I watch Yorgos Lanthimos’ most recent film, Kinds of Kindness like a week ago and I am still in the process of processing it, bit undecided on what to think about it. It is a crazy ride from the beginning to the end with three interrelated plots that made me both curious and got me lost for certain time during the movie. Lanthimos, who is famous for his unconventional approach to film making has come up with a real masterpiece this time depending on who you ask because this is a movie that really have mix opinions on the internet and friend of mine who loves movies as much as I do says he hate it when I'm more in the camp of its an ok ish movie, its a movie that is as strange as it is stimulating. It features Emma Stone, Jesse Plemons and Willem Dafoe in lead roles and all the three actors have done a great job of playing different characters in the film. I was watching the movie for close to three hours straight and there were moments when I was completely into it while there were moments that made me scratch my head, its not a movie I would recommend because I know it is not a movie that can be watched by most people because they wont like it that is for sure. It is peculiar, it is twisted and it is certainly not your average mainstream movie.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt22408160/
• Platform: AppleTV+

The Three Stories

The Death of R.M.F.

R.M.F. is Flying

R.M.F. Eats a Sandwich

The Performances

The Look and Feel

Themes and Meaning

What Worked and What Didn't

The Ending and What It Means

Over all I would say the ending of the movie try to suggest a cynical view of human actions, consequences of actions driver by desperation, the pursuit of a goal at all costs but only in their own self interest, in short words how things can really screw you up when you are selfish and in a hurry, but again this movie is a bit irrational that I'm not so sure on this one and its my take.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #kindness, #lanthimos, #anthology, #bizarre, #stone, #plemons, #dafoe, #control, #absurd, #cult, #identity, #sexuality, #resurrection, #obsession, #nihilism, #surreal, #manipulation, #devotion, #power, #violence, #relationships, #desperation, #loneliness, #ambiguity, #uncomfortable

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Horror movies are ON, releasing one after another "Here After" is one of those films that takes the audience through the worst experience that a mother can think of. The film develops around the life of Claire who suffers a huge loss in her life when her daughter Robin dies in a car accident, now the main event of the film or lets say what start everything on this story can only be described as an extremely cliche turn of events, Robin is somehow resurrected and her mother is extremely happy, just imagine. Although this sets the stage to a dark side of the miracle as Claire starts to realize that her daughter is changing in ways she cannot explain. As the events of the story progress, Claire who at first is happy is slowly turning into a fearful woman. She begins to wonder if some evil spirit has brought Robin back from the edge of the grave and the story starts to develop the nature of life, death and the world beyond. The movie manages to build dramatic moments with horror which gives the audience the feel of suspense throughout the film, they are provocative and make you wonder about the state of identity and the implications of tampering with the cycle of life and death, for those who like to know what is on the other side. Some of the basic themes that the plot could touch on are mourning, forgiveness and what a parent is capable of to safeguard their kid from dangers. Not a long movie as it only last 1 hour and 29 minutes, taking out credits and intro its a very short one and as a fan of horror movies I at least like very much that there was no signs of supernatural event during the trailer, although its the hole point that someone else is inside her daughter.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt5402714/
• Platform: Theaters
• Release: September 13, 2024

Exploring the Supernatural and Psychological

The story probably deals with possession or some evil spirit traveling back to the land of the living through Robin, it could lead to certain events where things get scarier and scarier as Claire attempts to figure out what exactly has happened to her child and how she can save her daughter from the evil within her, I just hope it doesn't end into exorcism because it would be nice if the movie present an alternative ending. This aspect of the movie intensifies the suspense as how she will bring her daughter back or if she can and why this evil power is inside her? did this evil actually came for Claire?

The Cast and Their Performances

Connie Britton as Claire

In this film, Britton would probably add drama and passion to Claire and the conflict a mother feels between her love for her child and her fear from her child, it gets to a point where Claire is afraid of what her daughter might do to her or others, she knows its not her daughter anymore, it maybe due to her performance that the supernatural components of the story feel realistic and natural, not feeling its all about supernatural has to do a lot with the acting.

Giovanni Cirfiera as Luca

Freya Hannan Mills as Robin

Robert Salerno's Directorial Debut

Direct experience with horror is not extensive in Salerno but his recent movie Smile (2022) proves that he can successfully work in the genre, Smile (2022) has a specific vision and it is a horror movie that tries to incorporate drama into the story and it actually succeeds in the process of scaring the audience and this might be the case for Here After. That is how his approach to the drama, where he pays much attention to the dramatic weight and characters, can turn this film into something more than just another poor average horror movie.

Possible Themes and Messages

The one message that critics and viewers could get from the film is the focus on the theme of grief and how it influences the members of a family, the near death experience of the daughter could also be identify as a kind of loss, based on the events that Claire's daughter is not there anymore, how trauma affects relationships and perspectives in a family, how Claire is going to react towards her "daughter", another aspect of the themes within the movie that is quite important in today’s society as people start to discuss mental issues and consequences of traumatic events.

One last possible message may be the author’s reflection on people’s fear of the unknown, in particular the fear of death and what comes after it. The event itself of "getting something evil from the other side" plays on the fundamental human instinct of death and post death existence, which have always formed the core of horror tales, part of the audience may find this as a representation of how the society handles matters to do with life and death as well as human nature of fearing what we cannot explain.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #horror, #thriller, #supernatural, #mother, #daughter, #resurrection, #death, #grief, #possession, #family, #psychological, #suspense, #conniebritton, #miracle, #nightmare, #identity, #afterlife, #trauma, #evil, #paranormal, #transformation, #fear, #love, #protection, #mystery, #movie, #officialtrailer, #trailer

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Between Cuckoo and Fresh Kills last night I kill a few ours and stay up until late but I got to say it was worth it. Fresh Kills is a crime drama movie released in 2024 and is quite popular because of its approach to the MOB during the 80s and 90s. The movie is directed by Jennifer Esposito who is also one of the actors in the movie and the plot of the movie is based on a mob family living in Staten Island, New York but with the women’s point of view. It was established from the late 1980s up to the mid 1990s, it describes the two sisters as they start to grow up in this world of crime dominated by men, something that makes some of the girl felt overlooked. What interested me was how the film avoids most of the lets say cliche situations with mob films and focuses on the personal and mental aspects of being in a criminal organization within the family, what women on a mob family goes through and some decide to take things by her hands. It is a story of two sisters growing up, Rose and Connie Larusso role played by Emily Bader and Odessa A’zion, respectively, who try to grow up in a family which is involved in criminal activities led by their father. Esposito, who has acted in TV series such as ‘Blue Bloods’ and ‘NCIS’, has written, directed, produced and acted in the film where she plays the role of the girls’ mother, Francine. The movie has been applauded for describing the life of Staten Island in this period and for giving a voice to the female characters in the mafia narratives, it is a personal venture for Esposito who is said to have used her house as collateral to get the movie going when no one in Hollywood was willing to fund it.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt15782954/
• Platform: AppleTV+

The Story and Characters

The Larusso Sisters

Rose is the one who rebels and decides that she wants to change the family’s way of life and become a cosmetologist which is very daring especially given her circumstances, she is the woman who is in love with her family but at the same time wants to live a free life without any bonds to the family business, she wants a change. Bader has done a good job in portraying Rose’s inner conflict, as the rest of the cast you can tell how passionate they are, as they should be, most MOB movies are like this. On the other hand, Connie is like a storm that cannot be stopped, she is an extroverted woman who is very sure of herself and who is fully dedicated to the family business, its for this reason she feels that her father’s work is something that she should be proud of and not be embarrassed about, there is a certain scene where she gets into a fight with her friend over a relationship issue and it is quite evident that violence has become a natural part of her life.

The mothers and fathers in this story are not any less complicated than their children with Joe Larusso, role played by Domenick Lombardozzi is a stereotypical mafia boss, who is also a family man but the movie did not focus too much on the criminal aspect of the character, we get to know him only through the eyes of his daughters and wife since the movie is more about the female characters of the family. Francine, the mother character portrayed by Jennifer Esposito is in the middle of the conflict, she has to watch her daughters taking different paths and try to manage them best as she can while struggling to maintain her family while at the same time coming to terms with the fact that they are in a bad situation. In one of the scenes she is telling Rose about how she almost got into modeling, it’s as if she is telling Rose not to follow the same path that she followed.

The MOB culture 80s and 90s

I was particularly fascinated by the portrayal of the mob culture in the movie and this is because the movie does not describe the mob culture in the conventional manner, not your classic controlling an area, dealing or hiring for kill, we do not have many cases of violent crimes or the wild west style shootouts. We get to know how this culture influences the routine life of the women in the family, like how the girls are supposed to act or how their mother has to maintain the image. This is a rather suspense and thriller feeling, it is as if at any moment something bad is going to happen, but it’s not a kind of danger which you will meet in the action movie, it’s more so the psychological one. It is in the way that characters don’t say what they want to say, in the cars that seem to follow the characters, in the rules that are not written down.

What Worked, How much success?

On the other hand, some people who watched the movie did explain how they had some complaints regarding the pacing of the movie, some also mentioned that the story seemed rather incoherent, particularly because of the time shifts, some people also complained that the movie could have explored more on the father’s criminal life to give more background on the family’s plight. All this is understandable because this is not your classic mob movie view from the male point, from the dealing drugs and killing each other to control the streets.

Jennifer Esposito Making Fresh Kills

The Ending and Its Meaning

On one hand it is optimistic because Rose is at last beginning to take charge of her life and trying to change the pattern for the next generation, but it’s also a bit of a tragedy because it highlights how much has been forgotten in the process. Connie is dead, the family is broken and Rose has to leave everything she has ever known and just run away.

I think this is also a very ambiguous ending, one of the reasons why people would also be mad at the film, imagine jumping into a "MOB" movie to find out its a women inside the MOB and going out the theater empty handed because the ending left questions without answers, so no MOB and lots of questions, this is the case on your most average audience who is there for the adrenaline and dopamine. The movie is mostly about emphasizing on the power of women in such circumstances without going into the now days called "woke" territory, during the movie you can tell how the women in this family are supposed to be passive and supportive, and it is Rose who decides to break free and start a new life.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #freshkills, #mobster, #sisters, #statenisland, #family, #crime, #women, #loyalty, #escape, #esposito, #debut, #directing, #mafia, #1980s, #1990s, #tribeca, #independence, #violence, #patriarchy, #identity, #tradition, #expectations, #empowerment, #authenticity, #transformation

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Today post is a movie a little bit strange that left me with mix feelings but here we go with the crazy movie called Cuckoo, if you watch this movie with no prior knowledge of the events that were about to unfold then you are in for a treat, this is the type of movie I would prefer to jump in blind. Directed by German director Tilman Singer and he has earlier directed the movie "Luz" which was released in the year 2018, not so welcome and it look into the same range of crazyness. But critics mention online many were eager to see what he would come up with next, he comes back with such an attracting title as Cuckoo, in Latin America there is this similar word that means Boogeyman although it was not related to the movie but still into the supernatural theme. The film starts with a young women acting in a very strange manner and running away from her home, as the movie starts to unfold you have the impression that this is not going to be a conventional horror movie and right from the start the environment tells you there is something wrong. It has this sort of foreign horror movie, sort of body horror with a bit of mystery going on, the lighting generate this effect of suspense. The main character, Gretchen, role played by Hunter Schafer is a girl who has recently lost her mom and finds herself in this strange environment in the Bavarian Alps with her dad and her dad’s new wife and the new wife’s daughter who doesn’t speak, she does not consider her step mom reason why I don't refer to her like that. The atmosphere is quite unsettling, the cast is known and ambiguous for me and the story line is rather chaotic, though in a way that does not make the plot less interesting, at least kept me wondering whats next. The events that occur in the hotel are bizarre, guests are vomiting in the lobby and Gretchen is chased by a woman with red eyes screaming. It is a movie that is not afraid to be silly and that is something that works in its favor, it is also a common problem with any film that attempts to cover so much ground like mixing genres. The plot might be a bit confusing and the conclusion left lots of questions so its not a movie for everyone; it raises more questions than it answers, there is something entertaining about the disorder.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt12349832/
• Platform: AppleTV+

The Setting and Characters

The resort itself is almost a character in the movie, its a creepy and surreal environment it gives you the vibe that something supernatural is about to happen but once you come back to reality understand its just a crappy place to be. There are guests vomiting, there are time lapses and Alma has a seizure, the place does a great job at lifting the characters and makes the audience even more unconformable, entertainment depending on the type you looking for is all about generating feelings.

Gretchen has a rather complicated family life as she is not on good terms with her family, she has a lot of hatred towards her stepmother and half sister and feels like she does not belong to her own family. Her father Luis, is cold and indifferent and does not care about Gretchen or her feelings as he is more interested in the new life he is building for himself, it is the story of a young girl who feels neglected and ignored by her family, with a horror touch. The supporting characters does a great job at building up the suspense in the story, for start there is Trixie who is Gretchen’s colleague at the resort and who covers for her one night and the two of them get into a rather scary situation, then there is Henry who is a police investigator and appears to be quite informed about whats going on around the place, he has this covert investigation that is going on and he drags Gretchen into it which only makes the plot even more complicated, trying to grasp too much.

All the characters have their problems and they are all suspicious of each other and this creates tension between them. It is a film where no one is as he or she seems to be and everyone has something to do with the crime, a situation of pointing fingers every where you go. The acting is good with Hunter Schafer doing a good job at portraying Gretchen’s character, both her anger and her vulnerability with the lead actor Dan Stevens has given a great performance in my opinion, I know many wont like this story and its because its different, very niche.

Audience Reactions: What They Liked and Didn't Like

Not all the audience was ready for this awkward roller coaster experience, some of the viewers complained that the story was chaotic and there were many questions left unanswered, but I think this is an intentional trend to give something to talk about to the audience after the movie is over. Good part of the comments mention how people were left disappointed at the end of the movie as it did not offer the conclusion they were expecting. Some people also complained that the movie was slow at times and didn’t live up to the horror genre that it was promoting, another trend of 2024 were horror is moving away from gory and scare jumps, often the word horror goes attach to gore and supernatural, when that doesn't happen people tend to dislike the movie.

Themes and Symbolism

There is also symbolism in the visual aspect of the film including the color and lighting that gives the film a rather supernatural feel wit the resort itself been an embodiment of this conflict as the setting is gloomy and the events that transpire are rather spooky, which is in line with the inner conflict of the protagonist. The architecture of the resort and the design of the film also contribute to the overall creepiness of the movie with its confusing hallways and dark corners representing the unknown, the sound effects are also worth mentioning as there is the use of irritating sounds and screams that help build the tension, a movie that has a lot of attention to details to create the perfect environment.

The Ending, Why so Unsatisfying?

The ending is very ambiguous as it left a lot of questions specially the ending of Dr Koning and Henry, we are clear that Gretchen takes care of the Women with red eyes but where does she come from? what is her connection with Dr Koning? how did he find out about her?, on top of all this questions on the last scene Dr Koning and Henry started shooting at each other until two rounds are fired and no body comes out of the room while Gretchen and Alma are trying to escape, none of the two men are seen again so the question is both are dead or alive?

At the end the movie is going to leaf a part of the audience unsatisfied due to lack of closure, a very similar case with certain movies from 2024 the most recent for me was "Longlegs" where lots of questions are left open again but nothing that would throw away the performance of the movie itself, reasons why I believe this is becoming a trend between directors to keep people interested and even the door open for a sequel in certain special cases.

Its true that the movie is not perfect, it has a some what convoluted plot and the ending unsatisfying, it is still a pretty entertaining movie that I might watch again, probably to scare my wife. It’s a film that doesn’t give much away and maintains suspense throughout the duration of the film without giving away the plot twist until the closing scene even though it does not provide that much closure.

I would consider it a good one time watch for most people with the possibility in the future to watch it again, although it would be hard depending where you from since the setting and the name of the movie is not so common or attractive to many people, I still think that the attention to details of the sounds, music, lighting and so rounding made one of the best parts of this movie.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #cuckoo, #horror, #thriller, #giallo, #mystery, #german, #alps, #resort, #family, #drama, #teenager, #grief, #loss, #mother, #father, #stepmother, #sister, #seizures, #investigation, #conspiracy, #supernatural, #body, #horror, #twists, #turns

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Franquicias cinematográficas como “Star Wars”, “Alien”, “The Terminator” y “Mad Max”, fueron parte de mi infancia, posiblemente alguna de las películas antes citadas no deberían verlas ningún niño porque son claramente violentas, terroríficas, con mucha acción, desespero, con poca esperanza, con finales nada satisfactorios y con el dramatismo en dónde sus protagonistas deben convertirse en algo que nunca esperaron ser, todo para adaptarse a un mundo destruido y devorador de cualquiera esperanza, justamente eso último es lo que pienso que diferencia Mad Max de otros films, ya que el mundo en donde se desarrolla esas historias está lleno de tragedia y crueldad, eso es lo que más me atrae de esa gran franquicia.

Film franchises like "Star Wars", "Alien", "The Terminator" and "Mad Max", were part of my childhood, possibly some of the movies mentioned above should not be seen by any child because they are clearly violent, terrifying, with lots of action, despair, with little hope, with unsatisfactory endings and with the drama where the protagonists must become something they never expected to be, all to adapt to a world destroyed and devouring any hope, precisely the latter is what I think differentiates "Mad Max" from other films, since the world where these stories unfold is full of tragedy and cruelty, that's what attracts me the most of this great franchise.

“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga", quinto film dentro de la franquicia de Mad Max, siendo a la vez una precuela, spinoff, película de origen de una de las protagonistas de la perfecta “Mad Max: Fury Road”, en donde relata la trágica historia de Furiosa que desde muy joven fue arrebatada de su hogar, un lugar lleno de abundancia y armonía dentro de un mundo caótico y violento; justamente ese mundo convierte a la joven furiosa en una joven mujer sobreviviente, siempre con el fijo motivo de regresar a su hogar, pero para que eso ocurra deberá enfrentar a cada demonio que arroje el ahora llamado “The Wasteland” en especial a uno que le ha arrebatado su anterior vida.

“Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga", fifth film in the Mad Max franchise, being at the same time a prequel, spinoff, origin film of one of the protagonists of the perfect "Mad Max: Fury Road", which tells the tragic story of Furiosa, who from a very young age was taken from her home, a place full of abundance and harmony in a chaotic and violent world; precisely that world turns Furiosa into a young woman survivor, always with the fixed motive of returning to her home, but for that to happen she must face every demon that casts the now called "The Wasteland" especially one that has taken her former life.

Creo que pocas veces tuve problemas por la decisión de que un director y guionista decidiera crear una precuela de una exitosa historia y es que lo que hizo George Miller con “Fury Road” (2015) en donde dio introducción a un gran personaje como es “Furiosa”, fue tan perfecto que así como yo, muchas personas querían saber más del personaje y por eso creo que este talentoso director no iba a perder la oportunidad de no solamente traer de vuelta a esta guerra, sino a todo un mundo apocalíptico. Miller posiblemente hizo un film más pequeño de lo que fue el anterior, pero tanto las imágenes como los vivos colores son de gran categoría, cada escena es excelente con respecto a las diferentes tomas que existen, en especial las escenas de acción que más de ser una copia de lo ya anteriormente visto, creo que muestra dinamismo, diversión y mucho entrenamiento; en más de las dos horas de duración, cada secuencia de acción es un gran acierto en el film.

La historia me ha encantado, el protagonismo que ha dado Miller y Nico Lathouris a “The Wasteland” es lo mejor, en mi opinión creo que la historia es relatada desde el punto de vista de tan violento, caótico y destructivo lugar; me hizo recordar a lo que fue el primer film de “Mad Max” en donde el apocalipsis hacia presencia y la ley dejaba de existir lo cual hizo surgir a personajes sin humanidad, pienso que ese es el tema principal de la historia, en lo que debes convertirte para subsistir, sobrevivir. Furiosa, es una buena y simple historia de origen, con pocos diálogos del personaje principal, pero con una gran necesidad de otros personajes lo cual con su influencia ayudaran a la evolución final de la protagonista.

I think I rarely had problems with the decision of a director and screenwriter deciding to create a prequel to a successful story and what George Miller did with "Fury Road" (2015) where he introduced a great character like "Furiosa", was so perfect that like me, many people wanted to know more about the character and so I think this talented director was not going to miss the opportunity to not only bring back this war, but a whole apocalyptic world. Miller possibly made a smaller film than the previous one was, but both the images and the vivid colors are of great category, each scene is excellent with respect to the different shots that exist, especially the action scenes that more than being a copy of what has already been seen before, I think it shows dynamism, fun and a lot of training; in more than the two hours of duration, each action sequence is a great success in the film.

I loved the story, the prominence given by Miller and Nico Lathouris to "The Wasteland" is the best, in my opinion I think the story is told from the point of view of such a violent, chaotic and destructive place; it reminded me of the first "Mad Max" film where the apocalypse was present and the law ceased to exist which gave rise to characters without humanity, I think that is the main theme of the story, what you must become to survive, to survive. Furiosa, is a good and simple origin story, with few dialogues of the main character, but with a great need of other characters whose influence will help the final evolution of the protagonist.

A pesar de que el personaje de “Furiosa” se observa en dos etapas de su joven vida, las actrices que la interpretan hacen un correcto trabajo; este personaje está muy alejado de ser alguien con necesidad de ser salvado y es que desde un principio observamos la calidad de líder, valentía, pero también amor a quienes tratan de protegerla, la actuación de Alyla Browne y Anya Taylor-Joy, demuestra la tragedia que experimenta ese personaje, los muros que crea para no sufrir más, lo independiente, lo decisiva y fuerte, lo cual es lo que se observa en la actuación de Charlize Theron en Fury Road. Otro buen trabajo en la actuación lo realiza Chris Hemsworth como “Dementus”; las veces que he visto a este actor de interpretar al villano de una película, las he disfrutado, en esta oportunidad tiene un alto carisma al ser un gran manipulador y alguien al que deben tener, es un correcto personaje con una buena interpretación.

Although the character of "Furiosa" is seen in two stages of her young life, the actresses who play her do a good job; this character is very far from being someone in need of being saved and is that from the beginning we observe the quality of leader, courage, but also love to those who try to protect her, the performance of Alyla Browne and Anya Taylor-Joy, shows the tragedy that character experiences, the walls she creates to not suffer anymore, how independent, how decisive and strong, which is what is observed in the performance of Charlize Theron in Fury Road. Another good job in acting is done by Chris Hemsworth as "Dementus"; the times I have seen this actor to play the villain of a movie, I have enjoyed them, in this opportunity he has a high charisma being a great manipulator and someone who must be had, it is a correct character with a good interpretation.

Es una lástima que Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, no fuese un éxito en la taquilla, posiblemente el ser una precuela de un film estrenado hace 9 años o que Anya Taylor-Joy no sea considerada como una atrayente estrella del cine, así como puede sucederle a Hemsworth que se ha visto afectado por su último trabajo en el MCU, sean los factores del fracaso taquillero de este film lo cual considero injusto porque es un buen film, una historia que aporta o extiende esta franquicia y que crea los cimientos para un nuevo film protagonizado por Mad Max, una historia que lamentablemente sea difícil de ver por el extraño fracaso de Furiosa. Los invito a ver esta película en el servicio de streaming de MAX o en el canal de HBO, creo que al ser una precuela/spinoff, funciona muy bien como una historia independiente lo cual para quien no conozca está gran franquicia, puede comenzar con este film y después ver la excelente continuación, así que no se priven de ver tan buenas películas.

It's a shame that Furious: A Mad Max Saga, was not a success at the box office, possibly being a prequel to a film released 9 years ago or that Anya Taylor-Joy is not considered an appealing movie star, as well as it may happen to Hemsworth who has been affected by his latest work in the MCU, are the factors for the box office failure of this film which I consider unfair because it is a good film, a story that adds or extends this franchise and creates the foundation for a new film starring Mad Max, a story that unfortunately will be difficult to see because of the strange failure of Furiosa. I invite you to watch this film on the MAX streaming service or on the HBO channel, I think that being a prequel/spinoff, it works very well as a standalone story which for those who do not know this great franchise, you can start with this film and then watch the excellent continuation, so do not deprive yourself to see such good movies.

Cover image edited in canva; the image was taken from the following source

Transformers One (2024) is an upcoming animated movie that takes the audience on a journey to the planet Cybertron, this is suppose to be the movie that answer many of our questions on how Optimus and Megatron started their journey, the film shows the untold origin story of two iconic characters the two most famous Autobots and Decepticons from each side. The focus and target of this animated film is on the friendship between these two heroes and how it evolved to enmity, the movie is based on the story of Orion Pax, a young man whose voice is given by Chris Hemsworth in the movie and later turns into Optimus Prime and D-16 who transforms into Megatron. The story is set on Cybertron, I hope they give more details on this planet too, a planet that is quite unlike Earth, Cybertron is habitat ed by intelligent automobiles. For anyone who is not a fan of the franchise the film might not make much sense as we are all use to see this two going at each other, been an animated movie helps to lower down the tone of aggressiveness, the movie present use this two young lings who are as close as could be, like two brothers, the relation between them is the main focus of the plot, proving that two people, who started in the same way can have dramatically different lives, the audience will be able to understand how these characters have been formed by the events and actions around them.

The movie will also give us more insights about how things work at an higher upper management, the political and social system of Cybertron in order to highlight problems and conflicts in their community, after all they eventually fled the planet. The two main characters, Orion Pax and D-16 will eventually be in the middle of political conflicts that will affect their beliefs and change their opinion from one each other, key moment where everything change for them and the world they knew will never be the same again.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt8864596/
• Platform: Theaters
• Release: September 20, 2024

The Transformation of Orion Pax and D-16

Other recognizable characters are shown to provide more content regarding the Transformers, it is here that we are introduced to such characters as Elita-1, B-127 or Bumblebee as he is known later on, Sentinel Prime and Alpha Trion all of whom contribute to the plot in one way or the other, the addition of characters such as Starscream, Soundwave and Shockwave provide some information on the creation of the Decepticons and origin of the war that will be waged for millennia, the same war that we have seen on all the previous movies, it would be very interesting if some how they connect with each other, make the concept prequel function in favor of the franchise.

During the film the story also explain the abilities of each of the Transformers and then dig into their character goals, the audience must be interested of how Cybertron look before the great war that made the Transformers to relocate to the earth from their home planet, these action scenes are not just used for the entertainment of the audience but are used to advance the story and introduce more aspects of characters and their environment, Cybertron is a place not always describe to details during the movies or animated series.

The Voice Cast

D-16 is voiced by Brian Tyree Henry and at the end of the movie turns into Megatron, Henry has been applauded for his multiple performances as an actor in both movies and television, he has acted in Atlanta among other famous films, given that he has played rather complex characters, he has been chosen to play the more shadowy character of D-16 that at first considering his relationship with Orion Pax must be as funny and friendly to latter on turn darker and more dramatic. Scarlett Johansson is also part of the cast, her role will be the voice Elita-1. Johansson is a world wide known actress that has done many great roles, be it in the Marvel’s Black Widow movie or any of the other Avengers movies, her been on the project contributes with another layer of glamorous celebrity.

The Director's Vision

Josh Cooley's Approach

Before this project, Cooley is best known for his contribution in the highly rated movie called Inside Out, being a writer of this movie he was directly involved in creating the compelling and emotionally inspiring plot and the plot that became a subject of imagination all over the world, similar of how I would expect to be Cybertron during the movie, a world made to surround both main characters to shape what will latter on be the great war. Cooley trajectory helped him get ready for the type of story telling he would apply on this new project, telling a story that would bring into existence famous characters such as Optimus Prime and Megatron.

Early Screening Results

The animation itself has also been very welcome, people seem to like the great show they put on and also how the planet Cybertron itself takes form during the film, as expected something most of us are not use to watch since it feels Cybertron is this mysterious place never fully describe. The action scenes even though its an animated series are said to be very well choreographed, most of the reviewers have also pointed out that the voice acting is great. There are many positive comments about Chris Hemsworth’s interpretation of Optimus Prime, specifically some people pointed out that the actor imitates Peter Cullen but also adds something of himself to the character. Brian Tyree Henry’s Megatron is also getting appreciation for the portrayal of the character with the emotional aspect.

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Since the 2020 Pandemic and the 2023 Hollywood Strike, looks like it was long time ago but it was not, there has been a trend of productions that have gone through hell with many director changes and even re writes, not even the big players like Marvel can escape from this disaster with the most recent example Blade, well the upcoming film "Rebel Ridge" a Netflix release has been through the same situation, it has been in the process of filming and being developed through some production and casting issues and setbacks, although challenges have not bend down the film from achieving some form of publicity among the critics as well as the audiences. The plot occurs in the fictional city of Shelby Springs and tells about Terry Richmond, an ex-Marine, who become involved in the local corruption and unfairness, reminds me a lot to REACHER the TV series, Terry’s struggle against a corrupt system guarantees that the film will be loaded with high octane action, black comedy and social commentary just hope its not the focus. Being shot with a talented cast and a director who is famous for his dark, violent approach, “Rebel Ridge” is all set to become more than just another action movie on the Netflix catalogue.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11301886/
• Platform: Netflix
• Release: September 6, 2024

The Story Behind the Scenes

A Rocky Production Journey

After this incident, director Jeremy Saulnier and his team did not give up and kept pushing to get the project done, the cast and crew had to go back to Louisiana for three consecutive years to accomplish the shooting in this movie, there was no turn around, they were very determined to shoot this story.

The Story Unfolds

This film is directed by Jeremy Saulnier who has earlier given films like Green Room and Blue Ruin which are known for their raw and intense narrative, from how things look like just based on what we know, the trailer and plot descriptions online, “Rebel Ridge” will not be a movie that backs off from intense fight scenes or themes that are grey, cant have justice without corruption, both need to exist and that usually triggers part of the audience when injustice takes over the film. The small town environment allows for the development of such important themes as power, justice and the fight of a single person against the system of corruption, they are basically trap with no where to go and Richmond will have to power through all this situations at once. If you watch this movie and at some point makes you mad for what one of the characters may do or not I think that's the trigger point that indicates its a good movie, action movies are about generating an emotion, most of the time the stronger one coming from the villain, when you see him you hate him.

Themes & Director Contribution

Corruption will be another big topic for the film, misuse of power especially in relation to the police force and misuse of the legal procedures for personal benefit, director will bring his no holds barred approach to these themes and as such, the film could be compared to such films as “First Blood” but with a new age twist.

Lastly but probably the most important and where some part of the audience could identify with is the theme of the individual in the face of oppression, its a common if not daily problem people now days face in our society, Terry’s transformation from a man who was only trying to assist his cousin to a one man force against the system might be a force to reckon with for the fight against corruption. Director Saulnier has always had a talent for writing multi layered antiheroes, who are not always good and not always evil, which means that the conflict will not be black and white but rather a rather grey one that mirrors real-life issues.

A Stellar Cast

The lead actress of "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" and "The Carrie Diaries" is AnnaSophia Robb who plays the role of Summer McBride a court clerk who becomes Terry’s friend and ally, she will be an asset in the emotional part of the movie as been the female role who probably will be presented to the audience as having good chemistry with Pierre. The supporting cast is composed by Emory Cohen as Officer Steve Lann, David Denman as Officer Evan Marston and Steve Zissis as Elliot, at first this characters might not be so interesting but at the once probably doing the heavy lifting around the main characters.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #rebellion, #corruption, #justice, #action, #thriller, #marine, #smalltown, #police, #conspiracy, #violence, #redemption, #survival, #injustice, #controversy, #production, #casting, #budget, #delay, #saulnier, #pierre, #johnson, #robb, #drama, #suspense, #socialmessage, #movie, #officialtrailer, #trailer

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This week I am going to recommend two films in the horror genre. One is Argentinian and the other Australian. Both are worth seeing.

Esta semana voy a recomendar dos películas del género de terror. Una es argentina y la otra australiana. Ambas merecen la pena ser vistas.

WHEN EVIL LURKS

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Last night I had the time to watch Longlegs (2024) a new psychological horror movie written and directed by Osgood Perkins, this movie has been generating a lot of hype since its sneak peeks in early this year with some people claiming it to be one of the most horrifying films ever although for me the 2024 Horror Queen is still The First Omen (2024?). Despite the fact that I don’t believe that Longlegs is as terrifying as it was described to be as the pure evil itself or as a film that can cause panic attacks, it is still a very good and rather disturbing film that left a lasting impression on me. The plot is based on FBI agent Lee Harker who tries to solve a series of murders of families that have some connection with a certain character called Longlegs, the story gets more complicated as Harker delves further into the case and discovers that there is more to the events that she is investigating than what she could ever imagine. Thanks to the mysterious atmosphere, unique visuals and strong performances of Maika Monroe and Nicolas Cage, Longlegs presents a chilling take on the topics of family, memory, and violence’s recurrence. It isn’t a masterpiece but it is a brave and striking film of the psychological horror sub genre that will be hard to forget, in my opinion in the top five horror movie of the year.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt23468450/
• Platform: AppleTV+

A Slow Burn Atmosphere

I was amazed to see how Perkins manipulates the audience with such techniques as slow zoom, off centered framing and creepy moving shots which make Harker look like he is being dragged towards the target or evil. The sounds been use during the movie are particularly awesome taking in consideration the background noises and the short music clips been used to create and intensify the tension on the scene. Although there are several gory scenes that are more than enough to make the skin crawl, the movie’s horror comes from the general feeling that something is just not right and that evil is present in every scene.

Strong Performances Solidify the Story

Nicolas Cage plays the role of the enigmatic Longlegs and the latter looks quite eerie in this guise. Cage looks an entirely different person, with his white face, scraggly hair, and a voice that sounds like it comes from a haunted character. Although he is not in the film much, Cage does not waste any of the time he has on screen by being incredibly ominous. There is a lot of tension between Monroe and Cage’s characters.

The secondary characters are also good with Alicia Witt doing a good job as Harker’s religious mother Ruth and Blair Underwood as Ruth’s FBI superior. The audience does not only get a feeling that even secondary characters are developed, which enriches the movie’s universe.

Exploring Dark Themes

There is also a certain focus on the theme of faith and religion, with Harker’s mother being a religious woman while Longlegs is connected with the devil, it is possible to note that the movie shows that blind faith can be used as a way to cover up or even justify some awful actions.

I liked that the movie does not explain everything, there are some questions that remain unanswered which is good, gives you more to think about the movie once its over, this can be quite annoying to some people but this is entertaining so not everyone will have the same perception, I'm sure there is even a part of the audience who did not like the movie at all.

What Worked for Audiences

The visuals and the setting of the movie were praised a lot as they really captured the atmosphere and the time period of the story, this were just some of the positives that I could found within a couple of small reviews on sites like IMDB or RTT.

What Didn't Work as Well

There were also some complaints that the movie does not go all the way in terms of its more fantastic or paranormal aspects, certain viewers noted that the final scenes which included a lot of display spoiled the dreamlike feeling that was established throughout the movie.

Nicolas Cage's Memorable Turn

Cage seemed to have given his all to the role and many critics applauded him for that, as he develop a rather odd and creepy character with some of the best moments of the film are when he shares screen space with Maika Monroe and the chemistry between them is filled with tension and suspense, another aspect that I enjoy about the movie how they seem to work very well, something you can only start to feel once you have a seen a lot of bad and good movies. Even though Longlegs won’t be remembered as Cage’s best acting it has to be one of the most convincing and disturbing performances, in a good way.

This is not a film for everyone because at times it is gory and wont scare will only make you uncomfortable, the slow and rather ambiguous plot may annoy those who are seeking for action and clear plot, but for those who are ready to dive into the nightmare that is the film will find a lot to think about and discuss after the movie.

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Had to lookup some information in regards about what this movie is, not necessarily just the plot, a few details that backup the story. Well during the 1930s there was a booming in the theater industry in London, The Critic (2024) describes the power that words have over shaping or destroying the careers of the theater performers and writers. This very well made crime drama features Ian McKellen in the leading role of Jimmy Erskine, a powerful and vicious theater critic, whose words can both make or break a show. In the course of the play, the audience is taken through a trail of betrayal, murder and manipulation that is not restricted to the stage.

The film is focused on the dangerous love and hate between critics and artists, the nature of art and the mission of those who assess it, a part of the industry that regular fans are not aware of. Gemma Arterton, Mark Strong and Lesley Manville, who will take part in the drama, guarantees the audience convincing and expressive acting. It describe the story of Jimmy Erskine who becomes a participant in a deadly game of attracting everyone attention in which his words might kill.

When you start to dissect the plot details, we will discover the further connections between the characters, the dirty reality behind the curtains of the theater and the high stakes game of having the ability to praise or damn something. But more than just a movie this one makes me think about what we say and do because its the intention of this film to truly show how life and art are not far from one another.

• IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt13457790/
• Platform: Theaters
• Release: September 13, 2024

The Plot Unfolds

Gemma Arterton plays the role of Nina Land, an actress who has a craving in getting a breakthrough in the theatre industry. The obvious adoration she has for Jimmy comes out when she says to him, “I grew up reading you. I wanted to act because of you. ” This background creates the premise for a twisted, noisy relationship that will fuel most of the movie’s conflict.

Forward during the story Jimmy gets involve in a bad situation where his life is at risk when the new owner of the Daily Chronicle is a man named David Brooke and he has set his sights on Jimmy, this leads to a pact with Nina, which forms a chain of events with serious consequences in the end. When murder shows up during the story the movie turns into something a lot darker. Jimmy luck start to run out and there are a cetain amount of events happening around that puts in question if there is a difference between a critic and a criminal when words are us to hurt others, even direct or indirectly there is no difference as the author needs to take responsability of his acts

Characters and Performances

Nina Land portrayed by Gemma Arterton, what Arterton has in Nina is more than a mere wanna be actress. She is a female in a society where skill is subordinated to the capacity to manipulate the system, it is one of the best character arcs in the film from admiration to complicity.

The cast is Mark Strong, Lesley Manville and Ben Barnes who all give very good performances, the movie’s intensity as portrayed by Strong, Manville ‘s versatility in acting, and Barnes comeback to the big screen after nine years lift up the movie.

Themes of Art vs. Criticism

During the film there is also the position of the artists against the critic, whether the artist has the same power and if the critic can be part of the artist story but not owner of his fate or even narrative, we will probably see this as artist also fight back Jimmy that might the reason why his life gets in danger either because the artist wanted so or someone else who didn't enjoy his articles against certain artist fights back.

All the characters in the movie go by the name of ambition, which in this case is ambition in the aspect of fame, power or art, the story tells us what man is capable of doing to accomplish what he wants and how much he is willing to sacrifice.

Production and Behind the Scenes

It is adapted from Anthony Quinn’s novel Curtain Call and has been scripted by Patrick Marber, it had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival before going through a number of changes. This was in the form of re editing and in some cases even re shooting the scenes; this was an indication of the extent of the filmmakers’ dedication towards polishing the final movie.

As it is with most films produced in the recent past, “The Critic” was not immune to production difficulties occasioned by the Hollywood strike but nothing mayor, some changes in the cast and the new shooting schedule were made, but the main team did not give up and continue working on the story.

Among the strongest performances it is worth highlighting Ian McKellen’s performance as Jimmy Erskine; it is worth noting that he managed to give the cruel and vengeful man who could have become the film’s outright villain, a very strong character with determination on his opinion without bending it at any time. The rest of the cast, primarily Gemma Arterton, builds depth to the film’s narrative but also making it an engaging human interest drama up to the very end.

Perhaps because the film had to undergo some changes in its journey to the screen, the post festival changes and overall production delay, the movie has been refined and more engaging in the end. Because of the detail paid to the period in which the story is develop with the issues portrayed which are as real today as they were in the period in which the story is develop, “The Critic” is more than just piece of its period but also describe an on going problem of the industry across decades.

The entire film makes you keep thinking about the power of words out side of the theater, considering the essence of art and the distinction between commenting and acting. ‘The Critic’ is a piece that brings us back to reality and tells us that in art and criticism, as is in life, you deeds and words travel far and wide with effects that can be felt even though the source might not be fully understood.

#skiptvads, #inleo, #hive, #critic, #london, #theater, #1930s, #mckellen, #arterton, #murder, #deceit, #ambition, #power, #review, #performance, #blackmail, #fascism, #adaptation, #period, #drama, #thriller, #anandtucker, #patrickmarber, #reshoots, #tiff, #strike, #production, #controversy, #movie, #officialtrailer, #trailer

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