 I rewatched this in preparation for the sequel, having only seen it once before (when it came out). It’s so good, and better than I remembered! Hard to believe it’s been ten years since it was released!
The storyline is fresh and original, the protagonist is plucky and likeable, and the humour consistently hits. Moreover, the moral of the story, regarding prejudice and stereotypes, isn’t preachy, or condescending towards the audience. The film is also vibrant and well-designed, not plasticky or sparse, as 3D-animated movies tend to be. Overall, a great movie for kids and adults alike, and a reminder of how good Disney can be, when they allow their talent to cook!
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 I was really looking forward to this film; I like serious movies set in the world of espionage, especially ones that aren’t from the perspective of the US or the UK (which is what we usually see). Wagna Moura is always good to watch too.
What a disappointment this film was. Honestly, I don’t even know what I just watched, but I’m pretty sure it wasn’t about a ‘secret agent’ and definitely wasn’t about the world of espionage! I have absolutely no knowledge regarding Brazil in the 1970s; I don’t know what the political climate was like, who the leader was, etc, etc. And as an audience member when watching a movie, I shouldn’t really need any prior knowledge; the movie should tell me everything I need to know. Whilst watching this film, I felt like some knowledge of Brazil in the 1970s would have been useful, just to make sense of what the hell was happening! Seriously, I appreciate it when films don’t spoon-feed you everything, but this film didn’t give you enough, which is frustrating to say the least! After having seen it, I’m still none the wiser when it comes to what happened to the protagonist’s wife, why exactly he’s in hiding, and what the point of the film was? The way the protagonist’s journey ends, is SO dissatisfying! (Spoiler) Literally just cutting to photo in a newspaper showing his dead body! How can the filmmakers rob the audience of such a pivotal moment?! Like every other major event the film discusses, we don’t see how it happened! We’re denied all the ‘juicy’ parts of the story, and instead, shown all the mundane parts! That’s not why we watch movies! It’s just poor storytelling. To add insult to injury, the whole thing is overly long! The film is set in the 1970s, but then, for no reason, halfway through, it cuts to the present day, showing us some University students researching the story we’re watching. That device adds literally nothing to the story, other than breaking the flow, and giving us an epilogue which again, provides us with no answers. The film was beautifully shot, and the period is brilliantly realized; it all looks completely authentic. But all those efforts are wasted on a film that deliberately creates a puzzle, but provides no satisfying solution. Sure, life may be that way, but one of the reasons we watch movies is so we can make sense of life, not to be further confused by it! ‘Disappointing’ is the perfect word to describe this film, more so because it was actually engaging, despite everything I’ve said! The characters were really well-defined, and seemed real (I have no idea if this is based on a true story, but it gives the impression that it could be). There were also some great cinematic sequences, but it’s all for nothing if the story leaves you baffled. Man, this film could have been great! It had all the ingredients, but in the end, it was just half-baked. SO disappointing!  This feature-length anime is set before the introduction of Yuji Itadori, so he doesn’t feature in it at all, which is kinda disappointing. Instead, the film introduces a new character, Yuta, who’s entire arc is the focus of this film.
Yuta isn’t as likeable as Yuji Itadori; he’s a bit of a sad-sack, and a victim of bullying, and his storyline isn’t as compelling as any of the stories in the main anime. It’s very much a companion piece, showing us how much of a total badass Saturo Gojo is, whilst also whetting our appetite for season 2 of the series! The artwork and animation are superb, and the movie is good! If you’re a fan of Jujutsu Kaisen, watching this is a no-brainer.  I started watching this anime because my nephew’s into it, and I have to say, I really liked it!
The protagonist, Yuji Itadori is a happy-go-lucky character that wants to do good, and doesn’t take life too seriously; he’s really likeable, as every good protagonist should be! I also like the fact that it’s set in the present, in Tokyo, and not some fantasy world. The artwork and animation are all superb, as is the story. The first season has High School vibes about it, which is fun. Nothing more to say, except, get on it!  I liked the way this movie was filmed, with it’s ‘cool-blue’ nighttime shots, cool cars and a cool looking protagonist. It was reminiscent of the crime thrillers of the 80s and 90s.
That said, the characters and dialogue were completely cliché! We have the good cop in a corrupt police force, whose marriage is on the rocks, the aloof loner that meets a girl who makes him think twice about his life of crime, and the disgruntled employee that has a score to settle with her sexist boss. There’s nothing new here, and you can see it all coming from a mile away, but that’s no different than a lot of movies, and at least with this film, you enjoy the ride. It’s a good film. The tone and music were on point, as was the pacing. Chris Hemsworth has enough movie-star charisma to make his character appealing, and the supporting cast are more than capable of adding heft to their (lightweight) roles. I liked it. You think you know what’s going to happen in the end, because all crime stories have to end a certain way; a mainstream narrative cannot suggest that a life of crime pays (even though it often does), but fortunately the ending achieves it in a way that we don’t usually see. Worth a trip to the cinema so go see it.  I’ve been avoiding plays recently, as they’re all so damn depressing, and with the world being what it is, I don’t need to be bummed out any further!
That said, getting to see great actors perform live, in front of your very eyes, is one of the main appeals of theatre, so if great actors are involved, I’ll still go see a play. That’s how I ended up going to see ‘Shadowlands’ and I’m so glad I did! The play was brilliant! Witty, poignant and even philosophical; it really forced me to look at my own life, as all great art does. I knew nothing about C.S. Lewis, other than the fact that he was the author of the ‘Narnia’ books, none of which I’ve read, and I haven’t seen the movie version of this play, so I was basically going in blind, which is the best way to view anything really. The story really moved me. ‘Lewis’ is a devout Christian and a bachelor in his late fifties, having never found love, nor married; when he meets a particular lady, he is forced to challenge his beliefs, not only about love, but also his relationship with God, and the belief that God is benevolent. It’s tragic that when he finally does find love, it takes so much for him to act on it. There’s a lesson here for all of us, and for me especially. What have you done for love? Me? Nothing. I want love, the same as anyone, but I don’t do much to get it. Chat to a few chicks, get rejected (these days), move on, chat to a few more. Rinse and repeat. I think the hard part is finding the right person; but in the case of ‘Lewis’, even after he’s found the right person, he can’t admit it to himself, until it’s too late. Like most of us, he can’t seem to get out of his own way! The life-affirming part of it all is that he does actually find love, even though it’s late in life, and he’s so grateful for it, no matter how brief it may be. The show was full of humour and clever dialogue, and the actors were superb. I loved the wardrobe too! A really great show, that speaks to the fault in all of us, whether we’re in love or not; get out of your own way! Take risks! Don’t die with regrets, or thoughts of what could have been!! Easier said than done to be honest, especially when it comes to love… It’s a shame that we’re so ruled by fear and comfort, that it often takes a shock to the system to shake us out of our complacency. Anyway, a great play! Now excuse me whilst I book that trip to Italy I’ve been putting off for the past twenty years!  I went to see this show on a whim, knowing absolutely nothing about it beforehand, and I’m so glad I did. It had almost everything I look for in a show; good music, a heartfelt story, and an uplifting ending! The only thing it lacked was impressive dance numbers and a sense of spectacle!
It was really life-affirming, and that’s what I love to see! Reminding us that each person does their best to get on with life and greet it with a smile, despite all the struggles. Life these days is more atomized and lonelier than ever, and we really need to make an effort to connect with one another, because one chance meeting really can alter a person’s day, and maybe even their entire life. Not much more to say really. Go see it if you get the chance!  I watched this classic for the first time, and I have to say, It’s bloody good!
It’s amazing just how good old Hollywood movies are compared to the ‘safe slop’ they serve up these days. Filmmakers and actors were allowed to take risks, making morality plays that bring to life stories about deplorable characters, whilst shining a light on the corruption in our world. That’s what this film does, and does without being preachy. At first, it took me a while to get used to the fast-paced, ‘jazz-riff’ style of dialogue, where the characters speak in colloquial metaphors and witty insults; a type of slang that seems like a caricature of the ‘gumshoe’ detective novel. Once you’re used to it, it’s almost Shakespearean in how it conveys meaning so succinctly. It’s hard to imagine a time when newspaper columnists wielded so much power; they were practically celebrities, deciding what the news was, and who was guilty or innocent. That’s the period this film takes place in, with everyone trying to curry the favour of ‘J.J. Hunsecker’ so he can write stories in their favour. Of course, power corrupts, and this is a satire about how that world operates. Tony Curtis is perfect as the fast-talking, bullsh!tting publicist who would literally sell his own mother if it meant he could make a quick buck! He’s charming, witty, and full of crap! Burt Lancaster is also perfect as the aloof, morally superior columnist ‘J.J. Hunsecker’, who’s only too happy to do favours when it suits his (often insidious) purpose, but acting like such things are beneath him. What’s great about this film, aside from the swift pacing and lean storytelling (there’s not a superfluous moment!), is that it gives centre stage to two of the most shady characters in the story! There are morally virtuous characters, and a lesser film would have made them the protagonists, but here we revel in the company of people we aren’t ordinarily privy to be in the company of. The film also effectively lifts the lid on the kind of corruption that is no doubt still prevalent in the news media, without making that the focus of the story, and as said, without being preachy. It’s also a very entertaining film! The fact that a good film can be so multi-faced, say so much about character, and the world we inhabit, whilst also simply being ‘a good story’, reminds us of the power of good movies. It’s a shame that the practitioners in the modern-era seem to have forgotten all this, and strive to make films that appeal to ‘everyone’, and thus speak to no-one. Anyway, check it out! Great film.  I watched it for the first time, and I REALLY liked it!
Such a stylish and original film. The tone, the music, the cinematography; all brilliant, as were the actors. But what really made it so enjoyable, was the story! The device of a story within a story is nothing new, but usually one of them is weaker than the other; in this film, both were equally compelling. I really appreciated the fact that I couldn’t see where the film was going, which is pretty rare, especially with ‘Hollywood’ movies. I was completely invested in the characters, in both stories. There is some conjecture about how one story relates to the other, and I think the novel being read, is a metaphor for the relationship the main character had with the author.. somehow. It definitely requires some contemplation; but the great thing about the film is, even if you just take it at face value, and treat it as two unrelated stories, it still works, because as said, both stories are equally good and work on their own merit. I also liked the way the director let each shot sit and breathe; he wasn’t in a rush to cut to the next one, but equally, the shots didn’t linger past their point of interest. It was just good, unhurried, pacing. This meant we could enjoy the acting; Amy Adams in particular, was mesmerising; her eyes just shone. The ending was a bit abrupt, and to be honest, Amy Adams’ character doesn’t receive much of a ‘revenge’, but it is often stated that her ex-husband was weak, so that’s clearly the reason why. Speaking of which, that’s one of the main themes of the film; the torment of being a ‘weak man’, something that is utterly unforgivable in this world. A man’s sensitive nature may be tolerated by some, for a while, but a weak man cannot survive without suffering. Great film, and definitely worth watching!  I started watching this because I loved ‘Gomorrah’ (La Serie), and felt like more of the same. Also, I thought the setting of Rome would be grander and more epic.
Obviously, it wasn’t as good as ‘Gomorrah’, and I never expected it to be, and because of the limited use of locations, Rome didn’t look that impressive either. That said, there was enough meat on the bones to keep me watching for all three seasons, and to be fair, it was a good watch, which I enjoyed. The main problem with the show, was the fact that none of the characters were that likeable! They were all corrupt and self-centred, so there’s no clear hero. ‘Aureliano’ who’s clearly the main character, is a d!ck most of the time; as are the rest of the characters! I’ve since discovered that this series is a spin-off of a movie that came out a few years before the show, and the show is actually a prequel! So I’m looking forward to watching the film next. Not sure if I’ll watch the follow-up show, ‘Suburraeterna’, as reviews seem poor, but we’ll see. That said, I still have a hunger to see more Italian crime dramas! |
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A chronicle of films, shows, and theatre I've seen, as well as books I've read, and talks I've attended. Archives
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