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kennybelliveau15
Reviews
Joker (2019)
A new look at an iconic villain.
Joker is the name Gotham citizens fear the most. Joker is the idea that brings fear and chaos to the streets of Gotham. Joker is the enemy that tempts Batman to do the unthinkable. We have seen all that before as audiences but what we have never seen is Arthur Fleck. A man suffering from multiple mental illnesses that have gone unaddressed and untreated.
This movie is way more disturbing than ever imaginable. It's an unflinching look at a man whose mind is in fractures and reality has began blending with delusion and fantasy as the streets of Gotham unravel and become unruly. Arthur laughs uncontrollably and has a card he presents to a woman and her child explaining it is a condition. Arthur slides further away from reality when the truths he once believed about his childhood are revealed to be lies and everything he knows may not even be real.
Visually bleak through out, the only real color appears in the make up that Arthur applies to himself. We can see the transformation star Joaquin Phoenix had to endure both physically and mentally in order to portray this character. Phoenix dances and smokes and lets out eerie laughter that will leave you cringing when he begins to up the ante and take life itself. As he does so a revolution that divides the upper class and the poor begins to erupt on the streets. Arthur desires to be a comedian but is laughed at and his laughs come just a beat off from the rest of the audience as we see just how unstable his mind truly is. His interactions as we get closer to the end are more and more volatile with increased tension and less predictability in how it plays out.
It truly is one of the most uncomfortable films that I have ever watched. Mostly because we see mental illness on the daily and how it damages people and leaves people feeling neglected and lost. If you remove all traces of the name Joker and all traces of the name Wayne and Gotham this film is still an unsettling look into a fractured mind that went ignored and could have been saved. One of the most polarizing films of 2019 as there are zero positive moments. It had moments of pure awkwardness (after Arthur kills a colleague, but let's a short person leave who is unable to reach the locked door) as well as moments that will break your heart (when you realize that the Arthur's relationship with a fellow tenant is all in his head). It works on the merit that it will always be willing to go where you least expect the narrative to go. It doesn't have the moments audiences are used to when Batman stops the unnerving moments from happening. It's a complete stand a lone film that creates and develops a completely new version of a villain that is iconic in nature.
It compares to the legendary portrayals of the past and is a film regardless of how one felt about it will be talked about for a while to come. If Phoenix doesn't score a nomination for Best actor next year then the single best lead performance of the decade will go overlooked. If this does not get a best picture nomination then the only film that bears a comic book name and to efficiently and realistically tackle mental illness on screen will also be overlooked. As uncomfortable as I felt at times, this is a necessary film to maybe guise itself under being a comic book based move while simultaneously reminding audiences to never be afraid to seek the help you need. We don't need to have the level of rebellion seen in this movie to make a difference and end the gap between the rich and the struggling. All we need is more compassion than the fictional Thomas Wayne showed in this film.
It's not the type of movie that will wow you with the action or impress you with the cool space sequence. It's definitely unlike any previous comic book movie to date. Phoenix has definitely cemented himself as a legendary Joker performer as he did so without a Batman to play off of and did so will presenting a truly haunting look at a man plagued by his own mind.
It truly is one hell of an experience and one hell of a film. If you come out of this uneasy and unsure exactly where it leaves you in your own mind then you grasped the entirty of the movie and then some. If you are uncomfortable with extreme depression, extreme delusional actions and violence as a result of a decaying mind then I strongly suggest you avoid this movie. It's the one movie no one will fault you for skipping. Everything it accomplished is meant to be done to the extreme in order to make you see how this all happened and to bring a little bit of humanity to a character that has often been criticised for having none at all.
Ma (2019)
Major pacing issues making avoiding cliches impossible.
Octavia Spencer was amazing. There was no denying that. Her talent and her willingness to participate whole heartedly deserved a better script and a more fitting thriller. It begins strongly, establishing Sue Ann/Ma as troubled and harbouring her own secrets from her youth.
During the second act it trails off and never find the right footing again. Once the secret of why they shouldn't explore the rest of the house was revealed Ma and everything about her lost the edge and the thrill. It mixed one too many ingredients to try and and sweeten the mixture. It became a troubled teenager, troubled parent, disturbed person film all rolled into one without diving deep enough in any of those aspects to make it worth doing.
The backstory was predictable and very much unnecessary at the same time as it took away from the potential to shock by having to visually display what was going to be said through dialogue anyway. The twist was less of a twist and more of a confirmation that there was always more to this.
It was the typical Blumhouse production with a garden variety mixture of drama, comedic elements and the weird and whacky while never quite figuring out an identity. It tried to be modern, hip and reflect our time by having Ma stock them on social media. All the parents seem to be absent minded until the plot calls for them not to be. Everyone seemed inept at acting logically which is a troupe in horror but usually works best when flipping convention on its head.
It had the tools and the cast that could have displayed more. Allison Janney was under used. Luke Evans and Juliette Lewis were also grossly underused while Diana Silvers and Corey Fogelmanis were forced upon us as the youth without any developed personality other than they wanted to get messed up at Ma's house.
The horror genre has seen bigger heights than this. This was one of the film's that seemingly missed on all accords. Wanted and expected more.
Years and Years (2019)
Powerful Political Commentary
One of the smartest mini series I have ever watched. As the Lyon family sees business and politics shifting in the UK they must learn to keep up with the times as the years begin to pass and things begin to descend into chaos.
Only 6 episodes this series covers so much ground and makes poignant commentary about the world's current politic state through out. Lead by fantastic performances by each Lyon sibling including Rory Kinnear as Stephen Lyons, Russell Tovey as Danny, Ruth Madeley as Rosie Lyons and Jessica Hynes as Edith Lyons.
The political tone of this series is set up by Danny's budding romance with Viktor an immigrant from Ukraine looking to escape the violence inflicted upon those who identify as part of the LGBTQ community.
One particular performance stood out though above the rest and that was Emma Thompson as Vivienne Rook the woman who leads the political uprising and ultimately dooms the UK when she is elected Prime Minister. She is cunning, smart and manipulative and there should have been more of Thompson in this role juxtaposed against the Lyon family and their disagreement with her stances.
There are various references and almost identical images that we see on the news everyday of the horrid conditions immigrants are being forced to live in. Viktor provides a face to the stories we don't get to hear. Viktor and Vivienne are the two most important characters that drive the narrative forward and create all this backlash. The story of survival for Viktor being pitted against a ruthless politician in Rook is what kept the series moving forward. As the stakes to bring Viktor back into the UK rise, so do the consequences of the actions being taken.
The series most heartbreaking moment is Danny's death. That's when the series takes the final turn toward political uprising and the fight against a system that seems indestructible. America take notice a lot of the commentary about hidden agendas and privacy are currently in the news as I write this. Years and Years nailed every aspect of how far out of this world technological advancements have come and how shady politicians are willing to be to see their agendas take shape.
Various moments of this series felt both uncomfortable and accurate. The closing of the banks, the quick and often regulated way we receive information is called into question through out the series.
It's a series that explores a lot of depth and that's why I enjoyed it more than most. It was smart, witty, poignant, political and accurate. Very hard to encompass that into just six episodes but they did also to have it span 15 years and not be hard to follow is a very impressive feat. An amazing series. I highly recommend everyone watch it.
Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019)
Visually Ambitious and Amazing MCU entry.
Tom Holland was the man tasked with bringing Peter Parker to life for the third time on the big screen while keeping him fresh. Homecoming brought him back to where he belonged and Far From Home placed him as the key piece moving forward.
With this being the first MCU film post Thanos it was expected the film would mention the fallout. It did so while also quickly moving the world forward and in comes Quentin Beck, the man of the hour. The man responsible for ridding the world of its newest threat the elementals. Gyllenhaal was great. He added layers and while the reveal was predictable it did feel genuine thanks to his ability to sell it so well.
However despite the impressive visuals the heart of the film was with Peter and MJ and the chemistry shared between Holland and Zendaya. The affects are cool with the elements coming into play Peters powers evolving but it his teen crush on MJ that adds depth and reminds us that Peter is a 16 year old kid still with all this pressure. It is what seperates Holland and his counterparts and the side story of MJ deciphering it before Peter could tell her gave Zendaya some comedic power in this film. She is a great young actress and displays a lot through her reactions. With Zendaya it's not all about delivering the key line it's about an expression through body language and facial movement. It adds a level often overlooked in comic book films. The human element.
While it is easy to get lost in such a great villainous portrayal like Gyllenhaals a film like this is not complete without a supporting cast that brings it all together. Jackson of course is his usual self and it was nice to see Cobie Smulders get some screentime. Tony Revelori is the comedic relief as Flash Thompson who is less of a bully and definitely more of a spoiled rich kid. His juxtaposed opinions of Spider-Man and Peter add a fun little running joke that may be over thanks to my favorite moment of the film. The return of J.K Simmons as J.Jonah Jameson who dropped yet another Bomb on Peter and his family.
It was a great movie with a smooth story and very ambitious visuals thanks to the Illusions that Mysterio was creating and the level to which those were taken during the final act when being used against Peter.
The Post Tony Stark Era has just begun and is off to a solid start thanks to Tom Holland and Zendaya. Tony your presence will forever be felt but this is a new era and phase 4 is going to one hell of a ride.
It has a different feel to it than previous Spider-Man endeavours. There is a trust factor that is handed over by audiences to the powers that be at Marvel and so far they have delivered a very energetic and ambitious Spider-Man series for the MCU.
Captain Marvel (2019)
Typical Marvel Origin
Marvel is 10 years in and very little that they do can shock the audience's anymore. It's just how stories play out. Origins can only have so many layers and follow so many different formulas to make you care for the character. Captain Marvel opted to be campy, cheesy and over the top with awful CGI compared to other Marvel ventures.
Nothing about this movie stood out as great. It was average at best to try and generate hype for Endgame. A film no one decided to watch only after seeing this. Brie Larson did what she could but at times her smug and confident Vers/Carol did not work well unless paired with Jackson and his de-aged Fury.
The Skrulls and the twist surrounding them could have been a lot more meaningful if again it was not downplayed by frivolous comedy and cheesy dialogue. Thanks for the blast of 90s nostalgia and the reminder the world has drastically changed in the last 25 years.
As far as films go there is zero option but to label this one a complete cash cow for Marvel to try and set the next generation of Avengers. While many fans just want to praise this because it was the first female lead solo venture in the MCU I wish Marvel and Disney would have cared more about that. The space fights instantly reminded me of Disney's other new property Star Wars instead of the general feel that the MCU had laid out already.
It felt like the whole movie didn't take itself seriously because Captain Marvel can literally do anything and once that power was unleashed it sort of became even more unbearable because at least until that moment she doubted herself. She had at least one trait that people could identify with.
The Flerken aka Goose the Cat was the worst running gag the MCU has attempted. It was flat, dull and could be seen coming from a mile away. Same with the 90s Nostalgia on blast and any film that uses Nirvana's music immediately loses respect for me. It's the exact opposite of what Cobain intended with his art to be used to exploit the masses for their money.
If Star Wars meets Top Gun meets the MCU is your jam than spread it all over your toast because this one is already a buttery mess before even taking off into orbit for the first time.
Point Blank (2019)
Fast Paced Narrative and action sequences.
This movie wastes little time jumping right into the meat and potatoes of it all and at all a cool crisp 1 hour and 26 minutes it tries to weave the narrative mostly through dialogue.
This approach can be both hit or miss for me in this case it was a definite hit. Mackie and Grillo exchanged verbiage about their intentions and reasoning and it lead to character growth by the end of the film. Those looking for just another adrenaline filled action movie could easily find it to be opposite of how I felt about it. Why waste time on growth when the story is rather simple. Crooked cops framing a man for murder.
Netflix definitely has done a great job recruiting solidb casts for their originals and this one just continued that trend. It's hard to feel so immersed in a film that is over that quickly but this film showed me how that approach can be taken. It was not bogged down with long winded conversations about morality and other such things. It was about one man and his brother and another man and his pregnant wife. Their only goal survival.
Quick and consise is definitely the nature of this film and more films of this nature should adapt to this tile. Mile 22 is another film that comes to mind that could aptly be compared to this film. Quick isolated stories in a larger world but those world's do not need to be fully realized in order to make due with the situation at hand.
I definitely enjoyed this film. I hope many others do too.
Pet Sematary (2019)
Typical Horror scares.
Anything Stephen King related at least peaks my interest to some degree. He is an icon of horror but this film does not quite live up to his legend.
Every scene came and went like it was supposed to. Not one aspect of this film dared to do something different with the script and it played out as fairly lacklustre despite amazing visuals.
It at least felt more modern and more plausible during this interpretation of Kings work. Clarke did play the desperate dad character well and Jeté Laurence did bring a creepy aspect to Ellie after her return.
The third act was by far the best but all the horror elements leading up to hurt it. The back story stuff with the sister would have proven a more harsh reveal had they not revealed the truth prior to Ellies announcement.
Aside from Clarke and Laurence all of the performances felt like throwaways and I am sad to see that happen to someone as talented as John Lithgow. Jud could have easily been left out and it would have been more thrilling to let the Creed family realize what was in their back yard on their own this time around.
Horror is a genre that already has troupes that most films follow and the 2019 version of Pet Sematary falls victim to each one. Predictable jump scares, ominous middle act when learning of the possibilities on the property and a finale that does not lead anywhere as the prospects of a sequel seem slim to none.
If you want just another horror film to pass the time then this one fits that bill. If you want a game changing thriller than this one may just have to be a pass.
Chernobyl (2019)
Chernobyl: A dark time in History
This series was fantastic. It didn't waste time jumping right into a story that was not afraid to pull punches. The story of Chernobyl is both tragic and haunting to know that it was covered up for so long.
Diving immediately into the aftermath of the reactor explosion Chernobyl explores all aspects. The truth behind the science, the affects of the radiation poisoning and all the brave men and women who sacrificed their own health to save others.
Of course recreating history means changing a few things to better weave a narrative and the collective voices of the scientists who spoke the truth were made into one character played by Emily Watson. Subtle and driven performances from Watson, Skarsgard and Harris definitely help you invest in this heartbreaking real life story.
A hauntingly beautiful series from a visual perspective with the recreation of the disaster to near perfection and the daunting task of recreating the scenes of men washing the streets and living underground while trying to secure the reactor from below. It never really slows down on the story, providing detailed explanations for things in terms that even those who have no experience with science can understand.
While this show and the contents of it are not for everyone I found myself enjoying it more than I ever thought I would. It made me want to research the events surrounding this disaster and learn more about it. Any series that can capture me like that is worth a look. Watch the first episode and decide from there. There is not enough good things to say about this series but decide that for yourself.
The Cleaner (2008)
William Banks helps people get rid of their addiction
William Banks was an addict himself. He could never find a means to cope with it. He almost lost his entire family, until one man helped him. Since then he has sworn his life to the same thing. He wants to help others, he wants them to be clean. He knows they are on the wrong path, a path to nowhere. William sees they are heading for disaster, so he tries to interfere before it is to late. Things may not always work out for the best, but William is likely to do all he can.
Benjamin Bratt is amazing as William. He just seems to fit. William is now a man of faith but he is still in jeopardy of being broken, of falling from something back into the life he used to have. William is on edge, living everyday as though it could be his last, he wants to help, he is just not always sure he can.He would love to be able to help everyone, but people need to be willing to help themselves first.
The Cleaner is one of the best T.V shows I have ever watched. It is deep, moving, powerful and dramatic. It is all you can ask for in a series and teaches you a few life lessons along the way.
Candy (2006)
Candy is about drug addiction
Candy tells the story of Candy and Dan, two lovers who both believe in the arts. Candy is a painter and Dan is a poet. They met and fell in love like it was meant to be. Dan was a heroin addict and Candy quickly changed her lifestyle to accompany his. Candy and Dan begin to spiral down and out of control. Can anything save these two lovers? Heath Ledger and Abbie Cornish are both flawless. These two are so brilliant that this film becomes so hard to watch. Heath plays Dan, a man who loves Candy and will do anything for her, yet he got in to deep and now he has an addiction. Heath is so powerful and his and Abbies portrayals are both so realistic it hurts after a while to watch.
Candy is probably the most powerful film I have ever watched in my life. It is a tragedy and about half way through there is a scene that just makes the best of us breakdown and cry. It is the most painfully realistic film to be releases in years, There is no glorification of drugs, it shows the struggles of trying to quit and trying to settle down and have a family. The temptations are so strong, that sometimes even the most willing of people cannot give up what pains the most.
The Chemistry between Heath and Abbie makes this films message so much deeper. Dan and Candy begin to drift apart and when Candy suffers a nervous breakdown they are forced to make a choice. Whether or not staying together is good for both of them.
Candy is a hard film to watch, it makes you cry. This film is the first film to ever get me crying half way through and I was still crying for about an hour after it was completed. As a movie it is a good, but its so painfully real that it would be hard to watch a second time. The acting is perfect and that makes it harder to watch. This film will leave you with so many mixed emotions that you wont even know what to think or feel when its done except sadness. Great performances by Heath Ledger and Abbie Cornish.
Here are a couple of quotes from the film Candy that will sum up how sad this film actually is.
Dan: I wasn't trying to wreck Candy's life. I was trying to make mine better.
Casper: to Dan Promise me you'll stop. Promise me you'll stop before I do.
Once upon a time there was Candy and Dan. It was just the two of them. Everything was gold. He was handsome and a very good criminal. We lived on sunlight and chocolate bars. He would climb balconies, climb everywhere, do anything for her. Her Danny boy. He came into my life really fast and I liked it. But Danny, you said, you promised, you pointed at the sky: That one is called Sirius, the Dog Star, but only here on Earth. How much do I love this worrying in my ears, since there is only one thing to love and it can not be you. Danny the daredevil. Candy went missing." Once again this film is so painfully real it hurts to watch it.
Lady in the Water (2006)
Lady in The Water is a fun watch
Lady in The water is smart and unique and an original and very enjoyable film. Great fun to watch and and an awesome story worth watching in a film. Lady in the Water can be said to be nothing special but it is. Its a bedtime story put into a film that really doesn't disappoint the film fan of all ages.
Paul Giamatti is fantastic playing the main character who finds the sea nymph in the pool. He brightens the movie going experience when he is able to make this roll so believable. Giamatti makes it more than what it is with a masterful performance in a film that in many peoples eyes is less than a sub par movie.
Lady in the Water is only good to those who keep an open mind when watching movies. Keeping an open mind during this one makes it that much better and that much more fun to watch.
Great film with nothing that really disappointed me it was fun to watch and very original from start to finish. Bryce Dallas Howard is one great actress. She doesn't come off as one who needs to be focused upon but she can let others take the spotlight even when she may be playing the main and most important character in the film. It is great to see her shine and step out of her famous fathers shadow and make a name for herself in a film that is memorable