brunningtonmakayla Reviews (5)

The Room (2003)

Not horrible....

[5/10 · 14 January 2025]

The Room Is A Cult Classic For A Reason.

Tommy Wiseau's The Room is widely considered one of the most hilarious films ever made, and while it's far from a masterpiece, there's a certain charm in its chaotic, awkward energy that's hard to ignore. I love it! The plot, which revolves around a love triangle and the friendships, is melodramatic and overly simplistic, but that's part of the fun. The dialogue is only hindered by Wiseau's accent but hell, we're not all Brad Pitt!

It's the perfect movie for a movie night, offering laughs and awkward moments that bring a smile to your face. Watch this right away!

Dune: Part Two (2024)

Not even close to the book...

[1/10 · 14 January 2025]

After the somewhat underwhelming success of Dune: Part One, I had hoped that Dune: Part Two would find its footing, delivering a more coherent and satisfying experience. Unfortunately, I was wrong.

I've been on a trend of seeing bad films, both feature and short, but this takes the cake. The pacing is painfully slow, with long, drawn-out scenes that fail to build meaningful tension. The world of Arrakis, while still fascinating, becomes overwhelming at times, NOT CLOSE TO THE BOOK!

Timothée Chalamet's portrayal of Paul Atreides continues to feel WRONG WRONG WRONG, and Zendaya's character, remains an afterthought to Florence Pugh despite being a central part of the story. The performances, are hindered by a script that fails to engage or connect with the audience on a deeper level. Another thing that seems to be wrong will Denis Villeneuve's movies.

nothing, except everything. (2023)

Beautiful

[10/10 · 14 January 2025]

Nothing, Except Everything is a breathtaking cinematic masterpiece that defies conventional storytelling and invites the viewer into a realm of pure artistry and profound introspection. The film, a stunning fusion of visual poetry and narrative abstraction, takes you on a transformative journey that feels at once deeply personal and universally resonant.

From the first frame to the last, the film captivates with its minimalist approach, drawing on silence and subtlety to evoke a wide range of emotions. The cinematography is nothing short of exquisite, each shot carefully composed to maximize impact with an almost meditative attention to detail. Every visual element-light, shadow, color, texture-feels deliberate and imbued with meaning, creating an atmosphere of reflection and wonder.

Next Floor (2008)

Grotesque?

[4/10 · 14 January 2025]

Yeah, okay Denis, we get it.

You suck. Stop being pretentious.

Denis Villeneuve's short film Next Floor (2008) fails to live up to the high standards set by his later works, leaving much to be desired in both concept and execution. Despite its intriguing premise-where a lavish, overindulgent banquet takes a dark turn-the film feels overly pretentious and heavy-handed in its social commentary.

The slow pacing, though deliberate, becomes tiresome quickly, with the narrative meandering and never quite finding a point. The lack of character development makes it difficult to care about any of the guests, reducing the film to an exercise in visual spectacle rather than an engaging story. While the cinematography is striking, it feels hollow without a compelling emotional core to support it.

The film's tone comes across as unnecessarily grotesque, with the escalating absurdity of the banquet's excess not providing any deeper meaning beyond surface-level shock value. It's a critique of excess, sure, but it's so obvious and exaggerated that it fails to feel relevant or impactful. Ultimately, Next Floor serves as a reminder that even great directors can stumble with their lesser works. While it may offer some eye-catching visuals and a fleeting moment of intrigue, it lacks the resonance and depth that would make it memorable. Villeneuve would go on to refine his talents in later films, but Next Floor is a forgettable misstep in his career.

Mon Ami (2025)

Painfully pretentious...

[2/10 · 14 January 2025]

From the very beginning, this "film" presents itself as a deep, philosophical exploration, but it quickly becomes clear that it's more interested in being "artsy" than coherent. The contrasting personalities of the two protagonists, while potentially intriguing, never evolve beyond facial expression!

Decent visuals and a nice soundtrack, but what is even going on with the story? Are we watching two men walk around a forest with a radio that talks about some unknown war, and we're supposed to say this is "beautiful and unique"? No. This is just yet another example of how a white kid thinks "I took a few classes at film school and now I'm ready to change the world!" If this is what happens when a privileged kid with too many resources tries to make a name for himself, then it's no surprise that indie cinema is drowning in self-important nonsense like this.

The reliance on the radio as a narrative device is equally frustrating. Instead of offering a meaningful connection between the characters, it just serves as a tedious plot contrivance that never quite rings true. What the is it even saying? What is the point of this meaningless dialogue?

In the end, "Mon Ami" seems more concerned with showing off its supposed intellectualism than with telling a compelling or coherent story. It's a pretentious, self-serious film that forgets one crucial thing: no amount of symbolism or brooding shots can mask the fact that, at its core, the film is frustratingly confusing and utterly forgettable. The overuse of abstract dialogue and esoteric references doesn't help matters either - it feels like the script is trying too hard to be intellectually stimulating without offering anything of substance.