Emma Stone. © 2023 Searchlight Pictures, Film4, Element Pictures, and TSG Entertainment.
Directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. VFA Nominee - 12 VFAs Including "Best Motion Picture"
For Your Consideration (FYC) Screener
This Ain't No Ordinary Frankenstein Story... Wacky, expressive, and darkly hilarious, Poor Things is an exceptional film that speaks on so many levels. It is a deeply thematic film that explores life from a whole different point of view while giving it purpose and open interpretations. Plus, with its steam-punk world-building and magical realism in its story, it allows the film to explore other ideas and subject matter that a "modern setting" film won't allow. It is a whole different type of film that you will love or be questioned by. Let's explore Victorian London and see what this wacky world is all about! Story: Brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist, a young woman runs off with a lawyer on a whirlwind adventure across the continents. Free from the prejudices of her times, she grows steadfast in her purpose to stand for equality and liberation. Throughout the majority of the film, the story is pure wackiness and all but there is an interesting theme that keeps its protagonist Bella Baxter, front and center of the message and its journey about the darkness of our society. A reflection of our actions, pleasures, emotions, and view of the world, all through the mind of Bella Baxter played by Emma Stone, gives us a deep potent look of self-discovery and gives us a feel of how we look through our current society. The wacky tone adds this magnetic feel to the overall look of the film but it doesn't shy away from its raunchy aspects through a meaningful message. Even with the wacky tone that the film delivers, it has a great Frankenstein spin to the story that takes risks while making it familiar and fresh. There is so much wackiness but it is consistent while adding subplots that expand the pure wackiness of the overall story. However, the character of Bella Baxter makes the film and the journey so out of this world but not in the innocent way you expected it to be. Probably a bit more but you get the point. I feared that Bella Baxter was going to be a bit of an annoying character from the trailers I saw but I was so deeply invested in her journey of discovery right when she left her home. Her journey develops more of a philosophical and emotional journey whereas the story takes a zany route, making her journey a bit more of a true discovery of reality and consequences. Emma Stone blends in so well with Bella Baxter's personality and character tone, which seamlessly fits the overall absurd tone of the story. Her discovery of the world and the way she interacts with the environment feels funny in nature. The way she interacts with others is like a baby but as an adult with some manners which is hilarious. At certain points, she acts more mature rather than Mark Ruffalo's character Duncan Wedderburn. Yet, Stone's physical performance gives more meaning to her progressive state of mind throughout the film and each scenario she presents adds a level of maturity and craziness. This progressive maturity doesn't apply to just Stone but also to his father and her friends, except Duncan which is a different case. Yet, all of those characters contribute to Bella Baxter's decisions and they give so much depth to the overall themes of the film. I loved Jerrod Carmichael's performance due to his philosophical character while Ruffalo's character Duncan is unhinged and desperate for some kind of love or something crazy. His character's downfall is hilarious and it gives Ruffalo to improvise and express his character even more. There is even one take where he breaks character but with the environment and tone of the scene including his character's personality, it feels natural in the end. Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, and Kathryn Hunter all give terrific performances and it feels like each character serves a piece of Baxter's personality. Her interaction with each character opens a new sense of discovery in her personal journey and allows the side characters to give meaningful messages while showing the reality of what this weird world has to offer. All of the characters don't feel out of place in this wacky world and they fit perfectly in where they interact with Bella Baxter which makes the story flow very smoothly. Speaking of the wacky world, Poor Things not only keeps the tone consistent but it's comedy as well.
The absurdity of the world of Poor Things is immaculate with chaos. I love the physical comedy mixed in with the writing. There are many moments where the characters just let their wackiness side take over them and everything starts going crazy. As I wrote earlier, Ruffalo is the stand-out with his unhinged actions and downfall which makes his personal story a tragic comedy. There is a lot of dark humor in this film that actually takes risks with its subject matter in the second act and it almost hits every beat. The world's design and buildings give a sense of unreality yet vividly real with the characters' interactions in this world. I'm glad that this film keeps everything consistent with its wacky comedy tone which makes the overall technicality of the filmmaking very creative.
Due to the nature of the story's wackiness and magical realism, the production work presented here is gorgeous and prolific. I'm glad that it won Oscars for production design, costumes, and make-up not just for its creativity, but for the complexity and absurdity of each production element that fits perfectly within Yorgos Lanthimos's direction. The amount of detail put into each town, home, room, and hall gives character while making it fit naturally into the environment. The cinematography is also very creative with its lens choices for each absurd moment including its usage of black and white. It looks like a mess for one second but with its majestic color grading, it sticks into your mind and lets the colors soak in. The score is also very solid and the editing choices here are effective, especially during the comedic moments. Overall, it is a fantastic technical production of a film. Yet, I still encounter some issues during my viewing. One of the biggest controversies is the overuse of sex scenes. While the messages do get across, the actual scenes become too repetitive and a bit disturbing. Even with Lanthimos's last films he made that included sexual elements, they were not overused and they were used well based on where the characters are in their state of mind or character arc. The pacing also could've been a bit tighter in the second act and it was intervened too much with the sex scenes. Even outside of the sex scenes, some scenes could've been shortened but other than that, the pacing overall was solid. Lanthimos' unique world of Poor Things is glamorous, wild, and unhinged. The philosophical elements and themes bring the absurdity of this world and ask interesting questions and answers about the craziness of society and love. The characters across the board are fantastic. Stone gives a crazy character performance while Ruffalo gives a sad and hilarious performance. The production elements are well-crafted and ultimately, the direction is very creative and it hits the right comedic and dramatic beats with its story. Overall, this is a fantastic film that will make you laugh and probably make you uncomfortable for the right reasons.
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Vizeit Score: "A"
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Copyright © 2024 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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Xolo Maridueña. © 2023 Warner Bros Pictures, DC Studios, and The Safran Company.
Directed by Ángel Manuel Soto.
Watched it in IMAX @ AMC Theaters
A New Superhero Rises, In The New DC Universe A new DC universe is now set and the foundation begins with Blue Beetle. The first Latino lead superhero film is finally here and watching this film was an emotional rollercoaster. As a first-generation Latino, this film not only really hits with its representation but also its family themes and the direction of this film. This is easily the most underrated superhero film of the year and I'll tell you why this film should deserve more recognition. Let's visit Palmera City and enjoy the breeze of fresh air until Kord Industries takes over the city. Story: When the Scarab suddenly chooses Jaime to be its symbiotic host, he is bestowed with an incredible suit of armor capable of extraordinary and unpredictable powers, forever changing his destiny as he becomes the Blue Beetle. Jaime's journey throughout this film is full of emotions, action, and excitement because of the struggles that he battles way through. Not just as a superhero, but as a young kid who is trying to make it out alive with his family. Jamie keeps getting in dangerous situations where he thinks he may die or doesn't have the capacity to become the superhero he was promised. This is the center of his story. His personal and superhero struggles. We see that a lot in superhero origin films but this feels like a breath of fresh air with the Latino representation and his character being a young adult, trying to live life. We haven't seen this being portrayed up until Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse and we get to see it again but for a DC superhero flick. What makes this one even more special is his family's relationship battling it out with his new superhero life. The family dynamic is strong and authentic with the cast's performances. The chemistry between each character works very well and it adds emotional stakes between one another. Alberto Reyes, the father of Jaime, played by Damián Alcázar, is the strongest and most compelling character in the film. I really loved his chemistry between father and son with Jaime and his important scene with Jamie got me in emotional tears. In other films, it would have been weak if it wasn't the prime focus within the dynamic but the script allows both the father and son's relationship to be at the forefront of Jaime's personal journey. Plus, Alcázar 's performance rose the emotional stakes in the film which made me care about their relationship even more. That is the strongest component within the storytelling and while it feels familiar, with Ángel Manuel Soto's directing, it makes it strongly compelling. As for the other characters in the family, their dynamic with Jamie is also very solid but the father always steals the scene and it helps strengthen the core emotional stake for Jaime's journey. As for the other characters outside of Jamie's family, they are good with their performances but Bruna Marquezine's character, Jenny Kord is easily another great stand-out.
Her character and performance were very solid and her love relationship with Jaime felt natural instead of being forced. I'm surprised that they get enough screen time for their relationship to grow and it helps the emotional stake for Jaime's love interest and his family. I like the balance of those relationships and it didn't ruin the overall pacing of the film. The overall story is also solid and while the actual origin story of this character isn't different from other comic-book films with their origin story, the directing made the story unique. The plot can be predictable and straightforward, but I was still engaged with some of the unexpected twists, especially in the final act. The pacing of the story was surprisingly fast. Even though the film was two hours long, it felt like ninety minutes and it didn't waste its time. Plus, with the action in the film, it felt like a breeze and it was fun. There were a lot of action sequences which surprised me for a superhero origin story but it felt well-balanced. Well-choreographed, creative, and grounded which is somewhat of a rarity in comic book films now these days. Through Soto's direction, I liked his creative vision for the character and he delivered a lot of emotional stakes throughout the film. You can clearly see that his style is present and there is a level of creativeness throughout, unlike Marvel who are gatekeeping their directors. Soto delivered a solid origin story that is packed with good old superhero fun. Through its technical elements, with a somewhat mid-budget for a superhero film, it looks very solid on the big screen.
Originally, this film was going to debut on HBO Max (now Max) but later on, it was given a theatrical release, and production kept going as usual. With this being an original streaming movie that has been released in theaters, the film will look a bit different on the big screen. Yet, it still looks good with some clear VFX changes, color grading, sound design, and more. In terms of elements being captured on-screen, the costume design of Blue Beetle is fantastic. Probably one of the best comic book suits in film. With its blend of practical and visual effects, it looks very smooth and it does not look completely CGI compared to the Spider-Man suit in the MCU. In terms of CGI and VFX, it looks good for its budget. It is a well-shot film with interesting camera shots and coloring. Surprisingly, there is a lot of film grain but it didn't ruin the visual quality that much. The production design inside Jaime's home is very lived in with lots of unique and authentic props, art design, and homage to Latino culture, especially Mexican culture. Outside of that, there isn't much to praise except that Blue Beetle spaceship which looks pretty dope. From what the film offered originally through its technical production, it looks well-made with care behind the scenes. However, like every other comic book film, there will be flaws and this film has some of those common flaws. One of the biggest flaws that is common within some comic book films is the villain. The villain Victoria Kord (Susan Sarandon) was weak and unfortunately, uncompelling. I didn't like her character and while her performance was good, I wasn't digging her character that much. As for the other villain character, OMAC (Raoul Trujillo) wasn't that strong until the very end. He was just a one-side-off villain character until the last minute. I'll give credit for that but if that didn't happen, I wouldn't care what would happen to him in the end. This film unfortunately falls flat on its villains but it also falls flat on playing it safe. The film outside of its Latino representation, doesn't add much to the story. It's the typical origin story that you have seen multiple times. Nothing new, nothing crazy. It falls into some of the cliches and tropes that have been stretched out like it's nothing which numbs the film. One more flaw that not a lot of people haven't noticed is the visual clarity of the film and the VFX. It is clear by some of the night visuals and VFX visuals, it makes out that it was a streaming movie in the first place. Even with the film grain as I mentioned earlier, it makes the film look low res in some shots. I saw this in IMAX and it looks clear, night and day on screen. Even with those technical and story flaws, I still enjoyed Blue Beetle with its unique direction and Xolo Maridueña's wonderful performance of this iconic DC character. Blue Beetle is a simple superhero origin film that takes its own spin on the character and makes it as fresh as possible. It has charm, excitement, and emotional stakes that strengthen the story. Maridueña's portrayal of the character is excellent with the father-son relationship being the strongest element. Even though the villains are weak with the story being the same old origin superhero film, it still has that creative flare that makes this film unique and I enjoyed every minute of it. I hope we get more adventures and stronger stories from this character and the director as well!
Now Streaming on Max and on VOD!
Vizeit Score: "A-"
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Copyright © 2024 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])
Michael Peña and Rosa Salazar. © 2023 Amazon MGM Studios and Select Films. Directed by Alejandra Marquez Abella.
Early Screening
Dreams Can Take You Outer-Space I had no expectations going into this film. The only thing I knew about this film was that Michael Peña was going to star in the film. After seeing the film and also rewatching to analyze the authentic Mexican representation on-screen, this is one of the most surprising films of this year. Easily a crowd-pleaser of a film and I'm shocked that this was dumped on Prime and not in theaters. This could've been an easy contender for small film awards. This film is electrifying from start to finish and it's easily an emotional film, especially for Latino viewers. Let's head to the NASA space center and shutter off to outer space! Story: A biopic about Jose Hernandez and his path from a farm worker to becoming an engineer and an astronaut. A tale of perseverance, community, and sacrifice to accomplish a seemingly impossible dream. If you want to go into this film with an open mind, I recommend going in blind. This is a beautiful small biopic Latino film that we haven't seen in almost a decade since Cesar Chavez (2014). A simple biopic with heart and emotional weight. Plus, the film is funnier than I thought. A lot of Hispanics will recognize some of the visual and verbal comedy elements but what struck me the most is its authentic representation. I haven't seen this type of true simple Mexican-American representation in a film for a long time. From Jose (Michael Peña) working in the fields to becoming a NASA astronaut. It's a beautiful and heartwarming story about succeeding and pushing yourself to reach that goal. Seeing this from a Hispanic perspective really makes this story authentic. Director Alejandra Marquez Abella brought a rich screenplay that gives depth not just to Jose, but his journey and his family all around him. Every person in his family from his wife to his elementary teacher, really helped him move forward and the execution of those elements really worked. Plus, the film subverted my expectations by avoiding its use of biopic cliches and other small tropes that could have held back the authenticity of the film. The creative vision is seen throughout with a unique camera and acting direction. Abella uses those crucial moments as a breather while still giving emotional weight and checkpoint on Jose's journey. The night conversation scene with the creative VFX graphics on-screen was the best scene in the film. That scene really was a personal reflection for me on my career as a filmmaker and critic, and I was emotionally invested in the rest of Jose's journey from there.
The performances are fantastic in this film including Michael Peña and Rosa Salazar. I really loved their dynamic and chemistry as these real-life people and it felt very authentic. Each of the characters that Jose helped him in his life have their own moments and it's refreshing for the protagonist to reconnect with the people who helped me throughout his journey. The story also isn't sugarcoated which allows the pacing to flow even better and get to scene after scene. Some scenes feel fast yet it has weight and importance to the overall story. For a two-hour runtime film, it flew by quickly but I was enjoying it throughout. Funny enough, I saw with a crowd of student filmmakers and they were hooked on some of the emotional, funny, and redeeming moments of the film. Watching this with other student filmmakers made the viewing experience more fun. It was a heartful experience to see this story play out and I felt like there were barely any crumbs with its story. Especially with its Mexican representation of this story, there was real care and thought into it.
The technical production of this film is also very well constructed with its time period progression. Plus, by bringing the authentic Mexican representation on-screen, the set design really captured the Mexican traditions and lifestyle of Jose and his wife Adela. The major stronghold through the set design is being on-location which makes the journey feel lived in. It was really cool to see the NASA facilities in the film and it gives authenticity to the story through technical filmmaking. The cinematography is also very great with a lot of interesting lighting and color decisions during pivotal moments. Some shots reminded me of older 90s films due to the framing and lighting. You can easily tell that the vision was alive through the cinematography alone. I also liked the song choices in this film and it made me smile and gave me literal goosebumps hearing it through transition sequences or emotional scenes. Plus, it wasn't overused and it was used at the right moments. The editing here is also very solid with its calm yet fast flow of the film's pacing. Overall, the production of this film was very well constructed with care behind this project. There aren't many flaws with this film but this is by no means a perfect film. The film follows a simple tradition with its biopic storytelling. Nothing too crazy with its portrayal of this story but the authentic representation really sells this movie well. Nothing too critical with this film and I'm happy it was told in an authentic yet engaging true story. Watching this film was a joy from start to finish. The authentic Mexican representation on-screen really captivated Jose's story and with the great performance from Peña, it struck my emotions heavily. The film is well written with great pacing, unique direction, and overall, an engaging and captivating story that should be looked at. This is a perfect film to watch with your family and if you are Latino, you will immediately be hooked right when the film starts.
Now Streaming Only on Amazon Prime!
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])
Sophie Wilde. © 2023 A24, Screen Australia, South Australian Film Corporation, Adelaide Film Festival Investment Fund, Head Gear Films, Metrol Technology, and Causeway Films. Directed by Danny Philippou & Michael Philippou.
Watched it at AMC Theaters
Ok...Talk to me. When I saw who was directing this project, I knew right away this was going to be an instant banger. After seeing the film twice, this is going to be an interesting review to write because this is the freshest horror story I've seen in a long time. The creativity on screen is immaculate and the horror aspects are through the roof. This is a film that hardcore horror fans and even movie fans will absolutely enjoy and be glued to the screen. The film doesn't just do horror right, but it allows you in on the characters' emotions, struggles, and addiction. Let's go to a wild party and test out this weird magic hand that you may encounter dead people through...or become the dead person itself. Story: When a group of friends discover how to conjure spirits with an embalmed hand, they become hooked on the new thrill and high-stakes party game -- until one of them goes too far and unleashes terrifying supernatural forces. Directors Danny Philippou and Michael Philippou took a simple horror concept and twisted it to its limits. The sheer amount of violence, horror, and insanity is present throughout this film. The Philippou brothers used their camera and directing magic from the YouTube videos they created and turned this film into a cinematic horror-fest. While this film isn't the huge gore fest and crazy camera work from Philippous' original content, there is still the flavor of RackRacka that is through the excellent camera work and direction with the characters and story. Speaking of characters and the story, the story is very engaging from start to finish. There is emotional weight and consequences behind every action these characters commit. The main character Mia (Sophia Wilde) has a unique character arc that goes in different directions that you may never expected to see. Wilde's performance really captures the teenager experience and her dynamic with her friends feels natural. I really loved how we get to experience these events through the eyes of Mia by following her every move with the hand object and how every action she takes will affect others. Plus, her personality makes her character more engaging and the performance feels fresh and vivid. The supporting cast is amazing including Alexandra Jensen as Jade. Miranda Otto is also great in the film as Sue. While she doesn't get to do much, she really encapsulates her presence between Mia and Jade. Overall, the performances here are some of the strongest I've seen in a horror film this year. With those performances into a gripping and haunting story, it makes the film more special and chaotic, in a good way. The story is simple yet refreshing to see in a unique horror film that anything can happen. The opening prologue sold me for the next hour and a half of the film. All in one take, setting up the vibe, atmosphere, and bloody horror of the film, I knew that I was going in for a treat. The film's pacing of the story was very smooth with no filler in between important scenes and character moments. It lets the story digest the world, characters, and the myth of the hand object. Plus, the hand object lore isn't explored a lot but the film gives you a quick rundown of the history behind this object and it's enough that you want to theorize more later. Certain plot points get very juicy when certain characters start to play with the object way too much where at a point, chaos starts to erupt. By the hour mark, the tension and horror don't stop and it holds you until the end. It's written so well by letting every scene and moment feel it has weight and it lets the audience digest each moment that has importance to the entire story. While the film is about supernatural beings and friendship, the film is really about trauma, grieving, and broken relationships. Plus, it's about fixing the broken things that have been broken for quite a while and you can't seem to fix it until you literally become broken. That is what I analyzed through the film's ending. Without spoilers, it's a heartbreaking ending that will let you think about your current relationships and how far can we maintain them until we destroy them with one action. Or even an action further. The story doesn't get too convoluted which is great because there's so much mystery behind this hand but it's really about these characters trying to get out of a situation that they shouldn't even be then in the first place. Even if the characters are not part of the situation with the hand object, they are still affected by the consequences of certain characters which makes the stakes of the film feel tight and real. With the addition of the horror aspects, it makes certain sequences feel haunting and fucked up. It's not full-on RackaRacka violence, but it gets you there at a point where you are in for a wild fucking ride.
That wild ride is carried by its horror elements. The camera work is fluid throughout the horror sequences with interesting shots and angles. Plus, the RackRacka flavor and directing makes these sequences feel like action sequences but in this case, through horror. The make-up effects of the creatures beyond the hand are scary and disgustingly good. Even some of the gore effects are pretty gruesome and deadly impactful to the story. The cinematography is very slick with interesting lighting choices and coloring use of muted and bright blues and reds. The editing here is also surprisingly great for a horror film. The pacing of each scene flows well and it doesn't waste its time on certain moments. However, when there's a crucial scene in the film, it slows down yet, with the strong directing from the Philippou brothers, the pacing through those scenes feels fast yet slow and meaningful. The score of this film is also solid alongside its interesting music choices. Nothing too crazy with its production design but I really like the simplicity of the possessed hand figure and to think that thing is real on the A24 shop is insane. Overall, the production and technical work of this film is amazing. With this film costing under five million dollars, it's incredible how they pulled off some of the biggest set pieces throughout the film while giving us an impactful terrifying story that expands on horror elements with a unique taste.
While there aren't a lot of flaws in this film, the one thing I could point out is the father dynamic between Mia and her father. I feel like there was something missing. Even though I loved the scenes between her and her mother because that's the core of the film, the father's storyline felt weak. Yet, I was still hooked in their scenes when they got into an argument about their mother's passing. Besides that, there could be some logical issues with its story decisions, but I was still invested from beginning to end. Haunting, darkly vivid, and gripping, Talk to Me is what horror films in this new era of cinema should be doing. Creating simple horror films with unique twists and turns that audiences won't expect. It passed beyond my expectations and I loved every second. This is a horror flick that many cinephiles and general audiences should watch. It's also emotional with its story and by the end, you will be asking more adventures of this hand fucking up people's lives. A definite must-watch horror film.
Now Available on VOD & 4K Blu-Ray!
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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