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Reviews
Closest (2020)
Pirated this film while I listened to my mum bang my stepdad next door
Too bad the audio mixing is so quiet I could still hear them going at it with my headphones on. Not good.
Joker (2019)
Stop complaining about the Joker saying "society"
He only says it like once in the entire film.
Anyway I really enjoyed Joker (2019), great take on the supherhero genre.
Empire (1964)
It's okay
Empire (1965) is the first installment in the ECU (Empire Cinematic Universe). It is the origin story of the Empire State Building, who is the one of the most important characters in the ECU. He is signed to two more ECU films already in production: Empire Rises in 2019 and Buildings: Infinity War in 2020.
Andy Warhol really is a good director, but he doesn't do anything special with the cinematography. I feel like this film could've been a 10/10 if it was directed by Edgar Wright.
I was also quite dissapointed that the ECU producers didn't haven't have the bravery to kill off any of the characters, other than a few pigeons.
But these are my only complaints. Push them aside, and you have a solid film with crazy action sequences (although I couldn't quite remember what happened in them); and some really funny dialogue.
Another perfect masterpiece from Any Warhol.
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
Ryan Gosling is still trying to be "a real human being"
The best part about Blade Runner 2049 is how visually engaging it is. The editing has a steady, rich pace. The film did feel very long, but this never distracted from the slow and occasionally ambiguous plot. The direction and composition holds your attention on the world of the film.
Although the visual effects are consistently realistic, the environments aren't as imaginative nor as atmospheric as the bulky retro L.A. in the original Blade Runner, which was bursting with character and life. Some places in BR2049, such as the farm and the orphanage K visits, have a believably unique design; other places, like the memory manufacturer, er, don't. The art design on Denis Villeneuve's other sci-fi films (i.e. Enemy, Arrival) should give you a good idea of what to expect. The costume design is brilliant - possibly better than the original's.
The biggest problem is the plot. The original BR had two narratives building at the same time - Deckard's hunt for the escaped replicants, and the replicants' hunt for their creator - and as the film goes on, we develop empathy for both parties. This is crucial, as a key theme in BR (and especially the book) is empathy; it separates androids from humans. We can empathize with all the characters' actions, even the immoral ones. Everyone feels human, which might, y'know, have something to do with the whole theme of the film? Y'know? In contrast, BR2049 has a polarizing "good vs. bad" plot. The goodies escape from the baddies. Not much to contemplate, really. The protagonist is asked to find and kill someone, which could be an opportunity to explore some complex morality; but the film never takes the time to expand on this, because it's so caught up in it's own "goodies versus baddies" plot.
Jared Leto and Sylvia Hoeks play villains as forgettable as the fifteen billion other film villains exactly like them. But at least Hoeks is able to breathe some personality into her role, delivering some intense scenes - Leto's performance had next to no character. Neither come close to the brilliance of Steven Berkoff.
In fact, with BR being an atmospheric and human film, the only excuse I can find for BR2049's complete lifelessness is that it was done on purpose. Maybe it's a metaphor for how it feels to be a slave android, with no free will? If that's the case, it's not a rewarding one. Villeneuve is notorious for ambiguous plots - my man Channel Criswell argues that ambiguity is the genius of Villeneuve's craft(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NJYnoNxLek)- but whilst films like Enemy (which has very similar themes to BR) are so confusing that the viewer feels almost obliged to work out what it all meant, BR2049 feels cold and detached. This is partly due to the acting.
Ryan Gosling isn't a good actor. He is a guy who smiles slightly. That's all he does. He can only pull one face. Has anyone else noticed this? Because he seems to be getting a lot of roles recently. In which all he does is slightly smile. Enemy makes a good comparison: Jake Gyllenhaal plays a man going through an overwhelming psychological struggle, and his brilliant performance expresses this. The struggle is completely internalized, yet we still understand; and if we don't, we want to. Gosling's character contemplates things throughout BR2049, but we can't possibly work out what he's thinking. Narration and flashbacks have to be used, and even then it's unengagingly confusing. The other performances were fine. Mackenzie Davis was impressive, and Harrison Ford held up.
The film was an entertaining pair of hours, but I doubt it'll stay with you, because I'll probably forget about it soon. It's not the ind of film I want to think about, nor had enough action scenes to warrant a rewatch.
Human Traffic (1999)
Safe As F*ck
I've got no idea why this is called Human Traffic.
The plot just follows a group of friends clubbing and partying for a weekend; the style felt like I was clubbing and partying with them. There's little in the way of a plot - only a few scenes are crucial, and even they stumble a bit - but what drives the film is the style.
Human Traffic is enveloped in a style that expresses the feelings and thoughts of clubbing in an engaging and funny way. It's silly enough to make you laugh, but clever enough to make comments on the 90's club scene and drug culture. There are many stylized tropes, such as OTT re-enactments and characters breaking the forth wall to share their thoughts Ferris-Beuller-style, but they're so consistent that it gives the film a fresh atmosphere. However, whilst the first half of the film grabs you by the ankles (with some admittedly cringey character introductions), the uniqueness of the style does wear off towards the end.
Reality is often mixed with fantasy, which is also played for both commentary and criticism. I've never been clubbing, but could understand the characters' experiences clearly.
I'd say all performances were at their peak, even and especially with extras. I'd say John Simms, Danny Dyer and Nicola Reynolds were the best, but the others weren't far behind.
The script is packed with character, and kinda quotable - my favourite scene being the News Report explaining the Ecstasy business. And the music, of course, for a film about clubbing, is engaging and palatable.
If there's any problem, I'd say it's the plotlessness. I love films without plots, but whilst La Haine (probably, like my 2nd favourite film) and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas (in the top 15) wrap up their character development swiftly and successfully, Human Traffic doesn't quite reach a conclusion fit for the entertaining experience of its core. But maybe that's just me.
Furthermore, the few key scenes of the film were a bit difficult to understand. This is due to the fantasy/reality thing, but could be cleared up with one or two lines.
Overall, Human Traffic is built around a fun experience for the characters and viewers in turn, and whilst its emotional value is built up to with strength and character, it ends with something of a fizzle... what the f*ck was I just talking about?
There's a Man in the Woods (2014)
Literally perfect tho
There's a Man in the Woods perfectly ties animation with spoken word. Instead of simply writing a poem then animating it, the two elements clearly depend on one another. Some lines use images to deliver their final punch (the final words say it all); some images need the monologue to convey an emotion.
Another fusion of two elements in There's A Man In The Woods: the narrative. The story cuts between a montage of the past and the mysteries of the present, all through the eyes of the teacher.
If there's any complaint to be made, it's that he doesn't sound exactly middle aged if you think about it. Whilst this is true, it doesn't matter; the pure emotion of the voice actor's performance sells his character. Every line is delivered with an ounce of realism.
The animation is excellent. I've always adored the whole coniferous-trees-and-empty-roads vibe, and this film nails it. The art style explores a range of colours, balancing a large palette with a dark tint. The animation isn't smooth, but it doesn't need to - I'd rather watch a heartfelt hand-drawn film than some flashy Saturday-morning cartoon jazz.
All in all, There's A Man In The Woods is an underrated masterpiece, begging for more attention.