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ghetarr2001
Reviews
Dating & New York (2021)
When Harry Met Sallry for the Millenial Generation?
First time feature director Jonah Feingold offers a fresh take on the romantic comedy genre with Dating & New York. As with 2018's digital-centric film Searching, Feinfold authentically utilizes FaceTime, Instagram, text messaging, dating apps, and modern communication tools to serve the story. The film explores the new challenges and endless potential for dating in the digital era. While watching, one wonders whether dating apps and the ability to swipe left and right doomed relationships for millenials, or perhaps made romances even stronger when two strangers find a connection amidst this superficial dating backdrop.
Francesca Reale and Jaboukie Young-White are experly cast, each displaying that rare range between painful awkwardness and true heart. With echoes of Noah Baunbach's Frances Ha sprinkled throughout, Dating & New York becomes an impressive entry about cutting through the clutter of shallow relationships and friendships in the pursuit of something genuine.
Searching (2018)
SEARCHING: A New Cinematic Language
Searching may be told in a uniquely digital format, but at the core, this is a story of family, loss, and grief. The film features plenty of twists and turns, and packs an emotional punch on the way to a rollercoaster finale. Ultimately, Searching employs a style of filmmaking built for the social media age, whilst operating like a typical suspense thriller. Searching does not rely upon these technological platforms as a storytelling gimmick, though. The technological platforms instead are used to better demonstrate the disconnect that can occur between a parent and child when faced with tragedy. The film continuously shows ways in which advancements in technology have dramatically changed family interaction, for better or worse.
Google, Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, iPhones, online videos, desktop and laptop screens are all tools used in different scenes throughout the film. The different modes of communication are integrated seamlessly. Today's younger generations use technology with ease to interact with peers, as well as conceal certain truths, projecting only an image they deem fit to display. In the film, we see how young people may take advantage of these platforms to express themselves in an honest way online that they simply cannot do in the company of a parent.
The experience of viewing Searching presents a few questions: Despite the unprecedented access people now have to one another, whether by phones, screens, or text, does the communication itself between us really improve? What is the definition of a friend in this digital world, when the term friend is so casually used? And what, if any, are the differences between our "real-life" persona, and the "digital" one we choose to create? In some ways, Searching reflects a kind of cultural adaptation to the digital age that individuals and families must make, in order to effectively communicate. First time feature director Aneesh Chaganty has pulled off a visual magic trick, and a new cinematic language has either been invented, or perfected.
Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005)
VERY disappointing to say the least compared to Mel Stuart's version
I, like many others loved the original Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. I felt connected with Charlie, and I felt as if I was the one inheriting the Factory. It was a classic, but by today's standards it looks very outdated. The main problem with Burtons "adaptation" of the book, was I felt he went for style over substance. Sure, this one looks better, the factory and elevator are superb, but this just ISN'T a good movie AT ALL. The oompa loopas in this one are all the same lame person(Deep Roy), and I was very upset over that, seeing as I loved the "Oompa Loopa Doo Ba Dee Doo, I've got a Brand new puzzle for you" songs, NOT the dreadful "songs" in this one. I just couldn't get into the children at all, Veruca was poorly done, same with Mike Teevee, Violet. I didn't buy Deep for 1 second as Wonka, not 1. He was just annoying, humorless, and creepy. Grandpa Joe sucked in this one for sure. There wasn't one scene where I thought that there was a reason for remaking it except for money. Then there's this pointless sub-plot with Wonka and his father. The point is, even though Mel Stuart's version steered away from the book, it made for a MUCH BETTER movie. DO NOT see this one expecting a well done movie at all, in fact it is quite the contrary.