“I don’t want to be made pacified or made comfortable. I like stuff that gets your adrenaline going.”
Red Rooms (2023)
An obscure woman becomes obsessed with the trial of a man who has allegedly committed heinous crimes.
Obsession, depravity, psychopathy and personified evil in a slow-burn horror that might never be fully understood. On the surface, Red Rooms is a slow burn that ostensibly everything takes so long to happen, making one wonder why it is a horror and not a thriller. The first act’s protracted shots verbally introduce the heinous acts of a monster that looks like you and I, but he is not. In parallel, we are visually introduced to the alleged monster, Ludovic Chevalier (Maxwell McCabe-Lokos), as well as the rest of the key players, such as Kelly-Anne (Juliette Gariépy), Clementine (Laurie Babin) and the victims’ parents.
The film’s second act elaborates on those characters, giving us unique perspectives of the seen evil. Chevalier remains entirely unaffected by the charges, Clementine defends him, the parents want to see him burn, and Kelly-Anne… well… that remains a mystery. The two-thirds of the second act is that. The audience is then left with two big question marks. Maybe he looks the part, but has he actually done it? And secondly, why does Clementine defend him with everything she has, and why does Kelly-Anne do everything she does?
Against all odds, writer/director Pascal Plante gradually and patiently makes the second question more important than the first. Kelly-Anne is wealthy, alone, a model, athletic, a poker player, a bitcoin trader, a hacker, an AI expert, and who knows what else she is capable of, and the nights before the trial, she sleeps on the street near the courtroom. Why this person is obsessed with the trial and why she does the things you will see in the film lead to one conclusion… And this is where I need to stop before spoiling it for you.
Plante created a third act that you will not be able to let go. The end credits will be scrolling down, and you will be thinking, “Why?” Her reaction to the content of the third video, her final act, and what she lost and what she gained will be looping thoughts inside your head. You will want to know why. And, arguably, this Red Rooms‘ uniqueness. An exceptionally well-crafted psychological horror for viewers with patience. Hint: Pay attention to why she plays poker.
Eventually, when you let go, it is possible that the film’s main theme might come back and hit you like a hammer. There is an elite out there that pays astronomical numbers to see torture, torture porn, and inhumane acts against innocent souls without a shred of guilt or remorse. And then numerous people from every social and financial class seek it and cannot afford it. Twist: Chances are that we know them. They are our friends, even our relatives. We just don’t know if it is them…
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Queer Cinema
From the censorship of homosexuality in early cinema to the groundbreaking works of the 21st century, queer cinema has continuously evolved to challenge societal norms and push boundaries. But how far have we come, and what does the future of queer cinema look like in today’s world?
Image References: IMDb
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Howard Hawks
“You can’t fix a bad script after you start shooting. The problems on the page only get bigger as they move to the big screen.”
Suspiria (1977)
Did you notice that all the doorknobs are at the height of the protagonists, Suzy and Sara’s heads? This is because, in Dario Argento’s original script, the characters were about 12 years old. Although he raised their age to 20 to avoid an outright ban on the film, the doorknobs remained at the same height – along with the characters’ naivety.
The Critic (2024)
Wanting to maintain his authority, a renowned theatre critic uses and abuses his power, but not without dire consequences.
A dark tale of ambition and vanity. Despite its many qualities, The Critic is not an easy watch for many reasons. Posh vernacular, slow pace, and undefined target audience are just a few. The film takes a significant amount of time to establish its purpose, which can easily make one lose interest in what is happening. That is understood, but writers Patrick Marber and Anthony Quinn and director Anand Tucker open the gates into a world of lies, power, abuse, deceit, manipulation, ambition, and vanity, where everything goes.
Personally, I very much enjoyed it because, on top of the aforementioned, Sir Ian McKellen, Gemma Arterton, Alfred Enoch, Ben Barnes, Mark Strong, Romola Garai, Lesley Manville and the rest of the cast gave powerful performances. While this might not be enough for some, I still recommend it because the manipulative world of art and its industry still exists, perpetuating the scandals and black pages of its history.
The Critic started and ended as a different film, and Lionsgate, the distribution company behind it, ordered re-shoots and re-edits. We don’t know what kind of a film it was at first. But maybe that explains the undefined target audience and why the film’s first part is a different genre from the second. That takes us back to questions such as: Who really makes the film, and who are films made for?
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Nosferatu (2024)
A vampire who is infatuated with a young woman escapes his castle, travels to Germany to find her, and faces the men who are hell-bent on stopping him.
Believe the hype, but know what to expect from the script. Written for the screen and directed by Robert Eggers, Nosferatu becomes the next epic, dark, and gothic fairytale that will be discussed in the years to come. Released 102 years after the original Nosferatu: A Symphony of Horror (1922), the script combines that first early encounter with German Expressionism (which was defined a few years later) and Bram Stoker’s Dracula (1992). In that respect, the script does not offer much; it is just a fresh take. You know what will happen and more or less when and how it will happen. What differs is the plan and who will die in the process in order to get there.
Having said that, several elements make Nosferatu stand out. First and foremost, the cinematography. Haunting, eerie, dark and the ultimate representative example of the evolution of German Expressionism. Cold environments feel cold, and warm environments feel warm. As for the shadows, they visually represent the film’s theme and create their own manipulative existence. The editing’s role is integral as it controls the film’s pace and rhythm without creating false expectations, keeping the script tight and emphasising the individual and collective high stakes. The costumes, hairstyles, and makeup effects are thrilling, pulling you into the 1900s, and Count Orlok couldn’t be more representative of the undead titular villain that has haunted mankind for generations – in literature and cinema.
Eggers has achieved the ultimate “old wine, new bottle.” He found a way to show outdated techniques visually in a current and relevant way. See, for example, Orlok’s psychic communication with Ellen. Without the particular style of editing, it wouldn’t have been so effective. Or, the way the shadow on the wall with the protruded arm hovers upstairs. These are hundred-year-old techniques that, in modern cinema, one could see in comedies. Yet, the way he has used them still stays relevant and effective. The same applies to the melodramatic dialogue that mostly serves a theatrical purpose. Again, the way Eggers stages the action draws the audience in, and the particular vernacular seems natural – to the point that everyone speaks British English in a German city and is considered OK. Speaking of the people who speak the language, Lily-Rose Depp, Nicholas Hoult, Bill Skarsgård, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Willem Dafoe, Emma Corrin, Ralph Ineson, Simon McBurney, and the rest of the cast create amazing on-screen chemistry, delivering Eggers’ dream. Last but not least, an extra round of applause goes to the rest of the crew that, if it weren’t for the last runner, this film wouldn’t look like it does.
When you watch a film, think of this: whose story is it? Nosferatu has an ensemble cast and feels like it is no one’s story. At least, this is how I felt. By definition, the story does not focus on a particular protagonist’s point of view, which sometimes spreads the script thin. Again, that is a tiny thorn in a visual masterpiece that will be discussed for a long time in the industry and academia. Arguably, though, he has succeeded in making the audience feel like it was a hundred years ago when the audience felt the same while watching the original. Eggers is a cinematic genius, and I, for one, look forward already to his next film.
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Film Propaganda
From the trenches of World War I to the blockbusters of today, film has always been more than entertainment – it’s a powerful tool for shaping ideas. Are we consuming art… or ideology?
Image References: IMDb
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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.”
3-Iron (2004)
Writer/director Kim Ki-Duk wrote the film in 30 days, shot it in 16, and edited it in 10.
Pornography
Cinema and controversy often go hand in hand, and pornography is no exception. Where have debates, censorship and individual preferences led it? Ultimately, how has it shaped and been shaped by society?
Image References: IMDb / Wikipedia / Met Museum: https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/266439
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Seeking a Friend for the End of the World (2012)
A man looking for his childhood sweetheart travels with a woman trying to get to her parents and find companionship as an asteroid is about to hit the Earth.
The side of American cinema that one can fall in love with. To say that it’s hard to combine two polar opposite genres is an understatement. Visually bringing it to life is even more challenging. On the one hand, you have the end of days; an asteroid is about to hit the Earth, and everyone will die. The side effects of that span from quitting the job, looting, killing, committing suicide… doing heroin, orgies, getting kids drunk… well, a variety of things one wouldn’t do otherwise.
Writer/director Lorene Scafaria manages to make a film that will make you laugh, cry, and feel uncomfortable in between. The end of the world is coming, and people express themselves in ways they have never done before. Now, think about it. What does that say about people? We don’t dare to express how we really feel? To say what we want to say? To act like we want to act? That we don’t dare to live the life we want to live? Do we disclose who we really are only when the pending doom is coming?
These are the questions Scafaria poses, and Steve Carell and Keira Knightley create the intended feelings by delivering bittersweet performances. With them, briefly, you can spot numerous actors who jumped on board just to be part of this film: Melanie Lynskey, Patton Oswalt, Adam Brody, Connie Britton, Rob Corddry, William Petersen, T.J. Miller, Gillian Jacobs, and Martin Sheen.
Weirdly, I chose this film to close the year, but for some bizarre reason, it felt right. Have an amazing 2025, and let’s not worry about the end of the world but be happy about the beginning of a new, creative and compassionate one. Be well!
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Babygirl (2024)
A CEO of a successful company starts an intense carnal relationship with one of her interns.
My first negative review of an A24 film. Writer/director Halina Reijn made a film with the intent of causing shock to the senses – Think of Basic Instinct (1992). Babygirl shares many similarities, but it is not it, regardless of how you see it. The way Babygirl has been shot, edited, and acted is brilliant. As a viewer, you constantly want to know what will happen next while enjoying what is happening at present. What is happening at present is primitive, gore, sensational, and sensual. Nicole Kidman is the right person for the job and is still a great actress and woman. She is not just doing it for the money; she still shows her love for acting. And this is where the good news ends. From then on…
Reijn’s directing is beautiful, but her script is deeply problematic.
- Antonio Banderas needed a lot more screen time, as Jacob’s presence was undermined, and the audience couldn’t care less about him being cheated; if it wasn’t for that, they wouldn’t get to enjoy Romy’s sex scenes.
- The power dynamics between Romy and Samuel (Harris Dickinson) are unspecified. It is unclear why they act the way they do.
- Romy tries to explain it, but the cult she grew up in (and why that matters), her sexual desires, and why she wants to be dominated when she dominates her industry are unclear.
- On the other hand, why Samuel acts that way and has such sexual desires is unclear.
- Finally, why the ending is important raises questions. Does it actually matter? Why? To whom? What’s the moral story? How is the heroine better or worse from the beginning of that journey?
Surely, you can find more things to say or ask as you contemplate the film. Personally, if the ending was fulfilling by justifying why all these encounters happened or if a calamity struck and left you speechless or a miracle happened and tears of joy filled your eyes, it would give the film a purpose. But the ending was anticlimactic, took away the purpose and made it look like a film that is just provocative for the sex scenes and nothing more.
Basic Instinct (1992) meets Fatal Attraction (1987) could be a nice way to describe Babygirl, but this is not the case. If you are into provocative cinema, particularly from the female gaze’s perspective, watch Julia Ducournau’s Raw (2016): https://kaygazpro.com/raw-2016-drama-horror/ and Titane (2021): https://kaygazpro.com/titane-2021-drama-horror-sci-fi/. And if you want to get a better understanding of trauma and its inescapable reality, go for Resurrection (2022): https://kaygazpro.com/resurrection-2022-crime-drama-horror/.
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Knox Goes Away (2024)
An assassin who suffers from dementia needs to help his estranged son by planning and executing a meticulous plan that can save his life.
It hits hard from the start and doesn’t get easier in the process. Written by Gregory Poirier and produced and directed by Michael Keaton himself, Knox Goes Away is an easy and digestible watch that still manages to cut your breath short at times, especially in the end. What happens to Knox in the beginning, the act he commits afterwards, the thing he does for his son, and how he is seen in the end complete the hero’s journey and leave the audience with a bittersweet feeling that is maintained way after the end credits scroll down.
Knox’s plan is meticulous, and while many credits go there, his condition and how he handles it also keep the suspense to the highest of levels. The beauty of the film is the simple premise. A man needs to save his estranged son before he… goes away. Keaton manages to get the audience to side with and feel for him while they know he is an assassin. His surrounding environment, comprised of an excellent cast, James Marsden, Al Pacino, and Marcia Gay Harden, also supports the notion that, indeed, he deserves redemption. Even his rival, Suzy Nakamura (Ikari), shares something positive about him.
Lastly, Keaton nails his role. Just pay attention to his body movements and facial expressions. You see, Knox suffers from something terrifying. Something that is unfathomable to everyone until it happens to them. And when you start losing yourself… when you gradually forget the people around you, the things you say and do and the way you feel, and eventually, lose yourself within yourself, and you don’t know who you are or why you came to be… then you are alienated from reality… alone…
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Tetris (2023)
A video game designer discovers that a game called Tetris exists, and a witchhunt for obtaining its rights begins that involves its creator, international corporations and the Soviet Union.
A brilliant mix of genres that informs, entertains and thrills. Writer Noah Pink, producer Matthew Vaughn, and director Jon S. Baird create a biography/drama/mystery/thriller that involves a lot of humour, fast-paced sequences and suspenseful moments that pin you down. A man and his will to succeed, corporate greed and a declining empire all blend smoothly into a two-hour film that involves a lot of (mis)information, personal drama, high stakes and intrigues and reveals how sometimes the ropes work behind simple pleasures of life, in this instance, Tetris. While we all played the game, we could never possibly fathom that these were the circumstances behind its creation and expansion.
In front of the camera, Taron Egerton, Nikita Efremov, Toby Jones, Roger Allam, Anthony Boyle, Ayane Nagabuchi, and the rest of the cast create excellent chemistry, delivering performances that support the emotions the script intends to create. Egerton especially holds no punches in the pursuit of happiness and shows once more what a diverse actor he is.
Highly recommended for the whole family and a night full of entertainment and suspense.
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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.
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AI in Film: Tool or Threat
AI in Film: Tool or Threat? Dive into the heated debate surrounding AI’s impact on filmmaking. Can the right balance ensure cinema remains innovative yet human-driven?
Image References: IMDb / Featured Image by https://medium.com/@Mr.AliH.Muhammad/the-impact-of-ai-in-the-film-industry-e56280b12b3a
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Paul Thomas Anderson
“Screenwriting is like ironing. You move forward a little bit and go back and smooth things out.”
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
To have as many extras as possible for the Black Gate battle, the production gathered several hundred New Zealand soldiers, who, in their enthusiasm, broke the wooden swords and shields.
Experimental Cinema
Experimental Cinema – an avant-garde movement that broke all the rules of traditional filmmaking. Whether through disjointed narratives, unconventional visuals or abstract sound, experimental filmmakers have dared to shape in their own way the art of storytelling.
Image References: IMDb / Wikipedia
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In Bruges (2008)
Two hitmen flee to Bruges after a job going wrong, awaiting instructions from their ruthless boss.
The epitome of dark humour wrapped in drama. Writer/director Martin McDonagh became famous by making that film. His British, dark and phlegmatic humour found an unexpectedly large audience despite the insults to minorities and foul language. You wonder what the secret is? No political agenda. Everything the characters say and do is what the characters say and do because this is how they are. And how they are is how some real-life people are. And, like McDonagh, they don’t have a political agenda. This is how they naturally are. That is why (almost) no one was offended.
The premise is simple, the goal is defined, and the narrative does not deviate from that goal. Colin Farell, Brendan Gleeson, and Ralf Fiennes understand that and add something extra to this pseudorealism, exaggerating it only for cinematic purposes. Fiennes’s accent, for example, can’t get more cockney to deliver the British humour that Guy Richie made widely known to the world with Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998) and The Snatch (2000). Au contraire, you could say that if McDonagh had an agenda, it would be against England, where he was born. See The Banshees of Inisherin (2022): https://kaygazpro.com/the-banshees-of-inisherin-2022-comedy-drama/.
“Two manky hookers and a racist dwarf. I think I’m heading home.” McDonagh’s bittersweet dramas have become his trademark. He can make you cry after having made you laugh out loud. That is a skill! Highly recommended to everyone who loves the Christmas-y different, the dark, and the unique!
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Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
A little boy witnesses his parents getting killed by a Santa-looking murderer and grows up to be a deadly Santa himself.
A B-movie like they only knew how to make… Obviously, this is just a reminder if you want to go back to the classics. Why not? It’s that time of year. Silent Night, Deadly Night is a masterpiece of that kind of cinema, responsible for dozens of holiday horror slashers that followed over the decades. Sodomisation of the Christmas spirit, blood and guts, bad script, acting, directing, and everything else more or less describe Charles E. Sellier Jr.’s hour and a half of massacre.
The film is so bad, it’s brilliant. It is so effective that it got banned when it first came out. The theatres pulled it, and it tanked within a couple of weeks. The controversy behind it was phenomenal. The axe-wielding Santa murdering everyone on Christmas Eve was something to protest against. It was unthinkable (even though it had been done before), and the uproar was nothing like we have seen since. All that information, though, speaks volumes about society rather than the film itself. More specifically, about the kind of morals and ethics that define it. The film could have gone two ways: One, focus on the child trauma, the way it was addressed (not), and how it escalated. Or the maniac Santa on a killing spree. I guess we all know which one the studios went for.
It would be interesting to see what would have happened if it had gone the other way, but then, it wouldn’t have created all that kerfuffle, and it wouldn’t be a classic. It’s ironic that they made so many sequels after all that commotion and even more interesting that the 2012 remake got so much acceptance. Censorship has taken so many different shapes and forms over the years. Still, all it does is prove society’s intolerance to anything different to what they are used to or narrow-mindedly doesn’t fit the majority’s narrative.
Silent Night, Deadly Night will always remain a classic despite its all-white cast and depreciation of women. Well, it was films like that that, years later, brought to the fore the marginalised voices and the rise of the female gaze movement. So, yes, it’s a classic, but I’m so glad they don’t make them like that anymore.
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Serendipity (2001)
A man and a woman who met accidentally one night in NYC look for one another years later as they think fate will bring them back together.
Great holiday comedy/romance with flaws you couldn’t care less. John Cusack and Kate Beckinsale make an excellent on-screen couple that transcends the romance, the comedy, and the drama couples face in real life in a way that is particularly wrapped for holiday seasons. Jeremy Piven, Bridget Moynahan, Eugene Levy, and Molly Shannon are brilliant additions to the cast.
Now, the high levels of implausibility packed with pseudophilosophical ideas usually have a negative connotation, but Marc Klein’s script and Peter Chelsom’s directing make it a fun, suspenseful, and exciting journey for the audience by creating a constant suspension of disbelief. You will want them to meet throughout every sequence, but this will not happen. They will not meet when you want them to meet; they will meet when “fate” decides they must meet.
And this is Serendipity‘s subliminal message. We all need to have faith in life that some “force” will help us when we try hard to achieve a goal. You see, we need to “meet the gods halfway”, as success itself will not just knock on our doors and show up. Maybe there is no force anyway, so we must try hard, regardless. But, some faith that someone is looking from up there helping us out in this world could as well be a synonym for hope. While that applies to everything, in this case, it is love. There is someone out there for all of us, and we would like someone to keep an eye on us to ensure we will find this person if we try hard enough.
Whether someone can help us out or not, we need to keep moving forward in the hope that we will achieve what we think we are destined to do or find the person who is our other half. Keep it up!
P.S. Putting my sentimentalism aside, this film was produced by Miramax when the Weinsteins were in charge. And that’s how romance dies.
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Method Acting
How did method acting transform cinema? From Moscow Art Theatre to Broadway and many great actors and actresses adopting it, discover its origins, challenges and impact on Hollywood.
Image References: IMDb
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George Lucas
“The script is what you’ve dreamed up – this is what it should be. The film is what you end up with.”
Pulp Fiction (1994)
The moment Vincent ‘injects’ Mia’s chest, he actually pulls the needle out, as the shot was filmed in reverse to be edited in post-production.
Carry-On (2024)
On Christmas Eve, a mysterious man uses a TSA agent to slip a package through security, not knowing he will do anything to stop him.
It’s almost Christmas, and Netflix dropped a decent one. As per IMDb, “Most watched Netflix movie of 2024 having a total of 42 million views within the first week of its release.” So, is it that good? Let’s see…
Here’s what you have: Jaume Collet-Serra behind the camera and Taron Egerton, Jason Bateman, Sofia Carson, Danielle Deadwyler, Theo Rossi, Logan Marshall-Green, and Dean Norris in front of it. Yes, it is Die Hard (1988) meets Phone Booth (2002) – even though it’s neither. And that’s for a few reasons, but there is a main one why it is not. Back in the 80s and 90s, the levels of plausibility (or lack thereof) were not in question. Now, the audience is nitpicking. A lot! And they cannot accept so easily what the previous generations could. So, instead of enjoying the show, they tend to ask, “Oh, and how did he do…”, “How did she manage to…”
Neither Die Hard nor Carry-On nor any other film of that sort is realistic in any shape or form. Collet-Serra – the man behind brilliant horrors and thrillers – and all the cast do a brilliant job on a script that, on the one hand, has nothing to do with reality and, on the other, offers a great race-against-time, suspenseful Christmas action/thriller. It is well shot, edited and acted, and you can watch it from the comfort of your couch this festive season. There are a lot of chases, fights, shootouts, and running, all wrapped in the Christmas spirit. So what if it’s not flawless? Its intentions are honest, and you’ll forget your problems for a couple of hours. There won’t be another Die Hard. Even if Die Hard came out now, it wouldn’t be Die Hard.
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The Last Mission (1949)
Filopimin Finos dedicated the film to his father, who was executed during the German occupation.
Terrifier 3 (2024)
Art the Clown returns and wreaks havoc again, this time on Christmas Eve.
What you sign up for is exactly what you get, and more. So, if you have not seen the previous ones or want to remind yourself how it all began and escalated, go through the following:
All Hallows’ Eve (2013): https://kaygazpro.com/all-hallows-eve-2013/
Terrifier (2016): https://kaygazpro.com/terrifier-2016/
Terrifier 2 (2022): https://kaygazpro.com/terrifier-2-2022/
As for Terrifier 3, a Christmas slasher released on Halloween, it’s more – as the opening credits state – bloody disgusting! It’s gory, vial, ridiculous, superficial, horrendous, masochistic, and so much more. Which is precisely why you paid for or will pay to watch. Writer/director Damien Leone pays tributes to numerous horror films of the 80s – at least he thinks he does – and creates once more a slasher where every death and unfathomable pain is fun for Art the Clown as much as it is for the masses. But is it? Fun?
Think about it… You pay money to see someone killing people most horrifically. So, what’s the difference between that and other classic slashers like Haute Tension (2003), The Texas Chainsaw Massacre (2003), Halloween (1978), and Friday the 13th (1980)? In those films, you want the victims to survive. Do you see the difference? It is about their survival. The audience here pays money to see as many vicious murders as possible, no matter who the victim is. The audience wants to see Art exceed their expectations and even more brutally massacre his next victim. And more… and more…
That’s why the depravity is on a different level. The opening scene, the attic, the Santa, the shower, the mouse tube… are all sequences that are meant to make you throw popcorn in the air, scream and laugh at the same time and shout “awesome” afterwards. And then expect more! That kind of cinematic psychopathy should be straightforward as to where it positions the audience. Leone does that. Unfortunately, though, he makes the audience cheer for Art rather than the victims. When, as a filmmaker, your message is “Come and enjoy the funniest and most gruesome deaths you’ve ever seen”, making them crave for more, he changes the balances in ways I don’t think he or we fully understand. Especially, in the country with the highest mass shooting rates…
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Horror Films – An Introduction
From silent classics to modern “elevated” horror, explore how films evolve with societal fears. Stay tuned for a series of horror revelations in upcoming episodes!
Image References: IMDb
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Black Doves (2024)
A spy and the assassin who protects her embark on a lethal journey of secrets and deceits involving governments, gangsters, and shadowy organisations.
Entertaining, yet very formulaic. Let’s start with the positives… The acting is decent, and the story is solid. This is where the positives kind of stop. The production itself is your average, standard Netflix production. No shots stand out, and the editing faces quite a few issues. Then, the only person you might empathise with is Sam (Ben Whishaw). Helen Webb (Keira Knightley) is not as relatable as you would like her to be in episode 1. Furthermore, the script, as opposed to the story, is not as solid. The spy and assassination level is sometimes fairly childish compared to series and films we have all watched. Many solutions found in intricate problems become gimmicks for the narrative to advance (i.e. empty shell found on the balcony, extraction of a suspect from the American embassy, making a phone call and being there in five minutes – in London!)
But… there is another positive I’d like to throw in, deliberately leaving it for the end. It’s a spy Christmas series with Keira Knightley, Ben Whishaw, and Sarah Lancashire. So, why not? It’s a mini-series with Christmas-y twists and turns you can easily digest without overthinking most of what I mentioned in the previous paragraph. It will help you escape the harsh reality that kicks in before and after you shut the telly. Make the most of it!
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Blaxploitation
Blaxploitation redefined cinema, breaking barriers and amplifying Black voices! From the Harlem Renaissance to modern Hollywood, discover its powerful legacy.
Image References: IMDb / Wikipedia
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Charlie Kaufman
“I don’t think screenwriting is therapeutic. It’s actually really, really hard for me. It’s not an enjoyable process.”
Fight Club (1999)
The author, Chuck Palahniuk, was beaten up at a campground after complaining to ‘neighbours’ about their loud music. When he returned to work, no colleague asked him what happened because no one cared enough to ask.
William Wyler
“[Making movies is] 80% script and 20% getting great actors. There’s nothing else to it.”
Blockbusters
From Jaws and Star Wars to the expanding universes of Marvel and DC, blockbusters have shaped cinema history.
Image References: IMDb
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Christmas Bloody Christmas (2022)
On Christmas Eve, in a quiet little town, a young couple fight for their lives against a robotic Santa Claus who goes on a killing spree.
The film had me before the second minute, with the narrator taking pride in the fact that “[…] Robot Santa+ fully replaces your local degenerate mall Santa, keeping you and your children safe.”
Writer/director Joe Begos is in his element. The man behind the trippy Bliss (2019) and VFW (2019): https://kaygazpro.com/vfw-2019-action-crime-horror/ strikes back with one of the most relentless Santas. Supported by Shudder, the company that has produced from unique horrors to the most mediocre ones to I-don’t-know-what-or-why-I-am-watching them collaborate on one that will cheer you up for an hour and a half.
The best part of the film is horny, foul-mouthed Tori Rooms, the great Riley Dandy. It’s like this role was written just for her. The next best part is the music, both the soundtrack and the music of the vinyl records they put on. The rest of the film, like its soundtrack, is like an 80s parody horror that, no matter what cannot be taken seriously for a minute. The worst part of the film is the couldn’t-be-more-obvious fake deaths.
Fear not, though. If you manage to get your besties, unhealthy snacks, and will to forget that we live in seriously troubled times, maybe that’s what you need. On the other hand, if you are just by yourself, well, enjoy some mindless entertainment. It’s not every night you get to see a low-budget, B-movie Christmas Terminator dressed up as Santa.
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After the Wedding (2006)
The film was shown at the Estonian festival, where the reels were mistakenly played in the wrong order. However, even with the mixed-up narrative, the audience was so excited that they didn’t notice anything.
Bird (2024)
A girl from a poor, dysfunctional family strikes up an unlikely friendship with an eccentric person who may be her silver lining in life.
Realism and fantasy blend to create a story that captivates but does not necessarily fulfil. This combination can have an extraordinary effect. A Monster Calls (2016): https://kaygazpro.com/a-monster-calls-2016-animation-drama-fantasy/ is a prime example. Writer/Director Andrea Arnold, the woman behind the amazing Fish Tank (2009) and American Honey (2016), mounts the camera once more and depicts dysfunctional characters and stories that can be predominantly fully understood if one has experienced them. Having lived myself in such areas and blocks of flats, I can tell you that what Arnold captures through her lens is not far from how things actually are. The people, the poverty and the problems that come with it, the attitudes, the vernacular, the domestic violence, but also the psychological and emotional violence come as a package. And each house/flat, street, neighbourhood, and city is affected by that package, which only amplifies those problems. And when real solutions are not applicable, when real help is nowhere to be found, when day in and out one feels down on their luck and at a constant dead-end… this is when Arnold brings in the fantasy element; the way out of life’s suffocation.
The introduction of Bird, his story and his abilities change the film’s tone, and while for some, this might be disappointing, confusing or out of place, there is a hint I can give you. Always keep in mind that the way you see him is the way that the girl sees him. Make of this what you will, but rely on your own understanding of the events. Is there a happy ending? The amazing soundtrack provides some potential answers. In front of the camera, Nykiya Adams, Franz Rogowski, and Barry Keoghan become their roles – even though it is understood that they were not fully understood.
Are “Don’t you worry” and “Everything will be all right” just words that sugarcoat life’s bitterness and cruelty, or was there a happy ending after all? And when you make it to the end, go back and think of that little, lovely dog and what may have happened…
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Heretic (2024)
Two young religious women knock on a man’s door to proselytise him, not knowing the horror they sign up for.
A great story told in an even greater manner. Where does one begin… The story itself is impeccable! That creates a solid foundation for the plot to develop and unravel in the intended way, which is the shocking way. The suspenseful manner in which the narrative unfolds glues the viewers to their seats, enjoying the way Mr Reed (Hugh Grant) plays with his food and psychologically tortures sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and sister Paxton (Chloe East). What he says and how he says it is an absolute treat and a thespian masterclass. But that wouldn’t be enough. That brings us to the film’s way of telling the story.
Writers/directors Scott Beck and Bryan Woods build up the suspense by constantly cutting to the sisters’ reactions. Pay attention to the transitions between the medium shots, the close-ups and extreme close-ups. Master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, first paved the way for shooting in a single location – Lifeboat (1944), emphasising claustrophobia and visually pleasing the audience. Beck and Woods build up the suspense by constantly switching shots and angles, manipulating the confined space and the heretic’s intentions (check the term “sealioning”). They begin, develop, and climax the story in an engaging way that has your undivided attention throughout.
So, acting and storytelling are nearly perfect. My not-so-positive observations come from the information provided. While Mr Reed has valid points, they are not original or groundbreaking. He builds up his arguments in the suspenseful yet entertaining manner described above, but not all are valid. As someone who has studied all or nearly all religions, he shouldn’t be making such mistakes. UNLESS he is not as educated as he claims to be and just wants to make a point, hoping he won’t get caught. That is up to you to decide. Regardless, he delves a lot into it when he could less, as his point is taken immediately (it is educative, though).
It is a brilliantly made film, and once more, be it indie or studio-level, A24 seems to find ways to excite, surprise, shock and mesmerise the audience with thought-provoking content. They have definitely mastered blending genres. Highly recommended!
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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.
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Christmas Films Hallmark or Slashers
Christmas Films: Hallmark or Slashers? From Hallmark movies to Christmas slashers, the holidays bring magic and mayhem. Why do some people crave blood on the snow instead of a perfect love story?
Image References: IMDb
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Broken Embraces (2009)
Pedro Almodóvar hired cinematographer Rodrigo Prieto because Mexicans like flashy colours.
Exhuma (2024)
A group of shamans excavate a grave they shouldn’t have and unleash an evil spirit.
The sum is not greater than its parts. Many elements, such as the historical facts about Korea and Japan, the characters, and the shamanic rituals, give the film an unlikely realism. These elements draw the viewer, who constantly wants to know more about what has happened, what is happening, and what will, ultimately, happen. The film’s story is engaging and constantly moves forward in the intended direction. What’s more, the acting is great! Here’s the “but”, though…
The story drags, and too much information is added in the process. It gets way too complicated as more and more are added to the grandfather’s escapades and shenanigans, and, in the end, the relationship between the demon and the grandfather and what the shamans need to do becomes unclear. Inadvertently, Exhuma‘s pace and rhythm cannot find a balance, affecting both the drama and the horror. To top it up, the visual effects don’t complement the pile of all that information, disillusioning the eerie atmosphere writer/director Jang Jae-hyun struggles to create.
The rituals are real hence the so much detail they include. The need to constantly explain what is happening, though, affects the visual storytelling negatively, overshadowing all most of the film’s qualities. A similar film that accomplishes that illusion with its rituals (despite its own flaws) is A Dark Song (2016): https://kaygazpro.com/a-dark-song-2016-drama-fantasy-horror/.
Despite the way I feel about Exhuma, Korean cinema still remains on the top of my list and I’ll come back with more positive reviews about films that you may or may not have heard.
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.
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Montage
Montage… The art of editing that changed cinema forever.
Image References: IMDb
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The Dark Knight (2008)
Having never met Heath Ledger before they were together on set, Sir Michael Caine forgot his lines out of fear when he faced him as the Joker.
Billy Wilder
“Film is thought of as a director’s medium because the director creates the end product that appears on the screen. It’s that stupid auteur theory again that the director is the author of the film. But what does the director shoot – the telephone book? Writers became much more important when sound came in, but they’ve had to put up a valiant fight to get the credit they deserve.”
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.
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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!
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