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Awix (3310 KP) rated Talk to Her (2002) in Movies
Sep 11, 2019 (Updated Sep 11, 2019)
Genre-busting Spanish drama almost feels like the film Hitchcock could have made if he'd spent thirty years in therapy. The story is told partly out of sequence but concerns two men devoted to women in comas: a bullfighter and a dance student. Slowly their stories unfold, and turn out to be quite different. Almodóvar's script is as subtle and playful as ever, cheerfully toying with audience assumptions and expectations - it's impossible to predict the way this story will go, and this is before we even get to the eye-popping silent movie interlude.
Brilliant performances from the two leads; for once, the female characters have a more secondary role but they are also well-played. All the vibrance and sensuousness of Almodóvar's other films, but this is a deeply serious, mature work. Perhaps his greatest achievement is to find pathos and sympathy in the most unlikely places imaginable, and conclude a film which goes to some very dark places on a definite note of implied hope. An excellent movie in every way.
Brilliant performances from the two leads; for once, the female characters have a more secondary role but they are also well-played. All the vibrance and sensuousness of Almodóvar's other films, but this is a deeply serious, mature work. Perhaps his greatest achievement is to find pathos and sympathy in the most unlikely places imaginable, and conclude a film which goes to some very dark places on a definite note of implied hope. An excellent movie in every way.
Awix (3310 KP) rated Ready or Not (2019) in Movies
Oct 3, 2019 (Updated Oct 3, 2019)
Knockabout horror comedy film probably deserves more credit for being reasonably successful at both genres. A young woman (Samara Weaving, who appears to be some kind of genetically-engineered hybrid of Emma Stone and Margot Robbie) marries into an extremely wealthy family and is told that, as part of a family tradition, she has to play hide and seek with them. Mildly amused by their funny little ways, she trips off to find a place to hide; unbeknownst to her, her new father-in-law starts handing out axes, crossbows and shotguns to the assembled brood.
It's a brilliant moment, and it's just a shame the publicity for the film spoils it; certainly most of the rest of the script is concerned with coming up with a back-story to justify it and a pay-off that isn't totally overshadowed by it. It just about manages it, though the film is more successful when it comes to delivering laughs than actual scares (it is pretty gory though). Good fun, anyway.
It's a brilliant moment, and it's just a shame the publicity for the film spoils it; certainly most of the rest of the script is concerned with coming up with a back-story to justify it and a pay-off that isn't totally overshadowed by it. It just about manages it, though the film is more successful when it comes to delivering laughs than actual scares (it is pretty gory though). Good fun, anyway.
Ross (3284 KP) rated Pan's Labyrinth: The Labyrinth of the Faun in Books
Aug 19, 2019
Thrilling and eerie film adaptation
*I received an advance copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*
It has been a number of years since I watched Pan's Labyrinth, but remember it as being a dark, twisted fairy tale set during the second world war. The book keeps that feel, we are introduced to Ofelia, a quiet bookish young girl who is moving with her mother to live with her stepfather, as he tries to break a group of Spanish rebels, ahead of the birth of her half-brother.
Ofelia sees some unusual statues and artefacts in the woods and soon meets the Faun, who sets her a mission to return to take her place as the princess of the Underground Kingdom.
There follows a brilliant mix of Ofelia's real life, the despicable exploits of Franco's army, and the fairy tale world she steps into.
This is a very short, immersive fairy tale with lots of nice side-stories that all weave into the book in some form.
It has been a number of years since I watched Pan's Labyrinth, but remember it as being a dark, twisted fairy tale set during the second world war. The book keeps that feel, we are introduced to Ofelia, a quiet bookish young girl who is moving with her mother to live with her stepfather, as he tries to break a group of Spanish rebels, ahead of the birth of her half-brother.
Ofelia sees some unusual statues and artefacts in the woods and soon meets the Faun, who sets her a mission to return to take her place as the princess of the Underground Kingdom.
There follows a brilliant mix of Ofelia's real life, the despicable exploits of Franco's army, and the fairy tale world she steps into.
This is a very short, immersive fairy tale with lots of nice side-stories that all weave into the book in some form.
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Sarah (7800 KP) rated Jaws (1975) in Movies
Aug 9, 2020
A deserving classic
Jaws is a film I've seen many years ago but haven't in quite a while, and it really is the classic it's made out to be.
Watching it now it is does admittedly look a little dated. But I think this is part of the film's charm. The shark is hilarious and yet still pretty scary at the same time, and for an animatronic it is very good for the time it was made. It does remind me a lot of the Jaws ride at Universal Studios as the animatronics are virtually identical. The score is rightly infamous and really builds the tension and suspense in those underwater scenes. There is some dodgy acting (although Dreyfuss and Scheider are brilliant) and it does feel like it's drawn out a little at times. However despite this there's a reason why no other shark film released to date has managed to live up to the renown and success of Jaws. This is without a doubt a classic - i just wish they hadn't gotten rid of the ride at Universal!
Watching it now it is does admittedly look a little dated. But I think this is part of the film's charm. The shark is hilarious and yet still pretty scary at the same time, and for an animatronic it is very good for the time it was made. It does remind me a lot of the Jaws ride at Universal Studios as the animatronics are virtually identical. The score is rightly infamous and really builds the tension and suspense in those underwater scenes. There is some dodgy acting (although Dreyfuss and Scheider are brilliant) and it does feel like it's drawn out a little at times. However despite this there's a reason why no other shark film released to date has managed to live up to the renown and success of Jaws. This is without a doubt a classic - i just wish they hadn't gotten rid of the ride at Universal!