With exagerated colors as promised, Greta Gerwig shows hers capacity to create a piece that's not like a bait for critics or those who love art cinema, but a commercial movie as deep as its's neccessary for it's time - except for it's publicity and public attraction. Besides it's reputed director, screenwriters, actors, references for great movies and the most popular artists composing it's soundtrack, the movie doesn't crave to be one masterpiece. Its just a regular movie that fulfills its role. Even with some metalanguage and self commentaries, it doesn't reach a self-awareness that makes this worthiest. The same works for it's social commentaries, that use strong words on the dialogues only to cover it's weakness of some social-revolutionary statement of it's own ideology. But that's ok and not something to demand on a dolls movie, right? Tho, the movie still have some high points like it's dinamicity, comedy, sensibility and editing. It will probably won, deservedly, the Oscar for best costume design. It's worthy what it's supposed to worth. It isn't what it selled it was supposed to worth. Very curious to know the film's future: if it will be forgetfull or timeless as Barbie, the doll, has been.
Reviews
8 Reviews
Spider-Man: No Way Home
(2021)
Marvel's most lapidated work
16 December 2021
Warning: Spoilers
This is the ultimate Marvel movie, after years refining its formula. The winnings starts with the film being the immediate sequence of one of the most well constructed storylines of the franchise. Without the good script of Far From Home, this movie wouldn't be possible. They are complementary pieces as two halves of an orange - and as all the MCU should be.
After this victory, the movie starts having its own merits (and also demerits). The thing that annoyed me the most was the kiddish behavior of Disney's Peter Parker and how it affects his surrounding and other lifes because of his stubbornness and stupid attitudes. One time over it and we can enjoy the movie and it's consequences.
The first moment that amazed me was the dialogue between all the villains when they were trapped together. In this moment the MCU forget itself and remembered the past, not for mere nostalgy or to cite a reference - but to construct a new history. For all the children that grew up watching the other spider man, it doesn't seem like we are watching more of the same, but the continuity of it's characters plot.
Then we got something that was really surprising and that every heroes' movie deserve: a true villain, in this movie played by the Green Goblin. The reboot of this character into a super evil unstoppable psychopath really fitted in and made sense for the script, distancing from the other "enemies" that looked more like "lost persons with sad backgrounds". But this distance is essential to construct what this characters are there for. The only thing I couldn't understand was how the Green Goblin became so strong. The acting of Willem Dafoe is incredible and really disturbing as it should be (I wont forget his face smiling while getting beaten for a long time, and would like to have seen it more in the movie's ending.) Aunt May's death was the saddest moment according to all the public's reaction in the session I was, but for me the great achievement of its scene was 1) giving value to MJ's falling scene and 2) constructing the future Peter Parker. Will speak of both later.
The appearance of the other Peter Parkers was in a perfect moment and very well done. Just got me disappointed because the first appearance was of Andrew Garfield, instead of Tobey Maguire. The characters of Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are rocking in this movie.
The final battle made sense, gave good moments between the trio and the action scene was greatly made. I could follow it perfectly, as in some movies I just can't pay attention because of the quantity of cuts, explosions and things happening at the same time. The idea that the villains could be saved was a perfect purpose for the triplet to fight together. But even with this plan, Tom Holland's character crossed the line while hitting Harry Osborn, even after having this very clear and with the lesson gave by aunt May and a lot of talk with the more experienced spiders. For me, this doesn't fitted in. MJ's being saved shivered me because they constructed it like the worst could happen. And it was an opportunity of redemption, of making things right, different from the past. This scene was beautiful.
The conclusion of the battle was very satisfactory, and the decision to erase Peter from every memory was the decision that should have been taken since the beginning of the film (or this, or doesn't play with the universe, but if doing something, do it right). But the best part of the consequence of this story is that Disney's Peter Parker (that have never had his proper initiation, since his first appearance was in the middle of a fight and his first solo movie is a very disposable one) will have now the chance to construct his own history. The crown has been passed. The old franchises are well resolved. Everybody forgot who is Peter Parker - and he is totally by his own. Time to restart.
(Plus: the post-credit scene was a genius act of MCU's finishing to swallow all of the spider-man related movies into its universe. With that, Disney could finally been related with all the other movies - and saved a lot by doesn't having to introduce some elements that other companies had the effort to. I could see the webs connecting it all.)
After this victory, the movie starts having its own merits (and also demerits). The thing that annoyed me the most was the kiddish behavior of Disney's Peter Parker and how it affects his surrounding and other lifes because of his stubbornness and stupid attitudes. One time over it and we can enjoy the movie and it's consequences.
The first moment that amazed me was the dialogue between all the villains when they were trapped together. In this moment the MCU forget itself and remembered the past, not for mere nostalgy or to cite a reference - but to construct a new history. For all the children that grew up watching the other spider man, it doesn't seem like we are watching more of the same, but the continuity of it's characters plot.
Then we got something that was really surprising and that every heroes' movie deserve: a true villain, in this movie played by the Green Goblin. The reboot of this character into a super evil unstoppable psychopath really fitted in and made sense for the script, distancing from the other "enemies" that looked more like "lost persons with sad backgrounds". But this distance is essential to construct what this characters are there for. The only thing I couldn't understand was how the Green Goblin became so strong. The acting of Willem Dafoe is incredible and really disturbing as it should be (I wont forget his face smiling while getting beaten for a long time, and would like to have seen it more in the movie's ending.) Aunt May's death was the saddest moment according to all the public's reaction in the session I was, but for me the great achievement of its scene was 1) giving value to MJ's falling scene and 2) constructing the future Peter Parker. Will speak of both later.
The appearance of the other Peter Parkers was in a perfect moment and very well done. Just got me disappointed because the first appearance was of Andrew Garfield, instead of Tobey Maguire. The characters of Zendaya and Jacob Batalon are rocking in this movie.
The final battle made sense, gave good moments between the trio and the action scene was greatly made. I could follow it perfectly, as in some movies I just can't pay attention because of the quantity of cuts, explosions and things happening at the same time. The idea that the villains could be saved was a perfect purpose for the triplet to fight together. But even with this plan, Tom Holland's character crossed the line while hitting Harry Osborn, even after having this very clear and with the lesson gave by aunt May and a lot of talk with the more experienced spiders. For me, this doesn't fitted in. MJ's being saved shivered me because they constructed it like the worst could happen. And it was an opportunity of redemption, of making things right, different from the past. This scene was beautiful.
The conclusion of the battle was very satisfactory, and the decision to erase Peter from every memory was the decision that should have been taken since the beginning of the film (or this, or doesn't play with the universe, but if doing something, do it right). But the best part of the consequence of this story is that Disney's Peter Parker (that have never had his proper initiation, since his first appearance was in the middle of a fight and his first solo movie is a very disposable one) will have now the chance to construct his own history. The crown has been passed. The old franchises are well resolved. Everybody forgot who is Peter Parker - and he is totally by his own. Time to restart.
(Plus: the post-credit scene was a genius act of MCU's finishing to swallow all of the spider-man related movies into its universe. With that, Disney could finally been related with all the other movies - and saved a lot by doesn't having to introduce some elements that other companies had the effort to. I could see the webs connecting it all.)
Love, Death & Robots
(2019– )
Empty, a loss of potential
16 May 2021
Probably one of the most overrated series of all time. The only positive trait of it is the animation, that explores a lot of styles and do this with uniquiness. But the stories are all empty, with no purpose if not to impress with it's imagery. The majority of them is so empty that don't even provoque feelings. Some episodes provoque it, but are so shallow and with nowhere to redirect it that makes it even worse. The pleasure of feeling with some scene is that we know the consequences for the story. But it's nothing what happens on this series: if someone dies here, thats what the show want us to see; if someone lives, idem. So the agony that I felt for the character is all gone sometimes even when the episode isn't even over - or for have understood this, the feeling doesn't even come up. This leave me with a lack that bothers me a lot: needing somewhere to put my feelings (an affection, a cheering, a wish, a willingness...). Some of the episodes provoque feelings and have a great background, with a nice message to the viewer, but these ones are the rarest and isolated cases. Even those ones with messages are also with a shallow lesson, needing a good development by the viewer to get to some nice thought. That's all can be said about Love, Death & Robots. A entire series with no purpose, no depth, without messages. And it's not a intrinsic characteristic of anthologies. Much more could be done, and it had so much potential to do it - but it looks like that they don't even try.
Waste Land
(2010)
Good will sometimes is not enough
29 March 2021
Amazing documentary in wich the high points are the stories, speaches and images of the catadores and their realities. The trajectory of Vik is just a background for the other characters. While the catadores are brilliant and impactfull, Vik is the low point of the film with some problematic lines and unfortunate placements. Good will sometimes is not enough and awareness is a lot needed when working with a very critical situation like the portrayed. But the role of the workers make the positive balance of the film. We can learn a lot with them.
Renewing Spongebob with Old Formulas...
10 November 2020
I'll always expect a good spongebob movie because of the first movie's quality, and this certainly doesn't correspond to my expactations. Plankton trying to rob the secret formula again as the main enemy is such an old story and for me he doesnt fit in this role anymore. Gary has an excential role in the movie but even so the character doesnt gain any new layer or complexity (except for the summer camp story that they tried to force all of the characters into it and contradicts some classical episodes of the series - making me think that its a movie that try to renew spongebob for the newest generation like they are trying to do with pokemon for example, ignoring some excential parts of the show. I dont have problem with it, only when made poorly). The movie bets on special participations and its a classical move of spongebob's films, but I particularly never liked it so much, specially for being the non-american part of the public. I totally liked the animation style and I think that was the great shot of the production. Congrats to the animation team! Hope Spongebob keeps launching new movies, but movies above the average like they did with the first. (And I'm not being an saudosist, watched it recently and got me surprised again for how funny it was!)
The Devil All the Time
(2020)
Highs and lows in a tepid movie
30 October 2020
Very well produced film, but with some good scenes that loose their impact with the following. The narrative gets tepid in the most part. Totally found it wrong to choose Tom Holland and Robert Pattinson for their respective roles (Pattinson even more, Rolland gets more fitted into it with the final). The recurse of the narration is well used and the way the characters connect between themselves is satisfactory.
Justice League
(2017)
I want changes
19 November 2017
Although I liked the movie, it wasn't good. The script is weak, with a completely disposable villain and story, without any impact for the series' future. I laughed at some jokes and I could watch it and follow the story, and is this part that i call it "good". For the franchise's future I want a greater focus on villains, with acts that bring permanent consequences for the series.
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