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The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)

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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.

Jean-Luc Godard

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“Photography is truth. The cinema is truth twenty-four times per second.”

Experimental Cinema

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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

Driving Home for Christmas

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Logline: On Christmas Eve, after a long day’s work, a man calls his family on his way back, only to find a stranger has picked up the phone.

Genre: Horror, Short

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)

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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)

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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

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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

George Lucas

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“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)

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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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Brian De Palma

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“Film lies twenty-four times a second.”

The Last Mission (1949)

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Filopimin Finos dedicated the film to his father, who was executed during the German occupation.

Terrifier 3 (2024)

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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

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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

Frank Capra

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“There are no rules in filmmaking, only sins. And the cardinal sin is dullness.”

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!

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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Blaxploitation

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Blaxploitation redefined cinema, breaking barriers and amplifying Black voices! From the Harlem Renaissance to modern Hollywood, discover its powerful legacy.

Image References: IMDb / Wikipedia

Charlie Kaufman

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“I don’t think screenwriting is therapeutic. It’s actually really, really hard for me. It’s not an enjoyable process.”

Fight Club (1999)

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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

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“[Making movies is] 80% script and 20% getting great actors. There’s nothing else to it.”

Blockbusters

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From Jaws and Star Wars to the expanding universes of Marvel and DC, blockbusters have shaped cinema history. 

Image References: IMDb

Christmas Bloody Christmas (2022)

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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)

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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)

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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…

Thanks for reading!

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Heretic (2024)

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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!

Thanks for reading!

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Christmas Films Hallmark or Slashers

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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

Broken Embraces (2009)

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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

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Montage… The art of editing that changed cinema forever.

Image References: IMDb

The Dark Knight (2008)

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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

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“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.

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Feminist Film Theory

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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)

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.

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The Epic Genre

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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)

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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…

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Charlie Chaplin

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

The Party (1968)

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

David O. Russell

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“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)

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…

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Battle Royale (2000)

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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

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

Image References: IMDb

Utoya: July 22 (2018)

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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.

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Conclave (2024)

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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.

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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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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!

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A Streetcar Named Desire (1951)

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

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.

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Like No One Before You

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Logline: A medium’s life changes when she decides to go after the man behind a series of brutal murders.

Genre: Crime, Drama, Horror, Short

Note: Ties with Like The Palm Of Your Hand.