Idris Elba and Tilda Swinton. © 2022. MGM, FilmNation Entertainment and Kennedy Miller Mitchell. Directed by George Miller. I Grant You Three Wishes, Based on Your Heart Desires. It Can Be Anything!
After 7 years, George Miller is back again in the filmmaking landscape by creating a film that includes a genie and weird magical stuff that makes sense. That's the crazy mind of Miller but in this film, everything is filled with Miller's style. It's a one-of-a-kind film that studios won't support anymore due to budget and marketing reasons but fuck the film executives. Let my boy create whatever he wants and it better be good in the end. Well, it was good but this film will be another example of why Hollywood will stray away from these kinds of films for the better or worse. Join me into the world of Adult-Aladdin but not the other shit you are thinking about. A more mature story filled with magical shit everywhere that will glaze your visual experience. Welcome to the world of wishes. Plot: The film follows Alithea, a narrative scholar who uncorks The Djinn, a mystical being who has been imprisoned multiple times over thousands of years. The Djinn recants his history to Alithea, detailing the many loves and tragedies he has catalyzed in three ancient societies. But Alithea learns about his true trauma and the missing piece in his magical life. When going into this film, I expected to see a bunch of George Miller visuals and weird storytelling that makes sense. That's what I got out of that and it works. The visuals are dazzling with great visual and practical effects. I really loved the costume design in this film and it works for every time period that it switches to. The cinematography is very interesting with a lot of unique shots and visual language that helps the story make sense between each location. The production design is amazing. A lot of detail mixed with visual effects help the scene itself look seamless. The CGI is pretty great for a mid-budget film and I feel like the effects are the standouts of this film. The visual daze makes this film unique because, without that, it would be just dialogue without any visual help. The cinematography and production design including costumes and sets are the ones who carried this film. But the story itself is also pretty good. It's basically a mature story of Aladdin but told on a different level. The genie (or Djinn) tells his long story about how he got into this situation and gives an opportunity to Alithea played by Tilda Swinton to grant three wishes. It's an interesting story about going through the history of time but with magical elements and on top of that, you got a genie who can grant wishes to random people. While the setting looks like old history, Miller directs it like a true fantasy film and makes it eye-popping on screen. That's unique to Miller's filmmaking style and it works very great here. We get to see the origin of Djinn, all the way to the present time. It's an interesting story and the characters are pretty good. Idris Elba is still great as always with his performances and he does a great job here. I like his dry humor and his genie attitude. Tilda Swinton as Alithea was also pretty good. She gives the emotional part of the story and we get to have more time with her in the final 20 minutes of the film and we get to see what wishes she wished for. The wish she said was pretty interesting and it helped what is story is trying to tell and it flows with the main plot. I love when filmmakers go for crazy original stories like this and I'm glad this film exists. But even with original stories, it might have some problems along the way and it may affect the future of big-budget original films. While I appreciate the original story and the filmmaking behind it, there were some plot issues during the film. One of which is setting the main character aside throughout the second act and maybe the final act of the film. Tilda Swinton didn't get to do much while only commentating on Idris Elba's character story. I thought we would see Tilda's character go through the events in some magical way to get a sense of a character's feelings. But unfortunately, it was just a retelling and if I was in Tilda's shoes, I would get lost mid-way. That's why I like how they implemented the storytelling technique through show and not tell. Well, it was show and tell basically. I kind of disappointed with how it was executed but sometimes, that's a good thing. Another flaw was the ending. Yes, the ending but the real reason the ending didn't work for me fully is that I thought the film was over. Once a happy scene was concluded, I thought this was it but not really. It happened like two or three times until we got the true ending. It bugged me a lot and while I liked the actual ending, I didn't like how the final act kept dragging until the film actually reached for a true ending. That bugged me a lot and I wish they could've cut it short in my opinion. Some of the characters in the story of Djinn were pretty weird and they didn't serve a lot to the story. Basically, some plot issues and weird ending editing cuts, but it didn't take away and enjoyment of the visual daze from Miller. This film was very unique in its presentation. The direction is still alive from Millar's style of filmmaking. I really loved the visuals and cinematography of this film including the production of this film. From set design to costumes, it worked very well and it could receive any nominations. The performances are enjoyable but the plot was underdeveloped and it could've used more work on it, especially the ending. It was a lot of movie, but fewer connecting parts to the main character. But in the end, I enjoyed this film for what it is and it was indeed a visual daze from beginning to end. Now Playing Only in Theaters. Vizeit Score: "B" (Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for your continue support.) Copyright © 2022. Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr.
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John Boyega and Selenis Leyva. © 2022. Bleecker Street, Salmira Productions, EPIC Magazine, Little Lamb, and UpperRoom Productions. Directed by Abi Damaris Corbin. Watched it at AMC Theaters
Based on a true story, a veteran must rob a bank not to get his money, but to send a message. This film was riveting and there was something about this film that made me appreciate more and love this story and film. It's a sad story for sure but there is some truth behind it. True filmmaking care behind it and they respected the real-life story and people behind this tragic event. This is a film that will be looked at in the coming years when the VA or something about the US government gets exposed of something. This film really captivated me and today, you will read why this film could become truly special for these kinds of stories in the future. Plot: Desperate for money and running out of options, Marine veteran Brian Brown-Easley holds several people hostage inside a bank, setting the stage for a tense confrontation with police. But everything starts to turn when he notices the racial tension between the cops and himself. But there is someone who can help him to keep him alive and still get the money from the VA department. This story was very interesting when I read the synopsis and realized that it was based on a true story. I was going to watch it at Sundance but I rather wait to watch it in theaters and that was a great decision. This film felt it needed to be seen in theaters because of the great cinematography and great directorial debut directing. This film was really strong for an independent film and it passed my expectations. The story was sad yet tense and there was so much depth to make the audience care for the real-life character and they did justice. John Boyega's performance was very fucking good with a lot of emotions and he really made this person feel real on screen. John Boyega is such an underrated actor and he should deserve a lot of attention for this performance. The other side characters including the hostages and police chief were also great as well. The late Michael K. Williams was great in the film as well. I really enjoyed his performance and it hits differently when I see one of his final performances on screen. The characters were great, and we get to see their point of view of the situation, which gets very tense in the end. There was interesting racial tension as well with some of the cops and the FBI. They really did not hide that and that's really good. It can be a little controversial but when you watch the final words on the screen, it really changed the whole point of view of this story and film overall. The production of this film is really great as well. I liked the set of the bank and they had money to have badass cops around the bank. I really liked the cinematography and the color palette was very sleek. Overall, the production was very great and it managed to look like a mid-budget film. The makeup on John Boyega's character looked very similar to the real Brian Brown-Easley and they did a great job in that department of filmmaking. The story and characters are strong and they really brought the tension high to this film. But some of the tension didn't quite work out for me. One of the biggest flaws of this film is that some of the tension was starting to die down. Midway through, I felt like some of the tension was dying down due to lack of any new story development with some of the side characters or the cops not doing anything. There was some tension near the end but it died down quickly. The scenes with the ex-wife were interesting but they didn't quite grab my attention. Only the kid and the father were very important and not the ex-wife which kind of disappointed me. Plus, I wanted to see more of a reaction to the mother before the finale. Michael K. Williams's character was great but I felt like he didn't get enough screen time or character development to connect with Brian. But it came in full circle in the end with his final scene. We still don't know what led to Brian's death which is a real-life mystery but I wish they could've explained it more. Basically, in much simpler terms, the second act was slow yet felt empty. It started to lose its steam within its dramatic storytelling and I felt like there was something missing that keeps me holding back. There was tension for sure, but it didn't grab that full tension between Brian and the hostages. It was quite there but didn't quite catch it. But in the final minutes of the third act that leads to Brain's death, that's where the film starts to pick its pace up. Just some narrative story issues but still, this was solid overall. This is a very solid directorial debut and there was passion behind this unique project. Interesting real-life story with great performances, solid cinematography with a cool blue color palette, and great independent production. This was a great indie film and I'm happy that these kinds of films are still being produced and that's why I love about independent cinema. I recommend watching this film and this is a director that should be followed in the coming years. What an interesting independent film! Now Playing Only in Select Theaters. Vizeit Score: "B" (Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for your continue support.) Copyright © 2022. Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Anamaria Vartolomei. © 2021/2022. IFC Films, Rectangle Productions, France 3 Cinéma, and SRAB Films. Directed by Audrey Diwan. Watched it on AMC+ (Written on Letterboxd)
Quick Review: Politics and views aside, this was a well-made film. Great 4:3 cinematography, great lead performance, and an uncomfortable experience. It’s pretty fucked up in the most important part of the film and it’s pretty graphic. I liked the slow pacing of the film. Some parts were too slow in my opinion. The story is pretty good and I like how they explored the time in which abortion is legal. When it got to that part, it felt like some black market shit not gonna lie. Some of the side characters were good and I liked the mother and daughter relationship. Some of the characters' decisions were pretty dumb. But I still liked the raw filmmaking of this controversial topic and it does it well. Overall, it’s a well-made film and while some things didn’t work for me or felt too slow that it took out the story, it was still a solid independent film from France. Now Streaming on VOD and on AMC+ Vizeit Score: “B” (Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for your continue support.) Copyright © 2022. Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Idris Elba. © 2022. Universal Pictures, Will Packer Productions, and RVK Studios. Directed by Baltasar Kormákur. We are now in the Lion's territory
I would never see one day a film about Idris Elba fighting against a CGI lion that has better visual effects than most of the phase 4 MCU projects. But here we are. This film was pretty entertaining and while it has its flaws, this film just wants the audience to be entertained. It's a big fucking lion for Christ sake. This ain't Scorsese level of filmmaking, it's basically the summer's The Meg but with lions. Join me in South Africa and explore this wild jungle of animals and we might see Idris Elba fighting a green screen guy in the middle of nowhere. Recently widowed Dr. Nate Daniels and his two teenage daughters travel to a South African game reserve managed by Martin Battles, an old family friend, and wildlife biologist. However, what begins as a journey of healing soon turns into a fearsome fight for survival when a lion, a survivor of bloodthirsty poachers, begins stalking them. This film was pretty tense which I was surprised. There were quite a few jumpscares that actually got me but some of them were cheap which was expected. The budget for this film is around $36 million and it looks like a big budget film which was pretty surprising. This film really pulled the movie magic which is a major plus. What I liked about the production of this film is that it was shot on location and used as many practical effects as possible. The cinematography is good but I liked how they try to cut less in the film and tried to use a lot of one-take shots. That's creative and I'm happy they went through that route of editing. The production is pretty solid overall and they really used a lot of creative production techniques to make this film look expensive. The story is also solid and I liked how half of the film is in the day and in night. The night sequences were more tense and more fun. Pretty dark but I felt like it's the right choice so they can hide some of the visible CGI on the lion. Back to the narrative story, I thought it was basic but the performances really helped this film. Idris Elba is still great in every film including this one. He stole every scene and he was the best part. The daughters were decent and not that annoying but sometimes, they are. I was so happy to see Sharlto Copley back again on the big screen and he's such an underrated actor. He's getting old but he was pretty cool in this film and his chemistry with Elba works well. The action scenes were entertaining and well directed. The opening scene is a mix for me which I will get into later. But the final fight scene was legit fucking good. A lot of tension and it really got me on the edge of my seat. The pacing of this film is 50/50 but it was short. Plus, the family scenes were pretty good which is important to the story. However, this film falls flat in some sections. The story was simple but I felt like the story could've used more work on some sections like the family relationship and the mother relationship. The dream sequence is pretty weird and I felt like it had no purpose in the film. I wish there was an explanation but there wasn't. The daughters were kind of annoying, but at least they helped. There were some dumb decisions in the film which was expected to make the story tenser which is great but let's be smart for one second. The opening scene which was cool had some problems not on the story, but on the technical level. It may be my local theater but it looked like it had a 720p resolution with a lot of visible film grain. It could be my shitty eyes but I don't believe it. The poacher's side plot was wasted. They only showed up in the beginning and they showed up in the middle but they got killed right away which was pretty stupid. Plus, I don't know what happened to the main leader. I was interested when they mention an important detail about Sharlto Copley's character in relation to the poachers but never mentioned it again. I was interested in that single sentence but disappointed when it wasn't mentioned ever again. Some cliché moments and story problems but it didn't ruin the fun. This film was meant to be just a fun August movie and it was. Even with the flaws, it didn't ruin the fun of watching a Lion beating the shit out of Idris Elba. This was basically The Lion King and Life of Pi but mashed together as an action/horror film. This film was fun and it's a good film if you want to watch something quick. Would I see it again, maybe not but who knows. Just enjoy the film and try to pray for the characters to live. If you reach that, you are in for a good time. Plus, this is the final action summer film before we head onto the film festival season. Can't wait! Now Playing Only in Theaters. Vizeit Score: "B-" (Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for your continue support.) Copyright © 2022. Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Watched it on Peacock 🦚 (Written on Letterboxd) Quick Review: What in the hell did I just watch? Is this torture p**n or A24 horror but with a bad story? Uhhh, both. This film was empty with an unexplained message. While the ending did say the message, the second act was boring and meaningless. The fucked up scenes really got my attention but they didn’t do much with the story. Another fucked up movie called Men (2022) had those scenes but it made sense right away in the first act of the film. It's just narration with barely any dramatic story and even the performances didn’t save this film. I was pretty disappointed with the story and I wish they focused more on the story. However, the fucked up scenes really creeped me out which is good. Plus, the cinematography is very great. It's just wasted with this interesting story but the execution of it was not working. This film could’ve been more great if they didn’t harm that poor baby. Bruh, y’all fucked up. Go watch The Witch because it has a story and great characters. Not this, I'm sorry. Now Streaming on Peacock 🦚 and on VOD. Vizeit Score: "D" (Share this review with your film friends and on social media! Thank you for your continue support.) Copyright © 2022. Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. |
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