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claudiesaulnier
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An error has ocurred. Please try againThis new era brought a lot of good (sometimes VERY GOOD) romantic comedies. Here are the ones I feel are worth a watch… or two.
Reviews
Beautiful Disaster (2023)
HILARIOUS on purpose
I have no clue why IMDB indicates this is a drama. It might skew the whole reception of that movie which, I understand, is a dramatic novel adaptation.
Regardless of how a movie adaptation can drift away from the original material that much, the picture is just brilliant! I had not laughed out loud like this (scream laughing really) in a loooong time. The whole thing is completely ridiculous in the best way possible, pushing already ridiculous dark romance tropes to their extremes.
Actors are just as brilliant, so is the overbearing soundtrack. To me, this marks the birth of a completely new genre where smut meets high caliber comedy. Beautiful Disaster is bound to become a cult classic. I just loved the whole thing!
Loving Vincent (2017)
A movie like no other
Loving Vincent is a very delicately moving film.
The whole experience is a very respectful representation of Van Gogh's aesthetics and emotional vision.
Even though I cannot give it 10 stars as it surely is not perfect (painting this whole movie in Van Gogh style seems to have been too ambitious of an endeavor as certain parts are lacking), I feel like aiming at real perfection would have not rendered the painter's caracter fairly.
Still, production managed to give us an intricate and complex depiction of the legendary artist while showing us how his life has touched people he loved.
It presents a very original perspective on the era, mental health, love, friendship, loneliness and death. I feel the treatment of these topics in movies has not quite been where Loving Vincent's takes us. It presents Van Gogh as a simple human, with good and bad moments, which I find especially moving.
The very peculiar look of the film, the dedication necessary to complete it, the great cast, and the storytelling, are all contributing to Loving Vincent being one of a kind. Perfectly imperfect. Cinephiles and art lovers surely will appreciate it.
Nocturnal Animals (2016)
Not as deep as it pretends to be
As a fan of horror movies, I was pleasantly surprised by the first 30 minutes of this film. It seemed like it was going places. The ambiance was dark and suffocating, the reading of the beginning of the novel suggested potential. Alas, by the end, I was left with the exhasperating feeling I had just listened to an incel whine for two hours.
Some are saying this movie is hating on women, but it's not quite right. It's just hating on what women have been made out to be for decades; heartless witches with no morals. « Ugly » ones are painted as grotesque and beautiful ones are just « cruel »... that's so basic and unoriginal.
Really, it's pretty obvious the creators know nothing of women and just used a bunch of cheap tropes trying to render them disgusting with what actually makes them beautiful and complex (like the opening sequence which is a cheap attempt at shocking people with the least shocking thing in the world... ).
All in all it's just an empty display of « beautiful people » dealing with boring lives to the point where they have to fictionalize them by playing pretend trauma.
If that was the intention of the movie, a critique of the rich and beautiful, it might have been a smart attempt. Maybe that's why they made the « poor artist » (the writer / Tony) into such an insufferable victim.
(Spoiler ahead) As for the revenge part, if you think ghosting is a clever « revenge » for a broken heart, you need to question your own importance... Also, the end of a romantic relationship should never be motive for « revenge ». That message needed to stop being glamorized like yesterday.
The Last of Us: Long, Long Time (2023)
So this jewel made people mad...
People that got mad over this beautiful piece of television are what's wrong with the world.
Beside the fact that The Last of Us is a very well crafted show, I had to review this one in particular. The storytelling, writing and acting are stellar.
Beyond that, it brings a very important point that is left out of most post apocalyptic stories: there has to be hope for some joy and love if you want to be able to believe people are still willing to go on. There has to be hope for life for the whole thing to make sense in the first place.
That is what this episode is bringing to the table (as opposed to being a useless episode like some other critics said on here).
I have a feeling we'll remember the « kind that knows to pair rabbit with Beaujolais » way more than the rest of the series.
A 100% deserved 10/10.
Six Feet Under (2001)
Time has stolen what was probably great about this show
I have waited years to watch this show. It was very enthusiastically recommended to me by countless people on countless occasions. I waited because I was not feeling the whole death theme; I wasn't ready for it.
Alas, when the time came, I had waited too long. What used to make this show edgy was treated way more accurately (and less ridiculously) numerous times afterwards, production design and acting styles were way outdated, and the pace felt excruciatingly slow all along the 5 seasons. All of which is not even close to being as bad as the fact that every single caracter is despicable.
But the worst part is that I was promised « the best series finale of all times »... that did not happen. The finale felt complacent, easy (as opposed to the whole show who made it a point to be too complicated), and not the least bit poetic. As I kept being worried that something would actually happen (it could have ended so many ways that would have been more interesting), I was ultimately shocked at the « nothingness » of it. It might have been the point... I'll never know.
I just can't recommand it, not even for just the final season. That's unless you can time travel to the early 2000s.
Thor: Love and Thunder (2022)
My favorite Thor movie
Let me preface by saying I am not of the comic book canon clan. Haven't read them and I don't care to do so.
Now, I have always preferred the Marvel franchise over the DC franchise because the latter tends to take itself way to seriously for me. Marvel movies have that humorous, campy vibe from the very first Iron Man movie onward. Because of that, the Thor movies always felt out of place as they were the only ones always being so dramatic (some might even say melodramatic... I know I would).
Thor: Love and Thunder finally got out of that pattern. I enjoyed it very much and felt the pure joy I feel watching other Marvel movies.
People giving excruciatingly low ratings are probably bothered by the clear queer culture influences emanating from it, or they are bothered that it is not canon (IDGAF about that). They might also be too young to be affected by the 80's/90's nostalgia the whole aesthetic brings about. I would go as far as to say it clearly has serious Stranger Things vibes.
The special effects might not be exactly seamless, but the cinematography is beautiful all around with some parts being really close to straight up genius, the acting is great and the soundtrack kicks ass.
It's a very good movie and, according to my personal taste, it's the best Thor. Sue me. ;)
28 Days Haunted (2022)
Low grade horror fiction
Look, I usually like this kind of stuff. I watch ghost hunting YouTubers for breakfast and I love it because, even if I am skeptical, I am still open to ghosts being real.
Yet, nothing, and I do mean NOTHING, in this show felt remotely credible. It's kind of insulting they would try to present as « reality TV », even knowing reality TV is 100% produced. Look, I half expect Netflix to apologize or to come out announcing it was a joke. Not even the participants seem to believe in the stunts they pull out themselves.
The only way I managed to finish all episodes is out of boredom and by switching my mindset to the one I adopt watching low-grade horror fiction.
If you like believing in ghosts, do yourself a favor and don't watch that; you'll avoid yourself feeling laughed at and ridiculed. Go subscribe to Sam and Colby's YouTube Channel instead.
The Devil's Candy (2015)
It came awfully close to perfection
For the longest part of that movie I was on the edge of my seat, both fascinated and horrified by the intricate details and the creativity displayed in this whole movie making endeavor. Ethan Embry is brillant, as (almost) always, so is the rest of the cast. Production design is immaculate. I swear, it was perfect.
Alas, then came the resolution and I was completely let down. It feels as if they had a test viewing and changed the whole ending based on some people thinking it went too far. I kinda hope there is an alternate ending somewhere. It was so disappointing, that alone cut 3 points off of my rating... Yep, definitly could have been a 10.
The Deep Blue Sea (2011)
I rarely don't finish what I start...
I'd rather not give a rating since I could not find it in me to watch past the 10th minute. The excruciatingly slow pace, the overdramatic theatrical delivery, and the violins (who were so obnoxious that they could have been replaced by a narrator saying « this is dramatic » every other second) got the best of me. Definitely not for everyone.
Silent Night (2021)
What we all really fear
I'm going to go opposite ways here since a lot of people seem to have hated it. Silent Night was an effective horror/Christmas flick giving honest insight as to what we are all really fearing when it comes to death: doing it alone. It could have done even better not trying to approach the « dark comedy » side of it as this part still seems out of place. Aside from this forgivable faux pas, it was a very wholesome horror movie with a philosophical twist. I was moved to tears... almost.
A Rainy Day in New York (2019)
The last time I try to watch a Woody Allen movie
I'm always amazed when films, such as this one, manage to make me have exactly zero feelings. Couldn't stand the overplayed caracters that basically are excuses for Allen to talk about himself, as usual. No depth whatsoever in any of the caracters. Men are gross and women are empty dumbasses. The story is pointless as it has been told so many times by the same director/writer. Felt like an old rag of a movie, as if I had been listening to a pervy uncle telling me about « the good ol'days » for almost two hours. This whole Allen thing doesn't age well.
The Gift (2015)
Intricated, complex, smart and satisfying thriller
Very well done. A thriller this good doesn't come around all that often. Well balanced, well thought out, brilliantly written and structured. The acting is on point, not too much nor too little. A must for every fan of this genre.
I only think the ending could have come a few minutes earlier, it kinda drags but just a tiny bit. Not enough to screw with the effect.
The Outsider (2020)
Plain boring
That's an HBO show in the quality of it's production, but really, like a lot of others have said before me, only the first two episodes are worth the watch.
There is absolutely nothing innovative, surprising or captivating in there. I was bored by the third hour all the way to the end. The poor attempt at an ultimate punchline was so predictable, I did not even had it in me to care.
Also, nothing made sense... in a bad way.
Promising Young Woman (2020)
Felt let down
The cinematography is beautiful and colourful, and the soundtrack is great.
Other than that, I feel this movie was a miss not only because the plot is all over the place to the point where you never quite understand the protagonist's goals. Also, although it is presented as a « revenge thriller », the « thriller » part was not there at all, and I am really not sure the « revenge » part was even slightly satisfying.
Looking back, it feels like I just watched a young woman lecturing a bunch of people without real impact, and I am ever so disappointed that it didn't take a gore turn towards « justice ». Nina deserved it. Sexual agression victims might find the whole process triggering and disturbing. Not even close to being a cathartic experience.
He's All That (2021)
This is insulting
It kinda feels like Netflix is testing how offensive they can get with shameless plugs, famous people being bad at acting, and poor movie making. You've done it Netflix, you've hit rock bottom. Now please, restore some minimal standards. My mandatory point goes to Matthew Lillard.
I Love You, Now Die: The Commonwealth v. Michelle Carter (2019)
I suggest another « bottom line »
This documentary is a gem that's more about mental health, isolation, violence and teenagers' relations to technology than about a « murder » case. You'll formulate your own opinion based on both sides of the story.
(Here comes the spoiler) But, to me, to real bottom line is that this girl was convicted based only on one thing: the idea that she told him to go back in the truck. Except she never texted that, she only reported saying it. If they question her credibility, how come they don't question her credibility when it comes to what was said on this most troubling last phone call?
Also, kind of makes you wonder if every horrible person that writes to another one to go « kill themselves » everyday on social media should go to prison...
Much to think about...