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Film The Redcafe Movie review thread
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Sorry - I boycot Walmart because of their staff policies. You'll have to find me a better reasons!
It's the first National Day for Truth and Reconciliation here in Canada - a day that 'honours the lost children and Survivors of residential schools, their families and communities. Public commemoration of the tragic and painful history and ongoing impacts of residential schools is a vital component of the reconciliation process.' I have been doing a lot of reading and made donations today to be able to be a more conscious contributor to the process - and as a part of that, I watched Indian Horse, a 2017 Canadian film based on the book of the same name. It is about an Ojibwe kid called Saul Indian Horse, who is sent to a residential school in the 1950s as a young child, gets out of there as a teenager because of his ability in hockey, but crashes out of a promising career in his 20s due to the ongoing racism he encounters, and poor mental health due to the atrocities he has had to endure at the residential school.
I don't know if it's a good film, but it felt like it to me. In any case, it is definitely a very impactful one, and very enlightening despite its fictional subject matter. The horrors of residential schools are depicted very clearly. They might look overblown to those new to the subject, but are probably if anything understated compared to reality. The racism Indigenous persons have to endure is also strongly shown, as is the devastating effect on people's minds and health that it has to have to live like that. It's a good thing some of the hockey provides a feel-good element to the film, cause I was in state somewhere between rage and despair most of the rest of the time. Very powerful.
The film is on Netflix here in Canada. There are also a couple of links above for those who want to learn more about this.
I don't know if it's a good film, but it felt like it to me. In any case, it is definitely a very impactful one, and very enlightening despite its fictional subject matter. The horrors of residential schools are depicted very clearly. They might look overblown to those new to the subject, but are probably if anything understated compared to reality. The racism Indigenous persons have to endure is also strongly shown, as is the devastating effect on people's minds and health that it has to have to live like that. It's a good thing some of the hockey provides a feel-good element to the film, cause I was in state somewhere between rage and despair most of the rest of the time. Very powerful.
The film is on Netflix here in Canada. There are also a couple of links above for those who want to learn more about this.
And on a lighter note (I felt I really couldn't put this in the same post): I also watched Alita: Battle Angel this week. It's a 2019 sci-fi action thriller about a cyborg who goes looking for some kind of justice in a busy, chaotic, near-lawless, post-apocalyptic world in the far future. The film looks great, with awesome world design, great action, and decent performances by the main actors. I just couldn't really care though - but that's been a theme with me for a while now. Those huge action films in which pretty much anything but the actors consists of CG (in fact, even most of the actors are CG here, since most of them are cyborgs) just don't click with me anymore. I think this is a couple of notches about films like Guardians of the Galaxy, which really pass me by entirely; but I still can't connect. Maybe a more meaningful or impactful story would change that for me. In any case, if you're not concerned with that kind of stuff, this is a strong sci-fi action film.
I have always been watching Ricardo Trogi's trilogy about his youth, 1981, 1987, and 1991, over the last little while. They are French-Canadian films and all decent coming-of age comedies. If you're in for some light fun about confused kids (around 11 years old in 1981, 17 in 1987, and 21 in 1991), then you won't go wrong here. I felt the films were too long though. The main character in all cases is a kind of silly, selfish person, and there is only so much of that before it gets a little annoying. But until that time comes a bit after the hour mark (all three films are around 1:40h), it's good fun.
I have always been watching Ricardo Trogi's trilogy about his youth, 1981, 1987, and 1991, over the last little while. They are French-Canadian films and all decent coming-of age comedies. If you're in for some light fun about confused kids (around 11 years old in 1981, 17 in 1987, and 21 in 1991), then you won't go wrong here. I felt the films were too long though. The main character in all cases is a kind of silly, selfish person, and there is only so much of that before it gets a little annoying. But until that time comes a bit after the hour mark (all three films are around 1:40h), it's good fun.
Be honest, have you thought about it for even a sec since exiting the movie theatre? In my memory it has already blended together with all the new Star Wars spinoffs.
(S)he still gave it two and a half stars.
Yes, quite a bit! I explained my views on Villeneuve, I understand why you wouldn't like him but I really love what he does.
The Many Saints of Newark - 3/10
Out of curiosity, do you feel the same about Bladerunner 2049?
Out on general release in November I think. Not on Netflix or Amazon Prime as far as I know.
“Spencer”
Christmas at Sandringham in the early 90s. Windsors on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I was expecting a lot of this film based on reviews from the Venice film festival but frankly I was underwhelmed. It’s a mishmash of various styles including black comedy deriving from the ridiculously formal and anachronistic behaviour of the royal family and their staff, elements of genuine pathos in the scenes with Diana and her children, scenes of externalised mental disintegration like an old Polanski film and, at some level, tragedy. Kristen Steward is excellent but, in imitating Diana’s delivery, her dialogue is not always easy to understand. In conclusion, like a family Christmas, this film drags a bit.
Christmas at Sandringham in the early 90s. Windsors on the verge of a nervous breakdown. I was expecting a lot of this film based on reviews from the Venice film festival but frankly I was underwhelmed. It’s a mishmash of various styles including black comedy deriving from the ridiculously formal and anachronistic behaviour of the royal family and their staff, elements of genuine pathos in the scenes with Diana and her children, scenes of externalised mental disintegration like an old Polanski film and, at some level, tragedy. Kristen Steward is excellent but, in imitating Diana’s delivery, her dialogue is not always easy to understand. In conclusion, like a family Christmas, this film drags a bit.
Thanks.
Enemy
Bit of a headfeck this one. Jake Gyllenhal crosses paths with his doppelganger.
Drenched in sepia, jazzy score, Isabella rossellini... It felt very European.
7.5/10
Bad Boys For Life
They made the right call in borrowing from the fast and the furious.
Really enjoyed this one. 7/10
Archive
Low budget science fiction impressively executed, reminiscent of Upgrade but less action packed.
Great ending. 7.5/10
Bit of a headfeck this one. Jake Gyllenhal crosses paths with his doppelganger.
Drenched in sepia, jazzy score, Isabella rossellini... It felt very European.
7.5/10
Bad Boys For Life
They made the right call in borrowing from the fast and the furious.
Really enjoyed this one. 7/10
Archive
Low budget science fiction impressively executed, reminiscent of Upgrade but less action packed.
Great ending. 7.5/10
I just watched Whiplash, fantastic movie! Well worth the watch if you have not seen it before. Definite 10/10.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000t8qx/whiplash
EDIT: The whole film just felt so intense, with an excellent story and phenomenal acting as well. I cannot remember when I last watched a film where I was truly on the edge of my seat in the finale.
https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/m000t8qx/whiplash
EDIT: The whole film just felt so intense, with an excellent story and phenomenal acting as well. I cannot remember when I last watched a film where I was truly on the edge of my seat in the finale.
It felt more alien to me. I didn't recognise any of the characters thought processes or motives, they were all so, so strange.
J.K Simmons is unreal in that film. Absolutely gripping performance.
No Time To Die - Watched at the IMAX this evening, thought it was good. End of the line for Craig as Bond, probably just behind Casino Royale and on par with Skyfall. Try and get an earlier showing as it is quite long. 7.5/10
Have you seen the short film of Whiplash? Has Simmons in that too (but not Miles Teller).
The moment I saw that, I knew this had to become a feature and glad it did!
Sicario. A thriller about US agencies attempting to deal with a Mexican drug cartel in an unorthodox way. That doesn't really do the story justice, but saying too much more would spoiler things. It's got great filmmaking (lots of awesome shots) and acting, but I feel both are let down by an ultimately unsatisfactory story, that doesn't really make any kind of point. Things just kinda happen, but what did we learn as an audience?
I guess not every film needs that, but I feel this one does. It's not just entertainment, it's not a drama, it's not cathartic - so what is it if there is no point to it? And we don't learn that things are messy or morally ambiguously either (like in Traffic); both are simply taken for granted pretty much from the start. So I felt a little empty afterwards - a grim affair that just comes and goes. As I said, that's a pity, cause everything else about the film is great.
I guess not every film needs that, but I feel this one does. It's not just entertainment, it's not a drama, it's not cathartic - so what is it if there is no point to it? And we don't learn that things are messy or morally ambiguously either (like in Traffic); both are simply taken for granted pretty much from the start. So I felt a little empty afterwards - a grim affair that just comes and goes. As I said, that's a pity, cause everything else about the film is great.
That criticism feels a pretty fair one to level at Villeneuve in general. His films are a bit cold.
I find they leave you with lots of room to speculate and wonder and probably require a bit of work from the viewer when all is said and done. They dont offer a strong answer to the questions they raise. I think i prefer his sci fi films as that kind of open ended finish feels a bit more appropriate. But i love his films in general really.
As regards Sicario, a grim affair with no solutions or obvious conclusions feels ... I dont know, is that not a good ending to the subject matter? I dont know how you tie up that story in a satisfying way without turning it into a fantasy movie. Like i think it already borders a bit on fantasy by having that unorthodox solution.
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Yeah, it's a theme for him obviously; more style than substance. But I thought it was less obvious in Arrival or Bladerunner.
I wouldn't want Sicario to have a happy ending or anything like that; I just feel it doesn't get anywhere in any sense. The main character hasn't really learned anything. Yes, she would like things to be addressed in a more substantive manner, but not in this way. But it's not like the film suggests it's this or nothing, or that this works or doesn't work, or that it's wrong or right. It's just done, she hated it, next. I would expect some point to be made about moral.ambiguity (no resolution of a situation, just the point), but I don't feel like that happens.
I suppose others might feel you don't need that, it's just a narco thriller and that's it. But I feel it clearly aspires to be more though Blunt's character. On the other hand, if I look at the plot summary of the sequel (which doesn't star Blunt but does have Del Toro and Brolin), maybe the screenwriter is really actually just trying to create a trilogy of grim narco thrillers (without much message).
What do people make of The Many Saints of Newark?
Meh.....his kid is a good actor but looks more like John Cusack.
Don't give buzzfeed ideas
Is the film good or bad?
It's neither. It's ok. I'd put it more on the bad side.
Ok thanks.
Dune
Repost from the Dune thread, but I guess it belongs in here as well.
________________
Incredibly high production value and beautiful to look at, but I just couldn't get into it. Despite being 2 and half hours long and almost purely a setup for the next films, the story and characters still felt very hollow. The book is 400 pages long and according to my friend this film only covers 1/3 of it. I guess it's shaping up to be a trilogy then?
I have no doubt that there will be some seriously good payoff in the next 2 films, but does that justify a long film that is purely setting things up? You might argue that if this was a TV series then I'd have no problem with 2-3 long episodes setting things up, and you're right. But TV series are different for 2 reasons:
1. All episodes are dropped simultaneously or you can expect an episode next week(unless it's a season finale). Here you have another year or two of waiting.
2. Unlike TV episodes, films should always work reasonably well as stand-alones. The LOTR trilogy managed this. In fact, The Fellowship of the Ring is my favorite LOTR film.
In terms of storytelling, some books are just very hard to make into film. It would seem like Dune is one of them.
Repost from the Dune thread, but I guess it belongs in here as well.
________________
Incredibly high production value and beautiful to look at, but I just couldn't get into it. Despite being 2 and half hours long and almost purely a setup for the next films, the story and characters still felt very hollow. The book is 400 pages long and according to my friend this film only covers 1/3 of it. I guess it's shaping up to be a trilogy then?
I have no doubt that there will be some seriously good payoff in the next 2 films, but does that justify a long film that is purely setting things up? You might argue that if this was a TV series then I'd have no problem with 2-3 long episodes setting things up, and you're right. But TV series are different for 2 reasons:
1. All episodes are dropped simultaneously or you can expect an episode next week(unless it's a season finale). Here you have another year or two of waiting.
2. Unlike TV episodes, films should always work reasonably well as stand-alones. The LOTR trilogy managed this. In fact, The Fellowship of the Ring is my favorite LOTR film.
In terms of storytelling, some books are just very hard to make into film. It would seem like Dune is one of them.
I watched Overlord on TV last night. 5/10
I was surprised by how limited the horror and gore elements were. They did a great job of avoiding "jump out scares" every two minutes but the story itself was not particularly horrific and too much focus was paid to a sub-plot of a lady and young boy. The main villain, a Nazi solder, was also pretty weak. He had no character development and his relationship to other characters, particularly the scientists, was not clear. There was a lot of potential for this film, the acting was fine, the idea was great but the writing let it down, particularly at the end. A scientist (presumably the head scientist), who barely got a mention anywhere, was killed off quickly and a predictable fight with the "villain" who by now had gone full crazy for reasons which were not clear.
Yeah I was pretty disappointed by this. I wasn't expecting much just a fun action movie but it was very boring.
The Suicide Squad
A big improvement on the original that came out a few years back. I really loved the first half. The comedy was just my kinda thing and John Cena really was the MVP of the movie. For some reason, they pretty much drop the comedy in the second half, making it feel like paint-by-numbers until the end. I was kinda disappointed King Shark wasn't as funny as they made him look to be in the trailers. Hopefully DC use this as a springboard to create the more out-there and risky superhero flicks, which they do so well and stop trying to go down the family friendly route of the MCU 6.5/10
Censor
After viewing a strangely familiar video nasty, Enid, a film censor, sets out to solve the past mystery of her sister's disappearance, embarking on a quest that dissolves the line between fiction and reality. Very stylistic, great cinematography and sets up a dark atmosphere but unfortunately, it doesn't do much else with the really cool concept. Just pretty much stumbles to an end. Shame really as this had the potential to be something much better 5.5/10
Freaky
After swapping bodies with a deranged serial killer, a young girl in high school discovers she has less than 24 hours before the change becomes permanent. Basically, it's the horror remake of Freaky Friday. Whilst Happy Death Day did a similar thing, it had a lot of punch and was just fun. This didn't do much at all despite the concept being perfect for a horror comedy and they had Vince Vaugh, who is known to have some comedic chops 4/10
A big improvement on the original that came out a few years back. I really loved the first half. The comedy was just my kinda thing and John Cena really was the MVP of the movie. For some reason, they pretty much drop the comedy in the second half, making it feel like paint-by-numbers until the end. I was kinda disappointed King Shark wasn't as funny as they made him look to be in the trailers. Hopefully DC use this as a springboard to create the more out-there and risky superhero flicks, which they do so well and stop trying to go down the family friendly route of the MCU 6.5/10
Censor
After viewing a strangely familiar video nasty, Enid, a film censor, sets out to solve the past mystery of her sister's disappearance, embarking on a quest that dissolves the line between fiction and reality. Very stylistic, great cinematography and sets up a dark atmosphere but unfortunately, it doesn't do much else with the really cool concept. Just pretty much stumbles to an end. Shame really as this had the potential to be something much better 5.5/10
Freaky
After swapping bodies with a deranged serial killer, a young girl in high school discovers she has less than 24 hours before the change becomes permanent. Basically, it's the horror remake of Freaky Friday. Whilst Happy Death Day did a similar thing, it had a lot of punch and was just fun. This didn't do much at all despite the concept being perfect for a horror comedy and they had Vince Vaugh, who is known to have some comedic chops 4/10
Pig
Some people steal Nic Cage's truffle pig so he ventures out of the secluded wilderness and straight into Portland to locate it. Whilst there, he has to face his past life. Loved the tone, cinematography, brilliant acting and a nuanced story about grief. With that said, character study films are not my go-to and I prefer plot-led films. All the dialogue is also mumbled and whispered so I found myself getting lost here and there.
Oh, and it also has this scene:
Man: "what are you looking for?"
Cage: "Ma pig"
Man: "What kind of pig?"
Cage: "A TRUFFLE PIG!"
It makes me think how Nic Cage's legacy would have been remembered if after his bigger acting roles and peak action stints, he only selected films like this, that really show off his acting chops. He probably wouldn't have become a meme actor.
Give Pig a watch, reminds you how good Nic Cage can be with the right project 6.5/10
Some people steal Nic Cage's truffle pig so he ventures out of the secluded wilderness and straight into Portland to locate it. Whilst there, he has to face his past life. Loved the tone, cinematography, brilliant acting and a nuanced story about grief. With that said, character study films are not my go-to and I prefer plot-led films. All the dialogue is also mumbled and whispered so I found myself getting lost here and there.
Oh, and it also has this scene:
Man: "what are you looking for?"
Cage: "Ma pig"
Man: "What kind of pig?"
Cage: "A TRUFFLE PIG!"
It makes me think how Nic Cage's legacy would have been remembered if after his bigger acting roles and peak action stints, he only selected films like this, that really show off his acting chops. He probably wouldn't have become a meme actor.
Give Pig a watch, reminds you how good Nic Cage can be with the right project 6.5/10
One of my favourite films this year. Cage is really excellent in it, and I really liked Adam Arkin's performance too.Pig
Some people steal Nic Cage's truffle pig so he ventures out of the secluded wilderness and straight into Portland to locate it. Whilst there, he has to face his past life. Loved the tone, cinematography, brilliant acting and a nuanced story about grief. With that said, character study films are not my go-to and I prefer plot-led films. All the dialogue is also mumbled and whispered so I found myself getting lost here and there.
Oh, and it also has this scene:
Man: "what are you looking for?"
Cage: "Ma pig"
Man: "What kind of pig?"
Cage: "A TRUFFLE PIG!"
It makes me think how Nic Cage's legacy would have been remembered if after his bigger acting roles and peak action stints, he only selected films like this, that really show off his acting chops. He probably wouldn't have become a meme actor.
Give Pig a watch, reminds you how good Nic Cage can be with the right project 6.5/10
Alex Wolff was excellent as well!
Yeah true he was great as well.
The Devils Machine
Antique expert Brendon Cole is sent to authenticate a 300-year-old clockwork doll with notorious history, aka "The Inferno Princess". In the remote Scottish mansion where it was discovered, Brendon soon finds himself the victim of the automaton's legendary curse.
This was way better than I thought it would be, no GCI , no gore , no blood, but I thought it was excellent.
Some of it makes for uncomfortable watching.
Clearly a low budget, but they used what they had well.
The 2 leads were very good.
It is like a Hammer Horror from the 60's
Well worth watching
8/10
Antique expert Brendon Cole is sent to authenticate a 300-year-old clockwork doll with notorious history, aka "The Inferno Princess". In the remote Scottish mansion where it was discovered, Brendon soon finds himself the victim of the automaton's legendary curse.
This was way better than I thought it would be, no GCI , no gore , no blood, but I thought it was excellent.
Some of it makes for uncomfortable watching.
Clearly a low budget, but they used what they had well.
The 2 leads were very good.
It is like a Hammer Horror from the 60's
Well worth watching
8/10
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Four Flies on Grey Velvet
The true master of horror. Up there with Argento best films.
Also includes one of the most beautiful endings in cinema.
The true master of horror. Up there with Argento best films.
Also includes one of the most beautiful endings in cinema.
Any excuse to post this for the millionth time
The Guilty 2020
caught my eye because it starts Jake Gyllenhaal, one of the best actors in our era. A remake of a 2018 Danish movie that I’ve not seen.
Troubled police officer put on 911 call answer duty answer the call of an even more troubled person and takes a personal interest in the case. I think the movie only stands up because of the acting.
6/10
Villains 2020
The Ole version of Bonnie & Clyde break into a house and find an old couple who have a secret to hide. Dark comedy.
7/10
caught my eye because it starts Jake Gyllenhaal, one of the best actors in our era. A remake of a 2018 Danish movie that I’ve not seen.
Troubled police officer put on 911 call answer duty answer the call of an even more troubled person and takes a personal interest in the case. I think the movie only stands up because of the acting.
6/10
Villains 2020
The Ole version of Bonnie & Clyde break into a house and find an old couple who have a secret to hide. Dark comedy.
7/10