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Minari (2020)
Minari (2020)
2020 | Drama
7
8.7 (3 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Pleasant Enough
With it’s 6 Oscar nominations (including nominations for Best Picture, Best Director and Best Actor), the drama MINARI has become a touchstone of films with Asian (or Asian-American) roots.

And…it is worthy of these accolades - and this place in history - for MINARI is a warm-hearted, loving look at a Korean-American family trying to make it’s way in the world in 1980’s Arkansas.

Written and Directed in Oscar Nominated fashion (for both categories), Lee Isaac Chung presents a realistic American family looking to forge a new living while still remaining true to their cultural roots.

Steve Yeun (THE WALKING DEAD) is Oscar nominated for his lead role of Jacob, who moves his family to Arkansas in the hopes to start a farm that specializes in Korean food. Yeun’s performance is earnest and sincere and I am happy for him that this performance is nominated. The rest of the family unit is strong - with the stand out being Yuh-Jung Youn as the Grandmother. She brings the most interesting and nuanced character to the screen and I wouldn’t be surprised if she pulls the upset and wins the Oscar for Supporting Actress. Finally, veteran character Actor Will Patton is a spark of energy as a local who helps Jacob on the farm.

And…that, ultimately, is the problem with this film. Writer/Director Chung spends most of his time creating the atmosphere and the characters, He fails to realize that there really is no compelling event to drive the plot forward. It’s a “fine” slice-of-life film and one that is enjoyable to watch with a strong, charismatic cast, but nothing really happens and that, finally, is a problem.

This is most certainly a deserving Oscar nominated film - especially in these pandemic times - with big budget Blockbuster films pushed to the sidelines, this type of quiet film is thrust to the forefront - and good for them and I’m glad that the spotlight is shining on this film. I just wish there was more plot and a more compelling reason to watch this film.

Letter Grade: B

7 stars (out of 10) and you can take this to the Bank(ofMarquis)
  
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
Lawrence of Arabia (1962)
1962 | Drama, History, War

"I love the scope of the movie; there is something in David Lean that I like very much. He’s always of the macro worlds and the micro worlds; he didn’t only do it in Lawrence of Arabia, but repeated it in Dr. Zhivago and other movies. [In Lawrence of Arabia] he made a movie with enormous scope and events that were known in the world — the Turkish-British War, and at the time, the taking of Akaba — things that were very spectacular and very epic, but in reality he’s talking to us about the homosexuality of one of the characters and something really minimalistic and very precise. He gets into the soul of a man through this spectacular movie and this union of these two worlds. He did it again in Dr. Zhivago as I said before, because in a way he put together the entire Russian revolution, which is also very big, while in reality telling a love story. So this kind of union, joining, he does between the macro world and the micro world is something that I was always interested in, and he was a master of doing the type of job. It’s one of those movies that always remain in your mind. Also, he gave himself permission to do it in a way that probably no studio would buy in our day; just to see a man coming from five miles into the camera for two minutes and a half — no executive producer would allow that to happen! He gave himself permission to do that, and I had the luck of seeing a remastered version of Lawrence of Arabia in a theater in Spain 10 years ago, and it was magnificent because it gave you the possibility of thinking, which is unusual. We also have the performance of first time movie actor Peter O’Toole. That was the first movie that he did, which I didn’t know until I worked with Omar Sharif in a movie that I did years ago called 13th Warrior, and he told me that. At the time, he was a very prominent theater actor in London, but that was the first movie that he did. I will never forget those blue eyes on the big screen. Amazing!"

Source
  
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
Rosemary's Baby (1968)
1968 | Classics, Horror, Mystery

"“What have you done to its eyes?” How does a movie become a classic? Is it timing? Was it the dream-team collaboration of Paramount, Polanski, and Robert Evans? Was it producer William Castle, the mastermind who purchased the Ira Levin novel with plans to make it himself? Was it Mia Farrow, who had been painted with the brush of scandal after marrying Frank Sinatra? Did the devil himself have a hand in it? Whatever the reasons, my fascination with this film has never waned. There’s an enjoyment in watching Rosemary’s Baby that is similar to another gothic horror film, The Shining. It’s like listening to an album you love. Seeing the repetition of familiar scenes and faces. Shaking your head at Rosemary’s innocence as she tries to convince people that her neighbors might just be in a cult with Satan! Another highlight is the production design and cinematography. Not a frame is out of place, and it’s beautiful to look at. It captures a kind of sixties avant-garde vibe. I get the feeling Warhol would have liked this film. There are all sorts of great exterior location shots of New York, and the Dakota building on Seventy-Second Street adds the right spookiness. Does anyone remember or talk about what an amazing actress Mia Farrow is? Watch Broadway Danny Rose, and then watch Rosemary’s Baby. There’s some range there! Farrow as Rosemary has a beautiful, waifish glamour, enhanced by short dresses that make her seem more fragile and doll-like. John Cassavetes playing the “actor.” I love that he’s an “actor.” I love that his name is Guy! He makes a great prince of darkness. With his dark eyes and leering smile, well, you know he’s guilty of something the minute you see him. Then we have Ruth Gordon, who almost steals the film. Her caftan-wearing, mousse-making devil worshipper is the perfect amount of comic relief. I also love Charles Grodin as the fink doctor who squeals on Rosemary. Ralph Bellamy: terrifying! Every woman’s nightmare! Maybe that’s why I love it: Rosemary’s Baby plays on every woman’s fears. The man I married is different. Oh wait—maybe he’s sold his soul to the devil!"

Source
  
    Carnival by Kanneh-Masons

    Carnival by Kanneh-Masons

    (0 Ratings) Rate It

    Album

    Decca Classics announces the release of Carnival, a very special collaboration between Academy...

La La Land (2016)
La La Land (2016)
2016 | Comedy, Drama, Musical
Don't understand the hype
I saw this first at the cinema and had such high hopes from all of the praise, and I really hated it. Having watched it again recently, I do appreciate it a little more now but it still doesn't deserve all the hype.

I love musicals, but this is not the right kind of musical. The songs and music are actually very good, but sadly there just isn't enough of them. Where's the people bursting into song every 5 minutes? I'm also not a fan of the old school musical, although i do appreciate why they've gone down this route.


Performance wise, I think Emma Stone does well and the dialogue between her and Ryan Gosling is quite funny and witty. Not too sure on Gosling, he seems to play the same character in everything and his singing voice isn't great. I also think JK Simmons is vastly underused, which is a shame as he's a fantastic actor.


Sadly not my kind of musical.
  
The Gift (2015)
The Gift (2015)
2015 | Horror, Mystery, Thriller
Great cast (6 more)
Brilliant thriller
Great acting
Build up of tension
Amazing third act
Genuine character build up
Phenomenal writing and directing
Nothing (0 more)
Fantastic movie
I was looking forward to The Gift for many reasons, including I love Joel Edgerton and believe he is anot extremely underrated actor. I love Jason Bateman, I love horror and more specifically thriller movies, and I love it when smaller movies get great critical success.
So when I was watching this I instantly fell in love with it as it is just a fantastic and beautiful piece of filmmaking. More people need to see this and appreciate it. The thriller aspects are executed to perfection and there really isn't anything I don't like about this movie. The 3rd act is one of my favourite endings to a movie ever and I strongly believe it deserves much more credit than it already has. Joel Egerton not only directs and writes this but he stars in it too which is just brilliant so please go and check this movie out
  
Batman - The Telltale Series
Batman - The Telltale Series
2016 | Action/Adventure
It's Batman (1 more)
Troy Baker
Frequent glitches are still present (1 more)
The Joker
Telltale's best for a while
The world's greatest detective gets the Telltale treatment and for the most part it works.
Playing as both Bruce Wayne and Batman is a lot of fun, the original storyline is interesting and the incorporation of the other characters in the Batman universe is well done.
Troy Baker makes a great younger Batman and the voice acting is pretty solid all round.
Unfortunately Telltale still refuse to update their engine and the game suffers from a frequent amount of glitches due to this.
Also, while I was willing to accept a different take on the characters in this world for the most part, I found this version of the Joker underwhelming. He didn't seem like much of a threat and I didn't like his voice actor either.
Overall though, as a Batman fan, I had fun with this and I am looking forward to seeing how Telltale's version of the Batman mythos plays out in future games.
  
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Awix (3310 KP) rated Mirror (Zerkalo) (1975) in Movies

Mar 24, 2019 (Updated Mar 24, 2019)  
Mirror (Zerkalo) (1975)
Mirror (Zerkalo) (1975)
1975 | International
8
8.5 (2 Ratings)
Movie Rating
Autobiographical art-house excursion into who-knows-what is less well-known than the same director's adaptation of Solaris but equally obscure, if you're not in the know anyway (and I'm not). A man shares his dream-like reflections of his life and that of his father (the same actor plays them both; the same actress plays both mothers - see how this could be a bit mystifying?) and the parallels between them.

One of those films which is so revered you really do want to like it, but it's also one of those films which is so oblique and impenetrable that you kind of slip into a zen trance while watching it: there isn't a moment of it which doesn't make a sort of sense at the time it's on screen (well, maybe there are a few), but there's very little sense of a conventional narrative. Mesmerising more than anything else, with some truly beautiful sequences and images on the screen; a technically brilliant work of art but only marginally a piece of narrative cinema.
  
The Highwaymen (2019)
The Highwaymen (2019)
2019 | Crime, Drama, Mystery
Excellent acting (1 more)
Period cars and outfits (love it ?)
More slow and thoughtful than your 'stock standard' Crime movie (0 more)
A Different Side to Bonnie and Clyde
I really enjoyed this. It was complex and interesting, and the characterisations were fantastic. I will admit it was a little slow to start and there were parts I thought needed more explaination (but then it happens a little later and it fleshes the characters out more). I often find the story of Bonnie and Clyde to be romanticised (which to an extent I suppose it's true) but those versions never really show how truly violent and senseless their crime spree was. This however, shows how callous and truly intelligent they were as a team, it's refreshing to see that, because it truly was the truth of the situation. I've always been a fan of Woody (Zombieland is still one of my favourite movies) and this movie shows a different side of his abilities as an actor so that was pretty cool. Overall, it's a thoughtful and interesting film I enjoyed immensely.
  
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Erika (17789 KP) rated Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019) in Movies

May 11, 2019 (Updated May 11, 2019)  
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu  (2019)
Pokémon: Detective Pikachu (2019)
2019 | Animation, Comedy, Fantasy
I'm not one to hand out a 10 rating, but I loved this film, and can't wait to see it again.
First: This was not obnoxious Deadpool Ryan Reynolds (sorry not sorry), this was peak Ryan Reynolds from 2005 (Waiting/Just Friends), AKA, the best Ryan Reynolds.
I feel like this movie was made largely for the people that grew up with the OG Pokemon. There were several references back to Pokemon: The Movie with the introduction of Mew 2. It all seriously made me smile. It was fairly easy to figure out what exactly was going on, this is technically a kids movie, but I enjoyed the entire ride. I loved the entire world that was built, and I'm completely ready for sequels.

The main character, Tim, played by Justice Smith, was hugely likeable and entertaining. I'm assuming Ryme City was in Japan, and since there's only one Japanese actor in the entire world, Ken Watanabe makes an appearance as Lt Yoshida from the Police Department.

I fricken loved this movie.
  
Show all 3 comments.
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Sarah (7800 KP) May 11, 2019

I’m so looking forward to seeing this film. Worryingly so.

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Erika (17789 KP) May 11, 2019

@Sarah I hope you like it! It actually made me laugh out loud in the theater which is very rare for me.
 @Andy K Definitely check it out!