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Captain Phillips (2013)
Strikingly Entertaining! "Captain Phillips" is more than a Movie, more than a Film, its a Ride. It's A Thriller You Must See, and Once You Have, You've Experienced Golden Cine
Strikingly Entertaining! "Captain Phillips" is more than a Movie, more than a Film, its a Ride. It's A Thriller You Must See, and Once You Have, You've Experienced Golden Cinema.
Nava Medikonda : 4.5/5 : 90%
The Survival Story follows Captain Richard Phillips(Tom Hanks) as the main character, abroad a cargo ship carrying several crates traveling across international waters. Phillips, and his entire crew are put through a disaster they didn't expect entirely would turn into reality.
The 2013 film was directed by Paul Greengrass, a qualified and known director for his thrilling Bourne Films(Jason Bourn as Matt Damon). His style carried right over to "Captain Phillips" and the anxiety is detectible, you can feel it right till the very end.
"Captain Phillips" starts off slow, and we feel its another movie that isn't going to be fun, or exciting in any way, until the action kicks in.
The action brings stress to the characters, and brings anxiety to the viewer putting them on edge. You start to feel tense, and restless. This film does an amazing job with its giving the viewer anxiety until the end. Similar to filmmakers The Safdie Brothers who have directed films "Uncut Gems" and "Good Time" both films giving the viewer anxiety instantly feels the same way with "Captain Phillips."
The enemy's in the film are Muse(Barkhad Abdi) and his crew of pirates. Bilal(Barkhad Abdirahman), Najee(Faysal Ahmed), and Elmi(Mahat M. Ali), who hijack the MV Maersk Alabama Cargo Ship, also seen in the trailer.
The performance by every actor/actress in the film is shocking. Everybody portrays their roles perfectly, to the crew members, to the captain, to the pirates, nobody has a flaw, everything feels real, everything feels legit, it helps and allows the audience feel involved in the story, involved like they're sitting right in front of the action.
The film was shot using 16mm film, and has a runtime of 2 hours and 14 minutes, and has a rating of PG-13.
From the beginning when the film brings us in, we only feel satisfied once it ends. As a viewer, our heart rate, and our focus does steady down. At the end of the day, we understand that all these people, based on the true story, are all just humans and people, especially Captain Richard Phillips himself.
Spotlight (2015)
Spotlight is The Movie about the hard working Investigative Journalists at the Boston Globe, and the Effort to bringing a story that the Catholic Church has tried to Bury for
Spotlight is The Movie about the hard working Investigative Journalists at the Boston Globe, and the Effort to bringing a story that the Catholic Church has tried to Bury for Years.
Nava Medikonda : 4/5 Rating : 80%
Based on a true story, "Spotlight" by Tom McCarthy uncovers the horrors that have been hidden, and tampered with, when Priests in Boston have Molested Children. 4 Journalists that work in the "Spotlight Team" have brought the story back, a story that changed the world.
"Spotlight" is easily 2015's best picture. The film casts Mark Ruffalo,
Michael Keaton, Rachel McAdams, and Brian d'Arcy James as the 4 investigative journalists. Each character is comparatively different, but the chemistry on screen fits perfectly.
The movie itself isn't anything special. Its has a dry theme, with a important and worldwide message. However, the film does not ever fail to produce telling an important story that helps overrule the dryness to the film.
The film's setting takes place mostly entirely in Boston. We get to see parts of the then-current Boston Globe offices in Dorchester, Boston, Fenway Park, and the Boston Public Library.
"Spotlight" represents the investigative unit at the Boston Globe.
In the film, the journalists decide to sue the Catholic Church for sealed documents that will help write the story they want to write.
In real life events, as matched with the film, the spotlight team were put down in the sense of rejection/demotivation by people who were victims of the horror, the lawyers who were only doing there job, and the other workers at the Boston Globe.
To the world of Journalism, and the world of news, the story of "Spotlight" is one of the stories that people hope to watch/read. Real news, true journalism, the truth, a movie that exceeds regularity. Expected as it is, this is one of the stories journalists want to tell, its one of the big stories in ones career. Its one of the stories the world doesn't want to hear, especially the people who are very picky on what's written, but those people will read what's being written eventually, and soon will come to find out the truth.
The film emphasizes nobody can get away with child molestation, or any type of abuse. It emphasizes collecting all the facts will certify that justice is done.
During the film we see Michael Keaton's character, the leader of his investigative team fighting his own battles. At some point in the film he says, "we got two stories here, a story about generate clergy, and the story about a bunch of lawyer turning child abuse into a cottage industry, which story do you want us to write? Because we're writing one of them." At many points in the film, we see Keaton's character desire to accomplish his goal, to finish the story that needs to be told. We learn that all 4 of the journalist's will keep pushing for the story they need to tell.
The goal, the objective is front and center. There is no hiding what is trying to be done, the film doesn't try to get the journalist's to look for something they want to research. The horrors that need to be uncovered are present, and they are waiting to be told by a committed investigative team.
Beyond doubt, there is a momentum the film carries as the team of 4 build their case, and uncover the story they know was not taken seriously.
"Spotlight" was shot on a Digital, ARRI ALEXA XT Camera. The film has a runtime of 2 hours and 9 minutes, and has an R rating.
The performance in this film is amazing. We get to feel what its like as a journalist, the struggle, and the desire that news people tend to go through everyday when trying to find a story.
At some point during the film, the conversation of The Boston Globes subscribers was mentioned as 53% catholic readers. Making the story that's being investigated, a potential negative impact on TBG. The problem with news in modern day is people don't want to hear an equal side or neutral news. There may be journalists who tell a story from both sides, but people chose to read news from a source they know that tells them the story from the side they stand on. "Spotlight" does show how certain people in the catholic community have reacted to the paper after being published.
By the end of the film we feel good, we feel thankful that a strong team was put on this investigation. We can understand why people may have felt the way they felt, and potentially what it may have been like as a child to be pestered by a priest in the wrong way. We accept and agree that only telling more stories can uncover the truth that has been hidden, and the people who want to share their stories feel confident to allow readers to acknowledge what was once history.
War Dogs (2016)
The Fast Paced "Sketchy Comedic" Movie Award Goes to 2016's War Dogs.
The Fast Paced "Sketchy Comedic" Movie Award Goes to 2016's War Dogs.
Nava Medikonda : 3.5/5 Rating
"War Dogs" is Tod Phillip's 10th directional film after completing "The Hangover" trilogy almost consecutively. He creates an interesting enough film about 2 friends that manage to exploit the American military, and get paid for it.
Both main characters in the film are played by Jonah Hill(Efraim Diveroli) and Miles Teller(David Packouz). The characters relationship in the film is pretty simple. As mentioned, the characters friendship goes way back to high school, and the two get separated as time passed. As time passes again, the two meet at a funeral, which allows the two to bond after years of separation.
The comedic drama film is based on a true story, one about 2 younger men who fall into international arms dealing during a war.
David Packouz is the same age as Efraim Diveroli in the film, but the lives of the two characters before reuniting again is completely different. David who works as a massage therapist and sells bedsheets, or try's to sell them at least is trying to make a living quick but completely legally. Efraim Diveroli is already in an arms dealing business until he got sold out, according to him. He has his own way of making money through bidding on military contracts to make shipments of any sort of gear or weapons. Efraim just wants to make racks of cash, and works with what he has, the little crumbs to make his fantasy's come true.
The film seems to carry the vibe to allow people to get away with things they shouldn't, while causing no harm to others.
"War Dogs" also has its dark sides. There is a political perspective that isn't as evident, but we get little snippets when there is detail about permits and licenses, and the economic state of countries during war. We also get our own insight on countries having advantages and disadvantages in war time.
The film was shot using a ARRI ALEXA XT Digital Camera, and has a runtime of 1 hour and 54 minutes, that also includes an R rating.
Not too obvious, but the idea of big fast money looks to be inspired by other films, there is a connection to Martin Scorsese's: The Wolf Of Wall Street, in terms of making fast quick money, and being carried away by greed that ruins the fun for the characters in the end.
We hear several times in the film that, "its legal" or "this is legal," or usually something along the lines of the job is completely legal. As the two friends spend time and effort in the business they started, money starts to flow in. To keep things running in order and better, cutting corners becomes an option, making the work the two are achieving illegal. To go against work that is illegal isn't an option when money keeps flowing in. At this point, we are exposed to a side of greed in Efraim, and David.
Both characters are the same age, but their personalities differ for the better or worse in their own life situations. Efraim's personality is loose, and can be called a punch back character. As quoted in the film, "When life kicked me, I stayed down. But not Efraim. He kicked back." - David. Efraim will do anything to get what he wants, he'll say anything. David's personality is noticeably different. He seems to have more sense in things, and will try to make smarter decisions, and safer ones whenever possible. He appears as a more "dorky" character.
The movie does tone down in a good way for the audience when Efraim's and David's work goes to waste, and both get caught by the FBI. Both characters face consequences, but its reliving. This only happens after a fun ride of emotions, and illegal work being done that satisfies the viewer to finally see Efrem and David fail.
The script was written by Stephen Chin, Tod Phillips, and Jason Smilovic. The three come up with a interesting adaptation based on the real life events that the film is based on, but the movie isn't terrible, but its not a masterpiece, its a comedic drama that is more dramatic what comedic add on's, but "War Dogs" is a very solid film.
Whiplash (2014)
An Insane Up-close and Personal Nerve Rattling Ride. A Chazelle Picture Comes to Life.
An Insane Up-close and Personal Nerve Rattling Ride. A Chazelle Picture Comes to Life.
Damien Chazelle has created a Jazz movie, one that reflects the struggle for musician's and their livelihood.
Whiplash hinges itself as a love story between Andrew(Miles Teller) and Fletcher(JK Simmons). We are taken through a rough story that only becomes more crazy as time passes, ups and downs, its a perfect ride.
The films opening scene starts with the 2 most important characters of the film, and their perspectives on what a good drummer should be. Fletcher has an interest in meeting Andrew after he catches Andrew practicing the drums. The personality of Fletcher's darker side is already introduced, and Andrew's desire to impress is quickly obvious.
The goal of Miles Teller in the film is to become "one of the greats," and JK Simmons in the film has the goal of "pushing beyond the expected of a musician."
Teller's character is easily a great setup because we understand his desire to become a great drummer, and we know and get snippets from his life, other than his passion for drumming. On the other hand, Simmons's character lacks the story of his own life outside "teaching." This effect puts a viewer to question why Fletcher is so ambitiously bashing of his drummers, and the other musician's in the story. His character comes off as an evil villain trying to push an artist to their fullest potential, even though that may not seem obvious at first.
The art of the "cut" in Whiplash is extraordinarily fast paced, and a tension bringing illusion. The films editing is brilliant, and Tom Cross the film editor makes sure the audience is hooked to the screen.
We are continuously told the same message throughout the story to "not give up." Andrew's luck may or may not be the worst, and his situation may, or may not be fair, but the story strives to tell the message, take chances when given the opportunity. Do not hide behind who you are trying to be, and do what you want to do, how you want to do it.
An astounding performance is given by Teller and Simmons. Teller portrays what it feels like to be an aspiring musician, and Simmons portrays exactly how a demanding abusing mentor would act.
Damien Chazelles film is a film that is rare to come across. Its easily the "one of a kind" like film. The film was shot in 19 days, and a ARRI ALEXA "Digital" Camera was used, alongside a Canon EOS-7D Camera and Angenieux Optimo Zoom Lenses, and a few more unique lenses.
Words aren't the right way to describe Whiplash. Its a cinematic pleasure. The film is impressive, and an audience won't get bored while watching it, the performance, the cutting, the sound, the music, the lighting, and the directional style all contribute to making this fantastic film. It is truly a movie that should be watched in theaters.
As for director Damien Chazelle, Whiplash has become his first film that gas gotten so much recognition, and its extremely understandable why. This film deserves to be called one of the greats, and its storytelling style in screenplay and the motion picture itself has awards coming its way.
The final performance in the film is exactly what the audience wanted to see, something unexpected, something that was impressive. Even after Andrew was thrown out of his music school, Fletcher was too thrown out shortly after. As the two meet up again, Fletcher offers Andrew a favor, playing in front of people who can potentially change his life. Andrew uses this opportunity to show off his skills, and Fletcher knowing Andrew as a great drummer, helps him do that. In the end, we don't see Fletcher as a sabotaging abuser who wants to crush a musicians dream, but someone who was trying to push a musician to greatness, to becoming great.
The films story is strongly a simple one, but the more connections a viewer makes, the more complex and personal it will get. The movie is entertaining, and watching JK, and Miles, for a short 1 hour and 46 minutes, it feel much shorter.
1917 (2019)
1917 is 2019's Most Monumental and Mesmerizing War Film that is easily Mendes's Grandest Directional Works, and holds The Best Cinematic Experience of the Year
1917 is 2019's Most Monumental and Mesmerizing War Film that is easily Mendes's Grandest Directional Works, and holds The Best Cinematic Experience of the Year
Nava Medikonda : 4/5 Rating
1917 is a movie made for the big screen. Its thrilling action, to personal perspective storytelling enhances the audience's engagement for feeling and sparks a connection between its viewers and its characters.
Sam Mendes and Roger Deakins bring visually easy on the eye, spectacular shots to the big screen for 2019, and its decade for film. The movies natural look strengthened the story, and due to the correct use of specific color choices and amazing cinematography skills from Deakins, the film purifies and shows us the beauty side of war, and its attractivity of violence.
The impressive use of long tracking shots puts us in perspective of the film. Effortlessly the lacking in noticeability in cutting helps pull of such an effect.
This film also has its dark side, and being a war film, its easily understandably not its own fault. The audience doesn't need another war film to tell them about the crazy, treacherous side of war. For the viewers who want to watch that experience, its easily agreeable that Sam Mendes and Roger Deakins bring something to 1917 that not every other war film has been able to bring to the screen.
The film does a great job with identifying friendships during a war, and how an enemy solider has their own perspective of thought even when is the worst situations possible. The film explores how a civilian can be impacted, and how the rank hierarchy affects soldiers too, even when given specific rules to follow.
1917 has a runtime of 1 hour and 59 minutes, and was shot using the ARRI Alexa Mini LF. The camera is a digital cinema camera that pulls of a clean slick look, that other war films shot on film can not often do.
The films story is living moment by moment, as the characters can be affected so easily by a small crack in their path, its almost unrealistic how lucky, and easily the characters feel on their purpose in war. Yes there may be emotion, but the characters are easily changed and soon recovered back to their normal selves, and only strike back when something serious happens, the thought of their purpose in the film is upsettingly unrealistic due to their perspective during their "lucky" mission.
By the end of the film, with its closing shots, its brings the normal viewer relief, after a vicious desperate journey across the concept of war, and what soldiers had to experience, it serves as a salute to those whom fought, and to those whom passed. The film does an exceptionally outstanding job for that concept.
2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
2001: A Space Odyssey A Revolutionary Masterpiece in Art and Space Cinema
2001: A Space Odyssey A Revolutionary Masterpiece in Art and Space Cinema.
Nava Medikonda : 4/5 Rating.
Words cannot describe what Kubrick created. The style of Stanley Kubrick films continue to impress its audience. 2001 made in 1968 is easily referred to as a modern masterpiece for its time, and revolutionary still to this day. With impressive set pieces, and a 4 part story divided up into sections in the film, we explore and take an adventure through dawn to being transformed though life in moments.
2001: A Space Odyssey carries pure imagination from its storytellers making it one of MGM Studios greatest films, incredible sets pieces making themselves iconic, little dialogue to show more than tell, and a score to take us through an adventurous story through space and time.
Although the film has stunning visual effects, and an interesting concept on space travel, the film has its very own dehumanizing effects and scenes.
The first stage of 2001 opens its story embracing human evolution before humans became humans. Easily identifiable elements of realization, and violence is presented when an ape like being uses a bone as a weapon, and understands they themselves can have superiority over another tribe of ape like beings. This dehumanizing effect isn't the only scene that contributes to the list of Stanley Kubrick dehumanizing scenes. Another scene showing the HALL 9000 being deactivated is easily one of the most displeasing and reliving scenes of the film. During the scene, HALL has an unenthusiastic set of sentences, only making him more untrustworthy. This sets the viewer to think ending something or someone just because they felt untrusted at first is okay, and allowable. The HALL 9000 also starts to sing a song, this created an uncomfortable few seconds as the character and the audience begin to feel uncomfortable rather than relived that the HALL 9000 is finally being shut off, creating more shock. Kubrick and Clarke's storytelling method here is a distasteful approach being saved by amazing cinematography from Geoffrey Unsworth.
The entire story lacks enough interesting dialogue, which can easily be noticed during the second act, thus allowing the viewer to daze off looking into another direction. The film has a runtime of 2 hours and 29 minutes, and is disappointingly slow.
Geoffrey Unsworth a 2 time Oscar Winning Cinematographer delivers an unthinkable beyond belief showcase of innovative shots. 2001: A Space Odyssey produces shots cinematographers dream of shooting. A Cinematography Fanatic's Dream Movie.
The score(theme) for 2001 was composed by 5 people, Richard Strauss, Aram Khachaturian, György Ligeti, Johann Strauss II, and Alex North. These 5 men take us through an adventure. The score from the film is unlike any others, and is truly what can be called "one of a kind" and "once in a lifetime." The music keeps the audience focused, and simply helps bring every single person into the film. Due to the music, we suddenly feel apart of a space mission, we are apart of the journey 2001: A Space Odyssey has to offer.
A huge fault in the film is the audiences reaction, and true appreciation for the characters. It doesn't seem that a viewer would care if a character was alive or dead, weather that being a main character, or an extra in the openings ape scenes, there is simply no difference. The uninteresting lives of these characters is simply unentertaining to watch, and they are easily carried by the better side of the plot in the film.
2001's sophisticated technology starts to destroy gripping human communication. The film carries empty dialogue through all the characters, and revealing any story related to themselves is lacked. Lots of important futuristic procedures also lacks due to more advanced technology that can easily and quickly control most of the simple to complicated work objectives.
The cutting in the film is satisfying. One of the most obvious but smooth cuts was the ape's bone throw into the air, as the bone starts to fall, the screen cuts into space into a more advanced time, where hundreds or simply thousands of years have passed. This cut is reasonably one of the most memorable moments in the film.
Stanley Kubrick's 2001: A Space Odyssey is an easily understandable story that is told through a more complex story, but easily dull and unentertaining after the first act until the story picks back up, after at least half of the second act. The film is simply carried by its fascinating shots and iconic score, along side the interesting side of the plot that doesn't last as long as we liked. This film would be considered amazing if there was 30% less advanced technology, and 60% more dialogue, all keeping the same amount of shots and action.
Top Gun: Maverick (2022)
An Adventure that Stimulates an Elevated Exciting Hollywood Blockbuster Feeling
An Adventure that Stimulates an Elevated Exciting Hollywood Blockbuster Feeling
Nava Medikonda : 3.5/5
Top Gun: Maverick a sequel to the Original "Top Gun" film gives an audience exactly what people waited too see. 36 Years later, a second instalment to the Top Gun name entertains Flying, Action, Drama, and Romance. Tom Cruise's 46th Film is an Action Packed, promising delivered Hollywood Blockbuster awaiting to be seen from an audience on the big silver screen.
Achieving what Top Gun: Maverick finalized is an extraordinary feeling. The Story carries itself with a calm opening staring Tom Cruise, and a trip down memory lane through portraits on a wall of Goose and his family from the first "Top Gun" Film. We are immediately introduced to the score as well as the personality of Maverick himself. After many years, Maverick still seems to be dedicated to flying, and going against commands just like his younger confident/reckless self.
A new series of younger cast members is sweet, and faultlessly introduced. We meet a good chunk of prior Top Gun Academy graduates at Penny's Bar, exploring only a few piolets that have the chance to fly in a mission more complicated than any other mission Maverick has flown.
Monica Barbaro playing Lt. Natasha 'Phoenix' Trace is the only female Top Gun Academy Graduate in recent years according to the film's cast and story. She brings a fresh satisfying performance, and perfectly shares the correct chemistry with the cast. Since she is one of the "more talented" piolets as introduced in her first flying exercise with Maverick, we get to know that her, as well as all the other piolets are very ambitious, and ready to impress even though it seems harder than expected.
The films story is noticeably dull after act I, and easily identifiable during act II. Director Joseph Kosinski does a decent job trying to keep the audience hooked, as well as Claudio Miranda with the Shots, but the Top Gun franchise already having a specific theme and mood set, its harder to identify specific director elements since its a franchise film.
The Shots in Top Gun: Maverick are beautifully crafted. The Cinematography from Oscar Winner Claudio Miranda does not disappoint with the use of interesting angles giving us an exact perspective of how the characters feel and certain times. The Lighting and Jet Shots are equally as interesting to watch.
For a film in 2022, Top Gun: Maverick is easily one of the better pieces of Film shot using a Digital Camera (Sony VENICE) still delivering a natural movie look. Although the film started out interesting, and became dull, but later retained the audience based on the more interesting side of the plot, and the exciting score, Top Gun: Maverick was not entirely a bad film, but extremally pleasing for a sequel that has nearly took 4 decades to produce.
Don't Look Up (2021)
Don't Look Up, A Movie... WOW!
The movie was strangely but strongly impactful I must say. It wasn't only about "not looking up" related to its entire story, but it represents the dirty politics of greed, and how "its imperative we need to heed scientists warnings, to still make change." - Leonardo DiCapario.
I would agree the movie spreads a positive message, on how the little things in life can contain so much value, even a family dinner can mean so much, and not taking each other for granted, goes a long way.
I would suggest to people that haven't seen the movie, its defiantly worth a watch, everyone's going to have different options on it, I personally enjoyed it.
- Nava Medikonda on "Don't Look Up"
Forrest Gump (1994)
Forrest Gump, A Message it Spreads.
Forrest Gump, "Life is like a Box of Chocolates," you never know who your gonna meet, or who your going to see, you just keep living and forest Gump illustrates the importance of "life," because the beauty falls right through.
This movie explained about ourselves and our lives, and how wonderful the world can be even with so many flaws, it teaches us to be more than ourselves and to truly be the person YOU really want to be.
Forrest didn't try to be "cool," he just did what Forrest Gump would do. Even through the Good, and the Sad, and the Bad, he kept going, and that showed the importance to the time we have on earth. To be grateful and so aware of what we've been given on this planet.
I don't want to say too much, but I want to conclude by saying, Tom Hanks playing Forrest Gump and all the other cast acted and told a story in this film, a story that carries and teaches the importance of, well almost anything. "Life is like a Box of Chocolate, you never know what you're going to get."
- Nava Medikonda on Forrest Gump.
Dopesick (2021)
Something different Something Interesting
Before watching the show I noticed Michael Keaton was apart of the cast if it isn't obvious enough, and I watched the trailer for the show and it was a interesting, and a suttle concept written by the writers.
I think everybody did a great job, I think the actors playing the characters did a great job, I do want to say the only reason I hadn't given the show a 10/10 or 9/10 is I lost interest towards the end, and maybe others may have too, but the first few episodes of the show grabbed my attention so 10/10 for that! BUT 8/10 for the overall show, I would definitely give this show a try if you haven't seen it, you just might like it.
Red Notice (2021)
RED NOTICE EVERYBODY!! RYAN, DWAYNE and other girl.
Hopefully I'm the first to say, or not, this movie was cool, lame, and well played. Story line was alright, but like all movies, the ending just made the movie more interesting and more exciting as the characters are clearly interested in the EGG. BUT HEY! Its ryan reynolds, cmon! And the rock! That made this movie a whole lot better. SOLID 7/10.