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La La Land (2016)
Timeless
There was an awkward moment at the Oscar's ceremony in 2017 when La La Land was announced the best picture only to be overturned a minute later in favor of Moonlight. The latter was a good movie, no doubt, but a year later stood mostly forgotten. While Damien Chazelle's masterpiece is infinitely rewatchable 7 years after and have not lost an inch of it's charm. So I believe the incident at the awards was really a Freudian slip hinting who the real winner was.
La La Land is the kind of movie that reminds me of what Hollywood is capable of when they really put their heart and soul into a project. It's a beautiful love letter to classic musicals while still feeling fresh and new. The best part for me was the performances given by Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. They're both so talented, and their chemistry on screen is off the charts.
The Wheel of Time (2021)
A feminist power fantasy
Imagine a secluded backwater village in medieval times. Then imagine it being filled with all possible human races except maybe for native americans and eskimos. When the trolls suddenly attack and start mowing through this beautifully diverse crowd, it's the women who heroically fight back while men run around and just die. There is also magic in this world but only women are allowed to use it. Because of reasons. Men who dare so are hunted down like beasts by amazonian inquisition corps.
Add to that wooden acting, everyone speaking in snappy one-liners and cheap special effects. And you get a sense of why this show will not last past first season.
Ad Astra (2019)
Retelling of Pinocchio story in space
Ad Astra is quite an ambitious and multilayered movie. On a surface level it's a grand space adventure: packing interesting action from earth premises to the edge of our solar system. Brad Pit is in his natural waters here and delivers a solid performance. Renderings of outer space are beautiful and accompanied by a chilling soundtrack.
Then there is a deeper psychological level to the film. It's hinted by frequent emotional checkup sequences and flashbacks of the protagonist's father. Many modern viewers might struggle to understand this part. I've read one review where it was summarized as "a stoic, closed-off astronaut with daddy issues".
In my opinion, the key to Ad Astra can be found in a Pinocchio story - it bears striking similarities. Both characters start as fakes and are being manipulated by the society around them. Then they choose to undertake a dangerous journey to the deepest part of the ocean (or the space in this instance) and reunite with the father figure. This allows them to become real and create genuine connections in the world. My only complaint was that Brad had some trouble manifesting this part convincingly - thus not a perfect ten.
Girl (2018)
Rather disappointing
The summary and trailer has promised a lot more than was actually delivered. Not once did I felt emotional connection with any of the characters. Pacing and story building were way off. Overall it felt like a plot device for an underlying ideology rather than personal drama.
I would rather recommend watching "Una Mujer Fantástica" for the topic of trans experience,
Emilija (2017)
A honest review for non-Lithuanians
The story takes place in 1972, city of Kaunas, former Socialist Republic of Lithuania (now just Lithuania). The events coincide with famous self-immolation of dissident Romas Kalanta, which really took place and was hidden from wider public until the collapse of Soviet Union. The main plot however is fictional and centers on a group of young theater actors determined to show a play which contains not so subtle patriotic messages to free the country.
We, Lithuanians, seem to really like making sad books and movies, full of internal drama - and this is a good example. Staying true to this tradition, there is not a single comic relief in this 2 hour length feature film. However if you look closely, you would notice that the entire underlying system (Soviet rule) was a joke.
Western depictions often tend to show Soviet Union (and now Russia) in some sort of romantic light. The truth is that there was nothing romantic about it, ever. It was a system designed to rape people of their humanity and to propagate for no apparent reason. Emilia's movie tries to evoke this feeling by showing insane evil guys chasing a poor defenseless girl. It certainly adds to drama, but is not very realistic. Actual circumstances of the times were a lot more bleak and boring. I wish this feature would have taken a more subtle approach, showing the faceless and constant self-betrayal of values that really drove the people insane.
In Lithuania we do not have a big movie industry, therefore most of the actors came straight from the theater stage. This is very apparent, as most of the performances are static. Same expressions, limited movements, long monologues. These are not necessary bad, but probably quite different from what you're accustomed to in cinema. Luckily some awkwardness is offset by the fine work of operator - we can enjoy some good character angles and beautiful scenes of Kaunas city.
Overall this movie is not an Oscar material, but it has some unique flavor, which sets it apart. It reminded me the value of individual and social freedom, something that most people, even who know nothing of the events depicted, can still relate to. Therefore a recommended watch.
A Walk to Remember (2002)
a cheesy collection of clichés
No one has warned me about this, so let me tell you straight away: it's one of those movies where the girl walks out of the theater with tears in her eyes and has no words to how deeply she has just been touched, while the poor guy she was with feels like vomiting. Why is it so? Because the film plays heavily on female psychology: the insecurities, the bad guy syndrome (oh... but he CAN change), the love conquers it all etc. - all the right buttons. It's almost cheating.
And if you happen not to be a member of the fairer sex then the storyline is as disconnected from reality as earth is disconnected from Pluto. You've seen it ten times before and it's just soooo cheesy. Acting is mediocre - Mandy Moore is slightly above average while Shane West is too busy looking good to even care about it.