Change Your Image
ryanstronach
Reviews
Closer (2004)
True love is all about sex?
This film is truly a puzzle to me. It's like I'm being asked to take seriously the childish antics of the characters while they go on their childish, sexually deviant escapades disguised as love.
None of it had any depth. It was simply an exploration into the irrational, pompous, and primal nature of the intimate relationships of human beings.
There was truly only an intangled mess of lust and misplaced love.
I'm left wandering why even bother making a film with such empty subject matter while also framing it like there's such powerful wisdom to be found here?
No, the characters all displayed how they were simultaneously deceptive and jealous and never once evolved past their primitive and immensely sexual nature. If that is the purpose of the movie, I fail to see the value in that.
Black Mirror: Bandersnatch (2018)
Monotonous Wandering
I have to say, from the outset I am disappointed with the sheer fact that there's no real story to tell if you choose to work at the company. After all, Colin seems like an interesting guy and I'm sure that path wouldn't end up boring, but very quickly you're hit with the reality that the film is guising as a choose your own adventure, yet the outcomes are highly limited.
Sure, there are moments where you can admire something clever they did when it comes to the entangled plot lines becoming interconnected, but the story is nothing to write home about.
What would have made the film a better experience? Cut down on the volume of choice pathways. This would accomplish multiple things:
1.) Highlight the most compelling story lines rather then having all these random dead ends that leave you feeling less then satisfied.
2.) Save the viewer a lot of their time while they search for new pathways.
3.) Give the choices more importance to the story, and thus more weight to the viewer.
The Alpinist (2021)
One with the mountains
I throughly enjoyed the adventures depicted in this documentary, and the biographical nature of an incredible man's life. I had no idea til the end that these adventures would lead to Marc's death.
It was a good choice by the director to tell the story as it unfolds and to let the viewer immerse themselves in the simultaneously calm and treacherous life of a free soloist who was as daring and skillful as they come, without revealing where the journey would ultimately lead.
Marc Andre was quite obviously an exceptional individual. It's so rare to get a peak into the world of someone so devoted to their passion that they merge with it. That is what makes this film so special.
Win It All (2017)
Imperfection is what makes this film great
I loved this movie for the realness of the characters. The flaws and awkward moments of everyday conversation are on full display here, which is a breath of fresh air for viewers used to the typical trimming of fat that character dialogue goes through in most films.
The main character is a relatable person, who is loveable in ways but clearly broken and reckless in other ways. The cycle of addiction in the mind of the protagonist is truly epitomized to a tee in this film.
A gambler's most self destructive trait is to go on manic highs when winning, which leads to the kind of reckless abandon that buries them in a deep financial pit. In this movie, the consequences of ending up in that pit are looming over every scene.
I love how the film genuinely shows someone change their mentality, and discover a joy for themselves in working to make a living, and finding true love along the way, rather then being trapped in a self destructive downward spiral to oblivion.
In summary, I thought this was an excellent film not because it was a masterclass in direction or storytelling, but because it was a genuine and profound story portrayed by the actors in a non-phony way.
The Mole (2022)
Had potential but ultimately mediocre
There is definitely a charm about the series and the character dynamics that is evident in the first few episodes, but ultimately the show deteriorates into what feels like a scripted, predictable reality TV show. Also, it feels like when some major or minor drama occurs, the contestants just hold their jaw open. There is no real fierce emotions coming across, no real heavy confrontation and quickly that event is forgotten.
Another major criticism I have of the game is that even though the budget was clearly in the tens of millions, the contestants are competing for meager amounts like $5,000 or $10,000 per challenge. Why be greedy and hold back on offering huge cash incentives to liven up the competitors, instead of tossing some crumbs of the budget their way when the contestants are ultimately what makes the series entertaining?
I got to episode 5 and just thought "screw this". I was getting bored and tired of the lackluster drama. I skipped straight to the end, only to be further disappointed with the conclusion.
Circle (2015)
Pointless
I guess a role that the movie serves is being a social commentary on the selfishness of humanity. It at least had some of my attention because there was some suspense in the dynamics of what might happen when there are only a few people left and especially what would happen when there is only one left. Unfortunately, things play out largely as expected up until the very end when you're forced to lose all faith in humanity and are met with very little in the way of resolve. So ultimately the film was a meaningless and superficial exploration of sociology rather then what could have been an uncovering of some deep mystery.
It is an empty and shallow movie devoid of any real substance. If you're interested in watching a movie similar to this that has a real emotional and psychological impact (and is also more creative) I would recommend 'The Cube' or 'The Platform'.
It Follows (2014)
Amazing concept. Great cinematography. Mediocre execution.
About halfway through the movie expect the same thing to happen about five times in a row without any new developments. This makes for a frustrating viewing experience. It left me feeling that there was so much more unexplored territory when it comes to the directions that this beautifully terrifying concept could take.
Near the end the writers just got plain lazy and the creepy emotionless meandering follower became more like a sentient entity that's actively making decisions which took away from the overall psychological impact of it's existence.
This one had a lot more potential, but was still quite good nonetheless. You will admire the creative camera work and stay for the quiet horror of a never flinching thing constantly on it's way to end you and the stimulating idea that it will not stop until it ends the chain and what implications that has.
Toki o kakeru shôjo (2006)
Vapid of real emotion
While I enjoy the main concept of the film, which is the ability to play with time, the potential of that ability is wasted on mostly silly, meaningless ventures that don't give the viewer much satisfaction unless perhaps you're a teenage girl who can relate to the main character and her motives.
I am a pretty emotional guy, but I could not connect at all with the characters and thought that the relationships on screen had weak foundations and not much development to them. It's almost like the director was trying to assert that love existed on what is a mostly a blank canvas, so the viewer has to use a lot of imagination to conjure up a love story that I feel doesn't truly exist.
If it does exist, it's buried in plot holes and a tangled story line that doesn't build tension effectively. It doesn't feel like there was ever much on the line, partly because of how death was brushed off so easily from the start of the film to the bitter end, but mostly because the characters act and react so vacantly to whatever craziness is presented to them. It doesn't help that there is hardly any character history presented, with this just being a look into a slice of just a few days in time.
I wanted to enjoy the movie, but found myself constantly unattached and underwhelmed by the main thrust of the film. I feel there was so much more potential for the main character to truly learn valuable lessons, and for story arcs to be more deeply refined but the importance of detail was overlooked in favor of a convoluted plot which ends in what I can only describe as a train wreck of anticlimactic hell.
Game of Thrones: The Bells (2019)
Psychologically Stunning
After going through the shallow disappointment of episode 3, where the defense of Winterfell was seemingly planned out by Hodor himself, and the main characters were immune to any overwhelmingly compromising situations; The episode where the Night King, the ultimate representative of evil who seemed equivalent to a god in all previous encounters, is shattered to pieces by a small girl (who had no history with the Night King) flying at him from no where with a tiny knife; I was fully expecting the battle against the army of King's Landing to be underwhelming.
I was so wrong. The previous seasons had built up fully to this moment, where Daenerys would encounter the woman with the enormous ego who would stop at nothing to rule, just like herself. Daenerys was never a saint, and grew an edge about her which was on the tipping point of insanity. Her thirst for world power was obvious, and her moral compass was never a question in my mind. She was always a monster inside.
What I love about this episode is how it depicts the reaction of Jon as stunned throughout the entirety of the episode. He was truly blinded by love and even Arya, who warned Jon about Daenerys, was shocked to see that Daenerys was burning down the entire city in a fiery rage. The fragility of the dragon queen's power was tested to the breaking point, and after her other dragons were killed she was lit with the madness of her ancestors out of pure lust for domination.
All this talk about character arcs in response to this episode has got me annoyed because all of the characters did as their passions guided them. Let me go through the list:
Arya had Cersei firmly on her death list, and the beast has wanted revenge on his brother since he was a child. Therefore they sneak into King's Landing in the mayhem of impending war and try to assassinate the people who they want dead the most. Tyrion always believed that Daenerys was truly good, even though that notion has come into question recently, and he loves his brother more than anyone, so he frees him to go after his one love. Jaime has always in his heart loved Cersei more than anyone else, and thats why he was dead set on meeting her even if it meant they would die together. Cersei loved herself and her offspring more than anything and had so much ego that she had to drown in flames before she rang the bell. Jon Snow was in love with Daenerys and in a cooperative alliance against evil people, which is why he went along with the gameplan to decimate the army. When he realizes Daenerys is a mad queen he sees the light of truth and righteousness again and you can see his love for Daenerys evaporate. Greyworm is strongly susceptible to group think, and it's in his nature is unfazed by mass death. He also had a rage burning since Cersei ordered the death of Missandei, his true love. His response to the cruelty of Daenerys was understandable.
If those character motivations don't make sense, you clearly weren't paying close enough attention to the during the first four seasons.