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Reviews
Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)
In another time...
In another time, I would hate this movie with a passion. HOWEVER in this reality, I feel like this movie is a MASTERPIECE. So I understand why so many people hate it in the reviews, but luckily I am on the side of the many more people who think it is one of the greatest movies ever made. I feel bad for the people who cannot appreciate and see how brilliant the movie really is. In their reality, I am sure they feel bad for me. What I can say for certain, is that I have shown this movie to many family and friends, and those few who I thought would really love it- were confused and not impressed; but the many more I thought would not get it- they loved it and even cried. I kinda think that haters are just haters and think they are too sophisticated to simply get how deep this movie really is. This movie is number 5 on my all-time favorite list, just behind 'Life is Beautiful' and above 'Life of Pi'. I have seen this movie so many times, and it still can make me laugh and cry harder than any other movie I have ever seen in my life. ABSOLUTELY BEAUTIFUL.
West Side Story (2021)
So close, but disappointing
Despite that musicals are my favorite genre, my favorite director after Hitchcock is Spielberg, so I expected much from this movie- maybe too much! It was very much like the missing vault classic film that I never seen before, satisfying as a movie in many ways- cinematography, acting, directing- all first rate. HOWEVER West Side Story is a Musical, and there is always a special magical extra layer to them that goes beyond cinema and stage. I always wondered if Hitchcock would be able to direct a musical, and now I know: Spielberg's version is a gritty, real, beautiful, miraculous rendition but it also strips everything that makes it a musical or magical.
Unlike this years "In The Heights", which is a superior musical compared to this (except for the awful music of ITH), the script and directing tries to ground and root WWS in a harsh reality but deflates the idea of love instead. We lose the brilliance of Jerome Robbins choreography which is half of the reason to the massive overall success history of WWS. Musicals seem to be better directed by choreographers like Cho (ITH) or Marshall (Chicago). Also the script seemed to add so many extra heavy ideas that were unnecessary, instead of just using the lyrics to understand where the plot needed to come from. In musicals, the music and the dance tell and guide the story- not the heavy handed script and over crafted photography.
I heard older people snoring during the movie and saw younger people just watching tik tok on their phones. So it did lack the luster and spectacle of the old time grande musicals that the old timers loved, as well it lacked the fantastic display of musical clips and dance moves that the younger generation could mimic in attempts to go viral. Lets keep musicals in the hands of experts of the musical, please.
The one number that exceeds and is what this version of WWS wanted to be, was 'COOL'. That scene really had the art direction, scenery, acting, dancing, music, camera, plot, props, direction, script, everything PERFECT and MAGICAL. And some of the shots of this movie in general are just breathtaking, however I never broke out a single tear which happens to me at almost every musical (including the awful Dear Evan Hansen). This movie is a great exercise in how to make a great film into a boring musical.
tick, tick...BOOM! (2021)
Better than the show
I always knew this musical would be better as a movie. I never expected though that Andrew Garfield would be so transcendent. I would question some of the editing and screenplay choices: like why does 'Susan' need to narrate the start and the end?? I am not a fan of Lin-Manuel, but I am impressed on certain interesting choices made. A little bit awkward of a movie, but a gem of a Musical none the less. If you do not leave wanting to sing the songs, then I suggest you listen to the soundtracks of various versions afterwards; I bet you will become addicted to the talent that is Jonathan Larson and won't be able to stop wanting to sing along.
Dear Evan Hansen (2021)
Not really a musical
Well as much as I would love to say that everyone needs to watch this movie- I can't. In fact I'd say it is quite disturbing and overly emotional. I cried for most of it because the songs were written so well, and the performance of them was thrilling. But even with that said, it wasn't enough to make this a great movie. The direction and screenplay were very flat, compared to the music. I think I may enjoy this more if I saw it on stage, I am sad now that I didn't- but because of this movie I definitely will go see the Broadway show. I love musicals and I understand why people cringe when someone starts singing, but I have always appreciated the expression of the character and story thru the song device- so I love them. In this movie tho, I was cringing at almost every scene between the music- I just wanted more songs to tell me the story, not so much dialogue and poor direction. I mean it was very underwhelming. Now I hated the Broadway version of 'In The Heights', but loved the movie version; I hated the Broadway version of Chicago, but loved the movie; I am hoping the opposite is true here- that I hate the movie version but love the stage version - like Rent (awful movie, great show). If you like DEH the show, you may enjoy watching this, but I doubt you can love or recommend it.
Black Summer (2019)
Anything Zombies is Awful
I hate Zombie movies and shows, because they make no sense, no reality at all. This is the first show that actually is amazing and has zombies somehow. Incredibly and craft-fully made, it is mesmerizing feast. It makes no effort to explain why the zombies exists or occur, makes no effort to develop deep meaningful rich characters, and i do not care one bit. I enjoy watching my friends play a very involved video game, but i do not play myself. I am an observer, and this is one of the most cinematic and fantastic shows i have seen in years. Love it.
In the Heights (2021)
An Unapologetic Musical
This movie is a masterpiece, but not everyone's cup of tea for sure.
If you like musicals then you will probably love it, if not a fan of musicals then just don't go- there is no reason to write a bad review because of that alone.
Personally, as great of a movie as it is, I am not a fan of Lin-Manuel; so though I thought it was almost the best musical ever filmed, it has a mediocre book and the music was almost unbearable. There was not a single song I could leave signing like from great musicals.
I saw this movie on a Dolby screen, which made it extra special. The visuals and colors are actually breath-taking. I actually lost on my breathe on a couple shots and moments. The actors performances, voices, the direction, art direction, cinematography, sound, editing, are amazing and in perfect sync and the entire film is like a dance.
Also this movie version is far superior to the play, which is usually the opposite of what people say about play adaptions. It is absolutely spectacular and I hope more musicals are made this way in the future, instead of trying to cut the music and singing scenes like they did in the movie version of Rent- which was awful.
Volition (2019)
i am writing to you from the past
DO NOT READ THE REVIEWS
there is noting original in these reviews
you will most likely chose not to watch this movie
but then yow will miss your chance at watching a good effort
not the best movie ever, but not the worst, it will be how you choose to perceive it
holes? maybe? would you make it better? maybe? who cares? its a movie!!
Joker (2019)
Slow, predictable, terrible
So boring, stupid, awful. I can't say enough how unnecessary this movie is. There are some fine artistic qualities but all of those can be seen simply by watching the trailer, and more than 2 minutes of this movie is too much.