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Reviews
The Woman King (2022)
A bit disappointing, but Davis shines.
Can take nothing away from the acting performances here, Viola Davis is phenomenal, but I'd expect nothing less from her. The problem is, she's a bit underused. I went in expecting her to be the lead character, as shown in every Trailer and movie poster, however she's eventually relegated to a secondary role. Boyega does a pretty good job as well; one of his better performances.
My major concerns are with the direction and cinematography. Camerawork looked very amateur, and the action sequences (outside of the splits from the trailer) are very underwhelming.
This could've been an 8 or 9 with a better director. But unfortunately, I'd have to give it a 6/10.
The Batman (2022)
Blown Away
THIS is cinema. For too long, we've been too invested in the same trite formula of what a superhero movie should be. DC has been guilty of it as well. With BVS, Justice League, etc. But with "The Batman", we travel back to the heart of Detective Comics with a full blown Crime Mystery Thriller.
Sure it had its fair share of large scale action sequences, and sure, it was a little longer than I would've liked. But the film itself is a work of art. Brilliant cinematography, music, story, acting (for the most part). We've seen better Bruce Waynes, but Pattinson plays Batman true to the comics. The standouts for me are Zoe Kravitz as Selina Kyle and Colin Farrell as the Penguin (completely unrecognizable). Dano is terrifying as the Riddler, and Jeffrey Wright is great as always. Excited for the next installment.
10/10.
The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017)
For Lenny and Susie
This season was missing some of the charm and charisma of the previous seasons for me, probably due to the increasing dislike of the protagonist.
Midge, for all the effort she put into fighting for her career previously, seems intent on self-sabotage at this point. Sure, she's improving the production quality at the strip club, but she's regressed to a point of career suicide. The fallout with Sophie (to which blame could equally be shared by her), the rejection of the Tony Bennett opening by citing her "No Opening Acts" plan, etc. She comes across as a spoiled brat who seriously overestimates her abilities, and thinks if she's good enough, she should just be handed jobs. Something magnified whenever Susie confronts her for it.
However, for as annoying as Midge's character has gotten, the opposite could be said for Susie. Throughout the season, we've seen huge character progression at work here. The funeral monologue was especially heartbreaking. Susie continues to fight for her career, and seems to be on the verge of something great, if only Midge could get her act together.
Now, the high point of the season.. Luke Kirby as Lenny Bruce. I find myself excited anytime he comes on screen, fully expecting something special, and boy, does he deliver. Every time. We've previously only seen Lenny through Midge's eyes. "On a pedestal", as he puts it. But the sheer vulnerability he displays when he talks about Carnegie Hall, the fleeting window, and the foreshadowing to his imminent death is harrowing. Truly deserving of an Emmy, and eagerly awaiting more.
Would've been a 10/10 if it wasn't for Midge.
Game of Thrones: The Iron Throne (2019)
Solid ending to a rushed season.
First off, I'll start by saying this. The fans rating this 1/10 are nothing but a bunch of spoiled brats. Game of Thrones provided you nearly a decade of some of the most brilliant pieces of television ever made, and your 1 star rating is a slap in the face to all the actors, cinematographers, directors, and the incredible Ramin Djawadi. I agree that the season was way too rushed, but the ending wrapped things up sensibly. The episode itself isn't deserving of a 1 star review.
Game of Thrones: The Bells (2019)
Are we watching the same episode?
This was incredible. This whole story arc had been foreshadowed since the earlier seasons. The shadow of the dragon flying over the city. Dany progressively paranoid. She's never been a "good" character, so it's no surprise what happened here. "If you think this has a happy ending, you haven't been paying attention."