Reviews

4/10 ATTN: I'm being ultra generous by giving such a high rating to this absolutely disappointing show, but I admire the effort somehow.

This is definitely the most ambitious project I've watched recently, typifying what it means to bite off more than you can chew. Tom Holland is no doubt an acceptable actor of his generation, but taking on such a challenging role is simply a huge mistake on his account as this complex character requires a veteran performer with a diverse set of skills. On the other hand, the ludicrous production design incongruous with the era in question really put me off. One could probably ignore these flaws, but the most unforgivable aspect of the series was its awful writing. How can anyone (much less an experienced screenwriter) form such a shallow reading of a much-debated psychological condition?

Revisiting titles that I watched back in my adolescence helps me get a better grasp of the full extent to which I have altered and matured in terms of insight and intellect. I found Revolutionary Road quite well-acted by the leads and masterfully directed by Sam Mendes back in 2009, but this time around, as a thirty-year-old woman with adequate experience when it comes to relationships, disillusionment, and identity crisis, I totally got to empathize with each character, their flaws, their shattered dreams, and the overall toll it takes on any individual to be put in such a position. Highly recommended to lovers of realistic cinema!

I can't believe it, but Olivia Wilde has really outdone herself this time, in sucking big-time, that is. I thought Booksmart was a wannabe deep and at the same time cool piece of overrated garbage, however, I was dead wrong, it seems. Don't Worry Darling is so flawed and decadent a movie?!?! That even Florence Pugh and Chris Pine could not salvage its wreck. The storyline owns no notes of creativity and repeats the same cliche of toxic dynamics in relationships; moreover, the in-your-face lack of chemistry between the so-called leads made me wince at times. Also, the overuse of jazzy tunes to reflect the era in question kinda threw me off the whole scent. Plot holes, awful casting, self-aggrandizing, and promo dramas set aside, the costume design was pretty neat.

I get that Claire Denis may have meant well, socio-politically speaking, to have adapted this story, but I'm afraid her adaptation totally falls short of doing justice to the actual text. In my opinion, the author's intention was to portray a revolution taking place via the narrative of an affair between two characters (even unnamed, as they were that insignificant to the whole point of the book) While Denis's version recounts a tryst, with a revolution taking place in the farthest background. Despite Margaret Qualley's strong performance, the magnificent score written by Denis' long-time collaborator Tindersticks, as well as the somewhat documentary-style cinematography, the film failed at convincing me as an audience to care about either the characters or the nation acting as extras.

First of all, I gotta admit that this was a quite huge upgrade from the previous installment X which I did not like one bit, lacking any kind of coherence in form and content. This one however seems to have done much better. Mia Goth truly gives her best in this edition and I daresay the whole movie relies on her performance as a one-hander. The cinematography was great. The costume and set designs were somewhat acceptable as well. The score though could use some more work.

Nevertheless, Ti West's extreme obsession with genre filmmaking prevents me from fully enjoying his pictures. Let's hope that he reconsiders the path he's taking in the future.

Australian crime dramas have always kept me on edge despite their knack for the implication of violence rather than actually showing it on the big screen. Wright's peculiar style of narration, unraveling the story in a somewhat unconventional style, actually amplifies the impact the story leaves on the audience.

As for the score and cinematography, a better job couldn't have been possibly done as the atmospheric style totally suits the storyline.

Even though Joel Edgerton delivers an acceptable performance as a character living a dual life, one must admit that it is Sean Harris who carries the whole movie with his nuanced yet powerhouse delivery.

One tiny bit of criticism: I am sure they could have come up with a much better and more intriguing title than "The Stranger".

Jennifer Lynch's "Chained" did not meet my expectations at all as I found it at times rather predictable, unlike the works of her father. Could think of a thousand ways to have made it better.

Wow! This one really takes me back... I watched it as a teen full of hormones and remember developing a little crush on the actor playing Dave. Good old days!

Some scenes were pretty funny, though the whole plot seemed silly and implausible.

Pure Teenage Entertainment Stuff!

Hatching's original concept had much more to offer than this sloppy, rushed, and ridiculous resolution. The only good thing I got out of watching this film was learning how to say hi in Finnish: Moi!

On the Count of Three is a beautiful film about friendship, empathy, and mental health. The two main characters, Kevin and Val, are lifelong pals who would do literally anything for each other. These bosom buddies are currently at the end of their ropes and see no way out of their situations but to end their lives. Forming a suicide pact, they set out on a journey to savor their last day on Earth, embarking on adventures of a tragicomic nature. An oft-underrated actor, Christopher Abbott delivers a stellar performance worthy of accolades. Carmichael on the other hand proves himself as an adept director with a bright future ahead. One last note: Kudos to the person in charge of music! Truly aced it. Go Team Indie Movies!

Going to the movies and watching Iranian films has become more of a social experience to me than an actual cultural and artistic activity. As for Ebrahim Irajzad's adaptation of the spider killings, let me tell you how disappointed I am. You can't just criticize a misogynistic and flawed system by pointing the finger at other women. When will come the time for men to just own up to their charges and shoulder the blame? Unfortunately, this is observed all throughout history. Even Shakespeare portrayed shrews deceiving men to accomplish their goals, and in this case, a mother who whispers conspiracy theories in her son's ears. I admit that Saeed Hana'ei's mom was no saint, but neither was his wife. Nor were all the people close to him. Their gender was simply irrelevant. They all shared the view that prostitutes should be eliminated, even lauded his actions afterwards. What's this cheesy monster-in-law characterization prevalent in films? This is how you attempt at fixing a false narrative? And where did that veteran background of Hana'ei's go? Like that was not at all constructive to the making of a murderer.

Another misleading point in Oktay Baraheni's (Reza Baraheni's son, the scriptwriter) narration was this: Those poor women had no other choice but to sell sex; they had mouths to feed, etc. Ergo killing them was wrong. NO! Even if they had other choices, but picked this line of job, you had no right to kill them. Iranian filmmakers claim to be fighting the corrupt, immoral, and inhuman system, but they eventually end up helping that very corruption by taking the middle ground when it comes to sensitive issues.

Justin Kurzel's most recent excavation of an Australian tragedy is well worth the watch, with its powerhouse performances (Well done, Landry Jones!) as well as its apt score. I truly admire Grant's scriptwriting, and Kurzel's decision to keep the violence implied. If anything, it amplified the effect intended.

These 3 stars are exclusively dedicated to: cinematography, the score, and costume design. I did not find anything extraordinary with Stewart's performance and would have liked it better if a genuine British actress were cast.

This was not at all what I expected it to be; a lousy combination of all the movies I'd seen before. Turn the wheel, Edgar! This is definitely not it.

I've never been a squeamish viewer when it comes to disturbing movies, but this one contained some extremely brutal scenes that made me wince. Nonetheless, if anything, this aspect of the film made me admire it all the more as disturbing truths should not be glorified or softened. Lucas Pittaway's performance was top-notch and Jed Kurzel's score fittingly added to the distress. Strong debut for Kurzel as a feature director.

Black Bear is a totally solid movie, but it for sure is also a terrible choice to watch in a trio consisting of a happy couple and a young single woman.

By far, the weakest work by Farhadi. Seems like he's made "Fetishization of Ethics" a trademark of his works, which is super lame tbh. If I wanted to hear a sermon, I would have attended the Friday prayers with legit preachers ordained to do the job. Also, Jadidi's performance was mediocre, to say the least, and did not deserve the praise and hype at all.

Such a waste of talent! Jessica Chastain's performance was lit; the costume and production designs were amazing, however, this movie suffered from a huge flaw in pacing and on the whole the script.

As a 21st-century first-time viewer of John Carpenter's Halloween, I must confess that I found the movie to be just as funny as the parodies and memes based on it. Halloween has inarguably been an inspiration for most of the following horror flicks, and no one can deny Carpenter's skill in creating suspense, whether via the fantastic score or the POV shots. However, expecting chills down one's spine seems rather over-the-top. At any rate, watching it is recommended to those seeking a better grasp of the horror canon.

WTF did I just watch and why in god's name did I like it so much?

Despite the fact that I was no stranger to Julia Ducournau's style and theme in filmmaking, well, color me astounded and impressed!

Her first feature film "Raw" was outlandish in its own way, but "Titane" exceeded my expectations. What you witness is an amalgam of surreal, rom/com, gore, and suspense. The music and cinematography were truly on point and the performances by the leads were extraordinary. Great job was done at editing, too.

What I find most admirable and at times enviable in movies like this is the courage and diligence taken in executing an idea, telling one's story, no matter how silly and pointless it may sound to others. I strive to achieve that some day.

I'm not much of a connoisseur when it comes to Persian movies, but I'm pretty sure this is one of the best movies made in that era. The score, the production design, the cinematography, they were all terrific. The film's lighting was also fantastic, reminiscent of Barry Lyndon.

Liking this one was really unexpected. I guess I owe it to the idiosyncratic characters masterfully written by Walsh and empathetically played by Murphy and Cassidy.

Well, this was a huge disappointment, absolutely not worth the wait and hype. The only admirable aspects of Dune 2021 were: production design, VFX, and the score of course.

Well, I guess Mr. Flangan is really pushing it these days. I had such high expectations, having seen the good reviews and ratings, all admiring his latest work. However, what I felt sitting through it was total disappointment and boredom. A giant cringe button! First of all, the run time does not match the storyline and the whole plot could have been used for a feature film more effectively. Second, the characters are so black/white it makes one nauseous. The music! Oh my god! I mean I get this is a story about religious fanatics, but man! You could have cut down on the gospel songs and hymns. Last but not least, the VFX sucks and makes this series look like an amateur attempt at serious filmmaking. On the whole, such a waste for Hamish Linklater to have given an admirable performance in this cringe-worthy project!