Reviews

Jonah Hill is a master at reinventing himself. From his changes as an actor to his transition to a writer and director, there is a lot to praise about the man behind this movie.

More so, he managed to actually put out a good movie. The atmosphere feels extremely 90s and the main conflicts of the movie are well flushed, if a little over the top.

On the negative side, the movie sometimes seems to drag out, as if it didn't have enough content to fill its runtime.

However, the acting is pretty good, with Na-Kel Smith getting ahead with a jaw dropping performance in a simple and natural way, delivering some very touching moments.

A good movie with some flaws that left me anxious for some more Hill.

This is a movie of could haves. It could have been a great flick. It could have been smarter with its depictions of sexism, racism and homophobia. But it doesn't. It is a generic movie that simply happens to talk about feminism. And that's it.

It is as manichaeist as it gets. The bad guys are constantly bad, as irredeemable as possible. The good guys are saints, only lacking the halo. Sexism is not shown, it is shot like a missile at the scream. Subtlety simply does not exist.

The acting is subpar, but that's understandable, as it relies on mostly young and inexperienced actors.

With that, it is very hard to stay engaged with it. There is no actual thinking needed, as every situation that is presented is black and white. So, when it ends, it'll just fade. It provokes nothing, it changes nothing. It could have been, but it ain't. A bland and boring waste of potential.

How can a movie so simple be so good? Well, terrific comedians with some great content, that's how.

Yes, Murray's ad libs are probably some of the best genuine moments of comedy ever put to film. But that's Bill Murray we are talking about, one of the naturally funniest people to ever walk this Earth. So yes, when you give him space and an off the wall script, he's going to kill it.

But that's not all. This is such a funny flick that Murray, for the most part, doesn't even stand out. Chevy Chase and Micahel O'Keefe deliver some of the funniest moments of the movie with so little effort that it is understandable if you forget that you are watching a movie.

Watch it.

Watching this almost 20 years after the release hurts it, a lot. And that could be tossed aside, as two decades is quite some time, but then there is Matrix. Sure, comparing pretty much any movie with Matrix is tough, but a Spielberg movie with Cruise as the protagonist should definitely have aged better.

Nevertheless, it is still a good movie. Cruise's acting is great, as is Farrel's (even if he's underused). The main concept of the movie is explored quite well and there is quite a lot to think about as you watch the story unravel.

The characters and complex and relatable and there is a real sense of finding out what's happening alongside Cruise. The payoffs are there, even if the ending is not quite to my taste.

But, in the end, it is hard not to get pulled away from it. The CGI, the aesthetic and even some of the camera angles constantly remind you that this is a movie. A good movie, but one that was definitely better in 2002.

I doubt anyone involved in this thought they were making cutting edge cinema. It is a regular Saturday afternoon movie, with a thin plot and some over the top comedy moments. Probably a great movie to sit down with your kids and eat some popcorn, but not much more than that.

As most people, I got into this movie because of Bo. I wanted to see what a prolific comedian could do as a director. I expected a very Bo-Esq experience, but that's not what you will find. Sure, it is not a masterpiece but it also not a gimmick. It is a good movie, with a simple but involving story and a great grasp on what being a teen is about.

The acting suffices, as you mostly see teenagers being teenagers. The theme of fitting in is present throughout the movie and that's about it.

It is a simple movie that is not scared of showing some ugly truths of what is like being a teen. Not what I expect from Bo, but in a good way.

I'm not a baseball guy. Quite frankly, I barely understand how the game works. But, somehow, I never got lost. Sure, the script plays a huge role in it and I have no doubt the actual story is quite a bit more contrived and complex but that is not all there is. The terrific acting from both Pitt and Hill make it so the baseball itself serves as a background for the story while the actors guide what you are supposed to feel at the moment. You don't really have to understand if it is good or bad because they will show it to you. That, paired with a great script and an incredible story, make this a flick way more interesting than simply a sport moment. A great watch with some very touching moments.

This movie is so much more than it seems. At first, it is a generic teen movie about high school. But very quickly it transforms into something greater. It talks about trauma, about love and specially about self love, and it does so wonderfully. It never downplays the struggles it shows but, at the same time, it doesn't use them for the shock value. It does so in a way that's both respectful and interesting and it permeates everything that happens in the plot. But for me, that's not where its brilliance is. What this movie does perfectly is the way simpler feeling of being alone. As someone that had a hard time fitting in, it is easy to relate to what all the characters, especially Charlie, put on screen. And the best part of it is that most of the very relatable things are extremely subtle. It is the awkwardness of going to a party with no idea of what to do, or looking at people and waiting for a hello that is not going to come. Still, the trauma is always present. As life is, bad things don't simply go away when good things happen. And so, it is about going through it. Not forgetting it, or even ignoring it. It is about dealing with it and accepting yourself as someone worthy of love.

It is a great movie with a great message, which only makes it an even better movie.

Ok, I know. This is the kind of movie you can't say anything bad about, otherwise you simply didn't get it. A cult classic, beyond any criticism, and a huge disappointment. Sure, it is not your run of the mill flick and it has some very interesting plot points but a movie isn't excused of being a good movie just because it is smart. This is not a good movie. The story is shallow, the plot barely moves and a lot of it is there simply as an "I'm very smart" filler. Yes, the philosophical questions raised are interesting but are not enough to hold the movie on its own. In the end, Persona is just that, a series of philosophical themes one after the other (with some great shots scattered across the movie). A boring, hubristic movie that get's way more praise than it deserves.

There is no doubt that this is quite a unique movie. It turns around so quickly and so many times, showing a lot of trust in the audience. A lesser movie would be scared of confusing the viewer, but Anthony Minghella trusts on the talent on screen and our perception of what is happening and let the story flow. Damon's acting is among the best of his whole career (a career filled with insanely good performances) and he deserves a lot of praise for how much he shows with very subtle things. Law's depiction of a soulless playboy is on point and when the two share the screen, a lot happens. But, like Damon's character, most of everything happens in the shadows, in little nuances and non-spoken moments. Nevertheless, I can't say I love the movie. It is unique, shocking and beautifully shot but frequently feels like it lacks content. It is not a bad movie, just not as good as a richer script could have made it.

It is not normal for me to be disappointed in a movie. I don't really create expectations as I don't really follow the news and other reviews. That's my way of enjoying movies, and it works out quite well. I got into Tenet barely knowing what it was about. I knew it had something to do with time and I knew it was a Nolan movie. That cripple all of my lack of expectation about it. I expected a Memento, a The Prestige or, at the very least, Inception. In the first 20 minutes, I had to check twice if it was a small studio that somehow landed Nolan (it is not). I really, really, tried to like it. But, in the end, it is something quite simple: A great concept, wasted in a generic action movie that could very well be the next Fast and Furious. The amount of exposition forced during the movie is absurd and the character development is as thin as it gets. The motives never really make sense and even the action gets boring. I had to google who the protagonist was fighting against in the biggest action piece of the movie, because they simply shoot at the air and run forward. The worst part of it is that a movie this bad has a concept this good. Most of the scenes about time inversion are great and some really clever things happen because of it. But all of the rest makes it so you can't enjoy it, instead looking like you're watching two different movies at the same time. I'm very disappointed. Don't watch it. If you do, at least do it drunk.

Dark comedy can be hard to achieve. There is a fine line between not enough and way too much that a lot of movies tend to miss. That's not the case with this flick. The comedy never seems out of place and the story never seems stale. They compliment each other, guiding the movie through its plot while making you laugh. There is something to be said about Gleeson's acting as well. It is phenomenal. His character is smart without being omniscient. His flaws are human and so are his struggles. In the end, this movie leaves quite a few unanswered questions, but it is not like it missed out on something. The gaps are there on purpose, much like In Bruges and, like on it, only serve to make it even a better movie. Watch it and be prepared to laugh while thinking "That's horrible".

Almost 20 years later, Cidade de Deus still is one of the best representations of day to day life in a reality that, for most moviegoers, is fantasy. This is a reality that, for brazilians, isn't a surprise. Nevertheless, the movie creates a sense of familiarity with it, as if the viewer is part of the favela. The constant violence and the looming poverty are characters as much as Zé Pequeno or Buscapé, in a world that doesn't create excuses for wrong behavior. No one is a hero nor a villain; we are simply watching lives in a place forgotten by god itself. It is brutal, sad and real. It is a reality that shouldn't exist but does, and it is a movie that deserves all the praise it gets.

There is so much good about it, it is hard to find where to start. It is a hilarious dry comedy done perfectly, like a Marc Maron show. It is also a beautiful movie, like anything Wes Anderson does. But it doesn't stops there. It is emotional, it has action and it has a meaning. Just like The Grand Budapest Hotel, it goes beyond pretty shots and funny jokes. William Dafoe and Bill Murray deserve a lot of praise, delivering such complex characters with such ease. Matter of fact, all of the cast is great, with incredible performances that never take the focus away from the adventure itself. The soundtrack is a character of its own, with Seu Jorge playing classic Bowie songs live. In short, it is awesome. It is funny, sad, shocking and, more than anything, one of those movies that warm your heart just a little bit.

Oh boy, where to start? This movie is bad. It is a stain in an otherwise perfect franchise and, even worse, it is the first sequel, almost burying the entire series. The plot is thin, the action is confusing and the whole movie screams out 2000. It is even weirder when watched just before MI 3, a movie that came only 6 years after it and that simply refuses to age. The worst part about it is that it had everything to be great. It had money, a great deal of talent and Tom Cruise but, somehow, John Woo made a generic, confusing and boring action movie. At least it is fun to watch, if only to laugh at it.

This movie single handedly kick started one of the biggest movie franchises in history. If that's not saying something, I don't know what is. Although future movies would follow the MI 3 template, this flick establishes some of the things that make the franchise what it is, specially the action. Sure, later installments would have a bigger budget and better production, but Cruise still manages to pull off incredible action scenes even without that. The plot is among the best of MI and is quite smart, with a touch of suspense that doesn't really appear all that often in an action movie like it. If nothing else, this movie deserves as a watch as the historic piece that it now is.

This movie is long. Not only in watch time, but also in content. There is a lot happening constantly, aside from the crazy action that glues you to the screen. And that is what makes it awesome. Sure, saying that the actors are great is kinda unnecessary when you have Pacino and De Niro in their prime, but it has to be said. Both characters are smart, complex, and likable jerks. I caught myself thinking "Who am I rooting for?" multiple times during the movie and, even after the end, I don't quite know it yet. Coming back to the action, it is perfect. Scenes with a lot of characters doing a lot of different things don't get messy and it is always clear who is doing what and why. But, in the end, what drives it home is what's happening when nothing is. The dialogs, the inner conflicts, what the characters are putting at stake. Sure, it is a caper, but it is also so much more. It is about loss, about opportunity, about sacrifice. It is a master class on action, character development and dialog. All of that while being extremely fun and enticing. Watch it.

Let me get this out of the way: I'm a big Woody Allen fan. And this flick is absolutely and utterly his. From the black and white to the ambience and, of course, the dialog, it all screams Woody Allen as loud as it can. As most of his movies, Woody is not simply playing a character, nor simply being himself. It is a mix, a blend between a real man and a made up persona. And, as always, the line is weirdly blurry, making it so, at times, you're watching a documentary. The plot itself is not the central point of the story and, at times, it is hard to understand exactly what it is leading to. No, the focus of the story is the characters. Characters like Isaac, Yale and the city. Specially the city. It is an homage to a now distant past of history, viewed from the lens of a troubled mix of a real and fictional man. It is hard to defend most of Isaac's actions. And it is way harder to get mad at them. It is a movie about imperfection, ego, society, intellectuals and love. And it is great. A great movie to be rewatched as many times as you can.

Another great entry in this epic franchise but, this time, with something different. Sure, the MI formula is still there, but there are so many characters, locations and interests that, somehow, all add up to a very simple plot. This should be a complex movie, but it never feels like that. It is always clear what is happening, who is doing what and why. When something feels odd, it is because it is. Maybe it is simply a side effect of having so much baggage or maybe it is intentional, but it is a clear characteristic throughout the movie. Cavill's acting can appear poor, but, at the same time, it seems like that is his character. Even the addition of another huge star can't shift the focus from Cruise, who completely dominates the screen, leaving gaps only to be perfectly filled by his co-stars. The action is, as always, insane. Not much to be said about it, just MI level of epic. It is one of the best action movies of the decade and certainly of 2018.

The first scene perfectly captures the movie: fast and jaw-dropping. It is an action packed movie, and it is goddamn good. It shows how rare a franchise like MI is, being the fourth great movie (and third in a row) in the series. Cruise's chemistry with everyone is as fluid as ever and the team feels more mature and, at the same time, more interesting. Solomon Lane is a great antagonist and there is no denying Sean Harris gets a well deserved second best villain in the franchise, only after legendary Philip Seymour Hoffman. It is a great movie, executed brilliantly and it deserves the praise it gets.

Following MI 3 is no easy task. Nevertheless, this movie delivers all that it had to do to honor its predecessor, and more. It follows the same formula as MI 3 but it does it so well, you can watch them back to back and get a kick out of it (which I did). The addition of Jeremy Renner is great and, even though Ving Rhames is pretty much out of the movie, the team feels complete. It is one of the only stable things in the series, Ethan's team has a very well established personality, that gets expanded with each new title added. And yes, the action is absolutely insane. It is something that is already expected from Tom Cruise and MI, but is always a pleasure to see, just like this movie.

After the worst installment in the series, MI 3 comes as a deserved "palette cleanser", setting up the structure that would become the standard MI movie: Ethan is after a McGuffin, having to do impossible tasks to save the world from a very bad bad guy. And that's it. It is a movie that you can start watching at any time and it will surely be a fun time, with great action scenes and some really crazy scenarios. The cast is off the charts on this one, with Philip Seymour-Hoffman almost stealing the whole movie. His interactions with Cruise are great and his character is almost a perfect inverse of Ethan's, in a very Manichaean way. All in all, this movie is fun and action-packed and is always a blast to come back to.

Let's get the obvious out of the way: Her is a stunning movie. The world created, the framing, the color pallete and everything in between make it so it looks like a series of paintings shown back to back. The core concept is great and it brings in a lot of very interesting questions but, when trying to elaborate on it, the movie regularly stop to indulge itself. Long beautiful shots that do little, if not nothing, to the overall story appear out of nowhere, serving only as a movie snob talking point. Because of this, Her lost the opportunity of being one of the very best of the decade, instead staying as a stunning art piece that tells a good, but shallow, story.

Saying that a Wes Anderson movie is beautiful is kinda unnecessary. The colors, the framing and the subtle details all make it so this movie looks like a series of paintings stitched together. Nevertheless, the movie has substance to back it up. With quick and witty dialog, it makes you wonder where is it going, just to make a turn once you believe you got it. It does fenomenal cinema without taking itself too serious, and, in the end, it is it's beauty that makes it such a masterpiece.

This movie is a little golden gem of CGI and storytelling, wrapped with a smart plot and a great cast. The movie is light, but manages to tell lots of very important lessons all without sounding too preachy. The CGI is great and makes the characters lovely and the actors do a great job selling the presence of the animals. In short, it is definitely worth a watch and be sure you will fall in love with a little bear with very little brain.