dirty_chords Reviews

Poor Things (2023)

A black comedy for the ages!

[10/10 · 9 January 2024]

The coming-of-age tale of "Poor Things" tells the story of Bella Baxter; a Frankenstein-inspired heroine with a "blank" mind, free of societal nurture and repression. She achieves female emancipation through a road of sexual liberation, penetrating observation of life, constant questioning of the status quo and rapid progression. Her instinctive actions create a feminine force that breaks and deconstructs the social norms and conventions of patriarchy in an awfully funny and ironic way, while rising against the latter's typical male representatives.

The film is visually stynning. Yorgos Lanthimos employs amazing steampunk sets/costumes/details/practical effects that are a testament to the director's craftsmanship in word-building. They all make for a stimulating and engrossing experience, aided by a minimalist music score that grows simultaneously with Bella's brain! Moreover, the movie explores various social and political themes in thought-provoking ways.

All in all, "Poor Things", based on the 1992 novel of the same title by Alasdair Gray, is a film that achieves true cinematic masterpiece status thanks to Lanthimos' unique weird style, paired with an ambitious vision that leads him to a major depart from his previous claustrophobic, bleak, sterilized and ultimatelly dark and robotic/lifeless environments, for the sake of a maximalist work of art. A feminist fable and at the same time a black comedy for the ages!

Chinmoku (1971)

Miles better than Scorsese's

[9/10 · 10 December 2023]

Masahiro Shinoda's take on Shusaku Endo's most important novel is an artistically risky and bravely filtered effort. Ultimately, 1971's "Chinmoku" succeeds in being the definitive film adaptation of the source material.

On the other hand, Martin Scorsese's later adaptation, while visually stunning, can't hold a candle to "The Last Temptation of Christ"; his magnum opus when it comes to religious thematics. In the case of "Silence", Scorsese's approach is not indicative of a similar radical zeal compared to Shinoda's; an attitude that perhaps stems from a Catholic Christian's need to reconcile with his church after "The Last Temptation" caused a negative uproar among Christian fanatics. No one can blame him, as long as he decides to remain fairly faithful to the main core of the novel of a... Japanese Catholic. That said, the film comes across as much more one-sided and noticeably less provocative than Shinoda's.

For instance, the 2016 film makes an unnecessary effort to idealize the protagonist, whose character has much more moral gray areas as portrayed in the book. There's also a dedication to the numerous Jesuit martyrs in Japan when the end credits begin to fall.

On the contrary, in the impeccable Japanese production of 1971, the divine presence is never confirmed, while the cynical finale adds to the ambiguity of the film, also keeping the flame of interest alive on crucial themes, which are analyzed more adequately: The "western" motives of proselytizing missions (priests are reduced to blind soldiers of a culture war), the historical background and the circumstances that caused the Japanese authorities to prohibit Christianity and marked the opening of a bloody cycle of intolerance, and the dilemma of fulfilling a higher purpose at the cost of prolonging the torture of innocents.

Violent Equation (2019)

Life imitating art

[7/10 · 24 December 2022]

A very interesting artistic allegory, representing not only totalitarian states that want to keep the public under control, but also our modern society. Important note: This little film was inspired by the art of Kostis Georgiou, which was vandalized in Greece a few years ago (his sculpture "Phylax" suffered damages from a few fanatics who misinterpreted it as the devil!). This incident speaks volumes about our ignorant society and its tendency to demonize whatever it doesn't fully understand, even if it's a work of art. I would dare to say that the act of vandalization validates the film's themes and commentary even further (society's intolerance towards anything that tends to differentiate itself from the norm).

Umbrella (II) (2018)

Touching little story

[7/10 · 20 December 2022]

"Umbrella" introduces us to an old couple, as they are getting ready to pay a visit to their daughter. Everything about their daily routine seems unspectacular; they seem to kinda live in a contant argument situation, driven by their incompatible (?) personalities. When it is revealed that their daughter is dead and instead of seeing her they are just visiting the cemetery, everything is seen under a new light: their continuous soft clashes are a defending mechanism (just like an umbrella protects from the rain, they are protected from their darker thoughts and underlying pain), keeping them busy and alive. They are not drifting apart, they are together in this. And these clashes, in all their energetic liveliness, are what keeps them going.

Better Call Saul: Coushatta (2018) Season 4, Episode 8

See it again after "Plan and Execution"

[9/10 · 26 November 2022]

The masterful use of the "untraceable cellphone" concept is enough to make this one of the best episodes of season 4. That said, I dare you to see this episode after having watched Plan and Execution from the final season. It is only then that you will realize Coushatta's true brilliance. This is the point where Kim admits her desire to play an essential part in Saul's schemes. For both of them, it's still fun and games. Then Lalo appears, and you don't have a clue who that guy is or how important he will become to the story. In reality, this ruthless Salamanca nephew is the character who will expose the tragic repercussions of Kim and Jimmy's "innocent" schemes. And his arrival makes this episode a masterpiece in the way it foreshadows Kim and Saul's fall from grace. Just wait and see.

Bullet Train (2022)

Amazing scenery, kinetic cinematography and glorious cast more than make up for the movie's shortcomings

[6/10 · 4 August 2022]

A relentless, frenetic experience that employs successfully tested proportions of humor, unflinching slapstick action and graphic violence. The spectacular, creatively choreographed Japanese high-speed themed set engulfs an outstanding ensemble cast led by Brad Pitt. A well-made film with undeniable superficial virtues, but not many deeper ones, which are enough for a -mostly- entertaining two hours of viewing.

The sets are a feast for the eyes throughout the film, detailing the aesthetics of Japanese culture inside the Bullet Train's different thematic wagons (as if taken from different video game tracks).

The other great asset of the film is the awesome ensemble cast. The actors fulfill their mission with passion. The deliberately over-the-top acting sticks hand-to-hand with the hyperkinetic action (which is filmed with precision and clarity), while duets like the one of the twins impress with their chemistry. In a rather goofy performance that suits his comedic style, Brad Pitt entertains and is the film's highlight as the most politically correct -and unlucky- hitman we've seen in cinema. You can't help but laugh your heart out watching him struggle to keep the modern narrative of self-improvement against dangerous enemies that want to spill his blood, but also mocking himself on the occasion of the setbacks that he happens to stumble on! But as good as Pitt is (once again), it would be unfair to suggest that "Bullet Train" is a one man show. Even the cameos of all the well-known stars that appeared for the smallest amount of time are absolutely worthy to be mentioned.

Better Call Saul: Breaking Bad (2022) Season 6, Episode 11

Perfect use of Walt & Jessie, even if some viewers don't see it

[8/10 · 4 August 2022]

This episode is all about crossroads; literally (cinematography) and metaphorically. Saul made a bad decision (against Mike's advice) when he opted to facilitate Walt's enterprise and fuel his ego; a decision which led to his ultimate demise. Now, as Gene, he shows bad judgement once again by slipping into the criminal activity road, and especially by being relentless on conning an innocent victim who receives cancer treatment, against the advice of a member of his gang. I thought Walt's and Jesse's presence was totally justified under that light, while the narrative remains Saul's and not theirs anymore. Thanks to some great montage, you can actually see Gene being trapped in the hole Walt & Jessie dug for Saul, which kinda highlights the repercussions of Saul's association with Walt.

Tenet (2020)

Nolan at his most ambitious, yet most formulaic

[5/10 · 23 August 2020]

Saw the movie at a press screening and was not impressed. This has to be Nolan at his most ambitious, yet most formulaic (such a disappointment after Dunkirk). Action scenes, aesthetics, main themes, everything was somehow very reminiscent of his older movies. Counting too much on exposition actually hurts the plot here (even if you loved the movie you'll agree that films with similarities in terms of scope, such as Inception, were way more interesting), and the pompous finale didn't do any favours either. It's as if Nolan got carried away by his extreme passion for this project, which is not transformed perfectly on screen. Character development was non existent (main reason why I couldn't care less about their fate), but the actors did a good job under the circumstances. Even though Branagh was given a caricature, he never slipped into it; my personal MVP.

Ad Astra (2019)

This is not the annual sci-fi blockbuster you were looking for. Thankfully.

[9/10 · 17 September 2019]

Disclaimer: Ad Astra is a masterful psychological drama disguised as a gorgeous sci-fi epic. This is not the next popcorn space adventure flick some were desperately waiting for. In fact, it is way more than that.

Driven by some of the greatest acting Brad Pitt has ever produced, James Gray's most ambitious film to date is a total treat for the eyes. Here, cinematographer Hoyte Van Hoytema is reaching new heights of creativity in his artistic vision, which easily differentiates his present work from the likes of Interstellar (especially those scenes with Ruth Negga are spectacular). Special reference must be made to the beautifully generated special effects, which really make this movie a contender for the most realistic depiction of space (as Gray himself had in mind). Camera doesn't shy away from taking a closer look at its protagonist, using angles that elevate every aspect of his skillfuly understated performance. As the story moves deeper in space (and Roy plunges deeper into the hidden wounds of his psyche), Pitt's exceptionally well-executed facial expressions, eye movements and mannerisms reveal fragments of instability to an almost frightening extent, given how much of a calculated, calm and disciplined person the leading character seemed to be on the outside. You can virtually see Roy's deconstruction and recontruction throughout this epic journey into the abyss (of outer space and human soul).

Questions are raised, and answers are not always easy to digest. A life devoted to achieving a "greater" professional/scientific (but not necessarily noble) goal can lead to alienation and eventually abstaining from life itself. And it's not like it's always a rewarding journey. It often just leaves behind severely traumatized souls, as Gray's depressive, introspective space drama depicts in the most touching way.

If there are any negatives to be pointed out: Perhaps a little too many references to Apocalypse Now (at least I found them a bit distracting).

p.s.: Many haters will desperately try to discredit this film. The easiest path is to rant about the screenplay and overly focus on supposed "plot holes", taking the plot at face value despite the movie's metaphorical approach. Sadly, they are missing the main themes along with every point it tries to make. It's actually very absurd, since most of the scepticists are obviously fans of Interstellar, whose ending is a plot hole the size of a... black hole! Don't let these hateful attacks distort the experience of this thrilling journey into the soul.

Roma (2018)

Some thoughts on the masterful opening sequence. And then, some more.

[9/10 · 27 February 2019]

Camera focuses on the floor, while Cleo starts cleaning up. We keep on staring down, while water starts covering the ground. Gradually, the overhead view of floor tiles reveals the reflection of the sky in the water. A plane is passing through it. You can almost imagine yourself on your knees, staring down, unable to look up. You can only see the sky as a reflection in almost still water, while cleaning up dog waste.

In my humble opinion, the floor symbolizes the hard everyday life of the indigenous Mexican woman. Some have stated that it can also be a metaphor of life on earth (p.s. covered in faecal matter), while the plane symbolizes heaven. My interpretation is that the passing plane represents Cleo's dreams and ambitions; the woman she aspires to be. It doesn't necessarilly have to be something particularly grand. It can just be a desire to be loved and treated equally (as a maginalized native Mexican living in the early 70s, this is actually everything she could have ever asked for).

Now, let's try to compare this magnificent sequence to the closing shot: Cleo climbs the stairs, while camera points to the sky, which we can now see directly. Our point of view makes it seem like Cleo can raise her hand and touch the plane that is once again passing through. These two sequences shine as a masterpiece on their own.

Roma's images had so much more to say than a conventional voiceover would ever come remotely close to. Yet, some chose to give them a blank stare. What a waste. I mean, it's perfectly understandable when you're used to bad sreenplays that impose the films message upon viewers. But a picture is worth a thousand words, and Roma's rich black and white images are works of art that convey many different themes in the most efficient possible way.

Roma is a fresh take on the genre of neorealism, and at the same time a trully unique coming of age film; a maturing process towards the fullness (and the full understanding) of someone's existence. Its narrative works in three different dimensions: It's the maturation of an indigenous woman; the maturation of a middle class family during the parents' divorce; and finally, the maturation of a whole nation (Corpus Christi massacre). Pain, suffering, loss and big emotions are the key to this process taking place.

This film is, hands down, the greatest cinematic achievement of the year. It's crazy (and at the same time not surprising at all) to think that it lost Best Picture to the epitome of an "Oscar bait" movie ("Green Book"). Academy still has a long way to go in order to reach maturity; not unlike the average viewer (just give some imdb user reviews a go and you will understand).

First Man (2018)

A lot more than just a standard biopic

[8/10 · 6 October 2018]

This is my interepretation of a film I wasn't ready to love. Boy, was I wrong.

Based on the book "First Man: The Life of Neil A. Armstrong" by James R. Hansen, director Damien Chazelle and writer Josh Singer took the chronicle of an American triumph and emphasised on the personal story behind it. Through Armstrong's stance, the film makes a clear point: Determination, struggle, sacrifice and most of all failure are key ingredients to someone's eventual success. But in order to achieve success you've got to risk everything, albeit success is never guaranteed.

In one scene, Janet Armstrong (excellently played by Claire Foy) claims that she only wanted to lead an ordinary life with her husband. On the contrary, Neil has made a clear choice: He will try to accomplish his great mission, knowing that it is quite possible his kids will never see their father again.

Whenever signs of arrogance, conceit and complacency are shown, they are an omen of failure. On the other hand, Armstrong's attitude is the epitome of how success is to be achieved. He is quite commited to his mission and never behaves immaturely when it comes to it. He is focused on his goal. Family and social life, well that's another story (we often see that Armstrong is incapable of communicating or expressing his feelings to his dearest ones).

Portraying such an introvert character, Gosling has a sole major moment to shine, in a very important scene which proves to be pivotal in terms of what the movie tries to communicate: USA went to the moon to win the Cold War, while Armstrong, after being marked by tragedy, went to the moon in order to find peace (and by the time his daughter's old memento reappears, we assume he has found some). The film is about him; it doesn't care that much about the US agenda. In fact, I thought that it only showed subtle contempt towards the nationalistic celebrations and the passionate political speeches aimed at boosting the spirit of the American people.

Moreover, First Man is one of those biopics where you know what is about to happen, but can't help but get caught up in the rising suspense of its great scenes. At their most exciting, these scenes reach a very satisfying climax, rewarding the audience's patience. Directing and cinematography deserve every accolade they have gotten so far.

The Death of Stalin (2017)

Dark, timely satire

[8/10 · 9 March 2018]

The Death of Stalin is one of the best political satires I've seen in years.

Iannucci, at the top of his game, creates parallels between Stalin's totalitarian regime and present Russia (cult of personality, Putinism), as well as the actions of Trump administration. The appearance of -previously persecuted- Orthodox bishops at Stalin's funeral offers a brief glimpse into the country's future. The slowly changing attitude towards them, let alone the Central Committee members' eagerness to promote liberal reforms, proves that ideologies are just a disguice for political opportunism. That said, the central characters of the story are the epitome of pragmatic cynicism.

Steve Buscemi is great. Jason Isaacs is a scene stealer. Simon Russell Beale is the MVP: His portrayal of the NKVD head, Lavrentiy Beria, who is a dangerous sociopath (his awful actions are extremely hard to digest) with an everlasting desire for political power, is nothing sort of spectacular.

The pacing is top notch. Comic timing does wonders; no doubt Iannucci has an unique sardonic sense of humor. The movie is absolutely hilarious and shocking at the same time. In a nutshell, "The Death of Stalin" is as good as a dark political satire can go.

Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri (2017)

Far from a great movie

[4/10 · 12 February 2018]

I can understand how one can adore this film. Of course it had some very interesting ideas and tried to make certain points, but in the end it was a tonally indecisive mess. Here are some of my main reservations:

- The script is overexplanatory and relies too much on coincidence, while it plays down the consequences the main characters would have in real life, when acting nuts. I dare you to go burn a police station down, remain at the scene (regardless of the fact that you are virtually the only suspect) and tell me what happens afterwards. Yes, I know McDonagh would have argued that we shouldn't take the movie at face value, but there are too many -and too important- plot holes to forgive (and this is not a buddy cop comedy for god's sake).

- In a cringeworthy flashback scene, we see the mother and daughter quarrel about Angela going out, only for them to prove their precognitive skills (Angela said she hoped she would get raped on the way, and Mildred agreed with her). Well, I'm positive there were more subtle ways to show why Mildred is filled with remorse.

- I thought Rockwell's character to be too cartoonish at times. McDonagh said that they had to cut a lot of material because there were tons of moments with Rockwell's character that were too comedic, but there are still many way over the top moments left in the movie.

- Willoughby is portrayed as a genuinely decent guy. Honestly, I don't get how can a Sheriff let his racist officers deal with black people the way they did and still qualify as a good person. Supposing he was an ignorant, illiterate redneck, I would be much more willing to excuse this kind of behaviour.

Star Wars: Episode VIII - The Last Jedi (2017)

Johnson's fresh touch and Hamill's magnificent performance make for a film which is thrilling, clever, funny and heartbreaking at its best moments

[8/10 · 11 December 2017]

I attended an advanced press screening of the movie a few hours ago. It won me over! And bear in mind that I hated "The Force Awakens" (honestly thought it was a Episode IV rip-off). Here, director Rian Johnson doesn't play it safe, and it pays off. If I must point out a certain highlight, it's without a doubt Mark Hamill's performance. I really admired his ability to convincingly convey so many different emotions throughout the film; hats off to this guy. I'll be rooting for him in the future.

After I had seen "The Force Awakens", I figured out I would never like a new Star Wars movie again. Boy, was I wrong. I loved "The Last Jedi"! This film had clever humour (there was a certain hilarious moment between General Hux and Kylo Ren that I couldn't stop laughing at; you'll totally know when you see the film yourselves), good cinematography and great characters (just see how developed Benicio Del Toro's minor character is) that I could care about. It also had a very good plot for the most part, with many unpredictable and surprising elements. The action was good, and the fighting scenes even better (great choreography).

Although the ideas weren't always original, the experience felt real. Therefore, I often struggled to control my emotions. It was the ideal farewell to Carrie Fisher.

I mean, what more could I ask for?

You Were Never Really Here (2017)

Phoenix shines in an inspired and original film that leaves you wanting more

[8/10 · 29 September 2017]

Saw the film yesterday at the Athens International Film Festival, with Lynne Ramsay in attendance.

With its strong experimental elements, at some point this film comes really close to being a masterpiece, and it's undoubtedly the definition of narrative economy. For what its worth, the abrupt ending left me wanting more, although a circle had obviously been closed (still, there was plenty of more to see in the character, now that he was... "really here" and actually conscious).

Phoenix is absolutely brilliant as the disillusioned protagonist who is tormented by his past, and now hits back at the cruel and violent world that haunted him. He should get an Oscar nomination at the very least.

"You Were Never Really Here" is a great mix of reality and delusion, driven by the central character's recurring past traumatic experiences. Perpetuation of violence in a cynical world is the main theme, and it's depicted in a very inspired and original way thanks to the top notch direction and spectacular photography (some stylish scenes are able to convey powerful feelings and messages in a far more effective way than a conventional narration would ever do).

When the tension escalates, this slow-burn psychological/revenge thriller will keep you on the edge of your seat; the skillful use of editing and music really help on that aspect.

Ramsay was fun, down to earth and answered many questions afterwards.

Green Room (2015)

Monumentally idiotic

[2/10 · 27 August 2016]

After accidentally witnessing a murder at a neo-Nazi skinhead bar, the members of a leftist punk band are forced to wait in a small room with an armed big nazi guy guarding them.

The bulky nazi bouncer has 5 bullets inside his gun, hence he can wipe out all four of them (even if he misses one he can surely tear him apart with his bare hands afterwards). Instead, he is ordered by his boss to surrender the gun, which serves to indicate that the Nazis have clearly no intention on killing them... 100%.

But this movie lacks common sense:

• The band members decide not to leave the room, because they still feel endangered! (It doesn't make sense, considering that the Nazis didn't decide to kill them when they clearly had the chance) On the contrary, they choose to barricade themselves into it, giving the Nazis time to empty the club (possible witnesses) and get ready to encounter them.

• It turns out that the nazi boss indeed wanted the band members killed. Wait, what? He could've ordered the bouncer to do so, when the latter had the upper hand.

• After the nazi employee inside the room died, the nazi boss could've killed the rest with some kind of poisonous gas. There were holes on the wall (one of the girls was starring at the Nazis through one), from where the Nazis could have sprayed or shoot the insiders. But, LOL, they don't even opt for guns! What a terrible joke this movie is...

The Nice Guys (2016)

The guys are nice. Movie, not so much.

[3/10 · 27 May 2016]

These are the main reasons why The Nice Guys didn't do it for me:

• This film wants us to take its ridiculously overstuffed story seriously, while the latter is mainly used as a pretext for jokes and "funny" situations.

• Let's remember some key plot development parts. When the duo is searching for names or places, they just happen to stumble on them (mostly while driving). Towards the end of the film, a car accident forces their briefcase to open and unveils the fake money. All these are plain luck, but sure as hell aren't genius plot development. (Lest we forget, the dream sequence that leads to the accident, with objects talking to Ryan, is a gigantic cliché)

• Small segments of random scenes may seem relatively funny when secluded from the context of the movie. Take these segments and multiply them by 4 and you have a full scene which is not funny anymore. They just didn't know when to stop. Gosling is another victim of this practice. He obviously has comedic talent, but is constantly overdoing it.

• Didn't like the pacing either. While I was waiting for the story to make some sense, the film unexpectedly slowed down a couple of times. During these parts, even the acting became subdued, causing coherence problems. "Not quite my tempo"

• A little kid behaves like a clever adult. How original!

• Talking about buddy comedies, even Rush Hour had a huge asset, and I'm talking about the great chemistry between the protagonists. Gosling- Crowe? Not so much. Well, to be honest... not at all!

• The two main characters can be dumb. But they can be clever too. Depends on the scene. Wait... What?

• "How long has he been missing?" "Since the funeral." Hands down hilarious. NOT!

The Martian (2015)

Realistic NASA propaganda

[4/10 · 9 October 2015]

Talking about a realistic film...

When a mission in Mars goes wrong, the astronaut crew hurriedly departs from the planet. A crew member (Mark Watney, played by Matt Damon) has an accident and is left behind. He is presumed dead by everyone. NASA issues a statement about it, while the crew is on its way back. Everything's OK up to this point.

When it is revealed to NASA that Mark Watney is alive, the organization has two options:

1) Let the world know they mistakenly left an astronaut alone in Mars (gain bad publicity) and be forced to launch a multimillion rescue mission with high probability of failure (NASA's budget and reputation at stake). And all these, just for one man.

2) Silence the employee's who know about it (by any means possible) and let Mark Watney die. Nobody will ever know, hence NASA doesn't get bad publicity and saves hundred millions of dollars (to say the least).

Guess what... They went for #1! And the Chinese helped them too! Now, this is what I call PROPAGANDA.

In addition, the film suffers from an extremely bad sense of humour. I honestly found the "disco" cue pathetic, but I guess it's a matter of personal taste.

Don't get me wrong, I actually enjoyed this movie. It has great cinematography (not Interstellar standards but still commendable) and overall it is good fun, but obviously it can't be taken seriously.