elisavbizau Reviews

Funny Pages (2022)

Everything fits so well

[7/10 · 4 January 2024]

There's nothing in this movie that is out of place. Every dark joke, awkward interaction or creepy encounter makes sense. You feel all the characters alive. None of them feel as if they're following a script, but rather just expressing themselves in a given situation.

There's many points where you might think that nowadays nobody would behave like that or say things like that and you would be right. This is the era before the internet, before all the phones and the politically correctness - an unhinged world but still in the limits of love and passion.

Loved every bit of it. What I learned from this movie is that if you have a passion, you should be as bold as possible and make it happen.

Also, I love how Mitchell really isn't the bad guy in all of this hahaha. It's just so so so amazing how they were able to portray such an amazing thing.

Dream Scenario (2023)

Stellar performance from Cage

[8/10 · 1 January 2024]

Could not have imagined a better actor to play the MC. Cage does a phenomenal job portraying the inner workings of the main character in such a way that everything that happens towards the middle and end of the movie just makes sense. There is no sense of "WHY?" that you feel as a viewer, but rather empathy.

I viewed the whole thing as an analogy to cancel culture and this feeling that we can have as people when others dislike us for reasons that are only alive in their own head.

You can deffo see this is an A24 movie. The editing is just so good with attention to small details in a way that pleases your eyes and makes you smile from now and then (if you're the type to appreciate small details).

Highly recommend to anyone that likes political movies told through surrealism.

P. S. I wonder what everyone would have dreamt if he were to do other thing. A beautiful concept to explore as an artist.

Stephen Curry: Underrated (2023)

Just didn't know

[8/10 · 1 January 2024]

Have admired Curry for this ability to shoot 3 pointers, apparently, without a miss. I always thought he had a more generic background, but I never knew that he was this short and that everyone overlooked him as he was on the come up.

Loved the pacing of the movie and how it was cut between the present and the past. I think they did an amazing job portraying the feeling of what they have felt back then and how Curry feels now in the present.

Loved the movie front to back and I feel it has woken inside of me a joy I did not have before for basketball.

Another thing I really admire which we do not have in Romania towards basketball (or any other sport in High School and College) is just how united is the community in the city and how supportive everyone is of the players. Really inspiring.

Sharper (2023)

Inspiring for magicians

[8/10 · 19 December 2023]

Reminiscent of David Fincher's "The Game" and giving off romantic vibes of JUSTICE, this movie is truly an inspiration for an up and coming magician that wants to know how to use lying for the better good.

If you like con movies, then you won't feel conned into watching this as it's thoroughly entertaining to watch from beginning to end. It's shot well, it doesn't fill every scene with music and you feel a sense of curiosity all throughout (as you want to discover just what's happening).

Similar to "The Prestige" you get the whole answer at the very end of the movie as it unfolds in front of you.

Spring Breakers (2012)

A true comedic ending

[6/10 · 18 December 2023]

I read thorugh some of the reviews and it blows my mind that everyone is taking the ending so seriously. At least, from my point of view, the ending is happening just in their head.

ITS SO OVER THE TOP HAHAHA. It's insane that people can think it's real. I mean, two girls shooting EVERY bad guy as if they're some John Wick apprentices? Let's be honest.

And with the voice mail in the background? It all sounds like a farewell letter to me.

Perfectly executed and with stellar performances from the cast. I can see that the Hannah Montana girls really wanted a role to break away from the cute girl perception. Well, this movie really cut it.

Still, a 6/10 but a GREAT 6/10 for that.

Past Lives (2023)

What I learned from it

[9/10 · 11 December 2023]

Such a beautiful picture film. It has everything you want from a good movie: a cute romance, philosophy to guide the narrative, characters that feel real even if you don't get to see what they do (in his case) or barely see anything (in her case). It's as if the scriptwriters managed to weave a touching romance out of snippets, without it feeling like you're watching something unfinished.

There's this one scene where they show how time passes. I loved the cinematography behind that. Simple yet rewarding visually.

From this movie I learned that you should accept love and realise that you don't have to give up what you have for what you could have. You can accept both those feelings of love inside of you and even if it hurts, it's what I believe makes the soul feel alive.

When You Finish Saving the World (2022)

What i learned from this: Eli's review

[8/10 · 10 December 2023]

I don't think I've ever felt so much second-hand embarrassment while watching a movie. The actors did such a wonderful job portraying these characters that are so disconnected from the 'real' world and how people behave in it.

I loved it to bits. Ziggy taught me that it doesn't matter how different the person I love is from me, I should go for it if it's what I truly feel.

I feel this movie portrays exactly the sort of vibe Eisenberg has left me with after watching "The Social Network".

I felt it was so balanced. OHH AND THE MUSIC. MAN. That recurring background track was sooooo on point.

Happy I watched it. You should to if you enjoy family drama movies with a touch of Ladybird vibes.

Showing Up (2022)

What I have learned : Eli's Review

[5/10 · 9 December 2023]

Are you an artist? Do you have impostor syndrome? Does it feel like everyone is getting on with their lives except you? Well, let me tell you: IT'S ALL IN YOUR HEAD.

This movie has taught me that in adulthood we accept one another as we are. Just like Jo accepted Lizzie.

This movie has taught me that things take time.

This movie embodies the weakness and fear inside all of us. The voice that doesn't speak up and piles up thoughts upon thoughts upon thoughts.

If anxiety and calm had a baby, it would be this movie.

I don't recommend watching this. Great performances from all the actors. But that's about it.

The Spectacular Now (2013)

What I've learned : Cristi's Reviews

[9/10 · 4 December 2023]

I have been making reviews for movies, never truly knowing why would I drop a review for a movie. I'm no cinematographer. I'm no writer. Yes, i can tell a bad story from a good one, but how can you grade movies when your point of reference isn't how they looked, were shot or how the script was, but how they made you feel.

For me, what I took from this movie was that in life you don't have to carry all of the pain. You're not alone in this. You can be afraid of failure, afraid of hurting people and of getting hurt, but you still have to go out there and do the hard things. For me, it's always been taking care of myself and listening to my needs. My greatest fear is that if I'm not there for the people I love, that they will somehow crumble, fall into depression or become someone completely different. This has always made me sacrifices when it came to my needs. "The needs of the others are more important." . I believe this level of committing to other people's well being is cowardly. I'm just shunning myself away. Running away from what is truly difficult. For people that know what I'm saying, helping others is the easy thing. Helping yourself or accepting other people's help is the hardest.

So, yeah. This is what the movie has made me think about. I think that deserves a solid 8.

The End of the Tour (2015)

A fabulous human being, an ok movie

[6/10 · 1 December 2023]

I loved the movie because I love David Foster Wallace. I cried at the end, I felt empathy for what he said. I found Jesse's character sooooo annoying (great acting on Jesse's part - I believe he must've played the other David quite well).

The movie I believe does a good job at what it's trying to achieve, and that's about it.

Should you watch it? Yep, if you like Biopics.

Can't give it more than a 6 though.

Since I still have not reached the minimum required char. , here's my favourite part of the movie: at the end, right after the credits, when he talks with the tape recorder.

Also, I recommend watching "This is water" on youtube by him.

The Green Knight (2021)

Made me feel

[8/10 · 29 November 2023]

I love the feeling that I have now that the movie has ended. I made my own idea of what the movie can be about and then I looked online to see what the director intended. After reading, I can say I appreciate even more the movie and what approach he's decided to take in comparison to the 14th century original poem.

I give it an 8 for no particular reason. Just based on gut feeling. I know little of the trials of virtue that Arthur's knights have to pass, so I feel I could not fully appreciate the subtleties of the movie. Still, the movie has made me feel more curious about finding out more.

Highly recommend it if you like surrealism and adventure.

P.s. Damn this review is so impersonal. I actually dislike writing like this. It's just that the last time I wrote movie reviews I was with my ex-girlfriend and now that we're broken up (been a few months since then) I just remembered how much I loved / love her and as such I just decided to take a professional approach to the whole review (there's most likely better reviews to read out there - the more character they have the better).

Ohh well, off I am.

Sleight of Hand (II) (2013)

Sleight of hand inception

[9/10 · 20 December 2022]

Had the luck of being able to view this. ANIFEX did an amazing job with this. Went in with different expectations and what I got was so much better. A sort of Nolan-inception-like piece of beautiful magic. Truly an illusion. If this would be on youtube it would definitely garner a lot of views. It's one of those short movies that work perfect as a short movie (if you know what I am saying).

I didn't see the ending coming. You start piecing parts of the puzzle early on, which should lead you to the answer, but, at least in my case, when IT happened and the curtain was pulled, it made me smile so so big. Loved it truly. Magic.