claszdsburrogato Reviews

Leatherface: Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990)

Texas Chainsaw Massacre III (1990) Soulless and empty

[3/10 · 3 February 2024]

The first Texas Chainsaw Massacre film explored very violent and raw horror, while its sequel did something completely opposite, exploring much more of a comedy with hints of horror. However, the third film is nothing special. It's just another generic slasher and a bad sequel. The film could very well be simpler, without exploring new things like the previous ones, but even by doing something generic it has the capacity to entertain. The death scenes that could very well support the entire plot are actually terrible and not exciting. In short, we have a forgettable work, with nothing remarkable and an unpleasant experience.

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986)

The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 (1986) Horror and comedy in eroticization

[9/10 · 31 January 2024]

The sequel to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre is nothing like its predecessor. The theme is completely different and seeks the complete opposite of what the first film presents. Here, instead of following a realistic and frightening horror, we follow a story that explores humor much more.

There is a radical change that makes this sequel very different from the previous one. The comedy factor completely eliminates the rawness and reality that had been presented previously. Even though there is nothing supernatural in the story, it is still very far from reality. While before we had a well-executed search for realism, here we have a very well-realized search for playfulness, without going into fantasy themes, as is done in A Nightmare on Elm Street, for example. The humor delivers scenes that would be unlikely to happen in the first film. Actions and dialogues completely deviate from all that realism from before.

Eroticization is a point that makes The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 a different, but brilliant sequel. Now, the film not only plays with horror, but also has great moments focused on enormous sexual tension created between two characters. The most erotic scenes arise not only from comedy, but also from horror. At the same time that the film makes these scenes crude, it also manages to create fear and anguish created by the doubt of not knowing what to expect after that moment. It is precisely in these scenes that we have the highest points of the film.

This film proves that it is not necessary to follow the same standards as the previous film to make a good sequel. Completely straying from all the realism of the first film, the second explores the complete opposite and accomplishes this in an excellent way.

Over the Top (1987)

Over the Top (1987) Excellent father and son relationship

[7/10 · 30 January 2024]

Over the Top is an extremely simple film. Its enormous narrative simplicity is what makes it so special. He ventures into action and drama in a very interesting way. The entire development of the father and son relationship throughout the film is very well constructed. The characters have a very troubled relationship throughout the beginning of the story, but as time passes we see this relationship becoming better and better and the sincerity that is conveyed in the love between the two is beautiful. When the film seeks to build some action scenes, it does so masterfully. Everything around the film is extremely fun and manages to move with dramatic scenes involving the family.

Jennifer's Body (2009)

Jennifer's Body (2009) Great underrated movie

[9/10 · 29 January 2024]

Jennifer's Body is one of those films with terrible ratings on rating aggregators, but which has enormous technical quality and great fun. The film manages to build terror along with humor that are very well balanced and centered.

The horror of the film has the ability to generate discomfort at certain moments. The feeling of fear is always very present in the characters and the setting. In fact, during some passages it is interesting to analyze how the terror is transmitted from wider shots, which present the emptiness of certain places, but also manages to create a more intimate, frontal and direct terror with the viewer.

Humor appears at the right moments in the narrative. In fact, it is much more present than terror. The jokes don't seem forced to make the viewer laugh at all costs. Each joke is very well added and the editing manages to make certain comic moments indicate things of extreme importance for the future of the story. Some explanations that occur during the film could be tiring, but they become fun due to the mixture of horror and humor applied in the film.

This film is extremely underrated and deserved much greater recognition. It is a wonderful work with remarkable moments that manage to leave the viewer extremely immersed throughout.

Black Girl (1966)

La noire de... (1966) Veiled slavery

[10/10 · 27 January 2024]

"La noire de..." is a film that explores slavery in a much more closed environment, without covering historical moments where slavery was common and even accepted.

In fact, the film shows us a completely different scenario, where we follow a Senegalese woman who needs a job so her family can live. The protagonist lives in a place of extreme poverty, so when she sees the opportunity to get a job, she doesn't hesitate.

The film presents us with a happy and smiling character, even though he lives in a precarious situation. However, as the film goes on, we realize how life as a maid causes her to become increasingly depressed and tired of life. The montage alternates between moments in the past and present. This makes the changes in the protagonist's personality very visible. Before going to France, she seems to be very excited, but the viewer already knows the situation she is living in at present.

The slave owners in this story are arrogant and think that by paying her for her work, it will make it less of a problem. They believe that all she needs is money and nothing else. They never really care about the character's physical and mental health. In many moments it is possible to see how they think they are good people and worthy of exaltation, but the reality is completely different.

The film is cruel and sad. He is not afraid to demonstrate the protagonist's pain and expose the arrogance of those who feel superior to her. The ending is shocking and very significant for everything that was told during the narrative. An important and excellent work.

Breathless (1960)

À bout de souffle (1960) At constant speed

[10/10 · 26 January 2024]

Breathless was the first feature film by Jean-Luc Gordard, who went on to become one of the greatest French directors and one of the great names of the Nouvelle vague. In his first film, Godard uses a montage that, for many moments, conveys a feeling of being unfinished or even an amateur project. However, the abrupt cuts create a feeling of speed for the narrative. The film always seems to be moving at a constant speed. The camera manages to create momentum for the scenes. Even though it is always at a fast pace, some moments manage to make the environment seem calmer and flow more lightly, even though the story is still in a long development. The moments inside the hotel room are full of very well-written and important dialogues, but generated at a calmer pace. Meanwhile, scenes on the streets of France always seem to be more intense.

Bottoms (2023)

Bottoms (2023) Excellent ironic humor

[7/10 · 23 January 2024]

Bottoms is a comedy that uses irony to develop its comedy and, consequently, make accurate criticisms in an exaggerated tone. However, Bottoms is not just carried away by criticism conveyed through humor. This is just another device that supports the film's comedy. The ironic tone helps a lot with the fluidity of the film, turning the entire school environment and the events of the narrative into pure fun. The story is objective and does not fall into the stereotypes of a high school film. Bottoms deviates from any pattern of other films of its style and does not need a message or a certain complexity to become special.

Kiki's Delivery Service (1989)

Majo no takkyûbin (1989) Growing up in small adventures

[9/10 · 22 January 2024]

Kiki's Delivery Service is a big adventure created from small adventures. This is the greatest triumph of this entire story. For many moments we felt like we were watching a series of adventurous short films. However, Hayao Miyazaki never makes these small stories become just random moments in the protagonist's life. In fact, all of this has great meaning in developing the narrative and, mainly, Kiki's maturation. It is interesting to consider that this animation was released just one year after My Friend Totoro. While in the director's previous film we followed the purity of childhood, here we can see the evolution of that and explore maturation. History makes each event a huge learning experience. Excellent animation and a beautiful message conveyed in a fun and light way, but not afraid to go deeper and generate emotion in the viewer.

Notorious (1946)

Notorious (1946) The image in its best use

[9/10 · 20 January 2024]

In Notorious, Alfred Hitchcock directs the camera in a way that makes it not necessary to use dialogue at certain moments. Here, the viewer has the ability to understand certain events by analyzing only what they see, and not what they hear. In certain scenes, Hitchcock closes the wide shot, making the focus particularly directed to what he wants to show the viewer. During other moments, an object is placed in the foreground while the characters are in the background, this is done to tell us what will happen before it happens. The mystery becomes more intriguing because we can unravel the story with the characters just by analyzing angle or movement. Hitchcock is a genius directing the camera in Notorious.

Perfect Blue (1997)

Perfect Blue (1997) Persecution and obsession

[10/10 · 20 January 2024]

Perfect Blue is a film ahead of its time in terms of the topics covered in the story. In a very effective way, the film portrays the virtual persecution of great artists at a time when this was not discussed as much. Above all, Perfect Blue shows how dirty and disgusting the industry is.

The fake Mima is nothing more than a great representation of the dirtiest things in the industry. The character is extremely important in representing how the industry is able to manipulate obsessed fans into becoming a danger to those they worship. In this world you have to live based on choices made by those who control your life. The protagonist does not choose her own path. When she was on stage, she was seen as an idol, however, on TV she is just seen as a commodity.

The protagonist, along with the viewer, gets lost in what is reality, illusion, dreams or just another recording for the series. The character gets lost amidst the chaos of her new life and the viewer is led along with her into this enormous madness. Fiction becomes reality and reality becomes fiction.

Satoshi Kon knows how to conduct the narrative very well and transform the character's trajectory into an arc that becomes chaotic at every moment, totaling a third act that reaches the height of its climax. A true masterpiece.

Mean Girls (2004)

Mean Girls (2004) Excellent teen satire

[8/10 · 12 January 2024]

Mean Girls is a classic teen comedy film released in the early 2000s. However, the detail that makes this film more incredible is the satire with other productions of the genre. Comedy knows how to explore character stereotypes very well and make it very fun. Everyone is presented in a very stereotypical way, however, as the story progresses we follow the other sides of these characters and discover their weaknesses. These are teen dramas that are treated just like teen dramas and that's a beautiful thing. The film does not make those pains the deepest in life, but it also does not make them irrelevant. In the end, Mean Girls is about acceptance and that message is conveyed very well. The development of the protagonist, going from a complete outcast to the most popular in school, is fantastic. The film can be seen as just another teen film, but it is really fun and its message is very well executed.

Furious 6 (2013)

Furious 6 (2013) Wear starting

[5/10 · 11 January 2024]

The biggest problem with Fast and Furious 6 is that it is between the fifth and seventh films in the franchise, which are among the best. However, by itself it is already a weak film. The action is fun at times, but it is generic and fails to convey a sense of danger. It's a film that is much more interesting at the beginning, but throughout the film it becomes exhausting and the third act is extremely weak. The whole story is very boring, it doesn't hold up and tries to be extraordinary, but it fails to entertain either through the narrative or the action. The characters have an interesting relationship, but all the subplots created are extremely uninteresting and many lead nowhere, meaning that the depth that should occur does not occur. It's not a bad film, but it's mediocrity.

Fast & Furious (2009)

Fast & Furious (2009) Tries to be more serious and loses speed

[4/10 · 9 January 2024]

Perhaps this will be the turning point of the Fast and Furious franchise. This is where we see the change from a plot that involves street racing to something much bigger, but we are still not presented with more intense action. This is the big problem with the fourth film in the franchise. He cannot maintain the simplicity of the previous ones, but he does not risk the megalomania of the later ones. The film focuses on a drama that cannot carry. Everything that tries to be dramatic in the narrative becomes clumsy. The direction doesn't handle the drama well, the actors don't have the capacity to do it and the entire atmosphere that tries to have a more dramatic and serious aura becomes just cheesy. The film is saved by a few good action scenes that make the experience not a complete disaster, however, there isn't much to save in the film.

2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)

2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) Is Toretto needed?

[2/10 · 7 January 2024]

The sequel to Fast and Furious is missing a character who was one of the best things about the previous film. Now, Brian O'Conner (Paul Walker) needs to carry the film without the presence of Dominic Toretto (Vin Diesel). Unfortunately, Paul Walker's performance is much worse here. Without the presence of his partner, his charisma seems to diminish. Even though the presence of Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson) is a positive point to some extent, the characters don't seem to have that strong chemistry. The story is horrible and doesn't hold up with the action scenes. All the secondary characters are terrible and poorly acted. It is an extremely flawed script with an extremely generic narrative and explored in a generic way. That's a huge drop from the first to the second film.

The Lighthouse (I) (2019)

The Lighthouse (2019) The contradiction of The Lighthouse

[8/10 · 6 January 2024]

It is an extreme contradiction for a film called The Lighthouse, something that generates light, to be absent of colors. It's not just the lack of colors that makes the place lifeless. The entire environment is mysterious and terrifying, everything seems dead even when the atmosphere becomes chaotic. In fact, this is another very interesting factor in the work. The film only has its first dialogue 7 minutes into the film. This silence is what describes this first moment of the film very well. After halfway through the film, everything becomes chaotic, noisy and confusing. This transition of atmosphere is developed in an excellent way. The evolution of the characters up to this point is done in an exceptional way. The sound is worked very well by Robberr Eggers. He manages to make this factor extremely important to convey the climate of the place. The Lighthouse is a great work of horror, even following the current standards of the genre.

The Fast and the Furious (2001)

The Fast and the Furious (2001) When everything was simpler

[7/10 · 6 January 2024]

The first film in the Fast and Furious franchise is much simpler than the later ones. Here, the film focuses on something much less megalomaniacal and seeks to explore only street racing. The simplicity of the script is what makes this first film good. As much as the script is flawed when it comes to the police investigation, this doesn't sound like a problem. At no point does the film propose to be an investigation like Se7en. The focus here is entirely on the action. The setting makes the FBI plot consistent with the rest of the story. At no point does the film require an Oscar-worthy performance from the characters, so Vin Diesel and Paul Walker manage to deliver a good job, precisely because they are just charismatic and get along well. The first film in the franchise is good for not trying to be more than it is. He does what he sets out to do and does it effectively.

M (1931)

M (1931) Justice with your own hands

[9/10 · 5 January 2024]

M is a film that develops its narrative focusing entirely on the story of the killer and the murders. The film never bothers to present the characters in any other context. Everything that moves the story is directly connected to the cases. Character development occurs precisely when the investigation and meetings about the case take place. The story starts slower, however, throughout the narrative the film gains more pace and the ending is excellent. The way the story ends leaves us reflective about the case. It is interesting to analyze how society starts to act after yet another murder. The city starts to want revenge, everyone becomes more violent and suspicious of everyone. The population realizes that if the police don't do anything, they will have to. The film is charming, it starts in an intriguing way and ends in an apotheotic way.

The Lonedale Operator (1911)

The Lonedale Operator (1911) The importance of Griffith

[9/10 · 3 January 2024]

D. W. Griffith was an extremely controversial figure and as a person he was despicable. However, as a filmmaker, he was one of the most important to classical cinema and what came after. In The Lonedale Operator, it is possible to notice that the techniques he used are still used today in cinema and influenced other directors, such as Sergei Eisenstein. The editing is very well used and helps build tension and suspense. The scene where the character is on the train to save his wife is brilliant. The montage shows the train arriving and, at the same time, the woman trying to protect herself, generating very effective tension. Even though the director is problematic, this film is a reflection of his genius and importance for the techniques used in cinema.

Back to the Future Part III (1990)

Back to the Future Part III (1990) Homage to the western

[8/10 · 2 January 2024]

The third film in the trilogy is the one that seeks to explore a theme that is much more different from the rest. Now, the idea is to explore the union of science fiction and the western. The narrative is very well developed based on this idea and manages to pay homage to this cinematographic genre very well. There are numerous references to Clint Eastwood and the film takes advantage of this to develop the story in many moments. The humor is very well inserted, especially when exploring cinema classics. When the film seeks to make references and jokes with the first, as the second did, it manages to do so in an effective way. The jokes with the original are more interesting because they serve more as a reference and are inserted in very different contexts, which makes it more fun, unlike the previous one which sought to use references all the time. The film is very fun and manages to explore this new theme very well in a very interesting way.

Back to the Future Part II (1989)

Back to the Future Part II (1989) Exploring the future

[7/10 · 1 January 2024]

The sequel to Back to the Future seeks to explore a different theme than the previous one. Here we are introduced to the future of this universe and the causes that a change in the past can cause. The most iconic moments are precisely when the film explores these different realities of that story. The film shines when it seeks to present different visuals throughout the narrative. The difference from one reality to another is very visible and the whole atmosphere becomes different. However, the film, at various times, tries to recreate scenes from the previous one to generate nostalgia and comical scenes. Often the humorous scenes that use what worked in the previous film are creative and effective, but the film seems to become hostage to this technique for many moments and becomes repetitive. Still, the narrative has its own personality and has the ability to be completely independent, even if at different times it seems to stick to everything that worked in the previous one and just replicate it to work again.

The Arrival of a Train (1896)

L'arrivée d'un train à La Ciotat (1896) Cinema has always impressed

[8/10 · 1 January 2024]

The Arrival of a Train at the Station is exactly what its title says. A one-minute recording of a train arriving at a station. One of the first films in history and was already presented as a surprise to the public when it was released. There are rumors that viewers were impressed by the images, even thinking that the train would leave the screen. This demonstrates precisely what cinema can do to audiences nowadays, impress. Here, as in any cinematographic work, the contradiction of cinema is demonstrated. The short conveys the feeling of witnessing that moment live, even if they are recordings made previously.

Back to the Future (1985)

Back to the Future (1985) An eternal classic

[9/10 · 1 January 2024]

Back to the Future is an undisputed classic of cinema and science fiction as a whole. The film still works as an entertaining work, however, that doesn't mean it isn't a product of its time. The way the narrative is executed, the comedy is inserted and even how the visuals are displayed is, without a shadow of a doubt, dated. Does this mean that the work is bad seen through today's eyes? No. The work well portrays its time and the vision of the future that society had. Everything here is a huge reflection of the 80s. Even so, the work doesn't become any less thought-provoking and fun. Every film will always be dated when seen decades later, but that doesn't make it bad.

The film, from the beginning, tells the viewer, in an indirect way, what will happen at the end of this story. This is one of the strong points of this film. Back to the Future thinks about many details to make the story round, even if the script falls into problems presented in works that explore time travel. The most important detail of the narrative is exactly how everything is extremely connected. All the scenes presented during the film are important for the development of the narrative and show importance again throughout it. Small details shown in small scenes always return to close the story in a satisfactory way and still leave a hook for a continuation.

During many moments the small details presented are not said by the characters, but shown by small images in the foreground. The film takes advantage of small occasions to develop the narrative for the viewer, even though these details often don't seem important at first. Some scenes perfectly demonstrate the differences between the past and future using only the scenery and signs.

Back to the Future is a brilliant work that marked its time and is still remembered today as a great classic. The film is extremely fun and its comedic moments are wonderful. The experience of watching this film is unique and becomes even more special when reviewed.

The Holdovers (2023)

The Holdovers (2023) It's simple, but it's wonderful

[8/10 · 31 December 2023]

The Holdovers is a classic Christmas movie. The development of the narrative occurs in a very simple way and has been seen several times in this same way in the cinema. However, that doesn't stop the film from being special. The story is simple, but it is profound. The characters, in general, are presented as arrogant and complicated people. Throughout the narrative we get to know these characters better and become attached to them. The dynamics of the protagonists is what carries this film throughout the two hours. The comedy is very well established and accurate. The narrative takes us through a humorous and dramatic story for many moments. The film is filled with hope, but when that hope is shattered, all the joy is turned into tears. The Holdovers has a simple story, but it manages to develop in a deep and very well done way.

May December (2023)

May December (2023) Problematic eroticism and liberation

[8/10 · 30 December 2023]

May December, whether we like it or not, is an erotic film, but without explicit eroticism and used in an exaggerated way. The film could very well take advantage of this factor and the result could be positive. However, even without needing to use this medium, the film manages to develop a narrative with moments full of sexual tension, but without taking advantage of explicit nudity. The narrative aims to explore, through a dark comedy, the characters' problematic relationship. The problematization of the romance experienced by the characters is constantly remembered. We, together with the protagonist, seek to understand what led this couple to get together. In many moments, the film puts us face-to-face with Gracie (Julianne Moore), causing us to raise doubts about the problematization of that couple, even though the audience knows it is wrong. The film makes it clear how Joe Yoo (Charles Melton) has not matured enough because of his relationship. However, when the character seeks to face this doubt, it is when he frees himself from a feeling that was kept and hidden.

Nosso Sonho (2023)

Nosso Sonho (2023) Sincere and exciting

[8/10 · 29 December 2023]

Nosso Sonho is another artist biography. However, this film stands out among so many others. Unlike most biographical films, the film does not try to create an image of unreachable idols. Claudinho (Lucas Koka Penteado) and Buchecha (Juan Paiva) are portrayed as two ordinary people, people who make mistakes and get things right. At no point is the image of perfect idols who never make mistakes created. In fact, the focus of the narrative is not to explore their rise as artists. The focus here is exploring maturity and forgiveness. Their rise as artists serves only as a narrative driver to explore their human side. The film is full of philosophical and significant moments. The script takes advantage of moments, deaths and lines to develop its ending, making everything connected. At certain moments, phrases and events may sound superficial and forced to drive the narrative, however, these moments do not hinder the story and immersion. Nosso Sonho is exciting and vibrant, it is a film that uses music and drama very well.