Rating: 0.5
Just realized I never got around to review Netflix’ «Iron Fist»:
Yes, it sucks.
Moving on…
Iron Fist
Spider-Man: Homecoming
Rating: 3
Wow, I almost lost my wallet there at the theater! But I wouldn’t have lost the money: The latest cinematic iteration of Spider-Man is well worth its admission price.
It’s got heart, it has humour, it’s got a great cast. And as unbelievable as is sounds, this co-production between Marvel Studios and Sony (who still hold the rights to the movie character, technically, I think) has something the «purer» MCU films had yet to deliver on: A great villain! Michael Keaton is perfect in the role (winged superpersons obviously just seem to be his thing) and his persona «The Vulture» equally satisfies as antagonist as well as a driving storyelement.
Tom Holland’s Peter Parker is great, too; but no surprise there. And the suits (as in «the VFX») are fun to explore but interestingly enough not as overwhelming and important as let’s say the «Avengers» movies.
So no, I don’t regret to have worn my Spidey T-Shirt to work today. And yes, in the end, I found my wallet under the seat.
Wonder Woman
Rating: 3
Um,… Miss Woman? I wonder if you’d marry me?
[ ] Yes
[ ] No
[x] I see you more as a friend
The movie’s not bad, either. All thanks to Gal Gadot. I think I’d watch her watching paint dry.
Alien: Covenant
Rating: 2.5
Wow! Even after all those years Ridley Scott still knows how to disappoint me. He undoubtably created some of the greatest films ever made, but I’m sad to state that for years now, his movies feel more like Scott-free than «SCOTT FREE» productions*.
*) His production company
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2
Rating: 4.5
What a great sci-fi fantasy action comedy! I laughed my ass off and if you’re an eighties kid, you probably will, too.
In the end there was not a dry eye in the house (and that wasn’t because of the 3D glasses).
Ghost in the Shell
Rating: 4
I knew I was quite excited about this most recent adaptation of «Ghost in the Shell». But until today, I didn’t really know why that was.
When I first watched the anime from 1995 I did it because I was still blown away by «Akira» and just wanted more of this kind of movies. By that time, «Ghost in the Shell» already had gotten the label of a cult classic. But I remember that after seeing it, I was a little bit disappointed (but it’s still one of the very few VHS tapes I didn’t get rid of). I never completely understood the plot and I’ve been wanting to rewatch it again, but never took the time to actually do it, maybe because I just wasn’t too impressed by its visuals – compared to «Akira», that was.
Well, the current adaptation surely doesn’t have that problem: Thanks to its presentation I’d go as far as to state that «Ghost in the Shell» is not only a good remake, but even superior to the original. I even like what they did to the plot that was streamlined (as far as I can tell, because this time around, I understood what was going on).
Even before the anime’s original soundtrack finally echoed over the end credits, the last iconic shots of the Major (Scarlett «will you marry me» Johansson) had almost moved me to tears because visually, this adaptation of «Ghost in the Shell» works great by going back to the «original» imagery and reviving it with current CGI work and beautiful production design, making it shiny, while keeping it very stylish, cool – even cold – staying very close to the original’s look and feel.
Though characters and plot are solid, they’re not too original or spectacular. But I think that has always been the problem with «Ghost in the Shell». The very intriguing premise never really leads anywhere, because it doesn’t leave much left to explore, being too fundamental for its own good. But nonetheless the deep questions about humanity, technology and consciousness are powerful enough to hold the visual spectacle together as a whole.
Sometimes, combined with Scarlett Johansson, who really wears her role like a suit – a very tight suit – that’s enough for me (and I really dig her cyborg-walk).
Gantz:O
Rating: 2.5
Man, full CGI movies have come a long way since «Final Fantasy – The Spirits Within»! Just discovered this gem on Netflix. It’s probably not really that good a movie per se but its stunning CGI-work and over-the-top action are just too damned impressive not to be blown away by it.
Give me more…!
Logan
Rating: 3.5
Logan’s fun: A movie as solid as adamantium yet tender and bloody like a delicious steak.
Morgan
Rating: 1.5
I’d really love to see Kate Mara starring in a good movie… mostly because I really like to see her in just about anything,… getting lost in that gorgeous pair of brown eyes…
But «Morgan» sadly, surely isn’t that movie.
It’s just a really beautiful looking (cinematography, locations and production design are admirable) disappointment which might have worked well as an episode of «Black Mirror», but as a feature length film it’s way too predictable and much too thin – the script, of course,… not Kate. She’s perfect!
Also, Paul Giamatti is in this, stealing every scene he’s in… all one of ’em.
The Neon Demon
Rating: 3.5
On a day in last december, I was watching and reviewing «High Rise» because the iTunes trailer of «The Neon Demon» was just too dull to have chosen it as the movie of the evening. As it turned out, that choice was a biiig mistake. Today I will try to correct that error:
As you may or probably may not know, I’m an avid admirer of Nicolas Winding Refn’s masterpiece that is «Drive» (even when I still neither know how to write nor pronounce his name correctly.)
If anything Refn’s movies are highly volatile: Lucky for me I got to see «Drive» and «Bronson» (another movie I love) before their predecessor «Valhalla Rising» gave me a good nap after boring me to tears while watching it on Netflix.
So let’s see what «The Neon Demon» has to offer:
It surely has the pacing of its siblings, the music style (again by Cliff Martinez who did it in «Drive») and a similar look and feel as «Drive». So we surely have two big pluses right here. So…?
Yes, definitively, yeah, I surely loved the movie. That much I can say. The cinematography (by Natasha Braier) and over all tone are awesome. And it sure makes an intriguing and gripping experience – on multiple levels. And it must be a think piece, ’cause I sure as hell didn’t get it in its entireness.
The movie starts out well behaved as a very pretty looking, interesting performed study about superficiality, the obsession with good looks, popularity, self esteem and surely some other big words relevant in social studies I don’t feel like looking up right now.
The fascinating thing about «The Neon Demon» is that not unlike in «Drive», its protagonist seems to be the most passive, least interesting thing about it. She mostly doesn’t act, she reacts, if anything, to her surroundings or nature given conditions. And this time, the protagonist’s role as a mirror to reflect the behaviour of the rest of the ensemble, and in the end, the audience, is even clearer and more effective.
And I was more than fine with all that.
Then the whole thing goes sideways (not in quality but in a making-sense-way). Let’s say the willingness to suspend one’s disbelief is just the start.
But interestingly enough, I was fine with that too. By the time the film really got strange, I was on board thanks to the slow pacing and almost ethereal storytelling, cinematography, soundtrack and performances. I felt like in a dream – a fever dream, very much so – but in a good way – whathever that means.
The movie really got me by surprise and entertained me, despite the lack of action and plausible character arc.
I think this movie will be getting more attention as it gets older. I know I will watch it again just to figure out what I might have missed and what the hell was going on. Let’s just say this film reminded me why I fell in love with movies in the first place.
And… SPOILERS AHEAD
Then, it got me: Of course! Vampires! and suddenly knew why Keanu Reeves is in this and why it reminded me of «From Dusk till Dawn».
But then again: with all the mirror shots and scenes in very bright sunlight, the movie goes a long way to make a point that the models carrying the story can’t be classical vampires. So I in the end, I still don’t know at all what to make of it, but still I surely enjoyed the movie a lot.
So I guess this review didn’t make much sense in any way, shape or form. But you know what? Neither did «The Neon Demon» at first sight, an I still liked the hell out of it. So there’s that.