Movies
Prometheus, 2012 - ★★
I had hopes: Ridley. A compelling story. Horror Sci-Fi.
Instead, what we have here is an "If it ain't broken, don't fix it" movie based on a tested and proven formula from Ridley's successful Alien movies. It's too much of the same to be unique. Where Alien was ahead of its time championing Weaver as Ripley (not to be confused with the director... or perhaps that's part of the point?), this movie is running after the trope's wagon, waving its hand desperately, "hey! Wait for me!"
The main problem we have here is lack of character development. There are too many secondary folks mixed with special effects and dark alien horror for this to happen. The movie's too busy telling us a unique story, providing background, and wowing us with special effects, all of this while also introducing the characters all at once, and as a result, it all feels too shallow. So I didn't care. Not when someone died, not about the story, and not about the movie.
It's a shame because if the movie would slow down a bit and take its time (squeals perhaps?), we'd have something much better that would get me invested. Instead, it's a marathon of flashy black oozy horror in a "been there, done that" sort of a feeling. Back to Alien for me.
Baba Yaga, 1973 - ★½
For me, this was high hopes, low delivery. It goes to show that foreign doesn't necessarily mean sophisticated.
The story consists of a bunch of tropes mashed together. The bad: witches, BDSM, lesbians, and orgasms (combined with those). The good: men, vanilla sex, and orgasms (combined with those). Yes, it's from the 1970s, and I should expect the glorious age of knights in shiny armor who push themselves upon competent women who turn them away but somehow lose all ability of self-discipline toward the end and need help to be saved.
This would be boring enough, but see, Carroll Baker works well as Baba Yaga; her piercing eyes bewitched me, and fell under her spell. She has depth, the only one in the cast who seems to be more than a paper-cut character... but no. She's evil, she's a witch, and even though she seems to care about a lot of things (including the well-being of the women under her control, at least at the start), all of this goes to hell when (oh no!) the BDSM scene comes out. The poor lady, all she wanted was another plaything for her and her sub to have some fun with. Instead, she falls into a hole just when things get interesting, to the tune of "Here Comes Your Man" as our knight shows up to make sure all crooked, beautiful things break down to fit nicely into a happy, appropriate ending. Behhh.
Still, I enjoyed some of the cinematography going on. A few nice tricks in a movie lacking a budget for special effects show that you don't need to go far to get a nice spell-like story going.
Anatomy of a Fall, 2023 - ★★★½
I made a mistake. I went in thinking "murder mystery," but the real death in this movie is the fairy tale of a perfect marriage. And it's brutal.
The acting in the film is so authentic and so close to home, this movie feels more like a documentary to me than fiction. Many families go through the same thing, perhaps not to the extreme that is required from a movie to attract an audience, but the drama and intensity are all there. As a matter of fact, I could argue that in a way it's worse since it lasts and continues into your teenage years and adulthood. These things shape you and your opinions of relationships forever.
As someone who grew up with parents fighting constantly to the point of a divorce, this was an odd healing experience. "Someone had the same life I had, but it ended up even worse," I told myself. And I don't even need to feel guilty since this is fiction; yet, it is so real I know the writers of this movie must have gone through the same things I did.
There is a point in this movie where one of the characters explains how deep desperation looks like, the kind that leads to a bottomless depression. I nodded in my seat and thought, I wish I could explain it this well. Thankfully, someone made this movie.
Be warned, if you have a past or familiarity with intense fighting and/or divorce (I want to say, who doesn't these days?), this movie will rip you apart. For me, this proved to be a healing experience, a confirmation of the choices my family made, and later I did, as an adult. The friend who watched it with me was not OK after this movie ended and needed to recover.
No One Will Save You, 2023 - ★★½
You know the taste of a well-done steak left on the grill a bit too long? They add more spices in, some more exotic than others, to make it interesting, but really what it does is to try to compensate for the somewhat burned flavor.
This is not a bad movie. I've seen some horrific movies, and not in the fun Halloween way. It's entertaining and good to watch with a friend - or a few even - with a drink, which is fine. It's fine.
It's just not the kind of movie that fucks with your head. It doesn't have the ability to do so. It starts with familiar tropes, and you can guess what happens quite easily all the way to the end.
To her defense, Dever delivers a good performance. I bet she'd have a couple of good things to say if only the movie would let her (the film is almost 100% speech-free, for "reasons.") the quality of the effects is also alright, but in this day and age when nearly every horny 20 year old can create deepfakes of their most disturbed fantasies, I don't think it's much of an achievement.
The main issue of this film is the plot. It's there, somewhere, a basic and familiar one we've seen before, and it could work well. The film's trying to do this little dance of "maybe it's all in her head?" But it's clumsy, and it gets stepped over by the special effects. Speaking of those - the aliens (it says there are aliens in the description, so I'm not spoiling anything, right?) are a bad joke of monsters you get in horror films. You can't tell if they're messing around or really are that dumb because if they are, how in the world (or Mars, or whatever) can they fly those spaceships?
You want a pizza night with a drink and a couple of friends? This is it. You want good psychological horror to keep you up at night, second-guessing your life? Move on, this ain't it.
Golda, 2023 - ★★★½
I read a review somewhere that Mirren can play many roles, but Israel's Golda Meir is not one of them. Bullshit.
Mirren is the gem of the movie. If you disconnect yourself from the history lesson angle and embrace the movie as a portrait of one of the strongest world leaders (say what you will, but she was the leader of a country during one of its worst wars), I think you'd appreciate how both women - the actress and the woman - mesh well together. It's the cast around Mirren (Heuberger specifically, as well as a couple of others) that don't rise to the occasion as I felt they should.
As an Israeli with an uncle who is a Yom Kippur war veteran and his big sister as my mother who lived through this war, I can tell you the movie doesn't stray much from facts. The yellings of the troops, the news blurbs, and even the curtain at Golda's apartment (my grandma had these) are real. Lots of details and effort were put into the movie to make sure it's as close to reality as possible.
I came out of the movie asking myself, who's this movie for? It's too real and too Israeli for the majority of the American public to relate to. It's too American and "Holywood" for Israelis to take it seriously. Perhaps the Jewish-American audience, who's looking for heroism from a passing era. Sad, but true.
Blade Runner, 1982 - ★★★★
I watched Blade Runner more than once, but this time, I did so after reading Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep. To me, there's no question about it: the movie is much better. No, let me rephrase this. The film is on a different plane.
There's a moment early in the movie where Ford (Decker) walks into the police station to talk to his old boss, who sits in a booth in an otherwise large hall. The camera pans slowly from the heights of the ceiling, showing us a dissolute police station that looks more like a train terminal with rows of empty seats. At one point, it crosses through the ceiling of the smaller booth inside the hall; this is where I paused the film for a moment to admire the details. On the booth roof, among the debrief, there were pieces of facade from the walls next to something that looked like an old rake and a few more pieces of trash. A shot of perhaps 2 seconds showing us junk, nothing significant - and yet, so much attention to detail. Someone thought about this trash, and someone was creative about this trash. This movie goes above and beyond to give you details.
A rich world with future society lights and music aside for a moment (I could go on for an hour about these alone), we have to talk about the actors. There is, of course, Rutger Hauer as Roy Battey and the famous tears in the rain. But Harrison Ford and Sean Young come close second, even when they recite lines from the book that seem a bit out of place. The supporting cast provides additional gravity to the world (Edward James Olmos as Gaff is one of my favorites). And then there's the music, a rich soundtrack I could listen to on a long commute, humming along.
But what makes this movie a masterpiece is not all that there is there, lying in front of us. It's what it implies. Especially today, it brings up the topic of what it means to be a minority group and how, under a certain light, one group can be morally exterminated. It asks us what makes us human and has us watch tests trying to prove just that and (in light of the end of the film) fail spectacularly. It also gives us a vision toward a future, in my opinion, better than the one in the book (which seems to focus more on religion and its role in human life). A future where everyone's different, but everyone's the same. A depressing shadow of a world that was destroyed (was it the war mentioned in the book? An environmental catastrophe? Doesn't really matter) due to the apathy of its inhabitants.
I'm going to watch this one again.
Grumpy Old Men, 1993 - ★★★
I felt like I wanted to watch something lighter, and this was definitely it. It's the 90s through and through, with humor and the budding start of giving women a role that's going a bit beyond (but not enough) the constant cringy 80s roles. Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon are of different time periods, but that doesn't mean they can't deliver good comical relief today.
Grumpy Old Men, 1993 - ★★★
I felt like I wanted to watch something lighter, and this was definitely it. It's the 90s through and through, with humor and the budding start of giving women a role that's going a bit beyond (but not enough) the constant cringy 80s roles. Walter Matthau and Jack Lemmon are of different time periods, but that doesn't mean they can't deliver good comical relief today.
Joyland, 2022 - ★★★★
When this movie starts throwing punches, it doesn’t let go. Joyland has many layers that are both beautiful and terrible. It’s culturally refreshing, emotionally draining, romantically charming, gender and traditions devastating. It’s a milestone when you consider its Pakistani origins.
What I immediately liked the most about it was its slice-of-life manner of delivery. Nothing is fantastical. The actors are authentic and candid (especially Alina Khan and Rasti Farooq). You get a front-row sit into the intimate life of a family who could easily be your neighbors, sans the language and the country. The assumed culture is, surprisingly, too uncomfortably close to home.
Go in emotionally prepared and with a box of tissues nearby. This one’s gonna hurt.
Joyland, 2022 - ★★★★
When this movie starts throwing punches, it doesn’t let go. Joyland has many layers that are both beautiful and terrible. It’s culturally refreshing, emotionally draining, romantically charming, gender and traditions devastating. It’s a milestone when you consider its Pakistani origins.
What I immediately liked the most about it was its slice-of-life manner of delivery. Nothing is fantastical. The actors are authentic and candid (especially Alina Khan and Rasti Farooq). You get a front-row sit into the intimate life of a family who could easily be your neighbors, sans the language and the country. The assumed culture is, surprisingly, too uncomfortably close to home.
Go in emotionally prepared and with a box of tissues nearby. This one’s gonna hurt.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, 2018 - ★★★
A collection of shorts by the Cohen brothers that takes place in their favorite time period. Some are golden nuggets, and some are just, well, ain't that good. All in all, it was fun to watch them. I don't think I can go wrong with the Cohen bros. Solid and fun acting, good storytelling, and symbolism you may or may not miss.
The Ballad of Buster Scruggs, 2018 - ★★★
A collection of shorts by the Cohen brothers that takes place in their favorite time period. Some are golden nuggets, and some are just, well, ain't that good. All in all, it was fun to watch them. I don't think I can go wrong with the Cohen bros. Solid and fun acting, good storytelling, and symbolism you may or may not miss.
A Man Called Otto, 2022 - ★★★
A tested and proven formula, the other movie that comes to mind immediately for me is Gran Torino. Tom Hanks pulls off a more likable human being than Clint Eastwood, which is part of the point. Hank's Anderson is also less realistic than Eastwood's Kowalski, which is (maybe) also part of the point: grumpy old men don't usually accept people as they are (Anderson), but how they seem (Kowalski) - at least at first.
Still, it's good to see how movies change to adopt our reality as it is, with our neighbors being of every background, gender, and ethnicity. Or maybe it's just the New Yorker in me speaking.
A film full of symbolism, from big hearts to loyalty to principles (and where these principles get you in life), this movie was mostly entertaining, not educating.
A Man Called Otto, 2022 - ★★★
A tested and proven formula, the other movie that comes to mind immediately for me is Gran Torino. Tom Hanks pulls off a more likable human being than Clint Eastwood, which is part of the point. Hank's Anderson is also less realistic than Eastwood's Kowalski, which is (maybe) also part of the point: grumpy old men don't usually accept people as they are (Anderson), but how they seem (Kowalski) - at least at first.
Still, it's good to see how movies change to adopt our reality as it is, with our neighbors being of every background, gender, and ethnicity. Or maybe it's just the New Yorker in me speaking.
A film full of symbolism, from big hearts to loyalty to principles (and where these principles get you in life), this movie was mostly entertaining, not educating.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, 1964 - ★★★★
I'm sorry I haven't watched this sooner. A masterful Satire, frighteningly still related today almost as it was in the 1960s. This movie should go on the "need to watch" list of those who, unfortunately, will never watch it or will miss the message altogether.
The drumroll of the bomb run is so catchy I've made a phone ring out of it, hopefully to be listened to by other passengers on a subway car one day as a reminder.
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, 1964 - ★★★★
I'm sorry I haven't watched this sooner. A masterful Satire, frighteningly still related today almost as it was in the 1960s. This movie should go on the "need to watch" list of those who, unfortunately, will never watch it or will miss the message altogether.
The drumroll of the bomb run is so catchy I've made a phone ring out of it, hopefully to be listened to by other passengers on a subway car one day as a reminder.
Tetris, 2023 - ★★★½
This movie surprised me for the better. I thought this was going to be a flashy movie about a classic video game - which it is - but there's more. Egerton (Henk Rogers) delivers a good act as the only un-crooked businessman around in this sophisticated spy story thriller. The art direction is excellent, with a few cherries on the top at well-orchestrated moments. A typical Hollywood movie with smarty-pants glasses, this delivered entertainment in abundance.
Tetris, 2023 - ★★★½
This movie surprised me for the better. I thought this was going to be a flashy movie about a classic video game - which it is - but there's more. Egerton (Henk Rogers) delivers a good act as the only un-crooked businessman around in this sophisticated spy story thriller. The art direction is excellent, with a few cherries on the top at well-orchestrated moments. A typical Hollywood movie with smarty-pants glasses, this delivered entertainment in abundance.
The Thing, 2011 - ★★★
I'm not sure I watched The Thing, or I don't remember if I did, but this movie makes me want to watch the original. The story is not too unique, but the execution kept me guessing and entertained. This is a good movie to watch with friends while eating popcorn. Don't eat meat though; it might come back up.
The Thing, 2011 - ★★★
I'm not sure I watched The Thing, or I don't remember if I did, but this movie makes me want to watch the original. The story is not too unique, but the execution kept me guessing and entertained. This is a good movie to watch with friends while eating popcorn. Don't eat meat though; it might come back up.