rnpauls Reviews

Beau Is Afraid (2023)

Hilarious

[8/10 · 12 May 2023]

I laughed through most of the movie. Definitely feels like Aster is making the movie for himself. Doesnt need to be three hours. This is one of those amazing films that comes once a decade. I will not watch it again for a long time, but when I do it will be just as funny and extreme as it was the first time.

After the movie we talked about so many scenes that had stuck with us. The first location of the film is just perfectly insane. The doctor's house had so many little jokes, but the entire time you are uncomfortable because you can tell something is off. The mixed media sequence was my only real gripe with the film, even though it was visually fantastic. It just went on for too long.

Spiral (2021)

Similar to the rest of them, but it's nice that they're trying something new

[6/10 · 16 May 2021]

I'm just going to state some differences between this and early SAW.

-Focus on cop drama instead of elaborate traps

-You won't be rooting for the people to escape the traps

-More comedic relief, some of which is actually pretty funny

-New villain is kind of lame

-Production quality is way better

What's the same:

-people constantly being easily captured, not being cautious even though they know they are SPECIFICALLY being targeted

-Traps are still pretty cool, although very short

-overly dramatic during traps

-jump scares are only jarring because of loud noises, which don't actually exist to the characters. Just added in for the audience. Lots of pigs mask showing up and a loud pig squeal which isn't actually there

-villains master plan is only made possible through a series of unbelievable/convenient events, but of course that was their plan all along

Overall, if you want to watch a saw movie you can't go wrong with this, although there is a lot less emphasis on the parts where people wake up in traps. The focus is on the detective work. There are plenty of elaborate killing contraptions, but you will find you don't care much about the people that are subjected to them, and the scenes are quite simple, going quickly from "oh god how did i get here" to them dying or escaping. Minimal exposition to strengthen the scene.

Mostly 4 Millennials (2018)

The show I never knew I wanted

[10/10 · 2 March 2020]

This show is fantastic in every way. It's even more of a fever dream than the Eric Andre show. The jokes are so well thought out, the guests are fantastic, and the absurd aesthetic is hilarious.

A lot of people think this show is making fun of millennials, but that isn't true. It's just a satire; it jokes about people who dislike millennials just as much as with millennial culture.

Derrick Beckles is an outstanding host, rivaling Eric Andre. The inclusion of the studio audience adds a ton, and the pranks are sincerely absurd.

I have watched season 1 at least ten times, and cannot wait for many more seasons to come. The show seems cheap and low effort at first, but if you give it a chance you'll find it's the most fresh material you've seen in a long while.

Think about it

The Garden of Words (2013)

Good coming of age story with beautiful animation

[6/10 · 27 January 2020]

I liked the boy's story, he's struggling with a lot coming to terms with his first year in high school. The girl's story wasn't as fleshed out as I would have liked. Still, it's romantic and even though the girl is already an adult it's interesting that it's her coming of age story as well. The story skips over the details of what builds their connection, so i found it hard to care when at the end the girl is moving away and crying in his arms.

Beautiful animation. Especially the rain, and it rains a lot. Also the piano pieces are quite nice.

The Red Turtle (2016)

Pretty as can be

[7/10 · 27 January 2020]

"That was very pretty". The art nicely stylized. The music is serene. It's incredible how much is accomplished with no dialogue.

The Hunt (2012)

Real life horror

[8/10 · 27 January 2020]

Possibly a higher score, I need a rewatch because the only thing I could pay attention to was the plot. This movie doesn't hold your hand, and certainly doesn't hold back. Mikkelsen is perfect, you can't look away for a second.

What would YOU do? What can anyone do?

What We Do in the Shadows (2014)

Very funny

[7/10 · 26 January 2020]

A delightfully creative idea for a movie. And the plot is decent as well, not deep but you definitely come to care about the characters.

Memories of Murder (2003)

Solid detective movie

[7/10 · 26 January 2020]

Twists and turns, good comedic relief, and moral dilemmas.

In Bruges (2008)

Funny and serious at the same time

[9/10 · 25 January 2020]

The juxtaposition of comedy and tragedy is expertly done. Characters have excellent chemistry. Compelling story. A few "no way that would actually happen" moments, but nothing too crazy.

The Rock (1996)

Pretty good action movie

[6/10 · 25 January 2020]

I like the performances from Connery and Cage. The humorous parts are well done, if you like Cage. The bad guys have understandable motives, and the action scene in the hotel was very good

The Wrestler (2008)

A professional wrestler comes to terms with his life in retirement

[8/10 · 19 January 2020]

Powerful, well written and acted. Not for the faint of heart. A great story of a man whose world has been uprooted.

The Girl Who Leapt Through Time (2006)

Fun and charming

[7/10 · 12 January 2020]

Yeah, it's tropey and rather simple. But it's also funny, charming, and does a great job of making you care about the characters. The plot is a bit strange, and left me wishing there were another act

Uncut Gems (2019)

Fairly certain I never want to see this again

[8/10 · 12 January 2020]

So stressful, always at least two people yelling at the same time, terrible decisions, great movie.

Sphere (1998)

Great concept and plot, mediocre execution

[5/10 · 11 January 2020]

The story and acting is very good, but the script and choices made by characters are frustrating. The characters are horrible at communicating, as is very common with these kinds of disaster horror flicks. Many silly mistakes are made. Side plotlines are not very well developed or even just red herrings. Still, a very neat concept and worth a watch

Marriage Story (2019)

A gripping film with flawless execution

[9/10 · 30 December 2019]

Torn between a 9 and a 10 here. Can't think of anything bad or "wrong with" the movie, other than the character of the sister being over the top and unfunny (but that's just one scene). It's a brutal story with a lot of charm and emotion. Driver and Johansen are pretty good at what they do

It Chapter Two (2019)

Stays as true to the novel as it can in such little time

[7/10 · 16 September 2019]

Hilarious script, the actors really nailed the delivery on all of the jokes.

Not as scary as part one, more "spooky".

I can see why they changed what they did, aside from the final battle nothing detracts from the story.

I feel that a supercut of chapter one and two with the missing sideplots (basically every part involving the main characters' families was cut) would really do the story justice.