jb-x Reviews

Make Up (2019)

Good concept, weak foundation

[5/10 · 1 November 2020]

Make up is a promising idea and creates great ambience in its opening scenes - with the uncanny creating tension within this everyday scene of a caravan park. The only thing, which I am sure is to put off a major part of a home-watching audience, is the extremely slow pace in unfolding the drama and arguably not enough drama as a reward for our patience. This is a film that will stay in my mind for its stripped-back stylistic approach and humble nature, but it is not one for everyone.

The Social Dilemma (2020)

Enlightening video essay with lousy dramatisations

[7/10 · 26 October 2020]

The information was packaged and presented really well and in an impactful way but the dramatisations were not necessary and slightly detracted from the message rather than add value.

Summer of 85 (2020)

Beautiful, nostalgic storytelling

[7/10 · 25 October 2020]

Beautifully shot nostalgic piece of 'storytelling' as Alexis, a young gay teen, recalls his beautifully tragic 'love story' with an older man, David, in Normandie during the summer of 1984. The film is incredibly self-reflexive in that Alexis' prologue in the opening sequence directly addresses the viewer through eye contact with the camera and this breaking of the fourth wall is done several times through the film. Thus, from the beginning, we are reminded that this is a story - perhaps somewhat a fabrication or exaggeration of events - but are warmly invited by Ozon to take pleasure in this nostalgic retelling of events. The narrative structure is a continuous pivoting back and forth which presents us with the past story as well as the present Alexis trying to free himself from his trauma through his written testimony in the run up to his court hearing.

Ozon builds a sense of nostalgia through costume and picture as well as presenting the act of cinemagoing as an opportunity for magic, dreams and romantic encounters as Alexis & David develop their budding romance through several cinema trips. The film is beautifully shot in terms of its colour palette - there is a lot of blue to reflect the freedom of the sea and the melancholy that the protagonist feels.

In the second half of the film, there is an increased sense of sadness and emotional distraught as Alexis' lover dies in a motorcycle accident and Alexis is desperately trying to 'remember'/construct his testimony of the events which followed. Because of this deliberate 'construction' of memory, we are reminded through Alexis' psychiatrist and teacher that the account could be exaggerated and manipulated somewhat - in this regard, can we believe everything presented to us, particularly the ending scenes? Furthermore, should the viewer be completely complicit in their spectatorship or question some of the underlying issues glossed over like the suggested sexual assault of the drunk guy and the age difference between the two ephemeral lovers (Alexis would have only been 15 when he met 18 year old David).

This is definitely a must-see!

Host (II) (2020)

Refreshing modern take on a repeated plot line

[7/10 · 20 October 2020]

Host is a refreshing modern experimentation of the worn out seance scenes played out in many horror films already. Using a mix of scripted and spontaneous dialogue, a air of authenticity is created. The jump scares in this revamped format of a Zoom call become surprisingly new - resulting in an entertaining and gripping piece. My personal favourite scene was where the spirit was revealed through the facial recognition filter effects.

Euphoria (2019– )

Well-thought out and executed

[8/10 · 25 September 2020]

Euphoria is so refreshing as a series for its excellent cinematography and brilliant sound score throughout. It seems that every scene, sequence, shot has been well-thought out and executed compared to other modern series where the plot is exaggerated and presentation is neglected.

Not to forget, Zendaya's performance (and those of all the characters in fact) are brilliant and believable.

I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020)

I'm thinking of taking a nap

[1/10 · 8 September 2020]

I'm here for slow cinema but this was truly a drag and a load of superfluous dialogue. A truly depressing waste of time.

Unhinged (I) (2020)

Entertaining and grilling thriller

[6/10 · 24 August 2020]

This thriller will keep you entertained and on your toes with respect to the level of suspense and action despite its very formulaic plot. The villain's motives are inferred but due to the lack of characterisation, it all seems somewhat unclear and the message if any is convoluted

Morrer Como Um Homem (2009)

Struggled to finish

[4/10 · 10 August 2020]

The opening sequences were beautiful, suspenseful, and rich in imagery. However, into the second half of the film, it was undeniably boring and just lacking in substance and characterisation. It was hard to sympathise with the protagonist, which the director obviously wanted us to do, since the performances were lackluster.

If the film had been cut by about 40 minutes, I am sure it would be a 6/10.

Vitalina Varela (2019)

Gorgeous cinematography but devoid of emotion

[3/10 · 15 July 2020]

Costa has a great eye for capturing picturesque scenes in any landscape. The beginning 30 minutes are stunning and really gripped my attention but I got easily distracted and bored after that. Costa's films require an overwhelming amount of attention which leads us to think, is it really worth it?

Vitalina is devoid of emotion as per characters from his previous films. Despite it inviting us to form our own interpretations, I think the film would have done better to maintain our attention with some emotion put into the characters' performances.

Unless you have a very strong attention span, I wouldn't recommend this film because you won't finish it in one go. However, I would recommend a few brief skips through the film to look at the excellent renaissance-esque shots.

Dangerous Lies (2020)

Superfluous Garbage

[2/10 · 1 May 2020]

This film, which was flawed from start to finish with plot holes, built up for so long to give us such a boring climax. It ultimately didn't make much sense and was not a satisfying watch at all. Moreover, the main characters were unbearable and pathetic.

Carmen & Lola (2018)

"Just like the movies"

[8/10 · 1 May 2020]

I watched this for the first time when it first came out in Spain and I was equally enchanted by this film when I watched it recently.

The cinematography is beautiful and every sound/silence fits so well. I really enjoyed the (perhaps overly explicit) symbolism of the dove for peace and emancipation which both closeted protagonists are searching for.

Equally, what I found interesting was their performance of romance with each other - as Carmen says on the coach at the end, it's "just like the movies". Interestingly, they seem to develop their romance through reenacting other movies. For example, the empty swimming pool sequence was very 'La Niña Santa' for me. Secondly, when Carmen laid her head on Lola's lap in the alleyway scene, this was very The Fault In Our Stars for me. Finally, the desire for emancipation and escape through going to the seaside was very resonant of Les 400 Coups - also linking with the fact she had just 'lost' her mother.

I was impressed, and overwhelmed, with the way in which this film built up in tension which made the family confrontation both shocking and very emotional. It is a controversial statement which addresses such homophobia in certain communities and I feel it presents the issue pretty well.

Overall, a beautifully constructed film addressing minority communities and 'taboo' subjects in such communities. I would absolutely recommend!

Tomboy (2011)

Beautifully Unfulfilling

[6/10 · 22 April 2020]

I am really grateful to see such representation in cinema and the child actors definitely perform very well both in their roles and in their interactions (I loved the sibling relationship and the solidarity of Jeanne). However, I really feel that the film was just a little bit unsatisfying and left me wanting more. We have already seen this scenario play out in Ma Vie En Rose which was fantastic in its unravelling of the plot and incorporation of fantasy - I just wish that Tomboy took it that step further in giving us a more fulfilling production.

The Platform (2019)

A 'gran "hoyo"' in the plot

[6/10 · 9 April 2020]

Very interesting concept and well-structured film. It was engaging and unpredictable but the ending was very lackluster, leaving more questions than it provided answers.

Black Christmas (2019)

Feminism is not a plot line

[3/10 · 16 December 2019]

The opening sequence was promising, evoking classic slasher films but everything after was a mess. The film tried to incorporate too many elements which were overtly feminist, but missed the mark and ended up being a huge void. The end of the movie was a desperate attempt at an Assassination Nation remake. Thank god it was only an hour and a half because they could not have forced more garbage in without making us completely bored.

The Intruder (I) (2019)

Predictability presented well

[7/10 · 7 August 2019]

If you've watched a home invasion movie before, you know exactly what's coming, but Roxanne Avent does a terrific job in the role as ruthless but sometimes dumb housewife. She really drives the film and it is rewarding watching her journey throughout the film, as she really is the only like-able character. Despite its predictability, it is entertaining and I did not find myself bored at any point. I would recommend the watch.

Anna (II) (2019)

Heard it before but definitely not seen it before..

[6/10 · 2 July 2019]

From the trailer, you may think the Russian Spy concept is a tired one and that this would be a very predictable film. However, the dismantling and rearranging of the narrative gives this film a strong edge over others of this genre and revels lots of intricacies and plot twists along the way, embodying the concept of a Russian Doll. Sasha Luss embodies confidence and female empowerment into the character of Anna, which gives the film that feel good factor that we desire. Not only is there action and suspense, but many unexpected moments of comedy, particularly from Helen Mirren who channels elements of Miranda Priestly from The Devil Wears Prada. Overall, this is a well constructed film with a tight concept that covers multiple genres. The only criticism is that some of the action combat scenes are elongated and we occasionally lose some of the suspense and momentum that was built up prior.

Sorry Angel (2018)

Seen it before

[5/10 · 9 June 2019]

Although I enjoyed the overall plot, emotion behind it and the acting, the film lasted too long and there was not enough substance to keep me gripped the whole way through. I kept thinking to myself throughout the film that I have seen this all before (120 Battements par Minute, Call Me By Your Name etc.) and unfortunately, there was little which separated this film from LGBT films of this genre and this plot to make it a front runner.