robodoc-20897 Reviews

Pearl (2022)

Mia Goth's performance is one for the ages

[8/10 · 16 September 2022]

Extremely entertaining throwback-appearing (think old Hollywood cinematography and score) blood-soaked origin story of a girl with big dreams. After hints of malevolence, a chain of circumstances and events leads Pearl down a dark path.

The key here is Mia Goth's performance. One minute she comes across as a sympathetic character, the next she is beyond creepy, and there are still times in this film with laughter interspersed between moments of horrific violence. Perhaps the best moment in the film is a monologue that is best described as otherworldly. Really good watch, tremendous performance.

Barbarian (2022)

Creepy, tense thrill ride. Far better than expected.

[9/10 · 9 September 2022]

Small scale by design, this plot-twisty thrill ride is a great watch for one big reason: it's fun. This is escapist stuff that is just perfect for the creep factor, some well-placed jump scares and actually some laughs. Pretty cool that Zach Cregger, known primarily for his comedic writing is at the helm. He pivoted to the horror genre here, and developed characters more deeply and realistically than we usually see. Also Skarsgard, Campbell and Long are just perfect in their assignments.

Barbarian punches above its weight class, and I recommend watching it without having any knowledge of the plot beforehand.

Three Thousand Years of Longing (2022)

Thoughtful and unusually well-grounded kaleidoscopic adult fairytale with generous doses of escapism

[9/10 · 26 August 2022]

Several parables set up a narrative for Idris Elba's lonely, heartsick and surprisingly relatable djinn - while providing a potpourri of short stories with both entertaining and unpredictable narratives. His perspective runs counter to Tilda Swinton's academic, who enters with confidence - only to doubt her most strongly held beliefs. This is an adult fairytale that forces us (as it does Swinton's Alithea, "truth" in Greek mythology) to realize that fulfillment in life comes from the coalescence of science, history, and, yes, faith in following one's heart.

Technically, George Miller's team pulls off seamless special effects in a kaleidoscopic backdrop of the Middle East, spanning from the time of King Solomon and Sheba through the Ottomon Empire with stunningly beautiful and often heartbreaking backstories. The musical score never drowns out the dialogue, while the visuals are always adding layers that provide purpose to our characters' motivations.

Overall, Three Thousand Years of Longing is a recommended film, that can stand up to analysis due to some unique directorial and story-telling characteristics, while also serving as a satisfying date night with turns that will keep viewers longing to learn the fate of our two lead characters.

West Side Story (2021)

Huge fan of the original, loved this even more

[10/10 · 4 March 2022]

After owning, calling it my favorite all-time musical, and rewatching the original more times than I care to admit, I was originally disappointed that a remake was in the works. I couldn't picture better dance scenes, or more heartfelt portrayals than the original Maria, Riff or Anita.

Boy was I wrong.

Spielberg seamlessly updated the classic, and quite frankly made the most entertaining and one of the most poignant films of 2021 - and it also is the best directed of any of the Oscar-nominated films in that category in my humble opinion.

Ariana DeBose is a revelation, Mike Faist emoted unexpected new layers and Rachel Zegler's voice as Maria seems (both literally and figuratively) to have been sent from heaven.

At a time when cynicism and sarcasm are at all time highs, when quality is measured by many based upon proximity to their political or social ideologies, it's refreshing to see a film that serves a purpose that we are all seeking: to truly feel human emotions and be entertained through the art of cinema. Thank you Mr. Spielberg!

Dolemite Is My Name (2019)

Dolemite is My Name; putting a smile on your face is his game.

[9/10 · 26 October 2019]

My face hurt for about an hour after the run time was over. I didn't know much about the character Dolemite (Rudy Ray Moore), watching the film spurred me to learn a little about both him and the era. Murphy brought Moore to life seamlessly, and with a rather entertaining take. I give him a ton of credit on this one. While there are several quotable lines, and big time laughs, Dolemite is My Name's more enduring value was weaved through a well-developed arc of character development, and a certain sweetness that feels so darn good.

Top ten on the year, and #1 in the comedy category for me. Another watch, and who knows? Maybe even top five. Definitely recommend.

Jexi (2019)

Another sign that the raunchcom is dying

[1/10 · 11 October 2019]

While this decade has seen decent comedic elements injected into action films, and even superhero flicks, true comedies with fresh scripts with plot devices that can win the audience over with genuine laughs are so hard to find. I went with a group that includes people who cannot stand violence on film, so we took a chance on Jexi. The result? We thought it was just dumb, and the experience left us actually feeling bad for lead Adam Devine. Kind of a waste of an evening. All-in-all, Jexi is yet another film to throw on the scrap pile of the dying subgenre known as the raunchcom. Watching this film and other recent comedies made me think of the following: Maybe the failure of several other raunchcoms will signal to film studios that its time to move on, or at least morph in a way that brings back the "funny" in comedy.