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Tenet (2020)
A real disappointment
The movie starts out fast and the first hour or so is quite promising. Looks like a good Bond movie, with beautiful shots in multiple locations and a lot of action. However, it turns into a big mess. The plot and the timeline becomes too comolicated while the movie becomes repetitive and boring. So in the last 30 min I was not understanding much and also not caring much.
The main character has no emotions and no background, very much like a robot. That said, it's very hard to feel something for him when the guy himself doesn't show any feelings. Neil was more likeable but he didn't get time (which is impressive given how long the movie is) to showcase much of his human side either. At some parts it felt like watching a military mission, not a movie, because you just couldn't get any time of connection with any of the characters.
I love Nolan films and this has been, so far, the only time I felt disappointed after watching one of his movies.
Passing (2021)
so boring
I tried to like it but it's just boring. My grandma watched parts of it with me and she kept asking when it was going to end.
One of these movies you keep waiting for a plot that is never delivered.
It's also very slow and always alternating between too much dialogue and too much silence. I really disliked the pace.
The premise sounds promising but the movie seems to be walking in circles, we don't get to really dig much into the issues raised. There's also many scenes/talks that apparently don't have purpose at all.
In summary, don't waste your time.
Encanto (2021)
Charming!
I was trying not to expect much from it after being extremely disappointed by "Raya and the Last Dragon", but "Encanto" was surprisingly good!
The animation is stunning, the songs are fun and the protagonist Mirabel is very charming!
Instead of following the typical fairy tale structure, "Encanto" doesn't really have a villain. Despite all the magic surrounding the Madrigal family, the problems and solutions are mostly due to very realistic issues. It's a movie about accepting who you are, despite your flaws and about the importance of family.
I do think it's lacking some everlasting component necessary to put it among Disney classics, but to be honest this is a feeling that I had with most of the recent Disney productions.
Overall I strongly recommend it to all ages!
The Bodyguard (1992)
Many flaws but worth it for Whitney
This movie has a very weak script and a serious problem with the tone: it doesn't transit well between romance, thriller and drama, but it tries hard to be all that. Also, the male lead is just shallow (?) or simply lacking charisma. Impossible to see why the sisters would fall for him tbh.
Still, it has iconic Whitney songs and even though it's her big screen debut, her acting is solid. Rachel was the only character I could care about in the whole movie. She shined in the role and was funny, charming and multi-dimensional.
Overall, "The Bodyguard" is too long, too boring and too flawed, but one could still watch it at least once to appreciate Whitney!
Cinderella (2021)
It could have been like a good 6/10 DCOM but it was much worse
Ok where do I begin? I knew the movie wouldn't be "good" good but I thought it had some potential to be "dumb yet catchy and charming DCOM" good. It failed me.
The idea of making it a jukebox musical isn't essentially bad, but it was poorly executed. Terribly executed. Instead of singing along with some popular good songs my reactions ranged from rolling my eyes to laughing hard as the performances were either boring or very cringy (omg what was that AM I WRONG performance???).
The script was shallow, with some cliche lines that looked like it came from a fanfiction written by a 14 y.o. Camila fan.
The prince had less charm than a wood chair. Zero charisma and also zero chemistry with Camila.
Amazon also imported the terrible idea from Disney to add a "woke" component to this old tale. It's even more forced than on Disney live actions. We have simply TOO MANY additions just for the sake of adding inclusion and feminism. Yes, I get it that we don't want to teach our girls that they should wait until a rich guy saves them from their problems, but in this movie the message gets repeated so many times that it almost feels like those educational videos they show at schools to tell kids that drugs are bad and bullying is wrong. It's just clearly fake and deviates from the main plot.
Oh and they need to fire the person who decided to hire James Corden.
The only good thing about the movie were the special effects. They were actually very well made and expose that a big amount of money was put into this project. What a shame!
Les misérables (2019)
Great movie
I really enjoyed this one. It perfectly constructs how the fragile harmony between the police and the different gangs work and how easily it can be broken. It's very interesting to learn the dynamics of power and race in the neighborhood only to watch all the different groups collide over an apparently simple event that leads to extreme consequences. The pace is fast, I got tense and was looking forward for the next move just like the Cops. The characters are multi-dimensional and believable, even if not all of them have a detailed background, you can understand why they act the way they do.
The ending quite reminded me of City of God, which is a 10/10 movie imo so I won't complain about it, especially because it worked in LesMis context.
I saw some people getting disappointed with the final scene but I'm used to watch europpean movies and to me it wasn't shocking that it ended right where it did. Hollywood is very attached to a certain structure, in which after the climax you'll always have a proper closure but french movies often defy this logic. It can be quite frustrating in the first times, but eventually you get used to it (and might even start prefering this type of ending). Also saw some people pointing out how the movie doesn't present "solutions" to the issues it exposes, but movies are essentially made to tell stories, they don't need to suggest public policies.
In summary, if you're looking for a fast-paced tense cop movie that reveals a Paris very different than you're used to see, go watch this movie! Just don't expect it to end like it would do of it was set in the US.
Machuca (2004)
So intense. Perfect reminder of what it's like to live in a dictatorship.
I absolutely loved this movie. It's very intense and feels intimate, as if we're directly watching Gonzalo's memories. We get immersed into this 12-year old world: his comfortable house and posh school but also his reality with bullying, family issues and solitude. And then we see this boy discovers friendship, love and fun where he least expected it. The growing tension in the country political and social scenarios feels like an adults-issue that impacts but not much these kids' lives. They still get to be just kids, everything is still normal for them, until it isn't. And that's when the final act of the movie comes like a bomb. Watching the final part reminded me of WW movies and also made me reflect about my own country, which also went through a ruthless military dictatorship for decades. When it finally ended, I was devastated, but at the same time happy that I chose to watch this movie. Everybody should.
Oh, other than the story, the cinematography and the acting (especially by the kids, who were not even professional actors) is AMAZING.
Aquarius (2016)
Sonia Braga shines in this great movie
I must admit the synopsis is not very attractive, the premise of an old woman refusing to sell her apartment doesn't sound exciting, but this movie and its lengthy running time are totally worth it.
Sonia Braga shines as Clara, who's not your usual protagonist. She's a 60-something very confident woman who, despite being nostalgic and reflective of her past, is still living in the present. She goes out with her friends, she has sex, she gets angry. I don't remember seeing a protagonist like her before at all and Sonia Braga is perfect in the role. Clara has so many layers and Braga is able to deliver a convincible performance at every moment.
As for the movie flaws, I think sometimes it gets too slow (especially at the beginning) and, considering that it lasts for almost 2 and a half hours, this can discourage viewers to stick to the end. I also personally wanted to see what happens after the closing scene, although I can totally understand why the director felt that was a good way to end the movie.
Anyway, don't let the apparently dull synopsis or the slow pacing prevent you from watching this amazing piece of cinema.
Que Horas Ela Volta? (2015)
Powerful.
This movie is a realistic portrait of social class relations in Brazil. As a middle class person born and raised in Sao Paulo, it's amazing (but also shameful and revolting) to see how the movie translated so many subtle elements from our daily lives to the big screen (for example, Val is seen wearing many shirts bought in foreign souvenir shops, which is one of the most common gifts employers give their "family-like" maids after a vacation). All the hypocrisy of telling maids they are "like family" while explicitly treating them like second-tier individuals is exposed in a very organic way. The relationship between Val and Fabinho vs Val and Jessica is very well explored as well, it's very common for nannies to develop strong affection towards the kids they care about while struggling to connect with their own children they had to leave behind and Regina Case's acting is very on point here, transitioning between the comfortable, easy, motherhood feelings Val has for Fabinho and the awkward, confused motherhood feelings Val has for Jessica within seconds. Case actually steals the show and her performance is subtle, funny and moving.
In addition, I loved how the college entrance issue is present in the movie as in the past 15 years or so we've seen many families accessing college education for the first time ever while the elites complain that these people are taking out the spots of their own children, after years attending expensive private schools. Yes, the country is changing and I hope we get to see more Jessicas and less Vals in the future.
A Week Away (2021)
Troy Bolton meets Mitchie meets God
I'm pretty sure the people behind this movie are, like me, huge High School Musical fans. They kinda remade it in a Christian Camp Rock context just to shake things up. The protagonist acting is like a copy of Zac Efron's Troy, the resemblance is amazing actually. The songs are not that catchy but they are all fun and the acting from the main girl is pretty good. I do think that some things felt way too rushed tho (especially at the beginning and at the climax, which are some of the most important parts of any movie).
It won't go down in history as a teen musical classic but I would still recommend it if you just want to appreciate some cliche cute story with a couple of good songs!
If Anything Happens I Love You (2020)
It ruined my day in 10 minutes
The parents are sad. The reason behind their sadness is revealed. Now you and the parents are sad. The end.
I'm not used to watch short movies but I would recommend this one, it made me stop and think about all the families that go through what the parents in the movie experience.
Raya and the Last Dragon (2021)
This was...bad
Every single thing seen here was seen elsewhere, it's just a collection of clichés without any true identity. It'a a collection of scenes and premises from Mulan, Moana, Spirited Away and Star Wars but without any cohesion that brings the parts together. The dragons are terribly designed, they look like furry MyLittlePonies indeed and both Raya and the "villain" lack charisma. The only character that I liked was the little boy, to be honest. On top of all that, it has no songs which by itself destroys 50% of the Disney magic.
Rating is not lower due to the beautiful animation of the landscapes and to the fact that it is overall watchable, but it's not something that makes you want to ever spend your time on again.
A Vida Invisível (2019)
Beautifully Frustrating
This film is a piece of art. The acting, the cinematography and the soundtrack are all great. It will make you sad, though. As a woman, it hits me even harder seeing the amount of injustice these sisters went through. One of the merits of this story is that it showed how much women were oppressed in their daily, middle class lives. There's no evil villain here, these girls are victims of their own society, of their own family, of people who don't even realize the extent of the harm they are causing.
I do think it has its flaws, some pacing issues maybe, but overall it's a great movie that actually made me feel the agony, melancholy and frustration of the characters and reflect about how this was (and unfortunately still is) the reality for many women around the world.
No Reservations (2007)
Food, Music and Romance
No, it's not funny. Yes, it's pretty predictable and with too many montages. Still, I found it a very enjoyable movie. I think Zeta-Jones acting is good and her character is very relatable. The male lead not so much as he has no flaws, which unfortunately is typical in this kind of movie. Abigail Breslin also does a job in her role as Kate's recently orphaned niece.
Some people complained about the amount and the lengh of scenes in which the characters just taste good-looking food and have a good time while the audience listen to (imo) great music, but I particularly found them charming and a good balance to the heavy atmosphere of Kate's workaholic life and Zoe's loss.
Overall, I really like it!
Malcolm & Marie (2021)
Great acting, terrible pacing
Acting is on point, both performances are very strong and believable. Cinematography is also great.
BUT the pacing is terrible. It would have been an amazing short, but there's not enough going on to justify its 100 minutes. The conversations become repetitive, with the characters talking about the same subjects for too long. They keep coming back to the same issues and fighting and making up and then fighting again for THE SAME REASONS. Also Malcom's monologues are very unatural to me (not an acting issue but more of a script issue, the words he use, the whole structure of the speech is just not realistic).
In the end, this left a strange taste in my mouth. Analyzing the scenes separately you're able to fully enjoy the performances from the talented leads but watching the movie as a whole you just get...bored.
One Night in Miami... (2020)
Too much talking
Making a movie about a group of men talking in a room has worked before (12 Angry Men anyone?) but in my opinion it just didn't work here.
In One Night in Miami all this talking has no objective and no consequences. Yes, the conversations are focused in the racial issue and some interesting points about it are discussed. However, in the end it's just each character giving their opinion on the matter and only that. It's just a debate that doesn't lead to anything. The acting is good but that doesn't make up for the overall boredom.
Relatos salvajes (2014)
Most accurate name ever, this is WILD!
Extremely smart and entertaining. Usually these movies consisted of multiple shorts have some boring parts but this is no typical movie. It only gets better! Strong acting, direction and cinematography. The wedding short is one of the most entertaining movie moments I've ever see!
STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING AND GO WATCH THIS NOW.
Never Been Kissed (1999)
Oh boy, that didn't age well....
As someone who first watched this movie as an adult in 2021, I need to say that it was an uncomfortable experience. I know that in 1999 the whole student-teacher and underage-adult relationships was probably seen differently but this is just too unacceptable now. Also, the reactions from Sam and Rob after Josie's speech at prom were totally sexist. The guy was feeling attracted by his high school student but she's the one who ruined their "thing" because she's actually an adult? And her brother really thought he could get into college and just reboot his life with a fake ID if it wasn't for her? It makes no sense.
There are more entertaining and less problematic romcoms from the 90s/early 00s than this one.
Pieces of a Woman (2020)
It feels like the execution of an unfinished idea
It seems the director had the idea for the first 30 minutes of the movie and then didn't know what to do with the rest of it but decided to shoot it anyway.
After the long (and actually interesting) opening sequence, we have several scenes in which pretty much nothing happens.
We get to see takes of:
Martha shopping
Martha taking a bath
Martha smoking
Martha running
Most of the second part of the film is comprised of these useless scenes that don't really add anything as we already know that Martha is sad and mourning her lost child. The movie gets boring and repetitive.
By the time we go to the courtroom and the conclusion of the film, the viewer does not care anymore.
In summary, it could have been good but instead it looks incomplete.
Ma Rainey's Black Bottom (2020)
Great cast wasted in a movie with no plot
Rating is not lower due to Viola Davis and, especially, Chadwick Boseman acting. The movie has no plot. It takes place during a recording session that keeps getting interrupted and in which some conflicts arise and scalate out ot nothing. I still can't see what was the point of this movie, what were they trying to show or tell here.
In addition, it does feel like a play. When I read the other reviews mentioning this, I didn't think it would be something necessarily bad but watching the movie it's clear that something is off. Maybe it works well in the stage, but it certainly doesn't in the screen.
Sound of Metal (2019)
Very good but I feel like it could have been even better
Overall this was a very good movie. There are two things I'd like to highlight on the positive side: Ahmed's acting and the way the sound was edited, which makes you experience the same feelings the character feels. These points really elevated the movie to a different level. However, I believe that the ending felt a little too rushed and that it could have been better with just some 10-15 more minutes.
I Care a Lot (2020)
Good premise lost in the way
The film starts off well, with an interesting premise (although not that realistic) but gets lost in the way. The second half is simply boooring, the characters are all unlikeable and the way things turn out is just too unbelieveable. It's a shame because this could have been good.
StarStruck (2010)
This is no High School Musical, but it's still cheesy good!
Yes it's cliché, dumb and very cheesy. Some situations feel a little rushed, the characters change personalities too fast and too much and there are some unnecessary annoying side characters. Some songs are forgettable and autotuned, but some are actually really good!
Despite all its flaws, Stratstruck is light, cute and enjoyable. This not a cheesy masterpiece like HSM but it's totally worth the ride! Perfect for a boring day in which you just want to watch some teen unrealistic love story while eating ice cream.
Funny Face (1957)
Beautiful, but boring
Audrey Hepburn, the costumes and the photography are all beautiful but they simply can't make up for the lack of plot, the forgettable songs and the weird age gap between the protagonist couple (it's just impossible to believe that a young, beautiful and intelectual girl would instantly fall in love with a stranger 30 years older than her).
Divino Amor (2019)
Those who love do not cheat, they share
I'm not sure how I feel about this movie. Some scenes are very uncomfortable to watch and the beginning of the movie made me very interested to explore this religious dystopia yet the way the story was developed felt kinda lackluster to me. I think I was just expecting another plot.
Still, it brings some nice questions into light, it is well acted (especially the main character, lived by Dira Paes) and well-shot (loved the neon photography).
If you like Black Mirror, you should give a shot to this film. Just don't watch it with your parents in the room.