riskoteevie Reviews

All of Us Strangers (2023)

Incredibly powerful

[9/10 · 24 March 2024]

Nothing could've prepared me to watch this film. I've never seen a film that says so much while still being incredibly quiet.

Andrew Scott absolutely knocks it out of the park with his devastating performance. It'd probably one of the most gut wrenching and realistic portrayals of grief and loneliness I've ever seen in a film, even though his situation isn't exactly grounded in reality. He does an absolutely exceptional job making you feel everything Adam feels: from uneasy happiness, to enamouredness, to melancholy, to desperation, to alienation, to fear, and to absolutely soul crushing grief. He manages to do all of this without his performance being too over the top, just a few subtle facial expressions and changes in his voice. How he wasn't nominated for an Oscar is beyond me; he easily should've won.

Speaking of Oscar snubs, Andrew Haigh deserves so much praise for this film. His direction and writing is impeccable. In the hands of any lesser director, this film would just be a soulless tearjerker with nothing to say. Haigh has made a career out of making painfully real films with characters you'd be forgiven for not realizing were fictional; this film is definitely no exception. The characters he's written for this film are all compelling in their own unique way, even though everyone except Adam is a hallucination or a ghost. The way he unfolds this story is also genius: of course, you basically know from the beginning that Adam's parents are most likely dead at this point, but the ambiguity of how and why Adam is seeing them keeps you interested until the very end of the film, and all that is merely a distraction for the real twist which you could argue is not even a twist at all (Again, this Haigh keeping it ambiguous is part of what makes this film so good. Harry's death is still the real question that the audience should comtemplate; the parents were a sort of red herring.), that Harry's been dead this entire time. Now, you could argue that Harry simply just killed himself and was real up until the ending, but the way the dialogue is presented in the ending makes me believe that Harry was just another hallucination/ghost, of a lover that Adam had lost some time ago, but even still, the fact that both these possibilities and more are plausible is part of why Haigh's writing is so good. The dialogue in this film also accomplishes something rare: it's down to earth and human in all the best ways, with all the little awkward laughs, small talk, and heartfelt, quiet moments that come with it. The dialogue also keeps us guessing what's really happening: whether it's all in Adam's head, or Adam's being haunted by the ghosts of those he's lost, or a bit of both, as each line seems to support different theories. The cinematography in this film is unsettling in all the best ways: clearly Haigh and his DOP knew exactly how to approach all the somber emotions being presented in this film, from scenes shot at strange angles to convey Adam's melancholic happiness, to tracking shot scenes that bring us into the subjectiveness of Adam's experience by closely following him, creating a sense of empathy in the audience. Overall, Haigh is at the top of his game here, and I can't wait to see how he outdoes this; if he even can.

This film is possibly one of the most moving explorations of grief, loneliness, and love I've ever seen. Haigh clearly had a lot to say in this film, but ultimately, he leaves it up to us to decide what it all means. You could see the ending as tragic, interpeting it as Adam relapses back into a fragile state of denial upon seeing Harry's dead body, or you could see it as an optimistic ending, interpreting it as embracing how much Harry meant to him and how much he misses him, in a parallel to the milkshake scene with Adam's parents just moments before. Regardless of how you view the ending, Haigh's ultimate lesson seems to be not to dwell on the losses we have suffered, not to move on and forget about them, but to recognise how much we valued them, and grow from our coming to terms with it; so whether you see Adam's story as a cautionary tale or one of inspiration, that's the lesson.

In conclusion, this film is absolutely spectacular. I'll easily add it to my list of my all time favourites.

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Words can't describe how good this film is

[10/10 · 10 March 2024]

I could give a long, pretentious explanation as to why this movie is the best of the year and one of the best ever made but honestly, I would never be able to do it justice.

Everything about this movie was perfect. Everyone who complained it was too long can piss off. It is such a powerful film and I'm so happy I got to see it in the cinema.

This is a film that will be remembered for decades to come. Not just because it's a brutal period piece expose a very forgotten tragedy in history, but because its message will never not be relevant.

Honestly you just have to go see it to understand. Trust me, you won't regret it. It's truly Scorsese at his best, even considering his flawless filmography.

11/10.

Maestro (2023)

People really don't know what they're talking about

[9/10 · 26 December 2023]

It's important to note that this is not a film about Leonard Bernstein: it's a film about Lenny and Felicia. This seems to be people's biggest problem with the film, to which I say shut up. If you wanted to learn about Leonard Bernstein's achievements and life, go read his Wikipedia page.

Similar to Bradley Cooper's previous film, A Star Is Born, this film provides a subjective experience of the life and love of a flawed musical superstar. Maestro does not care about showing Leonard Bernstein's achievements and important moments in his life because they don't show who Bernstein truly was.

The story Maestro tells is much more compelling and heartfelt than a simple biopic about an iconic composer. It's able to provide the subjective experience of what it's like to be in Leonard Bernstein's inner circle. What it would be like to truly know him. To admire his charisma and heart, but despise his hubris. To that end, I believe the film succeeds, and I think the reason why is that Felicia is just as much the main focus as Lenny is. By being able to see Lenny from the perspective of someone who sees him for everything he is, we are able to feel as if we know Leonard Bernstein ourselves, because we don't just see his larger than life exterior, but who he was to those close to him because the fact is, he wasn't the great, iconic, American composer Leonard Bernstein in their eyes, he was just Lenny.

I've seen some people complain that they think that Lenny's character is inconsistent, that the film doesn't know whether it wants to portray him as a charming, passionate man, or a self obsessed, egotistical child, but I don't think the film wants to portray him exclusively as either as in a way, he was radically both. Bradley Cooper worked closely with Bernstein's surviving relatives to portray him as accurately as possible, warts and all. He's not either the charismatic charmer, or the hubris filled cheater; he was radically both.

Cooper does a good job of having Bernstein charm the audience and get them on his side, only to make them lose that feeling and become disillusioned with him later in the film. It helps the audience empathise with Felicia as they get to see Lenny how Felicia saw him at different points in her life. The start of the film is very fast paced, with quick and witty dialogue, seamless transitions, quite a lot happening, music playing in the background of basically every scene, and cinematography that matches the energy of this part of the film; reflecting how we're meant to see Lenny at this point, a charming tomcat with nothing but love for the people around him, the same way Felicia saw him at this point. Later in the film, the cinematography and pace slow down, there's little to no music, and we are subjected to more of Lenny's negative qualities and actions, which we see through the eyes of Felicia. The cinematography (Wonderfully done by Matthew Libatique) does a good job setting the tone and pace of the film at any particular moment. The slower camera movement and heavier emphasis on still shots almost make you feel bored compared to what you've just seen, reflecting how at this point in the film, Felicia is bored and disillusioned with Lenny and his constant affairs. Of course, when Lenny and Felicia patch things up, the music and fast pace still do not return as soon after this, Felicia is diagnosed with cancer which amplifies our negative feelings from before, but channels them into a different situation. We do see Lenny redeem himself in Felicia's eyes as he drops everything to take of her and spend as much time with her as he can, but the general tragedy of the situation still keeps the film bleak despite the resurrected love between Lenny and Felicia.

The acting in Maestro is phenomenal. The cast are all pretty solid but Cooper and Mulligan absolutely blow you away with their incredible career best performances. Bradley Cooper is absolutely phenomenal as Lenny, he is able to capture his enticing charm and energy, as well as his hubris, and alternate between them at ease; it would be a crime if he didn't win Best Actor next year. The amount of dedication Cooper puts into his work as a producer, director, writer, and actor often go unnoticed but I believe if there was ever a moment he deserved all the acclaim and recognition, it's now; he truly captures the essence of Leonard Bernstein, warts and all.

Carey Mulligan is just wonderful as Felicia: she is able to express all of Felicia's feelings and struggles with ease, from being stuck in Lenny's shadow and the feeling of inferiority that comes with this, being constantly neglected by Lenny, her cancer and the melancholy and feeling of helplessness that comes with that, how under appreciated and unseen she feels, and her attempts to hold her family together. Mulligan absolutely deserves a little golden man for her performance here. There was some controversy regarding her casting as the Costa Rican actress, but I didn't mind it that much and I think she does an absolutely stunning job.

In conclusion, I think Maestro is an absolutely exceptional film with more depth and heart than people give it credit for. I absolutely recommend it.

American Hustle (2013)

One of the best ensemble performances of all time.

[10/10 · 26 November 2023]

American Hustle is a character study at its core. Russell has decided to take this relatively simple plot and use it as a means to explore these larger than life characters. I believe he succeeds in making them entertaining, intriguing, memorable, and most importantly, funny characters.

Russell's focus on characters over plot has always been one of his greatest strengths as a writer and director. It certainly helps that he is always able to get his hands on the perfect cast for his films. This film is no exception. Every cast member gives career best performances: from Christian Bale who masterfully displays vulnerability, charm, wit, and cunning as seasoned con man Irving Rosenfeld who has to outwit everyone in order to get his family out of danger, to Bradley Cooper who is brashly effective as the rookie FBI agent with over the top anger issues and misguided overzealousness who serves as a cautionary tale as to what can happen if you have too much ambition and bite off more than you can chew, Richie DiMaso.

Some people have criticised this movie for not having a deeper meaning however, I don't think that's the case at all. Some people have come to the conclusion that this film is about survival but, I don't think that's the case either. See, every main character at the beginning of the film is "surviving": Irving makes a living as a con man who goes home every day to a wife he despises who he is forced to stay with because of their son, Sydney also cons people alongside Irving with an alias which she uses to hide her true self and is trapped in a limbo with Irving as despite their feelings for each other, she can't be anything more than a mistress to him because he has been trapped in a marriage by Rosalyn, Richie has a good job but also still lives in his mom's apartment and has a fiancé he doesn't love, and Rosalyn manipulates Irving into staying with her because she is afraid of change and meeting new people. It is only when these characters begin fighting for what they want out of their lives that things really start to change for them: Irving and Sydney outwit and/or escape from the clutches of Richie, the FBI, Rosalyn, and the mob which allows for them to start a new life which is much more happy and fulfilling for them both, Richie becomes the lead agent on one of the biggest busts in US history (Albeit he does collapse under the weight of his own ambition and does not receive any credit for Abscam and loses his job), and Rosalyn divorces Irving to be with a man who genuinely loves and cares about her.

Overall, the lesson of American Hustle is that just surviving isn't enough. You need to fight for your happiness otherwise, you will stay trapped in your own personal limbo.

Despite this being the film's lesson, American Hustle isn't afraid to challenge it. Richie has absolutely nothing by the end of the film, despite the fact that he fights harder than anyone else for what he wants, and Irving still loses his friend, Mayor Carmine Polito because he admits to his role in having him arrested as part of Abscam. While Richie's story tells us that overzealousness and too much ambition will lead to your downfall, Irving's experience shows us that fighting for a better life will require sacrifices on your behalf.

All this isn't to mention how funny the film is despite the drama bubbling under the surface. Russell's emphasis on improvisation and characters certainly pays off here. Jennifer Lawrence is absolutely hilarious as Rosalyn: her dimness and inability to take responsibility serve to create some of the funniest moments of the film and give us some of the funniest quotes aswell. Bradley Cooper gets some points for Richie DiMaso aswell: his general over the topness and arrogance make him almost cartoonishly funny in some scenes; his character bounces very well off of Louis C. K's character and gives us some of the funniest dialogue of the film. Christian Bale certainly has his moments as Irving: Bale's ability to become his character and his improvisational abilities make for some funny unscripted moments throughout the film. Amy Adam's Sydney Prosser/Edith Greensly is certainly the weakest of the four leads in terms of comic ability, serving more as a dramatic lead than any of the other leads although she certainly has her moments.

Despite the leaning towards comedy, this film can truly be a dramatic powerhouse at times. Robert De Niro's terrifying cameo gives the film some powerfully intense stakes in just 7 minutes; showcasing that he certainly has still got it. It emphasises how much the characters have merely been treading water up to this point; it's no coincidence that the film becomes more of a drama after this. Each character has their moments where they show true vulnerability and emotion: such as the scene where Irving goes back to the dry cleaners to get a gun and stands in the spinning coats (No idea what it's called) where he had previously shared and intimate moment with Sydney before they broke up and he looks visibly sad, or the scene where Sydney confronts Rosalyn and calls her out on her manipulation at which point Rosalyn tries to appear cold and crazy as a defence mechanism, even kissing Sydney, only to run off and cry on the man she was talking to's shoulder.

In conclusion, American Hustle is an exceptional film and easily the best work of David O. Russell. It contains some of the most memorable performances from each of the actors involved, who give it their all.