Film The Redcafe Movie review thread

[Wing Attack Plan R]

Imo, the entire trilogy of films is shit. I'm not big on Tom Holland as Spider-Man. Can't really stand Zendaya in her role either. The plots and villains of the first two don't really 'hit', in my opinion. I do agree that the only reason the third is better is because of the nostalgia factor. That's about it.

Same. Didn't feel it with either actor. Spider-Man is supposed to be a short, skinny, 15-year-old high school nerd, with "self-obsessions with rejection, inadequacy, and loneliness". How hard is it to cast someone that fits that bill? Tobey Maguire was not nerdy enough and too old (27 in the first one), Andrew Garfield was too tall, too old (29), and not nerdy. Tom Holland looks like a gangster from the 30s, like Babyface Nelson, he's small but wiry and not young enough (20) or nerdy.

 

[Dirty Schwein]

Back to the Future
So many quotable lines and iconic moments 8.5/10

 

[Rooney in Paris]

I saw May December yesterday, and while I didn't connect with it emotionally, I've got to admit it's a pretty stunning film in what it's trying to do. The whole tonality of it is quite fascinating, almost as if Todd Haynes himself doesn't quite know how to handle the material at hand - is it funny, is it dramatic, is it gross, should it be judgemental, is it camp - so it's sort of all over the place but it weirdly works. Even the main musical theme of the film has a duality to it. The rivalry/friendship between Portman and Moore's characters is well handled without being forced, and while both actresses are great, it's Charles Melton that steals the show in his portrayal of a man-child whose youth was stolen from him and who doesn't really know how to deal with life. The scene where his 17/18yo son gets him to try weed for the first time is poignant and heartbreaking, and you can't help but feel sorry for him throughout. The film sticks its landing with Moore's last words to Portman's character, and then the latter's final scene showing a level of perversion that you wouldn't have necessarily imagined from her in the early stages of the film.

Anyway, it's an odd one but it's definitely interesting. A trip to the cinema is not particularly necessary for this one and I'm not sure I'll ever re-watch it, but it's worth seeing if you like Todd Haynes's stuff - I'm not particularly a huge fan of his, but I like the moral ambivalence in a lot of his films and I feel this one is a particularly good example of this.

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

Anatomy Of A Fall (2023)
Finally got around to watching this. It's very well done with some terrific acting. The story is whether a woman's husband was murdered or committed suicide. The woman, played by Sandra Hüller, is excellent. She switches between German, French, and English as the situation calls for, and it's part of the character, that language somehow makes her suspect. The lawyer friend, Swann Arlaud, and her son are really good too. The son is probably the best young actor I've seen since Haley Osment. This movie is engaging and intriguing without being lurid. If there were to be an American remake, they would jettison the ambiguity in favor of salaciousness. Anyway, really good film.

Sandra Hüller would get my vote for Best Actress for this.

9/10

 

[Cheimoon]

Moonlight - Barry Jenkins's 2016 Oscar-winning drama about a gay black man growing up in a black community in Miami.

This was interesting on various levels. It's obviously a good film (and I'll add that I was aided by reviews I read afterwards to realize some of these aspects) - there is a lot of great acting (I'm a fan of Mahershala Ali in particular, across a whole bunch of movies), interesting use of camera, many strong shots, good music, and so and so forth. The plot is also well construed, addressing numerous themes (in particular masculinity and sexuality), and especially the main character's transformation in the third act is a strong plot point (from a lanky, awkward guy to a buff dude[/ispoiler that [ispoilerdominates those around him, all to avoid appearing gay or uncertain - yes, I like these ispoiler tags ). Moreover, the film is historically important due to being, apparently, 'the first LGBTQ-themed mass-marketed feature film with an all-black cast'.

So, great - but it didn't do much for me. (Or my wife, for that matter.) I could see its qualities (or some of them, anyway), but the film just didn't much move or captivate me. Which is interesting actually: it probably matters here that I'm a white, heterosexual male, and therefore pretty far removed from the film's key themes and concerns. I guess that's similar to how women, racialized populations, and many others often feel when they watch yet another one of those white male-dominated, heterosexually focused films that constitute the vast, vast, VAST majority of mainstream cinema.

So I am not too sure how to rate this. But I will say that I personally liked Jenkins's If Beale Street Could Talk better (which is a great film). I gave that a 4/5, so I guess this was a 3/5 for me.

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Moonlight - Barry Jenkins's 2016 Oscar-winning drama about a gay black man growing up in a black community in Miami.

This was interesting on various levels. It's obviously a good film (and I'll add that I was aided by reviews I read afterwards to realize some of these aspects) - there is a lot of great acting (I'm a fan of Mahershala Ali in particular, across a whole bunch of movies), interesting use of camera, many strong shots, good music, and so and so forth. The plot is also well construed, addressing numerous themes (in particular masculinity and sexuality), and especially the main character's transformation in the third act is a strong plot point (from a lanky, awkward guy to a buff dude[/ispoiler that [ispoilerdominates those around him, all to avoid appearing gay or uncertain - yes, I like these ispoiler tags ). Moreover, the film is historically important due to being, apparently, 'the first LGBTQ-themed mass-marketed feature film with an all-black cast'.

So, great - but it didn't do much for me. (Or my wife, for that matter.) I could see its qualities (or some of them, anyway), but the film just didn't much move or captivate me. Which is interesting actually: it probably matters here that I'm a white, heterosexual male, and therefore pretty far removed from the film's key themes and concerns. I guess that's similar to how women, racialized populations, and many others often feel when they watch yet another one of those white male-dominated, heterosexually focused films that constitute the vast, vast, VAST majority of mainstream cinema.

So I am not too sure how to rate this. But I will say that I personally liked Jenkins's If Beale Street Could Talk better (which is a great film). I gave that a 4/5, so I guess this was a 3/5 for me.

At the end of the day, the rating doesn't really matter (and I'm constantly amazed at why people find them important or relevant). You shared that you thought it was a good film but that it didn't particularly strike an emotional chord for you, that you didn't connect with it, which is fine. I think that's sufficient for people to decide whether or not they'll want to watch it.

I personally believe it's an absolutely gorgeous film, and I love all 3 iterations of Chiron - in relation to @Wing Attack Plan R's post just above (could be a fun thread in fact), the kid version is one of the best child actor interpretations I've seen, and the teenage version is extraordinary in the vulnerability and awkwardness he conveys on screen. And yeah, Mahershala Ali is great.

 

[ChrisNelson]

Bob Marley: One Love

I was underwhelmed by this. I'd heard good things from people who'd seen it but I just don't think it engaged enough in terms of the story of the peace concert or Bob's life in general.

It would have worked better with a full bio of how he got in to music etc. but the fact it jumps straight in to when he was already famous just doesn't help. There's not enough background on why the country was on the brink of a civil war, just a background news report showing clips of the two political rivals giving speeches.

Feel like this film is a huge missed opportunity.

6.5/10

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

Bob Marley: One Love

I was underwhelmed by this. I'd heard good things from people who'd seen it but I just don't think it engaged enough in terms of the story of the peace concert or Bob's life in general.

It would have worked better with a full bio of how he got in to music etc. but the fact it jumps straight in to when he was already famous just doesn't help. There's not enough background on why the country was on the brink of a civil war, just a background news report showing clips of the two political rivals giving speeches.

Feel like this film is a huge missed opportunity.

6.5/10

How's the footy in this?

 

[Organic Potatoes]

Harakiri

The highest rated film on Letterboxd (more than 5k votes) for good reason. I was hooked from beginning to end. Dark, heart-breaking and well-written.

Top 10 personal all-time for me. A classic that perhaps slips under the radar for some.

 

[ChrisNelson]

How's the footy in this?

I'm not following

 

[Unam333]

Anaconda (2024)

Very straightforward Chinese horror-comedy movie. The CGI is pretty decent in this one and I constantly felt that I was watching a Japanese fan service anime or something like that. I was surprised this passed the Chinese censorship.

7.5 out of 10

 

[Cheimoon]

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind: a '1984 Japanese animated post-apocalyptic fantasy film' (thanks Wikipedia) from Hayao Miyazaki - yes, him of Studio Ghibli, but this film technically precedes the creates of Ghibli. Anyway, it's about a time where large parts of the world has become toxic and ruled by giant insects. In one sheltered valley, a group is doing fine in its isolation, but things heat up when they get drawn into the ambitions of other groups. I'll leave at it that, except to say that the protagonist is the valley group's princess (Nausicaä), a sort of awesome warrior who does still appreciate nature and wants to understand it better.

I have to admit I didn't really know much of Miyazaki's output: I have once seen Spirited Away, but I guess I wasn't paying attention cause I can't remember much (I don't even know if I liked it); and I've seen just a few minutes of My Neighbour Totoro and Howl's Moving Castle. Given all the plaudits these films get, I figured I should change that when I found out all of Miyazaki's films are on our Netflix (except for his early The Castle of Cagliostro). And good thing I did, cause this was amazing. A great story (intriguing until the hand) told through a strong protagonist, and of course amazing visually. Some good themes, too. 4/5

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind: a '1984 Japanese animated post-apocalyptic fantasy film' (thanks Wikipedia) from Hayao Miyazaki - yes, him of Studio Ghibli, but this film technically precedes the creates of Ghibli. Anyway, it's about a time where large parts of the world has become toxic and ruled by giant insects. In one sheltered valley, a group is doing fine in its isolation, but things heat up when they get drawn into the ambitions of other groups. I'll leave at it that, except to say that the protagonist is the valley group's princess (Nausicaä), a sort of awesome warrior who does still appreciate nature and wants to understand it better.

I have to admit I didn't really know much of Miyazaki's output: I have once seen Spirited Away, but I guess I wasn't paying attention cause I can't remember much (I don't even know if I liked it); and I've seen just a few minutes of My Neighbour Totoro and Howl's Moving Castle. Given all the plaudits these films get, I figured I should change that when I found out all of Miyazaki's films are on our Netflix (except for his early The Castle of Cagliostro). And good thing I did, cause this was amazing. A great story (intriguing until the hand) told through a strong protagonist, and of course amazing visually. Some good themes, too. 4/5

I've recently started watching Miyazaki's stuff, my girlfriend grew up with them and adores them so it's a nice thing to share, and I have to say there's not one I haven't liked so far with several which have blown me away. We haven't yet gotten round to Nausicaa, but Spirited Away, Howl's moving castle, Mononoke, Castle in the sky are all extraordinary, I really recommend them. Such a different rhythm and vibe to Western animation, and the subtext of most of them is quite moving/sad/engaging.

 

[Cheimoon]

I've recently started watching Miyazaki's stuff, my girlfriend grew up with them and adores them so it's a nice thing to share, and I have to say there's not one I haven't liked so far with several which have blown me away. We haven't yet gotten round to Nausicaa, but Spirited Away, Howl's moving castle, Mononoke, Castle in the sky are all extraordinary, I really recommend them. Such a different rhythm and vibe to Western animation, and the subtext of most of them is quite moving/sad/engaging.

I think part of my problem is that I've come to see as animation as being for kids. As in, they might touch on serious themes, but they're also cuddly and end well and everything else. And so I tend to not want to watch those on my own time, I see enough of that with my kids. But obviously that's the diet of Pixar / Disney / Dreamworks / Sony / other stuff on Netflix that I've been having (a lot of it through my kids as well), cause it doesn't have to be like that at all, and Nausicaä isn't a kids film (even if I could watch it with my kids as well).

Anyway, I'm sure you'll love it when you get to it, and I'm looking forward to my next one. I'm doing them chronologically, so Castle in the Sky is next.

 

[Sweet Square]

I think part of my problem is that I've come to see as animation as being for kids. time

Satoshi Kon films - Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers and Paprika are great animations films made for adults. Perfect Blue in particular is a incredible fecked up thriller.

 

[Vidyoyo]

Nausicaä of the Valley of the Wind: a '1984 Japanese animated post-apocalyptic fantasy film' (thanks Wikipedia) from Hayao Miyazaki - yes, him of Studio Ghibli, but this film technically precedes the creates of Ghibli. Anyway, it's about a time where large parts of the world has become toxic and ruled by giant insects. In one sheltered valley, a group is doing fine in its isolation, but things heat up when they get drawn into the ambitions of other groups. I'll leave at it that, except to say that the protagonist is the valley group's princess (Nausicaä), a sort of awesome warrior who does still appreciate nature and wants to understand it better.

I have to admit I didn't really know much of Miyazaki's output: I have once seen Spirited Away, but I guess I wasn't paying attention cause I can't remember much (I don't even know if I liked it); and I've seen just a few minutes of My Neighbour Totoro and Howl's Moving Castle. Given all the plaudits these films get, I figured I should change that when I found out all of Miyazaki's films are on our Netflix (except for his early The Castle of Cagliostro). And good thing I did, cause this was amazing. A great story (intriguing until the hand) told through a strong protagonist, and of course amazing visually. Some good themes, too. 4/5

It's not just me who gets serious Dune vibes from Nausicaa is it? All the ecology themes and saviour stuff in particular.

Satoshi Kon films - Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers and Paprika are great animations films made for adults. Perfect Blue in particular is a incredible fecked up thriller.

And yet you somehow missed his best and most complex film from this list. Shame on you boy.

Anatomy Of A Fall (2023)
Finally got around to watching this. It's very well done with some terrific acting. The story is whether a woman's husband was murdered or committed suicide. The woman, played by Sandra Hüller, is excellent. She switches between German, French, and English as the situation calls for, and it's part of the character, that language somehow makes her suspect. The lawyer friend, Swann Arlaud, and her son are really good too. The son is probably the best young actor I've seen since Haley Osment. This movie is engaging and intriguing without being lurid. If there were to be an American remake, they would jettison the ambiguity in favor of salaciousness. Anyway, really good film.

Sandra Hüller would get my vote for Best Actress for this.

9/10

Glad this is getting some love. I thought it was riveting

 

[Cheimoon]

Forgot to respond to this.

At the end of the day, the rating doesn't really matter (and I'm constantly amazed at why people find them important or relevant). You shared that you thought it was a good film but that it didn't particularly strike an emotional chord for you, that you didn't connect with it, which is fine. I think that's sufficient for people to decide whether or not they'll want to watch it.

Yeah, I agree. I didn't use to rate films at all. But it's its own bit of fun. Although I find that I rate everything I didn't like as 2/5, everything good as 4/5, and everything good-but-not-great or good-enough as 3/5. It's not an exact science.

But yes, I also prefer reading people's descriptions if I want to figure out if I might like a film.

I personally believe it's an absolutely gorgeous film, and I love all 3 iterations of Chiron - in relation to @Wing Attack Plan R's post just above (could be a fun thread in fact), the kid version is one of the best child actor interpretations I've seen, and the teenage version is extraordinary in the vulnerability and awkwardness he conveys on screen. And yeah, Mahershala Ali is great.

You know, I couldn't really find fault with any of it. Well, maybe the camerawork in the first couple of minutes: the way it circles the guys and then keeps nervously twitching around immediately tired me. But that never came back. My issue is really that the film didn't much move me, which is of course an issue if you're watching a drama. And I do acknowledge it's a very personal thing, and maybe something peculiar to me. I also wasn't moved by Prisoners (I find Villeneuve often too technical to allow for real emotion, but this is not the general opinion on Prisoners), and just couldn't care about Noctural Animals (which was also highly rated, and @oneniltothearsenal made me realized all the things I missed). Maybe it's a perspective I need to learn to include in my watching; or maybe it's just like that. It's an interesting question - at least for me personally.

 

[Organic Potatoes]

I think part of my problem is that I've come to see as animation as being for kids. As in, they might touch on serious themes, but they're also cuddly and end well and everything else. And so I tend to not want to watch those on my own time, I see enough of that with my kids. But obviously that's the diet of Pixar / Disney / Dreamworks / Sony / other stuff on Netflix that I've been having (a lot of it through my kids as well), cause it doesn't have to be like that at all, and Nausicaä isn't a kids film (even if I could watch it with my kids as well).

Anyway, I'm sure you'll love it when you get to it, and I'm looking forward to my next one. I'm doing them chronologically, so Castle in the Sky is next.

If you liked Nausicaa, you’ll like the Scavengers Reign series on HBO Max. It’s highly recommended.

 

[Vidyoyo]

Also Cheiman, if you're adding animated films to your list you could always try Mamoru Oshii's movies. They're pretty adult in theme but generally just entertaining in their own right.

Ghost in the Shell, Patlabor 1 and especially 2, The Sky Crawlers.

You know, I couldn't really find fault with any of it. Well, maybe the camerawork in the first couple of minutes: the way it circles the guys and then keeps nervously twitching around immediately tired me. But that never came back. My issue is really that the film didn't much move me, which is of course an issue if you're watching a drama. And I do acknowledge it's a very personal thing, and maybe something peculiar to me. I also wasn't moved by Prisoners (I find Villeneuve often too technical to allow for real emotion, but this is not the general opinion on Prisoners), and just couldn't care about Noctural Animals (which was also highly rated, and @oneniltothearsenal made me realized all the things I missed). Maybe it's a perspective I need to learn to include in my watching; or maybe it's just like that. It's an interesting question - at least for me personally.

I also felt this way about Prisoners and Enemy. Villeneuve imo came into his own with Sicario where the story stood for itself and he relied less on making his audience uncomfortable through tone alone. He's continued doing this with Arrival, BR2049, and now the Dune movies, which have lots of those same 'dark' qualities but don't seem to rely on them completely. The blend (his style, I suppose) is magnificent now he's figured out a way to humanize his characters better.

Also generally I don't think cold movies age well. It feels like we had a lot of them in the mid-2010s and I think they were a reaction to society at the time overlooking darker things about life, but with how depressing and serious society has become in the past 3/4 years, I don't think their points feel as impactful or engaging. You need a touch of humanism to make something feel like it's not just being edgy for the sake of it now (a good recent example IMO is Tar; a bad example is Infinity Pool).

 

[Sweet Square]

And yet you somehow missed his best and most complex film from this list. Shame on you boy.

Millennium Actress ? Tbf I haven’t seen it although I’ve listen to the soundtrack a ton of times. Perfect Blue might always be my favourite of his due to the late 90’’s aesthetic.

 

[Cheimoon]

Satoshi Kon films - Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers and Paprika are great animations films made for adults. Perfect Blue in particular is a incredible fecked up thriller.

None of them are on our Netflix unfortunately!

(I know that's a poor argument, but there is so much on there that I still want to watch, that I am not going out of my way to find even more...)

It's not just me who gets serious Dune vibes from Nausicaa is it? All the ecology themes and saviour stuff in particular.

I read that on the Wikipedia page as well, as one of a number of influences (for some reason only 'western' books were listed). I guess I can see that, although I think it's only a fairly general level, in the way that all ecologically focused post-apocalyptic tales will have similarities. If you look at the non-ecological themes of Dune (the power struggles, messiah stuff, etc.), I don't really see any of that in Nausikaä. And humans also didn't mess up the planet in Dune - even if they are looking for ways to make Dune 'green'.

 

[Cheimoon]

If you liked Nausicaa, you’ll like the Scavengers Reign series on HBO Max. It’s highly recommended.

Also Cheiman, if you're adding animated films to your list you could always try Mamoru Oshii's movies. They're pretty adult in theme but generally just entertaining in their own right.

Ghost in the Shell, Patlabor 1 and especially 2, The Sky Crawlers.

A lot to keep an eye out for!

 

[Vidyoyo]

None of them are on our Netflix unfortunately!

(I know that's a poor argument, but there is so much on there that I still want to watch, that I am not going out of my way to find even more...)

I read that on the Wikipedia page as well, as one of a number of influences (for someone reason only 'western' books were listed). I guess I can see that, although I think it's only a fairly general level, in the way that all ecologically focused post-apocalyptic tales will have similarities. If you look at the non-ecological themes of Dune (the power struggles, messiah stuff, etc.), I don't really see any of that in Nausikaä. And humans also didn't mess up the planet in Dune - even if they are looking for ways to make Dune 'green'.

You're right. I was just thinking in terms of movie similarities because I'm not aware of many that have strong ecological, post-apocalyptic themes.

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

I'm not following

There’s a scene in the trailer where Bob says, “if you want to understand Bob Marley you have to play football” or something like that. He was supposed to be pretty good… but then again everyone was stoned out of their minds, it’s probably not that hard to dribble around someone.

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

content moved to other thread!

 

[Salt Bailly]

So what's everyone's rankings for the best picture nominees? I can't find a dedicated Oscars thread.

Here's my list, best to worst:

1. Oppenheimer - literally best achievement in film this year. Story, acting, directing.

2. The Zone Of Interest - a brilliant film.
3. Anatomy Of A Fall - another brilliant film, no daylight between these two.

4. Poor Things - very, very good film, no daylight between it and Past Lives.
5. Past Lives

6. American Fiction - lightweight film with no risks, but funny.
7. Barbie - high degree of difficulty, first half was great, second half poor.

8. The Holdovers - good performance from Giamatti, but manipulative, derivative, trite.
9. Maestro - showy without reason, Oscar bait wankery

10. Killers Of The Flower Moon - the worst-paced film I've seen in recent memory. Pointless, plotless, bloodless. Compared to The Irishman last year, Scorsese has fecking lost it. The Irishman wasn't great either, but stands head and shoulders above KOTFM. Maybe if this film had been directed by a first-timer, you would look at the various clever scenes as harbingers of an emerging talent, but since it's from Scorsese and half (at least) of this film is boring and doesn't work, it's more like going to see a singer who can't hit the notes anymore. It's weird ranking Barbie above KOTFM, but there you go.

https://www.redcafe.net/threads/oscars-2024.481167/

 

[caid]

Satoshi Kon films - Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers and Paprika are great animations films made for adults. Perfect Blue in particular is a incredible fecked up thriller.

I really need to watch Tokyo Godfathers again, such a great movie. Didn't know the 3 of them were made by the same person.
I love studio gibhli too, all their movies are great. Vague memories of Grave of the Fireflies being unspeakably sad and never wanting to see it again despite being fantastic.

 

[weetee]

Satoshi Kon films - Perfect Blue, Tokyo Godfathers and Paprika are great animations films made for adults. Perfect Blue in particular is a incredible fecked up thriller.

Don‘t know Perfect Blue but agreed to the other two being great. Don‘t think I would show Grave of the Fireflies to my young daughter anytime soon too.
Have you seen Metropolis (the anime)? Can‘t really recall it but it was a good watch.

Also agreed on Harakiri being great cinema. Personally love the Shaw Brothers, Touch of Zen, Human Lanterns etc stuff.

 

[Old Ma Crow]

Wonka

What a good prequel from one of my favourite childhood books. Preferred this to the previous 2 films too, especially with such a good cast. Chalamet did the character proud and Hugh Grant was a brilliant Oompa Loompa!

 

[Sweet Square]

None of them are on our Netflix unfortunately!

(I know that's a poor argument, but there is so much on there that I still want to watch, that I am not going out of my way to find even more...)

That’s a shame.

I really need to watch Tokyo Godfathers again, such a great movie. Didn't know the 3 of them were made by the same person.

Yeah it’s really impressive. Nolan and Aronofsky love to “reference”’ his work. Sadly he past away age of 46 due to cancer.

Don‘t know Perfect Blue but agreed to the other two being great.

Perfect Blue has imo more of horror vibe.

Have you seen Metropolis (the anime)? Can‘t really recall it but it was a good watch.

Oh I haven’t heard of this. Will give it a look.

 

[Goldfiessli]

Asteroid City (2023)

Very Wes Anderson. Lovely to look at even though the story is a bit hard to follow.

7.5/10

Babylon (2022)

I didn’t watch this for quite a while, because the reviews were a bit mixed, but I absolutely loved it. It’s 200% too much, but in a great way.

9.5/10

 

[Wing Attack Plan R]

Poor Things
You know all about it at this point. Emma Stone is great and very naked. The photography, sets (a lot of CGI), and costumes were very creative and fun. The story is Barbie via whoredom. I feel compelled to point out how fecking awful Mark Ruffalo is in this. He was absolutely miscast. He is a scruffy, shlubby loser, like a younger Paul Giamatti, and this role called for a handsome Lothario who would be brought low. Ruffalo has no range whatsoever, and not only does his shit accent come and go throughout the film, it comes and goes in the same sentence. Recast this thing with a decent leading man and it would have been 10x better.
I still think Sandra Hüller deserves the Oscar but won’t get it.
7/10

 

[Salt Bailly]

Poor Things
You know all about it at this point. Emma Stone is great and very naked. The photography, sets (a lot of CGI), and costumes were very creative and fun. The story is Barbie via whoredom. I feel compelled to point out how fecking awful Mark Ruffalo is in this. He was absolutely miscast. He is a scruffy, shlubby loser, like a younger Paul Giamatti, and this role called for a handsome Lothario who would be brought low. Ruffalo has no range whatsoever, and not only does his shit accent come and go throughout the film, it comes and goes in the same sentence. Recast this thing with a decent leading man and it would have been 10x better.
I still think Sandra Hüller deserves the Oscar but won’t get it.
7/10

They should've put Barbie via Whoredom on the poster

 

[Redplane]

Watched Damsel on Netflix bc I needed something non sensical in the background while doing some work.

I could barely finish it. Millie Bobby Brown has already gotten extremely long in the tooth, and her the incesant screaming in this one in the first third of the movie is already enough to make you want to turn it off. At least she's not talking much for most of it. Only the visuals are pretty nice, especially for a made for TV movie, but thats about where all the positives end. I never cared whether the main character lived or died and that's pretty damning (damseling?). I was waiting for something decent set in (pseudo) medieval times again but this wasn't it. 3/10.

 

[Cheimoon]

Pinocchio - the 2022 Guillermo del Toro version. The familiar story is recast as a drama set in fascist Italy, with the naive puppet standing for individualism and loyalism in a world that has none.

It's not as a dark as said, just quite sad overall. It's also very successful in what it's sets out to do - even if I do think it drags out the beginning bit (Carlo's story) and the middle a bit too much. Other than that, the animation looks great and the characters are very well developed. 4/5

 

[Rooney in Paris]

Poor Things
You know all about it at this point. Emma Stone is great and very naked. The photography, sets (a lot of CGI), and costumes were very creative and fun. The story is Barbie via whoredom. I feel compelled to point out how fecking awful Mark Ruffalo is in this. He was absolutely miscast. He is a scruffy, shlubby loser, like a younger Paul Giamatti, and this role called for a handsome Lothario who would be brought low. Ruffalo has no range whatsoever, and not only does his shit accent come and go throughout the film, it comes and goes in the same sentence. Recast this thing with a decent leading man and it would have been 10x better.
I still think Sandra Hüller deserves the Oscar but won’t get it.
7/10

You're mad, Buffalo was great in it.

Edit: Buffalo

 

[icehole]

Poor Things (7.5)
It's no Frankenhooker but it ain't bad.

 

[pauldyson1uk]

Coffin Rock

woman unable to conceive a child with her husband, despite 15 months of trying, makes the drunken mistake of sleeping with a young stranger. The stranger then goes to terrifying lengths to prove his paternity.
Not a bad watch, wont win any Oscars but still worth a look.

6.5/10

 

[Salt Bailly]

Pinocchio - the 2022 Benicio del Toro version. The familiar story is recast as a drama set in fascist Italy, with the naive puppet standing for individualism and loyalism in a world that has none.

It's not as a dark as said, just quite sad overall. It's also very successful in what it's sets out to do - even if I do think it drags out the beginning bit (Carlo's story) and the middle a bit too much. Other than that, the animation looks great and the characters are very well developed. 4/5

I think you mean Guillermo

 

[Superunknown]

I think you mean Guillermo

Would pay great money to watch the Benicio Del Toro version.