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Tyler_Deckard
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Tenet (2020)
Nolaniest of Nolan films
What a weird experience this movie is. Breathtaking action and huge setpieces mix with huge exposition dumps and quite confusing mechanics. After about an hour things start to make more sense and I got really into it. I'm quite sure I haven't fully understood this film, just barely enough to have fun. It's challenging, but rewarding. It's weirdly poetic with it's sort of palindrome construction. I'm sure that after future viewings my understanding, and rating, of "Tenet" will increase. Time will tell if it's layered or just convoluted. But it's Christopher Nolan, what else do you expect? Technically brilliant (albeit editing and scene geography could've been better in several scenes), well acted, innovative and unapologetically Bondian (Bondish?).
Christopher Nolan is a unique voice in today's cinema and I'm grateful that he's not afraid to take chances.
Super 8 (2011)
So that's how it feels like to be 12 again.
Brevity is the soul of wit so I'll be brief. Super 8 isn't a very original piece. It feels like composite of Spielberg's early works with liberal serving of 'The Goonies' with a side of 'Cloverfield'. Plot is pretty standard family problems, story told many times before. But what this film does is work. Acting is solid, characters believable, action exciting, jokes funny. This movie made me smile all the way home. J.J. Abrams took all the parts that make the film "Spielbergian" and made it own. Entertainment of the highest sort. If you're after that elusive feeling you had when watching 'Raiders of the Lost Ark' that's your best choice.
Saturday Night Live: Anne Hathaway/The Killers (2008)
Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious, sounds atrocious.
Saturday Night Live was one of my favorite shows, but recent years it suffered rather spectacular decline in quality. This season especially, bar the 'Tina Fey as Sarah Palin' skits, couldn't deliver the funny. This episode is a glorious throwback to the good old days of early 2000's when SNL was in it's second 'Golden Age'. This seasons' hosts so far were somewhat disappointing as comedians and couldn't carry the weight of the show (Phelphs was simply painful to watch) but lovely Anne Hathaway just oozes charm and talent elevating this episode to lofty heights of SNL's heyday. Hathaway channeling Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins bit is simply priceless. With her beauty, charisma and impeccable comedy timing she's truly one of the best actresses working today. Put simply, I'm in love with Miss Hathaway and I laughed my ass of. PS. I hope Tina Fey's return won't limit to Palin's impression, she's just to good to stay away.
Wanted (2008)
Like a bullet through the heart...
My quick opinion: Decent script, acting way better than anyone would expect from an action movie (especially from McAvoy showing proper leading man chops), perfect casting and beautifully staged and inventive set-pieces. It still is just a piece of light summer entertainment but well thought ending gives it nice emotional overtones and leaves you with a good impression. Timur Bekmabetov once again shows that he is the director to watch with uncanny eye for breathtaking visuals. All and all if you like action movies this one is one of the best since The Matrix. Plus Angelina Jolie playing a sexy assassin and Morgan Freeman dropping F-bombs and being badass, priceless. Watch it and enjoy the ride.
Shut Up & Sing (2006)
Magic of music!
This is the best music documentary I've seen in years! I was aware of Dixie Chicks' music before and I'd heard about the whole Bush remark controversy, but seeing it from the band's point of view was truly shocking. It's scary how public and industry pressure can choke ones freedom of speech, so seemingly indispensable in American society. Watching how the band pull through it all with perseverance and sense of humor without giving in to abuse and threats is truly inspirational. Natalie, Emily and Martie simply made the best thing they could've done, they made the best music they can and stuck together despite the turmoil. Kudos to the filmmakers for tackling such a sensitive topic with grace and real emotions. For anyone who loves music an absolute MUST SEE!
Grindhouse (2007)
Fun! Lot of fun! But not nearly as much as they promised...
As much as I love the works of Hollywoods ubergeeks, namely Rodriguez and Tarantino, I was a bit disappointed by Grindhouse. It's fun to watch. Really. There's nothing more fun than watching Bruce Willis playing bad-ass as only he can in his brief but meaningful appearance, Rose McGowan with a machine-gun for a leg tearing through hordes of flesh-eating zombies or two vintage muscle cars clashing on local roads of Tenessee. The premise is great but the movie itself doesn't quite deliver. Even the fake trailers aren't as hilarious as everyone says (although "The Werewolf Women of SS" is so crazy you can't help but chuckle). I know they're just playing with the genre, making a homage/satire but I guess I'm not the only one to think they should just put their inside-geek to sleep and write something original for a change. Tarantino/Rodriguez changed the way of movie-making in the early nineties in more ways than any other directors of that generation but now they're stuck in their comfort-zone. It's still damn good entertainment, but it's not groundbreaking or even fresh (bar Sin City, but here the credits due more to Frank Miller). And stop making all those references and nods to some obscure classics, everybody's doing it now. I like Grindhouse, but I'm still waiting for something that would top El Mariachi or Reservoir Dogs. The competition has caught up and making films more "Tarantino" than Quentin himself, so now we can only hope that Tarantino/Rodriguez will soon show once again how to innovate and become true artists, not just some good craftsmen.