salonsoab

'Shiva Baby' is a breath of fresh air: an outstanding performance from the whole cast, who present a narrative of a dark humored coming-of-age-story that is both thematically complex and hilarious. Loved it

8/10.

Although 'Luca' distances itself from the though-provoking and conceptually stellar narratives characteristic of many pixar classics, it still manages to present a very heart-warming storyline that although simple, carries a lot entertaining moments.

7.5/10.

The outstanding craftsmanship involved in one of the most mesmerizing animated films I have ever seen, in conjunction with a complex and invigorating narrative present one of the most intriguing films I have seen this year. Its a little to intricate for my liking, and although I dont believe I fully understand its vision, I really appreciate the work and passion put behind its creation.

8.5/10.

Although the film doesn't compare to the other conjuring films due to its uneven tension and convoluted writing (Wan will be missed), it still manages to be an entertaining and thrilling watch. Ed and Lorraine are the characters that definitely carry these film, and the heavy emphasis on them in this one pays off with them. However this is also its downfall, as the lack of focus on the real-life case file the films bases itself on is replaced with a very predictable and unoriginal storyline.

6.5/10.

If it wasn't for the somewhat intriguing premise behind this film, the horrible acting and amateur direction would have totally consumed my perspective on this film.

3/10.

The gimmick of online/computer desktop storytelling is pretty apparent and like the other movies of its type, contains many issues. But the big problem I had with this film is how involuted the main character is. It becomes very hard to understand or relate to her because as the audience, I did not comprehend why she made the decisions she made, so the stupid decisions presented although coherent with the plot do not feel right with the character making them. Its very well paced though, and the tension is there, so I will give it a slight pass.

6.5/10.

It seems like I am against the majority here, but I did not care for this film at all.

There are good elements here that are definitely worth watching: the production and costume design is exquisite, the baroness is one of the best Disney villains ever, and the reinvention arch of the character story works for the most part.

But I really never grasped the whole anti-hero approach taken in this film. I am getting tired of humanizing villains for the sole purpose of doing so. If you are going to pull up such 180, SAY SOMETHING WITH IT.

Also, the direction is so sloppy and amateur, which on top with horrible pacing ruined the whole experience for me.

B-

I really expected more from this, being the SECOND attempt this franchise is being 'rebooted' for newer audiences. But damn, this one really disappointed me. Although I really liked the whole corrupted cop concept, the reveal of the killer is so predictable it took me out a lot from the film. The traps here are for the most part pretty bland, and some of them don't really make sense.

It was enjoyable for what it was though, and its a better attempt than Jigsaw.

B-

I mean taking it for what it is, its pretty entertaining and there are attempts of challenging the stereotypes of the zombie genre. Nevertheless, it falters because of the stereotypes it does not overcome, and once again Snyder's visual aesthetic does not elevate. Actually, if im being quite honest, I think this film is probably the worse directed one of him that I have seen (there is one stylistic choice I hated, and its prominent throughout the whole film).

But, its a very enjoyable dumb zombie film.

B.

It really just kept getting worse and worse as it went on. I think the first 30 minutes of this film are quite intriguing and hence kept my attention for a while, but the plot just followed with inconsistency after inconsistency I kept rolling my eyes. It introduces so many things at once that went it tries to tie them up together, none of them make sense because they CONTRADICT EACH OTHER. Also, at least in my opinion, its direction and cinematography feel very unprofessional; reminded me of the cringey shots from 80s slasher films. Not a great look.

Thank God for the visual styling of this film, because the narrative is so underwhelming. The plot of this film really had a lot of room to create a great film, but it settles for unexciting and foreseeable approaches that hamper its potential. The characters lack ANY characterization, so at least for me I didn't care for the final outcome of them. However, it somehow maintain the tension throughout, so that's something.

B-

There are many traces of a good film in this. But the final execution shows the lack of understanding of said good traits, as neither of them are explored in their fullest potential. The unbalanced dichotomy between the supernatural and intrahuman aspects of fear displayed are meshed up so inorganically neither of them are well developed. If the filmmakers would have picked one of them, the film could have focused itself more on exploring the idea and the characters within, utilizing those interesting traits to their fullest potential. Sadly, this just feels half-baked.

I was so in love with every single element in this film. It is the movie I knew I needed in my life right now.

A+

The film is overfilled by missed opportunity after missed opportunity. There are so many interesting elements here like the characters and their powers, as well as the outstanding visual effects, that are simply overshadowed by the lackluster script and direction. The fights look absolutely hideous with the fast editing and sudden change in camera angles, and the nonexistent development of the characters completely destroys their amazing nature. It is just entertaining nonsense, with a big pile of wasted potential.

C.

It follows the same Disney formula we are use to, and it contains many more stereotypical trope that take off from the originality of the plot line. The characters either have a very insufficient development or are simply dislikable. The world building is also rushed and feels incomplete. The animation is gorgeou, and the cinematography is outstanding as always, but the storyline is so bland it goes to waste

6/10.

I can't seem to comprehend why this film was even made. There is absolutely nothing revolutionary, interesting, thought-provoking element that I can denote; its the same banality of a drama film, but in this case with a tremendously tone deaf storyline. The many controversies surrounding it make it excruciatingly unpleasant, and the unimaginative execution makes the experience even more jarring.

D.

It was better than I expected, but the lack of vision is extremely evident. The film feels somehow rushed while anticlimactic and the same time; a lot of stuff happens, but nothing really seems to matter? Idk.

Holland and Ridley are fine with what they are given, but the story doesn't allow their characters to grow, nor their relationship. Plus, the script manages to make them idiots? Specially Todd.

It was such an interesting plot with compelling elements that could have been made into a very entertaining and unique film, but they are barely used in an riveting way, making this film another failed attempt at a sci-fi adventure.

4/10.

It had so much potential in every aspect that is simply thrown out the window because the storyline is so flat and anti-climactic. What a shame. It's solid for what it is, but it could have handled the narrative much better.

B.

This was such an entertaining film in a way I was not expecting. The imagery is creepy and grotesque, the camera work builds on the suspense, and the acting from Carla is outstanding. However, what stands out the most out of this film is the amount of depth that is hidden under its superficial captive horror plot. The character of Jessie is explained through many different layers, and this situation allows for the audience to experience her constant fight with her own demons and insecurities, and how she has to deal with some trauma she experienced in the past.

I was never bored by this, which proves once again there is no need for jumpscares or extreme gore for a horror film to be entertaining.

A

Even though I was a little disappointed with the action that was displayed on screen, specifically the camera work and cinematography, as well as the lack of originality in its premise, I think the core of the film ultimately saves it. Other than the great performances from the whole cast both in the action sequences as well as the emotional moments, I enjoyed the character development and how they all cope with their situation regarding their immortality. Depth is something that is currently missing in most action movies nowadays, so I was pleasantly surprised with it's commentary on morality, discrimination, and grief, which all enhanced the boring and derivative story.

B+

Despite having a derivative plot and depicting situations that have been done many times in previous films, the addition of the fantasy element in conjunction with the themes of moving on, remembering your roots, the dependence on technology, and the importance of family elevate this movie to another level. I found the characters to be pretty enjoyable and interesting even if they were stereotypical, and I really liked the way the journey develops and finishes. The voice work is excellent, and the animation is as mesmerizing as animated movies can get. I just wished the story would have been fresher and more original.

A-

I am a sucker for sci-fi big spectacle and CGI fest films, even if many of them are predictable, unoriginal, and boring. However, The Martian brings both and intriguing space travel mission mixed with a commentary on modern society in terms of morality and survival. This is balanced out by a beautifully done script that manages to be both suspenseful and comedic, the performances by the whole cast, and obviously the amazing visual effects and cinematography.

The only complaint I have is that it is too long, and at times it becomes repetitive and therefore somewhat boring. However, it is only for a short amount of time and it does not become prevalent in the whole film.

A

Even though I support the message behind this film, it is still hard to understand why this movie was created in the first place. I do not mind movies based on true events being as close as possible to the reality they are based on. However, knowing this film is based on an inconclusive case, having a lack of major fictional addition to the plot knowing that the film lacks a clear ending make the film pretty boring and uninteresting. I mean the story is pretty interesting during the first two halves, but having it end the way it does just creates a sour aftertaste that made me question if it was even worth it getting invested on this characters when they are not even developed properly.

Honestly, the last 20 minutes kind of saves this movie from being a complete boredom and waste. The main character is so incompetent that you really don't have fait on her, and even though you connect with Grace and her story, it is never explored as well when outside of the cell interrogation. It feels like a half-baked story that had so much potential, but does not deliver.

Pretty half-baked if you ask me. Great visuals, camera work, and score. But in story and characters, this story is pretty shallow.

C+