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High Fidelity (2020)
This show NEEDS to continue
Come on Hulu guys...You had a cult classic in your hands and left it slip away? This is an AMAZING show.
It's actually BETTER than the original movie. OK, Jack Black was better...but the rest, including Zoe Kravitz, is better than the original. Really. Give it another chance. You will be surprised how much it has grown on people over a few years.
Kravitz owns the character from the get go. After a couple of minutes, you no longer think of the sex swap and Cusak. It's Kravitz's Rob all the way.
Special mention to the soundtrack curated by Questlove, a pure delight to listen to and highlighting Rob's state of mind all the way through.
Watch it. You'll watch it again, and then yearn for a season two.
No Time to Die (2021)
It will entertain you like the best Bond movies have; it will surprise you like no Bond movie has.
If you are a fan of the James Bond character like me, you must have read the Ian Fleming's novels. Well, "No time to die" is the last chapter of the character arc started by Ian Fleming with Casino Royale, that ends with On Her Majesty's Secret Service and You Only Live Twice.
Apart from the "On Her Majesty's Secret Service" movie, which is a faithfull adaptation of the novel, the whole story (in its essence, albeit with obvious differences) had never been told until now, because what you got for decades were just rehash after rehash of the first few movies.
Kudos to Broccoli, Wilson, Craig. Ballsy move.
Mother! (2017)
No, it's not a Rosemary's Baby remake...
First, you have to be open minded about this film...It's a challenging one. And that's rare nowadays, especially with such mainstream actors. Second, it's misleading, and I think it's intended that way. You might be fooled into thinking you are watching a terror movie, a psychological thriller, or the like...It is not. Yes it's allegorical. The fact that I read more than one interpretation only goes to show that it works on different levels, as good films do. Mine is neither correct or incorrect. It's just one more. To me, it's obviously about creating art. The poet is married to his muse, the mother of his art, his inspiration, and in the beginning the relationship is strained: he's got a terrible writer's block. He's trying to work, but he's easily distracted by outside influences, and his muse does not like it. Of course when his muse gets pregnant, that's when he's inspired to write ...It's all there. The whole process of creating a work of art (book, film music, you name it). Just before birth, it's more hectic than ever...You even have the editor causing mayhem. She just wants the manuscript. Then "mother" delivers "the child" (new book of poems) and she's jealous that he wants to share it with the world (release the book), which he does, and the public consumes the writer's work (child) with gusto, an act of cannibalism. Market forces at work. I could go on and on finding the allegorical meaning, but you get the point... An original, interesting film, that both makes you think and keeps you intrigued throughout. A rarity nowadays.
La La Land (2016)
The movie is a 7, the marketing campaign is a 10
Yes, they are very cute, the story is very romantic, some songs (not all of them) are remarkable, the editing is really clever, the production design and photography are pure eye candy, and it's a cool film, no doubt...
Maybe I'm getting old, but this is an average movie at best, and there's nothing new in it...Gene Kelly did this 60 years ago better with far less technology. As for the story, it can't be less original...Girl meets boy, they follow their dreams together, etc etc etc.
I give it a 7 being generous. I liked it as an entertaining little film, but it's not a classic by any stretch of the imagination. In a few months, when the hype has passed, nobody will talk about it. I give a 10 to the marketing campaign, though. They managed to shovel it down everyone's throat.
Valmont (1989)
Not a bad film, but...
...You feel like you're watching a Bridget Jones movie set in the 18th century. This film feels like a comedy. It's not, and that's the problem. Milos Forman is not going to make a bad film, because he's a damn good director. "Amadeus" is one of my favourite films ever, the period is the same (1780s), and formally is marvellous too, but the material is completely different. This story is wicked and this film just does not capture how wicked, twisted, cruel and depraved the characters really are. They are all lovable and nice, even though they still do wicked things. But the Coyote and Roadrunner do really wicked things to each other and they're funny... Watching this movie and "Dangerous Liaisons" back to back is a textbook example of how the very same material can be explored in very different ways. This is lighter. "Dangerous Liaisons" IMO does more justice to the material and although Uma Thurman is totally unbelievable as a 15 year old virgin, the rest of the cast runs circles around Colin Firth as Valmont (too British), Annete Benning and Meg Tilly. John Malkovich and Glenn Close are just unbeatable in those roles. Henry Thomas is better than Keanu Reeves (period never suited Keanu, did it?). Very watchable film, develops certain aspects better, but overall the story's treatment does not need Jane Austen overtones, but "Silence of the Lambs" ones.
The Hateful Eight (2015)
Good. Not great, but entertaining
Yes, entertaining. I read a few reviews that call it dull, slow, boring and the like. It's not. Guys, go see Star Wars, this is not your movie.
It keeps you interested from start to finish. It could be no other way. It's by design, but you have to like the genre to begin with, which is not western, but Whodunnit. As such, it has more in common with "Murder on the Orient Express" than with "The Searchers". More of an Agatha Christie stage play than a John Wayne or Clint Eastwood flick.
Of course, that's not all. It's a Tarantino movie with all that implies: gory violence,racial slurs,brilliant dialogue...Yes, I said brilliant dialogue. Many around here might be expecting more "royale with cheese" type of stuff, which I guess by now must bore Tarantino to death. He explores themes like hate (it's called the HATEFUL eight, get it?), mistrust,justice,...And he does it intelligently and manages to increase tension with each passing minute.
The performances are exceptional. And what a cast. Kurt Russel in particular, but all of them shine. Jennifer Jason Leigh receives a well deserved Oscar nod. Some might not agree or might not understand how hers is a beautiful performance, but acting is reacting, and she gives a masterful lesson here, and in difficult conditions I might add.
I understand that if you were born in the US this film might get deeper under your skin, in a disturbing sense. Many could be bothered by the racial tension, the n-word, the Civil War theme and the way it's portrayed. However, I can't understand how anyone can say that Tarantino's "black kicks white ass" antics are offensive, because "what if it was the other way round". Has anyone around here seen "12 years a slave"?
I realise it might be one of those "love it or hate it" movies.But don't let that bother you. Give it a try. If you hate it, fine. But if you love it, it's one of those you might want to see again and again.
Whiplash (2014)
A classic.
Simply put, already a classic movie.In years to come we'll be looking back to it. Yes, it's that good. Amazing performances, amazing screenplay, surprising twists,...it has the lot. The movie that should have won best picture of the year.
If you happen to be playing in a band, it's even more relevant. If, by one of those weird synchronicities, you happen to see it just after a bad rehearsal on which you quarreled with the drummer, which I had, it's kind of an emotional experience. I couldn't help but root for Fletcher. If you are into music, technically he was right all the time.
There's not a moment in the movie when he's not spot on. He's a bastard and you can argue if it's right or not to treat another human being as he did (which I don't think it is), but he was fair. When they played good, he said it. That's his saving grace. And he had no hidden agenda. Just musical perfection.
A Million Ways to Die in the West (2014)
It is funny.
This is a good comedy. Not a masterpiece, but not a bad one, meaning you laugh at gags (if you like this type of humor, that is). Also, characters are likable, you want to see what happens to them, and there are nice/imaginative twists in the story. Granted, jokes are not in very good taste mostly, but it also has subtle ones which I enjoyed. And after over 100 years of comedy movies,being surprised by one is great. The cast works. I thought Giovanni Ribisi was hilarious. Also Charlize Theron and Liam Neeson are good. Seth Macfarlane is not known in my country, but I think he was great on this movie. Had this been made in 1971 and not 2014, it could have been a Woody Allen movie easily. This is that type of humour, only more extreme.