Change Your Image
adamoz-94687
Reviews
Maestro (2023)
Solid.
7.5/10. Solid portrait/biopic of a man that refused to be labeled as one thing by society, whether that be in his professional or personal life.
The cinematography is fantastic. There are some beautiful frameable shots in this movie. The directing is absolutely on point. I honestly think Cooper should win the Oscar for directing. The makeup and effects were great as well. In terms of technical achievement, this is tremendous.
In terms of storytelling, it is very good. Not a lot of emotional punchiness or big-hitting moments (which would be the only thing this movie lacks for me to give it a higher rating), but some standout scenes and stellar acting. The writing and mostly consistent tone is very good. Cooper's acting and casting is an A+++++. Mulligan's casting is good, she still looks quite young in some of the older scenes but her acting is also fantastic. I loved her part of the story as well, arguably just as much as Bernstein's.
This is definitely Oscar-baity, but not in a bad way. The themes it explores are well done and incredibly realistic. It felt like everything happening was with very real people, and the dialogue reflected it the most.
The best part of the movie (of which the visuals are a very very very close second) is the sound design. Wow. The way it uses the concept of spatial audio and surround sound to tell its tale is incredible. When the choir crescendos, it feels like you're really there. Is it a shame this movie won't be seen in theaters by most? Absolutely 1000%. But if you've got a surround sound system or the like, you will experience the movie as intended. The way it uses sound, and the way the theater bursts all around you with the little elements of the music, feels like you are truly in an amphitheatre. I honestly think "Dolby Atmos" and above-the-head sound as it is used in most cinema is pretty meh, unnecessary and just creates more noise, but whatever they did to design it in this movie, it is reference quality for any work.
Overall, I enjoyed it a lot, and I'm glad I saw it. There's not much to complain about, and it's a solid movie.
Sly (2023)
Relatable, inspiring, touching
Fascinating and insightful, with number of heartfelt and heartbreaking moments that linger long after the film. It was really nice to see the side of Sly that's a different image of the man we see on screen: a complex powerhouse of an artist that has been through a lot, with great public highs and deeply emotional lows. Seeing the influences and the drive that made him a success in Hollywood was cool. I really liked seeing Stallone the scriptwriter and director instead of just the star actor, as a lot of the film focuses on this aspect of his career's moments. There's also a lot to interpret on your own, as the movie doesn't directly spell out the underlying effects of the relationship between Stallone and his father, but it gives you the context that you would have if you were an intimate friend of his. It gives the surface view of what he's accomplished, what he's gotten out of everything, and how his relationships impacted his life, and allows you to relate it to your own experiences. I highly recommend anyone who is mildly interested in Stallone to check this out. It was an incredibly rewarding watch, even if it isn't an earth shattering or revelatory story. It's relatable, inspiring, and touching.
The Last of Us: Long, Long Time (2023)
Amazing television
This episode is great. Moving and full of depth. Terrific writing, performances, everything. I wouldn't be surprised if Offerman or even Bartlett get some awards for their acting.
I was completely sidelined by the emotions I felt watching. I thought the show was good so far, but wow, their dedication to character really shows here. I don't know if it'll reach this kind of a peak again during this season, but regardless, this episode is an essential watch. The deviations they make from the video game transcend the source material by a lot. The writers and creators put in great work and it shows. What an episode. A prime example of how beautiful television can be.
Stranger Things: Chapter Seven: The Massacre at Hawkins Lab (2022)
Best episode of the show so far
As soon as I heard Philip Glass's "Prophecies" start playing I knew something big was coming.
This show really grew as we (the young audience of season one) grew with it. The cinematography, the pure technical skill of everything involved in making this season, let alone this episode.
I was not disappointed. And neither will you be.
We're All Going to the World's Fair (2021)
This was not it. Boring, plain and simple
I like indie movies, even slow ones at that. However, this was boring, nothing interesting happened, these long takes of walking and empty space fill the movie up to feature-length time. As a 20-minute short, sure, interesting. This was the longest 1.5 hours of my life. I love weird eerie movies, but this movie mistakes strangeness and emptiness as an introspection into internet culture. Alex G's score is the only reason I give it any stars. I don't understand the positive critical reviews. I've read them, and they are plain wrong, please take my word for it.
Hajimete no otsukai (1990)
It's cute. It's kinda funny. It's reality TV
It's exactly what you expect. Cute kids being kids, trying to do adult things. Sometimes it's just fun to see em process tasks and simple life things in their own unique way. It's ofc got the reality TV feel to it, but it's a nice wholesome break from the world.
True Story (2021)
Uncut Gems, the miniseries
Tense and twisted from the first episode to the very ending. Great performances all-around, fantastic writing too. Highly recommended for a quick, memorable binge.
iCarly (2021)
Cliches, unfunny, unnatural.
Sam's absence is painful, firstly, but I won't hate it for that. I'll hate it for turning Carly into a caricature of a person. Her flaws (that are normally a point of comedy or irony in a sitcom) are just painful to watch and unfunny. Her dialogue is choppy and unnatural. She isn't an individual at all, she's every cliche of a young girl with issues in a sitcom, all at once.
Spencer is hilarious though, I will give it that. And it's still got a touch of weirdness, but it's not funny like it used to be, it's like they think awkwardness equals laughter. That's a two for me. It's strange, I never thought I'd actually dislike the reboot this much.
I'm going to go back and watch the old show now. The creators clearly don't understand how their audience has changed and grown.