Kenneth Branagh. © 2023 20th Century Studios, Kinberg Genre, The Mark Gordon Company, TSG Entertainment, Scott Free Productions, and Agatha Christie Limited. Directed by Kenneth Branagh.
Vizeit Reviews is in solidarity with the WGA & SAG, however, SAG will allow film critics to continue their normal movie critiques as usual but with certain restrictions.
Watched it in Dolby Cinema @ AMC Theaters
Death Was Only The Beginning... Murder cases never finish but for detective Hercule Poirot, this might be his final case. This is Kenneth Branagh's next entry in the Agatha Christie's book series and it's follow up from the unfortunate disappointing Death on the Nile. Branagh takes the series in a new direction with spooky horror and witchcraft elements. How did it end up? This new direction really made up for the previous entry and went back to basics on why the first film in the series was actually good. Join me to visit Venice and see how the murder unfolds during Halloween. Story: In 1947, former detective Hercule Poirot, now retired and living in Venice, must solve the year-old murder of a guest at a séance he attends. The events take place on the eve of Halloween in a palazzo that was an ancient orphanage with a history of ghosts and murders according to the family living in the house. Right away, the film is a huge step up from the previous entry and one of those elements was the presentation. The film is shot in the 1.85:1 aspect ratio from the standard cinemascope from the previous two films. This decision is great because it allows the horror ambiance in the film to feel more real and it's a good change within Branagh's series of films. It feels more alive and it allows the cinematography of the film to feel more expressive and up-close. Speaking of cinematography, this is easily his best-looking film in this series and probably since Thor which speaks a lot. I will also include Belfast because it's a different approach in his directing style but that film felt more personal. The cinematography is more vibrant with a lot of creative angles and shots that create the personality of this film. Even the coloring is a vast improvement from the previous entry. The sound design here is honestly pretty good. If it spooked me with its ambiance and jump scares, it did its job correctly. The production here is also pretty solid and it takes place all in one location but it's much smaller now which is an interesting directing move. One of the elements I was worried about was the editing and pacing of this film. Well, surprise, surprise, the pacing was quicker and the editing was also a vast improvement. Overall, the production of the technical elements of the film was a huge improvement and the film was finally not boring which is a major positive from the last film. Well, how about the story? I'm glad to report that it's definitely an engaging one.
The story is again simple but the one thing I was worried about would be it's execution. Since the story went towards a horror route, I thought it would be cheap and just test the waters. However, Branagh didn't go for a cheap horror route, rather, he experimented with the horror genre mixed in with mystery and it worked well. There were some jump scares for sure but the horror ambience was very much present in the film. The plot is shorter now with this entry being the shortest film clocking in at one hour and forty-three minutes long. It didn't waste it's time to get right into the mystery and I'm happy that it stayed that way. There were barely any filler sub-plots in the film and it was kept central between Branagh's character and the supporting characters. Detective Hercule Poirot's character development was more clear and interesting this time around. We got to see his old detective skills back in use but the challenges present were more engaging, especially within the horror aspects Branagh is aiming for. The side characters were also pretty good and improved as well. The stand-out would be Kyle Allen as Maxime Gerard. I really enjoyed his performance and Tine Fey was a nice addition to the main supporting cast. In terms of character work, it was decent. Overall, the plot was a step-up from the bland second entry in the Hercule Poirot series but there were still flaws that were carried over from the previous two entries.
Throughout the trilogy, one of the constant flaws that is still affecting these films is the underdeveloped side characters, especially the smaller side characters. Even though they are present in the film, we wouldn't have time to see more of their personality and contribution to the main mystery. Also, the murderer in the film was so easy to figure out and it felt a bit cheap. While it's simple and straight to the point, I wish there was more creativity within the storytelling of the mystery, especially since Branagh is mixing it with horror elements. While the film is not boring, it can still be sidetracked for a moment and some moments are sluggish. Some of the characters were pretty wasted which was disappointing. However, the final act of the film really started to turn its tables and it was the best part of the film. Definitely an improvement but it still has its old flaws as usual. If you are looking for a spooky time at the theaters, this is one of the good choices to watch in theaters during the Halloween season! This is a spooky film with solid directing, creative visuals, and an improved story that fans of the series will be happy about. You don't need to watch the other two films to understand the full story. It is its own thing and you will get into the world of Hercule Poirot in no time. Time for a cup of coffee in Italy! Now Playing Only in Theaters! Vizeit Score: "B-"
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Copyright © 2023 Vizeit Reviews / Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC])
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Greta Lee and Teo Yoo. © 2023 A24, CJ ENM, Killer Films, and 2AM. Directed by Celine Song.
Vizeit Reviews is in solidarity with the WGA & SAG, however, SAG will allow film critics to continue their normal movie critiques as usual but with certain restrictions.
Watched it at AMC Theaters
Two Lives Intertwine Once Again In the past, people can change. Futures can be changed. Relationships can be changed. However, one person will at least stay once in your life and bounce back again to begin new beginnings. Past Lives is the answer to new beginnings and revisiting a past life you once had. This is a deep film that explores many themes and once the film ends, you immediately rethink what kind of life you had in the past. Every emotion will hit you once you see the final shot of the film with the beautiful score in the background. Join me in New York City to explore the past lives of these characters and the theme of truly living here and now. Story: Nora and Hae Sung, two deeply connected childhood friends, are wrestled after Nora's family emigrated from South Korea. Decades later, they are reunited for one fateful week as they confront destiny, love, and the choices that make a life. Capturing human moments is very special and I feel like Past Lives captures those moments like it's a documentary within a narrative form. It's special how Celine Song directs her two leads into emotional moments and removes the boundaries to make certain choices that will affect not just throughout the story, but the arcs of those characters. Even John Magaro's character Arthur has a major arc within his relationship with Greta Lee's character Nora. Each character serves a purpose in this story and by the end, there are many emotions flowing in through each character that determine their past lives and their future. I was captivated by the beautifully written screenplay and it allowed certain moments to be so heartful while giving the actors more freedom to explore their character. It doesn't waste time to introduce these characters' lives and it's an interesting feat of a story structure to have these long introductions before heading to the main central story in the present time. I was expecting the film to start right away with the two characters in New York which it does but only for a minute before going back to the past to see how their relationship changed over time until they meet once again in New York. I think it's wonderful and fresh to see that and it goes straight to the point. I really loved the two main leads in the film, especially Greta Lee. She really delivers an outstanding performance in bringing this simple yet emotional character that separates her new life from her old life. Teo Yoo as Hae Sung was also fantastic at delivering an interesting character that many males can relate to. Aiming for the girl of your dreams and suddenly, once you get rejected, you start heading to a different path. However, that same path will crossroads into the original path with the person you fell in love with back in your younger life. It's an interesting analysis of human decisions that open new paths but the old path can come back once the person is ready to restart their original path. Even their old lives can come back and it can reveal their original emotions and feelings. It's a deep film with simple topics and ideas that resonate with audiences about how much we value love and our lives for one another. Love can be challenging but with a new path, that love can expand into something greater.
The cinematography is simple yet beautiful in presenting these emotional and heartwarming moments. The framing on each scene and shot are very well done and it captures the essence of the environments and emotional state of the main leads. The production design is also pretty good too and I love how we get to see both eras of New York City and Seoul change and intersect. The score is absolutely fantastic in elevating emotional moments to their limits. The music is also very relaxing by giving a vacation-type rhythm through each emotion that is presented. The editing here is also well-paced by not wasting time on each scene and letting the emotional scenes breathe and time shine. The New York City trip scene is well edited by giving slow beats while still having a smooth rhythm with its characters. Overall, it's an amazing indie production and it elevates emotional love stories to another level.
This was such an emotional film from beginning to end. Past Lives explores different themes and ideas that many love dramas wouldn't touch and director Celine Song embraces those ideas into something greater. The performances are fantastic, the writing is very strong, and the cinematography is exquisite. Easily one of the best films of 2023 and I'm looking forward to Song's next project to break my heart once again. Now Playing in Theaters and on VOD. Vizeit Score: "A"
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Copyright © 2023 Vizeit Reviews / Vizeit Studios. All Rights Reserved. Review Written By: Everardo Garcia Jr. Editor In-Chief/Owner of Vizeit Reviews | (Chicago Indie Critics Member [CIC]) |
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