To write: “I loved this movie” would be an understatement. Unlike many, I haven’t seen the (often criticised) trailers that “sold” some people a different movie. I have heard some things about it and then watched Cord Jefferson winning an Oscar for Best Adapted Screenplay, but unfortunately, I didn’t catch it until a few weeks after that. When I sat down to finally watch it, I had some expectations (due to the Oscar win), and honestly, they were not only met, they were exceeded. American Fiction is a layered and smart film that isn’t afraid to show you and not spell everything out for you.

This movie tackles one of the biggest “hot topics” people talk about nowadays – representation, especially “black stories”. But it goes about it differently than you might expect, and that’s something I adored. American Fiction is self-aware but never strays from what it wants to say. The movie’s message (at least how I understood it) is that there are no “black stories” but rather stories with black people from all different creeds and backgrounds. Therefore, it is wrong and ignorant to try and lump them together based on the skin colour of the author. The perfect example is the bookshop scene, where Jeffrey Wright finds his book in the section “African-American Studies” and he says to the assistant: “The blackest thing about this book is the ink.” But since he is a professor, writer and Black person, his book goes under that section, no questions asked.

The main thing about American Fiction is the sentiment this film brilliantly displays, how in America, the general society has been so integrated that these stereotypes (although some might come from good places) are and can be hurtful. Are there still racial issues in America, or the world, for that matter? Yes, you bet, neither I nor this film says: “We’ve done it, everybody! Racism has been solved!” But the more nuanced point this movie makes is how when you focus on race a bit too much, more often than not, you let some other biases associated with that race step in and then make (many times questionable) decisions based on those. As a white man, I never understood when people spoke about “black stories”. Again, what might have started from a good place quickly turned into trying to simplify and lump ALL black people into one group. And no group is a monolith.

That is why I loved how this movie didn’t get caught in this trap and was split between our protagonist writing his “masterpiece” whilst pretending to be this “street criminal”, but the more we spend on him, his family and the complex relationship he had with everyone. That is when the brilliance of this movie is on display as we get the truly complex story of one family that kinda (?) gets along, but there are many issues. It would be so easy to stick with the book part of this movie and make fun of how white people just want to be absolved rather than appreciate art made by black people, and there are scenes of that nature. However, the movie understands that this could quickly become a bit self-indulgent; therefore, we spend more time exploring this generational trauma and real characters within this family unit. Not one person is good or bad; they are just people.

I have already mentioned Jeffrey Wright, and I couldn’t be happier when he got his first Oscar nomination for this movie. Ever since I saw him on Boardwalk Empire (2010 – 2014), I have been a big fan, and I always knew the day would come when he would get noticed by the Academy. I hope it won’t stay with just this one time. He has been a remarkable actor, and every time I see his name attached to a movie, I know he will deliver. Sterling K. Brown portrays his brother, who has some issues, and Sterling is another one of those actors who seems to be having a moment where he seems to be everywhere. I also couldn’t be happier because, just like Jeffrey, he always brings a level of quality to any movie. I want to give a special shout-out to Erika Alexander, who portrays the love interest, but she is so much more because the movie/script allows her to be much more. I also loved how this movie dealt with their relationship. Without getting into spoilers, I thought everything about it felt realistic and correct.

Where the movie got me was the plotline with Issa Rae and her book “We’s Lives in Da Ghetto”. In another clever twist, you never know where Issa’s character stands; all you can see is Thelonious’ hate for that book. As he learns more about Issa’s character Sintara, he starts questioning himself, leading to a confrontation between these two authors. That scene was brilliant and underlined how nuanced this movie is and how we all, Black people included, have our biases towards others. But it’s only when you speak to other people and get their point of view that you realise that there are only a few things that are “black or white”. Many things, issues, and people, whether white, black or purple, are different shades of grey, and, most importantly, come from various backgrounds, live diverse lives and therefore have different experiences. And just because you have not had that experience, it doesn’t make them any less valid.

I hope American Fiction becomes a classic because we can always use a clever, subversive movie about a complex subject. Cord Jefferson wrote and directed this movie, and I know this will be hard for him to top, but I can’t wait to see what he does next. I hope his Oscar win will help me secure future funding for whatever he wants to do; I will be there. His Oscar speech, by the way, about giving young and new people a chance and making movies for less money, should be carved in stone.

Overall, American Fiction is an excellent movie that surprised me in every aspect. I didn’t even know what I expected, but I got much more than I could ever ask for. This movie highlighted important things, some actors that were long overdue for exposure, and it will, hopefully, be remembered for years to come. On top of all that, this movie is genuinely hilarious, and that is one of the many reasons it never felt preachy, and the almost two-hour runtime just flew by. American Fiction is one of the best movies of 2023 by far.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

If there’s anything better than a court drama, it’s a unique court drama we don’t get that often. Most court dramas are great, but more often than not, they aren’t as unique because most of the time, the lines are clearly drawn between the heroes and villains. And that’s where Anatomy of a Fall comes in. It dares to ask the burning question: “What if nothing is as black or white?” It grips you for almost two and a half hours and won’t let you go.

The best compliment I can give to this movie is this. Imagine you watch this film with two other people. When the movie ends, all three of you can have different ideas of what happened, and you can discuss why you think your theory is better than the other two. There is a fine line between leaving the audience to have their interpretations and just leaving them hanging because we didn’t finish the ending. But this movie is cold, calculating and precise in the best way.

Without giving too much away, this movie is about a family living in the middle of nowhere. The husband falls and dies, and we spend the entire film going through everything, from a great recreation scene to many excellent courtroom scenes to the ending that just underlines everything well. But the main point is how we can quickly jump to a conclusion based on one fight we heard from a day before, how everything goes from there, where every decision is being re-examined through the lens of them being at their worst. This is where Anatomy of a Fall shines; it makes you think about how often we think we know things (for example, about celebrities) based on tiny slivers of their online presence, and based on our perception, we then look to confirm our preconceived bias towards that celebrity (if we like her, we love everything, if we don’t, everything that celebrity does is “the worst” by default), not realising that we don’t know them and what they are dealing with.

What a year 2023 was for Sandra Hüller. As if being nominated for the best leading actress wasn’t enough, she appears in another Oscar-winning movie from 2023, The Zone of Interest, which I can’t wait to watch. What she does in this movie is brilliant because it almost feels like she isn’t acting. Her character feels so real I felt, at times, as if I watched a documentary rather than a narrative movie. She knows how to make those little moments sing; her speech about how she loved her husband and would never kill him was pure perfection. I really hope she will get some brilliant scripts offered because I can see that we have not seen her “peak”, and I can’t wait to witness it because I adored her in this movie.

Who I don’t think is getting as much praise as he should have had is Milo Machado-Graner. He portrays Sandra’s son and the unfortunate key witness, although not really. Do you feel bad for kids of divorce and how ugly it can get for them when “mommy and daddy fight”? Well, imagine if mommy is on trial, being the only suspect of killing daddy, and now, he gets to hear all the dirty, nasty stuff they said to each other. His performance was so pure in the first half and almost adult-like towards the end. Some point to those scenes saying he felt like the classic example of a kid actor being written by adults, but I don’t think that’s fair. We can see that it’s been over a year since this accident, and the trial, I believe, takes a few weeks. I thought he was just forced to grow up much faster than other kids, just as it happens with some kids of divorce when you have to put your childhood aside because you recognise you are needed. Is it fair? No. Is it necessary? Unfortunately. His final court appearance and speech were perfect. I won’t say what happens, but you aren’t sure about anything after that, beginning with whether he is being truthful or not.

And that was the brilliance of this movie. Anatomy of a Fall is, on the surface, a courtroom drama, whodunit, if you will. But in reality, the movie almost doesn’t give a fuck about that, and it’s much more focused on different themes. Like all the men witnesses present a strong case against Sandra’s character, but all the women’s witnesses present a strong case for her. This movie explores the themes of guilt by proxy (as her lawyer says: “That’s not the point, you are his wife, so you are the suspect.“) and, most importantly, how the verdict doesn’t change much. This movie shows us openly that no matter what happens, for some, you will always be guilty or not guilty without spelling it out for you.

Everything about Anatomy of a Fall feels just right. It’s not a short movie by any means, but I can’t imagine a scene not being there because everything compliments each other. There is little to no score because it is in the silence where this movie shouts the most. There is also a great dog performance that can’t be understated, and his key scene was brilliant. I was so happy to see Messi (that’s the dog’s name) at the 2024 Oscars (link here). My point is I don’t have anything negative to say. This movie left me thinking about everything I just saw, and throughout it, I thought I knew for certain what actually happened. The truth is, I don’t know. Nobody does besides Sandra, and whether her character is guilty or not, she will have to live with this for the rest of her life.

Overall, Anatomy of a Fall is a brilliant film. It doesn’t spoon-feed you anything; it relies on you navigating these grey areas, where nobody in this movie is a good person or a “hero” in the old-fashioned way. This movie showcases flawed individuals and one of those just so happens to be on trial for that. As I mentioned in the beginning, there are three different theories you can come up with about what happened, each as probable as the next one, and it’s only up to you where you land. I landed in “I love this movie.”

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

When I got into films, I spent hours reading through different lists of “best of all time” movies, reading various discussion forums where people would talk about classics, and, surprisingly, this movie wasn’t mentioned much. I think the first time I remember hearing about The Red Shoes was regarding La La Land (2016) and how certain scenes took inspiration from this movie. And it’s one of those effects when you notice something, and suddenly, it seems to appear everywhere you look. This movie was referenced by more lists and people. So I bought a stunning, steel book BluRay and one morning decided to watch it. I didn’t expect what followed.

I have always been vocal about not having a genre I would hate. But, as with every rule, there is a minor exception, and for me, that is historical, costume drama movies. I can’t say I hate them, but if there were a genre I tend to struggle with the most as far as liking the films and appreciating them, that would be “it”. And although The Red Shoes is technically not that (it’s a movie about a ballet ensemble set around the time of this movie’s release), I would count it in that category simply because the ballet element makes it seem like it. Therefore, I was slightly afraid of the outcome and how I, yet again, won’t be able to relate to these characters and their problems because most of those movies are about “they love each other, but they can’t get married” or “our families hate each other, but we love each other”… You know the drill, something we’ve managed to solve in our modern times. Boy, was I wrong.

Before I start gushing about how beautiful and well-crafted this movie is, I must gush about how well the theme and the story aged. This film is based on a fairytale by Hans Christian Andersen, which is something I didn’t know until I finished the film. Yeah, for some reason, this fairytale didn’t travel “worldwide” as some of his other ones, as I have never heard of it. But upon learning that fact, I was less shocked about “ageing well”, as most of his fairytales do. Yes, they are darker than your average one, but the moral lessons behind them are mostly as relevant today as they were in his time. And with The Red Shoes, the idea of compromising on your talent, “only” being the second best, how far are you willing to go, and what are you willing to sacrifice to be the best… Those are themes well-known to most of us to an extent. I was so immersed in this movie that even the ending shocked me (although, thinking about it, it was so obvious how it had to end that way) because I just wasn’t expecting it, although I should have. That’s one of the marks of a brilliant movie when something happens, and you don’t expect it, only for you to think to yourself moments later: “Wait, don’t be a dumb ass; the entire movie was leading to this moment!”

I try to limit speaking in superlatives, but this movie must be one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. From how every scene is staged and framed to the camera work, everything works and looks stunning. We start this movie following this ballet group, and when Moira Shearer joins, they start to practice The Red Shoes ballet. We see everything from the planning to the practice, and it’s only halfway through this movie we see the performance itself. And those 15/20 minutes are just cinema in its purest form. We see her perspective of living in the fairytale; we can see the audience’s perspective, and it all looks beautiful. On top of that, there are many inventive things, and that’s when you remember this movie was released in 1948! This film is well over 70 years old, and the way these key moments are filmed is simply breathtaking. The camera angles, the soundtrack, how everything compliments each other, and it literally sings on the screen… Simply exceptional.

How do you top that scene when you still have almost half of the movie left after? You don’t; that’s why you make us care about every character and their journey. Everyone in this movie felt like a real character, from the side characters to our titular trio. I was invested in their story, journey and how it ultimately pans out. I also would love to point out that Moira Shearer wasn’t a trained actress because she was a classically trained ballet dancer and second in the world at that time! And yet, when you watch her in this movie (her feature debut, nonetheless!), she is great. She sells the emotions, she doesn’t overact and the ballet… The fact she was number two in the entire world speaks for itself. The directing duo Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger were lucky to stumble upon not only an exquisite ballerina but one who could act as well as Moira could. And given we have seen many more attempts to switch professions (whether it’s from sports personality, singing, or modelling) to acting, and they all don’t work out, I would say this is absurdly lucky how much they won with Moira.

I knew I watched something special right after the movie ended, and I have had zero complaints. Let me remind you that I would still classify this movie as “historical drama”, meaning me having zero complaints is near miraculous. But The Red Shoes is that good. When I watched it, there were scenes that somehow reminded me why I fell in love with movies in the first place, from their ability to transport me in time to a specific place and time and be part of this group of people I have never met. This movie made me feel like that and much more; it let me in so much that I forgot about some narrative and was just “happy to be there”. It also reminded me that I don’t hate these historical dramas when done right.

Overall, The Red Shoes is one of the most beautiful movies I have ever seen. The entire movie is excellent, but then the actual Red Shoes ballet starts, and somehow, this movie goes from 10 to 20. If you love historical dramas, you will love this film. If you enjoy beautifully shot and restored Technicolor movies and how the colour pops out on the screen, you will adore this film. To put it simply, if you love movies, you will love this film.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

I will be the first to admit that there are some directors I still struggle to appreciate fully, and Alexander Payne would be on that list. Let me be clear; I don’t think his movies are bad, but out of the three I have seen before The Holdovers (Election (1999), The Descendants (2011) and Downsizing (2017)) I almost loved the first one and liked the other two. But I never “got” why is he so admired, although there are some of his well-known movies I haven’t seen yet. Luckily, I am happy to report that after The Holdovers, I will try to fill in the Payne gaps, as I adored this movie.

Everyone and their mum says the same thing about this movie – it feels like a cosy blanket. Even myself, just look at the title of my review, I am no different! However, what I appreciated about this film was how much more there is to ponder, how real some of those moments and scenes felt and how this movie showcases one important thing – you can’t get cosy without being uncomfortable first. Many movies that want to be like this forget that if you don’t show us the uncomfortableness and sad scenes, the cosy ones are not that impactful.

This film realistically stands on three performers – Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa. All three very different performances, actors and pieces of puzzle that ultimately created the bigger picture. The chemistry they formed within this group worked brilliantly, and each performer contributed in their unique way, which was just a joy to watch.

For Dominic Sessa, this is his feature debut. I can’t imagine doing any better job with this role than what he did. His character had to be on the verge of a charismatic prick, where he slides towards the charismatic in some scenes, only to go to the “prick” part later on. However, throughout this movie, we start to understand him and like his character. And if you can hold your own in a scene with Paul and Da’Vine, you know you will make it big, and I can’t wait to see how his career will look in ten years.

Da’Vine Joy Randolph is a multifaceted performer, and the world is finally catching up with her. Her character has one big scene, but where she truly shined for me were those quiet moments of suffering. Mary (her character) is still mourning her son, who, despite being a student at this prestigious school, is the only one from his class to go to fight in the Vietnam War and dies there. That’s not a spoiler; we are introduced to that fact quickly. We then watch Mary struggle with grief and try to move on, and Da’Vine nails this performance. It’s no secret that she is as sure of a lock in her category, so soon, we will get to write “Oscar-winning actress Da’Vine Joy Randolph” and I, for one, can’t wait. As I said, dramatic scenes are always fun to watch, but if you grasp us in those quiet moments/scenes, that is when you know you’ve got something special on your hands.

This statement might be weird to write, but stick with me here – Paul Giamatti is still one of the most underrated mainstream actors alive. For some bizarre reason, we all seem to agree that he is a star, we all seem to love him, and yet, this is his only second Oscar nomination! What’s more bizarre is that this is his first leading actor Oscar nomination! So, if we judge him on these criteria, he is brutally underrated. Luckily, in this movie, he shines so much it’s hard to ignore, as with his other two co-stars, he is a mixed bag. You can see the warts and all with this character, who can be is pretty unlikeable, smelly guy. But, as it happens, when you get to know him and dig deep underneath the surface, you will get the heartbreaking story of his time as a student, his rough family moments and, realistically, his entire life up until this winter break we see in this film. There is a scene involving him at a party, where his character finally feels like he can lower his shields after such a long time, only to be brutally hit the very next moment, and his reaction is… gut-wrenching. Like Da’Vine, he knows how to master these quiet moments and give us so much with so little.

Ultimately, that’s what The Holdovers is all about – three unlikely strangers get stranded with each other over Xmas. Nobody wants to be there; they all have their pains and look for their tribe. They all have scenes where they shine, and despite knowing how this movie will end, I couldn’t help but get in touch with my emotions. Several scenes hit you hard, but when you leave the cinema, you will mostly remember the unlikely friendship these three have formed. Not because the rest of it isn’t any good (it’s all excellent), but you will remember it because that bond feels real.

What I also admired about this film is how it doesn’t give us any definitive answer to any of our characters, respectively, whether they’ve changed because of this winter. Sure, we hope they would, and some seem to be on the right path, but the movie never does the “winning” montage. Without going into spoilers, the film ends one way, and it’s up to us to decide whether they all have learned anything from what they have been through or go back to their old selves. I can see one or two characters not being “fixed” and taking a bit more time with their issues, but I won’t tell you which ones because you might see them completely differently, and that’s the beauty of this film. It gives you a proper ending without tying everything with a bow.

Overall, The Holdovers is one of the best movies of 2023. The rawness, humanity, and social commentary that go hand in hand with this story, everything works here. On top of that, we get three brilliant performances, two of which are Oscar-nominated, and one is a sure winner. But even if this had zero nominations, it’s still a brilliant movie and my first Alexander Payne I can say I am fully on board with. I can’t recommend it enough.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

There are some directors who are so out there that you know they will never be able to make a “normal” film, whatever that word means to you. I always say we should be grateful for them as those are usually the ones who can challenge us the most or introduce us to new ideas told in a compelling way. Yorgos Lanthimos is one of the most, if not THE most, unique voices of his generation that somehow managed to make it big in Hollywood, and my twisted mind couldn’t be more grateful. What he does with Poor Things is on another level and might be his magnum opus.

On the surface, Poor Things doesn’t look like anything new because it’s your stereotypical story of a doctor playing God and creating “a monster”. Hmm… that sounds so familiar; where in the Frankenstein have I seen this before? Yorgos understands that “there are no new stories”, so he borrows the concept/story of Frankenstein. However, what he does with it and how he uses it to talk about much more than “man playing God” is what people want from films. Or at least, I do. But I think many movie-loving people are of a similar mind where we don’t mind if the filmmaker reuses the “same old” story, premise or concept, as long as they add something to it, something that hasn’t been done yet, explore different things and themes using that familiar structure. And it is in this aspect where Poor Things excels.

There are scenes in this movie that might shock you; there is graphic nudity, language (the word ‘cunt’ is shouted many times), and the concept of having a newborn’s brain in the body of an adult woman raises a question or two. But, as always, with people who challenge the norm and try to make you think outside the box, there is a point to everything. If there is one word (besides the obvious one, “shocking”) I would use to label this film, it would be “purposeful”. Every decision, every set, every character serves a larger point, serves a purpose, and it’s only up to you if you are willing to look past your nose.

This movie explores many topics, from class, gender roles, and societal norms to sex and agency over your body, life and choices. When you read the previous sentence, it sounds like the most boring/preachy film ever made, when in reality, it’s the opposite. Poor Things is a vibrant, funny, well-paced film that, despite its runtime of 141 minutes, never bored me. I was fascinated with the sets, in love with the soundtrack, mesmerized by the outfits/costumes and stunned by all the performers on top of those topics this film explores. Long story short, I had a blast.

There are many great performances in this film. I could write: “If you acted in this movie, well done” because you probably have nailed it, as all the actors here do. However, two actors stood out – Mark Ruffalo and Emma Stone. And both in different ways. Ruffalo plays this sex-obsessed greaseball who is sleazy, then funny, and then just sad. His character goes through a lot, and you have fun not hating him per se but definitely disliking him. And Ruffalo allows himself to go balls-to-the-walls crazy, funny and unhinged in the best possible way. I don’t think I have ever seen him better, and we are talking about an actor who’s been around for a while. He took a massive risk and swing with this performance, and it paid off with interest. His character also serves as the personification of hypocrisy, as he has been fine the entire time having crazy sex with Stone’s character. It’s only after she denies him and dumps him he goes against her and suddenly seems to have an issue with her sexuality.

Regarding Emma Stone, it’s insane how talented she is. She’s already an Oscar winner, and yet this performance is so unique, vivid and different that I think she just ascended to Mount Olympus of acting. She starts this movie perfectly capturing the awkwardness of growing up whilst being trapped in a grown woman’s body, and by the end of this film, she goes through such a huge character transformation it is fascinating to watch her, and she is the heart, the soul, the reason this odd and quirky movie works. It seemed that the 2024 Oscar for Leading Actress was going to Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon (2023, my review here), but after watching this and seeing how tight the race is between Lily and Emma, I… I actually don’t know who I am rooting for more. I think it would be awesome to have another historic tie (and we are due for one, link here!) because this is a rare one for me, as no matter who wins, I will be happy for either Emma or Lily, but I will be sad for the other. They both delivered such memorable and unique performances that tie might seem like a cop-out, but I would love it if we could celebrate them both.

And I believe that ultimately is what Poor Things is all about. Through all the pain, suffering, and injustice, this movie isn’t shy to show us it’s a celebration of life and how one comes to terms with all life’s struggles. That all is packaged in such a distinctive “wrapper” that you will remember the visuals, the distinctive sets, for a long time. I am also willing to bet anyone that this movie will get even better on repeat viewings, as everything is so purposeful and every choice is so intentional you will catch many tiny things you haven’t during your first viewing as you were too mesmerized by everything and everyone else to pay full attention. I can’t wait to rewatch this and add it to my movie collection, as that is one of those movies I need to own, preferably in 4K.

Overall, Poor Things is a masterpiece that I predict will become a classic. It uses the Frankenstein story to make a plethora of different points about various topics, but it never forgets to entertain you. You go on a journey with these characters, and that journey is long, vivid, bizarre, quirky, sexual and vulgar. And yet, it never feels too long, and once it’s over, you want to go back to this wild world and on that journey again. At least that’s how I felt. Poor Things is one of the best movies of 2023. It’s a performance highlight for both Ruffalo and Stone and confirmation of just how talented Yorgos is and how we should be grateful to live in a world where weirdos like him can still make it in Hollywood.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

During my many years of watching and rating movies, I got used to being the outsider, not because I wanted to be different, but because my taste often didn’t align with the rest of the movie-going crowd. And then there are instances when you align identically with the rest, and Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is one of those because, like many, I wasn’t particularly excited for a sequel to a perfectly fine movie. But when I heard many positive reviews, I knew I had to give this one a try, and as many, I loved this sequel. I don’t think it’s controversial to write that this is the best movie in the Shrek universe since the Shrek 2 (2004).

What made this sequel so great? Well, it’s the themes DreamWorks hasn’t really explored as much in the past and delivered us almost this Pixar-level movie, themes-wise. Everything from Puss exploring the idea of mortality to anxiety and the sudden darkness in this universe gave it that unique “something” all the other Shrek sequels were missing. Luckily, DreamWorks paid attention and didn’t go overboard on it “going too dark”, so your kids will still enjoy themselves whilst having an actually terrifying villain, mixed with the idea of commitments and family that comes in all variations of that word.

I won’t lie; I loved this sequel even before the big reveal (I won’t spoil it, but looking back, it was so obvious). The Big Bad Wolf must be one of the most memorable animated villains of… Well, a good few years, if not longer. I loved every decision they made about him, from his musical theme to the whistling we can always hear just before seeing him… Everything about that character worked wonderfully. I felt that uneasiness our main character was going through every time he was on the screen; I felt there were stakes, even if I knew deep down I was watching a DreamWorks movie, so things would (probably) work out. That’s why I loved that reveal with this character, as great reveals should be like good riddles. It’s so obvious once you know the answer, yet I never guessed it because… Well, I was so much into the movie that I didn’t even think of thinking about anything else.

A big part of why I enjoyed myself was the addition of Perrito, voiced by Harvey Guillén. What would have easily become an annoying side character designated to charm little kids and sell more toys maybe even five years ago became almost a highlight of this film. And not because he was cute and goofy, which he undoubtedly was. It’s the thought about his character and how he talks and thinks about his life but chooses to find a silver lining in everything. It’d be so easy to make him dumb or obnoxious, but they gave him just enough scenes where the emotional ones landed well whilst still being the main comedic relief of this movie. If the Big Bad Wolf is the best player, Perrito is the MVP of this film.

The thing is, even if we omit these two and focus on the rest of the film, it’s still pretty awesome. From the blend of different animation styles and frame rates (the Spider-Verse franchise must be given credit for influencing the mainstream animated movies since 2018) to the main crux of this film, about family and commitment. Whether it’s a chosen family (Goldilocks voiced by Florence Pugh with her storyline) or committing to one person (or, in this case, a cat) for your entire life, the movie tries to give you something more substantial to chew on, and I appreciated it.

The thing about Puss in Boots: The Last Wish is I can’t think of any flaws. Nothing about this movie bothered me. Most jokes landed, and the emotional scene hit me too. Maybe the secondary villain, hunting everyone, wasn’t as memorable…? But that’s really all I could bring up, and even that feels like a weak critique, given how much this film did. It feels almost poetic, as I still remember many people not being excited about this sequel whatsoever. But then it comes, kicks ass and delivers the ultimate message – if you make a great movie, fans won’t care whether it’s a sequel or not. Just give us something new, don’t be afraid to experiment and no matter what you do, ground your film in some sense of reality. I might go even as far as to say this might be the most “mature” movie in the Shrek franchise, and I am writing this as someone who loves and views the first two Shrek films as classics of the animated genre.

Overall, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish was a pleasant surprise that proved again that we shouldn’t judge a book by its cover. In a weird way, this sequel had almost nothing going for it, except for (it seems like) people working on it who cared about every single detail, whether it was the story or the animation style(s). The result shows on screen, and it’s a vivid, funny, touching and charming film that managed to do the unthinkable – get me excited for Shrek 5. The movie that’s been stuck in production hell for a few years now, a movie I don’t even know whether it’s coming or not anymore, but if the same people would be behind it, I will be there, opening day. And I am willing to bet I wouldn’t be the only one.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

It’s weird writing a review for a movie many have not even heard of, let alone seen. If you think I am exaggerating, on IMDb, “only” around 14 000 people have rated this movie, and on Letterboxd, that number is slightly higher, around 36 000. Even I have only heard about it recently because one of my Internet friends (Rowan Wood, you can find him on Letterboxd or his new website www.knockonwoodfilm.com) has talked about it a few times on Franchise Paradiso, a podcast he co-hosts (also a strong recommend). And since I trust him, I had to look it up, and yes, he was correct to praise it. And now, I am doing my part, hoping I inspire at least one more person to watch this movie.

This movie must be one of the earliest examples of “vibe” films. There is a surprising “amount” of a story (more about that later), but most importantly, The Phantom Carriage understands the atmosphere and how to get you into that head space and vibe this movie has. Because if I am being honest, the film won’t surprise you much, if at all, since it’s more than 100 (!!!) years old. However, that was the surprise to me, how much it surprised me. I know this is as clear as mud right now, so let me explain.

Since I have been watching more “old-school” horror movies (like the Universal Monster movies from the 30s and 40s), I have gotten used to the story being pretty simplistic because that was the norm at the time. They didn’t know any better. There were always complex themes and great ideas in those films, don’t get me wrong, and I liked or loved most of them, but as far as the narrative portion of those films, they were all pretty simple. Naturally, I expected something similar from a Swedish movie from 1921. And for us now, what this movie does isn’t that uncommon. But I always like to put myself into the audience’s shoes at the time. Because I don’t think there were that many movies that played with characters reminiscing about the past, and in those memories, we go back again. Hopefully, it makes more sense now, as nowadays we are used to seeing flashbacks and spending half a movie there, but back then, that was hardly the norm.

I also loved the idea that the last person to die in a year must replace Death and drive Death’s carriage for the following year. I am not a spiritual or religious person, but if you give me something as intriguing as this, I am into it. This idea definitely was something unique and new, as I had never heard of it. And that supernatural element weirdly grounds this movie and clearly defines the stakes. We understand what is happening and why, so we can focus on this redemption journey of this poor soul who lost his way.

This might also be the first movie that deals with this Dickens-like tale of seeing your life as you are about to die so you can reflect on what you have done. Those stories have always fascinated me because we see ourselves (naturally) as heroes of our stories, but often, we can be the villains in somebody else’s story. There is a saying I like that goes: “We judge everyone based on their actions, but we judge ourselves based on our intentions.” Since I read that quote somewhere, I try to remember it before judging others harshly. The Phantom Carriage is one of those movies that might make you think about what if something like this were to happen to you tomorrow, what you would see and whether you would like everything you see.

I also need to mention the special effects that I thought were amazing. Of course, with a caveat that I judge them based on 1921 standards and not today’s ones. But I thought they worked all the transparent ghosts worked for me, but I am a sucker for older horror movies where I can forgive many tiny blemishes due to the age of those movies. There is something charming about the imperfection of early cinema. Also, and this can’t be understated, this movie influenced many filmmakers who became legends and influenced others. Just reading through IMDb’s trivia:

Ingmar Bergman watched this film at least once every summer, either alone or in the company of younger people. He also stated that this film, to him, was once “the film of all films”, and that it was a main influence on his own work.

Source: IMDb.com

Charles Chaplin stated this was the best film ever made.

Source: IMDb.com

And I am not about to sit here and argue about how two of these cinematic titans were wrong. As I stated at the beginning of my review, I strongly hope I may influence at least one person who will search for this movie and watch it because of this review. It might or might not (wink wink) be available on YouTube… but hey, I didn’t say anything. 😉

Overall, The Phantom Carriage is an almost-forgotten masterpiece that influenced generations of filmmakers and continues to have an impact on movies even today. But unlike other films like Citizen Kane (1941), this movie is virtually unknown unless you are a hardcore cinephile, and even then (like me), you might not heard about it. So, I am writing this review hoping that someone reads it, watches this film and then passes it on. I would love for everyone to know about this movie full of ground-breaking stuff, both visually and narratively. Even after 100 years, The Phantom Carriage deserves to be seen.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke

I must admit something some might find weird – I don’t watch documentaries. The reason is not that I would hate them; it’s much simpler than that. I prefer narrative movies where I can escape reality. I know (especially lately) I have been missing out on some excellent documentaries, and maybe, at some point, I will watch some of the major ones, but for now, I will stick with films and TV shows. However, The Florida Project and its blend of both, where it’s definitely a movie but quite a few aspects (most actors were amateurs, the way this movie was shot, the movie’s message), was perfect. I have heard good things about this movie, and now I get why.

Starting with actors, from what I remember and understand, only Willem Dafoe was a professional actor. The rest of the cast were either first-timers for whom this was their first movie (Brooklynn Prince and Bria Vinaite), people who have not made a movie since, or actual guests staying at that resort. That will always add credibility to your movie, but Sean Baker struck gold with the “main three”. Willem shines in this movie, and even though he is “only” a supporting character, he makes an impression, and you almost forget he is one of the best character actors we have today. Both Bria and Brooklynn nailed their performances too. Brooklynn had the hardest job since most (if not all) of this film was through her lens, but she carried it well. And Bria… I have met a few “Bria-like” characters and can confirm how well she nailed this role.

I know many people focus on the contrast of how people can struggle so badly living next to Disney World, often called “the happiest place in the world”. Don’t get me wrong, The Florida Project showcases that contrast well, but I thought this movie truly shined in the display and understanding of how vicious is the cycle of poverty. How expensive it is to be poor, so to speak. And if you have zero to no options left, how quickly things can go from bad to even worse.

Just take one of the sub-plots of this movie. Moonee (Brooklynn’s character) does something that results in her best friend’s mum banning her from seeing her best friend. But she also cuts them off from their “food supply” as she works in some waffle place, and she would often “slip” them (Brooklynn and Bria’s characters) food for free. In most other films, this side plot wouldn’t usually have that much of an impact on the overall story, but here, it’s one of the key reasons why the ending happens. How that one domino fell, and due to that, the rest started to follow.

I also liked how Sean Baker (the director and co-writer of this movie, alongside Chris Bergoch) never tried to judge any of our characters for being in this situation. They give us hints as to how they ended up here, but you never learn anything definitive, and that decision makes it harder for us to judge them and much easier to sympathize with them. I know this will come as a shock to many people, but poor people don’t choose to be poor. There are (usually) more complex issues behind why they ended up in that situation. And The Florida Project never even attempted to judge them. The film doesn’t glamorize poverty either, and this is where the documentary aspect comes in. It genuinely feels like they set up a few cameras over the summer and let them run to capture everything as realistically as possible. I know that is not what happened, but saying this is one of the best compliments I can give to this movie. It felt authentic in all areas, from having life-like characters to showing us how little it takes for things to get even worse.

Also, let’s talk about the ending, albeit briefly and with no spoilers. It crushes you. I am talking about the last two minutes, just to be perfectly clear. Something happens that reflects this divide between these two worlds (poor vs rich), and it leaves you feeling… well, bad. Because you understand everything changes significantly and (most likely) the vicious cycle starts again, but with a new protagonist, in a sense. It’s hard to talk about it without spoilers, but if you saw this movie, I hope you understand what I mean. And that’s why those last two minutes are so meaningful and show you what could have or should have been. It leaves you feeling sad. But that’s not a bad thing. Not all movies need to be happy or end on a happy note, and I appreciate the people behind this movie ending it this way.

Overall, The Florida Project is a fantastic film. It is a very “slice of life” movie, where you follow mostly a few people over the course of a month, maybe slightly more, and it shows you their experience. It also reminds us that children are affected by poverty as well, but they are children, and it’s fascinating to watch how they can cope with it, even though they should not. The Florida Project is one of those excellent films I might be fine with never watching again because when this movie hits you, it hits hard. But it’s 100% a recommended watch.

That’s all for this one! Did you see it? What did you think about it? Let me know!

Until next time,

Luke