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Fargo: Storia Americana (2020)
Short but Satisfying
The conclusion is basically what fans hypothesized, but to see it happen and become true in an epic manner is really satisfying.
Every character got what they deserved: Josto and Oraetta meeting a somber end and eternally forgotten, Loy getting the tragic implications of both winning and losing, Ethelrida travelling to become a writer and make a path for herself, and Satchel, of course, becoming Mike Milligan. The title of the episode couldn't be more apt. Fargo is truly about the struggle for the American dream, and in the end, not everyone wins and the winner could still be the loser.
I was not a fan of some casting choices at the start of the season, but I grew to love Chris Rock, Jessie Buckley, Emyri Crutchfield, and Ben Whishaw. The music is fantastic, as well as the noir-esque cinematography. Hoping to see another season soon!
Dark: Zwischen der Zeit (2020)
Best episode of the entire series for me
It answers all the questions in Adam's world in such a gripping, mind-blowing and breathtaking way. It shows the heartbreaking story of how Charlotte's family came about, which gives a whole lot of depth for Noah's character. Mark Waschke's performance in this episode is one for the ages, and it proves that he is one of the standout performers in the entire ensemble. The life of Bartosz and Hannah's fate make the episode even more heart-shattering. The final montage showing scenes from the previous seasons and how the loop happens is absolutely astonishing.
Hello, Love, Goodbye (2019)
Alden Richards' character, Ethan, is pushy, creepy and problematic.
Ethan will continue sending friend requests even if Joy declined several times already. He will make the radio station talk about Joy in public without her permission. He will use another phone to text Joy anonymously. He will act like a police even if Joy is weeping out of fear. He will squeeze through inside a small room knowing that Joy will be uncomfortable. He will continually send "Need a friend today?" text messages even if Joy has rejected it so many times. I don't know how a Filipino girl reacts to such moves, but if people consider this as "nakakakilig," there's a problem.
'Hello, Love, Goodbye' is at its best when it tells the story of Kathryn Bernardo's character, Joy. In some ways, the film manages to outdo similar mainstream Filipino romance films because of Kathryn Bernardo's stunning performance and the earnest depiction of OFWs. Bernardo, whose acting holds the film together when it was falling apart, effectively evokes a palpable sense of weariness, discontent, and eagerness to alleviate Joy's situation. Actually, I can do without the 'La La Land' love story if the social commentary was strengthened and expounded more. In a similar vein with 'Sunday Beauty Queen,' the film resonates with Filipinos because of its sensible portrayal of what it is like to work abroad in a job you are overqualified in.
But Cathy Garcia-Molina's picture falls apart as the annoying, melodramatic score continues to play in the background, tackier drone shots are added, and more forced, "hugot" dialogues are delivered by the leads. Sure, this is how cliché-ridden mainstream Filipino romance plays out. But how I wish we get movies that transcend this generic romantic stratagem. 'Hello, Love, Goodbye' fails to offer something new to romance movies as an art form, which is disappointing since the OFW story and Joy's arc have so much potential.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
Ambitious, bittersweet and spectacular, yet flawed
"Avengers: Endgame" is an ambitious cinematic extravaganza and a bittersweet culmination to an 11-year journey, yet it overwhelms so much in the final act that the audiences fail to detect its flaws. The more you think about what happened, the more you find problems.
As I clapped, cheered and teared up with the audiences, I understood how the Marvel Cinematic Universe became a mega-franchise that continued to create fervent fans through the power and charm of its heroes. This has the best final act in a superhero film. I got chills all over my body and my jaw just dropped in awe in the spellbinding moments, especially in the final action sequences. This is like the "Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 2" and "Lord of the Rings: Return of the King" of the MCU: a film as epic as the saga it concludes. Not a single cast member wasted this opportunity by giving an awkward performance. Everyone seemed so into it and recognized the pressure of their character to get that single win over fourteen million possible losses. Most of the humor is also brilliantly-placed compared to other MCU offerings that could not crack a joke well.
In its three-hour running time, the film traverses through a very complicated plot, more complicated than its predecessor. As opposed to the relentlessly brash, unending clash in "Infinity War," "Endgame" slows down and takes its time to explore grief and the effects of the previous tragic events to the characters. The plan of the Avengers unfolds detail by detail, from practice runs to jokes. Some of the stretched first act can be cut off such as the one-liners and unnecessary character interactions.
The film's second act struggled to transition from one mission to another-from one tone to another-which undermined the progression of how a particular mission will conclude. In this "Back to the Future" second act, I was ready to deem the film as mediocre and overlong. But once the final battles ensued, the drawn-out build-up truly paid off with action scenes that reminded me of the power of films to create an experience of epic proportions. This is what film as a medium can do, and boy, is it amazing! Terrific action choreography and visual effects in the third act really elevated this film beyond its serviceable middle section.
"Endgame" did give satisfying endings for some of its beloved characters. However, as nitpicky as it may sound, directors Joe and Anthony Russo are too much invested in devising an emotional full stop on a character's story instead of creating a cinematically-cohesive science fiction narrative. A character's story ends satisfyingly even if how it happens didn't really make any sense.
This not how Time Travel works, well if we will consider other popular culture works that explored it. There are a bunch of what can be considered as "plot holes" (you can find them online) in its time travel story and character conclusions, most of which is felt when the audience says "what?" or "why is he/she there?" out of confusion watching a scene. I have read a couple of articles that explained these "plot holes," and none of them really resolved them entirely since the explanations are mostly theorizing based on what was just briefly mentioned in the film. Fans can do all their theorizing, but these "plot holes" are problems in the film's depiction of events and ideas.
Nevertheless, with all its flaws, this is a very strong film due to its sense of awe and ambitious story. Even if I didn't love it 3000, the shock and awe tactic of the Russo brothers still worked.
P.S. Captain Marvel was so under-utilized in this film. I was waiting for her the entire time.
A Star Is Born (2018)
Powerfully-acted and moves you to the core
It is hard to believe that this is Cooper's directorial debut, especially with the way he directed himself in such an empathetic character as rock star Jackson Maine. Even though Jack's addiction is affecting everyone around him, you could not resist but still care for his character. On the other hand, a movie star is literally born with Lady Gaga as Ally. Although her character was relatively underwritten compared to Jack, Gaga does the most of the character's rawness and authenticity. Gaga transcends the most in her musical numbers, specifically in "I'll Never Love Again."
Cooper and Gaga's chemistry in this film is the most genuine I've seen in a romantic movie in a while. Their relationship felt so intimate and deep that I felt like I was intruding in their personal space. The supporting cast shines as well, with comedians Dave Chapelle and Andrew Dice Clay providing an effective dramatic turn, and Sam Elliott's poignant performance proving to be so impactful given the limited screen time he got.
Cinematographer Matthew Libatique used a striking, saturated colors in a variety of shots, and his unique choice of filming the dialogues and musical scenes close to the actors situated the viewers in that same spot where the actor is. The music narrates the story of the characters well, and the songs hark back to 1990s Hollywood when ballads elevated the film. The songs in "A Star Is Born" are ready to be considered as classics.
The pacing and writing issues sometimes made the film feel both too long and too rushed. That said, this is a screenplay that almost avoids every cliché in this story. Even if this is a story that was told a number of times, Cooper managed to give a fresh and effective take on it.
The Shape of Water (2017)
Best Picture winner is enchanting and spellbinding, yet too morally uncomplicated
'The Shape of Water' is an amazing, spellbinding romantic fairy tale, an empowering story of marginalized groups, and a crowd-pleasing tribute to the magic of cinema. Yet it fails to build up a compelling final act, and misses covering up plot holes, familiarity and lack of moral complexity.
Guillermo del Toro showcased his signature charm of combining spectacle, emotion, oddity and violence in the multi-Oscar-nominated film. The distinctive coloring and high contrast emphasized the masterful production design apt with the 1962 Cold War setting. Alexandre Desplat composed such a memorable piece of music, mixing the magic he made from his previous Harry Potter scores with French instrumentation.
Sally Hawkins as the mute Elisa was the overwhelming standout performance in the film. The way she can induce so much emotion even without a voice is such a marvel, and the scene where she was confronting Giles is just that kind of acting that will stick to you for a long time. Majority of the cast also provided well-rounded support, particularly Richard Jenkins as Giles, Octavia Spencer as Zelda, Michael Shannon as Colonel Strickland, and Michael Stuhlbarg as Dimitri. Other highlights included the vintage cinema scene, the egg sequences, the tearjerker black-and-white dance sequence reminiscent of 'La La Land,' and the amusing and elegantly-depicted love scenes between Elisa and the Amphibian Man. The nonverbal chemistry between the two leads helped the film divert from clichéd romantic films and emphasize the profoundness of love. In this movie, the silence of love, even if you can't hear it, thundered through the viewers' heart. And although the film was a poignant love story in core, it also proved to be politically relevant, as portrayed in the representation of homosexuals, Black Americans, and the disabled in 1960s America.
The film, no matter how visually pitch-perfect, has its elements that might leave some audiences dissatisfied. Nick Searcy as General Hoyt gave a mediocre performance. Probably my biggest problem with the film are the questionable plot holes, the seeming familiarity of the plot, and the unsatisfying hollowness of the climax and ending. Del Toro chose to depict such small and clumsy final battle sequences. The plot was also very comparable to del Toro's most acclaimed work, 'Pan's Labyrinth,' which also had the same ending and a one-sided antagonist with no explained reason to be evil whatsoever. Del Toro had this polarization between good and evil in both films, which might be a too safe and unchallenging illustration of humanity and morality.
With its overwhelming Oscar win, 'The Shape of Water' is obviously the film which caters to the general appeal. It's poignantly enchanting, and it deserved the response it from The Academy.