20 jūlijs, 2017

Dunkirk

Thank you Christopher Nolan for making another very enjoyable piece of art! Enjoyed the way it started, continued AND especially how it ended. It kept me tense and on my toes from very first minutes - a very rare state when it comes to cinema experience.
Hard note: I believe you must see this movie in cinemas to truly feel it. Otherwise your judgement won't be completely honest (or respected by me). Just like Mad Max: Fury Road.
Movie is based on true events that happened during a battle in Dunkirk (France) in World War II.
What hit me the most (and in the best way possible) - sound. While watching I couldn't believe that I was not only into the story but also could find time to admire sound effects and music. There should be at least two or three Oscar nominations right there. Thank you Hans Zimmer, I felt you and didn't find you were falling asleep at the Organ this time.
The second best thing that comes to mind is...well, actually there are two which somewhat mix together. I loved how tense and up in my seat it could make me feel without showing any (maybe there was some but it wasn't that noticeable) blood or "raw injuries". Also another a bit different approach that spoke to me - never really seeing the enemy. This movie was purely showing us one side of the battle and everything that was happening on this one side. Unordinary and great.
There is not much to say when it comes to the script as there were not many dialogues happening (nor there should've been!). As the movie felt so honest you know the script was well done.
I also don't really have anything to say about the characters except that they felt very genuine and without saying much (as I told you there weren't many dialogues) they somehow felt well developed with strong backgrounds. All these men felt like real and diverse soldiers and that is all I want to see and experience.

An excellent film.

Rating:★★★★½

29 jūnijs, 2017

Baby Driver

Baby Driver comes from Edgar Wright (a guy who I connect with Scott Pilgrim vs the World and as Anna Kendricks ex-boyfriend) who has his own style... but is it for everyone?
No. But is there anything that is for everyone (except for basic human needs of course)? Anyways, back to the movie.
Before going to the cinema I tried not to rewatch trailers, tried not to know anything about it but still could see the very good reviews (didn't read them) coming in. I thought it will be one good, easy-going movie with a sense of light spirit over it. Baby Driver did not live up to my expectations. I would describe it as a car chasing, light heist action movie with silly romance on the side, filled with men and two weak women characters. Boom! Done! Okay, let's make it longer.
Here goes the good stuff:
- Soundtracks were cool.
- John Hamm. There is no wonder why he was so fitting for the role, (portraying a somewhat cocky macho criminal) he was playing as it was written FOR him (found that out just before the movie started). Splendid job, John, splendid.
- Some car chasing scenes were also enjoyable.
- All in all it was entertaining. Not the most fun I've had though.
Here comes the not necessarily bad, but let-downs:
- I can't see why it has such great ratings. It wasn't that fresh - yes, some plot parts were new for me but overall it had high predictability percent.
- It was a men-movie. Weak, weak women characters (did I mention they were basically two there? TWO...and maybe like two others somewhere in the background). I can't. Imagine you meet a guy two times and see clearly that something's off and already are in love and ready to ruin your life and just run off to wherever? Really? That's just a bit (or very) upsetting. I call b*llsh*t on this.
- Male characters weren't that great either. 
- Not enough heisting and scheming (I know it's a DRIVING movie but it is about a guy driving a getaway car so I had hopes..)
- There were other disturbing character changes that I did not approve of.

Overall, as it has that many good reviews, I think you should see it and prove me wrong. It wasn't bad but it definitely wasn't that "fresh" or amazing. No.

Rating: ✮✮✮

18 jūnijs, 2017

Song To Song

Terrence Malick is not my favorite director but there is one thing he always delivers for me - beauty. This was once again an eye-candy. Visuals, sights, wide angles - thank you very much.
There are barely dialogues there, usually voice-overs because the story is being told  from a diary point of view I would say. We hear character thoughts and reflections and basically all dialogues are "silenced out". It's appealing. Casting hit the bulls eye for me.
What could've been better: the script (somehow through all the expressed emotions it still felt shallow for me), songs they used could've been less but played for longer periods of time or something..Also - editing. Film felt very chaotic and so I couldn't really attach to anyone or anything (except for the nature shots).
Conclusion: It had the potential of being unbelievably amazing but in the end it is just beautiful with excellent cast and too much "cutting" and "putting it back together".

Rating: ✭✭✭

27 aprīlis, 2017

King Arthur: Legend of the Sword

Some of us already know something about Arthur and his beloved sword in the stone and its' strength. Some of us don't. It doesn't matter. What matters is that this movie was quite great!
What good things you will possibly see or get out of this:
 - Great, interesting operator work AND editing! The different angles and ways the cameras were turned and then cut and cooked up again in such a pleasant way..tiny bulbs of joy popped inside of my soul because of the likeness of what my eyes saw and brains comprehended. So prepare for nicely done visuals.
- LANDSCAPES
- Jude Law as an evil character was a bit funny to see. He did a good job. Just still find it funny.
- It's a Guy Richie movie (previously famous for different movies, most popular - Snatch). It goes without saying - there will be some good and funny punch-lines. Enjoyed the screenplay.
- Modern yet with a sense of medieval times soundtracks - lovely and appropriate.
- As I have no intention of spoiling anything... but I also can't not speak..Oh well, whatever - In an early stage of the movie there is a montage about the little Arthur and how he grows up and what happens in the mean time. I found it to be a very cool way of showing things that are important to get but not that important for the main story. So I was happy of what I saw and also about how much time out of the movie these scenes took.
- Also a teeny, tiny thing at the end of the movie that just made me smile and is not a spoiler - I saw dirty fingernails. It may sound a bit odd but it is nice to see these little but realistic things in movies.
What bad things to expect?
- I can't really name any. I wasn't ecstatic or on the edge of my seat all the time, there were little parts were the movie felt flat but they were just for a very short period of time.
Here it goes - Medieval tale-ish movie about king-to-come Arthur and the sword told (and definitely shown) in a bit of a nowaday-way. Entertaining.


Rating: ★★★

25 marts, 2017

Get Out

Get Out was interesting. Genre wise it's not my favorite (horror, mystery. Although I wasn't scared for a second) but the story and where it was going was quite interesting and original.
The story begins when African-American man accepts to visit his Caucasian girlfriend's somewhat rich family somewhere off-road. He is the first African-American man who she takes there. Family itself seems legit (....but are they?), the staff is being off-putting a bit (...but are they?) so you get curious of why is that..Well, let's say the journey begins there and I don't want to give anything away anymore. It's interesting.
Won't be able to tell you that soundtracks were great (didn't notice them), or the operator did a fantastic job (didn't notice the work) or that acting was superb (didn't feel like it, didn't even care) but I will say again - it kept me intrigued.
So if you are not a person with weak nervous system I can suggest you go and see this film.

Rating: ★★★½

Life

Life did not impress me.
It's okay but brings nothing new to the table. The characters felt like they've been poorly based so the entire movie I could not care for anyone. I also was able "to guess" some parts and events in the movie - that I count as a bad thing too.
The plot is simple, not bad. Action, scary parts are there but somehow it is just okay. Did not look at the clock while the film was running (so it was entertaining) but wasn't excited or anything.
Jake Gyllenhaal is my favorite male actor but even he wasn't able to move me.

Rating: ★★½

14 marts, 2017

Silence

As it is History/Drama called Silence and it is about two Jesuit priests who travel to Japan which has banned Catholicism and almost all foreign contact, you know it is not going to be something fast-paced or action packed. 
With that said - a pleasant cinema experience if you are ready for it. It is 2 hours and 40 minutes long and it is about different religions and how different people view them in that specific century. I liked it, it made me think about things I usually don't think about as I am not a religious person (don't mind others being though). It was interesting for me to see that sort of faith, flaws and lack of it at different points. 
What you can expect when going to see this:
- Interesting accents. 
- Religious, faithful/faithless mood. Struggles.
- Beautiful nature
- Brutality
- Strength. Weakness. 
- Andrew Garfield and Adam Driver. :D 

All in all, it is a bit hard to sit still for that long period of time but it was also quite enjoyable. 

Rating: ★★★½