Displaying all 4 Review

• Could have been better developed — for Lucy
  Written by Pedro_A on 27.07.2015

  Luc Besson director of films such as Leon: The Professional and The Family presents this year Lucy, a blend of science fiction with action. Judging only by the trailer the film looks like a big roller coaster of emotions and spectacular action scenes, that is the perfect package to a summer blockbuster, what happens is that the inconsistency of the story makes you miss huge points along the way.

  At the beginning of the film we met Lucy, a 25 year-old American girl living in Taiwan, China. Lucy finds herself obliged to deliver a briefcase to a guy named Mr. Jang. She does not know what is inside the briefcase and quickly becomes trapped in a nightmare when she is captured to transport in her body a very powerful drug that would revolutionize the market of trafficking. When the drug bag she carries burst inside her belly, Lucy begins to feel huge differences in her body and her mind is about to reach the maximum power that any human being ever be able to reach, 100%.

  The film tries to have a philosophical side, on the existence of human life and how far mankind will be able to go in the future, but also has a significant religious charge and we can take from it some questions about the existence of God and some elements in the film indicate precisely for that. The problem is that Lucy tries to give too much without giving us time to absorb everything and some times ends up being a mess.

  The plot is not well constructed and some questions about the characters are left in the air. There are elements that could have been better explored and explained that simply remain unriddle.

  What really drives this movie is the good performance of Scarlett Johansson, besides that, the film ends up being a huge disappointment. Luc Besson tried to show some originality, the editing, the way music is used in each scene and how he directs it, the problem is that a lot does not result in the best way. We know that the main character acquired an unusual ability, but some of her actions are simply out of context. The use of humor was also a bit out of place. I think the intent was light up the heavy atmosphere present in some moments, but instead of making us laugh naturally, we ended up laughing of what does not make sense. The character played by Morgan Freeman is not well developed and that is another thing that damages it because turns out to be a key character in the film. He is the professor who supports all this brain theory.

  I had the opportunity to see it in IMAX, as regards the visual effects IMAX screen is perfect for the experience, but honestly I think the story is not worth the money because taking these effects it can well be seen in a normal theater screen.

  The concept could have been better developed, but it certainly kept me entertained the whole time. Only hoped that Lucy was one of the best movies this summer, but in fact is not.

• A huge mess. — for Horns
  Written by Pedro_A on 28.07.2015

  Daniel Radcliffe has made a great effort to "take off" the character who is associated with him for many years, Harry Potter. His work has been very successful and he constantly proves his worth as a good actor he is. Again in Horns, he proves his good skills of interpretation but in a poor and very inconsistent film.

  After the mysterious death of the lovely Merrin (Juno Temple), her boyfriend Igg (Daniel Radcliffe) is the prime suspect of her death. Not that he killed her, but the entire city is making his life an authentic hell. One day when she wakes up, something very strange happens. Two horns had grew on his temples.

  Regarding the technical aspects there is nothing really major to point wrong. The special effects are decent and the camera work is well executed. As for the story, manages to be interesting until the first half hour of film, exploring the criminal part, with an atmosphere of suspense and interesting supernatural elements, even if they are sometimes a little outlandish. The story quality will decrease, becoming increasingly absurd. Sometimes it seems it was trying to portray a "B-Movie", but if that was the intent, it was not at all well done.

  The characters are not all that well developed. Most actors have a very relaxed attitude, it seems that they did not wanted to be there. Only Daniel Radcliffe is the one that he can put some light on this poorly managed project. His interpretation is the only thing that gets away in the middle of everything.

  Horns is a strong candidate to be one of the worst films of the year. When we reached the end we could not tell if we just watch a thriller, horror, science fiction or fantasy. A huge mess.

• excellent portrayal of a disturbed mind, — for Nightcrawler
  Written by Pedro_A on 28.07.2015

  Jake Gyllenhaal is in my opinion one of the best actors in the industry these days and from film to film the admiration for him increases.

  Lou Bloom is desperate for work. Thinks he is an extremely dedicated and competent person, but it seems that he does not have much luck finding something right and worthy of doing. Lou is a lonely, brave and decided man that one day by chance, when driving on a highway, sees an accident. Stops and decides to approach. Seeing a team of freelance camera man's at the accident, he discovers that after all that's what he wants to do in life. He arranges a way to buy a camera and a radio (where he can hear the broadcast channel of the police) and also quickly become a freelancer in the area, selling images of events that involve some type of crime along the city of Los Angeles, to a television station.

  Written and direted by Dan Gilroy, who debuts here in this field in a very solid way, doing the audience get involved by the night of the city of Los Angeles, with the help of a beautiful cinematography. The film manages to entertain and make us laugh at times, never losing the dark and creepy atmosphere. The social commentary is quite strong, focusing on what the sensationalism is in today's society, constantly used in journalism in exchange for mere audiences, which often quite serious situations are ridiculed. Some of the situations despite being somewhat impossible to happen flawlessly result taking into account what the film intends to pass. The main character is very well developed, and grows little by little during the film increasingly motivated in his mission. The more he aims the more the film becomes to have a heavier atmosphere, which makes it by little more disturbing.

  Jake Gyllenhaal has an absolutely fantastic performance! So scary, creepy and deep, can mess with the audience to the point of transmiting real fear. We can believe he is a true sociopath with no empathy for anyone, just wondering about himself. As he influence and manipulate the characters in the film, is able to manipulate us to the point of creating empathy for a man who gradually reveals to be despicable. The supporting cast features Rene Russo, Bill Paxton and Riz Ahmed who maintain quite nicely the brilliant performance of Gyllenhaal that certainly is the big man of the film.

  Nightcrawler is an excellent portrayal of a disturbed mind, which also explores a less beautiful side of journalism that we all know exist.

• See it, because this is a film that will definitely make you very happy — for Begin Again
  Written by Pedro_A on 28.07.2015

  "Are we all lost stars, trying to light up the dark."

  Sometimes there are films that touch us in a special way, not because we identify ourselves with any particular character or any of the situations encountered in it. Simply connect to us giving us a fantastic moment of pure satisfaction and joy! That's what Begin Again made to me. A feel-good film that will make us stay constantly with a big smile on our face.

  A very refreshing dramedy that warms the heart. In it we follow the stories of Dan and Gretta in New York. Dan is a music producer who has seen better days in his career and marriage. For years he do not get a great record deal as in his glory days and his marriage ended recently. Gretta is a composer, from time to time, as he likes to say, not believing her talent always hidden behind the shadow of her boyfriend Dave, a musician who has just been hired by a major record company. Dazzled by everything Dave ends the relationship of five years with Gretta and she wants to go back to England, her homeland. But fate preaches a game to Gretta and Dan. And a splendid and remarkable project makes their lives go back to light, thanks to the power of music! After all there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.

  Two lives that intersect in a twist of fate, with a big push of Music. And what power has the Music in this film!! The entire soundtrack was purposely written for the film and fits perfectly into the whole plot, fitting each track at the right time. A great soundtrack full of songs that leave the audience delighted!

  Mark Ruffalo, my dear Mark Ruffalo, once again fantastic! A very underrated actor who deserves more value that the one he normally gets. An actor who gives himself body and soul to any character he makes. Here we look at him and never doubt that he is that person, that totally lunatic, aimlessly, without any kind of guidance but a man with a huge love for the world of music. Keira Knightley has managed to form a pretty good career and is also quite convincing in this role of songwriter/singer (she even sings in the film and apparently went quite well in that area too). Never thought the chemistry between Ruffalo and Knightley would be so good, but the fact is that they worked wonderfully together. I love the fact that Adam Levine has accepted a role that ridicules some kind of the music career that he has. It makes me admire him in a different way, shows a very humble side that many others might not have the courage to accept. And in here we can see that he really is an excellent singer, singing different songs that he usually records with his band Maroon 5. Then we still have a good Cee Lo Green cameo and very good supporting cast with names like Catherine Keener, James Corden or Hailee Steinfeld.

  John Carney did a great job directing this Begin Again, a film about starting over, dream, believe in ourselves, redemption and above all be happy!The fact that a film creates a bond with the audience makes it even more special. See it, because this is a film that will definitely make you very happy!