Displaying Review 1 - 5 of 7 in total

• Run Alana ! Run ! — for Licorice Pizza
  Written by Simzilla on 09.01.2023

  While the 70s constitute an appealing setting , the common thread that justifies this powerful jump back in time is clearly clumsy, barely believable and thus quite annoying.

  At the top of the mountain of annoyance lies Cooper Alexander Hoffman's character : Gary Valentine.
  Apart from an irritating hexis, this young boy's ethos is capitalism in its most common form.
  Therefore, making money and being famous are this only son's main purposes of his teenage years, no matter how ridiculous he can be.

  On the other side of this relationshiip, Alana Kane (played by Alana Haim) is way more interesting, embodiying young adult's (and especillay young women's) uneasiness with all the choices that she has to make.
  However, this uneasiness will transform into a series of unfortunate choices, the first and most tragic one being responding to Gary Valentine's catcalling, and somehow being attracted to him.

  Nevertheless, in addition to a wonderful picture, the 70s recreation is refreshing, especially thanks to a great soundtrack ("Let me Roll It" and "Stumblin'in" at the top of the list).

• Gruesome Poetry, Revenge and Bloodshed… a Viking Dream — for The Northman
  Written by Simzilla on 10.01.2023

  In a world where everyone is mystical, no sentence is pronounced without a strong feeling or a deadly premonition.

  Appart from very well choregraphed fight scenes, this movie seems to distinguish itself thanks to gloomy and oneiric visuals, particularly ones linked to Nordic Mythology.

  The story’s simplicity (a pure revenge) sweetens screenplay shortcuts, the main one being the prophecies that annihilate any suspens, but crystallises the visual importance of every shot.

  The exhilarating violence and the mise en scène of great landscapes also turns out to be huge incentives to invest viking worlds.
  Playing viking video games (Assassin’s Creed Valhalla in particular) and wander through this untamed nature could extend such a cinematic journey.

  For that matter, the whole movie is also kind of built like a video game, the main quest being fulfilled after a secondary quest based on looting a legendary sword.

• I have a bad feeling about this... — for Star Wars: Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker
  Written by Simzilla on 12.01.2023

  ...or what capitalism can do to creation.

  Launched a few weeks before Christmas (the toys won't sell themselves !) and a year after the second of an awful trilogy, Star Wars : Episode IX - The Rise of Skywalker is not much more than a massive cash grab (Another one) from Disney.

  While visual environments seems to be its only quality, this movie stages poorly-written characters going on a series of simple quests, achieved too simply and unexpectingly (in a non-satisfying way).

  Failing raising expectations through a generally akward "epicness", the spectator is baffled in front of all those incoherences within the story and within Star Wars' rich universe.

  Finally, postlogy's usual "fan-service" is no longer enough to satisfy frustrated Star Wars' fans.

• Faceless power and dark places [SPOILERS] — for Cadaveri eccellenti
  Written by Simzilla on 13.01.2023

  WARNING : SPOILERS

  A great example of a binational coproduction (France & Italy), in which the great Lino Ventura stars as Italy best detective, chasing a faceless killer, seeking revenge for an injustice perpetrated by, sweet and old irony, Italian's Justice.

  There is something so grave with Francesco Rosi's Italy (and Italy in general), boiling with tensions and great statured things.

  The power holding Italy together is faceless, bureaucratical and almost sacred. Lino Ventura's character isn't fighting people, he is fighting principles, efforts aimed at maintaining a vision of the world.

  Therefore, just like many Rosi's films, this work is eminently political and a call for rebellion.

  About that, the ending is absolutely majestic and brutal, once again spending the end of a communist revolution for the "greater good" of a country ready to explode.

• Nun Taken — for The Sound of Music
  Written by Simzilla on 22.01.2023

  What a masterpiece filled with laughters, tears and incredible music !

  Even though it may sounds and looks just a little bit cheesy, you have to acknowledge the healing power of music.
  It manages to turn undeservedly deprived of attention (thus rude) children into regular (thus charming) ones.

  The "sassy" captain Von Trap (Christopher Plummer) is also warmed by music and learn to love again, both his children and their governess Maria (Julie Andrews).

  The songs are amazing, with a great austrian touch and consequently as enchanting as a waltz. The austrian touch also provides an overall consistency to the musical atmosphere and to the movie.

  As well, Austria plays a huge role in this movie. The beautiful landscapes, from the massive green mountains to Von Trap's villa, including Salzburg's architecture, strenghten the beauty of a story taking place in a territory threatened by Nazism.

  The story is all the more powerful given that it was inspired by real events.