Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning marks the end of an era for the beloved series. As they bid farewell, it seems the movie tries too hard to evoke nostalgia and showcase stunts, which hinders the storytelling. It's disappointing that the film glosses over The Entity mastermind's plan, causing the audience to miss out on what could have been a thrilling game of cat and mouse, where both sides attempt to outsmart each other.
Watching this with fresh eyes—without any preconceived notions or biases, as I had never seen the animated version before—I found myself enjoying it tremendously. The movie is irresistibly charming, easily one of the most adorable and heartfelt films I've encountered in recent years.
This charm is primarily due to its narrative unfolding from a child's perspective. However, I can’t help but imagine that viewing the story from the sister's perspective would transform it into a horror tale: your little sister brings an alien into your home, and keeps wrecking your life.
Despite being a sequel, it stands strong on its own, even for those who have not seen the first installment. (I haven’t watched the first one either; I just watched the summary of the first movie.)
The trilogy primarily focuses on a colossal battle between gods, humans, and demons that spans across three movies. This film brings enough story progression and some closure to character arcs to satisfy us as we await the series finale.
On my second watch, I realized just how much this movie relies on visual storytelling. The filmmakers didn’t resort to hand-holding the audience with dialogues, which means some subtle details could easily be missed with just the blink of an eye. However, these visuals were even more impressive the second time around, especially the Rock DJ sequences.
I’m staring at the screen, a cold sweat beading on my forehead, my heart pounding like a drum in my chest, caught in the agonizing dilemma of fight or flight. Instead, my mind freezes, while my trembling hand hesitates—each millimeter closer to the screen feels like stepping toward a cliff’s edge. Before me lurks my worst nightmare and my sworn enemy, an ever-present shadow in my life that has stolen my sleep ever since I first learned to type: that little, merciless, unforgiving “delete” button.
From watching the trailer of Sinners, I anticipated an exploration of the horror of America’s racial history, shedding light on the rich and complex past of Black people. What took me by surprise was how the film not only centered on that theme but also gracefully paid homage to blues music—an aspect I particularly loved. It captured the spirit of the blues exceptionally well, making it one of the remarkable sound and music experiences I've ever had in a cinema.
As a fan of Rami Malek, I was quite excited to watch this film. I had hoped it would lean more towards the geeky side, with an emphasis on coding and hacking. However, it still proves to be an enjoyable action thriller.
One aspect that felt somewhat jarring, besides the plot holes along the way, was the character development. The protagonist transitions from a seemingly cowardly and fearful individual to a stone-cold killer who has conquered all his fears, which seems rushed.
If you're a fan of Jason Statham as an action star, you would likely enjoy this movie. However, from a screenplay perspective, the plot and story are quite weak. The first act is great, but then it goes off the rails, becoming merely average. Though it offers a few satisfying fight scenes, they’re not particularly memorable. This is a movie you can enjoy in the background, have fun with, and not overthink.
I believe the story could have explored the characters and the storylines more, but, sometimes, all we want is just some sweet and cute story filled with hope and joy like this. This movie certainly has great cast members that bounce off each other very well, making it wholesome and enjoyable.
Movies are often made to entertain, but occasionally they also serve as powerful political statements and forms of activism. The Seed of the Sacred Fig, directed by Muhammad Rasuloff, is one such film. It not only shed light on systemic violence, oppression, and resistance within Iran's regime but also weaves these elements into a compelling narrative.
This is the movie that I hope will define the year— a work where filmmaking is both emotional and profound, making a statement while capturing hearts.
"In his memoirs, he described his designs as machines with no superfluous parts, that at their best, at his best, possessed an immoveable core; a "Hard Core of Beauty." A way of directing their inhabitant's perception to the world as it is. The inherent laws of concrete things such as mountains and rock define them. They indicate nothing. They tell nothing. They simply are."
Brutalist is an impressive film with a captivating storyline.
Do not confuse fame with love. Fame will not hold you at night; it only pulls you into the spotlight, parading you around until you forget the feeling of a restful night. The warmth of the spotlight can never replace the warmth of someone's embrace.
Better Man is one of the best biographical musical films I have ever watched. I love Rocketman, but Better Man is equally impressive, if not more so in some aspects.
The Red Envelope is an adaptation of a Taiwanese film, Marry My Dead Body, into a Thai movie. While I am not sure of the specific differences between the two versions, I find this adaptation humorous and filled with heartfelt moments. The storyline, though deserving of more depth and nuance, successfully delivers delightful comedy.
Its charm primarily lies in the chemistry between the actors. The natural rapport between the leads, who have collaborated for over a decade, is undeniable.
Once again, welcome to my personal analysis of my favorite movies which I like to call My Own Oscar Award. After watching most of the nominations and beyond, I couldn’t help but compare these films to each other. My personal picks focused not on the names, prestige, or past work of the filmmakers, but rather on the impact these films had on me in each category.
Each category features nominations that truly sparked something within me.
For a story about inner beauty, this movie seems to have only shallow visuals to show off.
I’m sorry if I offended anyone. I have never watched the original version of Snow White, but isn't the story just plain bad? And aren't all the characters just dumb? The premise seems fundamentally flawed, raising questions about how this story gained enough popularity to warrant a remake in the first place.
The musical numbers are enjoyable, and I like the performances.
Ne Zha 2 will undoubtedly be one of the best animated films of the year, and it will be fascinating to see how it fares in terms of visual awards, as I don't believe anything released this year could surpass this masterpiece.
This movie stands as one of the most ambitious projects, achieving something exceptionally spectacular with its meticulous visuals. It's undoubtedly a film that demands to be experienced on the big screen.
Novocaine is a movie with a fascinating concept for comedy. It's an action comedy where the protagonist goes through terrible, gruesome scenes, but he doesn't feel any pain. So while all these horrible things happen to his body, he remains unfazed, yet we, the audience, internally scream for him. It's an intriguing concept—how much would you feel pain for someone who can't feel it themselves?
Being an action comedy with a touch of romance, it plays to these genres and uses body horror for comedic effect.
I love the Bong Joon ho's decision to have fun following his major success with this story. He clearly wanted to see Robert Pattinson showcase his unhinged acting abilities, and who could blame him? I mean, is there any role this actor cannot play? Who would have predicted that a performer from Twilight would evolve into one of the best and most versatile actors of our generation? I anticipated another outstanding performance from Pattinson, and I was not disappointed.
The logo of The Zuiker Chronicles Anton Zuiker approached me for a commission, after a referral from Pratik, my former client (Thanks for the shout-out!). He provided a comprehensive brief with references, which I greatly appreciated.
The Brief The brief was straightforward: he wanted a logo for his personal website that would also serve as his personal branding. He requested a website header image incorporating both a wordmark and an icon mark, as well as brand guidelines for colors and typography to make it a complete branding package.
"A Complete Unknown" is about a journey for authenticity and artistic expression, highlighting the struggle of forging one's own identity. It explores the balance between staying true to oneself and conforming to external expectations. Growth is something personal, and it's challenging to make others understand the changes within you. And not everyone will understand why you must change at all.
This is even more true in music industry, where resistance to change is so baffling common.
I love this movie. The story is so powerful, for its message and its narrative.
I believe it's best to enter this movie without any prior knowledge. Allow the characters and the narrative to guide you, enabling you to experience their confusion and pain more vividly.
You just need to know that this is one of the great movies based on real event.
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"I'm Still Here" can be interpreted in two ways: as a plea, begging someone to notice you, and simultaneously, as a declaration, taking a stance and holding your ground.
I had no idea what the movie was about; I didn’t even read the synopsis. However, nothing could prepare me for the horror in this film. The fact that it is inspired by real events sent chills down my spine.
The film explores how societal pressures and economic hardship can alienate individuals, compelling them to take extreme measures for survival. This desperation drives people to make questionable choices and seek harmful relationships, all in an effort to survive and experience even a glimpse of warmth to keep going.
I was eager to love this film. Its innovative use of a first-person point of view in the cinematography intrigued me. The story also seemed to provoke many conversations and emotions, depicting the shared bond between two boys in an inhumane reform school.
However, the movie disappointed me in its execution.
After watching the movie, I understand the need for a first-person point of view in the narrative; however, it did not work as well as I had hoped.
In times of change, we are gifted with the perfect opportunity to reflect on our faith and the course of our lives.
The quote from Conclave, “Faith is a living thing,” prompted me to contemplate the nature of faith. If faith truly is a living thing, it requires our nurturing, for its potential for growth is limitless.
However, like any living thing, it is also vulnerable to decline and can ultimately perish.
Nosferatu is a remarkable film, an adaptation based on Dracula, crafted by true masters of filmmaking. The directing, cinematography, sound, music, editing, and performances all come together to create something truly extraordinary.
Particularly, the cinematography stands out. The clever use of shadow and darkness gives the impression that the darkness itself is moving through each scene and set. You can literally feel the darkness creeping in with every scene, creating this constant tension that pulls you deeper into the story.
The movie, *Legends of the Condor Heroes: The Gallants* (known as *มังกรหยก* in Thai), is a story that has been told countless times, with numerous remakes over the years. Despite this, this version stands out for its stunning visuals. The team clearly knows how to create impressive scenes and action sequences. The use of colors, visual effects, and cinematography is outstanding, making for a spectacular experience.
However, while the movie excels in visuals, it heavily relies on prior knowledge of the story, making it difficult for newcomers or even casual fans to follow.
The Substance is a wild ride and so over the top—like, how could you ever forget this movie, especially those last 30 minutes? It’s one of the most bizarre and grotesque experiences on screen. I love the style of this film; it has a unique taste in terms of cinematography, musical score, and all the technicalities involved.
The movie excels at making you feel uncomfortable in your own skin and paints a vivid picture of the grotesque experience of society norms.
I have always been intrigued by stories that reveal the behind-the-scenes aspects of any production. So, it's no surprise that I thoroughly enjoyed September 5. At first glance, it appears to be a typical sports TV production—a narrative about people working in television during the 70s. However, it gradually unfolds into something far more dramatic, and much deeper themes.
The film navigates the challenges faced by a team inexperienced in live crime broadcasting, highlighting the real-time consequences of their decisions and the moral dilemmas accompanying their pursuit of sensationalism.