Jamie Lee Curtis and Rohan Campbell. © 2022 Universal Pictures, Miramax and Blumhouse Productions. Directed by David Gordon Green.
Watched it on Peacock ?
Quick Review: Well, this is the finale huh? It wasn't through my filmmaking eyes. This was a disappointing entry and finale to the modern Halloween trilogy. While I appreciate the risks it took, the execution of it didn't quite work for me but it has its good moments. I really enjoyed Jamie Lee Curtis's performance and Rohan Campbell was honestly quite good. Campbell tried to give a good character with his performance but his character was honestly one of the major critiques of this film. Campbell's character Corey is so all over the place. The opening scene is the best scene in the entire film because it sets up the aftermath of the second film, plus gives an interesting take on this new character and what will he do in this film. Instead, he's just the robin of Michael Myers and takes the evil from Michael which is an interesting concept. But the execution of it doesn't work that well. The risks here are hit-and-miss. The most disappointing thing about this film is that it doesn't feel like a true finale until the final 15 minutes of the film. That is where I find that laughable. Michael Myers barely has any screen time in the film and we only get one scene with Michael and Laurie Strode together. ONE scene! That is not good for an ending of an iconic horror franchise. However, there are good moments that contain spoilers but I won't say them in this review. Interesting bloody kills but not that heavy like the past two films. Weird cringey dialogue in the film and a typical high school kid group cliché shit. Too fucking 90s now, my god. The ending is a mix for me and while it is the finale, it was a disappointing one as well. Still, it's enjoyable but mid. The cinematography is still very solid and the score is pretty good from John Carpenter. I wish they could've used Corey in a different way that would help the franchise to a nice conclusion but I bet the writers forget about Michael Myers until they finished writing the first draft. As a finale, this was a disappointment. But I got out entertainment value of this film at least. Also, not as scary as the last two, unfortunately. Now Michael Myers can go to Fortnite and have his conclusion there instead of in real life. Now Streaming on Peacock, VOD, and on Blu-Ray. Vizeit Score: "C" (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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Sam Worthington. © 2022 20th Century Studios, Lightstorm Entertainment, and TSG Entertainment. Directed by James Cameron.
Watched it in IMAX 3D @ AMC Theaters
Technology advances every year, and so does James Cameron himself. He keeps outdoing himself in every film he makes and this is by far, his biggest film yet. But can he manage to make a great film? Oh yeah, he can. The fucker did it. He did it again with patience and watching cinema burn until he releases his true sequel cinematic masterpiece. This is a film that should be seen only in theaters on the biggest screen possible in 3D. James Cameron knows his craft and he utilizes every single piece of film technology into creating a world that seems impossible. With one dream, he directed the shit out of this film into becoming a technical masterpiece. It's an experience that all audiences will be in awe and by the time you leave the theater, you want to experience it again. It's tempting but that's how I feel after watching this film. It's a marvel of a film that every studio dreams of wanting but with dedication and heart poured into a project, this is a result of waiting for over 10 years. As a filmmaker, I want to know every detail of this production and how Cameron achieved it. This is the film that 2022 needed to end off and we got what we wanted. Join me in the world of Pandora once again, exploring the new waves, people, enemies, and creatures of this world. Blue cinema as I call it. Story: Jake Sully and Ney'tiri have formed a family and are doing everything to stay together. However, they must leave their home after an old enemy returns to Pandora. The family explores the regions of Pandora including the islands of Pandora and relearning the ways of this new tribe. Where to start this review? I don't know actually since there are over a million things that I love about this movie! Let's start with something small like the story and characters in the film since that's the most important element in any film. Even if your film is beautiful, the story and characters could be dogshit. But Cameron really explored more of the world of Pandora with his characters. This film is a vast improvement from the first film in terms of storytelling and how they brought back the villain is very smart. The family of Jake Sully is pretty strong. Each character gets their own special moment and character development during the film. It's more focused on the family but still expanding the world of Pandora. Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) is also great in the film. Saldana gives a great performance with her character and we get to see how their relationship can go in many directions. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) himself was also great in the film. His character is stronger in this film and we get to see more of a father figure caring about his world. His character arc gets stronger with each act and by the end of the film, it feels like a satisfying conclusion but there's more to explore. Overall, I really liked the main character's story and it's a huge improvement for the protagonist. The other supporting cast which is the new underwater reef clan is also great as well. I really liked Cliff Curtis's performance as the leader of the clan and Kate Winslet was amazing as the wife of the leader. While she had minimal screen time, her presence really changes the scene. The rest of the underwater characters were pretty good and sometimes, they were kind of a dick. But I really liked the new characters which let us explore more of what Pandora offers and explore new tribes. It's a huge strong improvement from the first film for the protagonist and a great family arc on exploring love, guilt, and peace. I really was connected with this family and I felt more emotional during a critical scene since I watched this with my family. This film is meant for families and I really loved the father and son connection throughout this film. It's a huge core in this film and it really works because of the set-up from the first film and the direction from Cameron. But the villain really got a huge fucking improvement and honestly, he's the best movie villain of 2022 alongside the Riddler. Let's transition to the human side of Pandora. Semper Fi, Oorah! Colonel Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) is back from the dead but in a new way. He's now a Na'vi and the way the film explains his return is way cleaner and more logical sense than in The Rise of Skywalker. Without giving away a lot of plot details, he's a little bit more intense but at the same time, more respectful and Lang's performance really shows how different this character really is, compared to the original human version. He's a much better-developed villain than the first one and honestly more badass. I wanted more screentime with him and we got that screentime. Every time they cut back to him, it's like something badass is about to happen and the drama is more entertaining during his scenes. He really killed it with his performance and with the final confrontation with Jake Sully, it was one heck of a fight. This is what a villain should be like and Cameron delivered it very well. Menacing but still has care about life and trying to finish his goal. But also caring about the villain goal's and motives. Now that's a badass villain in my books. I cannot wait to see him again in the third film and supposedly the other three more films if the actor is alive. Or well, if Cameron is alive. If Cameron is alive, he can keep expanding the world of Pandora. There is so much to explore in Pandora and I'm glad that we went to the ocean part of Pandora, rather than staying in the jungle. The sea islands of Pandora are beautiful and it looks like Disney can make a water park out of that. I even love how they didn't stick to just the main sea island but explored other sea islands including the outskirt ones. Plus, the creatures of Pandora are amazing. The only difference is that they are sea monsters but they offer unique traits to Na'vi's and humans. The sea Na'vi's are different as well with their skin tone much lighter and it's a great distinction between different clans but also still being a true Na'vi. I really love this new expansion of Pandora and it's nice that we still get to stay in the jungle for about one hour and the rest of the film stays on the islands of Pandora. What I really also love about this expansion is the culture of the islands and their own ways of communicating with the ancestors. It's beautiful and the sea itself with all the marine stuff is unique. I hope we get a more expansive side of Pandora that could be beautiful or dangerous. All of this wouldn't be possible without the filmmaking team behind this groundbreaking project. Since 2009, we have been waiting for a sequel and during that time, technology has advanced very fast as a result of that, this film is a groundbreaking masterpiece of the decade so far. I don't know how James Cameron achieves this but the level of detail on every shot is just insane. From a shot of a Na'vi pulling a string while on the water to a Na'vi group fighting human machines underwater is just incredible. It blows my mind that they took the quote "quality over quantity" very hard and they put Marvel to shame. Not even Marvel, but almost every film with CGI. The film shows the decade amount of work that VFX artists had to put into and the level of dedication of the on-set production crew as well. It's unreal how they blend practical effects into a VFX world that feels too real on screen. Just the human scenes alone with the Na'vi Colonel are just insane. We the audiences don't know if the set is practical or CGI. The blending is done very well and when the humans fight on water, that's where we question about reality in this film. The VFX and CGI are just incredible and it's absolutely going to win the Oscar for best visual effects without a doubt. The cinematography is fucking incredible with amazing beautiful wide shots and close-ups. Something about this film's cinematography is so unique compared to the first one. During the talking scenes, it feels huge, and the way that the camera moves is so handheld but not the handheld I expect. It feels like a Steadicam shot but mixed in with the handheld with no shakiness involved. It feels so weird explaining about that but that's how I feel about the way it was shot. It fits perfectly with this film and Cameron's direction. The IMAX 3D presentation was also very great. While I'm not a fan of 3D anymore, only these types of films are deserving to be seen in 3D because of their visual effects. The IMAX scenes are amazing and with the huge screen that it offers, it's done its purpose for this film. I love IMAX and they really did a great job with its IMAX 3D presentation. It's a much watch to see it in IMAX 3D rather than Dolby Cinema just for this film. The production design is also fantastic. I love the level of detail on the human ships and vehicles which they integrate into the world of Pandora with its visual effects. The islands themselves are simple yet colorful and each has its own unique design that helps build the island's culture. The creature designs are amazing as well and nature itself is just beautiful. The score is very great. While the first one is stronger, in my opinion, this score really delivers what it had from the original and explores new ways to express certain scenes with a goosebump score. I'm glad that they reused some of the original beats to stay intact with the Avatar theme. Chills every minute. The editing in this film is also great as well. Glad it doesn't cut back very often and it shows shots that are intended to be in. Overall, the production of this film is absolutely fantastic and you can see the dedication and time put into this film. It's honestly astonishing how they manage to pull this off to give the best cinematic experience of the decade. I cannot forget the man himself who directed it which is James Cameron. He knows his fucking craft and beats the shit out of this film and makes it the best of the best in cinema. It's truly incredible how he directs each shot to make it as huge as possible by scale and size. While the story is straightforward and the plot is not that complicated, it expands the world and Cameron expands it by exploring new ways to show the world of Pandora. Water effects, blending effects, new Na'vi's, and more! Cameron not only expands the storytelling but expands the social commentary on history and how civilization is dying every decade. Without any spoilers, humans are back not just for revenge, but earth is crumbling and they need a planet to begin a brand new life. Pandora is the only option and the way Cameron explores it is honestly scary. Even if you watch the interviews with him, it will explore how humanity is dying and the US will take every territory in order to survive. Cameron loves to put his political earth stuff into his films and it's done so well that the normal audience won't figure it out unless you are a political or cinephile like me. Cameron really achieved what a blockbuster should be and he's a perfect example of how to execute a heavy VFX blockbuster without harassing VFX artists. Cameron is based and real. Too real and that's why this film is goated, however, not every film is perfect. Even for Cameron's best work. One of the biggest callouts I heard from the audience is that it was too long. For me, it didn't feel too long. It felt like a normal two-hour and fifteen minutes film. But I won't lie that it did kind of dragged on during the second act of the film. But I respect taking its time to explore this new part of Pandora and expanding the character development within the family. The spider character was mid at best. He was annoying at first but I kind of grew on him throughout the film. The bullies were cliché bullies which were expected and there were deaths that I expected to happen except one, which I won't spoil. But even with all of that, the spectacle of this film really grabbed me and avoided as many critiques as possible. Cameron knows how to bring audiences together and this is the film that everyone should be seeing right now during the holiday season. This is the film that cinemas needed during the holiday season and Cameron delivered it about 13 years late but satisfying audiences and critics. It's a film that will test time and a spectacle that everyone will remember. It's a must-see in theaters but on the biggest screen possible like in IMAX. This film was a roller coaster ride from start to finish and I want to explore more of Pandora before leaving the theater. I really adore this film and it's a film that should be seen with family and friends and you will laugh, love, and cry throughout the film. It's a jaw-dropping experience that will be experienced once in a while. James Cameron really brought the good stuff of his craft into this film and the biggest question is, was it worth the 13-year wait? The answer is a simple "yes". It's an absolute must-see in movie theaters, no questions asked. You will hate Marvel after watching this film or maybe experience Avatar syndrome after stepping out of the cinema room. For me, write this review and watch it again so I can log it again on my Letterboxd recent page. Now Playing Only in Theaters in IMAX 3D, Dolby Cinema 3D, and RealD 3D. Vizeit Score: "A+" (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.
Joséphine Sanz and Gabrielle Sanz. © 2022 NEON, Lilies Films, and Canal+. Directed by Céline Sciamma.
Watched it on Kanopy (Written on Letterboxd)
Quick Review: This was a pleasant surprise. This film was heartwarming with a lot of depth into these two young characters. I really liked the chemistry between the little girls and the father-daughter relationship. It’s nice to see more with the father. The cinematography is relaxing and the ending is bittersweet. It’s pretty short and while it felt very slow, it started to become more interesting and great in the second half of the film. It’s a relaxing movie but also it’s a film to remind you that childhood will always be a part of your life. After finishing the film, I miss my childhood a lot and I wish we had more time. This is a great example of magical realism and it’s done so seamlessly. I really liked this film and I hope we can have more calm films like this. Now Streaming on Kanopy / Hulu. 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.
Taylor Russell and Timothée Chalamet. © 2022 United Artists Releasing, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures, and The Apartment Pictures. Directed by Luca Guadagnino.
Love, Blood, and Drive
Cannibalism is something that I would not see in a film forever until this film. This is a brutal bloody film fill with romance and weird people. Not what I expected but it's an unpleasant watch yet very well done. If Timothee Chalamet keeps eating people while acting like a hippie in other films, then this is the reason why Dune was dope as fuck because he was in his emo phase. But besides that, it's a film that not a lot of people won't watch but hardcore cinephiles will and Chalamet fans will. Fucking Instagram followers. Anyways, join me on this road trip with these two lovely cannabis people and let's eat-, I mean, let's explore their journey around America. Story: Love blossoms between a young woman on the margins of society and a disenfranchised drifter as they embark on a 3,000-mile odyssey through the backroads of America. However, despite their best efforts, all roads lead back to their terrifying pasts and a final stand that will determine whether their love can survive their differences. If you like films that are bloody but have drama full of depth and spice of horror, then this is the right film for your Saturday night. It's a hell of a film showing the horrors of cannibalism and the era of the 80s. You think that the 80s are cool vibes like Stranger Things, but Luca Guadagnino is taking you to parts of America that are dry, weird, and rotten. It's nostalgia for people growing up in the 80s but I love the different perspective that Guadagnino gave in this film. The gritty tone really sold the film but with the romance on top of that helps give the film a fresh air of originality and depth within the two main characters. Even the supposed villain played by Mark Rylance was so fucking good. He really killed it in his role and the supporting cast was pretty good as well. I even liked the small cameos from Michael Stuhlbarg and David Gordon Green. Besides the supporting cast, the two main characters are the ones who are really making this film very enjoyable due to their chemistry and their relationship growing after finding each other's dark secrets. Even if you remove the cannibalism element with something less dark, the relationship will still work. It's just that the cannibalism element added a darker tone to the film and it made this film more interesting for audiences. It works very well and it adds more drama, especially the ending which I won't spoil. I didn't even get to start to praise the lead performance from Taylor Russell. She was fantastic in this film due to Guadagnino's directing. Her character arc was strong and when she found out the truth, it was heartbreaking. There is a lot of character background and story within Russell's character with her father and mother and it works well. I want films to expand the lead character's background and struggles and it's one of the few films this year that really expanded it while keeping the romance, drama, and cannibalism element still a part of the core story. Guadagnino's direction is strong and he wants the audience to have a peek at the violence but not that much in order to keep us in check. It's smartly done and when it shows the violence, it shows the fucking violence and blood. In some reviews, I'm hearing a lot about the fusion of genres and in the case of my review, it's a perfect phrase for this film. This film balances between two or three genres and it's done so seamlessly. There are moments in the film where it mixes both genres and it goes back to the romantic genre in an instant. It's definitely a fusion of genres and it worked. The cinematography is great, especially when it's shot with natural lighting. I love when filmmakers use natural lighting and it makes any film more grounded and beautiful. In the case of this film, it does and the open field scene is beautifully shot. Probably one of the best scenes in the film. I really liked the costumes in this film that fitted in the 80s and the VFX/Practical effects are so well done. It's a great independent production overall. While this film balances the tones very well, there were moments I feel like I didn't receive the intended two genres into one. Some of the pacing was a little bit draggy but it didn't feel like two hours which is good. Those are some small issues I had with the film but it didn't ruin the overall mood of the film. While this is an unpleasant watching experience, I still had a good time watching the film. This film was unique but in a weird way. The characters are very strong in the film, the directing is very great, and the cannibalism elements were quite interesting. Bones and All really grasp you into this unique world and while it can be slow at times, it's definitely worth the wait for the bloody scenes. The ending really got me well and it's a film that will be overlooked later down the road but will be appreciated more and more. I really liked this film and I will definitely not eat human flesh after watching this film. Now Playing in Theaters and on VOD. Vizeit Score: "A-" (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.
Gabriel LaBelle. ©2022 Universal Pictures, Amblin Entertainment, and Reliance Entertainment. Directed by Steven Spielberg.
Capture Every Moment (Vizeit Reviews's One Year Anniversary!)
As a student filmmaker, this film made me laugh, cry, and fill me with joy. This is the film I have been waiting for and it's worth the wait. Every time Steven Spielberg directs a project, it will have something special waiting just for me and this film was 100% of it. I can't describe how much I adore this film and you will read why this film is another masterpiece from Spielberg. Join me into the 50s and 60s, exploring Spielberg's childhood and his mind of filmmaking. Story: Young Sammy Fabelman falls in love with movies after his parents take him to see "The Greatest Show on Earth." Armed with a camera, Sammy starts to make his own films at home, much to the delight of his supportive mother. Throughout the years, we get to explore his filmmaking life but also looking through his struggles including with his family and religion. From love, divorce, drama, and heart. It's all the genres into one story through the mind of Sammy. A semi-autobiographical story. This film is dedicated to filmmakers, especially young filmmakers and it works on every level. I feel so relatable with the main character. It's not just him but the entire family as well. It feels like I'm watching myself on screen with my strengths and weakness as a filmmaker. It's beautifully put well together with a consistent tone throughout each of the kid's projects and the filmmaking process. Spielberg knows how to capture scale and scope. Even with the small dramatic scenes, it feels huge with the support of the great cinematography done by Janusz Kamiński. I really loved the different perspectives on how film can affect family and it's so done really well that I felt like I was there for fucking real. Something about it made me cry twice and I wanted more of his filmmaking life. It's too good. I really loved how we stray away from the filmmaking side into the negative effects of the family and how the struggle of filmmaking heals the protagonist. It's beautifully done and even with the typical cliché bullying, the payoff is quite interesting. I love how this film is about a mother-and-son relationship but it ends with a father-and-son situation. I wanted to explore more of both sides and it's so done well. The uncle was pretty hilarious and great. His scenes are so emotional and with the weight of danger with filmmaking is pretty relatable. Balancing life and film is pretty hard and getting too attached might hurt the film itself as well. As a filmmaker, his scenes are more relatable to my recent short film which is Afterparty. I love the depth of realism in the filmmaking process and it helped a lot with the film's tone and theme throughout. Besides the passion and love for filmmaking in this film, it's more about family and dealing with the loss of breaking up and keeping up with personal struggles. The family dynamic is very strong in this film due to the performances of Gabriel LaBelle and Michelle Williams. They both gave outstanding performances and their chemistry felt very natural. Paul Dano as Sammy's dad was also fantastic as well and it was finally nice to see Dano in a calm role. The little sisters are pretty good as well and all of them together work as a functional and dysfunctional family together. Something within the family clicks together and it's the kid Sammy connecting everyone together through his films but also making everyone stand out to become the best of themselves. Even with the struggles at the end of the film, everyone feels like they are still connected to each other but are miles away instead. The tone of this film is so consistent with a hopeful yet epic tone while the realism is still intact in this story. While we don't the specific details of what is written for dramatic purposes, the epic tone of Spielberg's direction is present every second. It's fleshed out and purposely deconstructed to show the struggles of relationships and how film can affect a single person with love or damage. The family struggles are the biggest strengths in this film and as a filmmaker myself, I couldn't relate more to Sammy. I really loved the depth of this family but the filmmaking aspect really made this film truly special. The directing in this film is outstanding as always from Spielberg. He knows his craft very well and he can make a small important scene emotional and relatable. He lets his actors truly shine and give each character work together to make this family feel believable. Obviously, all of this was rehearsed through pre-production but even with the scripted lines, the small moments that feel improvised felt so natural between the son and the parents. Those moments spark the film a lot through Spielberg's direction. The way he even shot the film was very cinematic and the final cinematic shot was so creative and funny as well. The cinematography is very great in this film. While it's not the dazzling cinematography like his past film West Side Story, it's still very well shot and nostalgic. The score is very great in the film and I really liked how he uses past references from his older films in this film. The production design is fantastic, especially for a mid-budget film. I could see an Oscar nomination for costume and production design easily. Plus, the small cameo from David Lynch was so fucking special and funny. Nice use of the F-bomb. Technically, it's amazing and the pacing of this film is very great. I didn't feel the long runtime at any moment and it's a film that you can take a breeze. I didn't feel the Oscar bait like some of the hardcore critics is saying but I was sure at some point. I felt the Oscar moment that will make Academy members take alcohol shots while praising this film. While I loved Seth Rogen's character, I wish we could've got one more scene in the end but this is based on Spielberg's life so I can't change that. I would say this though, it's an easy film. What I mean by that is that this is an easy film for critics to love and praise and earn nominations. It's not a bad thing but I felt like it was pushing for that. While this isn't Spielberg's magnum opus, this is still a masterfully crafted film that every filmmaker would gush about all day. After getting out of the theater, I knew this is one of the best films of the year and easily on my top 10 of this year. It's a masterfully crafted film with fantastic performances, beautiful direction, and amazing production that every filmmaker would dissect the fuck out of it. If you're a young filmmaker like me in college or even in high school or barely learning about cinema, well, this is the film for you. It will take time to get it but if you felt so relatable to Sammy during this film, you experienced something truly special. I adore this film and it's a must-watch in theaters if it's still playing. Now Playing in Theaters and on VOD. Vizeit Score: "A+" (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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