Dave Bautista, Nikki Amuka-Bird, and Rupert Grint. © 2023 Universal Pictures, Blinding Edge Pictures, FilmNation Entertainment, and Wishmore Entertainment. Directed by M. Night Shyamalan.
Save Your Family or Save Humanity. Make The Choice.
Say what you want about M. Night Shyamalan but he really has returned to the Hollywood landscape with this intense thriller. It doesn't come with a twist but it comes with a heavy dose of his filmmaking style. What's the result? It lands very well and I was surprised by the plot and every character presented in this film. It was indeed intriguing. Join me in this cabin and see what the hell is going on with these people. And no, this is not Funny Games. Story: While vacationing at a remote cabin in the woods, a young girl and her parents are taken hostage by four armed strangers who demand they make an unthinkable choice to avert the apocalypse. Confused, scared, and with limited access to the outside world, the family must decide what they believe before all is lost. Over the course of the film, I did not expect this film to be almost all in one location. I am lowkey glad it is because it makes the film more claustrophobic and crazy. Everyone is crazy in this film, including the child. It's a much smaller film in terms of scale. It's not huge like Glass but it's within the similar realms of Old. The story is huge but on a small scale but still feels huge. The story was well executed since it was based on a book. There are huge changes from the book but for this adaptation, those changes are necessary. There are huge spoilers but the changes here are well done. The plot itself was pretty surprising, especially with certain deaths in the film. The screenplay was pretty good and while there was a lot of exposition, the exposition was necessary. The ending of the film was so well written and it makes the story and plot more dense and emotional because of the performances. I really enjoyed the duo relationship performances from Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge. Their chemistry worked well and with the child actor Kristen Cui as Wen, it was a well-performed dynamic between the three of them. I thought the child was going to be annoying but she was really great in this film. She acted like an actual child but also a smart one as well. I didn't get to the "villains" of the film. The group who intrude on the family played by Dave Bautista, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Abby Quinn, and Rupert Grint are all very great in the film. Rupert Grint was the stand-out from the group. He really delivered a chilling performance that I still remember to this day. It's great to see him on the silver screen again in dramatic roles. He's not the only one who is standing out in this dramatic film. Dave Bautista delivered his best performance since Blade Runner 2049. When given the right material, he knows how to deliver a great performance, and in every film he has been in since Guardians of the Galaxy, he has improved a lot. His recent film roles really showcase his range and I love that this is his strongest performance so far. The other actors are very great as well. I really liked Abby Quinn's character the most since she gets so much emotional screen time to make this situation way worse. Every character gets a moment and by the end, you won't know what's going to happen next. Also, there's no twist in the end so that's good and maybe disappointing if you are a die-hard M. Night fan. Overall, I really enjoyed these strong performances and the characters in the film. The cinematography in this film is very well shot and it's M. Night's best shot film since Split. The production looks very solid and the sound design of the film is very good. This was definitely a strong entry in M Night's filmography but there are some criticisms along the way. I was expecting a lot more intensity from the main villain group of the film, More crazy shit and violence. While I'm fine that they tone down the violence, the craziness didn't peak quite as what I expected. There were some scenes in which the child actor was acting like an adult which seems uncanny for a bit. Plus, there were some dumb decisions in the film that lead to a death or a dumb moment. I was mixed at first but by the end, I was liking it by every second. It's a strong outing from M Night. Overall, this film was very solid with its great performances and unique cinematography that brought M. Night's vision to life. It was fun and dark as hell. While this film could've been more intense, the performances really brought the energy of the film and kept me engaged until the end. I'm looking forward to M. Night's next film with Warner Bros in the future. Now Playing in Theaters Vizeit Score: "A-" (Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for your continue support.) Copyright © 2023. Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr.
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Alexander Skarsgård and Mia Goth. © 2023 NEON, Topic Studios, and Elevation Pictures. Directed by Brandon Cronenberg.
Let Your Darkest-Self Be Free.
I don't know if the Cronenberg family is insane but this is the most insane film I have seen from them. Full on horror, thriller, and weirdness. This is exactly what I miss from thriller/horror films and it's finally time to go back to the craziness of thriller/horror films. Full of bloody performances and insane direction. Join me in the world of Infinity Pool and become a clone to see ourselves killed by a kid who works for Apple but in a sweatshop. Story: Guided by a seductive and mysterious woman, a couple on vacation venture outside the resort grounds and find themselves in a culture filled with violence, hedonism, and untold horror. A tragic accident soon leaves them facing a zero-tolerance policy for a crime: either you'll be executed, or, if you're rich enough to afford it, you can watch yourself die instead. This film was very wacky just in the first 10 minutes of the film. The cinematography alone sold me on what kind of film I'm going to watch and just as expected, it was definitely crazy yet entertaining. I really loved the tone of the film with being so cold while being hot. It's a mixture of both and it's pretty great. It sets up the fictionalized country very well and I loved it. The idea of clones in this world is not new but with Cronenberg's style, it's very haunting yet bloody entertaining. The characters in this film are very great and the obvious standouts are Mia Goth and Alexander Skarsgård. Their performances as these characters are fantastic. Mia Goth's character Gabi was so interesting and compelling. She's so dark but she knows the secrets around the hotel and the country. Plus she's rich, like Alexander's character James. He just wants to have a good time but shit happens and the only thing he can do is watch the chaos unfold and he gets crazy. I love how the film's writing explores the most broken yet normal people turn into chaotic people. Nature of humanity with drinks, blood, and of course, money. All of that can change a person but it won't turn into a crazy chaotic person. They know their limits and how the plot unfolds itself is very smart.
The story structure of this film is very easy to follow by knowing what's going in. It's pretty straight forward and I'll be honest, I was lost for a bit since I couldn't understand the audio from the theater. But when the film shows it much clearer during the dark moments, you will finally be clicked on what's happening around you. I love how it's more of visual storytelling rather than dialogue. For sure the dialogue is pretty great based on the screenplay but the way it was directed was so compelling. The other supporting characters are very good as well and I love how their nature of behaving is chaotic yet reasonable. Your rich and you can do whatever the fuck you want. This is an interesting view of the rich but with a darkly twisted story. The cinematography of the film is absolutely fantastic. I really loved the framing of each scene and the colors behind it. There are normal colors that are presented but one color stands out revealing a lot about a specific scene. It's very well done and the editing of this film is wild. There are three moments of crazy wild editing with insane visuals and it's pretty fucking epic or it will make you dizzy. The erotic moments are interesting because it connects to the whole theme of this film which is immoral class and how far will you go for fun. There are interesting questions being presented in this film and by the end, you will be left with an answer depending on if you liked the movie. This film was wild but it has its own critiques.
There are some moments in the film that made me uncomfortable which is good but the erotic scene was a little too much. It kind of stayed over a lot in the film but I think it was still important in the film to reach its message and themes. I wanted more backstory of these other characters who were part of this "fun" but that's my personal opinion. Some people will not like the ending but for me, the ending really landed very well, however, I felt mixed in weird moments throughout the film but it's still a fantastic film nonetheless. This film was very strange yet fantastic in presenting a compelling story with great performances, fantastic cinematography, and amazing directing from David Cronenberg. It was unique and fresh while being straightforward and easy to follow. Some people won't enjoy it because it's too weird or too experimental but how the story was delivered was very great. Even the unweird moments make the film more personal and feel for the character's feelings. It was definitely an experience. If I hadn't watched this film in theaters, I wouldn't have had the same experience at home. Definitely a home winner! Now Playing in Theaters. Vizeit Score: "A" (Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for your continue support.) Copyright © 2023. Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr.
Rooney Mara, Claire Foy, and Ben Whishaw. © 2022/2023 Orion Pictures, Plan B Entertainment, Hear/Say Productions, and United Artists Releasing. Directed by Sarah Polley.
Watched it at AMC Theaters
Do Nothing. Stay and Fight. Leave. Quick Review: This film was quite a good surprise and it got me very well with the emotional scenes and performances. The story of this film was well executed and it's nice to see different women on screen trying to fight for one cause. What really made me confused was its setting. It's set in the 2010s but it feels weird to see modern technology in a period-setting town. I just found out that there are places like this that still exist around the united states. Not just here but internationally as well. It felt so weird to magical realism with its setting but that got me quite distracted. The performances in the film were very great and two of them were just outstanding. Ben Wishaw and Jessie Buckley gave powerful and emotional performances that it made me tear up. The ending really got me well and you can sense the trouble of these women's lives and the struggles they have been through. The film almost takes place in one location which is the farm and the pacing of this film was pretty good. It started off strong but it was slow mid-way through and the pacing was a little bit fast in the end. There are slow moments that were really great and it gave me time to get to know these characters' struggles and relationships. I really liked Ben Wishaw and Rooney Mara's chemistry in this film and it added so much depth to the whole situation. The cinematography is what grabbed my attention. The coloring is so bleak and it's presented in a much wider aspect ratio. But I will say that the cinematography fits this kind of film but that drew my attention a lot. I will still say this film felt "Oscar-bait" throughout the film but I would say the cast is very great and few actors were snubbed from the Oscars. This was a very well-made film with great performances, interesting cinematography, and a story that will be discussed around its themes of today's culture and society. Very bleak for this type of film. Now Playing in Theaters. Vizeit Score: "A-" (Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for your continue support.) Copyright © 2023. Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr.
Hiep Tran Nghia, Dustin Nguyen, Phi Vu, and Dali Benssalah. © 2023 K Period Media and Thunder Road Films. Directed by Sing J. Lee.
Watched it at Sundance Film Festival 2023 Online through Eventive (Sundance #2)
A Simple Overtime Job Gone Wrong. If I was the uber driver in this film, I would've been dead but this grandpa knows how to calm down in a situation like this. But the situation goes into a complete direction full of heart, drama, and grief behind a director that has full of potential. This film really surprised me mid-way through and I was hooked due to its direction. What makes it more special is that it's inspired by real-life events so I was intrigued by its plot and oh boy, it was sure a well-surprised indie film. Join me on a Uber ride and explore the conflicting lives of these men and the old grandpa just trying to live his life. Story: Long, a Vietnamese driver in Southern California, answers a late-night call for a ride. Already in his pajamas, he reluctantly accepts, picking up a man, Tây, and his two companions. But the men, recently escaped convicts from an Orange County jail, take Long hostage at gunpoint, thrusting him into their getaway plan. When complications arise, the fugitives and their hostage hole up at a motel, and a tense waiting game unfolds. This definitely had that independent film feel but at the same time, it felt like a mid-budget film with excellent camera work and depth writing. I was intrigued by the story of this film and since it was inspired by real-life events, it makes this film rawer. The plot itself was very surprising and it went in a completely different direction that really worked for this type of film. It's a huge scope of a film but when the plot changes in the second act, the film gets smaller but for the right reasons. The film wants the audience to connect with these characters and I was so invested in their journey. The grandpa was very great and I liked his calm performance. His character backstory was quite interesting and it explored a path of redemption while mentioning his past failures. The visual storytelling of his backstory was well done. I really loved his relationship with one of the criminals. Dustin Nguyen's performance was very great and his chemistry with Hiep Tran Nghia who played the grandpa as Long Ma was well done. Their relationship grew from being serious to a father-son relationship. It's heartwarming and it shows that small moments with words and actions can change people's lives. The other two criminals were also pretty good but the one that stood out the best and can potentially get some awards buzz is actor Dali Benssalah as Aden. Dali gives a gut-wrenching performance, especially during an emotional scene between him and Long Ma. That scene inside the motel was haunting and just raw. That scene alone sold me for the entire film with his fantastic performance and amazing directorial debut from Sing J. Lee. Lee lets the scene play out and lets the actors take control of the scene while giving it space to let the director create a distinct look for each scene. I really liked his directing of the film and his drama direction really made it more real and dark while not being over the top. It's a calm drama film but it has weight to it throughout the film. The cinematography is very great with its film look and with the orange lighting and natural lighting, it pops out. I'm glad that my expectations took a turn for the first time in a while and this film really brought what I love about independent films by using huge-scope stories but making it small as possible. Even every little indie film will have some problems along the way which is normal. I would say the pacing of this film was pretty mixed. It was fast in the first 20 minutes but it slowed down but it was fast again but slow again. It was all over the place and I felt like the pace really made me think that the film felt dragged. I wished we could've gotten to know more of Eddie Ly who is the younger robber in the crew. I felt like there was some missing runtime with his character. Plus, the plot felt lost midway through the film but the slower dramatic yet touching moments kept the film focused on the characters rather than the plot which helps the film a lot. Besides that, I thought this was a very well-made independent film. Don't expect some wild action sequences, it's a much deeper film that will either love or might be disappointed. I really was surprised by this film's plot and characters. This was a well-made independent film with love and passion behind this project. Filled with great performances, gut-wrenching scenes, and beautiful cinematography. This was such a pleasant experience and I hope we get more films like this in the future. It's such a nice treat to see more Asian filmmakers in the indie spotlight. Coming Soon... Vizeit Score: "A-" (Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for your continue support.) Copyright © 2023. Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. |
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