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Marriage Story (2019)
Moving and Delicate
I was really moved by this film. The soundtrack by Randy Newman really evokes a feeling of nostalgia and memories which really help bring out the tears during the movie, much like his soundtracks to the Toy Story films. And the tracks really compliment each scene, I noticed especially during the ending, which is where I finally cried. This is also thanks to an incredible performance from Adam Driver who really gives it his all here and despite his character not being a perfect person, you really do genuinely care about him and during some of the later scenes, his emotions start to properly come out and that's when I began to cry. The cinematography is also extremely well done and there are a lot of shots that symbolically divide the two leads and it subconsciously gives a feeling of sadness. It's shot very still and unmoving in a good way and it helps set the tone and pace of the film, which is slow yet extremely emotionally impactful, especially in the latter areas of the movie. It's just a really solid, unique and compassionate look into the real struggles of a divorce and throughout the whole film, you feel bad for both sides of the party for different reasons. And when the movie comes to a close and the two finalise the split while still maintaining a stable family life with their son, you feel a sense of melancholy relief. The letter reading scene at the end was honestly in my top 10 movie scenes of the year it was that damn touching. I think this was the right film for me to watch especially with me feeling really down recently, and it's a flick with lots of heart, solid writing, incredible acting, a stellar soundtrack and a real punch to the heart. If you're interested, watch it. It's truly one of the best of last year. Well done Noah Baumbach.
The Lighthouse (2019)
Absolute Insanity, in the best way possible
It's about time I watched this one, I've been waiting all year. I kind of knew what weirdness I was getting myself into but honestly I still wasn't prepared for how surreal this movie feels. It truly captures isolation and descent into insanity and it is one of the strangest depictions of Cabin Fever I've ever seen. Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe were captivating in their roles and I'm not sure which one I liked more, they play off of each other in a darkly hilarious way and there are multiple scenes that were both hilarious and made me unusually disturbed. The entire film feels confining and claustrophobic and I think the 1.19:1 aspect ratio and the black and white aesthetic definitely lend to it. Both of the leads portray the disgusting life and habits of sailors, especially Dafoe and throughout the film you feel bad for both of them. It ends in a way that was very reminiscent of Midsommar for me, except I preferred this movie much more, probably due to the fantastic cinematography that makes the most of the smaller ratio and creates a picture that's genuinely hard to look away from. It's rough going for sure, but I honestly love this stuff. I love artsy cinema, although I can see why some may not. A confusing and possibly simplistic plot mixed with genuine disgusting weirdness doesn't exactly appeal to the masses. But for who it was intended for, I think this movie excels a lot more than others. It's a psychological horror that's hard to not pay attention to and if you can get past the unusual aspect ratio, the black and white filter and the craziness of this film, you might just be able to love it for what it is; a genuinely disturbing arthouse film that further proves that A24 movies are some of the best in the business. It's hideous, it's insanity put purely on to screen, it's damn crazy, it's hilarious and it's strangely captivating. It's an odd case but it's somehow really good.
Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order (2019)
A good game? From EA?
I never thought I'd live to see it honestly. But for once, the company actually did something cool. A single player star wars videogame. And it's actually pretty good! The combat for the most part was pretty engaging and it was fun to try and parry moves to counter attack. The force abilities were cool too and were sometimes used to solve puzzles creativity. I especially enjoyed force pulling ropes at the last second so I could do an awesome swing, I really felt awesome doing cool stuff like that. Blocking blaster bolts is pretty fun too and taking out hordes of stormtroopers is probably the most satisfying thing in the world. However there are some faults. The game is extremely glitchy for one, sometimes Cal would fall off the map or enemies would glitch out. The respawn screens were also way to long I thought and it became a nightmare every time I died, which I did, a lot. And I also thought while being unique, the map designs were sometimes way too hard to navigate and you can end up accidentally going in circles which is frustrating, the overview map isn't too well done either, it's an eyesore to look at and it could've been done better imo. I would've also liked to see more planets, perhaps some that weren't in the main story. Speaking of story, it's not half bad, it's not completely original but for a star wars tale, I was thoroughly invested and I did like the relationship between Cal and BD. The main villain was also pretty likeable and she's one of my favourites and the suprise at the end was actually really well done and actually felt intimidating. The Order 66 section was one of the best parts too and I thought it was one of the game's stronger points. I liked designing my lightsaber too and I only wish there was a red option. Also Cal could've had more clothing options other than ponchos. This review probably sounds like a ramble but aside from its flaws, Jedi: Fallen Order is a pretty great and fun experience that is a step in the right direction for EA. I hope a sequel improves upon this game's flaws and comes out as a masterpiece. It's not perfect, but it's pretty fun.
1917 (2019)
Absolutely triumphant
The best word I would use to describe this film is mighty. But also it's a wild ride of emotions all throughout. The cinematography is most certainly the best of this year with only 1 true cut in the middle of the movie, the entire thing is pretty much filmed in a way to make it seem like one continuous shot. I thought that might've given it a pacing problem since you'd have to be with the characters every minute of their journey, but damn it does a good job of keeping you on your toes. Every single minute of this film is put into something worthwhile, from the scenes where characters are in extreme danger, to more calming moments of peace in between peril, to the most emotional parts of the film which for me was around the 45 minute mark and also at the very end of the film. There are two very impactful parts in 1917 that really show the reality and unexpectedness of war and it makes the film so much more realistic and heartbreaking. The music is loud and excellent and it does a very similar thing to Dunkirk where it uses its volume to its advantage and it can up the emotion, terror or triumph with the score. My favourite scene in the entire movie is when Schofield is running along the front lines as the score is at its loudest, it gave me the biggest goosebumps I've had in a while and it was the moment I decided that 1917 was most definitely triumphant. It turns what seems like a small adventure into the most large scale and mighty movie I've seen from last year. It was just undoubtedly all parts awesome, emotional and terrifying and it's one of the best war movies I've ever seen and it even rivals Saving Private Ryan. It was so damn good it's been bumped up to number 4 on my top 10 of the year. It definitely deserved best Cinematography and Sound Mixing. And I do feel it deserved best visual effects too because there wasn't one moment where CGI took me out of it, the entire thing felt real and extremely damn immersive. I haven't been so invested in a movie for a while, truly a triumph of cinema and it's not something I'll forget easily.
Zombieland: Double Tap (2019)
Equally as fun as the first
I'd been looking forward to this. I had my worries of course as lots of reviews had been saying that it was a disappointment. But to be frank, I honestly have no idea what they're talking about. I thought this film was at least on par with the original and it was just as hilarious. The setup was interesting and a great development of the first, the zombies have evolved and are now faster and stronger than before, makes for an intriguing premise for a sequel. The zombies themselves look better and even more grotesque than ever, close up shots of kills make for some very equally disgusting and hilarious moments throughout the film that compliment the series' signature style. The original cast are back and have as good of a chemistry as they did in the first, they bounce off each other excellently and create some amusing scenarios. The new introductions have some great comedic timing and are welcome members to the cast. The Elvis references throughout were a great part of the film and I'd call them the Bill Murray moments of the sequel, although Mr. Murray still gets some references and even a cameo in the credits which was a hilarious touch to finish off the film with. Tallahassee being an overbearing father figure makes a lot of sense and is in line with his character, it also sets up the story for the film fairly naturally too. There isn't anything wrong with this movie at all and if I'm honest I don't know why the reviews are negative, I thought it was a worthy sequel that got just as many laughs as the first and it expanded nicely on both the world of Zombieland and the characters that inhabit it. The only part I didn't like is the leaning tower of Pisa kill, just felt slightly out of place in this universe. Other than that though, it was another solid inclusion to the Zombieland franchise and it once again leaves it open for any other entries, which I wouldn't mind at all. It feels fresh and fun and it never takes itself too seriously. I enjoyed the movie and I put it alongside the first as one of the better Zombie comedies. Still not as legendary as Shaun of the Dead though.
Red Dead Redemption II (2018)
Stunning, Massive and Incredibly Detailed
Some say that the game is designed so that you play the way the developers want you to, in some cases, yes. But generally that's just for set story missions. There's a tons more stuff to do in this game. There's loads of hidden secrets and stuff that if some of these negative reviewers took the time to explore the vast open world, (which is stunning to look at by the way) then they could probably have had a much better time. There's tons of hidden places to explore and things to find that aren't specified on the map which makes the world feel so much more real. The attention to detail is stellar, there's so many small details in the game from the fact that you gain and lose weight depending on what you eat and your hair grows over time, to the fact that horses act like horses would in real life and get spooked at any sign of danger. The story is pretty good actually and Arthur Morgan is one of the best videogame characters in existence. The fact that your actions around the open world affect your honour level and your honour level affects Arthur's growth and how his story ends is amazing. If you wanted, you could make Arthur not change as his journey goes along and you can be dishonourable the whole way, but if you so felt, you could have Arthur grow and increase his honour and kindness as you play. It's great that it affects how Arthur dies in the end too, it really makes the consequences feel real. When a member of the gang dies, it does feel impactful and it feels sad when it does happen on occasion. The complaints that the game only plays how the developers want you to play it is kind of irrelevant, it wasn't marketed as a choice making game like Detroit: Become Human or any Telltale games, it was marketed as a story based open world game with tons of sidequests and things to explore. And that's exactly what it is. If the missions didn't go how developers planned, then they wouldn't be able to tell the story that that wanted to tell. And there's still some free choice in the game, you don't HAVE to help people on sidequests, you don't HAVE to let that man you passed on the road live, you don't HAVE to explore at all if you don't want to. Or you could spend hours exploring without progressing the story and you'd have tons of choices to make out in the open world, plus exploring, hunting, fishing, they're all part of the experience, and if you don't do those things, then obviously your time isn't going to be as amazing as others, because you didn't play the full experience. The game is filled with passion, great story, huge attention to detail and incredible graphics. And it all adds to the incredible experience that is Red Dead Redemption 2. Highly recommended, incredible game.