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The Man from Earth (2007)
Intriguing idea and script, ruined by terrible directing
As a sci-fi lover I loved the guiding idea, and mostly also the script, but the way the movie is shot (even if I ignore the fact that it fail to use the movie language and show instead of talk about), the way the actors were guided to interpret words, well, just such a disappointment.
So, my strong suggestion to everybody is to consider finding the screenplay and reading it one day. I am pretty sure that your mind will be interpreting words and actions and emotions of characters in a more life-like and relatable way.
Extinction (2018)
A very thought provoking story, albeit not executed very well
So, yes, directing could have been better, and some supporting acting too, and towards the middle the movie seemed so incredibly predictive that I almost stopped watching (started to work out in front of the screen and had the movie for the background)...
But then the big shift happens, the revelation that turns everything around and opens up so many questions and dilemmas of our contemporary lives and the future, that it blew me away.
If this movie had been made by some a-class director and production it could have been a hit like Oblivion or something alike. Yet, it is still well worth watching, as it will give you lots of material to think and talk about afterwards...
You just may want to fast-forward through action scenes after the attack...
By the Sea (2015)
Kudos to Angelina for her courage
By the Sea is a voyeuristic portrait of a couple fighting for meaning, sanity, connection after something traumatic happened and took away the flow and the beauty they once had. They are trying to deal with the situation the best way they can, yet keep failing over and over again. Can the beauty be rescued, can they again find the trust they once had, underneath all the pain and disappointment?
It takes some time to sink into the rhythm of this movie, since it follows the pace of a real human life, rather than a pace of a popcorn flick. And I applaud Angelina for her courage to stick with this rhythm and create an experience of melancholy and expression that has become quite rare nowadays, and quickly discouraged by the prevailing hunger for fast-paced download of entertaining stimuli.
The photography is beautiful, both Brad and Angelina superb in their roles, and I really liked the montage that is respecting the viewers and letting them put the pieces together. I am sad to see the average user rating here, guessing the ratings would have been way higher had the raters not known who the director was.
One day after watching it I still feel mesmerized by the atmosphere of the movie.
5 to 7 (2014)
A mature movie exploring polyamory and choices we make, in a very sweet way
To be honest, I was a bit disappointed with the first 15 minutes of the movie, after having seen the trailer that triggered rather high expectations in me. The choice of lead actors did not seem appropriate, their first dialogues seemed a bit clumsy and not really flowing... But, then, not even knowing when, suddenly it all got under my skin and I started to really enjoy it and found myself deeply touched and wrapped in my thoughts, as the credits were already over. Agreeing that the choice of actors was actually perfect. :-)
While on the surface this is a romantic drama about polyamory and a bit about inter-cultural differences (French vs US), it soon gets much deeper: to what extend can we control our lives with our mind, neglecting our hearts? To what extend does doing this make any sense? Do we just follow our hearts from one moment to another, or do we structure and execute our lives in a controlled, socially approved way? Can we compare different shapes of love, and if so, which type of love do we prioritize? I could go on and on...
What I also loved it that the story nicely avoid most expected scenarios and keeps exploring the realm of possibilities that seem to be way greater than what Hollywood movies often seem to be feeding us with. And more rich, and, well, true to life...
So, if you enjoy movies that make you think and explore the vast realm of possibilities in life, and that triggers your thoughts and feelings in a way that will keep you in inspiring conversations with your partners and/or friends, well, then I believe you will love this little movie.
And, the cherry on top is, of course, Frank Langella as Brian's father; pure perfection.
Interstellar (2014)
True Science Fiction with a heart, and definitely for mature audience
As having mentioned in my other reviews already, I have been a lover of Science Fiction throughout my life, be it novels or movies, yet with a growing frustration during recent years in which Fantasy- Comic- Action movies seem to have hijacked the genre.
Having said that, Interstellar was by far the most expected movie of this year for me, and I went to see it with very high expectations (and an underlying fear of disappointment). And, yes, I really enjoyed and loved it and will definitely buy BluRay to enjoy it many times more.
I guess for me the most important aspect of this movie was that I felt respected as a viewer. Nolan (and I am not a fan of his and did not like most of his movies) does not spoon-feed the viewers but almost treats them as partners in a dialogue, expecting them to engage with their brain, to be active, to think, to explore... It is obvious that he did lots of research about visualization and space-time issues, and that a true scientist (Kip Thorne) was involved with full respect.
Acting is very believable, editing great... actually, it all fully stands together and I can only recommend this movie - if, for instance, you enjoyed 2001. Oh, the only reason I am giving it 9 and not 10, is the music. I guess music itself is OK, but the way it is put into the movie somehow does not work - very often I found it disturbing and distracting.
Never Let Me Go (2010)
A captivating portrait of our hearts, in a parallel reality that is so true to life.
A beautiful movie that keeps gently touching soft places within our souls. Shockingly tender and accepting, in horrible circumstances. About a parallel reality, but so darn true to life. It tells it all about love, any yet without much of it really manifesting - similarly as in another great film about love, the Kar Wai Wong's In the Mood for Love.
It is one of these rare movies that pulls the viewer into the story, leads him/her into the silence and opens up softness and vulnerable emphatic spaces within. And it remains with us for quite a while after the credits have run out.
Carey Mulligan is remarkable, and so is Andrew Garfield. Hey, he is an actor indeed! I just hope he is not going to waste too many years on Spiderman... (just remembering Spiderman after such an incredible movie is really ridiculous). Because it would be such a loss for us viewers.
This Must Be the Place (2011)
A beautifully melancholic and unexpectedly heartwarming experience
From the trailer I expected an entertaining movie and a joy of observing another great Penn's performance. And I got way way more that this.
I find it hard to pinpoint what this movie is about. For me it was about loneliness and emptiness, fear and courage, feeling lost and dealing with existential questions of life, about longing for meaning, love, acceptance, acknowledgment...
And what might be the most important aspect is that the story is told in a gentle, warm way that makes the viewer feel included in the relations on the screen. While at the same time offering us visually enchanting and rhythmically impressive atmosphere, that just keeps resonating in the system...
An unusual movie, well worth treating your eyes, mind and heart with.
Yi dai zong shi (2013)
A rather empty visual experience
I expected a lot and started to feel rather disappointed already one third into the movie. While the visual experience and the focus on details was really enjoyable, the emptiness of the movie started to take its toll, and grew towards boredom and hope for it all to end soon (I was with my wife and friends, otherwise I would have probably left earlier).
One thing that I was lacking most was any basic connection with the main character since I was not given anything to connect to. The hero does not change at all - he is the same all the time throughout the movie, which covers a couple of decades. Almost perfect at the beginning and the same at the end. We never see him train nor having and issues with his journey as a martial artist. Does he meet any personal challenges? What is happening between him and his wife? Most dramatic events from his family are barely mentioned - his sons die, his wife disappears from his life... Hey, why, how does this influence him, what happens?
Lots of "wisdom" is being articulated in the movie, yet it does not land - almost like taking arbitrarily picked sentences out of I-Ching. While at the same time violence as the means to prove superiority is being glorified. Not much ethics in the movie, while it is so much present in the philosophy of Eastern martial arts. Every Bruce Lee movie - that I was growing up with decades ago - had much more of humanism and ethics in it, presented with less words and simple clarity. Yet here very often the main character picks violence just for the sake of it, to prove he is superior. Well, not what I expected from a director of this rang.
Yes, it is a Kung fu movie so there must be fighting scenes, and they are filmed nicely, but, well, yawn, way too many... The last few ones I completely skipped, resting my eyes...
The storytelling is somewhat confused as well - quite some time is spent on some characters that bring absolutely nothing to the story, like Razor, and events that again bring nothing...
So, unless you are a total fan at collecting Kung fu fighting scenes I do not see many reasons why to watch this movie. Perhaps as a background while you practice your guitar, or do some home fitness, or yoga or something...
Or go and see Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon instead - s superb visual as well as emotional and thought-provoking experience.
Europa Report (2013)
An excellent space drama
Not every sci-fi movie is an action-packed super-hero popcorn flick. Luckily! And Europa Report shines among those, lately rather rare examples.
Europa Report follows the line of a documentary and does that so successfully that I, throughout the movie, kept forgetting that humans actually have not yet landed on Europa. While the search for extraterrestrial is in fact the focus of the mission, it is not the focus of this movie, but rather human behavior and psychology, the magic of exploration and the steps we are ready to take for something that is larger than individual life.
The story flows beautifully and, yes, with time-jumps demands full attention from the viewer. And as a consequence also delivers a great deal of excitement and enjoyment. Have the last minute or so of "the storyteller's" explanation and commentaries not came across a bit patronizing and unnecessary, somewhat spoiling the spirit of this pretty intelligent movie, I would consider giving it a 10.
I definitely recommend to all the science, space exploration and old- school-sci-fi fans. And for those after Ironman and the Avengers - probably not a movie for you.
Oblivion (2013)
For sci-fi lovers that are not after action only
I have been a huge fan of sci-fi from childhood, not only in terms of watching movies, but also reading most of classic sci-fi novels... And lately I have been having tough time to find a sci-fi movie to enjoy, because it all seem to go in the direction of action & violence and very simple stories that let you switch off the brain and eat your popcorn, like Ironman and Avengers...
Now, Oblivion was a treat and a very enjoyable piece. Perhaps not the ultimate sci-fi movie (for that I would want to have my mind twisted a bit more, and to see more of exploration of the unknown possibilities), yet it does have enough exploration for me to meet my sci-fi standards: question of identity, question of what it means to be human, question of the meaning of life/death, question of true love...
So, yes, if you like sci-fi movies that touch your mind as well as your heart (and not only your eyes and your ears), you will probably enjoy this one.