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.
Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy is a charming addition to the beloved series that pleasantly surprised me—it exceeded my expectations.
There were many great dialogues throughout, and I adored how these characters interacted with each other. They are filled with humor and affectionate moments, making it both cute and engaging. They also captured friendships and the challenges of adulthood, which adds layers to the overall narrative. However, I found the plot involving the boy to be less enjoyable.
"Captain America: Brave New World" feels like an extended episode of "The Falcon and The Winter Soldier," lacking the reintroduction and depth needed for Sam Wilson as Captain America, or even as a person. The story maintains the same beats and tone that align with the TV series. To make matters worse, they attempted to connect it to *Incredible Hulk*—a 2008 film released even before *Iron Man*—without providing a proper reintroduction and sufficient context.
While *Flat Girls* has an undertone of girls' love, its primary focus is on social class and how it affects our interactions with people and the world.
The movie seeks to illustrate the various dimensions of gaps in relationships: love, power, interests, and even survival. Each relationship has many layers, each with its own texture. Our interpretations of relationships and thoughts profoundly influence our decisions.
This film centers on characters who cannot escape their own values, cultural standards, and worldviews.
"Flow" is a visually stunning animated film that captures the compassion, relationships, and the interconnectedness of all beings amidst a natural disaster. I think that’s truly beautiful how the movie portray how we share a universal language of kindness, even among different species. Each character—a cat, a capybara, a lemur, a secretary bird, and a Labrador dog—is incredibly cute, adding to the charm as they navigate their way through rising waters.
The Apprentice movie offers a unique perspective on Donald Trump, highlighting the influence of Roy Cohn. The movie’s release timing is interesting, providing a glimpse into how Trump became the person he is today.
What stands out in The Apprentice is the remarkable acting. While many might focus on Sebastian Stan’s portrayal of Trump, Jeremy Strong’s portrayal of Roy Cohn brings more intrigue and depth to the screen. Both actors deserve significant recognition for their performances.
Last week, I have practiced taking an outside view of my own struggles, as guided by “A Handbook for New Stoics.” This week, the practice shifts its focus to taking an inside view of other people’s actions. By doing so, we aim to gain perspective, cultivate compassion and understanding within ourselves—recognizing why people’s actions may appear reasonable to them.
A fundamental principle of stoicism is that no one intentionally intends to do wrong, and everyone believes their actions are justified, and have valid reasons for their actions.
Last week, I have practiced taking an outside view of my own struggles, as guided by “A Handbook for New Stoics.” This week, the practice shifts its focus to taking an inside view of other people’s actions. By doing so, we aim to gain perspective, cultivate compassion and understanding within ourselves—recognizing why people’s actions may appear reasonable to them.
A fundamental principle of stoicism is that no one intentionally intends to do wrong, and everyone believes their actions are justified, and have valid reasons for their actions.
Pain takes on many forms, and we can grieve over various things, expressing our emotions in many ways. Yet, we can sense the pain of those around us if we are willing to see it. Because pain and suffering are inherently rooted in every being—a part of life itself—making pain a shared experience for all of us.
The dialogue in the film is beautifully authentic, with exceptional performances that convey deep pain and emotions.
I can’t say much about the story without giving away spoilers. If you’re interested in watching this film, I recommend going in blind—avoid trailers or any other information about it.
What I truly appreciate is the metaphorical exploration of relationship dynamic and modern technology presented in the film. It serves as both entertainment and social commentary simultaneously.
The screenplay is solid, and the performances by the main cast are great. All technical aspects effectively support the tone they aimed for.
Welcome to my personal analysis of my favorite movies from 2023, which I like to call My Own Oscar Awards. 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 three nominations that truly sparked something within me.
I appreciated the cinematography and sound in this movie; they effectively set an atmosphere of suspense within a confined space with no way to escape. The premise also laid the groundwork for a compelling thriller. The performances of each cast member were good, given the script they had to work with.
However, the screenplay was very lacking. The materials were all there to explore the idea of three individuals, each with complicated backstories, trapped together on an airplane.
The story revolves around the notion that art has the power to heal the soul. Art is fundamentally human; it expresses the essence of our humanity and brings out the best in us.
It also beautifully illustrates the process of grappling with our traumas, mistakes, hopes, and dreams for the future. Sometimes, when we step outside ourselves, we enter a transient space that transcends individuality and connects us to our shared humanity.
This week's exercise from a handbook for new Stoics focuses on comforting ourselves by achieving equanimity through a shift in perspective regarding our own troubles.
At the core of this practice is the distinction between sympathy and empathy. The Stoics put forward the idea that we should lean more towards cultivating sympathy rather than empathy.
Empathy, sharing another person's feelings at an emotional level, often leads to overwhelming responses. Empathy is stronger towards known or visible people but weakens with anonymity.
This week's exercise from a handbook for new Stoics focuses on comforting ourselves by achieving equanimity through a shift in perspective regarding our own troubles.
At the core of this practice is the distinction between sympathy and empathy. The Stoics put forward the idea that we should lean more towards cultivating sympathy rather than empathy.
Empathy, sharing another person's feelings at an emotional level, often leads to overwhelming responses. Empathy is stronger towards known or visible people but weakens with anonymity.
"Babygirl" presents an intriguing premise, featuring a high-powered CEO engaging in a controversial sub-dom romance with her younger intern. However, the film struggles to deliver a cohesive and engaging narrative, as the power dynamics between the characters are ambiguously portrayed. The story is barely there and the intern is poorly developed, making it difficult to invest in the story. Instead of a deep exploration of their relationship, viewers are left with two confused individuals navigating a sub-dom dynamic that feels awkward, uncomfortable and at times, surprisingly dull.
This week, the exercise focuses on the concept of aversion, which can be seen as a type of desire, as in the desire to avoid misfortune. People have very different reactions to similar misfortunes, and the reason is that some people are better at redirecting the aversion away from things that they dislike but are not in our power, and transferring it to things that we can completely control. The true challenge is taking actions on something we can be guaranteed to achieve, instead of desiring something that is outside our control.
This week, the exercise focuses on the concept of aversion, which can be seen as a type of desire, as in the desire to avoid misfortune. People have very different reactions to similar misfortunes, and the reason is that some people are better at redirecting the aversion away from things that they dislike but are not in our power, and transferring it to things that we can completely control.
The true challenge is taking actions on something we can be guaranteed to achieve, instead of desiring something that is outside our control.
“Life can only be understood backwards, but we have to live it forwards.”
Memoir of a Snail is a beautiful way to honor Søren Kierkegaard’s philosophy. Particularly in the opening scene where we wouldn’t understand the significance of things on the floor until we later learned about their history. Then the film’s progression to the final arc solidified the notion that life must be lived forward. It was a profound film that helped me grasp the meaning of life a bit better.
Welcome to my personal analysis of my favorite movies from 2023, which I like to call My Own Oscar Awards. 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 three nominations that truly sparked something within me.
I purchased A Handbook for New Stoics by Massimo Pigliucci about four years ago, alongside The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday.
For the past four years, I have read The Daily Stoic every morning. It has grounded me each day, allowing me to reflect on my life before diving into daily activities. However, I often find myself distracted and not living as intentionally as I had hoped after reading each passage.
I purchased A Handbook for New Stoics by Massimo Pigliucci about four years ago, alongside The Daily Stoic by Ryan Holiday.
Start my day with The Daily Stoic, then end my day with A Handbook for New Stoics
For the past four years, I have read The Daily Stoic every morning. It has grounded me each day, allowing me to reflect on my life before diving into daily activities.
Who would have thought that a game as simple as Tetris could have such a wild and complicated origin story involving business deals and politics? I do think it could’ve leaned into the gaming elements a bit more—maybe with some visuals or nods to the actual gameplay—but it was still super entertaining. The characters are engaging, and the stakes feel (ridiculously) high, which keeps you invested the whole time. I wish I could have watched it on the big screen!
The film is visually appealing, but it misses the mark by failing to capitalize on the atmosphere of intense hunting, instead relying on generic chase scenes. It’s also puzzling how they cut scenes to avoid gruesome content, despite being an R-rated movie.
There’s an interesting moral dilemma at play, but it gets overshadowed by the bland execution of the plot and poor dialogue. I seriously doubt how they believed they succeeded in portraying Kraven as the villain of the story.