My anticipation for this film has been fairly low since Suicide squad was a disappointment and i just didn't know how I felt with the trailers I saw and once I saw it, I thought it was good. Not great but good.
Without question, the best thing about this film is Margot Robbie. She gets the chance and freedom to really go for it and show what she can and she fully embraces the character of Harley Quinn. The film brilliantly explores her unpredictable personality and it does well to make her different from other comic book characters and it also feels like the writers are making this up as they're going along and in a weird way, that helps the film work.
Another great thing this film does is establish and develop the characters. We know exactly who these characters are and whenever they're onscreen, they become more interesting and memorable as we learn more about them.
We also get one of the best villains in the DCEU in the form of Black Mask. Just like Margot Robbie, Ewan McGregor is given the freedom to really go all out to make the role his own and it works. He is the perfect opponent for Harley Quinn as they both share the same psychotic unpredictable personality and there's also some scenes where he actually becomes quite intimidating.
And finally the action is incredible. I think this film has the best and most stylised action in the DCEU. There's no trick editing. We actually see the action for what it is and once again, there's no holding back with it. The action is brutal, fantastically choreographed and whilst I imagine there were stunt actors involved, you can really believe the actors are performing their own stunts.
Now it's time for the negative and I did have a few problems with this film. First, for me the structure felt very uneven. It felt like we were watching 3 different films. In the first act, it's a harley Quinn film, in the second act it's a birds of prey film and in the 3rd act, it's the harley Quinn and birds of prey team up movie. For me this film worked best as a Harley Quinn solo film and if they had turned into a trilogy instead of a Harley Quinn solo and birds of prey team up film, that would have worked much better.
I also feel it would have been better to make another film to help develop the characters chemistry together because whenever the titular characters are all together, I didn't feel their chemistry with Harley. The birds of prey are all dark and serious whereas Harley is dark but carefree. When she's with the birds of prey, she feels seriously out of place and her witty childish carefree attitude just loses dynamics with the birds of prey.
And as much as I loved the villains, they were also a disappointment. Whilst this film really doesn't hold back, with the villains it really feels like they're being held back a lot. Victor Zsasz is clearly mentally unstable but thats all that's scary about him. He's not a physical threat and though he reveals he's killed in his life, we barely see him kill at all and with black mask, I would have loved to have seen a lot more of him in future films but instead he gets killed off in the final act which really disappointed me.
He really had the potential to be a big enemy for Harley for future films and it really felt like there was more to explore with him. I also felt the film underutilized the relationship between black mask and Victor Zsasz like there were hints at where they were going with in their relationship but instead they never fully explored it.
Overall, now whilst I had some big problems with this film, I also felt it was a very stylized, funny and entertaining film which exceeded my expectations.
⭐⭐⭐
Wednesday, February 26, 2020
Monday, February 17, 2020
Sonic the hedgehog
Where to begin with this film. When it was first announced a sonic movie was being made, I rolled my eyes and assumed it'd be a pointless cash grab and a really bad film and there was plenty of evidence.
First previous cartoon to live action films have been very abysmal and I saw no reason why this should be any different. Second, previous video game adaptated movies are also not very well received and has been a recurring curse (besides detective pikachu). Third, there was a major backlash to the original design of Sonic and although they fixed it, I didn't think it would attract audiences and showed signs we have another bad film ahead of us. I even prepared to write a very bad review for it.
So imagine my surprise when I watch it and it's making me laugh and I'm actually enjoying what I was watching. I thought this was a great film for a lot of reasons. First the actors actually look like they are enjoying their roles. Ben Schwartz sounds so enthusiastic as Sonic and he never ever sounds bored. It sounds like he's just saved up this ball of energy and once he started recording his voice for Sonic, he just released it all on that day.
Also Jim Carrey was equally just as fantastic. He provided his usual charm and wit but most importantly, he brings his brilliant overacting and this time, he brings his best overacting performance probably since Liar Liar. Jim Carrey hasn't done a highly marketed and anticipated film in 6 years and with this bring his comeback movie, he knocks it out of the park and I hope he makes more films much sooner.
Finally James Marsden is nice and funny as the lead character and it's fun to watch him and sonic banter it out, annoy each other and having a great friendship together. I loved their chemistry together.
Another great thing about this movie is I actually felt how passionate director Jeff Fowler was making this film. He clearly knows what he wants to do, he knows what this film wants to be, he doesn't make this overcomplicated or hard to follow. He just wants this to be a fun, funny and entertaining film which he successfully makes.
Now because I just had a lot fun with this film, I don't have many negatives at all. The most are just nitpicks like at times Sonic and James Marsdens friendship seems very rushed and at times you need to suspend your disbelief where people mistake Sonic as a little boy in a costume.
And yes the story isn't entirely original and is quite formulaic but with a film like sonic, you don't need a complicated story so I think it worked well enough.
Overall this is just a fun, entertaining film with a fantastic cast and I'd love them to make a sequel. This is probably gonna be my new favourite guilty pleasure film.
⭐⭐⭐
First previous cartoon to live action films have been very abysmal and I saw no reason why this should be any different. Second, previous video game adaptated movies are also not very well received and has been a recurring curse (besides detective pikachu). Third, there was a major backlash to the original design of Sonic and although they fixed it, I didn't think it would attract audiences and showed signs we have another bad film ahead of us. I even prepared to write a very bad review for it.
So imagine my surprise when I watch it and it's making me laugh and I'm actually enjoying what I was watching. I thought this was a great film for a lot of reasons. First the actors actually look like they are enjoying their roles. Ben Schwartz sounds so enthusiastic as Sonic and he never ever sounds bored. It sounds like he's just saved up this ball of energy and once he started recording his voice for Sonic, he just released it all on that day.
Also Jim Carrey was equally just as fantastic. He provided his usual charm and wit but most importantly, he brings his brilliant overacting and this time, he brings his best overacting performance probably since Liar Liar. Jim Carrey hasn't done a highly marketed and anticipated film in 6 years and with this bring his comeback movie, he knocks it out of the park and I hope he makes more films much sooner.
Finally James Marsden is nice and funny as the lead character and it's fun to watch him and sonic banter it out, annoy each other and having a great friendship together. I loved their chemistry together.
Another great thing about this movie is I actually felt how passionate director Jeff Fowler was making this film. He clearly knows what he wants to do, he knows what this film wants to be, he doesn't make this overcomplicated or hard to follow. He just wants this to be a fun, funny and entertaining film which he successfully makes.
Now because I just had a lot fun with this film, I don't have many negatives at all. The most are just nitpicks like at times Sonic and James Marsdens friendship seems very rushed and at times you need to suspend your disbelief where people mistake Sonic as a little boy in a costume.
And yes the story isn't entirely original and is quite formulaic but with a film like sonic, you don't need a complicated story so I think it worked well enough.
Overall this is just a fun, entertaining film with a fantastic cast and I'd love them to make a sequel. This is probably gonna be my new favourite guilty pleasure film.
⭐⭐⭐
Saturday, February 8, 2020
Richard Jewell
This is a film I have been anticipating since I saw the trailer. As I've said before, I love biopic and his seemed like an interesting watch and for the most part, this really was a great watch.
Let's start with the good and the big thing is the casting is brilliant. Paul Walter Hauser is perfect as Richard Jewell. He manages to capture his awkwardness and naivety perfectly and his actually looks a bit like him. Sam Rockwell, however, is the best thing about this film. He's charismatic as ever and delivers a powerhouse performance. Kathy Bates is also a nice addition and Jon Hamm does well as the cop wanting to jail Jewell for the bombings.
I also love the production to this film. You instantly believe this is set in 1996 especially with the camerawork used by reporters and you can tell Clint Eastwood really wanted to get this right because he's really goes into real detail how Richard Jewell discovers the bomb, how it affects his life afterwards and how his life changes once his labelled as a suspect and I thought Clint Eastwood did a great job at capturing all of these moments and the bomb discovery and explosion scenes were brilliantly filmed. You could feel the tension and anxiety once that bomb was discovered.
However whilst I was impressed with the movie, there one real disappointment and that is I really feel this should have actually been a film about Sam Rockwells character Watson Bryant. He's a much more impactful and interesting character whereas Richard Jewell is quite frustrating, annoying and at times quite boring.
In fact when the film goes in depth in exploring Jewells life in the aftermath of the bombing, Jewell just makes the scenes quite boring. Bryant is trying to Jewell out and he just becomes more and more unlikable as it goes on and that's a big problem when your main character, who the film is named after is the worst thing about it.
Overall this is a really well made with brilliant actors and performances but unfortunately the character of Richard Jewell just brings this down quite a few notches and I can't imagine myself rewatching it again.
Let's start with the good and the big thing is the casting is brilliant. Paul Walter Hauser is perfect as Richard Jewell. He manages to capture his awkwardness and naivety perfectly and his actually looks a bit like him. Sam Rockwell, however, is the best thing about this film. He's charismatic as ever and delivers a powerhouse performance. Kathy Bates is also a nice addition and Jon Hamm does well as the cop wanting to jail Jewell for the bombings.
I also love the production to this film. You instantly believe this is set in 1996 especially with the camerawork used by reporters and you can tell Clint Eastwood really wanted to get this right because he's really goes into real detail how Richard Jewell discovers the bomb, how it affects his life afterwards and how his life changes once his labelled as a suspect and I thought Clint Eastwood did a great job at capturing all of these moments and the bomb discovery and explosion scenes were brilliantly filmed. You could feel the tension and anxiety once that bomb was discovered.
However whilst I was impressed with the movie, there one real disappointment and that is I really feel this should have actually been a film about Sam Rockwells character Watson Bryant. He's a much more impactful and interesting character whereas Richard Jewell is quite frustrating, annoying and at times quite boring.
In fact when the film goes in depth in exploring Jewells life in the aftermath of the bombing, Jewell just makes the scenes quite boring. Bryant is trying to Jewell out and he just becomes more and more unlikable as it goes on and that's a big problem when your main character, who the film is named after is the worst thing about it.
Overall this is a really well made with brilliant actors and performances but unfortunately the character of Richard Jewell just brings this down quite a few notches and I can't imagine myself rewatching it again.
Sunday, February 2, 2020
Just Mercy
Now this is a movie I've had a good feeling about ever since I saw the trailer. I am a huge fan of biographical movies and this seemed just suited for me and best of all, I was right to feel good about it.
It's only very early of the year but I feel I have just watched the best movie of 2020. We have a long way to go but I seriously doubt any film will be this one. This is a seriously powerful and impactful masterpiece that had me captivated by it's themes.
First we need to talk about the incredible performances from Michael B Jordan and Jamie Foxx. Jordan brings a lot of determination and charisma to the role he plays and Jamie Foxx delivers such a heartbreaking performance of a broken man who has just given up on all hope. From the moment, we see how broken his character is, you instantly feel sorry for him and root for him to get justice.
But the real star is the subject of the themes used for this movie; racism. There are a lot of hard hitting scenes in this movie that are actually very harrowing. This movie does something very brave and doesn't hold back on how serious racism was in the 80s. It could have played it safe but instead director Destin Daniel Crettin goes with the more realistic route and shows just how real and raw racism was back then.
There's one scene where Jordan's character arrives at a police station and is forced into a strip search where he feels humiliated and with the use of fantastic cinematography, as the camera zooms further to his face, we seen it in his eye's how humiliated he feels and that for me was a really hard scene to watch.
I had such a great time with this movie, I honestly cannot find any flaws or nit picks at it. I was captivated from beginning to end and by the end of the film, we feel a great deal of relief as Foxx's character gets the justice he deserves and Jordan's character wins his first case.
Just Mercy is a brilliantly directed and made masterpiece with such compelling performances and tackles racism sensitively and realistically and does this true heartbreaking story justice.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
It's only very early of the year but I feel I have just watched the best movie of 2020. We have a long way to go but I seriously doubt any film will be this one. This is a seriously powerful and impactful masterpiece that had me captivated by it's themes.
First we need to talk about the incredible performances from Michael B Jordan and Jamie Foxx. Jordan brings a lot of determination and charisma to the role he plays and Jamie Foxx delivers such a heartbreaking performance of a broken man who has just given up on all hope. From the moment, we see how broken his character is, you instantly feel sorry for him and root for him to get justice.
But the real star is the subject of the themes used for this movie; racism. There are a lot of hard hitting scenes in this movie that are actually very harrowing. This movie does something very brave and doesn't hold back on how serious racism was in the 80s. It could have played it safe but instead director Destin Daniel Crettin goes with the more realistic route and shows just how real and raw racism was back then.
There's one scene where Jordan's character arrives at a police station and is forced into a strip search where he feels humiliated and with the use of fantastic cinematography, as the camera zooms further to his face, we seen it in his eye's how humiliated he feels and that for me was a really hard scene to watch.
I had such a great time with this movie, I honestly cannot find any flaws or nit picks at it. I was captivated from beginning to end and by the end of the film, we feel a great deal of relief as Foxx's character gets the justice he deserves and Jordan's character wins his first case.
Just Mercy is a brilliantly directed and made masterpiece with such compelling performances and tackles racism sensitively and realistically and does this true heartbreaking story justice.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)