1917 (SPOILERS)

I am a poor wayfaring stranger...

War is Hell, and film has done a great job capturing that. There have been may truly remarkable films within this genre, and 1917 can stand tall among them. Towards the end of 2019, this film gained major traction and was set to be a major reaper of awards at the Oscars. While that wasn't the case, this movie still manages to be a tremendous achievement in a number of ways. Here's why:

UPS

1. The one-take. Yes, it's been buzzed about that this film was shot to look like one long, continuous take...and that's exactly how it's presented. For the entirety of the movie, you feel like you're following Blake and Scofield on their journey and get a firsthand look at what it's like to be a soldier during this war. To put it bluntly...it's not great. What's even better is that the most glaring cut happens at a point that makes logical sense in terms of what happens. Now of course, there were probably several more cuts, but it's a testament to the filmmaking that they are barely noticed and do nothing to tarnish such a incredible technical achievement. Speaking of which...
2. Roger Deakins' cinematography. If the one-take transported you into the world of World War I, then the cinematography was what immersed you in it. Deakins is a master at crafting these shots that look so authentic and real that you can't help but be awed by the raw beauty of what you are seeing. That whole sequence in the town at night alone...truly breathtaking. 1917 may not have ran off with as many Oscars as originally thought, but it did manage to snag the one that was very clearly deserved. 
3. Dean Charles Chapman and George McKay's performances. The story of this film is rather simple, so it helps that these actors bring us incredibly likable leads to follow. Chapman, familiar to those who have seen Game of Thrones, fills Blake with a youthful idealism that clashes well with Scofield's more jaded outlook on the war. It's this bright optimism that makes his rather shocking death (I seriously did not see it coming) harder to take in. Of course, the heart of this film lies with McKay, who really carries the weight of literally everything as he becomes the sole star of this film. Watching Scofield endure all the obstacles, all the pain, all the loss, is something truly enthralling to behold. He's an easy lead to root for, and the ending is all the more cathartic because of it. 

DOWNS

None of particular note.

OVERALL

1917, while rather simplistic in terms of story, is a technical marvel of a film. Do I think it got snubbed at the Oscars? Honestly no, but I do think it was a great film in its own right and should definitely be checked out if one gets the chance.

And that's it for this post, guys! Tune in for more coming your way :)

Retro-Reviews: Parasite (SPOILERS)

No plan at all...

For a majority of last year, one film has gained major traction across the globe. That film is none other than Bong Joon-Ho's Parasite. To say the anticipation I had for seeing this film was high would be such an understatement that I won't even go into the details, but simply put, while I can't say it was my favorite film of 2019 or even the entire decade, I will say that this is a film that is worthy of all the praise it gets and then some. With its recent sweep of wins at the Oscars this year, including Best Picture, let's get into why Parasite is a timeless gem:

UPS

1. Bong Joon-Ho. A good movie needs a good director, and thankfully, Parasite has a great one in Bong. He has such a way with his craft that I don't think this movie would work as well as it did if not for his incredible skill. Every moment, every shot, every choice, all of it has meaning and nothing feels wasteful. Bong makes use of everything at his disposal and his passion for making this film is felt constantly. 
2. The message and overall theme. Bong has the theme of class structure and how capitalism affects society play a major part in his films. This one is no different and features a story that is built around these themes. What I like most is that the message is presented with such subtlety and nuance that it never feels preachy and instead feels like an organic part of the story. There are no real heroes or villains; just people trying to get by in a world that makes their situations so. It makes for a very complicated and engaging plot with so many twists and turns that it's hard not to get invested.
3. Going hand in hand with the message, the tone undergoes a gradual shift throughout the film that is also presented with subtlety. At first glance, it seems we are experiencing a dark comedy at play, which then transitions into a dramatic thriller, before concluding as a full-blown tragedy. Such massive tonal shifts would be jarring elsewhere, but here it works. The ending is the culmination of all of this, being utterly depressing as a whole yet still holding onto a sliver of hope that things could get better, which we pray they will.

DOWNS

It's hard to find fault with this film in all honesty.

OVERALL

Parasite is, again, not my favorite film of 2019, but I am glad, no, overjoyed that it got such high praise and recognition as everything accomplished in this film makes it deserving of that.

And that's it for this post, guys! Tune in for more coming your way :)

Uncut Gems (SPOILERS)

This is me. This is how I win...

Adam Sandler is one of the most interesting actors working in Hollywood. He's built a career starring in comedies, some good, great even, and others...not so much. Given the track record some of his more infamous outings have left behind, it wouldn't be a surprise if there are those out there who said he was one of the worst actors working today. However, I am here to tell you that that is not the case...far from it in fact. Uncut Gems is a film that proves with the right creative team, any "bad" actor can show the true talent they have buried inside them:

UPS

1. Adam Sandler is terrific! Absolutely, positively terrific! He plays the character of Howard with an endearing sleaziness that only he could pull off. Howard is a selfish, greedy, self-destructive scumbag who would probably gain the utmost disdain from just about anybody, and yet we find ourselves attached to him because Sandler provides his own brand of charm and humor to make him amusing to watch, even as the writing and direction make no bones about what kind of man he is. Speaking of which...
2. The Safdies. I think as great as Sandler is, these two are the crown jewel. They have such an incredible style that imbues this frantic energy within the film that has the audience immerse themselves in Howard's journey...which could prove to be a challenge given how anxiety-ridden and overly intense it is. Combine their direction with a sharp script written by them and Ronald Bronstein, and these brothers are two filmmakers worthy of recognition, which brings me to my next point that can be a more general topic of discussion as opposed to being regulated to the film itself...
3. A24. This studio, man. It has produced some of the most well-regarded and critically acclaimed films of recent years, with this fortunately being one of them. To have this film made the way it is shows that A24 is a company that cares about and allows filmmakers the creative freedom to produce the passion projects that they wish to bring to our world. For that, I find the company to be very commendable.  

DOWNS

1. The overly excessive cursing. This maybe pretty hypocritical of me given my own rather colorful vocabulary, but I feel that when every other line out of a character's mouth contains "fuck" or "shit" or any other variation, it could prove a little tiresome after a while. This movie is no different. This is very minor in the grand scheme of things, but it was just a little distracting once the movie got further along.  

OVERALL

Uncut Gems is a great movie. A really, really great movie. If I had seen it at the time of its release last year, it would've definitely made the Top 10 and have a very good chance of being near the top. If you love Adam Sandler, A24, or just need something that'll give you an experience unlike never before, then go see this! You won't regret it! 

And that's it for this post, guys! Tune in for more coming your way and till then, take care :)

Retro-Reviews: The Mandalorian (SPOILERS)

This is the way...

Oh Star Wars. One of the most beloved and successful franchises of all time, it has seen trying times ever since Disney acquired the rights. With a fandom completely ripped apart and a trilogy that didn't have a clear vision going in, there was a lot going against the franchise. With the unveiling of Disney+, Jon Favreau brings the audience a show that deals not with the Jedi, the Sith, or the Skywalkers, but rather takes a look at a different type of character: a Mandalorian. Already, it was indeed refreshing to see this side of the universe, and the result has been quite possibly one of the best things to come out of this franchise in a long time. In this review, I will go over exactly what makes the first season of The Mandalorian an absolute success, and whatever quibbles it may have that could be improved upon with time:

UPS

1. Mando. To start things off, I have to talk about our titular protagonist, who is as great as they come. He's incredibly badass, and yet what really sells him is his heart and humanity. The more the season goes on, the more layers are peeled back to reveal the psyche of this character. Best of all, almost all of it is done with body language instead of dialogue. That right there is enough to sell this show as something that is truly pushing the franchise in a different direction in regards to storytelling.  
2. Baby Yoda. I know, he's all everyone's talking about, but I still think he deserves mentioning. It's not so much about him being so damn adorable (which he really is,) but it's also about what he represents, and that is the personification of Mando's humanity. All that he does is in service of preserving the life of this innocent little creature. The bond these two share is the clear heart of the show, and I hope the show builds upon this relationship in the second season as the child gets older and more powerful. 
3. I really enjoyed how the season was structured. Many had a problem with how the middle three episodes essentially boiled down to being standalone stories that had no bearing on the plot, but I found myself really enjoying them. I thought they worked well in worldbuilding and of course showing us different parts of the galaxy, and I really enjoyed the characters introduced in these episodes. Of course, the series was at its strongest when dealing with the core story, with Episode 3 and the season finale in particular being the highest points of the season. Overall, the show should break away from the standalone episodes going forward, but for the first season, I found them fitting in just fine. 
4. The theme song. It's just...so awesome!

DOWNS

1. This going to be a little controversial, but I wasn't a fan of the premiere. It did pretty much what a premiere is supposed to do, but it felt more like a checklist instead of an actual episode. It didn't have a good flow and it felt like a lot got crammed in just so the producers could move on to the next thing. Fortunately, the first and last scenes are some of the best of the season, and the show obviously got better from there.  

OVERALL

The first season of The Mandalorian is a breath of fresh air for Star Wars. I hope the series only gets better from here and hopefully be something that will be cherished by everyone who has the pleasure of viewing it. 

And that's it for this post, guys! As always, tune in for more coming your way and till then, take care :)

The Best of The 2010s (SPOILERS)

Well here we are, the end of the decade. There have been several amazing films to come out of this decade, some of which you'll see on my list. Probably the hardest one I had to make, I really tried my best to pick the ones that I felt the best about. To make this fair, I picked two films from each year that I saw and felt had the best chance of deserving a place on the list. I'm sure they'll be disagreements, but hey, opinions are opinions. Reviews for movies I've covered will be linked, and be sure to check out my lists for the best movies from 2017, 2018, and 2019. Now let's begin:
 20. The Revenant
 19. Rise of The Planet of The Apes
 18. Alpha
 17. Deadpool
 16. The VVitch
 15. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
 14. The Wolf of Wall Street 
 13. The Irishman
 12. Prisoners
  11. Harry Potter and The Deathly Hallows Part 2
 10. Django Unchained 
 9. The Dark Knight Rises
 8. Coco
 7. Logan
 6. Whiplash 
 5. Dawn of The Planet of The Apes
 4. Avengers: Infinity War
 3. How To Train Your Dragon
 2. Joker
 1. Toy Story 3

And that's a wrap on the 2010s. What a decade it has been! Here's to what the 2020s have in store. As always, tune in for more posts coming your way and till then...

The Best of 2019 (SPOILERS)

Well, we are about to each the end of the 2010s, and what a decade it's been. Before we take a look at the best that this decade has had to offer, let's take a look at some of the best the year of 2019 had to offer first. 2019 was an interesting one in that it started off pretty good before meandering in the middle then blowing me out of the water by the end. As such, this was a pretty hard list to make. Reviews for the movies I've covered will be linked here, and be sure to check out my lists for the best movies of 2017 and 2018 in the links below:

• The Best of 2017
• The Best of 2018

Now let's begin:
 10. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

 9. Once Upon A Time...in Hollywood

 8. Avengers: Endgame

 7. IT: Chapter Two

 6. Toy Story 4

 5. How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World

 4. Doctor Sleep

 3. Marriage Story

 2. The Irishman

 1. Joker

And that's it for this list guys. Tune in for my Best of The 2010s coming up!