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maddiejo20
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Knock at the Cabin (2023)
The Trolley Dilemma... but your family is on one side of the track.
M. Night Shyamalan brings us another film filled with suspense and sociological dilemmas that delve deeper in to the thought-provoking experiments of the trolley problem. This is a fictional scenario where an individual must decide on the outcome of a trolley running over one person on the track versus five people on the other track. In theory, it would make the most sense to sacrifice one person in order to save as many people as you can... but what do you do if that one person is someone you love?
I went in to this film with very low expectations as I did not get the chance to look in to it before my initial viewing. Although it was not my favorite by any means, it was still something that kept my attention and left me curious as to what could possibly be the outcome of this scenario. The story itself felt slightly underdeveloped, and left something missing that I cannot quite place but the ending was done in a way that truly saved this film for me. The acting, the dialogue, and the story wrapped up nicely in a heartbreaking but beautiful performance from both Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge within the final few minutes, and we also had the privilege of seeing a very young but talented Kristen Cui, leaving plenty of emotions to be felt when the credits start rolling.
Overall, I do recommend seeing this movie - mostly with the hope that it might stir up some discussions with others regarding the ethical dilemma of personal sacrifices for the greater good... or just give you something to waste a couple of hours on... either way, maybe lower your expectations as this most likely will not be Shyamalan's next big thing.
Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)
A Story Worth Waiting For
James Cameron makes a triumphant return with the long-awaited sequel to the 2009 box office hit, Avatar. The biggest problem this film faced was the significant time jump between release dates, however, Cameron managed to maneuver around this, creating a captivating story that left plenty of room for further developments. Unlike the first film, this one focused heavily on emotions and familial relationships. It created the bond that so many of us long for when it comes to friends and family, and it made the events of the film a little more harrowing as they established very quickly that nobody is safe. Much like the first film, this one continued the storyline of environmentalism and colonization, effectively putting the audience in a place that has them rooting on the side of the Na'vi - and against their own people.
In order to tell this story in the manner that was intended, Cameron waited until he had the technology available to create an immersive world for his audience. Especially with the use of IMAX and 3D effects, the viewer can feel transported to Pandora for the full length of the film, and will grow to miss this universe when the credits roll and the screen fades to black. The CGI for this film was masterful in every way and it can be difficult to find a cast that possesses the talent to perform with the technology that will assist in building this world. That being said, casting director, Margery Simkin, could not have done a better job. While the entire cast provided wonderful performances, Zoe Saldana (Neytiri) stood out with her emotional performance as not only a warrior, but a mother and wife as well. It was refreshing to see that, although she has different priorities now, she still held on to her values and beliefs in the same manner as the first film.
The only thing that I felt this film lacked was a memorable soundtrack, as it seemed to blend in to the background of the film and was not as noticeable to me. However, this is not always a bad thing. It was still an important aspect in creating the desired atmosphere, and it did not overshadow the incredible action sequences that appeared throughout the entire film.
With perfect pacing on a three-hour story that left me wanting more, it comes as no surprise that this film is quickly approaching the coveted $2 billion box office mark that very few films have seen - one of those being its predecessor, and another being Titanic (1997), all with the same director. Whether you are a fan of the franchise, director, actors, or just mildly interested in the story, I recommend seeing this film in theaters as it is a heartwarming and thought-provoking experience that is sure to make you excited for the third film.