FLASHLIGHT REVIEWS - a collection of the last three months

 Hello there puny humans,

I have been neglecting you, and I am sorry. Stuff got in the way and so I didn't have time to write extensive reviews. I did, however, join the site Letterboxd, a great community which allows you to share your movie going experiences by writing short reviews, keeping a movie diary and creating fun lists. Since writing down quick thoughts is a little easier than going in-depth, I have shared my opinion there instead of on this blog, but I am willing to return to writing longer reviews, because quite frankly, I kind of miss it. But to give you an overview of what I've watched for the past couple of weeks, here is a collection of short reviews (some of which I also wrote on Letterboxd):

Black Panther:

18 movies in and this film still manages to add amazing world-building to the MCU. An immensely stylish movie that has an incredibly cool Bond-esque sequence in its first act. Though the film is almost on the brink of contradicting itself concerning the themes, its ties to real life problems of the POC community give it an unexpected depth. The action in this film is fine (nothing too special) and although our hero battles a villain with a similar set of powers once again (a bit of a Marvel standard procedure when it comes to origin stories), the film has enough other cool stuff going on to make for a compelling and fresh new superhero film.

Loving Vincent:

Citizen Kane meets Post-Impressionism! A great mix of mystery and biopic with a visual aesthetic that is truly unique. It loses a bit of momentum before its final act, but is a brilliant character study and a beautiful piece of art nonetheless.

Wind River:

A fantastic thriller that is told very calmly but is all the more effective for it. The cast, the script, the direction - everything works. If you are a sucker for somber atmospheres, a neo-western feel and what I call Blood-In-The-Snow films, then you will enjoy this a lot. And just like in "Hell or High Water", writer Taylor Sheridan manages to organically weave in some social commentary as well. As a result, this is a film that really sticks with you after you've seen it. It's scale might be small, but its impact is big. For Fans of "The Dark Valley", "Logan" and "Deadfall".


The Disaster Artist:
This is not only a much needed Behind-the-Scenes look at one of the most strange and crappy movies in the world, it is also so respectful and good-hearted, that you actually deeply empathize with this strange man called Tommy Wiseau.

Ready Player One:
Missing and/or simplifying some of the more intriguing elements of the book, this film still is a fun action-adventure spectacle. Solid popcorn cinema. Not more, not less.

A Quiet Place:

Damn, I love movies with interesting concepts, some kind of world-building and an attention to detail. This film is one of those. Additionally, there is beautiful creature design, awesome sound editing and a powerhouse performance by every single member of the cast. It's masterful! I am rarely a fan of straight up horror films, but I think they can be highly impactful when they borrow from other genres. Here, Krasinski obviously made a suspenseful family drama that just so happened to take place in a horror scenario. As a result, both elements are even more effective as they each elevate the other.

Isle of Dogs:
Something really special. As a cat person, I feel guilty for liking this...


Solo - A Star Wars Story:
Solo is a fun adventure with some great action pieces. I had my doubts about Alden Ehrenreich, but I think he does a pretty good job. And Childish Landino was just perfectly cast. Some of the revelations concerning Han's origin however do not completely work and the way the plot evolves is not that organic. But all in all, I would say there is fun to be had with this, despite its flaws.


Tully:
An unpolished look at motherhood with fun dialogue, sympathetic characters and an intriguing story. I really enjoyed this, and Charlize Theron is fantastic in it.


Jurassic World - Fallen Kingdom:
In contrast to popular opinion, I loved this film. The main characters are much less one-dimensional than in Jurassic World and this time the movie actually has consequences for the franchise. There's jokes (not all but most work), big action and even a little horror thrown in the mix. Also the direction is beautiful!


Ocean's 8:
The cast had great chemistry, the jokes worked well, everyone looked cool (Cate Blanchett was gorgeous), the plot was convenient at points but kept me invested (and was still better than Ocean's 12) and the heist was entertaining. This was fun! I'd watch a sequel.


So these are my quick thoughts on the movies I've watched recently. I will pick up on writing longer reviews soon! Till then, feel free to join and follow me on Letterboxd.

Sincerely,
Your Cinemartian