centered around a very eccentric and exaggerated making of the pop tart story this had no real flavor to it and at the end of the day just felt flat and utterly lifeless for some reason. I understand that it is probably super hard to make a comedy movie since everyone's definition of funny is inherently different due to it being subjective, but I don't understand how they messed up so bad that they managed to make one of the most crazy plots become stale and uninteresting? I'm not sure whether or not the blame the direction from Seinfeld himself which isn't horrid but definitely nothing great, the acting here which ninety percent of the time is definitely leaning towards horrible, or just the fact that it feels like a bunch of mashed together things that have no correlation and are only put together because "haha random stuff funny", like I'm almost entirely certain one of the bits here is that a character is literally Hitler. I really wish I could understand where everything went wrong here but I have a feeling it was never going to great from the start and this is probably one of the better versions we could have gotten in all honesty.

If you couldn't tell but the one star rating or how much I have talked about disliking every single part of this movie, I didn't like it at all, and I would much rather watch a Hugh Grant scene compilation from this then ever have actually watched the movie itself as he is most definitely the only entertaining part of it all. Very obviously I don't recommend watching "Unfrosted" for yourself, I even went in with low expectations but hoping to like it despite that and still could barely find anything to comment on that was in any way remotely positive, and I'm not a guy who finds any particular enjoyment in disliking things either. Absolutely do not recommend wasting your time watching this movie unless you're just really into Jerry Seinfeld's comedy which is slightly concerning but good for you nonetheless, it's a mess and it's not even an enjoyable one at that. Although; it does have James Marsden for a couple scenes so that is cool I suppose, he is kind of funny here. Bad movie. Boo.

Living with Leopards (2024)

Nature is awesome and scary

[7/10 · 11 May 2024]

Mother Nature is one of the scariest things I've ever seen in my life, but at the same time it's so unbelievably interesting and beautiful that I cannot help but be entranced when a documentary about it comes out; this one being a prime example of that because this is definitely one of the most entertaining nature documentaries I have seen in my recent memory. That could either be because I am a man who's favorite animals mainly include cats and especially those of the big variety, such as leopard.. or it could be due to the fact that I found this to be very well told, shot, and it has a banger soundtrack to add onto that.

For a movie that literally just follows the lives of a leopard family, including both the mother and the father plus their two adorable ass cubs, this is surprisingly intense and drama filled - which I suppose does make sense as nature is an inherently wild place but these have to be one of the most interesting leopard families these people could've chosen to document because the stuff they get up to is exhilarating, intense, and depressing all at the same time. I think if I were to rank all the differing big cats based on how cute they all were leopards would have to stack pretty high because they're really adorable, mainly due to their unique pattern which is actually the same pattern present on my blanket, also I love the kittens present here.

Easily my favorite part about this entire documentary has to be how gorgeous it all looks, which is half due to just how strikingly beautiful nature already is as a whole and it gets shown in all its glory here, but also due to just how well these people utilize their camera equipment being able to get such visually impressive shots that absolutely make a much more immersive experience. There are some truly stunning landscape shots present here that are usually during the time jump segments and I was in awe every single time one would appear on my screen, genuinely amazed by how good it all looked. Plus there were some really good dynamic shots following the leopards themselves here which are equally as impressive and visually entertaining.

And the final thing that I really enjoyed about this short documentary other than it's excellent display of the animal kingdom and more specifically leopards inside of said animal kingdom, was it's really great soundtrack and score. There were some really fantastic songs that played in this thing that really uplifted the entire mood, especially whenever something incredibly depressing or unexpected had just happened - these songs mostly play during the aforementioned interlude periods where we have gorgeous cinematography and a time jump and they perfectly set the tone for the overall feeling of the entire thing. Excellent choice of music for this thing here and it absolutely helped it as a whole quite a bit.

"Living with Leopards" isn't exactly a nature documentary that's reinventing the wheel in any spectacular way or something out of the ordinary with what you would expect from a documentary like it... but it is thoroughly engaging and really well made and definitely one of the better documentaries I have seen come out of Netflix so I have to give it props for that. If you're in the mood to spend just about over an hour watching a leopard family do leopard things and grow up, hunt, fight, and ultimately end; then this is the perfect thing for you. Personally I had a really fun time with it and despite it making me feel really sad just because nature did what it does, I definitely think it's more than worthy of checking out for yourself if you have the chance and are slightly interested in a big cat family. It's nature and it's awesome, beautiful, and of course sad.. but it's in the sadness present that you find the most vital pieces of beauty.

Miller's Girl (2024)

Uh... this is bad?

[2/10 · 11 May 2024]

I don't know.. I have the slightest suspicion that this might NOT be a good movie? Seriously though this feels like someone's fan fiction come to life in a very mediocre and nasty way that I can't say I enjoyed many particular parts of. If there's one thing I do not enjoy it is age gap stories such as this, especially where it's between a student and a teacher, and even more so when it's played off as being badass and cool and quotable and mysterious... it really just gave me a bad vibe that I can't say I particularly enjoyed in any regard. It's not the worst movie I've seen this year somehow but it's pretty close, like only one spot above the worst movie of the year type close. If there's one thing I can give this movie though; it isn't badly made in many regards other than it's very appalling writing which I have to question because for someone to even want to write this out is somewhat a cause of concern in my eyes, but I digress I suppose maybe this is a perfectly normal thing to bring from your mind, to paper, and then to film (not). The rest of the movie other than it's incredibly strange writing isn't inherently awful in my opinion, for one the direction here isn't all that bad and there are some surprisingly decent shots throughout that I cannot say I was expecting all that much, most of said shots involving Jenna Ortega looking stoic and "cool" as she smoked a cigarette or something but they have a tiny ounce of charm to them I'll give them that. However; I kind of have to immediately take away that credit because the girl who directed this is the exact same person who wrote it and that is still not a good sign in my eyes. Though the cinematography here is pretty alright at times and would've been much better for me if it was attached to a better film. Although; the best thing about this movie has to be by far it's two leading performers and their respective performances here. I'm not a big fan of Jenna Ortega or anything, I mean I've really only ever seen her on "Wednesday" which was alright but not anything great, but I have to say she did a fairly decent job with the script she was given here and her work here is probably one of the only alright things about the whole movie for me. Her co star is in somewhat of the same boat as well, Martin Freeman who I kind of only know from his roles in the Black Panther films is a really great actor here, but again it's the writing that holds both of these very talented people back from being able to act to their fullest; you can really only so good as an actor when the material you have isn't up to the standard of your acting. Every piece of dialogue here feels like it was ripped straight out of an AO3 fanfiction and that's not a compliment in any way, but these two and the rest of the supporting cast do seem to do their best with the dog water they were given and that's commendable to a degree... however Martin Freeman has said some questionable things about this movie lately and I don't know how to feel about all that. There really isn't all that much to talk about with this movie which feels kind of weird for me as I usually tend to write very long and extended reviews on here but there's only a set amount of ways I can reiterate that the writing here is bad and drags down what would be an otherwise very mediocre movie but not a horrible one, however the writing here is indeed that bad and just makes this both a frustrating watch and a very uncomfortable one as well. My girlfriend knew this movie as the one where Jenna Ortega gets back shots... and yeah that's probably the most interesting part of it all other than the lesbian scene and the cringe inducing short story this girl wrote for her teacher, other than that it is incredibly dull and lifeless. This feels like a pg-13 version of "Fifty Shades of Gray" which again, is not a compliment... and the craziest thing is this is rated r for some unknown reason and that makes it even weirder to me. I don't know I just didn't like it at all, it has some very okay parts like it's acting, score, and cinematography but nearly all of that is very inconsequential when it comes to the rest of the very bad mess that surrounds it. I don't recommend seeking this one out for yourself, although I highly doubt anyone is doing that now, but if you were thinking about it I assure you it's not worth it unless you're like chronically addicted to watt pad and AO3... it's just a gross cringe movie.

The Gentlemen (2024)

"Spoken, like a true gentlemen."

[8/10 · 9 May 2024]

This is such a fun time man, easily one of the most purely entertaining and enjoyable shows I have watched so far this year and I pretty much adored every second of it. The actual plot itself is fairly intriguing right off the bat and while not being something super inventive or anything it does a really good job at grasping attention and keeping the viewer hooked for its entire eight episode run time. This also tends to share a lot with the movie by Guy Ritchie of the exact same name (and I presume in the same universe as well), they both involve the dealings of weed, and they are both inherently hilarious while still having a ton of serious and emotional moments that really flesh out its story and the characters within it. Paired with some excellent acting from every actor involved here that ranges from making me sad, happy, excited, or just downright upset, some very talented people at work here and they really bring together this show. Combined with an absolutely fantastic soundtrack that is to be expected from something made by Ritchie, and some really stellar direction from both Ritchie and those who directed the other episodes, this is at the very least an immensely entertaining time that is short and sweet for a show. I highly recommend checking it out for yourself if you have Netflix as it is more than worth the time investment here, and if you have liked any other Guy Ritchie projects, most notably the other "The Gentlemen", I have a strong feeling you'll enjoy this one as well as they share a lot of the same endearing traits. Peak type show for real.

The Gentlemen (2019)

So much better than expected

[9/10 · 9 May 2024]

Okay you know what I really mess with Guy Ritchie right now because the last few movies of his that I have sat down and watched have been so entertaining and this one is no exception to that, I don't think it's on the same level as his masterpiece "Snatch" from 2000 but it's definitely very close there, so much of this movie just worked perfectly for me honestly, I can absolutely see how someone might not love this but it was exactly what I wanted out of it despite being a complete surprise in the direction it is taken in. Told in such an immensely compelling backwards way for nearly the entirety of the film yet somehow managing to be one of the most engaging pieces of action media I have ever consumed.. plus it helps that the movie is just utterly hilarious along the way.

I went into this movie really hoping to love it and I am so beyond pleased to say that I can very confidently confirm that I ended up enjoying it even more than I was planning on. This might be the second best Ritchie film I have ever seen and that's saying something as his movies have been relatively good so far, but everything from the acting, the direction, the story, the writing, the action, the comedy, and of course the way it's all conveyed to the audience; I feel like it's very nearly perfect in my eyes and I find it pretty hard to find anything particularly wrong with it. It all just meshed basically perfect with me and I loved just about every second spent with it.

First things first I definitely need to talk about the extraordinarily good acting present throughout this entire movie as it kind of carries the whole thing. Every single actor here completely brings their a-game to this project and it's all thoroughly enjoyable and makes it so much better of a watch for me. Obviously the leading cover man here Matthew McConaughey is excellent in every scene that includes him as he always tends to be, and it's to an extent that I consider this easily one of his more fun roles leading to it being one of his most entertaining for me - the actual man who I could consider the central lead played by Charlie Hunnam is just as well done if not better than McConaughey here and has some of the most insanely funny moments throughoutt the entire movie - equally as great in the film has to be the somewhat small part given to the excellent Colin Farrell who is always a joy to watch on screen and this performance was no different - and of course my favorite out of everyone here and easily my favorite part of the film as a whole; Hugh Grant, who despite being known as a very cranky/rude on set man plays one of the most charming and hilarious characters I've ever seen put to screen and I absolutely loved every single second of it... he was amazing in Ritchie's "Operation Fortune" but his role here is on a completely different level and was the clear highlight of the full two hour runtime for me. Plus I don't want to fail to mention that Guy Ritchie himself makes a cameo at the end of this movie and that was very appreciated, especially with the "The Man from U. N. C. L. E." poster behind him in the story; very cool stuff.

Although; I do believe that the acting here is by far the best part of the whole, that's not to say there isn't a ton of other things to like here. For one; the way this story is structured is impeccable in my opinion, starting with a scene that occurs over an hour into the movie and having the story retold to the main character is amazing and left me super engaged with everything that was happening and constantly trying to understand how this was all going to come full circle. Which speaking of coming full circle, I absolutely adored the way this ties together the way it starts into everything else that goes on within it, and despite having a really good amount of twists and turns it never fails to entertain and keeps the viewer entranced for nearly the entire run time. The writing/screenplay here from Ritchie is incredibly well done and I have to say it's one of the better ones I've witnessed in the plethora of action films I've seen. Another thing that I feel the need to comment on which has been a running theme for the Ritchie films I have seen thus far is the fantastic choice of music he chooses to use for his film, most notably was the soundtrack for "Snatch" but the soundtrack here is almost just as good as that one and definitely added a lot to every scene that it accompanied. Finally, I can't talk about a Guy Ritchie movie without talking about how good he is at directing exquisite action scenes and "The Gentlemen" is no different; every piece of action present here feels immensely deliberate and well done, so bravo to this man for being able to craft such a stellar action film in recent times.

I feel as if it's glaringly clear that I loved the time I spent watching 2020's "The Gentlemen" and I of course highly recommend you try and seek it out for yourself to give it a watch. I've really been meaning to watch this movie for far longer than I ever planned on watching "Snatch" but due to it never being on any streaming services I was forced to wait, but thankfully this month it released on Netflix to coincide with the show they recently dropped with the exact same title also made my Guy Ritchie. After getting the chance to finally watch this movie I wholeheartedly cannot wait to check out what this show has to offer and if it's anything like this I just know I'm going to have an utter blast with it, as I find it hard to believe Guy Ritchie could make it inherently bad. Watch this movie if you have the chance as it's one incredibly fun time that's more than worthy of giving a shot, personally I loved almost every single aspect of it but the ending didn't hit perfectly for me so I knocked off half a star - other than that though... peak?

Música (2024)

I love this movie so much

[10/10 · 9 May 2024]

I have been sitting on writing this review for well over a month now and that's for the sole reason that I genuinely loved this movie far more than I expected to and so far it is actually my favorite movie to come out of this year, at least that I've seen... but the problem is I don't exactly know how to gather up my thoughts to correctly explain why I thoroughly loved it as much as I did so I've just been dwelling on this for weeks on end now and I thought I might as well do it now. This is probably the most enjoyable experiences I've ever had watching a movie and I wholeheartedly didn't expect that in the slightest, but it all just worked out perfectly for me and I was entranced with every single second of it... Rudy Mancuso you are a genius. Speaking of Rudy Mancuso, he did pretty much all the insane heavy lifting for this film in my opinion.. for one this was his feature film directorial debut and it's a damn good one at that, he is the main lead of the film and he absolutely kills it in the role and is an insanely talented actor which I was not entirely expecting, and of course he also wrote the screenplay for the film plus he did all of the music present in the film himself which is very clearly the shining star in here and is what brings it all together in such an exquisitely engaging way. He truly has taken what he used to be perfect at, his little sketch comedy videos on YouTube, and translated them wonderfully to the world of film and it works so much better than anticipated. I've actually been a really big fan of Rudy Mancuso for quite a long time now, ever since I was a kid I would watch his Vine compilations on YouTube or his sketch videos he made with all of his friends... and of course his beautiful puppet videos which are referenced very heavily here, so I think I might be someone who likes this man a whole lot more than a lot of other people will but that definitely helped the love I came to acquire for this movie, as both my love for this man from everything else he's done plus the excellence that he crafted here combined into something I consider perfection in every way. So with all that together this really made for an amazing time watching a film and I haven't felt so invested in a movie in a surprisingly long time. Easily my favorite part of this movie lies in it's fantastic leading performances, obviously the one done by Mancuso himself which is inherently rich with character and emotion and might just be one of the most interesting characters I've ever seen on screen - but also his main love interest of the movie played by Camila Mendes who is pretty much everything I said about Mancuso's character but with an extra layer of overall depth that makes every singular scene she shares with her counterpart immensely intriguing and entertaining, due to both how well everything here is written but also just how great these two are both separately and together. That's not to say however that these two are the only ones who deliver excellence here, they're just the most notable, but the entirety of the supporting cast around them does as well; most notably Francesca Reale as Haley, Rudy's ex - and J. B. Smoove as Anwar who is hilarious and every scene with him was great. Although; that's not to say that's the only amazing thing about the movie because I definitely do not think that's the case like at all. The music in this movie is truly something incredible that I didn't see coming in the slightest, it's not a normal musical I would say but the way it uses it's music is amazing and really uplifts the film as a whole - there is so many scenes where the main character's synesthesia makes him hear everyday sounds formed into a rhythm leading a lot more scenes of instrumental music in this musical other than anything with vocals to back it - however there are a good amount of scenes here that do have vocals attached to them and they are really well done surprisingly. Genuinely some of the best pieces of music I've ever heard out of a film here that I cannot understate how enjoyable they all were, especially combined with the fantastic dance choreography it just worked so damn well. The final thing I want to comment on for this movie as of now is just the way it all looks as this really is one of the most visually appealing movies I've ever had the pleasure of laying my eyes upon. Every scene is filled with such an air of life and love that it's kind of impossible to dislike in my opinion, and the way Rudy frames the shots here and the way some all of it just visually looks it's awesome. There are is many really cool and unique shots present in this movie that has me constantly floored because I honestly didn't expect this level of detail from a first time filmmaker but Mancuso absolutely kills it here. There's a reoccurring gag where there is actually lyrics being sung and the lyrics themselves appear on the walls/ceiling around the main character and that's fairly simple but for some reason it just struck a chord in me and I inherently adored every time it was on screen. There's also a whole ton of times where there's some exquisite on screen transitions done where say a character falls on a bed but instead falls through it into waking up the next day, it's the little visual flair this movie has like that, that is what truly hooked me and I am immensely impressed with every minute detail present in this entire thing. It's very obvious by the fact this has been on my go favorites ever since I watched it despite every other spot being moved a lot, is number one on my 2024 ranking, and I've been yapping about it for a while here... I loved this movie and I desperately need to see more from the genius that is Rudy Mancuso. I can absolutely see why some people might not like this nearly as much as I did, especially since it is marketed as a musical and doesn't really have many musical elements to it, but for some reason unbeknownst to even myself this movie hit me on a very deep level and I thoroughly enjoyed every second I spent with it. It's incredibly well directed, well written, well shot, well acted, and of course really well portrayed. I definitely recommend this movie if my constant praise so far hasn't been a clear enough depiction of that, don't expect something Oscar worthy or anything (although I do think the music here is the best I've heard all year), but it really is just a supremely fun time that's consistently engaging to watch and has a whole ton of things to like about it.. this isn't going to be for everyone but it was most definitely for me and I suggest seeking it out for yourself to see if maybe you'll end up feeling the same way. Peak.

Delicious in Dungeon: Yamanba/Naitomea (2024) Season 1, Episode 19

Cat person and dealing with grief

[7/10 · 9 May 2024]

This show has really started to delve into much heavier topics as of late, especially ever since the red dragon appeared - it's still kept it's hilarious humor but a good amount of the stuff it's been tackling has been much more serious and emotional, and it's incredibly well done. This episode was a pretty fantastic mix of both of those areas, the first half of it is insanely funny while it deals with a person cursed to be a cat and learning how to hold a spoon the right way - while the second half of the episode deals with how a character is experiencing grief and emotion and how it's portrayed in a nightmare they have. To top it off the English voice acting here is still stellar and makes it such a better watch, plus the animation is top tier as of always from trigger, a great addition to this series for real.

Tarot (I) (2024)

Cursed tarot cards.. what could go wrong?

[7/10 · 6 May 2024]

I don't think it's nearly as bad as everyone has been saying it is, and the reviews I've been reading/hearing about this movie being the worst of the year or even the worst horror of the year is kind of insane to me. It's not anything spectacular don't get me wrong but I don't believe that's it's particularly horrible or poorly made most of the time either. There are moments where it's definitely not great and it definitely isn't reinventing the pg-13 horror film or anything but I personally found it to be an enjoyable time that while not being anything particularly special had a whole lot of good moments and left me engaged throughout it.

I am under the impression that this is a fairly generic horror movie at the very least as it's basically the same thing a whole lot of movies are where cursed object leads to college kids getting picked off one by one, but I don't know if it's just because my girlfriend is super into them or what but the idea of Tarot cards worked a lot better for me and I am kind of surprised this concept hasn't already been made into a movie? Since the entire idea of Tarot cards is predicting the future it makes perfect sense to me to translate that to a horror setting and has the future be something dark and deadly, and I think they did a pretty decent job at doing that here. It's pretty cliche obviously but I don't find it to be insulting in any way and I can forgive it for not attempting to reinvent the wheel whenever I thought their interpretation was much more fun that the usual one.

The actual cards themselves are probably my favorite part of the entire movie, and connected to them are the different entities involved with each of them respectively. If there's one major positive I can give to this movie is I think it's designs are impeccable, most notably the tarot cards themselves which look extraordinarily creepy and haunting and set the tone pretty well in my opinion, and of course the creatures that appear due to said tarot cards - which are just the same things that are present on the cards themselves. I think that the creature design done for this movie is insanely good for like no reason at all, compared to the rest of the film, which I enjoyed but was fairly basic, the actual designs done for each of the differing monster forms were awesome. They're all excellently crafted from "the high priestess", "the hermit", "the devil", "death", "the hangman", "the magician", and last but certainly not least since it is without a doubt in my mind the best part of the entire movie "the fool". They're all done extraordinarily well in my opinion and each of their little chase sequences were super interesting and intense, especially the fool who had me feeling scared from the very first second his hat started jingling on screen and you could hear that freaky ass laughter. If there's one thing I can say negative about these things is that I just wish they were present more throughout the film as it would've made it a thousand times more engaging and visually interesting, especially the fool because he didn't get nearly enough screen time and I wholeheartedly wish there was more of him here.

Another part of this movie I feel fairly confident in commending it on is that despite it being a very clear pg-13 rating I feel as if it stretched that rating quite a great deal - despite not actually having any kills explicitly showcased to us on screen obviously, the way it does portray the kills is surprisingly brutal and gruesome, showing just enough to get the point across but then leaving the final moment up to your own interpretation and done primarily in audio and blood splatters. Which genuinely shocked me because I'm used to movies with this rating being incredibly tame but this one had some really graphic moments that just weren't visually graphic and much more imagination and audio heavy, graphic in suggestion I would say. Speaking of the kills I really enjoyed every sequence that surrounded them to be honest, they all felt like they absolutely belonged in a horror movie and there's one specifically of a dude in the forbidden area of an underground subway station that actually really got me with the way it used lighting, plus an alarmingly abrupt end for that guy. There's also another specific sequence involving the fool that is impeccable honestly, the way he sounds, looks, moves, talks - just all of it worked splendidly for me and I loved that creepy clown guy.

Tarot isn't an amazing movie don't get me wrong but I do think the hate for it is a little overdone, whether that be from the fatigue by pretty mediocre horror movies to come out this year alone or just the mediocrity that follows a lot of pg-13 horror films but I don't think this one is nearly as bad as everyone is making it out to be. It's not anything amazing as it is a very standard horror film that has a ton of jumpscares, but I am under the impression that it has a whole lot of good in there that I had fun with, whether that be the designs for everything which are perfect in, the comedy which was super cringe but fun, or the actual acting which wasn't stellar but perfectly adequate... especially from Jacob Batalon as Paxton who was hilarious. I just think this is getting hated because people are tired of movies like this and I can understand that for sure, but I personally do not believe this is nearly all that bad and is for the most part an enjoyable time for me and definitely my girlfriend.

I didn't particularly love Tarot all that much but I do still think it's worth giving a watch if you're either super into horror movies or easily scared (like someone I know), as it's got some pretty decent jumpscares and also some surprisingly good tension that makes for a compelling watch if not a cliche one at the same time. It's not trying to win any awards or anything and its very clearly not taking itself all too seriously but at the very least it's a dumb fun time with some really great parts that I had a good time at the movies with. Although; I definitely don't think this is a movie you should spend money on a ticket to go see as it's much more attuned to be an at home watch than anything else, but the theater definitely made the sound design pop better. Not the best of this year but definitely not the worst and still worth trying out for yourself.

(Whenever I first heard about this movie it was named "Horrorscope" as a play on horoscope which was a much better name and I wish they didn't change it to Tarot which is boring. And also I learned that this was made by someone who worked on "Moonfall" which is the best stupid fun movie I've ever seen and that's an interesting fun fact for no real reason).

The Darjeeling Limited (2007)

"I wonder if the three of us would've been friends in real life. Not as brothers, but as people."

[10/10 · 5 May 2024]

I don't know why but I really really loved this movie, just everything about it worked so well for me and I don't even have a significant reason as for why. Wes Anderson why must you create such magnificent works of art that are so stylistically beautiful and so engaging to watch when so little actually happens in them? I really cannot believe that I loved this to the level that I did but I can't find anything I dislike about it or anything that I don't outwardly like. There's so much brilliance present throughout this entire film and it's told in such a rich and compelling way by Anderson that I couldn't help but fall in love with pretty much every single second of it. I guess this is how most people describe Wes Anderson films and other than "Fantastic Mr. Fox" I think this one is the one that finally made it entirely click with me.

There's so much inherently spectacular about this movie and most noteworthy of all for me has the utter excellence that is the three main leads here, they truly deliver some of the best performances I have ever seen in a film and I wholeheartedly didn't expect it in the slightest. I have always had a fondness for these three guys since I've absolutely loved all of them in their respective filmographies; obviously Owen Wilson has been a standout favorite for me since I was a little kid because the dude is quite literally Lightning McQueen and the "Cars" franchise is probably my all time favorite Pixar series so I can't help but adore this man, Jason Schwartzman just absolutely killed it in the latest Anderson film "Asteroid City" but is also one of the highlights of a movie in my top ten "Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World", and of course Adrien Brody who is most well known for his Oscar winning role in "The Pianist" but I personally know him from the 2010 film "The Predators". All three of these guys seriously bring their a-game to this movie and each one of their performances here are perfection in their own rights, they all deliver some of the depressingly broken characters I've ever seen on screen who are all so immensely troubled in their own ways, and the ways they display this with how they act both with each other than those around them is brilliant. I cannot understate how amazing each of these three are in their roles here and they're more than enough of a reason to check out the movie for yourself to see them absolutely act their asses off.

However; there's no world in which I can speak about a Wes Anderson film without commenting on the masterful direction from the man, which for a lack of better words feels extraordinarily Wes Anderson like. There's such a unique visual flair that this man brings to everything he touches and it's immediately recognizable going into this movie, and out of everything I've watched from his filmography, which albeit isn't a whole lot, this is the one that by far appealed the most to me. Every tiny detail of this film felt as if it was shot in the most careful way to compliment every single second of screen time present. The way he's able to put together such a visually stunning piece of art that despite feeling both insanely chaotic at times yet without a whole lot of stuff going on, is such a weird feeling, that leaves the entire thing immensely entertaining and never once feeling boring or dull. Everything just looks pristine and perfect and I cannot imagine this being done in any other way, and the style it has is definitely a compliment to the rest of it. I believe that this is one of the most visually impressive movies I have ever seen and I cannot understand why that is how I feel, there's just such an exquisite feeling to everything Anderson does with the visuals here that leaves me in awe, loving every single second of it.

Another amazing thing about this film is it's writing, done by Anderson himself of course and also Roman Coppola and Jason Schwartzman. This is some of the best writing I have ever experienced from a film in my lifetime and again I can't exactly describe the reason why that is. It just all worked so damn well for me that I couldn't help but love it, every single conversation that was on screen felt so personal and meaningful, most notably one between Schwartzman's character and a character named Rita, which struck a chord in me I didn't even know existed beforehand. Nothing spoken or done in this movie feels without a reason, it all flows together perfectly and makes sense for both what is occuring on screen and the characters themselves, so much of the dialogue here is incredibly memorable and I have to say there wasn't a single second where I wasn't entirely invested in everything going on on screen - which is just so impressive to me as not many films provide that feeling for me. I cannot believe I have not seen this movie until just now because I have been missing out on a masterpiece.

I think it's very clear by how much I've been raving about this film throughout this review that I recommend checking it out for yourself if you haven't done so already, as I kind of feel like this has created a shift in the way I view the world which is insane to me. A film that deals with grief in many different ways and how different people respond to what's wrong with their lives and their subsequent problems; done so in a beautiful way by the masterful director that is Wes Anderson and the really talented cast and crew alongside him. This movie has affected me in a way that I didn't expect a Wes Anderson movie other than the aforementioned "Fantastic Mr. Fox" to have but it really did, and it goes without saying that I loved this and would strongly advise seeking it out for yourself if you have the opportunity to do so - I don't think it will mesh with everyone the same way it did me but there's definitely something to love here for everyone. Peak.

(The shot where Owen Wilson takes off his bandages and stands in front of the mirror with his on screen brothers is amazing and all three of them looked unbelievably good there for some reason).

Dear David (II) (2023)

A buzzfeed horror film...

[5/10 · 5 May 2024]

I really cannot believe that buzzfeed actually created a film studio and has started producing movies, and I find it even harder to believe that I didn't particularly hate this one either? I truly did think a movie that was based off an old twitter horror story thread by a former buzzfeed employee would've been as bad as that sounds, but it was fairly inconsequential, not really good in any specific way but nothing about it jumped out at me for being bad either, it was just a super mediocre film that didn't hurt to watch in any way but also wasn't especially enjoyable either.

Easily the most interesting part about this movie as a whole is what it is adapted from, which is a twitter thread from former buzzfeed employee and also the main character of this film Adam Ellis. I was pretty invested in the actual story going on in real life when it was happening and might have actually been young enough to not realize how very obviously fake it all was leaving me surprisingly invested in all of it. Obviously now I can pretty easily tell that it was just a cool internet horror story, and it didn't work nearly as bad as I thought it was going to when it got put to film. There's nothing inherently amazing about any of its horror but I also didn't find any of it glaringly bad either, it had some pretty okay jumpscares that were albeit cheap but kind of effective, and some decent effects work that I wholeheartedly did not expect to get out of it, and I am glad that the caved in David head actually looked decent.

Although; the best part of the film for me just has to be the fact that there's a really small role given to one of my favorite actors of all time Justin Long.. he plays the boss of Adam Ellis and I do wish he got much more screen time as everytime his character was on screen the movie somehow got much better. Whether that be just how charming this man is or how funnily he delivered all his lines but it was supremely appreciated to have such a shining light in the sea of meh that surrounds the rest of the film. Long isn't the only talented actor here though, as the main man himself who plays Adam Ellis, Augustus Prew is a really great actor and the performance he delivers here feels so out of place in this mediocre film. He truly does breaths a sense of life into this movie that wouldn't be present without him and the way he plays the character is excellent and by far the best part of the movie, which isn't saying a whole lot but when you have an actually good actor present in a literal buzzfeed movie it's worth noting.

Dear David is not a good movie in my opinion, and if I didn't like two of the actors here and have a somewhat connection to the source material I wouldn't be surprised if I genuinely hated it, but since I do meet those criteria I just thought it was a very eh run of the mill type horror movie that isn't horrid in any specific way but also never great. It's not a movie I recommend watching for yourself unless you're a horror buff, like the story itself, or are just insanely bored out of your mind - as if you're not one of those three things I have a hard time believing you'll come away with any particular enjoyment with it and most likely will hate it. For me though it's just a nothing movie that has some decent qualities at times but never enough to actually make me like it in any significant way, mid I would say.

Lowlifes (2024)

"You are an addict.. and a lesbian?!"

[7/10 · 5 May 2024]

Wow this was actually surprisingly competent to come out of Tubi but I'm not going to be the one complaining about it. I've never actually watched a Tubi original before having seen this film but I have used to streaming service quite a good bit due to its wide range of different films, but since it is a free streaming service that relies on ads I didn't expect it's original content to be all that great and I have a feeling the plethora of other originals they've released aren't really all that amazing - but I am fairly confident in saying that their newest horror film "Lowlifes" was actually quite a bit better than I had expected. It has a lot of things to like about it and despite it very clearly not being perfect and having some pretty noticeable flaws, the late majority of this is at the very least entertaining and more than violent enough to make for a good cannibal centric horror comedy experience.

I completely forgot that this movie wasn't your standard "redneck torture family" thing like you would expect from "The Hills Have Eyes" or "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" until around like thirty or so minutes into the movie the twist occurs and honestly I was somehow blindsided by it. In hindsight it is a very obvious twist but I wasn't paying attention nearly enough to the way it was progressing to get that, but I do believe that it is a really great flip on the usual way these things go and makes for a much more compelling narrative that somewhat falls off towards the end but never entirely nosedives. Although; if there is one thing I can very confidently say about this movie is that I did not enjoy its ending in the slightest, it really reminds me of like "Cabin Fever" so if you've seen that film you know exactly what it means... I don't personally like it but I don't think it's not well done as it does work but just aggravated me, so I can only take half a star off for that fact as this would probably be a four.

If there's one definitive plus I can give to this movie is that I found it to be insanely funny pretty much the entire way through, and that's not something I usually expect going in to horror comedies but almost every single joke in this film worked perfectly for me and that was partially due to just how not serious it takes itself but also the way all the jokes are delivered by their respective actors. It all flows together super neatly and this might be one of the funniest horror comedies I have seen in recent times, definitely up there for this decade and I am a believer that the comedic aspect of this film is clearly the best part of it as a whole. However; that's not to say it's the only good part as the rest is also pretty great, the acting for one is superb from start to finish.. Amanda Fix as Amy is a very clear standout example for the level of talent on display here and she plays conflicting emotions surprisingly well until that kind of fades away towards the end, Matthew MacCaull is probably one of the funniest people I have ever seen on screen and the way he goes about doing everything he does here is hilarious, plus a tiny role given to Richard Harmon who I personally know best from "Grace Encounters 2" but is probably most well known for his amazing role in the show "The 100".

Another really fantastic part about this movie was it's kills and the overall way they're shown - this is a pretty gory film and I can't say I was expecting that in the slightest. From the very first kill shown to us in full detail it is very clear that it handles its effects with care and is brutally disturbing whenever it does so. I mean it is a film revolving around a cannibalistic family so you would expect to see people getting eaten, killed and dismembered but the way it's shown is real gruesome and surprisingly detailed. There's one character who's whole deal for a while is that the favorite part of the human body for them to eat it the eyeballs, and that is both awesome and horrible, plus there's a really amazing scene of someone getting shot through the neck with a bow and arrow and it's exactly as cool and horrifying as it sounds. Definitely much better effects work here than I thought was gonna be present and left me fairly impressed the entire way through, and they never take a significant dip in quality or anything - leaving them visually impressive and compelling to watch, which is always a major plus watching a horror film like this.

Lowlifes is a Tubi original movie that's actually good for some reason? I never thought there would come the day where I would be able to somewhat confidently say that but I do actually think this is an above average horror/comedy that is worth checking out since it's free and super easily accessible. It's not something that's going to go blowing your socks off or anything but it's a wildly fun ride that is never once dull or uninteresting and leaves the viewer with a sense of intrigue and just the excitement of seeing how these two families are going to clash. At the very least I can say that this movie is impressively well made, from it's set designs, acting, and of course effects - this is a movie that I definitely recommend for anyone craving a dumb fun horror film but don't go expecting some masterpiece. It doesn't take itself seriously like ever and neither should you, it's an enjoyable experience and that's all I could really ask from it.

Turtles All the Way Down (2024)

I love John Green

[6/10 · 4 May 2024]

Honestly I don't actually know how to feel about this film, on one hand I definitely don't believe that this is something that was meant to be targeted towards me as my girlfriend seemed to enjoy it far more than I did, but on the other I feel like it just didn't actually have much of anything going on throughout its entire runtime. Although; if there's one thing positive I can easily say about this movie is that despite it being nearly two hours long it flies by super fast and we reached the ending way before I ever even thought we were close to it. I want to like it because I do see what there is to like it but I just don't really think it clicked with me the same way it could and seems to have clicked with a lot of other people.

Probably my favorite part about the movie isn't even the movie itself but it's source material, I personally have not read the book that this movie is based on although my girlfriend claims she has, but just the fact that it was written by the amazing John Green is more than enough for me to like it just a tiny little bit. Pretty much everything that guy has touched has been at the very least good and I think this is another example of that, but I am not entirely sure if this adaptation even lives up to the book or not so it might be horrible in comparison. Yet if the book is on the same level of the film but I do expect it to be a fairly decent read but not anything spectacular.

I thought the acting here was pretty good for one, Isabela Merced is amazing as the lead role here and she does a great job at portraying the intense amount of anxiety that her character feels and both the way it looks on the outside and the way it sounds inside her own head... cannot wait to see what she does in "Alien Romulus" which is in fact my most anticipated role and if she brings this level of emotion to that movie her performance there is gonna be excellent as well. However; her co stars are pretty good in this movie as well, most notably Felix Mallard who plays Davis the primary love interest, and who also seems to be the most popular due to his role in the Netflix show "Ginny and Georgie" which I kind of know but have never actually watched - and also the other main side character of the film Daisy, played by Cree Cicchino who hilariously writes "Star Wars" fan-fiction and that's the only interesting thing about her entire character.

Other than the performances by the leading cast and the fact that this is based on a book by a guy that I like I don't really have much else to talk about here as it was kind of boring? Don't get me wrong the story here has some really sweet and endearing moments with the characters and especially towards the end it all comes together in a pretty adorable way but for the large majority of this I just didn't exactly care all that much? That's not a fault to the movie or it's source material I don't think but I personally just didn't find it super interesting whenever it was just about this girl being a mega germaphobe, but when it got deeper into the emotion I can say I was pretty into it all. Some really sad moments in here that actually made me tear up a little bit, but also some really cute moments that were surprisingly uplifting. I also thought that the direction here from Hannah Marks was pretty great, nothing to rave about but it was perfect for the tone of this movie and really felt right at home for everything that went on, plus there were actually some super impressive shots at times.

Turtles all the way down is the exact type of movie I believe you would expect it to be just by looking at, it's a really cheesy dumb movie at times filled with a whole ton of emotion and character depth that is very intriguing and incredibly well acted. This is absolutely someone's type of thing but for me personally I just didn't exactly love, I don't dislike it at all but I just kind of appreciated what it had and liked it a bit but not to any greater extent. It's got some really sweet things and some really depressing things and is for sure a roller coaster, and I definitely recommend it if a teen romance/drama film appeals to your tastes. I personally just didn't love it all that much, but I did wholeheartedly love it's soundtrack as it was impeccable, I mean they literally played "The Less I Know The Better" by Tame Impala so what more could I want from the film?!

It has a really silly name drop though that I don't think I entirely understand either but I have a feeling it's really moving and stuff.

Labyrinth (1986)

"I ask for so little. Just fear me, love me, do as I say and I will be your slave."

[10/10 · 3 May 2024]

I truly have no concept of how Sarah didn't accept those terms because if David Bowie was yapping that off to me I know for a fact O would've stopped caring about this goofy little baby and done what Jareth was asking. I really love this movie and I cannot believe Jim Henson was such a master at creating such rich fantasy filled worlds with amazing character design and of course some fantastic puppetry work.. and obviously Labyrinth is no different. This movie feels on the same wavelength as another Henson movie, "The Dark Crystal", just due to how well done all of its different puppets and character designs are, and the sheer fact that they're so well made that it teeters on some of the most horrifying things my eyes have ever seen.

This is just such a spectacle to be entirely honest and there's really not a single second of it that I was not inherently in love with. Of course every scene featuring Bowie's iconic Jareth the Goblin King was stellar, and I have to say the fashion this man was pulling off was wildly impressive but that goes for every outfit he wore in his entire lifetime.. plus he has a super silly haircut and makeup look going on but I loved it. Although that's not to say Jareth is the only really well done character here because I have to say every character is written and designed in such a perfect way - my favorite, other than Jareth of course, has to be the incredibly goofy looking goblin known as Hoggle who I couldn't help but admire how dumb he looked and the way he acted. I also have to mention the big beast Ludo who is adorable in every regard, and the tiny fox man Sir Didymus who was really well designed and hilariously rode a dog for the majority of his screen time. Although; for some reason the actual main character of this movie, Sarah played by Jennifer Connelly was by far the most uninteresting out of everyone, but I suppose that does make a bit of sense when you take a boring teenage girl and put her into one of the most vast fantasy worlds I've ever seen in a ninety minute runtime, so I can't complain too much even though I didn't particularly love how the movie focused on her.

I really need to talk about the puppets here for a second because I cannot understate how impeccable they all are, which is standard for a Henson production but Jesus these are all so well done. From the goblins who all look expertly nasty and weird, to the aforementioned Sir Didymus who is the silliest little fox guy I've ever seen, to the best character in the entire movie the little worm dude with his wacky ass haircut, and the most terrifying of all the Fire Gang who might just be the scariest things I've ever seen on screen! I've never felt so unbelievably uncomfortable to watch puppets move and talk but for some reason everything they did made me feel queasy and I hated every single second of it, and just the sheer fact that their whole thing is being able to take off their heads and they relentlessly taunt Sarah and try to take off her head is genuinely horrifying and I couldn't wait for them to leave my television screen. At the very least they're super well designed and the puppetry is amazing but despite being able to admire the amount of talent there I still can't bring myself to like it.

Another impeccable piece of this film is just the overall set design, which I have definitely come to expect when I watch something done by Henson due to how great "The Dark Crystal" looked, but this movie really is on another level in my opinion. The labyrinth itself is designed in such an intricately interesting way that I could genuinely spend hours just talking about all the different parts of it that are scattered about, from the way it tries to trick those who are going through, to all the different people/talking objects you are sure to encounter going through it, plus all the little traps that are constantly hidden throughout... it's just such a wonderful piece of set design that is so unique and satisfying to learn more about - and don't even get me started on the magnificence that is Jareth's castle because that place looks exquisite and every scene that takes place within is awesome.

Of course you cannot talk about a musical starring the iconic musical artist David Bowie without talking about the amazing music from him in the film. Every single song that Bowie sings here is great, because obviously this man has some insane musical talent but to see it put to a movie like this is so raw and beautiful. Most notably the song 'Magic Dance' which is probably the most famous out of the entire film and for very good reason as every minute part of it is inherently iconic from being so well written, well sung, well choreographed, and of course really fits the vibe of the film so well. However: that's not to say every other piece of music in here isn't just as good as that one, as they pretty much all are. Every song for this film was done by Trevor Jones, but just about half of them were also done by Bowie and they're all equally as magical and more than worth listening to this soundtrack on its lonesome for.

Labyrinth is such a uniquely special time that I find it very hard to believe anyone could actually dislike in any way. In my honest opinion it's pretty much perfect in every way and there isn't anything done here that I didn't think worked exactly as it was supposed to. If you like any other works done by the immensely talented late Jim Henson than you're sure to like this one as well as it has all the charm and talent present in his other film if not even more than his other films. Combined with a superb performance from one of the greatest rock stars of all time who is the antagonist but just way too charming to not like him, and some truly great puppetry paired with extraordinary costume and set design, this is way more than worth checking out for yourself if you haven't had the chance already. It's just such a whimsical and fun time that is really engaging from start to finish and filled with a whole ton of stuff to absolutely love, and I highly recommend watching it for yourself. David Bowie is a surprisingly good actor and I wish he starred in more films because I desire all the media I can acquire of this man. Peak type.

The Contestant (2023)

What the actual hell is going on in Japan

[8/10 · 3 May 2024]

Bro my god the stuff that happens to this dude is literally horrifying?! I cannot believe that this actually exists and was broadcast to the world and everyone really loved it.. I mean I get that they didn't particularly know how harrowing this situation was for this guy but the fact this man spent a whole fifteen months trapped inside two incredibly small rooms only being able to live off the prizes he won from contests, nearly starving almost all the time and in a constant state of loneliness and depression yet somehow managing to always be entertaining for the camera - whether that be from him possibly going a little stir crazy or just being an immensely funny guy... I think it's a little fifty-fifty there.

I really liked the way this was all told, which makes for one of the most visually engaging documentary experiences I have had all year. Edited together really well; between its present day interviews with those involved and related to the people involved plus the actual footage itself from the hit reality show "Life in Prizes". Said show stars the central talking point and voice of this documentary, Tomoaki Hamatsu, or better known as Natsubi (meaning eggplant) due to his long face which was the subject of many bullies in his youth but later something he seems to have come to embrace. Natsubi himself is genuinely hilarious, every single joke this man made both on the show itself and during the talking segments were incredibly funny and he has such a strong screen presence that fills the entire atmosphere with joy it's honestly contagious, plus the man has a very happy smile.

This documentary showcases some of the most disturbing practices in reality tv I have ever had the chance to witness and I have never before felt so bad for a man who is having psychological warfare being carried out against him. It definitely works amazingly for the show as the entire time you're cheering the man on as you desperately want him to get out, and he does too, but it's immensely depressing to watch this guy break as he gets put through this rigorous process not just once, but two goddamn times. I am just happy that after he had gotten out of doing this show he was able to glean something positive out of it all and the perspective it ended up giving him on the way humans cannot handle loneliness and how helping each other is so important is poetic and beautiful. Also the ending part which is far more recent when he is involved in an avalanche yet instead of trying to make sure he himself is okay after it he immediately rushes to start hello everyone else out is awe inspiring and one of the most moving things I've ever heard of a man doing.

Japanese television is apparently really out there which I was not really aware of before.. I mean I have seen some of the wacky game shows that have appeared in tik tok clips but I didn't know they were doing this all the way back then and to such a severe extent that they almost entirely broke this poor man. I really hope it hasn't affected bim so much negatively that it has ruined any portion of his life as he seems like such a happy and funny guy who more than deserves the notoriety that he has acquired, but I do wish it didn't come at the cost of his mental state for a staggering fifteen months. Toshio Tsuchiya is a very interesting guy for being willing and insanely eager to put this man through all of this stuff, and despite him contributing a whole ton of money and resources for a helping cause, and feeling a semblance of remorse for his action - I obviously still don't think what he did was worth it in the slightest and no matter what Natsubi learned from his experience in that situation he never should've been put into it.

I very clearly recommend you check out this documentary for yourself if you have Hulu, even if you're not particularly interested in the topic itself I always think it's a good idea to spread some light on a situation I feel like a large portion of people are not already aware of, like me. It's really well told with some fascinating stories from everyone involved and the way it is all put together both looks great but also flows amazingly. It's not a super long runtime either only landing at about ninety minutes so I think it's more than worth giving your time to, and hopefully watching this supports Natsubi in some sort of way. Mans got out through hell and back and somehow came out with an even bigger smile on his face and the urge to help people, so you gotta respect him at the very least. Peak for real.

Delicious in Dungeon: Sheipushifutâ (2024) Season 1, Episode 18

Man this show is on a roll

[8/10 · 2 May 2024]

This isn't inherently as good as the episode that preceded it but that's not to say it isn't amazing in its own right as it most definitely is. This is much tamer comedic tone than what we got in the previous episode but I believe this might be some of the overall best comedy we've ever gotten out of this show so far, plus it's just so well written and engaging to watch that despite it almost entirely being one main gag it never felt dull or repetitive which is insanely impressive in my opinion. My favorite part of this episode though has to the English dub voice acting for Lios, who I just recently learned is played by my favorite member of the Smosh cast Damien Haas and he absolutely killed it here. This show is such a pleasure to watch even when it's focusing far more on wacky goofy comedy, and I highly recommend you watch it.

The Fall of the House of Usher (2023)

The best show I've ever seen

[10/10 · 1 May 2024]

I haven't watched any other Mike Flanagan tv shows but I really want to and am so looking forward to it after this (the haunting of hill house is top of my tv show watchlist for sure), but I have watched pretty much all of his movies and I seriously love the stuff this dude makes. Not a single thing of his that I have watched has been anywhere near bad, they've all actually exceeded my expectations. Like this one for instance, I didn't know what to expect going into it but what I got was one of the best tv shows I've ever watched (I think it's top 3 shows I've ever watched now to be honest). Not super focused on being that scary but the scares it did have actually got me pretty good, that jesters random pop ups freaked me out.

I loved the way it told its story and how it based each episode/death after an Edgar Allan Poe story, like a midnight dreary, the masque of the red death, murder in the rue morgue, the black cat, the tell tale heart, the pit and the pendulum, and last but definitely not least the raven. It's just so cool to me, and I adore the way he twists the source material and makes his own interpretation on it, it's awesome. The Masque of the Red Death is probably my favorite episode by far (close second is The Tell Tale Heart which once I realized what the episode was called it all clicked and I couldn't help but just sit there in awe at how cool it was). Just everything that happened in masque was perfect, the way it sets off the rest of the series, and especially the way it ends. Right before it happened it clicked for me and I realized what was going to happen and the anticipation couldn't even match what it felt like when it happened, seeing it made me feel so, disgusted but also amazed.

I loved the little bits and pieces we got of the story when Rodrick was telling it and coming to the realization of how these people were going to die and just sitting there waiting for it to happen, it's such good suspense and when it finally does happen. It doesn't shy away from showing the whole thing and dragging it out, making some of the most interesting yet brutal scenes. Mike is seriously a genius for the way he put together and directed this story.

Also the soundtrack in this show was filled with bangers, pretty much every song for the vibe and was just a good song. Really enjoyed the music choices they made, as well as all the sound production, contributed to most of the stuff that kind of freaked me out and all the cool scenes were so much better because of the sound design.

Please please please watch this, it is so much better than I ever could have expected. Every part of it was so well done and I'm so glad I decided to sit down and watch it.

Late Night with the Devil (2023)

"Late night.. with the devil."

[10/10 · 30 April 2024]

That might just be the best name drop I have ever heard or seen in a film, and it's accompanied by one of my favorite title cards I have ever witnessed; perfectly simplistic in nature yet sets the vibe for the movie perfectly and the retro feel it displays is already amazing. There's really so much to like about this movie in my opinion, and it's definitely the best horror movie I have seen so far this year, and it's not even inherently all that scary, but it's "scares" that do occur are genuinely very frightening and super well done - I especially meshed with the ending quite a bit, and it really reminded me of the feel of the more recent V/H/S films, which I have a severe soft spot for so I really loved the entire sequence. Obviously the main thing you're going to hear about this movie since it's release is about it's lead actor, the immensely talented David Dastmalchian, who has been a supporting role in so many fantastic movies but has never really gotten the chance to take the leading role and show off how good he can truly do. I mean I've always loved this dude, from his performance in 2013's "Prisoners" which left my jaw on the floor, 2022's "The Suicide Squad" which was one of the funniest movie going experiences I have ever had, and of course hills hilarious role in the Ant-Man films. However; it is very easy for me to say that this is his best performance thus far. He absolutely brings his a-game to this film and he carries it without breaking a sweat. Every single scene with this man is perfection and the way he's able to play Jack Delroy here is phenomenal, and I desperately need to see this man in more leading roles. If there's anything to take away from this movie, it's that this guy needs to be cast as the lead more often, as his charisma is what makes this such an engaging and compelling watch; and it honestly would've been pretty mid without his involvement. Although; despite how excellent Dastmalchian's performance is for this movie, there's one very glaring problem with is as a whole and the precedent it could possibly set for the film industry as a whole. Late Night With the Devil is shot as if it's a found footage tape for the final episode of a late night talk show, and as shows like this tend to have, this one has intermission screen. The problem with these intermission screens, which there are I believe about four of, they are entirely done with AI instead of a human artist. Which is obviously a scary concept for a film as of people are okay with these four still images intercut between the live action segments, how far are these studios going to push this to see how much we will allow? It's a pretty big deal as a business wide topic, as this does present some very serious questions that will affect filmmaking as we get into the future with AI, but in my opinion for this movie itself it is not fair to review bomb it due to this inclusion. I am under this impression for the sheer fact that it's unfair to undermine the rest of the talented hardworking cast and crew who poured their hearts into making this film, and the truth is it's a fantastically made film at the very least. However; in my opinion this is an amazing movie that while not being scary the majority of the time does leave a real sense of unease present at all times and the way it handles it's story is immaculate. This is by all accounts, a feature length analog horror film, and that is one of the coolest things I can possibly think of. It's marketed as found footage as technically in the world of the film this was all just recorded and found decades later, but this quite literally feels like a feature length version of say, the Mandela catalogue in a way, and I love it for that. The only other movie that's even come close to grasping that aura for me was last year "Skinamarink", which I didn't particularly love or anything, and I think that this movie nailed that feeling far better. Being able to capture this ever present eerie feeling combined with constant dread and the need for viewership/attention. It's just so well done from the sound design, to the effects, obviously the music, and it goes without saying every single performance here is impeccable.. but of course David Dastmalchian is the clear standout. I loved this movie honestly, and I find it hard to find anything wrong with it, it's actually even better on a rewatch which I wasn't expecting because I thought I would've liked it less as I watched it a second time, but I just came to appreciate all the great things about it even more. I do agree that the precedent set by this movie and a lot of peoples disregard for the AI involvement in it is bad, and Netflix has already one upped them with their documentary "What Jennifer Did", but I do not think the use of four still images is worthy to entirely throw away all the perfect things about this movie and not give the very talented cast and crew the recognition they deserve. Everything here besides those images is perfect in my eyes, and Dastmalchian is just the icing on the cake, and I wholeheartedly cannot wait to see this man in another film as I love everytime he appears on my screen. I assume you can guess from how much I've praised it I recommend checking this movie out for yourself if you have Shudder, as it's more than worth giving a watch and I pray the positive reception this movie has garnered will give this man the chance to lead another movie in the near future. Peak on god. My mom doesn't agree though... Mom: (2/5)

Priscilla (2023)

Sofia Coppola is a genius

[8/10 · 30 April 2024]

This was so good but at the same time I don't think it lived up to what it easily could've been. I'm not the biggest fan of Sofia Coppola as I have never seen another movie of hers but this, but I obviously know who she is (mainly from the fact her father is Francis Ford Coppola), and I do really want to check out her other films but sadly I just have not gotten around to doing that yet. Films like Marie Antoinette, The Virgin Suicides, Lost In Translation, and The Bling Ring are all films that have been on my watchlist for years now but I've never just sat down and watched them. Although after being coerced into watching this by my girlfriend I am extremely looking forward to watching more do her films just because of how good this one was.

I have my problems with it as I don't think it's the best film ever but it's definitely a very good one that shines a light on Elvis in a very different way than anything I've ever heard before. I knew about Elvis' and Priscilla's relationship long before I ever watched this movie due to an Epic Rap Battle of History between Elvis and Michael Jackson where their relationship is mentioned. And I really like the way this movie portrays their relationship, as it was inherently very wrong and very flawed. Since Elvis used his status as an already famous rock star to manipulate the then young TEENAGER Priscilla Beaulieu into a relationship with him where he still cheated on her and anytime she'd try to say anything or do anything about it he'd scream at her, and threaten her with kicking her out of their house. Safe to say Elvis Presley wasn't the greatest guy, and I think this movie really shows that well.

I love that Priscilla herself was a part of the making of this film as well as the executive producer, the majority of events within are her own accounts of things that happened between the two, and I also presume she had some hand in helping Coppola write the script and giving her more recollections and events that occurred. And that none of the creators or actors shied away from showing the toxicity of their relationship. There are so many moments within this film where all I felt was discomfort and unease. From their very first meeting where it seemed like Priscilla was tracked down and targeted for Elvis, as she was "randomly" approached at a diner and invited to his house. The way he acted the entirety of the first time they were together and the fact he kissed her when she was 14 and he 24!? I mean I know the 50/60's must've been a different time but Jesus was this really something that wasn't extremely frowned upon back then, was pedophilia just like okay? The parents themselves have a little bit of pushback but not a whole lot which is what's even more questionable for me, the mom says on multiple occasions "maybe he met some girl his own age", she's very aware of the dynamic but still just lets her daughter go marry and have a child with this grown ass man.

Also the sheer amount of red flags this man had is insane, bro couldn't go a day without showing his true colors; even though, she took a very long time to realize it and still did all these things and went along with it to try and keep him happy. I think the first example of this is the way he reacts to her trying on dresses, he's very strict about what she can wear and tells her that he doesn't like one of them and to not wear stuff like that again, and then he immediately follows that up with telling her to dye her hair black and do darker eye makeup because it "brings out her eyes" more. Straight up bombarding her with drastic changes and starts controlling what she can and cannot wear off the bat. This only gets worse as he 1. Cheats on her multiple times and acts like she's crazy for getting upset and screams at her until she's a dry heaving mess before consoling her like he didn't just do that on purpose, and 2. Gets physically violent with her on more than one occasion, one time punching her in the face for pillow fighting "like a man" and another time throwing a chair at her head because she didn't love a song he made. Obviously this man is Prince Charming. And the absolute cherry on the cake was after having her change things about herself and then complimenting other girls about those things right in front of her.

Other than just the really well told story this movie has, the rest of it is fantastic as well. The direction from Coppola is excellent, the visuals of the entire thing are amazing; absolutely stunning colors that feel right at home in a movie like this, and by far the two best things about this movie is the music and the cast. The song choices for the film were genuinely perfect, fit the vibe of the 60's really well and were just all really good songs, plus the way Elvis talked about the Beatles was hilarious and shows just how narcissistic of a man he was talking about "we're in America". Although I am slightly sad that there wasn't a single Lana Del Ray song in this entire movie, I feel like her music fits the vibes here perfectly and her and Priscilla are strikingly similar in looks, plus her songs have been used in nearly every edit of this movie I've seen so, kind of funny American horror story had a song of hers but the movie that feels like it should have one didn't. And finally the casting was phenomenal, I still have not and honestly never plan to watch Austin Butler's Elvis but from everything I've seen Jacob Elordi (of Euphoria fame) played the part better, and didn't completely ruin his voice doing it. He sounds just like Elvis did in real life but of course with the hint of his real voice in there sometimes, but the accent was perfect and I can never take it seriously because of how utterly hilarious it is hearing him say "baby" or "daddy" so much. Also I feel like it goes without saying but Cailee Spaeny was perfect as Priscilla Presley herself, at the top of her game in every single scene and played the most emotional bits of the film like her life depended on it. I think this was the first film I've ever seen her in but I would like to see what else she ends up doing because her performance here was the best part of the movie as a whole.

Overall this was an amazing film, but it didn't live up to what it ultimately could've been. So much about the movie was amazing from the direction, cinematography, acting, costume design, music, and just the overall aesthetics of it all is what made it so enjoyable. But towards the end after the baby is born it really starts to speed through their life yet at the same time kind of drags. And then in all honesty it just ends out of nowhere, and I can't tell if it needed a longer runtime or just better pacing but after she turns 18 and they get married it's like it zoomed through the rest of their relationship, this isn't the worst thing and doesn't take away from my enjoyment but I do think there could've been more there to make it feel a little more complete. Though that's not the biggest complaint, because the rest of the movie was fantastic.

Priscilla is a story about Priscilla Presley featuring Elvis. It showcases the negative relationship they had and how he treated her throughout it, cheating, manipulating, physically and verbally abusing her to the point she couldn't take it anymore and finally after seven years married, during the years 1967 to 1973, and 14 years in total of being together; Priscilla Presley left him. Like the quote in the beginning to live her own life not shackled and controlled by him anymore, as she had been groomed by him and lost her childhood to fulfill his wishes. A story about abuse and manipulation between one of the biggest rock stars ever and a literal child. It's heartbreaking and genuinely disgusting as you watch the events unfold. And I'm very happy she got out of that relationship. Priscilla is a movie showing Elvis Presley as a person, while Elvis seems to be a movie about showing Elvis as a rock star. This one feels better to me, and I'm glad this story got told in this pretty good and well made biopic. I recommend checking it out for yourself if you haven't already because it recently dropped on streaming. My girlfriend seemed to like it so that's good, and I need to check out more Sofia Coppola films. Also Jacob Elordi is nearly half a foot taller than the real Elvis, and seeing him stand next to things like a car is so funny because I have no idea how that man fits into these things. (Also also, we got a little glimpse of Elord dancing as Elvis and it was the funniest thing ever, I can't believe people literally fainted they thought those dance moves were so hot).

Solo Leveling (2024– )

"Arise."

[10/10 · 30 April 2024]

I absolutely get the hype here. This might actually be anime of the year already, and that's without its second cour coming later this year which will all but solidify its status as being a masterpiece thus far. This is the first manhwa adaptation I have seen so far, as I have not watched Lookism yet, and I am very glad this was my introduction. Some absolutely stunning animation from the geniuses over at A-1 studios which absolutely carries this thing on its back. Truly some of the most gorgeous fighting animation I have seen in a long time, only matched with the second season of jujutsu kaisen in my opinion - really bringing such a superb atmosphere to the show and absolutely upping the levels of hype tremendously. On an equal playing field as the stellar animation here, is the voice acting from everyone involved but more specifically the English voice actor of Jinwoo Sung, the exceptional Aleks Le - and yes I did watch this show in dub. I have to say this might be one of the best dubs I have ever heard come from an anime as well; in all honesty on par with t r greats of anime dubs such as Dragon Ball Z, and this is almost entirely owed to the excellency that comes from Le. Learning from his tik tok videos that the man himself personally wrote the large majority of Sung's fantastic speeches that genuinely sent chills down my spine is one of the coolest things I've ever experienced, and I truly cannot believe that this booming, powerful, and ultimately spine chilling voice is the same that voices Zenitsu in the English dub of Demon Slayer.

This is easily one of the best first seasons I have seen in an anime in a long time, and it is one thousand percent contender for anime of the year out of 2024 already, only matched in sheer quality by the quality of Frieren: Beyond Journey's End. However; I am supremely confident that with its second cour releasing in the later half of this year, it will further exceed the current expectations set, and undoubtedly within my head take anime of the year home next year unless something outlandishly perfect releases. I am honestly just shocked at how amazing this show is, from the visually stunning animation to the best dub voice acting I have seen in years, Solo Leveling is already set to go down as one of the greats in its first run, but I am very curious to see how this story can continues past its second cour; as it already feels like it's nearing its end, but clearly there's a whole lot more in the books themselves so I am eager to see what that could be.

This show is without a single doubt in my mind the peakiest of peak, and I wholeheartedly recommend and encourage everyone to check it out for themselves as soon as they possibly can. It just finished its first 12 episodes for its first season, and the story is already incredible and extremely entertaining, and it is in both English and Japanese depending on the viewer's preferences. I have personally not watched the Japanese language version but what did hear from the English language version is utterly fascinating and I highly recommend to give it a shot. Peak type and I cannot wait to see what more is to come from this impeccable show.