joelgodinho Reviews

The Bullocks (1953)

My introduction to Fellini

[9/10 · 14 April 2021]

I Vitelloni is a 1953 film directed by Federico Fellini and starring Franco Interlenghi, Alberto Sordi and Franco Fabrizi.

I have wanted to get into Fellini's filmography for a while now but always had a fear that his work just wouldn't be for my taste, however recently I decided it was time and ended up choosing I Vitelloni over La Strada as the first film I'd watch.

Happily I Vitelloni did not disappoint, quite the opposite actually, it's my favourite first watch of the year so far.

The acting is superb with really interesting characters, the cinematography is beautiful, particularly the iconic shot of the group standing in the beach is one of my favourites of all time, and it's all complemented by a magnificent score.

9.5/10.

Color Out of Space (2019)

A very fun and at times terrifying film

[7/10 · 14 April 2021]

Colour Out Of Space is a 2019 horror film directed by Richard Stanley and starring Nicolas Cage, Madeleine Arthur and Elliot Knight.

The film is based on the story with the same name written by H. P. Lovecraft which I have yet to read but since I like some if his other work, particularly At The Mountains Of Madness, I was looking forward to see this movie and it happily did not disappoint.

Nicolas Cage is in this film and he gives a very fun performance, like always and so does Tommy Chong as Ezra but I think pretty much the whole cast is good although I do think that it doesn't feel right when Ward, who seemed to be a pretty important character, simply disappears for half the movie only returning near the end.

Visually the film is really great, with a really good use of the magenta-ish colour all thorought, and while I think some of the CGI looks questionable this movie has some really terrifying imagery, most notably when Theresa and Jack are fused together.

7.2/10.

The Road (1954)

A magnificent film with a particularly great performance by Anthony Quinn

[9/10 · 14 April 2021]

La Strada is a 1954 film directed by Federico Fellini and starring Anthony Quinn, Giulietta Masina and Richard Basehart.

La Strada is a beautiful film, arguably the best rendition of this type of story I have ever seen. It's two main characters are played by Giulietta Masina and Anthony Quinn, both perfect for the roles they got; Masina, who I only found out recently was Fellini's wife, with her fragile look is great as Gelsomina however I would argue it's Quinn's performance as the bruttish Zampano the most unforgettable of the two, I haven't seen him in any other film besides Lawrence Of Arabia but I can deduce from both of these masterpieces that he must be one of the great actors of cinema.

The black and white cinematography is gorgeous and some of the visuals in this film are simply unforgettable, the best example probably being Il Matto eating spaghetti on the wire.

The wonderfull score is by Nino Rota who also starred in another of Fellini's great films, I Vitelloni, and it beautifully complements the film.

Despite all of this I still can't quite say I like it as much as I Vitelloni, the film from this director I saw previously, who hits me on a very personal level, but nontheless this was an incredible watch and it only hightened my expectations for the next Fellini film I'll watch, La Dolce Vita.

9.6/10.

When Worlds Collide (1951)

Very enjoyable with marvellous special effects

[7/10 · 2 April 2021]

When Worlds Collide is a 1951 science fiction film ditected by Rudolph Maté and starring Richard Derr, Barbara Rush and Peter Hansen.

Among the dozens and dozens of sci fi films made in the 50's, When World's Collide is often cited as one of the best and while I wouldn't quite call it a great film, I can definitely see why it is regarded that way.

The film is very enjoyable, thanks in part to the wonderful special effects, most notably when Zyra passes near Earth causing massive tsunamis, earthquakes and volcano eruptions.

The story itself has a really cool concept and while I wouldn't say the acting is particularly notable, I do really like some of the characters, namely the Dr Drake who I thought would become a stereotypical villain because Joyce didn't want to marry him anymore but turned out to be a really good guy.

Despite this I just don't think this is a very memourable film and I also think that it's pretty stupid that Dr. Hendron would grant Randall a place in the spaceship just because his daughter had a crush on him, when the future of the human race is at stake.

7,2/10.

In the Mouth of Madness (1994)

Probably my personal favourite Carpenter film

[7/10 · 31 March 2021]

In the mouth of madness is a 1994 horror film directed by John Carpenter and starring Sam Neill, Julie Carmen and Jürgen Prochnow.

John Carpenter is one of the most beloved horror directors of all time but I must admit that I never really got into his movies, I think many, like The Thing, are really good but I typically just don't adore them however In the Mouth of Madness is definitely an exception, I really loved this film, in fact aside from Don't Look Now, this is probably my favourite horror film I have watched since October last year.

The film stars Sam Neill who is one of my favourite actors of all time and he is great in this film but I think the rest of the cast was also very good.

I saw this late at night and I think that contributed to the whole experience with the dreamy and trippy atmosphere of the movie (at a point I honestly thought I was sleeping).

The film is visibly inspired by the work of H. P. Lovecaft (In The Mouth of Madness even sounds a lot like At The Mountains of Madness) but saddly some of the the special effects are really bad, particularly upside down Linda Styles which looks awfull.

Overall it's a cheesy film but it has a great atmosphere and while I wouldn't call it scary it is definitely haunting.

7,5/10.

Apollo 18 (2011)

An interesting premise but not a very good movie

[3/10 · 29 March 2021]

Apollo 18 is a 2011 film directed by Gonzalo López-Gallego and starring Warren Christie, Lloyd Owen and Ryan Robbins.

This film has a pretty interesting premise but it really doesn't do much with it, appart from a few moments this is one of the most boring films I have seen so far this year.

I actually think that this could have been an halfway interesting short creepy pasta video that ended at the part when the american flag disapears, which would make the story creepier and more misterious, but instead they went with rock aliens that look like crabs and an infection that looks like it came from a movie about exorcisms.

3.2/10.

Rebel Without a Cause (1955)

You are tearing me apart!!

[9/10 · 9 February 2021]

Rebel Without a Cause a 1955 film directed by Nicholas Ray and starring James Dean, Natalie Wood and Sal Mineo. I recently watched all of the three films that starred James Dean as a major character and while I liked all 3 I think this one easily stands out. In terms of acting the film is full of great performances, the biggest of them being, obviously, James Dean who gives the greatest performance in his career (and one of the most memourable in cinema history), and I think that it's this film the main reason his entire style has become iconic, I also really like Sal Mineo, Natalie Wood and Corey Allen. I think the story is great and just like in "East Of Eden" I think there is some interesting camera work as well like in some scenes. 9.7/10

Giant (1956)

"You want to know something Leslie? If Iive to be ninety, I will never figure you out"

[9/10 · 15 January 2021]

Giant is a 1956 film directed by George Stevens and starring Rock Hudson, Elizabeth Taylor and James Dean. This film is about 200 minutes long and, while there were some boring moments, it managed to keep my atention all throughout. The acting is really good, particularly Rock Hudson who has one of my favourite character arcs ever; James Dean is also great as the sort of villain Jett Rink and Elizabeth Taylor completes the phenomenal cast. I love the epic scope of the film and the story that is told in 2 generations 9/10

East of Eden (1955)

James Dean's weakest film but a classic on it's own right

[7/10 · 30 December 2020]

East Of Eden is the 1955 adaptation of John Steinbeck's classic novel of the same name it was directed by Elia Kazan and it stars James Dean, Julie Harris and Raymond Massey.

I really like this film although I will say that I think it is the worst of the three films that James Dean starred in as a major character. The film is filled with good performances like Raymond Massey as Caleb's father and Julie Harris as Abra but it's James Dean who steals the show, he is great, particularly in the scene when he gives his father the money he earned and the father refuses it, however (and I think that this may be a controversial opinion) I think that it's not as good or memourable as his portrayal of Jett Rink in Giant and Jim Stark in Rebel Without a Cause.

The story, based on one of John Steinbeck's best known classics, is great and I also really like some of the camera work namely in the scene with the swing.

8/10

The Lighthouse (I) (2019)

The best horror film of 2019 in my opinion

[9/10 · 27 December 2020]

The Lighthouse is a 2019 horror film directed by Robert Eggers and starring Robert Pattinson, Willem Dafoe, Valeriia Karaman.

This was probably one the 2019 films I had the most most hype for, the trailer looked incredible and I really liked the concept and how it was filmed, and I have to say it did not disapoint

The film looks unreal, the cinematograpy is gorgeous and I really like the peculiar choice of the 1:1.19 aspect ratio that gives the film a claustrophobic feeling. The acting is marvellous, both Robert Pattinson and Willem Dafoe give outstanding performances that are among the best of the year, particularly Dafoe with that phenomenal monologue that made my jaw drop to the ground.

The costumes and set design are great which just shows that this film is not only a great horror movie but also a great period piece. 9.3/10

Phantom of the Opera (1943)

Visuall beautiful but...

[6/10 · 24 December 2020]

The Phantom Of The Opera is a 1943 adaptation of the classic novel of the same name, directed by Arthur Lubin and starring Claude Rains, Susanna Foster and Nelson Eddy. I think I'm not alone when I say that the best part of this film is the gorgeous and colorful cinematography and beautiful sets and costumes which make this a visually outstanding film however aside from this I think it is very forgettable. The acting is OK and that's really it, even Claude Rains, one of the greatest actors of all time isn't particularly memourable in this film. I'm also not the biggest fan of the movie's tone, it just feels too light hearted and almost goofy, ruining most of the suspense, at least for me. 6.8/10

Once Upon a Time in the West (1968)

"Looks like we're shy one horse"

[9/10 · 24 December 2020]

Once Upon A Time In The West is a 1968 Western directed by Sergio Leone and starring Henry Fonda, Claudia Cardinale and Charles Bronson.

This is easily my favourite Leone film that I have watched so far, and possibly my second favourite Western as well, behind only John Ford's The Searchers.

The cast is incredible, Henry Fonda plays the ruthless villain Frank perfectly in one of his best performances ever, Charles Bronson is great as Harmonica in what may be his best performance, or at least his most memourable, and Claudia Cardinale, Gabriele Ferzetti and particularly Jason Robards are also really great.

The film is incredibly suspenseful with really great action sequences particularly the beginning (which is one of my favourite beginnings ever) and the ending.

The score is magnificent and in my opinion Morricone's second best.

9.8/10

After (I) (2019)

One of the worst "romances" I have ever seen

[3/10 · 23 December 2020]

After is a 2019 film directed by Jenny Gage and starring Josephine Langford, Hero Fiennes Tiffin and Khadijha Red Thunder.

Never have I been so bored and uninterested by a film since I watched 1998's The Avengers, this film sucks.

I don't even know where to start, it's so awfull in so many ways, the acting is either bland or bad, and the characters are everything but likeable, I haven't had to follow characters that I dislike so much like in this film in a long time, the only ones that I actually like are Landon and maybe Noah.

The story is almost as cliché as it gets the dialogue is cringe worthy but I will say that I do think the film is well shot and looks pretty good most of the time however that is simply not enough to save it, not even close. 3/10

Midsommar (2019)

A very unsettling film with beautiful cinematography

[8/10 · 14 December 2020]

Midsommar is a 2019 horror film directed by Ari Aster and starring Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor and Vilhem Blomgren. This film is apparently very divisive, it has a 7.1/10 on IMDb but the top reviews on the site give it low scores, in fact a very large ammount of them even give it a 1/10, however I personnaly really liked it. Like many films of 2019, the cinematography is incredibly beautiful with a really great use of colour. The acting is good I particularly like Florence Pugh and Vilhem Blomgren and the story is very interesting and unsettling. 8.5/10

The Invisible Man (I) (2020)

A pleasant surprise

[7/10 · 9 December 2020]

Invisible Man (2020) Invisible Man is a 2020 horror film directed by Leigh Whanell and starring Elizabeth Moss, Aldis Hodge and Oliver Jackson Cohen.

This is a really good film, when I first watched the trailer I wasn't particularly excited, it honestly just looked like a mediocre horror film but this turned out to be great. It's incredibly suspenseful especialy in the outstanding first scene that gets us on edge right at the beginning of the fim and also later on when Cee is left alone in the house after Adrian hits Sydney.

The acting is pretty good and I really like Elizabeth Moss as Cecilia, even though her career has had a boom recently this is honestly the only film I have seen with her.

Finally I absolutely love the futuristic set design, particularly in Adrian's mansion.

7.6/10

Portrait of a Lady on Fire (2019)

The 2nd best of 2019

[9/10 · 4 December 2020]

Portrait De La Jeune Fille En Feu or Portrait Of a Lady on Fire is a 2019 film directed by Celine Sciamma and starring Adéle Haenel, Noémie Merlant and Luàna Bajrami This is, from what I have seen so far the second best film of 2019 behind only Parasite, it is an absolute masterpiece. The cinematography is gorgeus, almost like a painting, in fact 2019 was probably the year of great cinematography, we have this, 1917, Parasite, The Lighthouse and probably even more that I just haven't seen yet. The acting is magnificent and the 2 main characters are very well played, especially Helöise. The story is great, getting progressively more interesting as the relationship between Helöise and Marianne develops and the bonfire scene is legit one of my favourite scenes in cinema. 9.6/10

North by Northwest (1959)

"Games, must we?"

[10/10 · 29 November 2020]

North By Northwest is a 1959 film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason.

This was my second viewing of this masterpiece and only now have I come to really apreciate how great it is since on my first watch I didn't enjoy it all that much, I was expecting a mesmerizing film visually and story wise that would make my jaw drop like Psycho or Vertigo and I don't think NbN is quite like that, but that doesn't really mean that it's necessarily worse then the previously mentioned.

I feel like this is more of a laid back film to entertain and have a lot of fun with.

It's probably the funniest Hitchcock film I have seen particularly the auction house sequence is hilarious, the cast is nothing short of perfect, starting with the main actor, they originally had Jimmy Stewart in mind to play Roger Thornhill and, while Stewart is easily my favourite actor of all time, I'm happy they chose Cary Grant for the role because I could not see anyone else playing Thornhill, Grant just has a certain charm and coolness to him that make him the perfect choice for Thornhill's character and needless to say he plays him incredibly, I would even argue that Grant's Thornhill is the ultimate action movie hero, his dialogue is super funny and memourable and he makes even simple sentences sound iconic like "Hey, what's that suposed to be?".

Eva Marie Saint is also really great as Eve Kendall and James Mason is just incredible as the main villain, he is both menacing and very charming with his absolutely magnificent voice, I would willingly sit trough a 6 hour audiobook about the history of door knobs if it was narrated by him and Martin Landau is just as great as the more sinister and menacing right hand of the villain.

North By Northwest has some of the greatest and most iconic set pieces in cinema, the most memourable among them (and arguably the most iconic action sequence ever) is the Crop Duster attack, there are few scenes in the history of cinema as unforgettable or as thrilling as this one in fact it might be the most memourable scene from an Hitchcock film (aside from the shower scene from Psycho which may be the most memourable moment in cinema history) however it would be a mistake to ignore the other fantastic moments of this film, I have already mentioned the auction house part but there is also that last chase sequence on mount Rushmore which is just incredible and the perfect way to finnish the film.

Bernard Herrmann's score perfectly complements the film and is one of his best, maybe even my third favourite from him, behind only his works on Psycho and Vertigo.

10/10.

Crimson Peak (2015)

Visually marvellous

[7/10 · 20 November 2020]

Crimson Peak is a 2015 horror fantasy film directed by Guillermo del Toro and starring Mia Wasikowska, Jessica Chastain and Tom Hiddleston. I like Del Toro's style, I haven't seen a lot of films from him but from what I have seen I really enjoy. I love how he merges horror and fantasy to terrific results. The film is very beautiful with some of the best costume design I have ever seen in a film, the sets are also gorgeus in particular the mansion in Crimson Peak and I also absolutely love the colours of the movie. The acting is good although I don't think it stands out much and the story is very interesting even though the twist is predictable. 7.3/10

1917 (2019)

Breathtaking

[8/10 · 19 November 2020]

1917 is a 2019 film directed by Sam Mendes and starring George MacKay, Dean-Charles Chapman and Benedict Cumberbatch.

First and foremost this film is absolutely gorgeus, it may be the best looking color film I have seen, the scene after Schofield is knocked out unconscious and enters the city that is being lit by the huge fire is particularly beautiful with a great use of light and shadows which is something that I really like. It's very well filmed and I think that it looks very well with it's continuous shot (even though it's not REALLY only one shot).

But although the visuals and cinematography are certainly the film's most memourable part I also think that the acting is good and the story is pretty interesting.

Overall a very solid film although I wouldn't quite say it's on the top 10 of last decade.

8.4/10.

Plan 9 from Outer Space (1957)

The ultimate so-bad-it's-good film

[1/10 · 15 November 2020]

Plan 9 From Outer Space is a 1957 Sci-Fi atrocity directed by Ed Wood and starring Gregory Walcott, Tom Keene and Tor Johnson This might just be the worst film I have ever seen in my life, I had a fun time watching it which is much more then I can say for some other films but I can totally see why it is considered by some as the worst film ever made. You immediatly get a red flag about what you're going to see with that awfull narration from a guy, that you can very obviously see is reading from a cue card. Afterwards we get treated to such an incredible mess I had a hard time keeping my mouth from being open all the time. The sets are literal garbage, most of them just seem to be some cardboard and curtains (though to be fair that's probably what they were). The acting is mostly awfull, the editing is laughable and, while it has some fun parts, I wouldn't say the story is very interesting either despite it's insane premise, sure the film is very entertaining but I think that's only because of how bad it is. The best part of the film (and that is a hard thing to decide) is probably Bela Lugosi's double walking around the cemetery covering his face like he is playing Dracula, and yes, Lugosi is in this film, I just wonder how they got such a talented actor on this pile of garbage. Anyways, in spite of how utterly bad it is I had a blast, and I very much recommend it, it's a must see. 0.5/10

Spider-Man 3 (2007)

Way too much stuff for one film

[6/10 · 15 November 2020]

Spider-Man 3 is the conclusion of the Sam Raimi trilogy on the character and it stars Tobey Maguire, Kirsten Dunst and Topher Grace. This is usually regarded as the low point of the series which I definitely agree with but I will say that it wasn't quite as bad as what I was expecting. The action and the special effects are mostly really good however I will say that the very first fight against the new Green Goblin doesn't look very great. The main complaint this film receives is that there are way too many characters and subplots which I totally agree with, there is just way too much stuff on this film, for example, Venom one of Spidey's most iconic and beloved villain only comes on screen 1h and 40 minutes in or something like that, and the total ammount of time he is on screen probably doesn't even reach 15 minutes, we spend some time with Eddie Brock but even then it's not that much time because the film also has to deal with Harry Osbourne and Sandman and the way the symbiot is changing Peter; there is enough material for 2 films! Peter Parker with the symbiot that gives him the Emo hair is super dumb looking and he scene where he dances in the jazz bar is so unbearably cringy it's hard to even watch it, also worth noting Pete is kind of an A Hole even before getting the symbiot attatched to him. In terms of acting this is also the lowest point of the series, I like Thomas Haden Church as Sandman but he is very forgettable compared with Willem Dafoe's Green Goblin or Alfred Molina's Dock Ock and I just don't think Topher Grace is very good as Venom. 6.6/10

Parade (1974 TV Movie)

Definitely Tati's worst but not that bad

[6/10 · 15 November 2020]

Parade is a 1974 made for TV film directed by Jacques Tati, his last directorial work (Forza Bastia appears on IMDb as his actual last work as a director but I think that's either a short or an incomplete film). Honestly I think this fits way better as Tati's last work then I initially thought, I think it's his worst film (even though I don't think it's nearly as bad as the IMDb score makes it seem), but it feels like a worthy goodbye to a director I have come to adore so much. There really isn't much to this film, it is literally just a recording of a bunch of circus acts which are fun and sometimes even impressive but ultimately they are still just circus acts, there are some other fun moments though, like when a magician has a magic duel with a guy on set and a member of the public joins him or when a middle aged man tries to ride a poney and later a donkey despite his wife's resistance. The film is beautifully coloured just like Mon Oncle, Playtime and Trafic although it's not quite as beautiful as the previously mentioned. 6.6/10

Perfect Blue (1997)

Very interesting and intense

[8/10 · 9 November 2020]

Perfect Blue is a 1997 animated film directed by Satoshi Kon and voice acted by Junko Iwao, Rica Matsumoto and Shinpachi Tsuji. O randomly decided to watch Perfect Blue on thursday night because it had been on my watchlist for quite some time and also because I haven't seen any animated film since the beginning of August. This is the first japanese animated film that I have seen, probably hecause I have always had a strange aversion to Anime as one very popular series really scared me as a child, Saylor Moon, I'm not completely sure what scared me so much that it would make me turn off the TV when the show was on air but I do remember that it gave me nightmares. This was an awesome experience, I have never seen an animated film like this one, it's extremely interesting with a great and absorbing plot that takes some really cool and fascinating turns, it also has some unexpected really violent scenes which are very affective because of the fact that they are very well animated, the most memourable one probably being the photographer's murder. 8.4/10

Trafic (1971)

The worst of the Mr Hulot films but still very good and charming

[8/10 · 6 November 2020]

Trafic is a 1971 comedy directed by Jacques Tati and starring himself, Maria Kimberly and Marcel Fraval.

Well holy Jesus, I didn't expect to watch a film as beautiful as Playtime anytime soon and just a week later here we are, I stated in the title that this is the worst of the Hulot films but I have to say it might just be the best looking, in fact this might be, no joke, the best looking color film I have ever seen, it is absolutely gorgeous.

Just like Hulot's previous films Trafic is really funny and interesting however it's not as wondrous as Mr Hulot's Holiday, My Uncle and Playtime which makes it less memourable and enjoyable then those, however don't take me wrong, this is still a really great film it's just that it was a little underwhelming, since the other Hulot films instantly became some of my favourite films of all time, especially Playtime which might be my favourite comedy.

However one thing that I really love about this film (aside from the color) is the ending it's such a great moment when, after arriving in Amsterdam, it starts raining and Mr. Hulot finnaly gets to use his trusty umbrella, I honestly felt a bit emotional, as Mr. Hulot has become one of my favourite characters in film and this is his last apperance in a film as far as I know. 8.1/10

A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)

A very memourable horror film and the birth of one of cinema's biggest horror icons

[7/10 · 6 November 2020]

A Nightmare On Elm Street is a 1984 horror film directed by Wes Craven and starring Robert Englund, Heather Langenkamp and Johnny Depp.

Watching this at night while feeling a little bit sleepy made this a strange experience, this is not my first time watching this horror classic, in fact this was the very first slasher I ever watched, when I was 13 years old however surprisingly this time it felt creepier. I wouldn't say that A Nightmare On Elm Street is a particularly scary film but I do think it a has a great and creepy atmosphere.

The performances are really good, I really like Heather Langenkamp as the main character and Robert Englund is unforgettable as Freddy Krueger, one of the biggest icons of horror cinema, up there with the likes of Jason Voorhees, Hannibal Lecter, the Xenomorph and arguably even the Universal classic monsters and Norman Bates

The story is really interesting filled with great and memorable moments like Glen's death with the geiser of blood or Tina's death with the rotating room.

7.8/10