More
    Consultancy Services
    Services
    Home Blog Page 3

    Juror #2 (2024)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Juror #2 (2024)

    A family man who serves as a juror in a murder case finds himself conflicted when he realises that he is deeply involved.

    Impactful to the audience like very few films have. The reason behind this bold statement is the fact that director Clint Eastwood, writer Jonathan A. Abrams, and editors Joel Cox and David S. Cox (father and son) morally divide Justin Kemp (Nicholas Hoult) as much as you as a viewer. To begin with, the story is solid. The man who is a juror in a murder case trial is very much involved in that case, to the point that he could provide evidence that can exonerate the man accused. But then to incriminate himself…

    Here’s the catch: He has everything to lose, and the accused has seemingly nothing. He is a family man, and the accused has a lengthy criminal past. So, what does he do? What do you want him to do? What is the right thing to do? Morally. Legally. Or, what does distinguish the two? As the story unfolds, the defence lawyer (Chris Messina) acknowledges his client’s criminal past but believes in his innocence. Then, the prosecutor (Toni Collette) is hungry for power and wants to win, but she starts seeing the big picture. And then there is everyone else who just wants to put the “bad guy” away. A “bad guy” who is the only one knowing from the very beginning he did not do it.

    Pay attention to the editing and reaction shots throughout the film. Whenever the bad guy is accused of the crime, the editors cut back and forth to Kemp’s reactions. Because he knows. And then, they cut to his family situation and bring up the drama they have experienced in the past. And for almost two hours, the filmmakers put you on the spot, making you watch so you can decide what kind of justice you want them to serve. Do you want Kemo to hold his silence? Do you want to see an innocent man who has paid his dues go to prison for life? What do you want to happen???

    Juror#2 could be an excellent case study involving the director and the audience. Surely, one day, someone will write about it (maybe me). Until then, Eastwood and Abrams also put justice on the spot as they heavily hint that people who serve the justice system might be serving their needs and personal interests rather than the idea it represents.

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Escape Room: Tournament of Champions (2021)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Escape Room: Tournament of Champions (2021)

    The two survivors of the previous escape room but also other survivors of other escape rooms, find themselves trapped again by the shadowy company behind them.

    Creative, but too smart for itself and strictly for under-15s. The good news is that it is well-made. Sony spent money, and audiovisually, it paid off, creating a good spectacle. Unfortunately, that’s not enough, though. The extreme, and I mean extreme, levels of implausibility are beyond understanding, something that gives zero, and I mean zero, chances to the audience to think of plausible solutions. That renders the audience useless and the heroes and heroines far more competent than the smartest viewers out there.

    That, in and of itself, dooms the film and overshadows the good acting, editing, photography, and everything else. Furthermore, when people tell one another what is happening or what they are doing when the audience can see it already, the filmmakers put down the audience even more. Something like: “Hey, you won’t get anything, so we are laying it all out for you.” As stated above, it’s too big for its boots. Escape Room (2019): https://kaygazpro.com/escape-room-2019-action-adventure-drama/ was like this, too, but even that wasn’t so far-fetched.

    Undermining the audience’s intelligence is a strategy that never worked, so it is beyond me why writers, directors, producers, and distributors still go for it. Beyond me…

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Feminist Film Theory

    Kay
    -
    0
    Feminist Film Theory

    From limited roles in the 50s to thriving voices of today, cinema’s journey of female representation has been monumental. Let’s explore how women in Film evolved – from the shadows to the spotlight.

    Image References: IMDb / Wikipedia

    A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)

    Kay
    -
    0
    A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)

    A dying woman and her unlike friend get trapped in New York City when alien monsters invade the Earth and tear it to pieces.

    Flawed, yet a great addition to the franchise. The first act has it all: A relatable heroine who carries already more pain than we can possibly imagine, a world-scale invasion by monsters we could not even fathom existed, human extinction, and their hope dying with it. It is the first day of the world’s end, as they knew it… where mankind is not on top of the food chain anymore.

    What are they? Where did they come from? What do they want? How many are there? Does the army have a plan? Even better, does the army stand a chance? All these and more are questions you, as viewers, expect the film to address, not for you because you know (well, kind of), but for the film’s heroes. You know the damage the creatures are about to do, so the remaining questions are: who will make it and how?

    The film has several strong suits, such as its story and the pace and rhythm as it unfolds. But that is up to the first half of the second act. While the story still holds strong, the pace and rhythm slow down exponentially. I can see why that can be considered a negative for mass audiences, but for me, the brilliant acting of Lupita Nyong’o and Joseph Quinn compensate and maintain the interest.

    John Krasinski still wears the producer’s hat, but Michael Bay also put a lot from his pocket as a co-producer. What is not really surprising, though, is the director, Michael Sarnoski, who was personally hand-picked by Krasinski for his work in Pig (2021) – https://kaygazpro.com/pig-2021-drama-thriller/. Now, try and compare Pig to Day One. There is nothing to compare. Totally different films, different styles, different all of it. That somehow might make sense for the producers, but for the audience, what is the point of hiring someone you know and loved their previous unique work who will do something that could have been done by anyone else? Regardless of what I think, Day One is a great addition to the franchise, but Krasinski should be very careful as to where he wants to go with that universe now because there is a lack of connection among the films.

    Imagine that alien invasion as a possible scenario. Then imagine us losing the war. Then imagine those hordes of people on the streets fleeing for their survival like kettles. And then imagine that our world is about to end… because we will not be in it… even though the Earth will keep spinning.

    P.S. Djimon Hounsou needs to be in more films and more screen time.

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    The Epic Genre

    Kay
    -
    0
    The Epic Genre

    Big stories, larger-than-life characters, and sweeping landscapes made the epic genre what it is today. See how it all started.

    Image References: IMDb

    What You Wish For (2023)

    Kay
    -
    0
    What You Wish For (2023)

    A chef flees the US due to gambling debts and assumes another man’s identity in Latin America, not knowing what he signs up for.

    And if you don’t know what you signed up for, you’re in for a big surprise. So… A couple of friends reunite; one owes money and is unhappy, and the other has money and is also unhappy. Maybe a chat between them will clarify it; maybe it won’t. At first, you won’t get it. Half an hour into it, though, you will. And it will hit you hard. Inevitably, a number of questions arise, such as: What is he gonna do? How is he gonna do it? Is he gonna do it? And then what?

    Unfortunately, I can’t tell you much without giving away anything, so all I can say to you is this: What You Wish For is a masterclass of suspense. It is unlike anything you have ever seen. As seen in innumerable films, suspense takes countless different forms. While this is one of them, it is unique. The dialogue, how the lines are spoken, when they are spoken, how they blend with the sequences of events… and above all, how naturally they bind together makes it… unique!

    Writer/director Nicholas Tomnay behind the camera and Nick Stahl in front of it are responsible for one of the most surprising films of the year. Do not let it go unnoticed. While there have been horror films that portray similar horrors, the emphasis is on the thriller side of it. There is a reason why it’s called “What You Wish For”. See for yourselves and find out. What if you were Jack? Either of them…

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Charlie Chaplin

    Kay
    -
    0
    Charlie Chaplin

    “Life is a tragedy when seen in close-up, but a comedy in long shot.”

    The Party (1968)

    Kay
    -
    0
    The Party (1968)

    The film was released on the day of Martin Luther King’s assassination.

    David O. Russell

    Kay
    -
    0
    David O. Russell

    “My first few films were harrowing experiences, because you’re terrified the whole time that you’re going to f*ck it up. You don’t know what you’re doing.”

    Tigers Are Not Afraid (2017)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Tigers Are Not Afraid (2017)

    Gangs, violence and death are the everyday life of five children who, one day, decide to escape it.

    Horrifying and heartbreaking. I’ll keep it quick and to the point. Writer/director Issa López transcends the violence and the pain it causes children, reaching paranormal levels in a meaningful and allegoric way. While it is classified as horror, it is not due to the supernatural element – at least, it shouldn’t be. It is because no child should suffer. Or die…

    The kids’ reactions are genuine. They were never given a script. They were no actors. How they feel onscreen is how they really feel. That is the real horror: to be a kid and already feel that you have nothing to live for and for you there is no tomorrow. The ghosts, the wishes, and the bloodline constantly following are the way the kids – and especially the girl – try to rationalise the world they live in. A world we can remotely make sense of ourselves…

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Battle Royale (2000)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Battle Royale (2000)

    Members of the Japanese parliament attempted to ban both the book and the film’s distribution. The result? Everyone flocked to bookstores and cinemas – breaking box office records!

    German Expressionism

    Kay
    -
    0
    German Expressionism

    German Expressionism… the movement that instigated all and still thrives!

    Image References: IMDb

    Utoya: July 22 (2018)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Utoya: July 22 (2018)

    Children at the political summer camp on the Norwegian island of Utoya find out about the terrorist attack in Oslo, not knowing that they are next.

    Absolutely terrifying and heartbreaking! We all remember when it happened. The news was shocking and devastating, like with any other terrorist attack. Director Erik Poppe’s oner, though – one single shot – offers a depth that reaches the abyss of the human soul. Utoya: July 22‘s take on that attack will cut your breath and keep you on the edge of your seats. While some things serve only cinematic purposes – such as pace, rhythm and the way the camera is placed – it offers a personal approach to an unspeakable horror that Poppe, with his one protracted shot*, makes sure you experience every second of it. Great performances by the boys, girls, men, and women, with most credits going to Andrea Berntzen (Kaja).

    Watching the film, you’ll inevitably wonder: How could anyone be called human and do something like this? How is this humanly possible? Unfortunately, there are no answers – only death and the hope/will to survive.

    * It is, arguably, a few shots tied together with “invisible” editing.

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Conclave (2024)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Conclave (2024)

    After the Pope dies, the Cardinal responsible for selecting a new Pope confronts numerous Cardinals who want his position but also hide dark secrets.

    Meticulously written, shot and edited throughout all three acts. A lot could be said about one of the world’s most secretive and ancient events: selecting a new Pope. To most people, the process is unknown, or they know some facts. Reading about it over the years seems accurate, but ultimately, it’s beside the point. Based on the book, which also co-penned the script with Peter Straughan, the film begins, develops, and ends with the desired (to the filmmakers) result – I’ll explain in the end. Director Edward Berger, the man behind All Quiet on the Western Front (2022) – https://kaygazpro.com/all-quiet-on-the-western-front-2022-action-drama-war/, went for something entirely different this time.

    From the central cardinals to the nuns to all players involved in the narrative, everyone gets a proper introduction and character development. Everyone counts, and everyone offers something to the setup, the confrontation and the resolution. The scandals unfold sequentially, and the way they are resolved is efficient. Between scandals, more secrets and religious and political views come to light, adding depth and suspending disbelief. Who will become the next Pope? Will he deserve it? How are we going to get to the “white smoke”? All these questions arise as the thriller escalates for almost two hours.

    While I make it sound like a proper 5/5, it is not. From the viewer’s point of view, there are more questions: Could there literally be so many scandals – or could there be more? Could they have been resolved so methodically? Do certain statements have pedagogic intentions or pseudo-didactic? The answers to these questions lie entirely in how you want to perceive the film. Ralph Fiennes, Stanley Tucci, John Lithgow, Lucian Msamati, and Isabella Rossellini’s acting is solid, the production is superb, and some sentences carry significant depth, while others… well… it’s ambiguous who they aim: at the Church or the cinemagoers? Again, the answers are yours.

    I guess the real mystery is whether people’s opinions about the Catholic Church will change after watching Conclave. I wonder what the filmmakers’ intentions were, really.

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Monkey Man (2024)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Monkey Man (2024)

    Fast-paced, explosive, dramatic, realistic, with a lot of heart and soul! Dev Patel’s directorial debut is everything you need and want from an action movie: tension, high-octane chases, beatdowns, dirty fights, culture and tradition, dark humour, blood, drama, rage… you name it!

    Co-writer/director Dev Patel and producer Jordan Peele gave it their all to bring this film to life. Patel especially risked a lot and put a lot into bringing Monkey Man to the big screen. From COVID restrictions to lack of money to injuries, the film faced more obstacles than you can count. But he made it! And Monkey Man, despite its flaws, will one day be up there with films such as Enter the Dragon (1973), Unleashed (2005), Warrior King (2005), The Raid: Redemption (2011), John Wick (2014), and more.

    Impressive protracted shots (oners), fast-paced montages, meticulous sound design, realistic hand-to-hand fighting, and a tight script with a solid setup, confrontation and resolution will satisfy your visual and auditory senses and leave you excited until way after the end credits start scrolling down. As said earlier, all the obstacles the film faced surfaced flaws (i.e. balance between the flashbacks and the present), but I, for one, decided to turn a blind eye due to the immense effort Patel put into it.

    Monkey Man is a story-driven drama/action/thriller in which, after the inciting incident occurs, unfathomable trauma unfolds, conquers and shatters a man’s soul. On the way to redemption and completing the hero’s journey, the Indian caste system, poverty, minorities, chauvinism, abuse of power, religion, corruption, and individual and societal pain blend in and embrace the plot as much as they provide food for thought.

    Making a film is hard work. Making a good film is an achievement. Experience the thrill!

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

    Kay
    -
    0
    A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

    Notice this: Kowalski’s apartment becomes increasingly smaller throughout the film to highlight Blanche’s claustrophobia.

    Megalopolis (2024)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Megalopolis (2024)

    A conservative mayor and a forward-thinking genius battle over the control of a futuristic city called New Rome.

    An all-star cast, high-budget, neo-noir mess with ambiguous parables. Putting one’s thoughts together to explain how one feels about Megalopolis might be equally challenging as understanding the film itself. Here’s a potentially interesting sentence for you: Imagine two historical Roman rival figures, Lucius Sergius Catilina and Marcus Tullius Cicero, in a new Rome that resembles a neo-noir, retrofuturistic New York, battling for the city’s control. That’s the plot and the straightforward part – probably the only. Some elements that might help you make sense of the rest of the parts but are simultaneously confusing are: People sometimes act like Romans, but sometimes they don’t. The mayor represents the present and his rival the future, but it is unclear how this future can be materialised. Consequently, you’ll constantly wonder what Megalon is and how it works.

    While wondering about all these and more, the numerous characters, the intricate montages, the extravagant visual effects, the infinite quotes and poem citations, the stoppage of time, the scandals, the not-always-obvious parables, and the reason(s) why you actually sit in front of the screen get in the way of justifying its existence and your time spent watching it.

    Writer/producer/director Francis Ford Coppola spent $120,000,000 and funded Megalopolis all by himself, a project he had written and wanted to develop since Apocalypse Now (1979). Ever since the project fell apart time and time again until it made it to the big screen this year. Can you imagine what happened? It unfortunately tanked. After all those years of preparations, of writing it and rewriting it, of casting it and recasting it, of developing it and redeveloping it… it instantly tanked. Why? While I can’t tell you with certainty, my educated guess is that it is too convoluted, lacks purpose, it is unclear if it is meant to be taken entirely seriously, its audience is undefined, its statement about the connection of Rome and the USA is vague and, maybe, but don’t quote me here, it tries to become the next Citizen Kane (1941). Who knows, maybe, one day it will be.

    I wish someone knew what the director of The Godfather (1972) was thinking. Adam Driver, Giancarlo Esposito, Nathalie Emmanuel, Audrey Plaza, Shia LaBeouf, Jon Voight, Laurence Fishburne, Talia Shire, Jason Schwartzman, Kathryn Hunter, Chloe Fineman, James Remar, D.B. Sweeney, and Dustin Hoffman perform brilliantly. But do they know what Coppola was thinking?

    Megalopolis’s cinematic qualities are lost in the perplexed narrative. Watch it to see a unique case of “old wine, new bottle.” If it works or not, it up to you to decide.

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Pieces of April (2003)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Pieces of April (2003)

    On Thanksgiving Day, a young woman invites her estranged family for dinner, but everything that can go wrong does.

    It’s been 20-odd years since its release, and I said, why not resurface it for you? OK, for me as well. So, this is how it goes… Documentary-style comedy/drama from Peter Hedges, the writer of top-shelf dramas and comedy/dramas such as What’s Eating Gilbert Grape (1993), Dan in Real Life (2008), and Ben is Back (2018).

    Besides the mounted over-the-shoulder camera, the film’s realism lies in the suspension of disbelief. All the things that go wrong balance realism and surrealism and could have happened to anyone. The important thing is not only the way the story is told all the way to the end but also the ending. It’s a bittersweet story about family bonding, using Thanksgiving Day as an opportunity to forgive and forget, mend fences, and remind us how short life is.

    Katie Holmes, Oliver Platt, Patricia Clarkson, Derek Luke, Alison Pill, Lillias White, Isiah Whitlock Jr., and more perform brilliantly in front of the camera. I hope you enjoy it.

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Mel Brooks

    Kay
    -
    0
    Mel Brooks

    “Everything starts with writing. And then to support your vision, your ideas, your philosophy, your jokes, whatever, you’ve gotta perform them and/or direct them, or sometimes just produce them.”

    Thanksgiving (2023)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Thanksgiving (2023)

    A serial killer starts taking out one-by-one people who participated in a Black Friday sales tragedy the previous year.

    A tragicomedy… well… not for the whole family. The opening sequence establishes the caricature of American societal crowds – the type of society that values toasters more than human lives. From Black Friday to Christmas offers to pandemic times to whatever opportunity companies find to trick you with alleged offers of things you never needed or wanted, the moment we give in, we become victims. Maybe not of vicious revengers, but most certainly of the ones who grab our money.

    Back to the Revenger and Thanksgiving, Eli Roth made a funny horror about a small American town (that gave birth to the homonymous holiday) where people overestimate their abilities and themselves with a false sense of security. In this way, the celebration of Thanksgiving turns into a bloodbath of people you couldn’t care less. Everyone is indifferent, so when they die, you enjoy it. There is nothing innovative or original about it. Therefore, gather your mates or chill by yourself and enjoy this whodunit enjoyable yet forgettable and mindless Thanksgiving horror where everyone dies in the most horrible manner.

    Thanksgiving is about “celebrating the harvest and other blessings of the past year.” Like every other holiday, we have commercialised it, depreciated it, and monetised it cheaply. While none of these justifies the lunacy behind the film, films like that portray our lack of values, the disgusting use of social media and its users, and the dissonance within ourselves, our societies, our countries, and our world. In a sentence, we have failed to find that peace as much as the film has failed to provide a meaningful sense.

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Cameron Crowe

    Kay
    -
    0
    Cameron Crowe

    “In the future, everybody is going to be a director. Somebody’s got to live a real life so we have something to make a movie about.”

    An Eternity and a Day (1998)

    Kay
    -
    0
    An Eternity and a Day (1998)

    Bruno Ganz spoke German during filming and was later dubbed into Greek.

    Appendage (2023)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Appendage (2023)

    A young fashion designer who suffocates from stress produces a monstrosity that wants to take her place.

    Fashion Industry… My favourite appalling one! Eccentric people who, for some reason, think they are important because… why again? Anyway, moving forward, Appendage is more. It delves into mental health issues created or surfaced by family, friends, relationships and toxic working environments. The film is about how things are, how we perceive them, and the vast difference between them. Taking a step deeper, one can think that there is no such thing as “how things are,” just “how we perceive them.”

    Is it a perfect film? By far not. Is it enjoyable? It sure is. Can it be taken seriously? Not really. Should it be taken seriously? Definitely! And this is where it doesn’t succeed.

    The cast is wonderful, and the film’s message is powerful. Mental disorders thrive; they can take over and put people in the passenger’s seat, leading their lives. So, maybe the intentions are honest, but the delivery can create mixed feelings. Writer/director Anna Zlokovic has done a decent job, but Appendage is not as existential as it should have been. Horror fans should give it a go even though they will likely forget their experience not long after.

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Atonement (2007)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Atonement (2007)

    Only 8 British military ambulances survived World War II, and all were used in the film.

    Sidney Lumet

    Kay
    -
    0
    Sidney Lumet

    “The truth is that nobody knows what that magic combination is that produces a first-rate piece of work… All we can do is prepare the groundwork that allows for the ‘lucky accidents’ that make a first-rate movie happen.”

    Audition (1999)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Audition (1999)

    The film was shown at the Rotterdam Film Festival in 2000 and set a record for viewers who stood up and left. In Switzerland, someone even fainted and urgently needed help.

    Steven Spielberg

    Kay
    -
    0
    Steven Spielberg

    “All good ideas start out as bad ideas, that’s why it takes so long.”

    The Guilty (2018)

    Kay
    -
    0
    The Guilty (2018)

    A conflicted alarm dispatcher receives a call from a kidnapped woman, and the lines between legal and moral start to fade.

    A one-location superb thriller! The Guilty is yet another example of how… let’s quote George Clooney: “It’s possible for me to make a bad movie out of a good script, but I can’t make a good movie from a bad script.” Here, writer Emil Nygaard Albertsen, editor Carla Luffe, and co-writer/director Gustav Möller have conceived, developed and climaxed something spectacular. They have perfectly balanced the plot – the alarm dispatcher and the horror of the kidnapped woman and her two children, and the subplot – Anger Holm’s (Jakob Cedergren) personal background story that affects him, his job, and his collaboration with his colleagues.

    What you are about to experience is a purely one-location thriller where everything is left to your imagination. The dialogue, the dietetic (natural) sounds, and Holm’s reactions to the actions and reactions caused fill your imagination with images that compensate for what you don’t see. Moreover, listen to how the natural sounds increase at times and then how they die out entirely. The power of offscreen narrative generates a film inside your head, probably worse than any visual can portray. And that’s the story. The character of Anger Holm is as solid. His unorthodox methods will make you question what you would have done if you were in his shoes, as well as the ethics, morality and legality behind them.

    Alfred Hitchcock led the way with one-location thrillers such as Lifeboat (1944) and Rear Window (1954). Great directors have ever since experimented with transitions from closeups to middle shots and more in between to make the visuals engaging. My previous review was The Vigil (2019): https://kaygazpro.com/the-vigil-2019/, and before that, Monolith (2022): https://kaygazpro.com/monolith-2022/. Compare and contrast and see how effective yet different one-location films can be.

    So, let’s conclude with… the twist! What a twist! Just wait for it! And from that moment on… that moment of revealed truth… till the end… it will cut your breath…

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    The Vigil (2019)

    Kay
    -
    0
    The Vigil (2019)

    A traumatised man provides an overnight watch for a recently deceased member of his Orthodox Jewish community and finds himself against a sinister entity.

    Flawed but suspenseful and compelling low-budget horror. Right off the bat, tracking and dolly shots, eerie music, and offscreen noises set the foundation for a decent confined supernatural horror. Feature debut for writer/director Keith Thomas, who does an excellent job with the camera and maintains a great pace and rhythm of action, suspense, and thrill throughout the film. He also holds an outstanding balance between the plot’s horror (the entity’s threat) and the subplot’s drama (the hero’s past suffering). In front of the camera, Dave Davis supports Thomas’ vision and brings to life that troubled character who struggles with the burdens of the past, including his fears and traumas. While the film went largely under the radar, The Vigil has an enormously strong suit. The way Thomas has written and directed it, even though it predominantly takes place in just a house, provokes the viewer’s thoughts.

    The Vigil raises questions that contradict what we know or think we know, making us question what we believe and what we think we believe in. While watching, consider Yakov’s past and how this malevolent entity feeds off his fears. Then, as the story escalates and climaxes, think of the effect(s) that has on him. Ultimately, when the end credits start scrolling down, think…

    • Are we to accept that malevolent forces can take over us and tear our lives apart?
    • Respectively, are there benevolent forces that guide us through life and support us?
    • Is our brain creating those forces – God, gods, demons, and spirits?
    • Is our brain weak enough to create those entities, or is it too strong to manifest mental illness in such a manner?
    • Is it despair, guilt and paranoia that have taken the wheel in life, or is it hope, sheer will and pronoia? Also, do we choose these feelings, or are they imposed on us?

    I am sure you can come up with more questions and thoughts on it, but in the end, ask yourselves: How many of these questions can I honestly answer? Regardless, the power of cinema is there to audiovisually philosophise life and death, amongst other things, offering a unique point of view.

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Outside (2024)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Outside (2024)

    After a zombie outbreak, a man takes his family to his childhood house to protect them, but old traumas resurface, and more horrors unfold inside the walls.

    A slow-burn, psychological horror with a hint of zombies – imagine The Shining (1980) with zombies outside the gate. Aesthetically, it is very appealing, and the acting is good. Writer/director Carlo Ledesma has done a decent job revealing a confined post-apocalyptic world and the problems that come with it. But the zombies, in this case, are the backdrop of the film’s theme, which is no other than childhood drama and its relation to domestic abuse. To be more specific, Francis and Iris had problems before the outbreak, and the outbreak only amplified those issues. While it’s not The Shining, Outside has its own qualities, and it’s worth your time, especially if you decide to parallel that story to the actual pandemic we faced not so long ago and its connection to the actual domestic abuse negative records that unfortunately skyrocketed worldwide.

    Childhood trauma and domestic abuse is an ongoing debate, and Outside can provide a decent foundation to instigate that debate. Arguably, if you choose not to see from that angle, you might find it uneventful at times and too long for what it has to offer. If you are into zombies and/or psychological horrors, you’ll probably find it quite intriguing.

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Robert Altman

    Kay
    -
    0
    Robert Altman

    “I probably am a lazy artist and probably don’t control things as much as some people would like – but that’s my business. And if my style is too loose or improvised for some people’s taste, that’s their problem – totally.”

    Heat (1995)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Heat (1995)

    The scene of the barrage of gunfire during the bank heist has been used to train American Marine recruits on how to retreat under fire.

    Monolith (2022)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Monolith (2022)

    A journalist with an obscure past investigates a series of mysterious artefacts through her podcast, leading people and gradually herself to unprecedented paranoia.

    Absolutely stunning! The power of storytelling… From the epic of Gilgamesh to the present day, people tell stories about everyday societal issues to the birth of the gods and their creative and destructive forces.

    Coming on strong, Monolith visually and audibly tells a story of seemingly identical objects that, once encountered, irreparably mess up people’s lives. They conquer their thoughts, distort reality, and affect them on a psychosomatic level. Monolith is a prime example of how a nano-budget film can be infinitely more effective than a tentpole. Director Matt Vesely, writer Lucy Campbell, cinematographer Michael Tessari, editor Tania Nehme and the rest of the crew bring to life sci-fi/mystery that will keep you on the edge of your seats. In front of the camera, the phenomenal Lily Sullivan, the only on-screen actress, hits the nail on the head, carrying this thrilling story on her shoulders.

    There is no need to discuss technical details. Just turn off the lights, put the phone on silent, and watch it until the very end. It is a spectacular one-location narrative experience.

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Forrest Gump (1994)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Forrest Gump (1994)

    During the ping-pong games, there is no actual ball. It has been digitally added (CGI) with movement matching the motion of the paddle.

    Alfred Hitchcock

    Kay
    -
    0
    Alfred Hitchcock

    “If I made Cinderella into a movie, everyone would look for a corpse.”

    Terrifier 2 (2022)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Terrifier 2 (2022)

    One year after the Miles County massacre, Art the Clown returns for a killing spree on Halloween.

    Higher budget, still “bloody” low quality.

    Art the Clown: Part 3

    For all the details as to how Art the Clown started and how he made it to 2016, please read All Hallow’s Eve (2013): https://kaygazpro.com/all-hallows-eve-2013/ and Terrifier (2016): https://kaygazpro.com/terrifier-2016/ to see how he made it to 2022. Now…

    Not to my or arguably anyone else’s surprise, the script is as bad as the previous two. It is too long, the characters are unrelatable, you don’t care one bit if they live or die, the funny bits are not funny, the scary bits are not scary, the drama is yawnsome, and it has nothing new to offer. At least, the first one had the original “sawing-the-girl” sequence.

    From the very beginning, the Freddy Krueger-like sequence is not effective. The development from then on is nonsensical and sucks. So, should you give it a pass? Definitely not! Terrifier 2 is the perfect film for all horror fans this Halloween, as the real world makes even less sense than the film and is infinitely more horrific and dramatic, with real-life people who truly disregard human life. At least, writer/editor/VFX artist/director Damien Leone offers a bloody entertainment that disgustingly entertains and hurts no one. He came a long way, and kudos to him for turning Terrifier 2 into an unexpectedly huge box-office success. Moreover, Lauren LaVera (Sienna) is perfect, and David Howard Thornton (Art) is beautifully creepy.

    I’m going to copy and paste the ending of Terrifier’s review because exactly the same thing applies. Join the cult, embrace its faults, and enjoy the bloody, guts-out, mindless entertainment. There’s more coming up… on Christmas Eve!

    Happy Halloween!

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Terrifier (2016)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Terrifier (2016)

    After a night out on Halloween, two young women encounter Art the Clown, who will make their lives a living hell.

    Bad, but a necessary watch for all horror fans.

    Art the Clown: Part 2

    For all the details as to how Art the Clown started and how he made it to 2016, please read All Hallow’s Eve (2013): https://kaygazpro.com/all-hallows-eve-2013/ Now… Terrifier is almost as bad, but the kind of bad that makes it a must-see, especially if you are with like-minded horror fans and want to have a night in with unhealthy food and drinks and good company. And if it’s Halloween, even better!

    Terrifier‘s script is weak, and the story and character development are non-existent. The acting is bad, and mistakes are all over the place. Why should you watch it then? Because it’s gruesome. It is brutal and gory, and it’s borderline disgusting. Other than paranormal, Art the Clown is the most psychopathic cinematic clown ever. His motives are unclear, and so is his purpose on this Earth. What’s more, writer/director Damien Leone created a universe with him in it and despite the dumbness that rules that world, he is the epicentre of it, his victims revolve around him, and his fans make its existence possible.

    Join the cult, embrace its faults, and enjoy the bloody, guts-out, mindless entertainment. There’s more coming up…

    Happy Halloween!

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Smile 2 (2024)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Smile 2 (2024)

    A pop star with a troubled past encounters the Smile Entity and gradually and painfully descends into madness.

    Eerie, creepy, and dark, with great performances. Two years after the first film, Smile (2022): https://kaygazpro.com/smile-2022-horror-mystery-thriller/ writer/director Parker Finn comes back with a sequel that aims to shock. This time, he gets the beautiful person and actress Naomi Scott with him, and together, they achieve something that doesn’t happen often: a sequel better than the original. And bear in mind that the original was great despite my negative comments about the ending.

    Smile 2 has some solid, strong suits. The opening scene sets the foundation for something spectacular. Kyle Gallner is spectacular himself and a good friend of Finn’s, and they open the film with a thrilling action scene that will resonate with you. From then on, Finn uses the camera in a way that reflects the Entity’s point of view. There are numerous sequences within the film where both the action and the way the action’s portrayal will give you goosebumps, make you jump and scream and shock you to your core. Finn has used plenty of cinematic techniques to manipulate your experience and make it unforgettable. His effort, of course, wouldn’t have paid off if it wasn’t for Scott. She shares Finn’s vision and adds her personality and talent to bring to life the image of a pop star we all think we relate to but a person that no one ever will. And here’s what I mean by that…

    Besides Finn’s filmmaking techniques, Smile 2 enhances Smile‘s subliminal message. There will be times when we’ll feel alone. Times when we’ll feel abandoned, and no matter how many people are around us, we’ll still feel the same. Because no one will understand what we go through, and because people will think that we are all right, they will be cheerful… smiling! This can drive a person mad and make them descend into madness, regardless of their money, status, age, sex, etc… In both Smile films, the lack of understanding and feeling of isolation are manifested through the Entity’s effects on our body, soul, and mind.

    This is why my negative comments on Smile‘s ending apply here, too. No CGI monster can be worse than fear of loneliness and abandonment. But you’ll be the judge of that. Speaking of judgement…

    People think they know one another. They don’t. They only know what they allow one another to know. More often than not, what’s on the outside does not reflect the inside. That’s why we shouldn’t judge people by their appearance – we shouldn’t judge people, period. Upon watching the film, ask yourself this: Have social media turned people into what you see around you, or have they just surfaced it?

    Happy Halloween!

    Thank you for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    All Hallow’s Eve (2013)

    Kay
    -
    0
    All Hallow’s Eve (2013)

    While babysitting two children on Halloween, a VHS finds its place in the house, and upon playing it, strange things start happening.

    Art the Clown: Part 1

    The homage to John Carpenter pays off despite the numerous flaws. So, here’s how it all began…

    In 2008, writer/editor/director Damien Leone made the short film The 9th Circle. It was the first film in which Art the Clown appeared, and it is also the first segment of the film on VHS.

    In 2011, based on the clown’s popularity, Leone made another short film called Terrifier. That’s also the third segment of the film on VHS. That raised the infamous clown’s popularity even higher. Something that brings us to…

    All Hallow’s Eve, two years after that. The film became an excellent opportunity for Leone to put his short films into one and anchor it around the clown. So, how great is it? Not at all. Is that a bad thing? Not at all. All Hallow’s Eve is so bad that it’s actually good. As an audience, you really want to know what will happen in all three films and the house. That means that Leone has achieved his goal.

    There are countless mistakes from a technical and artistic point of view. That will not prevent you, though, from wanting to watch until the very end.

    The film was a great start for Leone’s career, who arguably created the most horrific and terrorising killer clown ever. And what did he do next? He propelled Art the Clown’s reputation to the sky with Terrifier (2016).

    Happy Halloween!

    Thank you for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Carved (2024)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Carved (2024)

    In a small town, a bloodthirsty pumpkin takes revenge on the people who carve pumpkins.

    Shallow, bad, but precisely what you might need before you go to bed. I’m not going to slay it to death, so here’s, in a nutshell, what you need to know. It is honestly unserious, intentionally poorly written, and deliberately funnily acted. What you sign up for is a low-budget superficial horror/comedy with a lot of obviously fake blood, mainly intended for an American audience.

    Don’t blame it, though. The real world is upside down, and Halloween is a celebration. Get some junk food, your friends or your own company and forget your problems for an hour and a half. The next day, you’ll forget you even watched it.

    I’ll conclude with two positive notes, though:

    1. It’s natural diversity puts to shame the already shameful woke films.
    2. In its shallowness, it still tries to pass a message: Screw with nature, and you’ll rip what sow.

    Happy Halloween!

    Thank you for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    The Substance (2024)

    Kay
    -
    0
    The Substance (2024)

    In a world where age matters, a fading celebrity who is slowly pushed aside receives a unique drug that creates a younger version of herself.

    Hitchcockian, stylised, surreal, and shocking! While the concept is not unique, its development and execution are. The film’s unmistakable message is that people, and especially women, need to stay young and beautiful in order to stay relevant, matter and be liked. Try to find one likeable man throughout the film. You won’t. Everyone is either a coward, weirdo, or disgusting. On the other hand, besides Elizabeth and Sue, all women in the film are irrelevant. And while they are the same person, Elizabeth (the old self) is so insecure that she takes something she has never heard before and has no idea what it will do to her. Upon taking it and seeing the results, she despises herself so much that Sue (the young self) creates her own personality, completing the split. She detaches herself from herself, blaming herself for being herself. Enough said. From then on, the chaos, the madness, and the abyss of the human soul spiral out of control in ways you haven’t thought about or seen before.

    From an aesthetic and technical point of view, producer/writer/editor/director Coralie Fargeat, composer Raffertie, director of photography Benjamin Kracun, and editors Jerome Eltabet and Valentin Féron create a dystopian present that resembles The Matrix (1999), which is as fake as The Matrix. Slow-mos, snappy editing that cuts to what matters, polished and stylised close-ups and long shots, and loud beats give life to a world with exaggerated fancy colours, surreal houses and people, and out-of-this-world kicks and knees. But this world wouldn’t be complete if the make-up department didn’t go out of its way to create the monstrosity you are about to witness. Finally, Demi Moore and Margaret Qualley are phenomenal as Elizabeth and Sue, respectively.

    Fargeat pushed it to the limits. She intended to shock you, and this is precisely what she did. Here is the beauty of cinema: Fargeat raises exactly the same questions as Richard Garr in Baby Reindeer (2024): https://kaygazpro.com/baby-reindeer-2024/. How much does success mean to you? How much happiness means to you? Which one comes first? Which one makes you complete as a human being? Ultimately, how far are you willing to pursue success and happiness? Yet, the two of them couldn’t be more antithetical.

    Fargeat puts Mary Shelley, Oscar Wilde, Alfred Hitchcock, David Cronenberg, The Wachowskis and Darren Aronofsky into the mix, and the result pays off. It is an old wine in a combination of new bottles that affects the perspective of the content. I’ll leave you with a quote that surely rings a bell: “We work jobs we hate to buy shit we don’t need to impress people we don’t like.”

    Thanks for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share, and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Bernardo Bertolucci

    Kay
    -
    0
    Bernardo Bertolucci

    “Success can be a nightmare. When you are identified always with a certain title, with a certain movie, especially with a certain sequence in that movie, it becomes a kind of a little nightmare.”

    Dogtooth (2009)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Dogtooth (2009)

    The names of the children were never revealed.

    Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)

    After his imprisonment in Arkham Asylum, still struggling with his dual personality, Arthur Fleck meets Harley Quinn, falls in love and goes to trial for the crimes he committed.

    A superb masterpiece that rightfully disappoints the iconic villain’s fans. There is a ton of information to read online about how this film was made, the influences behind it, and how certain creative decisions were made. I will only focus on the creative choices that made Joker: Folie à Deux, that masterpiece that, ultimately, disappoints.

    Joaquin Phoenix, Lady Gaga, Brendan Gleeson, Catherine Keener and the rest of the cast are amazing. Hildur Guðnadóttir’s music is amazing. Lawrence Sher’s photography is amazing. Jeff Groth’s editing is amazing. Mark Friedberg’s production design is amazing. Lastly, Scott Silver’s script is amazing. This leaves us with director Todd Philips.

    Philips created an audiovisual masterpiece, and both Jokers will be discussed personally, professionally, and academically in the coming years. Joker: Folie à Deux is stunning. I would dare to call it flawless, but there is this one flaw that damaged it irreparably, financially and critically. Ostensibly, you may think it’s the fact that he turned it into a musical, and you would be partially right. But I’ll be a tad more specific.

    The musical parts would be unique in understanding what is happening in Fleck’s mind. You see sequences where, while singing and dancing, he commits atrocities while expressing his love for Quinn at the same time. That speaks volumes about his mental state and the way he perceives the world – the differences between reality and fantasy and the blurry lines that hardly distinguish them. I find that notion particularly challenging and intriguing – the way the performance and non-performance worlds combine and synthesise Fleck’s/Joker’s version of reality. Now, here’s the catch…

    Philips turned the whole film into a musical, singing and dancing in both reality and fantasy, not separating the two. That was uncalled for. Questions such as “Who gave him the right to create that version? Why spend three times the budget of the original movie? What audience was he trying to attract?” filled up the internet. And then there was the ending… “He tricked the audience. In an attempt to go for the Oscars, he ruined the villain and made a film for himself and the main cast.” and so much more.

    I have debated academically the question of who the filmmaker makes a film for. Is it the audience? Themselves? The film festivals? The distribution companies? I believe that’s a question worth answering before the filming stage. In this case? A film for the audience was not made for it. This is where Philips and Warner Bros paid the price. And, consequently, the audience for paying the ticket, only to see their favourite villain become an Oscar-bait product.

    Depending on your expectations and where you stand, you will love it or loathe it. If you are a Joker fan, you will disappointed. If you are a musical fan, you will thoroughly enjoy it. But the question remains: Why did they do that to Joker?

    P.S. I am a Joker fan.

    Thank you for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    A Separation (2011)

    Kay
    -
    0
    A Separation (2011)

    The first Iranian film to win an Oscar.

    Azrael (2024)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Azrael (2024)

    Years after the Rapture, a group of mute zealots hunt down a young woman to offer her to humanoid creatures of the wilderness.

    Well-directed, shot, edited and acted, but the weak, full-of-holes script overshadows it all. Films where there is no dialogue have been made before. And while A Quiet Place (2018) is studio level and Azrael is indie, a weak script remains weak regardless of the budget. For example, creatures of forest cannot be outrun… in the forest. Or, setting a trap with the boyfriend tied up in a random part of the forest where no one could ever possibly know that she will go through that way… do I need to say anything else? OK, one more: Her out-of-nowhere Rambo performance in the end.

    Time and time again, Samara Weaving proves to be a brilliant actress. Azrael is no exception, but she doesn’t have much to work with. If the Christian God caused the Rapture, what are these creatures? Why are these people the way they are? What has happened to the rest of the world? Why are we watching this endless chase? All these questions will occupy your thoughts while you watch the film, and the young woman’s suffering will take the back seat, which shouldn’t be the case.

    What’s certain is that Weaving is never afraid to get her hands dirty (more like, from top to bottom). If Azrael didn’t convince you, Ready or Not (2019) https://kaygazpro.com/ready-or-not-2019-comedy-horror-mystery/ will. It’s a shame that the result here didn’t pay off. Especially when the ending is so cool!

    Thank you for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    The Instigators (2024)

    Kay
    -
    0
    The Instigators (2024)

    An organised heist goes terribly wrong, and two men must find a way out of a seemingly inescapable situation.

    Funny at times, with enjoyable action, but forgettable nonetheless. Following up on Wolfs (2024) review https://kaygazpro.com/wolfs-2024/ and the things I said about the Dogme 95 and the Hollywood gang, Apple TV+ gets the copyrights and releases a film similar to Wolfs with some of the rest of the gang for The Instigators.

    The Instigators is yet another slapstick action/comedy with an excellent leading duet and great action scenes, but it is incredibly superficial. The action is fine, but the imbalance with the comedy that, more often than not, ceases to be funny because of the too much cursing that gradually loses its panache… makes it repetitive. Doug Liman’s film is not a “bad” film, but, as mentioned above, it’s forgettable. It addresses a specific Hollywood audience and a particular time of the day or night when one wants to watch a film without having to think too much. Matt Damon and Casey Affleck (Ben Affleck is the producer) might not be as enjoyable as Brad Pitt and George Clooney, but that’s because the story and character development are weaker. Other than that, they are both great. With them, Hong Chao, Alfred Molina, Ving Rhames, Ron Perlman, and Toby Jones complete the excellent cast.

    I reviewed Wolfs and The Instigators back to back because Apple TV+ released them back to back. Their similarities might speak volumes about what kind of audience they are trying to attract and compete with the rest of the streaming platforms. Other than Wolfs 2, let’s see what else they have in mind.

    Thank you for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share, and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    8½ (1963)

    Kay
    -
    0
    8½ (1963)

    Federico Fellini had placed a note to himself on the camera that read: “Remember, it’s a comedy.”

    Wolfs (2024)

    Kay
    -
    0
    Wolfs (2024)

    Two fixers who have been working solo so far must collaborate on a case in which the rabbit hole goes much deeper than they thought. 

    Clooney/Pitt in a slapstick action film that works for the most part. Let’s start with the title… “Wolfs” is not the wrong plural of the respective animal but the last name of the fixer (Winston Wolf) from Pulp Fiction (1994). This is the sixth time Brad Pitt and George Clooney have collaborated, and there will definitely be a seventh (yes, the sequel has already been greenlit). The director of the Spiderman franchise, Jon Watts, writes and directs Wolfs, a film where “Sony, Lionsgate, Apple, and Netflix went into a bidding war for the movie package before Apple sealed the deal.” So, is it that good?

    Wolfs is the kind of film that makes you enjoy actors such as Clooney and Pitt, especially when they work together. You get to enjoy the action as much as you get to enjoy the comedy that accompanies it. If it weren’t for them, it wouldn’t be as enjoyable. They have worked together for numerous years, including Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, Casey Affleck, Mark Wahlberg and more. It’s like the original Dogme 95 avant-garde filmmaking movement transitioned to Hollywood, expanded, and the same gang recycles its members, producing and directing films that address a specific Hollywood audience.

    Wolfs is a fun film that will make you forget your problems for a couple of hours with funny lines and acting and with Watts orchestrating what’s in the foreground, what’s in the background and why. The film’s pace and rhythm work well, and even though the plot is not entirely mindless, in the end, it gets a tad convoluted for what it is. The next review will intentionally be The Instigators (2024). And you’ll see why.

    Thank you for reading!

    Please, don’t forget to share, and subscribe. If you enjoy my work and dedication to films, please feel free to support me on https://www.patreon.com/kaygazpro. Any contribution is much appreciated and valued.

    Solidarity for all the innocent lives who suffer the atrocities of war!

    Stay safe!

    Elia Kazan

    Kay
    -
    0
    Elia Kazan

    “The key word in art – it’s an ugly word, but it’s a necessary word – is power, your own power. Power to say, ‘I’m going to bend you to my will.’ However you disguise it, you’re gripping someone’s throat. You’re saying, “My dear, this is the way it’s going to be.”

    1234...16Page 3 of 16

    Popular posts

    Tim Bevan

    Braveheart (1995)

    The Oscars Art or Politics

    Humane (2024)

    Featured

    Tim Bevan

    Braveheart (1995)

    The Oscars Art or Politics

    Humane (2024)

    Useful Links

    2024 © Copyright - Made by KayGazPro and serviceTag