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Reviews
The Creator (2023)
Instant cinematic pop cannon. 9/10 a victim of political downvoting.
The creator is instant cinematic pop cannon. It courageously navigates complex moral terrain, making some profoundly brave decisions that challenge some of the more dominant Western political narratives. The film fearlessly points the finger at the USA, forcing audiences to confront uncomfortable truths. Unfortunately, it seems some users are more interested in protecting their fragile national pride than appreciating the cinematic brilliance on display.
It's disheartening to witness individuals downvoting this cinematic masterpiece not based on its quality, but rather out of a misguided sense of patriotism. Such actions undermine the essence of a functional fair user rating system and do a disservice to humanity by hindering the celebration of thought-provoking art. A 9/10 movie being unjustly rated a 5/10 due to misplaced allegiances is a stark reminder that we should evaluate films based on their merits, transcending our personal political brainwashing. "The creator" deserves way better than these low-brow locker room reviews it has received.
Gareth Edwards masterfully employs a Blade Runner meets Apocalypse Now aesthetic to weave a poignant narrative that mirrors current political realities. The film ingeniously portrays "New Asia" as an allegory for the global south, highlighting the unjust parallels between their struggles and those faced by nations in that region.
In this fictional dystopian future, the USA serves as a analogy of itself currently and the global north at large. The perpetual attacks on "New Asia" for entirely misplaced and unfounded reasons is painfully familiar. The film skillfully explores the harrowing consequences of these attacks, depicting the constant threat of annihilation faced by the inhabitants of "New Asia." The monstrous technological weapons employed in the movie symbolise the overwhelming power and dominance wielded by the global north and the ceaseless threat of nuclear armageddon.
At its core, the creator poignantly captures the desire of the oppressed to live free from tyranny, emphasising the universal human yearning for peace and autonomy. The film provides a thought-provoking lens through which audiences can reflect on the socio-political dynamics of our own world, urging us to question the motivations behind global power dynamics and the devastating impact on those who simply seek to lead peaceful lives. By utilising the future dystopia genre, and overlaying it with the problem that all robots want to be free, we get to examine human enslavement to disaster capitalism And ponder a future where the relationships that we will have with our AI companions will be far more pure and authentic than the relationship we have with traditional power structures like the media, our employers, our governments and the military.
Jack Ryan (2018)
From hero to zero. What a waste of some perfectly good IP.
The 1st season of Jack Ryan was at least 7.8 out of 10.
It was very well written. It didn't feel rushed, and at no point did I feel that the writers were talking down to their audience.
It was exciting because it promised to do something new with the action espionage genre. It presented as a new Tom Clancy style bondesque universe, which could be developed over multiple seasons by clever writers, bringing us on a merry ride of intrigue and espionage while showcasing red hot action sequences. What's not to love?
The problem is that the ball was dropped rather dramatically from the 1st episode of season 2. It was a real slap in the face to see that a show with such promise, underdeliver so dramatically. We have seen this problem in the past with season 2 of numerous great shows. A very obvious example of this is homeland, which starts out great in season one and immediately falls on its face from then on.
The fall from grace was even more dramatic with Jack Ryan because it seemed like a completely different writing team had taken over. In the case of the 2nd season, it was a team who appeared to have done, no research, and were perfectly happy to insult their audience at every turn. Perhaps a better way of explaining the difference is that season one felt like it was written for a cineliterate, well-informed citizens of the world. Season 2 on the other hand felt like it was written by an enthusiastic 10th grade student who was pitching their story to a demographic of boomers who've been fed on a strict diet of network news for years. I know Tom Clancy is a bit of a flag shagger But the overall vibe of this presentation is stomach churningly on the nose of pastiche, state department, narrative management.
It was rather painful to sit through season 2 and in the end I would not give it more than 4 out of 10 on the IMDb rating making the show a flop by any measure. I was going to give season 3 a miss because It's my experience that once a show has gone down the wrong road, it's almost impossible to turn it back around. I watched the 1st episode of season 3 tonight, and I must concede that my worst fears were confirmed.
It's unwatchable. And a real kick in the teeth for anyone with any real knowledge of modern history or regional knowledge about Ukraine, Russia or the Czech Republic, etc. It's actually gone from an insulting movie trope to full-on rocky 4 territory. I'm going to watch episode 2 and get back to you. It's safe to say that my expectations are firmly on the floor.
I just finished watching season 3 and I can safely say I I had no connection to any of the characters. It went out with a wimper because nobody is going to care what happens to any these I dimensional characters because the whole world feels fake. I'd give season a 3.8 rating. Perhaps I would have given it a higher mark if season one hadn't been so good.
Amsterdam (2022)
David O Russell's best film yet.
This is another example of people giving terrible reviews to a fantastic film. I don't know why this happens so often. I believe this is David O Russell's best film yet. It's a delightful story full of romance and good-will set in a Kafkaesque past, which points directly at the present. It's a kind of historical document revealing the reasons for war and simultaneously warning the viewer that even the good war in our past was a very bad war, fought for the wrong reasons. That's how it was then, and we are reminded to take heed, least they do it again. They tell us who to hate and who to fear. They create conflict and tell us who to blame. It was ever thus!
Great movie.
Andor (2022)
Watch Andor and die.
Don't read anymore reviews. Just shut up and watch this incredible show. It's a masterclass in entertainment. Perfect casting, the art direction and the overall aesthetic is a high watermark and not just in the star wars universe. The music and the sound design is as good as it gets. But it is the writing that binds the whole thing together giving many of the actors an opportunity to deliver career best performances. Tony Gilroy brings us on a completely unique journey into a world controlled by actual fascists (rather that the comic book variety) but more specifically he allows us into intimate quarters with radicals and freedom fighting, terrorists. We're giving immediate access to the inner workings of these multifaceted characters. We understand what they must do, we know what compells them and because of this intimacy with the characters we're 100% invested. Every episode has these perfectly crafted speeches examining oppression, power and sacrafice through rebellion.
I'm not sure if it's intricacies and insigh will land on kids with the same impact but I believe that over time it'll become a fan favourite.
My only gripe is the week by week delivery is driving me nuts with anticipation.
Two episodes left to go and I would be dumbfounded if Gilroy dropped the ball at this stage.
Watch Andor and die.
Westworld (2016)
Pay no mind to the 2/10 reviews.
I just finished season 2 and it's a masterpiece. Incredible writing which references and dissect a range of different core philosophical concepts. It's truly a fantastic production with a great cast at the height of their powers. It's so thought provoking and cerebral that I'm astonished it was ever made in this reality TV hell world, we've created. I've no doubt that it's way too much for casual viewers but thinking is not for everyone. Can't wait to start season 3.
Patrick's Day (2014)
This movie isn't for pussies, it's a deliberate and awesome attack on the senses!
I saw Patrick's Day last night in Dublin! I've been looking forward to seeing this movie for a long time mainly because I admire Terry McMahon the writer/director. What he did with his first movie Charlie Casanova was one of the most inspirational stories of the recession. Getting it made and then picked up by studio canal at a time when everything seemed impossible, was a fist pumping "get in there" achievement! Terry should be a hero for any independent filmmaker and indeed any artist with the desire to undertake a project that's immense and insurmountable while encumbered by the economic vicissitudes of reality today. Taking all that into account I probably would've been happy enough if Patrick's day just didn't suck. I know the film has won awards and was lauded by many influential people who appear in the marketing material that wild-card distribution are using. But I'm afraid, I've become a cynic of late. I just don't believe anything that I read or see on the Internet any more, least of all anyone's self promotion. Despite my newly found cynicism I bought my ticket and popcorn, picked a seat in the middle of the middle of the theatre and strapped myself in for an experience where I knew absolutely anything could happen. I found over the years that when it comes to watching Irish made films, I've had to dramatically lower my standards and just watch it as a probably scarlet, Paddy flick and allowances would have to be made for its myriad flaws! Patrick's Day is not one of these movies, no dropped standards or allowances were required! Indeed all the balls stayed firmly in the air throughout. Not a scarlet moment, does it have! It sounds great, it looks great and it tells a riveting story which although it is original, it's dripping with the stuff of universal human condition! I'm not going to give anything away about the plot, I think the less you know about it before you see it, the better! The DP Michael Lavelle did an outstanding job! I don't remember walking away from many Irish films before, thinking about how the colour palettes were used to reflect the different moods of the characters. Is it usual to watch an independent movie and come away musing on one-point prospective and the symmetry of staging? I don't think so! They use some very clever camera work with first person perspective shots slipping in and out of focus to visually represent to the audience moments of intoxication or madness! In another quite magical and incredibly intimate scene the DP manipulates background light to create these abstract shapes conveying erotic human union. That might sound a bit artsy fartsy but it's not because none of the techniques are gratuitous and the pace of the movie never drops enough for you to put your bitchy critical hat on! The sound-design, effects and tracks were all perfectly and seamlessly mixed together. This sounds like a platitude but audio is one area where an indie-movie can let itself down tragically. On the contrary, here I believe the whole sound department did a whopper job with more than a couple of stand out 'wow that's really impressive audio' moments. At times reminding me of a Joe Wright movie like Atonement because at cretin subtle audio effects are ratcheted up in the moment up to assault the senses for dramatic effect! Patrick's Day is Patrick Fitzgerald's story! Patrick is a schizophrenic man in his mid 20s who's been institutionalised for most of his life! Moe Dunford plays the part just like a fully-fledged movie star. For a relatively unknown actor it's ridiculous that he has such a strong camera presents! I have no doubt that we'll be seeing Moe again on the big screen, he's a proper actor who brought the good stuff to every scene! Kerry Fox who played Patrick's mother Maura was also very good as was Catherine Walker who played the love interest Karen Prescott. It's a story about mental health, sexuality, parenting, lies, control, authority, betrayal, violence and truth but it's primarily about love! Love under madness or madness under love! It's a provocative, compelling story, which skips along with nimble pace, only stopping to labour a point when some captivating acting demands it. There are some extraordinary scenes throughout the movie showcasing exceptional acting skill! You can see the actor's motivations and objectives, the obstacles in front of them and exactly what they're prepared to do to overcome these obstacles. During the 102 min's, I was moved to tears, laughed out loud a few times and even managed to squeeze in a fist pump. This movie isn't for pussies, it's a deliberate attack on the scenes and it will stay with you for some time afterword. This director is someone who is never short of something to say, so I found it remarkable that the same man makes choices with his direction, which favour showing over telling, again and again. As the writer, he's in every frame of the movie and the choices always appear to be objective, there's a definite reason why everything is done. He's telling us something, something gross and something subtle with the faintest whisper of the writers devices and chicanery, left only for the very perceptive to notice! This is a really good movie, it ticks so many boxes that it's easy to see why it swept the boards at all the festivals. I'm Very proud of Terry and Moe and everyone else involved, looking forward to seeing it again and I'm also super excited about what Terry will do next. Make sure you go to see it and support Irish Film.