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I recently started a blog to share my views on film and tv.
kunalatthemovies.movie.blog
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Reviews
Star Wars Resistance (2018)
It is Star Wars and it's not bad
First of all I know this show is aimed at kids but as a massive Star Wars fan I wanted to check it out. Especially since Filoni has done other great Star Wars animated shows like Clone Wars and Rebels, which I love and think they are both amazing.
Resistance was a tough pill to swallow at first. It is definitely not as fun and engaging as Clone Wars and Rebels. Having rewatched all the films and shows I still had a Star Wars itch that I needed to scratch and the only thing I hadn't seen was Resistance. So I gave it a shot. The first season was okay, with some nice elements with BB-8, Leia, Poe, Phasma being involved. But I honestly think season two is a major improvement on the show, there is a lot more exploration and a lot more resistance elements. The whole point is that a group of people don't have to be officially affiliated with the Resistance to be a group of resistance freedom fighters. And season 2 is really building up on that as well as showing how an unsure impressionable young adult could be swayed by the First Order's beliefs.
I don't think the show is great or amazing, but I really don't think the show deserves a 4.8, I think it belongs more in the 6.5-7.0 range.
I genuinely feel most of the ratings and reviews are by people who just saw the trailer and said "nope that's not Star Wars" or people who saw the pilot/couple episodes and said the same thing. I agree it's not a masterpiece but it is very much Star Wars and it is an attempt at doing a larger world building in the Star Wars universe without depending and obsessing over the Skywalkers and romanticising over the Jedis being heroes.
I hope the show improves and makes better plot developments and I hope Disney make more expanded universe type shows in the animated space.
People are already loving The Mandalorian and we have the Obi-Wan show coming plus we have the next season of Clone Wars coming so things are looking up for us fans.
After Life (2019)
After Life (Spoiler Free Series Review)
After Life is one of those series that I really wanted to review and recommend. It's ideal to relax and binge it over the weekend or a day.
If you are a fan of Ricky Gervais you will love this series. If you don't know who Ricky Gervais is then you most definitely know his work. He is an actor, a comedian, a showman if you will, but he is one of the very few actors who is much more than just that, he is an award winning writer, producer and director of great work spanning decades throughout his career. Creating series from The Office (British and American), to Extras, to Life's Too Short, to An Idiot Abroad, to Derek, to many more, he has somehow managed to capture the cynical and mundane and turn it into a brilliant showcase of life. And he does it again with After Life.
Tony (Ricky Gervais) is grief-stricken and depressed after his wife dies of cancer. He is cynical and overall unhappy with life since he feels he has no purpose without her.
"I'd rather be nowhere with her than somewhere without her."
Some of the most tender and emotional moments in the show involve the dialogues between Ricky Gervais and Penelope Wilton at the graveyard.
The show continues his journey of grief as we follow him at home, at work and throughout town, interacting with strangers, friends and coworkers. The premise of the show isn't groundbreaking, but what is groundbreaking is how Gervais can take a depressing subject matter and execute it in such a way that you can't help but smile and laugh your way through. The dialogue is also groundbreaking as is the comedic timing and most importantly the bond he has with his dog (Brandy) and how they get through the grief together.
Each character in the show is beautifully developed and shines through with purpose and heart. The writing is the true star of the show.
Without giving away more of the plot and the sheer genius of the show, I don't have much more to say except go and watch this. It's 6 episodes of 30 min each, I wish there was more but maybe that is it's charm.
Rating: I'm giving After Life a 9 out of 10.
A bittersweet feel good show that will make you laugh, smile, ponder on life and the grief of losing a loved one. A show that in itself is a fleeting moment that you are glad to experience. It has been renewed for season 2 and I cannot wait for it.
Stranger Things (2016)
Season 3 Review (Spoiler Free)
Disclaimer: As stated in the title this is a spoiler free review of Stranger Things Season 3 but I will be talking about plot points and minor spoilers from Season 1 & 2.
So Stranger Things 3 picks up where we left off after season 2, everyone is happy and everyone is together, there is love in the air, it is the summer of love. Right off the bat I can say I preferred this season over season 2. This season felt more contained, it felt like it had a purpose and knew what it was doing and where is was going. Season 2 for me felt more of a mess, especially with "The Lost Sister" filler episode. The reviews of that episode tanked so hard that the writers completely gave up on that subplot, and I'm glad they did. That is one of the many reasons season 3 feels so much more crisp, because Matt and Ross Duffer decided to be more focused on the main story.
As always the cast this season is great, the kids are now older and feel more like seasoned actors and much more mature in their performances. The kids stand out and shine more in this season especially with the addition of a couple of new characters. The adult characters are great as well, but a lot of them (apart from the main ones) felt wasted and underdeveloped. For example, in true 1980's form, we have evil Russians, which sounds hilarious but falls flat. The reason season 1 shined more than this or season 2 is because it had a well defined shadowy government department with a leader who was well developed. Remember "papa" from season 1? aka Dr. Martin Brenner. He was a menacing villain who had purpose and reasons for his experimentations on children and trying to open a gateway to the upside down. Plus we had the Demogorgon, which became a huge costume choice during halloween that year. It's cute that the kids in season 1 called the beast "Demogorgon" and in season 2 started calling the bigger beast "Mind Flayer" because that is their only visual reference they can give it, being fans of Dungeons and Dragons they named those beasts after creatures in D&D.
But here in season 3 we have evil Russians being bad for the sake of the 1980's stereotype. This is my one and only problem with this season, a lack of a villain with a purpose. But all that doesn't matter much in the grand scheme of things in the season with the "Mind Flayer" being back. Season 3 definitely improves its writing and storytelling from season 2, even if we put aside evil Russians we still have the introduction of a very well developed Russian scientist. I won't give anymore details about him to keep this spoiler free.
Let's go to the mall, and what a mall it is. Starcourt mall is by far one of the best sets, art direction, production design, props, lighting, costumes, extras that I have seen in a series. It is amazing, literally the highlight of the season. They made it feel so authentically 1980's America, licensing dozens of brands to further elevate the authenticity. They didn't just build a set on a sound stage, they found an abandoned mall and built the inside from the ground up, innards, lighting, fixtures, branding, shops etc. They made it a fully functioning mall. That level of detail makes the mall so much more immersive for the viewers and probably for the actors in the scenes as well. For me, the mall was the scene stealer more than anything else. Each character/group goes on their own adventure and purpose to complete a task or uncover some information. There are a few really good plot points and twists and interesting new characters and old recurring characters throughout the season and it felt so wholesome. The second half of the season is much stronger and even got me quite emotional.
Rating: I'm giving Stranger Things Season 3 an 8.5 out of 10.
After 3 seasons this show doesn't just feel like a one hit wonder, although with a slightly rocky second season, season 3 comes back to form and delivers a satisfying narrative reminiscent of season 1. Even without a purposeful/menacing human villain this season still goes strong with tons of 80's nostalgia and easter eggs. If you have seen season 1 & 2 you will want to see this season as it is not a disappointment. Lucas's younger sister Erica, is another scene stealer along with the Russian scientist Alexei. Keep an eye out for those characters as you watch the season.
Stranger Things (2016)
Season 3 Review (Spoiler Free)
Disclaimer: As stated in the title this is a spoiler free review of Stranger Things Season 3 but I will be talking about plot points and minor spoilers from Season 1 & 2.
So Stranger Things 3 picks up where we left off after season 2, everyone is happy and everyone is together, there is love in the air, it is the summer of love. Right off the bat I can say I preferred this season over season 2. This season felt more contained, it felt like it had a purpose and knew what it was doing and where is was going. Season 2 for me felt more of a mess, especially with "The Lost Sister" filler episode. The reviews of that episode tanked so hard that the writers completely gave up on that subplot, and I'm glad they did. That is one of the many reasons season 3 feels so much more crisp, because Matt and Ross Duffer decided to be more focused on the main story.
As always the cast this season is great, the kids are now older and feel more like seasoned actors and much more mature in their performances. The kids stand out and shine more in this season especially with the addition of a couple of new characters. The adult characters are great as well, but a lot of them (apart from the main ones) felt wasted and underdeveloped. For example, in true 1980's form, we have evil Russians, which sounds hilarious but falls flat. The reason season 1 shined more than this or season 2 is because it had a well defined shadowy government department with a leader who was well developed. Remember "papa" from season 1? aka Dr. Martin Brenner. He was a menacing villain who had purpose and reasons for his experimentations on children and trying to open a gateway to the upside down. Plus we had the Demogorgon, which became a huge costume choice during halloween that year. It's cute that the kids in season 1 called the beast "Demogorgon" and in season 2 started calling the bigger beast "Mind Flayer" because that is their only visual reference they can give it, being fans of Dungeons and Dragons they named those beasts after creatures in D&D.
But here in season 3 we have evil Russians being bad for the sake of the 1980's stereotype. This is my one and only problem with this season, a lack of a villain with a purpose. But all that doesn't matter much in the grand scheme of things in the season with the "Mind Flayer" being back. Season 3 definitely improves its writing and storytelling from season 2, even if we put aside evil Russians we still have the introduction of a very well developed Russian scientist. I won't give anymore details about him to keep this spoiler free.
Let's go to the mall, and what a mall it is. Starcourt mall is by far one of the best sets, art direction, production design, props, lighting, costumes, extras that I have seen in a series. It is amazing, literally the highlight of the season. They made it feel so authentically 1980's America, licensing dozens of brands to further elevate the authenticity. They didn't just build a set on a sound stage, they found an abandoned mall and built the inside from the ground up, innards, lighting, fixtures, branding, shops etc. They made it a fully functioning mall. That level of detail makes the mall so much more immersive for the viewers and probably for the actors in the scenes as well. For me, the mall was the scene stealer more than anything else. Each character/group goes on their own adventure and purpose to complete a task or uncover some information. There are a few really good plot points and twists and interesting new characters and old recurring characters throughout the season and it felt so wholesome. The second half of the season is much stronger and even got me quite emotional.
Rating: I'm giving Stranger Things Season 3 an 8.5 out of 10.
After 3 seasons this show doesn't just feel like a one hit wonder, although with a slightly rocky second season, season 3 comes back to form and delivers a satisfying narrative reminiscent of season 1. Even without a purposeful/menacing human villain this season still goes strong with tons of 80's nostalgia and easter eggs. If you have seen season 1 & 2 you will want to see this season as it is not a disappointment. Lucas's younger sister Erica, is another scene stealer along with the Russian scientist Alexei. Keep an eye out for those characters as you watch the season.
Stranger Things (2016)
Season 3 Review (Spoiler Free)
Disclaimer: As stated in the title this is a spoiler free review of Stranger Things Season 3 but I will be talking about plot points and minor spoilers from Season 1 & 2.
So Stranger Things 3 picks up where we left off after season 2, everyone is happy and everyone is together, there is love in the air, it is the summer of love. Right off the bat I can say I preferred this season over season 2. This season felt more contained, it felt like it had a purpose and knew what it was doing and where is was going. Season 2 for me felt more of a mess, especially with "The Lost Sister" filler episode. The reviews of that episode tanked so hard that the writers completely gave up on that subplot, and I'm glad they did. That is one of the many reasons season 3 feels so much more crisp, because Matt and Ross Duffer decided to be more focused on the main story.
As always the cast this season is great, the kids are now older and feel more like seasoned actors and much more mature in their performances. The kids stand out and shine more in this season especially with the addition of a couple of new characters. The adult characters are great as well, but a lot of them (apart from the main ones) felt wasted and underdeveloped. For example, in true 1980's form, we have evil Russians, which sounds hilarious but falls flat. The reason season 1 shined more than this or season 2 is because it had a well defined shadowy government department with a leader who was well developed. Remember "papa" from season 1? aka Dr. Martin Brenner. He was a menacing villain who had purpose and reasons for his experimentations on children and trying to open a gateway to the upside down. Plus we had the Demogorgon, which became a huge costume choice during halloween that year. It's cute that the kids in season 1 called the beast "Demogorgon" and in season 2 started calling the bigger beast "Mind Flayer" because that is their only visual reference they can give it, being fans of Dungeons and Dragons they named those beasts after creatures in D&D.
But here in season 3 we have evil Russians being bad for the sake of the 1980's stereotype. This is my one and only problem with this season, a lack of a villain with a purpose. But all that doesn't matter much in the grand scheme of things in the season with the "Mind Flayer" being back. Season 3 definitely improves its writing and storytelling from season 2, even if we put aside evil Russians we still have the introduction of a very well developed Russian scientist. I won't give anymore details about him to keep this spoiler free.
Let's go to the mall, and what a mall it is. Starcourt mall is by far one of the best sets, art direction, production design, props, lighting, costumes, extras that I have seen in a series. It is amazing, literally the highlight of the season. They made it feel so authentically 1980's America, licensing dozens of brands to further elevate the authenticity. They didn't just build a set on a sound stage, they found an abandoned mall and built the inside from the ground up, innards, lighting, fixtures, branding, shops etc. They made it a fully functioning mall. That level of detail makes the mall so much more immersive for the viewers and probably for the actors in the scenes as well. For me, the mall was the scene stealer more than anything else. Each character/group goes on their own adventure and purpose to complete a task or uncover some information. There are a few really good plot points and twists and interesting new characters and old recurring characters throughout the season and it felt so wholesome. The second half of the season is much stronger and even got me quite emotional.
Rating: I'm giving Stranger Things Season 3 an 8.5 out of 10.
After 3 seasons this show doesn't just feel like a one hit wonder, although with a slightly rocky second season, season 3 comes back to form and delivers a satisfying narrative reminiscent of season 1. Even without a purposeful/menacing human villain this season still goes strong with tons of 80's nostalgia and easter eggs. If you have seen season 1 & 2 you will want to see this season as it is not a disappointment. Lucas's younger sister Erica, is another scene stealer along with the Russian scientist Alexei. Keep an eye out for those characters as you watch the season.
Avengers: Endgame (2019)
A satisfying end to a great saga.
Review is pasted below from my original review of my blog back in April. Link for that is below as well, it's the same review with added links and visuals/photos. Thanks :)
kunalatthemovies.movie.blog/2019/04/24/avengers-endgame-spoiler-free-review/
Avengers: Endgame is directed by Marvel Studio veterans, Anthony and Joe Russo. They previously directed Captain America: The Winter Soldier, Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War. (In my opinion they have directed some of the best MCU films) They are currently the only directors who have directed 4 films in the MCU.
I honestly do not know where to begin, because I genuinely do not want to spoil anything about this film. On Wednesday April 24th I went for an early morning 3am advanced screening in Dolby Cinema of the film so that I can go in blind and avoid any kind of spoilers, and it worked brilliantly. I will be watching the film again on Saturday April 27th in IMAX, since it is the only film to be shot entirely (3 hours and 2 minutes) with IMAX cameras. I wish for all the fans to watch the film in the same way, go in totally blind and you will not be disappointed. This film works with surprise, shock and awe. One of the only other films that left the same impression on me was The Empire Strikes Back, which I believe is a film that the Russo Brothers highly admire, I mean who doesn't.
Anyway, back to the MCU. I will not disclose any plot points of the film, I won't even provide any captured frames of the film/trailer. I will however talk about the aesthetics and qualities of the film.
The pacing of the film fluctuates slightly, I mean it is just over three hours long, but a welcomed three hours. Some people might find it a little too long, especially the first act. The first act is definitely a slow burn, but it has to be because of what happened at the end of Infinity War. It needed to be sober and built up to the recuperation of what the heroes just went through, the heroes we have grown to love over the past decade. However the pacing picks up significantly with a surprising and perfectly enjoyable fun second act; and a climactic third act that is emotionally hard hitting.
The musical score isn't groundbreaking but it does satiate the appetite of the visuals in the film. We have all heard and been pumped up by the Avengers theme, which this film uses a few times at key narrative points.
What I love about the filmmaking of the Russo's is their viceral style that also manages to feel grounded where the viewer feels like a part of what is happening. In all their MCU films I never felt like a man in the sky watching over what is happening on the ground with the characters. They manage to frame the action where it feels intense and emotional yet without having confused close ups or a "shaky cam" effect, which unfortunately many action films do nowadays.
The production design and sets of Endgame are amazing, with a mix of practical effects and CG set pieces striking a perfect balance like never before in the MCU. Without giving away anything, I will say I was extremely surprised with a lot of the set pieces and "things" and "stuff" that happened.
Sorry I really can't go into any more detail than that. If you are a fan and have been following the MCU films, Endgame is something you will definitely enjoy and feel satisfied about. It manages to create "fan service" without compromising on quality or impact, be it emotionally or narratively.
If you haven't watched most, if not all, of the previous 21 Marvel Studios films, then I have to say that this film will not impact you in the way that it is meant to. You cannot view Endgame as a solo self contained film. It is a culmination 3 phases and 21 films spanning 11 years. Yes each phase had an "end," Phase One ended with The Avengers (2012), Phase Two ended with Avengers: Age of Ultron/Ant-Man (2015). But I would say those would be end of chapters, whereas Endgame isn't just the end of Phase Three or a chapter, it is the end of a book, the end of the Infinity Saga, honestly the end of an era.
The entire MCU so far has been an overall success with a few films falling short in quality, Endgame brings it all to a satisfying close. The film takes risks and does a lot of unexpected things that I feel strengthen the film as a whole. It manages to somewhat breakaway from the formulaic superhero genre and manages to try and be something different. As Endgame climaxed, so did I and I honestly cannot wait to watch Endgame again on Saturday, this time in IMAX. It's going to be a whole different experience to a film I think is near perfect.
Rating:
I am giving Avengers: Endgame a 9 out of 10.
Highly recommended to any and all Marvel fans and even the casual Marvel film goer. A gripping conclusion of a 21 film saga, I cannot wait to see what is the next step in the MCU. I am happy and thankful to Marvel Studios for making all these films and building this saga to a crescendo with Endgame. I laughed, I cried, I gasped, I was on the edge of my seat during this film. This whole three phase journey has been a wild ride, let's hope their next phases can hit the mark again and perhaps take it further. Until Spider-Man: Far From Home (which Kevin Feige has said is the actual last film of Phase Three) is released in July, Marvel Studios has said they will not officially announce anything about their future plans for the MCU. So we will have to just wait until post July 2019. However Disney finalized acquiring the rights of 21st Century Fox this year, so we can expect the X-Men and Fantastic Four to join the MCU in the near future. Also Disney+ streaming service is launching towards the end of this year so we can expect to see a lot more original content being shot and produced, from smaller budget feature films to original series based in the MCU. What can I say except 2019 is a great year for Marvel and Disney overall.
How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World (2019)
A good and emotional end to an entertaining trilogy.
Before I begin writing about the third part of this trilogy, I would like to first address a few things regarding the first two films. (SPOILER WARNING of the first two films, SPOILER FREE REVIEW for the third film)
The first film which came out in 2010, is still my favorite of the trilogy. Mainly due to the fact that it did not have the standard "good vs evil" plot and did not have a proper "bad guy/villain," except for perhaps Hiccup's father, Stoick. The first film focused more on a coming of age story about Hiccup and the special bond he has with Toothless. AND THE MUSICAL SCORE, wow I loved the music throughout the film, and they kept using it for the other films as well as the TV show.
The second film, although with some truly emotional moments (Stoick's death at the hand of Toothless, Hiccup finding his mother, Toothless becoming the Alpha) does sort of fall into the equational trap of most standard heroic films. Which is fine, the entire MCU is built on that equation, and most animated films are too. But that is what set the first HTTYD film apart from the second. While I still enjoyed the second film, I found it slightly flat narratively compared to the first.
The Hidden World, the conclusion to this heartwarming and touching trilogy is a film sure to be remembered. While the film does start and end on high notes, it is the entire second act that feels quite derivative. Again this is a spoiler free review so I will not go into plot points.
At the start of the film we are treated to a well choreographed single take action sequence. Even though it is an animated film, it is still wonderful to see a nice long take done right. Another animated film that I feel did a great long take was The Adventures of Tintin: The Secret of the Unicorn. If you haven't seen that film, it's worth checking out, at least for the long take.
"Thou shalt not deviate."
The Hidden World starts very colorfully and as the narrative tone changes after the first act, so does the palette, but then once again shifts towards the third act. The first act does also show the large scale of the film and the large growth of the village of Berk. I do not want to go into spoiler territory but I will say this, the last 30 min of the film is quite an emotional journey. I actually teared up twice during the end of the film, for me it has been a 9 year journey of Hiccup and Toothless and this film has a fitting end and conclusion that gave justice to such a beautiful cinematic bond of characters. Once again, the same as the other 2 films before, the highlight of this film is the characterization of Toothless, his bond with Hiccup, and the musical score that elevates emotional and motivational moments of the film. Overall I recommend this film to all those who are fans of the franchise, and to those who haven't seen the previous films I would say that you are missing out on a great animated trilogy.
Rating:
I am giving How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World an 8 out of 10.
Highly recommend it even though it's not the best in the trilogy, it does give it's fans and audience a perfect closure to a beloved franchise.
Deadwood (2019)
Great send off, but left me wanting more.
Full review is pasted below along with a link to my blog where I have the same things written just with a few photos.
kunalatthemovies.movie.blog/2019/06/25/deadwood-the-movie-spoiler-free-review/
Let's get going.
Deadwood: The Movie is written by David Milch and directed by Daniel Minahan. Deadwood was originally a TV show on HBO that ran from 2004-2006. It is still one of the highest rated and reviewed dramas of all time, and one of my personal favorite shows ever. It is one of the few shows I have ever given a 10 out of 10. The show was created and produced by David Milch who also wrote and produced the movie which released on May 31st, 2019 on HBO as part of the HBO Films productions. If you haven't had the pleasure of seeing the original show from 2004, I am sorry to tell you that this film will make no sense neither will it have any sort of emotional impact on you. However I sincerely urge anyone who hasn't watched it, to try their level best to watch the show anyway they can. For international audiences the show is available on Amazon Prime and for American audiences it is available on HBO Go. If you enjoy a good drama series with flawless dialogue and character development set in a wild west frontier backdrop, this is a show waiting to be watched by you. I am well aware that the show has not been watched by many people which is why I took the release of the film as an opportunity to hopefully praise the show and it's attempt at a conclusion with the movie.
Original poster of Deadwood Season 3 from 2006
I cannot praise the show enough, but this isn't a review of the show, this is a review of the movie. Now without any spoilers, the movie picks up in 1889, 10 years later where we left off with our characters from the show, naturally all the characters have evolved and so has the set pieces. What I loved about the show was the creation of the town of Deadwood (which is a real town in South Dakota) and the sets they made for the show. It was the most realistic and lived in set piece on television that I had seen at the time. The movie takes that same look and feel and expands on it making lavish set pieces. Since the original show had a much smaller budget, the movie was able to further expand on details with the costumes and props.
The creation of Deadwood for the movie.
One thing I have to admire about the movie is that they made the entire set, both interior and exterior, from scratch again. Now while the sets are bigger and more elaborate than the show, for me it somehow felt more artificial. It didn't have that wild west frontier town dirt and grime from the show. That is also because this is 10 years later and the town is more "civilized" and is being celebrated into its statehood of South Dakota. But still for me it looked and felt like a set and not as real and lived in as the set in the show during 2004-2006. That is just me nitpicking because I am in love with the show and admire everything they did with it. The movie does do a good job in bringing everything and everyone back together again to try to give some closure. Instead of closure, I just wanted more, more movies or perhaps another season. As of now there aren't any plans but I hope the success of the movie greenlights a new/farewell season to properly wrap things up. Because for me, as enjoyable as the movie was, it didn't give me a sense of closure.
Seeing Seth Bullock (Timothy Olyphant) and Al Swearengen (Ian McShane) together on screen again was a true delight. Their chemistry in the show is further enlightened in the movie. Another little interesting tidbit about the show, it is based on a true story about actual lawmen and gunslingers migrating to the volatile town of Deadwood, and how that mixed bag of personalities kept under pressure in a town can lead to intense drama unfolding. Basically "this town ain't big enough for the both of us," and that is the relationship of Seth Bullock and Al Swearengen, a lawman and a corrupt business owner. I can't help but love Al Swearengen, his portrayal by Ian McShane is flawless, seriously one of the best characters written for television. We expect him to be the villain of the show and movie, but he just wins the hearts of the viewers instead.
The music in the movie is just great, they recreated the theme from the show and they even brought back the original song Hog of the Forsaken. The whole movie is basically one large nostalgic trip for fans like me, complete with flashback scenes. I understand why they added them, the last episode of the show aired in 2006, but since I had just rewatched the whole show again I found the flashbacks detached me from the narrative. I was satisfied with the 2 hour runtime, it didn't bore me at all but it also didn't make me feel like this is the end. I felt the same after the movie as I did after season 3 of the show; wanting more, wanting a conclusion and proper send off.
Rating:
I'm giving Deadwood: The Movie an 8.5 out of 10.
This movie is very enjoyable for a fan of the show, but if you have watched the show and aren't a fan, this movie won't do much to convince you otherwise. The movie doesn't add much more to what already exists in Deadwood, but for me that's not a bad thing since the show was perfect. Sometimes less is more and I can see some people wanting more out of this movie. I really do hope they make another season/mini-series/movie of Deadwood, this is a franchise that deserves more recognition.
X-Men: Dark Phoenix (2019)
https://kunalatthemovies.movie.blog/2019/06/06/dark-phoenix-film-review/
Dark Phoenix is the latest and last (?) X-Men film by Twentieth Century Fox. Written, directed and produced by Simon Kinberg, who has in the past written/produced some of the good Fox Marvel films (X-Men Days of Future Past, Deadpool, Deadpool 2, X-Men First Class, Logan) and some of the bad (X-Men The Last Stand, Fantastic Four, X-Men Apocalypse). Fox is still releasing New Mutants next year, which I believe is the official last X-Men related film by Fox. But for the sake of argument, let us consider Dark Phoenix as the last since it is the last one with the main and central characters. Since Disney bought out Fox earlier this year the future of X-Men and it's Mutants are uncertain. From the information I gathered online, Marvel Studios will let Fox continue with the projects already in production and sometime in the near future (5-7 years?) the MCU will incorporate X-Men and Fantastic Four into its massive universe. To which I am really excited about, but I do feel sad saying bye to James McAvoy and Michael Fassbender as Professor X and Magneto respectively. These two started their own separate timeline version of the X-Men back in 2011 and we got to love them and grow with them. Of course this goodbye is still not as heart wrenching as my goodbye to Hugh Jackman and Patrick Stewart in 2017 after Logan, that was an end of an era, Dark Phoenix is an end of an error.
Before I dive into Dark Phoenix let me just say that I do not blame the cast, they honestly seemed to do the best they could with what was given to them.
Hans Zimmer's (Lion King, Gladiator, Dark Knight Trilogy, Sherlock Holmes, Inception, 12 Years a Slave, Interstellar, Blade Runner 2049, Dunkirk) original score is probably the best thing about Dark Phoenix, he captures the scenes with beautiful music throughout. The cinematography by Mauro Fiore (Avatar, Training Day) for the film was fine, nothing groundbreaking but i'm glad they didn't try to do a shaky cam effect for the action sequences. Lee Smith's (Dark Knight Trilogy, Inception, Interstellar, Dunkirk) editing was good as usual.
If you look at the cast and crew as a whole, this movie should have worked on paper. The composer, the cinematographer and the editor are all Academy Award winning people in their respective fields. So why is Dark Phoenix such a mixed bag of boredom and overall unsatisfying cinema? Well for one all these men are technical and artistic craftsmen who have no control over the structure of the story. Secondly (and I hate to do this) I have to blame Kinberg for not handling his first feature film correctly. Maybe it was pressure from the studio or maybe he just couldn't handle it, but this film should have been co-written along with someone more skilled and directed by a more seasoned individual. Kinberg's best writing work has never been solo, his best work came when he co-wrote with other writers. Maybe that aspect of bouncing ideas back and forth would have been beneficial for Dark Phoenix. I don't even blame Kinberg's direction specifically, even though this is his directorial debut, he did a pretty average job with it. But for a franchise of 19 years and fans like me, we deserve better than "average." I do however fully blame Kinberg's handling of the script and overall story, plus the entire confusion and post-production hell that ensued after. It saddens me that a film with a great cast and a team of brilliant individuals in their respective field were part of a film that didn't feel like a final product.
The first and second act of the film are extremely slow paced with uneven motivations of characters. The third act was apparently reshot, because originally what they shot in 2017 failed with test audiences and was too similar to "another film." It was basically a space battle with an alien race, so they decided to reshoot the entire third act in 2018/19 to change things around. Honestly I am glad they did because the third act of the film is the best part. It actually feels exciting and we get to see many mutants use their powers in a stylized action sequence. In fact all the action sequences (the 2 that are there in the first and second act) felt grounded and well choreographed. However I had hoped to see more of Quicksilver do his famous slow motion sequence, he was a wasted character as was Jessica Chastain as the once named and forgettable villain. There are some redeeming qualities in this film but not enough to save it from itself. This is the second time that Fox has tried to adapt the Dark Phoenix Saga from the comic books and I had hoped that the second time around would have been better. It might just be better but ever so slightly. You cannot have the man who wrote X-Men The Last Stand's dark phoenix adaptation to come and write this film and expect different results. Maybe people expected him to learn from his mistakes with his script in 2006, but the problem is that he made a whole bunch of new mistakes in 2019.
Rating:
I am giving Dark Phoenix a 6.5 out of 10.
Not in the pool of the best or worst X-Men films but rather in the pool of average and increasingly disappointing superhero films. A superhero film that will truly test the patience of an average viewer, but a film with certain redeeming qualities for hardcore fans looking to be optimistic towards a beloved franchise.
The X-Men film franchise started in 2000 and was one of the first superhero franchises that I got emotionally invested in. Two thirds of my life I have followed and loved the X-Men films, it is a sad day that this is the way they chose to go out, with a sizzle rather than a bang. The ultimate ending of the X-Men franchise for a fan like myself will always be X-Men: Days of Future Past and Logan.
The Umbrella Academy (2019)
https://kunalatthemovies.movie.blog/2019/02/18/the-umbrella-academy-series-review/
The Umbrella Academy is the latest Netflix original show, that will hopefully try and fill the void of the Marvel Netflix shows Daredevil, Jessica Jones, The Punisher, Luke Cage, Iron Fist and The Defenders that were all cancelled. But is it in the same league as the others?
No it's not, but that's because The Umbrella Academy is in a league of its own. It's not trying to be a Marvel product. It's not trying to mimic a superhero show/movie. It's not trying to be one more in the neverending formulaic superhero genre. It is different, it is weird, it is strange, it knows all of this and it doesn't care, because it embraces all of that in a true bizarre way.
Based on the comic book series of the same name, created by Gerard Way. Yes, the same Gerard Way, lead singer and songwriter of the band My Chemical Romance. While I am not a fan of his music, I have to say I am a fan of this world and the characters that he has created. I will admit that I have not read The Umbrella Academy comic series, but I will probably check it out soon. Thanks to Netflix I was introduced to this strange and super dysfunctional family. However I have read several comics, and while Umbrella Academy is original in it's execution, it does pay a narrative and characteristic homage to some comic series, especially Doom Patrol and X-Men. Now while I cannot get into details of what the tributes are because...SPOILERS, I will say that it did not take away the originality of The Umbrella Academy. It still is very much it's own thing.
The show has a lot of interesting plots and subplots with many twists and turns so I will not reveal major plot points.
"In October 1989, 43 women gave birth, none of these women had been pregnant when the day first began." That right there was enough of a tease to have me intrigued in the show. This line of dialogue is said by the founder of The Umbrella Academy (Sir Reginald Hargreeves) in the trailer of the show and it is where the show begins along with the introduction of the characters.
We see two versions of the 7 kids Reginald adopts, we see a past version of them as teenagers and we see a present day version of them as adults. But since this isn't your "typical" superhero family, the past and present versions we see or don't see are not what you might expect.
The best thing about this show has to be the cast, and I don't just mean the 8 characters above, I mean everybody. From a small supporting character to a lead, this show gave proper character arcs to everyone. The chemistry all the main characters have with each other feels very natural and not to mention hilarious at times. The overall family dynamic is something I truly appreciated along with solid writing of the story. For me however I did feel that the show had some pacing issues, especially with the setting up and exposition of the story and the characters. I found the first few episodes to be quite slow paced with a cyclical reveal at the end of the episode that keeps you intrigued for the next episode. I am glad that I continued to watch the show, because after the "cliffhanger gimmick" at the end of the first few episodes, this show took a shape of its own. I was no longer interested in the reveal at the end of the episode, I was invested in the characters and the story, I wanted to know what was going to happen next. My suggestion to those who plan to try out this show, give it time, the first few episodes take some time to find their footing, but once they do it becomes a thoroughly enjoyable ride.
In the first episode we find out that all of the brothers and sisters from the academy have gone their own way, but are "reunited" when they come to attend a funeral, it is this reunion that sparks the whole show and its wild story.
Mary J. Blige and Cameron Britton are two of the shows numerous villains, they play your not so typical assassins. They are such strange characters that you can't help but think how perfectly they fit in this bizarre world. The truly menacing and manipulative villains are beyond them, but I won't get into those details. I will say that the multitude of villains is another aspect of the show I really loved.
I mentioned one thing I wasn't a big fan of, which was the initial pacing of the show, apart from that, the only other thing that bothered me was the over use of a soundtrack. I felt in many scenes in practically every episode they just inserted an indie or commercial song when it wasn't required. I would much rather have an original score that elevates the scenes through sound and music. But in the show it felt over enthusiastic and highly unnecessary at times. Some scenes felt like this, "I need a coffee" (cue song), "I have to go meet him for breakfast" (cue song), "she is our mom" (cue song). You might think I'm nitpicking, but honestly I found the overuse of songs a major distraction from the already engaging storyline.
The set pieces and on site locations of the show were aesthetically beautiful, from the practical locations of the house and the auditorium to green screens and everything in between. In particular I loved the actual Umbrella Academy. It has this somewhat Victorian interior design with a delicate yet grandiose feel to it. Which really works because even though it is their home, they never felt like any of the physical things around the house or the house itself belonged to them, except perhaps their personal effects in their rooms. The look and feel of the show isn't jarring as it uses a warm but not oversaturated tone that let's the colors pop yet also having the palette reflect the storyline at times by muting the colors.
I highly recommend The Umbrella Academy as your next Netflix show, especially if you enjoy superhero, sci-fi/fantasy genres.
Rating:
I'm giving The Umbrella Academy an 8.5 out of 10.
Although the show has some initial growing pains with pacing and an overactive soundtrack, it is a highly enjoyable show carried successfully by it's brilliant cast. Along with a great story that keeps you guessing and a twist to the traditional superhero genre, The Umbrella Academy is a fantastic show that deserves attention and will be well liked by both comic book fans and general viewers alike.
Alita: Battle Angel (2019)
https://kunalatthemovies.movie.blog/2019/02/14/alita-battle-angel-film-review/
Alita is a film 20 years in the making. James Cameron (who is the writer and producer of the film) bought the rights for Alita over 20 years ago. Originally called Gunnm, it was a Japanese manga (comic) which released in 1990. James Cameron fell in love with the comic and bought the rights and it became his passion project after Titanic. Simultaneously he was working on the script for Avatar but when Avatar released with huge commercial success in 2009, Cameron shifted his focus to make multiple sequels to Avatar, and Alita went to the back burner. Cameron didn't want this great story to gather dust and never get made, so he used his script and continued to produce the film, but hired seasoned filmmaker Robert Rodriguez to be at the helm and direct this project.
I was lucky enough to attend the premiere of Alita in IMAX. Firstly I have to say that this film is absolutely gorgeous and even more so in IMAX. The world they created in this film is magnificent, I was amazed by all the artwork and visual effects and set building done in combination to create a visually stunning city.
Peter Jackson's visual effects company, Weta Digital, were the ones responsible for this breathtaking world created on screen and the design of the titular character Alita. Initially when I saw the trailer I found the animation for the character to be kind of out of place, but while watching the movie it did not bother me one bit. In fact, apart from the world created the best thing in the film is the main character.
The film stars Rosa Salazar, Christoph Waltz, Jennifer Connelly , Mahershala Ali and Keean Johnson. And starts with Dr. Ido (Christoph Waltz) finding Alita (Rosa Salazar) in a scrap yard whose brain is still active so he takes her to his home office to build her a body and bring her back to life. There begins a tender father-daughter connection, and probably the only emotional character relationship in the film that actually works. Waltz as usual is great, but the stand out performance is Rosa Salazar as Alita. Given that most of the action sequences and stunts of the character are done with CGI, Salazar did do all the motion capture performance and dialogues. She does it so well that you can't help but connect to this lost girl trying to find her place and purpose in this insane world. Unfortunately the film goes on to create a love story between Alita and Hugo (Keean Johnson) and this is where I felt the movie failed. The chemistry between these characters are not strong enough for the audience to be that invested. I won't go into spoiler territory, but the climax of the film falls a bit flat due to the relationship of Alita and Hugo not being as effective as the filmmakers might have thought.
The other problem I have with the film is the wasted talents of Jennifer Connelly and Mahershala Ali. Both these Oscar winning actors are great but in this film they just seem like random supporting characters that could have been played by any other less talented actor and it wouldn't have changed the film. Mahershala Ali (who has won an Oscar for his performance in Moonlight and is nominated for Green Book this year) is one of the most talented actors currently working in Hollywood. So if you are going to cast him as your villain, you have to make him a strong, menacing villain. But he is none of that, he just seems like a bland character who is more of a puppet than the actual shot caller.
The action choreography and the overall action sequences are elegantly done and captured. I am truly grateful that we did not get another quick cut action film, that cuts 50 times in a 2 minute fight scene. The framing of the action gave the characters breathing room and had the audience follow every movement and every detail of the world. This is especially effective during the Motorball scenes in the film. Due to the high speed pace of the sport, it was good to have clear visuals of what was happening. I was actually hoping there would be more Motorball in the film, because it was really impressive how the effects team executed it.
The only other film I can compare Alita: Battle Angel to is Ghost in the Shell (2017) starring Scarlett Johansson. That is because both these films are based on Japanese Manga that came out around the same time, 1989/1990. Both these films have a female lead who is part human and part cyborg, both of them are sci-fi/cyberpunk genres. But where Ghost in the Shell failed, Alita: Battle Angel flourishes.
Alita: Battle Angel is pretty accurate to its source material and creates a strong female lead. The film shines as an example on how to make a Hollywood film from a Manga/Anime. We have had decades of failed films that tried to recreate the magic of Japanese Manga/Anime. With Alita there is hope, it is a huge step in the right direction. The film might waste some of it's characters and might use some cheesy dialogue, but it is a visual fest that has tremendous heart in it's protagonist and her mentor, Dr. Ido.
Rating:
I am giving Alita: Battle Angel a 7.5 out of 10.
A fun film and a visual treat for fans of manga/anime and fans who generally like sci-fi action films. The film does fall short in terms of its villain, supporting characters and their performances. Luckily it has the well captured bond of Ido and Alita that keeps its emotional arc afloat.
Russian Doll (2019)
https://kunalatthemovies.movie.blog/2019/02/06/russian-doll-series-review/
A new Netflix show with an all female powerhouse team of writers/creators and directors.
Looking for your next Netflix binge? Look no further, Russian Doll is the perfect choice.
I recently watched the whole season, which actually isn't that long, it is 8 episodes of about 25 minutes each. It is a short and crisp show that you could ideally finish in a day or two. The fact that it uses a short format with only 8 episodes makes it one of those rare shows that doesn't divulge much into side plots or stray away from the main story. Essentially this is a comedy-drama with a sprinkle of science fiction/fantasy.
Natasha Lyonne's character Nadia staring into the mirror
Without giving too much away, the show starts off with Nadia a cynical software engineer (played by Natasha Lyonne) who is staring at a mirror in a bathroom on her 36th birthday, at a party her friends have thrown for her. Beyond that the show dives into the surreal where Nadia starts to relive her birthday again and again with sheer dark humor. She spends the remaining of the show trying to find answers as to why this is happening while simultaneously pondering life, her relationships with people and her past.
The first episode does struggle to find it's footing at first but the show goes leaps and bounds beyond my expectation, I am so very glad I stuck with the show. It is surprisingly whimsical and intelligent with a strong female lead character. At first the show can come across as slightly pretentious but trust me there is a good reason for all the choices made in the show, be it music or characterizations or even character choices. My favorite was the use of a book (Emily of New Moon) as a narrative device for the show. Anyone who has been passionate about a book or has a favorite "go to" book would understand why this is in the show and why Nadia is so attached to it.
Natasha Lyonne's character Nadia with the book (Emily of New Moon)
My worry at first was how would a new Netflix show use a redundant narrative tool of time loop, where the main character relives the same day over and over again, and make it original and fresh. (Groundhog Day, Edge of Tomorrow, Source Code, Happy Death Day all used this same narrative device, some with success) Although my worry did not go away in the first 2 episodes, it was at the end of the 3rd episode that my interest piqued by a twist which I wish wasn't ruined by the trailer. But even with that, the show is very strong and gets better with each engaging episode. There were times where I laughed and times where I honestly felt such high levels of tension to the point of feeling sick with dread with the sheer intensity of stress and drama. The show very intelligently flips through the emotions and tones with each episode, making the viewer hold on for a fun yet valuable ride down the rabbit hole. It is not very often that a show executes multiple tonal shifts successfully, but Russian Doll does it.
Let's take a moment and talk about the women responsible for this show. This show is entirely created, written and directed by women. The creators are Natasha Lyonne (who is also the lead of the show, and plays her character astonishing well) Amy Poehler (writer-actor of Parks and Recreation, and of Saturday Night Live fame) and Leslye Headland (who has written several shows and movies throughout her career).
Left to right: Cindy Holland (VP of Netflix Original Series), Amy Poehler, Natasha Lyonne, Leslye Headland)
This powerhouse trio made one of the best new comedy/dramas I have seen. They make the viewer extremely invested and involved through the show and I kept thinking and coming up with my own theories as I was watching. There are so many subtle hints and easter eggs, it really makes the show a joy to watch.
If you like shows with strong characters and a unique plot with several twists, you will definitely like this show. When I started watching it I did not have very high expectations, which was a good thing, because this show proved me wrong. It is a show I should have never underestimated and I am glad there are talks of a Season 2.
Rating:
I'm giving Russian Doll a 9 out of 10.
A slightly rocky beginning to an otherwise fantastically fun show that makes the viewer think and ponder on life and our choices of the past, present and future.
Superman Returns (2006)
Superman Returns, and it was a long journey back.
First of all its the first good superman movie in like 20 years. Brandon Routh looks like Reeves(may god rest his soul) but Routh also acts like a good superman and a good Clark Kent. As Clark Kent he was clumsy and a push over, so even if people tried to make the connection between Clark and superman, they would get thrown off by his personality. Ms. Bosworth was very intelligent as Lois lane, Kevin Spacey was an insane villain, probably the best villain role in any superhero movie to date(Jack as Joker was on par). The plot in my eyes was quite good, but i didn't like the whole Kryptonite island that much but it was very original, and smart. The flying was mostly computer generated but there were a lot of scenes with Routh on a harness, and i liked the fact that Singer used both. The flying was very realistic and the best in any movie that has attempted to do CG flying, i.e. Matrix trilogy. I think Bryan Singer did an excellent job with Superman and i hope to see more sequels.