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lukehammen
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Black Mirror: Nosedive (2016)
There's a concept, that doesn't mean it's good
Opening shot, fine. If you want a pretty and personal color scheme and cinematography, watch her; it'll be 1000 times more cohesive. From there we see our main character, poorly acted and whatever. Her acting was similar to a clean and clear commercial where they splash water on their faces and have a very refreshing smiling face. Whenever a character spoke I felt like they were reading from a script. They are, but you're not supposed to know that. Regarding the script, the episode is a satire of a facebook concept that hasn't been relevant since the website came out. Character motivation is always skewed and the episode as a whole was lazy, poor, and dumb.
Suicide Squad (2016)
Garbage
Sloppy scene structure doesn't make good movies. Unconventional characters alone don't make good movies. Bad directing, bad editing, bad CGI, bad acting. If a film fails on every aspect but still is by all means successful, what does that say about it's audience. Lets stop making terrible movies. One-liner, one-dimensional characters with no depth beyond the label of "bad", "evil", "crazy" fill this movie, as a surprisingly congested script attempts to give them backstory. Although comedy is very subjective, jokes in addition to the majority of the dialogue in general is very cringe-worthy. I felt embarrassed whenever anyone spoke. It all make me want to commit suicide squad.
Black Swan (2010)
Dramatically Thrilling and Brilliant
Black Swan is as much as an experience as the play that was interpreted within the film. From the very beginning, the lighting was one of the strongest I've seen from a film, it being a large supporter of the film's overall tone. In fact, each element of the movie seems be reincorporated to support the tone; as it's soundtrack drives the scenes, and it's use of dance is used in contrast of the very character's mental standing.
The viewing of the mental standing of the main character, Nina, is shown in moderation. Giving and showing more and more throughout the film, within it's symbolism and character contrast. All until the final act of the movie, where all is revealed. This being a masterful display and character study of one's own madness. In only one instance, I do feel as if practicality was sparred for the sake of tone, but it didn't take away from the film's overall quality (the subway scene). In some instances, the movie is brilliant and thrilling by balancing emotional scenes in the surreal, while the directing and acting are constantly great throughout. Notably taking inspiration of the original play itself, the film has one of the greatest final acts I've ever seen. 9/10
The Loved Ones (2009)
Modernization of an already modern concept
I really do hope someone had as much fun making this, as I did watching it. The loved ones puts it's own spin on the teen horror cliché that has been made over and over again in the last fifteen years. From the moment the film begins, it only tells what you need to know; instead of dwelling on the characters relationships that are really just factors in the movie's later overall presentation. It does come to a rough start, however. Nothing that will take more than ten minutes of screen-time, but some segments regarding prom are unnecessary to say at the least (the best friend).
Once it takes off, The loved ones is a triumph for it's genre. A horror movie can only be as good, if it's still a good movie when you're not scared. In this particular instance I was not, but instead I was baffled at the horror I was presented. The loved ones treats it's lead, Brent, as the source of the story; you the viewer sees what Brent sees, and that's where the story comes into it's own. It's fun, self-aware, and in some of it's best minutes of screen time, it was realistic. I give it a 8.6, rounding to a 9.
The Dirties (2013)
Where most films with the theme of bullying fail, The Dirties excel
If I had a word for The Dirties, that word would be fresh. Even with some questionable choices in regard to filming, The Dirties comes into it's own with character. This is a movie that strives on realism. Most films can contain great dialogue, but then only to distract from it's own realism; I really felt like all characters were holding real genuine conversations. The believability of the two main characters, Matt and Owen, is undeniable, and in addition to that found in their friendship, the lead and execution of the premise remains strong throughout. Without going into mental health clichés, both characters seem to have genuine reasoning and path to their decision making, with Matt Johnsons character seeming to have a real inability to cope with confrontation. Even then, elements in the movie aren't made to lead or force them to their decisions, but rather to support them.
Often in anti-bullying movies all is lost by the campaign of the movie itself, but The Dirties contains a strong energy and drive throughout. The best thing that I can say about it really, is that it's not bad, it's really not bad. In everything that it does well, it does impressively well. The faceless filmer leaves a menacing undertone, with all acknowledgment of his character being brief and interesting. Lastly, it's final leaves the viewer in awe, ending at the most perfect moment of it's screen time. A very underrated classic 9/10
A Very Murray Christmas (2015)
Most humor comes from its own existence
Previous icon of Groundhog Day, Bill Murray, stars as the front-man of Netflix's new holiday special. Right from the get-go, "A Very Murray Christmas" is a confusing affair. Whenever a new character is introduced the viewer has to determine whether or not the a member of it's fairly impressive cast plays themselves or just another character. A prime example being Amy Poehler playing, "Liz", a main character that very well could have just been Amy Poehler, as a majority of the cast plays themselves.
The special is musically driven and in most cases fun. Paul Shaffer is an absolute delight and often works well will Murrays charm. The quality of both the music and the special itself improves upon itself throughout its 56 minutes. However, unless accompanied by another cast member, Bill Murrays singing can be dry, with the first music numbers being the specials worst.
The beginning of A Very Murray Christmas is debatably terrible, and due to this first scene it's hard to tell who it appeals to. Every aspect of the hour is appropriate for children but only after excusing the explicit language in the first scene, not that it ruins the quality, it was just an odd choice for the content matter. Bottom line is that it's not funny and it doesn't really have a point but it makes it well. Fun, charming Murray makes the special as the rest of the cast makes the music. No distinct direction, but no distinct flaw 7.3/10