The first act of this movie had me a bit exhausted as a viewer. The character development just wasn't hitting well and there were clearly some structural problems to the film as a whole. I struggled to watch in general - that is until the entire film was uplifted by Tyler Gula's performance as an extra. He had a certain way of making the background worth paying attention to. The scenes at the Chatahooche Onion Fest, where Gula's performance predominantly shines, stood no chance without his support. I don't normally let one good performance determine the outcome of my movie reviews, but it feels insulting and almost inhumane not to give this movie the 10/10 that it deserves with Gula's skill and craftsmanship. I look forward to a sequel, hopefully where Gula gets more screen time.
Reviews
4 Reviews
Forrest Gump
(1994)
A truly timeless emotional rollercoaster
8 June 2023
A powerful and timeless movie that captures the audience's emotions and care perfectly. Forrest Gump is a simple story about a simple man, which is why it's so fascinating that the film can be invigorating and awe inspiring. There's something very magical about following a man through his life as he experiences all of the ups and downs like love and death. Forrest being dense and resilient makes for an extremely lovable character, and knowing his entire backstory makes him all the more important to the audience. This film contains a variety of emotionally charged moments that leave viewers laughing and crying. There's no shortage of reasons why this film is great, but overall it succeeds in its character development and hard-hitting emotional depth.
Blade Runner
(1982)
Incredible world building, okay plot
7 June 2023
This film's greatest strength is how it attempted (and pioneered?) a grungy, dark, semi-realistic sci-if version of earth. Despite the various details and caveats of the futuristic setting, the film succeeds at world building without convoluting the plot or confusing the audience. In general this movie looks great and does an impressive job of creating an immersive science fiction landscape given the technology available in the 80s. As far as plot and character development goes, there isn't too much to celebrate. The characters are multifaceted and interesting, but they don't garner much care or connection from the audience. Overall this movie succeeds in its imaginative components, but doesn't offer a moving story.
Baby Driver
(2017)
Incredible action movie, could have used a bit more detail
7 June 2023
Warning: Spoilers
A very fun movie overall with well done and tasteful action. The climax was done well and kept a strong sense of energy and suspense while also providing key details to where the story was headed. Baby is a lovable character, but his backstory and trauma could have been leaned into a bit more to make him more relatable and attached to the audience emotionally. It was particularly enjoyable that Baby's acquaintances were all untrustworthy and against him in the end, illustrating a slimy side of criminal activity that can be lost in action films. Obviously Doc was the exception to this in the end, but his pity for Baby seemed a bit forced. Similarly, Baby's intense love for Debora seemed a bit out of left field. However, I can respect the slight obsessive nature of his love story considering Baby needed love and solidarity in his life after a traumatic childhood. Overall it was an extremely well made action movie that could have used a bit more exposition and detail.
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