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Money Fight (2021)
Simply - Loved It!
Awesome!
I ended up loving it. It made me love it.
To start writing, let's look at the plot first. Four friends decide to document their lives as they begin to carve into the street fighting in Dark Web. So ambitious and determined to bear whatever it takes, they're looking to make money in an underground fight club. But as they go inside, they gradually realize that they're being consumed by someone that you cannot exactly put your finger on.
Yeah? I think that premise is excellent. I like to see morale in films, because that's what's real. The first act of the movie shows the determination of the group. To fight, to win, to make money, and most interestingly, to be 'The One'. Sums up their ambition. I personally am a sucker for martial arts, so the film managed keep me hooked all the time. It was interesting to see so many different techniques and approaches in fighting, even among the particular group. Job well done in differentiating that and each characters backstories, giving answers to the wondering of the viewer, "what causes people to come down here?".
One thing that I admire is that the director's intention to make the film look like a documentary. We see the movie in first person perspective, and also the shaky camera comes in handy, pulling the viewer into the screen to have a more realistic experience.
That's one thing you should keep in mind while watching, This is nothing glorious. It's 'Raw'. The approach to filmmaking, the characters, and also the fighting. The fighting isn't high-lifted with added sound effects on each punch, So it feels real.
It is flawed, of course. The acting is a bit off at times, there were moments I thought could've been more subtle, but I'm not sure if I can blame that on the actors. I have never heard about them before, and no info on Internet as well. So, no I don't think so. Nevertheless, the casting is well done to create unique characters to one another. There were one or two times I thought the editing could've been better, but that also can be seen as part the whole thing being 'Raw', so it's alright I guess.
It's not what you think it is, I love the way that the movie forcibly changed my perception towards the movie as it's going. My 'moods' got turned and twisted. That's the thing I probably mostly love about this, I mean at one point I wondered why this was labelled as a thriller, but when I finished the movie there was a definite spark in my spine. And also I enjoyed an underlying sense of friendship beneath the surface. Very nice.
The basic theme I guess is, um, to not only make sure you got control over what you're obsessed with, but to double check it, crosscheck it or any damn way make sure what you're doing, because that world is something that you think you know, but really you don't.
The most flaws I noticed, can be actually dismissed considering that this is a first-time like work for the most of the crew. I'm a guy who's very picky about the films I choose to watch, and I'm actually happy that I watched this film. I'm going to look into the director's future projects, because this Movie's premise attracted me enough to point a man with a vision.
Avilenasului (2020)
Want to see more of this director's work!
Inflammable (2020) - Sri Lanka
Dir: Chinthana Dharmadasa
9/10
Finally got to see one of those "oh this would be interesting" anticipated films of Sri Lankan Cinema.
And I... Loved it.
This is a bit of a spoiler, but I was never expecting a lynchian work here.
Surrealism has always been a love of me, for some reason I really don't know. I don't feel the need of knowing a meaning or an explanation. Because, it's simply.. a dream.
So it's definitely not for everyone, probably gonna suck at theatres? While I hope it doesn't, This is one of the best sinhala films I came across. I don't really know who tf Chinthana Dharmadasa is but this is a work of a man who knows what he's doing.
No it's not a 100% perfect movie, there are two, three moments I thought I would like it better if they were done in another way. But they aren't biggies.
I love the way the story was told, superb camerawork, editing and music together brought up strong vibes. Plus great performances from the leads enriched with good writing, It is a great film.
Man, do women with cigarettes turn you on or something? I mean yeah of course me too, but whatever you tried to create using that, came out a tiny little bit louder.
Green Book (2018)
Totally deserved that screenplay award!
Green Book (2018)
My Rating - 10/10
(This rating system refers to how many stars I would give on IMDb)
"So if I'm not black enough, and if I'm not white enough, and if I'm not man enough, then tell me Tony, what am I?"
Oh beautiful, BEAUTIFUL film.
Inspired by true events, Green Book tells the story on the tour of a black pianist who hires a white man as his driver. With the help of mostly from the nicely done character building, amazingly superb screenplay and rock solid performances, Green Book manages to grab the audience on topics about friendship, road trip and the racism in America in the 60's.
This totally deserved the Oscar on best screenplay. Just amazing. Every single dialogue was so interesting. That chemistry between Mortensen and Ali, and their performances were really beautiful and sometimes emotional to watch. Even managed to bring tears to my eyes. Such a fine piece of work.
Yet, That Best Picture award should have gone to Roma!
Asandhimitta (2018)
SUCCESS
Asandhimitta (2018)
You see, there was a time that I wasn't really happy with recent Sri Lankan Cinema. There were only a very few number of films which were even worth talking about. Well, now that time has started to change.
First of all, I haven't read the book. So I'd just talk about my thoughts on the film.
Asandhimitta is a mindfuck type drama thriller, which will leave you thinking and questioning the reality throughout the film. I would normally call them as drawbacks whenever I see things which I'm not entirely satisfied with, but in a film like this which rotates between reality and uh.. imagination, you can't directly say whether the director has done it intentionally or not. I think that's why I don't have much negative stuff to write about.
The plot comes as follows: A renowned filmmaker receives a mysterious call from an old college mate in the middle of the night. Asandhimitta, whom he recalls as a large and voluptuous woman, asks him to make a film based on her life. She then confesses that she was recently involved in a triple homicide of three women and is taken into custody shortly afterwards. Intrigued, the filmmaker attempts to piece together her fragmented story for a film while Asandhimitta herself awaits her fate in a local prison.
Asandhimitta is a well directed, well written film in which sometimes you can't help David Lynch coming to your mind. This is also a film that would enable many interpretations depending on the viewer. Filled with very impressive brilliant performances all round, very good screenplay with some superb dialogues. Nicely color graded, lighting and the camerawork was impressive. With the help of all these, Director Handagama manages to capture life as it is. Which for me, is the main plus point above all that mindfuck stuff.
Asandhimitta is a film that will leave you questioned and thinking after it's finished. You will walk out of the theatre with plenty to talk about. In Sri Lankan cinema, I consider it as a big achievement in recent history. SUCCESS.
Gayani Gisanthika truly amazed me. Ageless beauty. Credit should go to the director too. Well, I'll be damned.