shawnwu Reviews

Hereditary (2018)

Shocking and Beautiful

[8/10 · 11 June 2018]

Hereditary was a terrifying blend of reality and the supernatural, with the horror stemming from the realism. The film was most terrifying when wallowing in the stress of tragic events and their effects on a strained family dynamic. Toni Collette and Alex Wolff delivered gut-wrenching performances as mother and son faced with impossible situations. The film also continuously hinted at an ambitious mythology that provided suspense, but in the last five minutes it felt the need to tie up the mystery with an over-explained sequence that read more like a conclusion to a Law and Order episode than the end to an otherwise excellent film. In all, the film was shocking and beautiful, but suffered from its last minute tonal shift.

Take Me (2017)

Inconsistent Tone, Drastic Mismatch in Acting Ability, and Annoying

[2/10 · 5 May 2017]

The best thing about this movie was that it was instantly forgettable. The tone of the movie repeatedly changed throughout the film and there was a drastic mismatch in the acting abilities of the two leads. However intentional, the actor-director's fumbling bumbling idiocy and stale humor was excruciating. Taylor Schilling added a bit of life to the mix, but she wasn't given much to work with. The plot might have succeeded as a quirky short film, but at 83 minutes it was painful. It seemed that the director assumed his character's toupee would suffice as a major plot line.

The Take: We're not movie critics, but we might be better.

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (2016)

This comedy wasn't full of laughs, and it didn't tell much of a story either.

[4/10 · 21 February 2017]

This comedy wasn't full of laughs, but it didn't tell much of a story either. It simply drifted. The soundtrack forces the movie to read as a romantic comedy, and is oddly pensive and optimistic at moments when people are being gunned down. Perhaps the film was actually meant to be a romantic comedy. Despite being about an independent female reporter in Afghanistan, the most interesting storyline is Kim's relationship with Bilbo Baggins (Martin Freeman). I did enjoy how as the movie progressed, the once scary and threatening Afghanistan had turned into "home" for Kim.

The Boss (2016)

The Boss was laugh out loud hilarious, but also heartfelt.

[7/10 · 21 February 2017]

Melissa McCarthy strikes again – this time at a rival troupe of juvenile sweets peddlers known as the Dandelions. The Boss was laugh out loud hilarious, but also heartfelt. The bizarre cast of characters in this film provided for some absurd and funny moments, but the best scenes were between Darnell and her newest protégé – the young Rachel, who quickly became like family to the money hungry Darnell. McCarthy always excels at physical comedy, but it was her character's confidence and quick wit that carried the film. Overall, I simply loved this film.

Get Out (I) (2017)

Delivering both on the expectations of the genre and the comedic expectations of a Jordan Peele creation, GET OUT is simply amazing.

[8/10 · 21 February 2017]

Jordan Peele's directorial debut is an exhilarating horror thriller that also manages to spark laughter and comment on social issues. The cinematography, tropes, and soundtrack echo horror, but the film finds abundant moments of comic relief like when a father reassures the main character he isn't racist by claiming, "I would have voted for Obama for a third term." Before the plot delves into a traditional horror frenzy, it mines the horrors of racism. The social commentary plays on audience expectations and results in both humor and suspense. Delivering both on the expectations of the genre and the comedic expectations of a Jordan Peele creation, GET OUT is simply amazing.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

I had the lowest expectations ever for this movie, so I was pleasantly surprised that the movie was decently entertaining.

[5/10 · 21 February 2017]

Batman V Superman, otherwise known as… the Battle of the Butt Chins. I had the lowest expectations ever for this movie, so I was pleasantly surprised that the movie was decently entertaining. I was sure that it would be a movie only built to advertise sequels, but happily it took the path of telling a complete (but not severely substantial) story. Many parts were cheesy and over dramatic, but how can you fault a superhero movie for that? Batman, Superman, Lex Luther, and Wonderwoman were all introduced well and became semi-interesting characters. The most intriguing aspect of the movie, however, was its ability to recruit nearly every Cable TV newscaster to make a brief cameo.

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The Jungle Book (2016)

Visually stunning and adorable, The Jungle Book was extremely entertaining.

[7/10 · 21 February 2017]

Visually stunning and adorable, The Jungle Book was extremely entertaining. The young child actor playing Mowgli excelled in portraying believable relationships with CGI animals. His friendship with Bill Murray's Baloo was refreshing and comical, and the obligatory "Bare Necessities" singing was incorporated brilliantly and effortlessly. This was in stark contrast to the other bout of singing in the movie that was forced and unnecessary. The movie excelled when depicting friendship and family but fell flat when trying to produce epic scenes of life and death.

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La La Land (2016)

La La Land was a captivating sensory adventure

[8/10 · 30 January 2017]

The world was magical, so I put up with intermittent excessive song and dance. An ever-present current of warm piano gave the film a sense of unity that felt reminiscent of Chazelle's prior film, Whiplash. I did not care much for the bland characters and their cliché plights, but Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone were not the central characters of this film...the sets, the music, and Los Angeles were the focus. Over time, my affinity for the film has dwindled, but that does not discredit the pleasure I had in watching it for the first time. As a whole La La Land was a captivating sensory adventure that was pleasing from start to finish.

Moonlight (I) (2016)

A resonating story about a young man's relationship with himself

[8/10 · 30 January 2017]

Light in Moonlight is beautiful, so striking that it seems to tell its own story…which at times was necessary when sound and motion would take a hiatus from storytelling. This art-house Oscar hopeful had its fair share of dramatic stares, water metaphors, and violin music, but it also told a resonating story about a young man's relationship with himself. The film dealt with his relationship with a local drug dealer, his mother, and other boys, but what was constant was an introspective window at "Little", "Chiron", and "Black" – names that also serve as chapter titles for the film.

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Little Men (2016)

This film seemed to go nowhere, and I'm still not sure if I'm fine with that.

[6/10 · 30 January 2017]

This film seemed to go nowhere, and I'm still not sure if I'm fine with that. It opens with a friendless Jake drawing a green sky in class, and after finding and then losing a best friend, it ends with a slightly older pony-tailed Jake contently sketching alone in a museum. Between these bookends, the film accurately portrays an awkward friendship between the two titular little men, but also manages to indulge in prolonged unnecessary shots of rollerblading set against an excessive soundtrack. The intriguing moments come from the more volatile relationship between parents. Leonor's caustic one-liners, seemingly out of place in this indie movie, were easily the most engaging moments.

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Mike and Dave Need Wedding Dates (2016)

Some of the performances were noticeably more enjoyable than others.

[6/10 · 30 January 2017]

Overall, this film benefited from a refreshing flip of gender roles that allowed Aubrey Plaza and Anna Kendrick to play characters that would usually merit a Seth Rogen. However, this was a comedy built on the performances of a select few actors, so it was a bit glaring when some of those performances were noticeably more enjoyable than others. Zac Efron's dull "acting" felt forced when paired with Adam Devine's innate hilarity, and Anna Kendrick's kindhearted ridiculousness helped drown out Aubrey Plaza's cacophonous attempt to add swagger to her monotone drawl. Despite these discrepancies, the film was entertaining.

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Finding Dory (2016)

Finding Dory is a spy thriller with fish

[7/10 · 24 June 2016]

Beneath its cute facade, Finding Dory is a spy thriller. Impulsive and daring Dory (swimming not stirred) must stealthily navigate the secret tunnels of the Marine Life Institute. A horn-heavy soundtrack and Sia's belting rendition of Unforgettable would effortlessly fit into any Bond film. Instead of Q, Dory has Hank, the "septopus" who can assume perfect camouflage, drink coffee, and drive vehicles. Like any spy thriller, Finding Dory was at times ridiculous and far-fetched, but it was also riveting. However, instead of saving the world, Dory is happy to focus on finding her family.

The Take: We're not movie critics, but we might be better. https://twitter.com/thetaketweets http://filmtake.tumblr.com/

Captain America: Civil War (2016)

Civil Bore

[3/10 · 8 May 2016]

Civil War is a disgustingly contrived bore that champions the moral that the friendships of the powerful few triumph over the lives of the many. 117 sovereign nations come together to craft a peaceful treaty to reign in the Avengers, but Captain America decides his life's calling is to reject any limit to his authority. The fight between allies was as pointless as Batman V. Superman, yet somehow worse, and the comedy lacked its typical punch. The only redeemable part of this movie was the Black Panther, a character with rational thought and believable justifications, but he is practically drowned in the catastrophic melting pot that is Captain America: Civil War.

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