Rating: “Absolute Perfection”
“I ain't see you in like, a decade... It's not what I expected.”
“What did you expect?”
Not a stretch to say that this is one of the best and most real films ever made. What else is there to be said?
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Hey everyone, I hope you’re doing well. So I want to take a moment and go on a bit of tangent if you don’t mind.
So if you’ve been following me for awhile, you know that I’m a big fan of Taylor Swift and her music. Like I have talked about how her music meant to me, my experience with seeing The Eras Tour in person, and how much I enjoyed her music (even when not every song she makes is great). Hell, my account name was sparked from her album Red (which is her best album, don’t @ me) and the song Red that has the lyric “Loving him was Red”.
But over the last couple of months, I haven’t been talking too much about Taylor and her music on this account (or any of my other social media pages) and the reason being is not because I have grown out of her and her music (far from it), it’s just that I’m so tired of the overall discussion of her as a whole.
Now, I want to make it perfectly clear that I’m totally fine with people liking or not liking Taylor and her music, as long they’re not assholes to those who disagree with each other (that goes for both sides of the coin) and to be fair, there’s plenty of things you can criticized on her and her music that even myself agree with. Its just the overall around discussion about her has made me fucking tried, man.
Between the toxic fans, the loud haters, the fabrication of the media’s obsession with her in every aspect, to basically everyone in between, the way Taylor Swift and her music has been talked about and argued has left me so tried and annoyed that it sort of made me feel ashamed of being a fan of hers to begin. I know that we shouldn’t let other people’s opinions on the things we like influence on our enjoyment for it, but seeing everyone talking about Taylor Swift in any capacity online or in real life or whatever and the constant complaining and fighting from everyone on all sides that stems from it has damped my love for her a bit both because of the overexposure of her fame and how everyone’s opinions on her makes me don’t want to talk about her anymore (or at least not as frequently). Hell, I even threw out being a swiftie because even tho there are plenty of really nice swifties out there, the loud toxic and awful ones negatively impact the whole fanbase that I don’t want to be associated with them and I’m more comfortable with just being a fan. No more no less.
She’s basically the Star Wars of the music world, in where I like Star Wars (or at least most of the projects I’ve seen under the Star Wars brand), but I don’t like talking about Star Wars not only because of the many mid and not good projects being released as of recently, but much like Taylor, its overall discussion with the toxic fans and loud haters has me want to mostly distance myself from it, despite me liking most of the Star Wars projects I watched (I even had the most controversial Star Wars film The Last Jedi on my favorite films list so that should say something about me).
Not granted, I won’t distanced myself from Taylor Swift in the same way I distanced myself from Star Wars, as I will still be a fan of her music and I will always thank her for the impact she and her music left on me and I will always be there for what she has in store in the future, it’s just the discussion about her from every party makes me don’t want to be part of it as much anymore. Especially when I want to have the user name to not be as associated with her music and mean something more than just that.
So for the most part going forward (much like with Star Wars), I will enjoy Taylor Swift’s music in peace. Because it’s more fun to enjoy something when you don’t have obnoxious people on both sides screaming at your ears saying the things you love is either the best thing ever or the worst thing ever. I’m going to piss off both sides, but frankly I don’t care.
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Rating: “It’s Pretty Good”
“You’re not a 7%, you’re Micah”
The humble beginnings of one of the best and most human filmmakers we have today. A sweet and tender a day in life type of film that features the connections we have with each other and how it can shape everything we do and say in a moment, before we wake up and realize it’s over.
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Rating: “Great Stuff, Great Stuff”
Holy shit. Why did no one told me this film was fun, cheesy and delightfully funny as hell. I would have liked if the film went a bit more into the musical aspect of it (especially with the two numbers we got were great) and a few trappings a lot of studio comedies fall into at times, but the energy of the cast (especially the three leads shine the fuck out in this film!, the way it plays up the ridiculousness factor, most of the jokes landing, and the overall vibe of it is so good that it makes up whatever shortcomings it has. Shoutout to my boy Edgar.
Recommend by Emi in exchange for her watching Moulin Rouge
If you want to recommend me anything to watch in the future, click to this list
Also it’s a funny coincidence that Emi started and ended the year with recommending me a film that stars in Jaime Dornan with the 50 Shades trilogy and this respectively, except this was good and the other was.. not so much.
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Rating: “Truly Amazing”
“I’m not queer, I’m disembodied”
Such a weird yet beautiful film to experience. Playing into the isolation of oneself and the desire of being in love in all of every emotion you can think of. Sometimes you feel happy and relaxed that you’re in love and you’re doing whatever pleased you in the moment, but other times you feel weird and disembodied not sure what is real and not real. It’s Luca at his most Lynchian with scenes that made me laugh and made go “ayo, what the fuck?” on multiple occasions. But he also never looses sight on the humanity and intimacy within the characters and themes that is shown throughout all of his works with the beautiful landscapes and color that makes you believe into the environments they’re in, and the brilliant performances from Daniel Craig and Drew Starkey that makes you believe into the choices they make (regardless if you agree or disagree with them) and the chemistry at hand. Plus this has one of my favorite endings to any film of this year. So yeah, I fucked with this film a lot. Needed more Jason Schwartzman tho.
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Rating: “It’s Alright, I guess”
Yeah, the Veggietales version is still the best animated Lord of the Rings film we’ll ever going to get.
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Watched on Thursday December 12, 2024.
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Watched on Thursday December 12, 2024.
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Rating: “Truly Amazing” (Season 1)
“Are we still sisters?”
“Nothing is ever going to change that”
Yeah. Sorry to be late to the party, but I see the hype. Rich in detail, rich in world building, rich in stylistic animation that both wears its influence on its sleeves and being its own identity in the process, and ultimately rich in character and themes of capitalism, dictatorship, fascism, and the brokenness within ourselves that can destroy relationships and the world around us. Even when it can lead to some serious consequences in the process. Absolutely riveting throughout the entire thing and I can’t wait for what Season 2 has in store for me. Also Vi is the best character, don’t fight me.
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Watched on Wednesday December 11, 2024.
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Rating: “It’s Alright, I guess”
It’s not bad and it kinda got better as it went along (especially towards the end), but this ultimately feels like a half decent Funny Or Die sketch that stretches its out way too thin and ultimately doesn’t completely work as it wanted to. Jaeden Martell, Rachel Zegler and Julian Dennison innocent tho.
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Rating: “Truly Amazing”
What other film can you think of features Ugandan Schwarzenegger, a kid name Wesley Snipes who trained an American Doctor to be a commando, have deep social commentary on child labor, and an end credits that’s better than any Marvel film? Not any that I can think of. I think we can all agree that every film would be improved if V.J. Emmie narrated during it.
Recommend by Rafael "Parker!!" Jovine
If you want to recommend me anything to watch in the future, click to this list
First Timers 2024
Favorite First Time Watches of 2024
Love is Red’s Hall of Incredible Films
Rating: “Absolute Perfection”
“In real life, your history does not have to dictate your destiny.”
Well today is a better sweet day. As today marks as my final day of college, and I felt a lot of emotions about my last day.
On the one hand, I felt freeing that I’m finally done with doing college work (which I finished all my assignments recently) and I don’t have do any more paperwork so I can spend more time doing things such as writing for my newsletter (which will be back very soon, I promise y’all), creating a photography portfolio that I can send out to places where I can get some freelance gigs as a photographer while keeping my grocery store job for the time being, and spend time with friends and family that I haven’t gotten a chance to due to all the busyness I have been eating up because of school. But on the other hand, I’m also feeling sad that I’m leaving because of all the great memories I created with the clubs I’ve been apart of and the friends I’ve made through the clubs and classes.
Like through my 4 years of college (especially within this last semester), I’ve made a lot of great memories there because I have made a lot of great friends and being part of clubs and classes that not only puts my love for writing and photography to the test, but also helped out with my social skills and my need to connect with people and make good friends with similar passions as I do. Which is the best feeling to have. On top of getting to know them a bit personally outside of the classes and enjoying each others company is another great feeling that I had during those 4 years of college.
This social bonding also extends to my professors. Now, I had the pleasure of getting some really nice and supportive professors who were cool, creative, smart, kind, and very supportive of my creativity and passions I had for the career path I want to have in the future. Like I even made a couple of zines (which if you don’t know what they are, Zines are mini booklets where you can get a sheet of paper, fold it multiple times and draw on the pages) as a way to say thank you for everything they have done this semester and what they have done to my life not just as student but as a person.
But out of all the professors I had this semester (and throughout my 4 years of college), my favorite was my Digital Publication professor. Not only was he a really cool and chill guy to have as a professor, but he was also really smart and had great experiences in the Jorunalsim field that he uses them to help his students (including me) to challenge themselves and spark more of a creative fire in them. I developed a good relationship with him both in terms of keeping him updated on the big assignments I was working on and getting to know a little bit of his personal life as well. Plus with my passion with photography and wanting to get into that field professionally, he helped a ton by reaching out to fellow photographers who I can get in contact with based on who I can talk to for any job opportunities to use my photography skills to the test (plus learning more what it means to be a photographer) and even knowing them on the side as well.
So when I gave them the zine I created for him, I saw water was in his eyes. As it was like he was very proud of the man I become and how he taught me well in terms of being a great student and a good man, and the zine I created was a way to say thank you for all that. Because I sometimes have struggles of being great in my line of work and being a good person and not seeing the potential in me (especially for awhile, I didn’t know what to do once I’m done with college), but I have learn to develop great confidence within myself and I have found the path I because of people like him. But the cherry on top is when I was about to leave, he showed me a great picture of his son that uses a lot of skills a photographer would use in terms of lighting, composition, framing, attention, etc that will help me having a good career in photography down the line, and as we both said good bye, we both gave each other a hug and he told me good luck and remember to keep in touch.
As I was walking out of his class, I started to get teared up myself, because I never really had that personal connection with a professor who saw me for who I am, constantly supportive of me being a photographer, and has build up confidence in myself that I never even thought of. Like he’s the type of professor that I would invite to my wedding if I ever get married one day. That’s shows how much of an impact he left on me and partly why I will miss college because of professors like him and the countless friends I’ve made through my time in college.
So with all that said, I ultimately went a modern day Holiday classic The Holdovers as the film to watch after my last day of college. Because a lot of my experience within the last 4 years (especially this semester alone) was found through this film. As I said in my last review of the film back when I saw in theaters, it’s a hilarious and beautiful insight on the meaningful connections we can make with one another despite unfortunate circumstances and how we can help each other in finding our best selves no matter how hardship, pain, and loss we may have experienced in life. Which is shown through the way Paul, Angus, and Mary have grown to trust and care for each other and ultimately seeing a side of themselves they never knew was there the whole time, especially with Paul and Angus’s last moment at the end (I won’t give it away to anyone who hasn’t seen it) felt so like my last interaction with my digital publication professor. Like damn, that’s the power of art and the power of human connection right there.
So yeah, that’s my college experience right there and as much I won’t miss doing the school for it, I will miss the experience of getting to know so many great people who I made great friends with, get to put what I love to the test, and seeing a side of me that was there but I never saw it until the light showed it to me. Plus as a famous blond singer who finished her massive tour once said, “it was the end of an era, but the start of an age.”
And watching this film (especially during this time of the year) is a reminder for all of us that it’s never too late to start living your true self and the dreams you want to accomplish.
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Rating: “Absolute Perfection”
“I love you forever, and I’m coming back”
Fuck man, I cried at multiple occasions, but for all the right reasons. Nolan at his most emotional and human form of filmmaking and storytelling. The love and bond between Coop and Murph is stronger than any form of space and time combined that the way Nolan and company framed their similar journeys of saving the world from dying is so raw, intense, and emotionally impactful across its style, visuals, score, performances, editing, and thematic depth. It’s not subtle with its approach, but it’s also Nolan at his most honest with tackling such every concept this film throws at us and none of it comes off as pretentious or clustered at the slightest. It’s like the perfect combination of the extraordinary direction of Kubrrick's 2001 and the sentimental emotional level of Spielberg’s A.I., and it’s worthy to be one of Nolan’s finest achievements.
Oh btw. Seeing the MI8 trailer in IMAX is an equally incredible experience as the film itself
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Rating: “Absolute Perfection”
Can’t think of a better film to watch after finishing my last ever paper that I had to write for college than the greatest concert film of all time and dancing with joy knowing that I’m done doing college assignments forever.
Also, I want to give a shoutout to Eve for watching and logging this film every day since Late October. Go and follow her account. She’s really cool.
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Rating: “Great Stuff, Great Stuff”
Okay. I can see why it’s getting a ton of love recently, especially within award circles. A beautifully animated and dialogue-less driven film about the nature of life, the value of the land with us, and the simplicity and journey of these animals going through the trenches of water with an incredible score and great characters to boost. Some elements towards the end didn’t completely click with me, but otherwise some great stuff all around that you should watch if you get the chance to see it. Also it’s funny to see the millions of studio logos playing before the film actually begins (and it was cool to see the Janus Film logo on the big screen).
2024 Ranked
First Timers 2024
Favorite First Time Watches of 2024
Rating: “Absolute Perfection”
“You know where to find us, cowboy.”
May be my least favorite of the original Toy Story trilogy (Toy Story 2 Supremacy!), but it’s still an excellent film that builds on the foundations laded out from the previous two films and gave so much of its own identity and tackle themes of growing up and knowing when it’s time to move on from the past, in order to discover the new side of yourself. It’s so thematically rich and presented with gracefulness as its two older brothers. On top with being hilarious, intense, exciting (the prison break in the middle is peak cinema), and overall amazing that holds up after all these years. Plus, this hits different now that I’m about to finish college and remembering the good times I had during it, especially with this last semester alone.
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Rating: “Great Stuff, Great Stuff”
Call me a grandpa or even a looser too, but I’ll take this version of the Grinch as you shall do.
Apologies for the terrible rhyming.
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Rating: “Absolute Perfection”
I mean. This is the only rating this film should ever receive.
Recommended by Emi
If you want to recommend me anything to watch in the future, click to this list
First Timers 2024
Favorite First Time Watches of 2024
Love is Red’s Hall of Incredible Films
Rating: “Yeah, It’s Not Good”
Obviously not a good movie (sorry to any who does like it), but it’s kinda a fun film to watch with your Photo Club friends who made really fun commentary during it.
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Rating: “It’s Pretty Good”
Went in for a solid enough horror/thriller joint and I got exactly that. Great performances across the board, solid directing, strong atmosphere, and interesting commentary about religion and the power it can have on people. Loses points for not being as scary as it could have been and goes into over explaining territory towards the end, but overall good. Not much else to add.
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Rating: “Absolute Perfection”
“How wonderful life is, now you’re in the world.”
So.. yeah.. La La Land, you better hold your ground hard, because this might take the cake for my favorite movie musical ever. It might be in part because I’ve been making this film my entire personality as of recently (well minus the tuberculosis part that is) because of me watching it 3 times in such quick succession, but it’s also because this film reaches so many incredible highs that I don’t see any other film in the genre that came before and since have come close to. Like what other movie musical will you see Ewan Mcgregor singing Your Song in the most beautiful way possible and have a last 10 mins that never fails to make me sob? Not one that I can think of. Truly Baz Luhrmann’s masterpiece and I know he won’t top it anytime soon.
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Rating: “Absolute Garbage” (Level 4 Naughty Lister)
The best part of this film was when there was a quiet moment with The Rock and there was a guy you don’t see in the film who spoke Spanish very clear audio and I simply died of laughter because of it.
Recommend by Emi
If you want to recommend me anything to watch in the future, click to this list
Rating: “Absolute Perfection”
*Kate and Tyler sees a tornado forming
Tyler: “Oh, she’s perfect”
Kate: “She’s gorgeous”
*Tyler then proceeds to look at Kate like a romantic film, as Kate smiles at Tyler back.
Nothing but adoration for the best Wizard of Oz related film of 2024.
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Rating: “It’s Alright, I guess”
A decent film that contains some solid enough directing from Kendrick, a fantastic performance from Zovatto, plenty of impressive shots and composition, and some really good scenes (especially towards the end) that kinda gets hinder by the poor use of its non linear structure, plot lines that pretty weak, not exploring its complex and heavy themes in an affective way. Oh and the texts appearing in the screen makes me want to watch Zodiac again.
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Rating: “Great Stuff, Great Stuff”
“The best way to spread Christmas Cheer, is singing loud for all to hear.”
Maybe it might be my nostalgia bubble talking, but I still found it an incredibly enjoyable and pure holiday classic that all ages can watch and enjoy. Easily could have been annoying and one noted, but Favreau’s direction and Ferrel’s pitch perfect performance as Buddy really brought the level of sincerity and charm that makes this silly concept work as well as it did and while there are some notable story and script problems, the film is too damn good and too damn quotable that it makes me not caring that much for its flaws, and it’s definitely one that I will be finding myself to watch again in the future for both good nostalgic memories and put me in the good holiday mood. Also this has James Caan wearing a Santa outfit at one point, what more can you ask for?
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Rating: “Truly Amazing”
Snoopy vs the foldable chair in the greatest fight scene in all of cinema. Don’t fight me, because you know it’s true. Happy thanksgiving y’all.
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Rating: “Absolute Perfection”
More like Me Crying at The Tale of The Princess Kaguya as the better title for this film.
The tragedy of a woman wanting to live free and be young amongst those who view her as a human but ultimately taken away due to the societal pressures and standards that don’t live life as traditional and authentic as some may say and even when she gets that chance to be her true self, it maybe too late. Told with beautiful animation and authentic emotions that allow for every story, character, and thematic depth to feel earned. A memorizing film to experience on the big screen with a guy in my theater did the lean forward meme at one point and everyone sat until the credits were over and the lights came on. Just as stunned by the picture we all experienced.
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Rating: “Great Stuff, Great Stuff”
3 daughters having different views and values in the way they go about their lives. They have a tough time to get along, but over the course of this story, they learn how to be there for each other and face with the harsh reality in life. It’s a quiet, intimate, and personal drama that dives into the importance of sibling bonds, how one deals with death (or even a potential death) within the family, and staying connected even when the darkness comes and gone. Coon, Lyonne, and Olsen are terrific, the writing and directing are shrap but also intimate, and the gut punch emotional core hits hard, especially in the last 10-15 mins of the film. Glad to cross this one off my 2024 watchlist.
Rating: “Absolute Perfection”
“What if she was right? What if I was someone else? Someone beautiful and powerful? Buried alive and suffocating to death on the other side of a television screen?”
A scary film about how living life knowing that there’s a truer and more authentic side of you trapped inside of a fake persona or the side that society wants you to be. But if you allow that fake persona take over your life, you will start to suffocate. Not being able to breath, not being able to explore your body and identity as authentically as you should. The only way to live your true self is to tear that fake self apart, break that shell, and let your true self to live while there’s still time. One of the finest and honest works of art ever to be made by humans.
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Rating: “This is Like a Living Hell”
“My expectations were low, but Holy Fuck!”
This is this years Bohemian Rhapsody. A LGBT related film made by straight cis people who claim to be supportive of the LGBT community only for the film to be a hate letter to the LGBT community and thus make the straight cis people feel better about themselves and award circles will go crazy for while simply ignoring the brilliant works of art created by LGBT people that also came out the same year that are more meaningful, creative and have more impact towards the audience both on a creative and an emotional level (like this year’s I Saw The TV Glow as an example).
Baffling, boring and terribly misguided at every creative decision this film made and how it failed to give any genuincy in terms of it all. Awful writing, terrible color grading, performances that tried (?) but comes off as they didn’t wanted to be there or being laughably terrible, poor musical numbers with no style and personality both in terms of vocal performances and overall directing, a mishap of tones that don’t feel cohesive, themes and ideas that are poorly developed, horrible pacing that rushes any key moments that could have fleshed out it’s characters and themes, and allows for honest to go emotion to hit (and even in those “slow down” moments, it has little to no impact whatsoever) and it hits to the levels of pretentiousness (I hate using that word unless I truly mean it) that think it’s important yet it’s ultimately shallow and empthy that just pissed me off. If you like it, good for you. But for me, it’s easily one of the worst films I’ve seen in awhile and one of the worst of the decade so far. The fact this is an awards contender and will most likely win tons of awards while so many better, more creative, and more emotionally impactful films that came out this year are being completely shut down from this award season is not surprising but still insulting nonetheless. Congratulations to Deadpool & Wolverine for no longer being my least favorite film of the year.
The trans community deserves better than this.
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Rating: “Absolute Perfection”
“Silly of me. To think you could fall in love with someone like me”
My second viewing of it in three days, and there’s a reason why I declare it a Love Is Red Core film. It fueled everything I care and adore about the medium of film. It’s visually stunning to the full max, it’s transportive with every directing and editing choice, it’s musically wonderful at every turn, and yet admits all of its craziness and wonderful honest cheese, it never lets the style and visual presentation get in way to allow it ground the flawed yet ultimately real characters and the genuine emotions they feel and allows its themes of truth, anger, jealousy, ego, beauty, freedom, and love reflect within every action they make and how it affects the story at large and makes me cry every time. That’s how you get something that’s in the same ball park as Spider-Man 2 or Twisters in terms of capturing what’s valuable in cinema and don’t be surprised if I watch it again in the next few days or so. Because it’s the type of magical film that words can’t do the experience justice.
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Watched on Sunday November 24, 2024.
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Rating: “It’s Pretty Good”
Honestly, the best part of seeing this film was seeing the Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning trailer on the big screen! Seeing it on the screen was awe-inspiring, and I’m not ready for that out-of-body experience when the film finally comes out.
As for this film itself, I think it’s good. Obviously, it’s hard to recapture what made the original special, and yeah, it does have its drawbacks, especially with its screenplay being kinda basic without a lot of depth to explore, and sometimes the rehashed elements can be underwhelming, to say the least. But it does it make up its shortcomings by providing stellar directing, more over-the-top ridiculousness both in terms of the action and the overall kills, many of the cast’s performances (especially Denzel, who I’m just reminded how an amazing of a screen presence he has every time he shows up on screen), decent pacing, and some solid themes that felt like a natural progression of the first film, even if they aren’t the best in terms of being fleshed out. Solid enough film and I can say it’s solid enough companion piece to the original.
But whoever thought it was a good idea to cut out Palestinian actress May Calamawy and nearly every single one of her scenes in the film should never eat lunch in this town again.
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Rating: “Absolute Perfection”
“Come what may. I will love you, till my dying day.”
If someone would ask me what’s a film that I used to hate when I was young and stupid but now absolutely adore and declare it as an all time favorite, this would be my go to answer, and exactly sort of what I need after watching the mid-teir Wicked (no offense to anyone who liked/loved it, I just found it incredibly mid).
Everytime I watch this film, I always get swept into how weird, how gonzo, how over the top, how authentic, how romantic, and how tragic this film is and how unashamed it is by everything on screen. I laughed and be awed by the over the top ridiculousness of the first half were the editing is so fast paced and so weird that fits into the crazy fun energy of the Moulin Rouge and the naive feel of the world Baz and company created at large (like I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the visual presentation and style in this film heavily inspired the Wachowski’s take of Speed Racer 7 years later). But I found myself to get invested with the emotional grounded story, characters, themes, and music that allows for the dramatic tension and the tragic yet beautiful romance between Christian and Satine shine in the most authentic way possible and it doesn’t rush through any moment of it all.
Like the portion from One Day I’ll Fly Away to the Elephant Love Melody and the El Tango De Roxane sequence are by far the best part of the film for me. Not only in the sense that they show off Baz’s mastery as a director in terms of staging, blocking, editing, etc, but it’s through them that the characters (especially Christian and Satine) are at their most rawest and human level and we the audience can get invested into both the joyful and hopeful side of them, as well as the deep and dark side that lingers into their hearts. Oh and the final 10-15 mins of this film made me bawl my eyes out every time. Like if that’s not cinema, I don’t what is.
This is one film I would love to go into an in depth analysis on one of these days (which btw, many of my reviews as of recent have gotten me back into the groove of reviewing in depth for my newsletter again now that I’m going to be done with school in the next few weeks), because this one that I adore so easily and so much I can say that I don’t want to make this entry too long. But I will say for now, thank you Baz, Ewan, Nicole, and everyone involved with this film for giving me a proper look on truth, beauty, freedom, and above all things, love.
I can watch this film again right now if I could. It’s that good.
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Rating: “It’s Alright, I guess”
I hope Cynthia and Ariana get their medical bills payed after being send out to the hospital for carrying this entire film on their back.
But for reals. This was I what I expected the film to be. A perfectly fine musical that has its highlights like the two lead performances, some of the musical numbers, the sets and costumes, and a few great scenes (like the scene when Elphaba and Glinda dance at the ball is easily the best scene of the film for me) that misses so many heights due to the mostly bland visual pallets, directing that’s a mixed bag across the board, many little details in the writing that bothered me, and not hitting hard with the emotional core as it wanted to do (especially with the third act). Not Dear Evan Hansen or Greatest Showman levels of atrocious, but not La La Land or Moulin Rouge levels of masterpiece either. Hoping that Part 2 is an improvement.
But I swear to God, if Hollywood ever fucks up Hadestown (one of the greatest works of art of all time) by make it a bland, boring, and shitty film adaptation, I will become the joker.
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Rating: “Truly Amazing”
Crazy how this film is 85 years old and yet still looks more visually stunning than so many films that come out in todays age. Crazy how that’s the case.
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Rating: “It’s Pretty Good”
Do you ever have those films that you obviously think it’s good, but for some reason you didn’t quite love it as you would have? Well this film is that film for me.
Like obviously, I think it’s a good film and there’s a lot of about it that I really liked/admire. From its directing, to the cinematography, to the performances, to the set and costume designs, to the epic scale, to plenty of great scenes (especially the “my name is Maximus” scene is an all timer) that really gives the film a sense of lively boast.
However, my main problem with the film is that I felt emotionally distanced from this film for a huge amount of it. Like this film spends a lot of its time to make it feel big and grand and epic that it (for the most part) forgets to add a sense of ground and breather within the story, characters, and themes. Like they are present for sure, but the overall presentation and execution isn’t on par as it’s visual presentation. I mean the pacing in the first act take awhile to move and by the time we get to Maximus becoming a slave and all that jazz, it felt rushed and the film never takes proper time to properly flesh out the themes and ideas it wanted to explore, as well as develop many relationships with the characters in a believable way (at least for me). Not to mention that so much of the film tries to present itself as epic and grand (the pre Pirates of the Caribbean like score hammers it quite offen) and even having some crazy stylish editing tricks (especially towards the action, which are quite good) that it rarely takes itself back and let the scene and its emotion sink in.
I know that it seems like I hate this film, but I like I said, it’s a good film and I see why many people hailed it so highly. It’s just that there’s a lot in this film that made me feel a bit distance from it on an emotional and thematic level. Honestly, if I want a big epic scale blockbuster that’s also strong on emotion and character, I would probably go with something like The Lord of the Rings trilogy, or the Dune duology, or the Verbinski Pirates of the Caribbean trilogy. We’ll see how I feel about the sequel. Okay, bye.
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Watched on Tuesday November 19, 2024.
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Rating: “Absolute Perfection”
Yeah. This should be unexpectedly for you to hear that this film is phenomenal.
A deeply funny and ultimately deeply tragic look on the idea of love and the false hope that the people you thought were going to spend the rest of your life with you, only to turn their backs and say you’re worthless and unworthy of love. Baker takes his approaches of filmmaking and humanity to the highest they’ve ever been in his career. Allowing for the beautiful and rose glasses look on life presented with high energy in terms of its editing and cinematography in the first half before transition into the more chaos and ultimately stilted depression hit in the second half without coming off as jarring at the slightest. Mikey Madison might as well gives the performance of the year (or at least top 5), capturing Ani both in the highest and low/confusing parts of her journey as the story continues in the most honest, raw, funny, and humanistic ways possible. Please give her the Oscar (or a nomination at least) Also shoutout to Mark Eydelshteyn, Karren Karagulian and Yura Borisov for giving terrific performances as well and being highlights of the film along side Madison. Not mention that it made made me laugh hard in ways that I I haven’t laughed in awhile. God, I don’t know what else is there to say. Just an incredible piece of cinema and definitely my favorite Baker film. Oh and that shot in the end is something that I’m gonna think about for awhile.
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Rating: “Great Stuff, Great Stuff”
Rarely have I seen a film that has shown me that this film it’s true brilliance by the time third act comes on after being unsure of how to feel about it for most of the first two acts (tho the first two acts weren’t bad at the slightest). Baker has always have the sauce in him.
Also suck it Deadpool & Wolverine, because this film has the best use of Bye Bye Bye. Like you can’t top this films use of it no matter how you tried.
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Rating: “Truly Amazing”
Haven’t seen Red Rocket and Anora yet (planning to watch them in the coming days), but as of now this is my favorite Baker joint. Such a sad yet beautiful look on the innocence of a child, the behaviors we adapt based on the people who raised us/we hanged out with and living life without taking a full look on the poverty within America affecting the youth and everyone living in it. Every relationship between the characters feel genuine and real no matter if they last very long or for a short period of time. The whole look and vibes are clearly shows Baker at his most rawest form that I can honestly watch hours worth of these people living their lives, no matter how good or bad things may turn out for them at the end. Plus, Willem Dafoe. Do I need to say more?
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Rating: “Absolute Perfection”
I need a cheer of happiness in me after a stressful day of being stuck in finals mode for school for the last several days and the coming weeks to follow. God, I hope I survive these last few weeks of school.
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Rating: “It’s Pretty Good”
Yep. Add this to list of films I hated when I was young and stupid and now thinking “Damn. This is actually pretty good”. Not quite my favorite Baker, but still a solid enough entry that showcases his ability to handle real human moments with creative ways in the filmmaking process to make his works standout.
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Rating: “Great Stuff, Great Stuff”
What does it mean to be a good friend? What does it mean to be a good person? Do our actions reflect our character and values in life? Are we doing things for our own selfish benefit or are we doing them to actually help out those in need? Those are the questions placed upon this film and Baker does a great job on the inherent nature that’s within all of us being explored with the characters and their environments within this film. The last 5 mins in particular are truly something to be hold.
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Rating: “Great Stuff, Great Stuff”
The holidays are an interesting time for every single person in different ways. For some, it’s a time of celebration, family get togethers, receiving gifts, and having a fun time with the people you love as another year comes to an end. But for others, it’s a time for isolation and regret, deep loneliness, not receiving love and affection from others as you hoped, and sitting within your thoughts as you think back on your year and thinking how you will survive the next one. But no matter how you view it, the holidays are a reflection of who and where different people are as they look back at their lives within a year and thinking should they celebrate the goodness of it all, be in deep loneliness, or find a perfect middle ground to be stable within themselves, and this film looks through all of that. The highs, lows, and in between. The laughs, sadness, and melancholic feelings within all. Definitely a recommendation this coming holiday season.
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Rating: “Absolute Perfection”
You know Deadpool & Wolverine would have been a way better film if they didn’t do all the stupid multiverse, nostalgia wanking, and saving the world nonsense and just did a remake of this film instead. But even then, it wouldn’t have top the original masterpiece that IS this film.
Oh and this is the second year in a row that I watched this film for national Gosling day. Go figure.
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Rating: “Absolute Perfection”
Honestly, the look that John Goodman makes after he said “You’re too pale” makes me die of laughter every time I watch this film and it’s way funnier than the entirety of 95% of comedies that I’ve seen in my life.
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Watched on Monday November 11, 2024.
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Rating: “Truly Amazing”
“Gotham is yours, sweetheart”
Crime and tragedy can make the most broken and hurt individuals into monsters that destroys everything and everyone they care about in order to gain power and control that reflects a fragment of who they were before. No one is safe in the streets of Gotham. Betrayals, distrust, murder, lies, and destruction comes rampant in all shape and sizes and maybe there will be a savior will come to restore it in some way or form. Or not, we are not so sure. LeFranc, Reeves, Farrell, Milioti and company really went to town with this mini series and it was nearly perfect in every level. At this point, Matt Reeves’s Batman universe is the only CBM series that I have any form of excitement behind going forward.
]]>Only counting feature-length films for this list. Sorry to the short films or mini series I re-watched this year. Also, the notes show in case I re-watched it more than once in the year.
- Ready Player One
- The Creator
- Kiki's Delivery Service
3 times
- Mean Girls
- True Stories
- Raiders of the Lost Ark
- Soul
- Portrait of a Lady on Fire
2 times
- House
- Lemonade
...plus 159 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Basically the list of films I watched for the first time in 2024. Only counted the feature length films I logged on here.
- The Raid
- The Raid 2
- The Iron Claw
- Anatomy of a Fall
- Ferrari
- Fifty Shades of Grey
- Fifty Shades Darker
- Fifty Shades Freed
- Party Girl
- The Daytrippers
...plus 198 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>As the title said, recommend me a film you want me to watch in the future in the comments down below.
- Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles
Recommend by Emi
- The Great Gatsby
Recommended by Dr. Cake
- Funeral Parade of Roses
Recommended by Emi
- Cutie Honey
Recommended by Emi
- Wicked Little Letters
Recommend by Tobias Cinema
- Pride
Recommend by Tobias Cinema
- Midnight Cowboy
Recommend by Emi
- Aggro Dr1ft
Recommend by Emi
- I, Daniel Blake
Recommended by Filmlad
- Barbarella
Recommended by Filmlad
...plus 10 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Ranked by the order I watched them. Only cover the films I have rated “Great Stuff, Great Stuff” or higher
- The Raid
- The Raid 2
- The Iron Claw
- Anatomy of a Fall
- Party Girl
- The Daytrippers
- We Will Rock You
- Cowboy Bebop: The Movie
- Gaslight
- Girls Will Be Girls
...plus 90 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>- Twisters
- I Saw the TV Glow
- Look Back
- Dune: Part Two
- Anora
- Hundreds of Beavers
- Challengers
- Trap
- Hit Man
- Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
...plus 70 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>These are feature length films I view as either “Truly Amazing” or “Absolute Perfection”. But I love them all the same. Everything is set in release order.
- Safety Last!
- Sherlock Jr.
- The General
- Man with a Movie Camera
- City Lights
- Bride of Frankenstein
- Modern Times
- Make Way for Tomorrow
- The Wizard of Oz
- His Girl Friday
...plus 659 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Spider-Man 2 remains at number one. Everything else is in ABC order
- Spider-Man 2
- 12 Angry Men
- After Hours
- Aftersun
- Alien
- All That Jazz
- Almost Famous
- American Graffiti
- Anora
- The Apartment
...plus 150 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>I love doing binges on this account and they’re some of the most fun I’ve had watching films whenever I do them. So I had some ideas of the binges of film studios, series, and filmmakers I want to do in the future. Whatever they happen later this year or in the future, I would love to do these binges someday. This will update over time.
- Toy Story
Pixar binge
- Captain America: The First Avenger
MCU (Infinity Saga timeline order with Black Widow and Guardians of the Galaxy 3 included, and not including Far From Home) binge
- Mission: Impossible
Mission Impossible binge
- Saw
Saw binge
- Following
Christopher Nolan binge
- Taxi Driver
Martin (Puffy Daddy) Scorsese Binge
- Bound
The Wachowski binge
- Star Trek
Star Trek binge
- Coraline
Laika binge
- The Muppet Movie
The Muppets Binge
...plus 6 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>A list of films I watched for this class
]]>This the list of films that I covered over a weekly series called "Letterboxd 4 Wednesday" that's on my newsletter "Diving Into Art" in where I give my mini thoughts on the films that are on my Letterboxd top 4 each week (since they change frequently).
This will update over time
- Spider-Man 3
- Chungking Express
Week of 5/1
- The Hunger Games: Catching Fire
Week of 5/1
- The Dark Knight
Week of 5/1
- Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
- Grave of the Fireflies
Week of 5/8
- Portrait of a Lady on Fire
Week of 5/8
- Dawn of the Planet of the Apes
Week of 5/8
- The Incredibles
- The Empire Strikes Back
Week of 5/15
...plus 98 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>I hope this list won’t offend any MCU fans out there. Also if we count TV shows, then Netflix’s Daredevil would be on this list for sure. Since that’s like the best thing to come out of the MCU along side with the Guardians trilogy
]]>Now if we count other mediums of art on this list, then Season 2 of The Bear would be number two.
- Oppenheimer
- Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour
- John Wick: Chapter 4
- Poor Things
- Godzilla Minus One
- The Boy and the Heron
- The Holdovers
- Anatomy of a Fall
- Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
- Past Lives
...plus 82 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Here’s the list of all the reviews and essays I have done on my newsletter “Diving Into Art” if you want to check them out for your enjoyment. Some of these I’m super proud of, but they’re all really good and worth your time reading them and subscribing to the newsletter if you like what you see and want to follow for constant updates on it.
This will update overtime
- Poor Things
- Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes
- The Fall Guy
- Folklore: The Long Pond Studio Sessions
- The Bear
The Bear: How It Held Up a Mirror In Front of Me (aka the essay I’m the most proud of)
- MaXXXine
- Barbie
- Oppenheimer
- Twisters
- Trap
...plus 3 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Happy Spider-Man Day
]]>A list of films I watched for this class
- Cannibal Tours
- Martha of the North
- Nanook of the North
- Dead Birds
- Dead Birds Re-Encountered
- First Contact
- The Feast
- Magical Death
- A Man Called "Bee"
- Reel Injun
...plus 11 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>All we need is a film starring Cillian Murphy and Margot Robbie as the leads, and it will be complete
]]>A list of films I watched for this class I’m taking this semester at college
- Portrait of a Lady on Fire
- Él
- Gaslight
- To Live
- Raise the Red Lantern
- Body Parts
- She Said
- The Piano
- The Power of the Dog
- After Hours
...plus 12 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Free Palestine, and Call for Case Fire Now!
]]>Only counting feature-length films for this list. Sorry to the short films or mini series I re-watched this year. Also, the notes show in case I re-watched it more than once in the year.
- The Menu
- The Wind Rises
2 times
- The Social Network
3 times
- Puss in Boots: The Last Wish
- A.I. Artificial Intelligence
- Marriage Story
- Shiva Baby
- Perfect Blue
- Se7en
- The Game
...plus 66 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>Basically the list of films I watched for the first time in 2023. Only counted the feature length films I logged on here.
- The Illusionist
- Bottoms
- Lenny
- Shouting Fire: Stories from the Edge of Free Speech
- Dredd
- Theater Camp
- Jawan
- Love at First Sight
- No One Will Save You
- The Creator
...plus 37 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.
]]>I think this trilogy is worth discussing and take a look at
]]>One of my favorite genres ngl.
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