tareqzaghal Reviews

Incendies (2010)

The greatest storyteller of his generation

[8/10 · 3 September 2023]

Why is Denis Villeneuve my favourite working director? That third act is the only answer you will need.

That bone-chilling moment that happens, is what storytelling is all about. Denis, in his later work, has proven that he is a master at meticulously building up the tension and the atmosphere around his characters and their conflict. Here, you begin to see the seeds of how you cannot help but give your full attention to the imagery at hand.

Incendies is a tragedy, it is not a story that you can easily wrap your head around. At times, you may feel confused at where it is all heading, what the film is trying to say, or what is going to happen. Much like the characters themselves, you are slowly putting together the narrative, and when it explodes, it explodes.

While it might not go into extreme detail about the settings of the war the story takes place in, it chooses to focus on how war and conflict can create the unimaginable, and how it continues to live with generations. The imagery is extremely powerful, the performances, especially the lead, are all captivating, but what honestly hurts the film a bit is the screenplay, especially the segments in Arabic.

It's obvious that Denis worked here with a lot of non-actors for authenticity or that the hired actors were not native Arabic speakers, and it shows. It can get really rough when it keeps on switching between the different dialects, and the different locations, when it's supposed to be one area, I couldn't help but notice it way too often. Because of this, there becomes an obvious imbalance in terms of quality between the segments in Arabic and those in French, which can be frustrating. This brought down my overall experience and rating by a bit, I just can't help it when something like this takes me out of the experience.

Nevertheless, Incendies is a haunting, thrilling, and disturbing mystery that is elevated by Villeneuve's direction, and while it's not his strongest work, it's undeniably a powerful assortment of visuals that depict a unique aspect of the atrocities of war.

Denis never misses.

Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)

A Waste of a Fresh Start

[4/10 · 3 September 2023]

I don't even know what is worse at this point, having Michael Bay's overdirected Transformers films or a booooring and forgettable Transformers film.

Yeah they avoid all the Bay-hem and Bay-isms, but did they learn anything from Bumblebee? Not really. It's very dull, with another set of weak and uninteresting human characters, but this time the writing is mostly to blame and not the actors. Despite it being released in 2007, the first instalment in the franchise has more tangible and realistic CGI than this film, it's so textureless. Yeah it's a whole different team and vision, but it still feels like it's working with the same mold, and there isn't even any worthwhile dumb fun action sequences to make up for the boredom. Waste of a fresh start, good soundtrack though.

Bumblebee (I) (2018)

More of this, less of Michael Bay

[7/10 · 3 September 2023]

I think Michael Bay just forgot that to make a good Transformers film, or any film that is good, you just need a strong lead and support cast, relatable and likeable characters, an actual plot that is followable, and to have the Transformers themselves feel like actual characters.

Thankfully, Bumblee is nothing like any of the previous Transformers films, and it doesn't need to be. It tells a simple, recognisable yet likeable story about the found-family connection that can be formed between an extra-terrestrial that runs into a teenager. You can actually follow the plot and characters, understanding their motivations and emotions, however simple, something that was entirely missing from any of the Bay films.

Even if the visual effects look better in the Bay films, I prefer every Transformers design here by a lot. It's better that they look more like their animated counterparts, instead of being over-designed and texturised. Bumblebee feels like a character, and not just an action tool like every other Bay film. Hailee is great as the lead, and Cena is also good, he was in it just the right amount. I liked that they toned down the seriousness of the military here, very refreshing.

It's not rid of any faults, not by the slightest. It can be very generic and predictable at times, to the point where it feels like I've seen the same film before in terms of structure. Nevertheless, it is a huge improvement and the right direction for this franchise and characters, focusing on a few Transformers at a time, balancing out the human characters by having them actually interact WITH the Transformers and not ABOUT them, not overcomplicating the plot, and trying to tell a good story.

Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014)

Man...

[2/10 · 3 September 2023]

I only have myself to blame.

The only two actors that could make the previous Transformers cast look like A-listers are Mark Wahlburg and T. J. Miller.

Michael Bay has been recycling the same film four times up till now, and every entry is just worse and worse. It look older than the first entry, terribly made in every aspect. What the hell is that accent by the boyfriend???? There's literally nothing here, not even dumb fun, all the action and explosions are so messy and dumb to the point where you can't even enjoy those.

Mark Wahlburg does not have enough brain cells to play any type of smart character, and here Bay wants us to believe that MARKY MARK IS AN INVENTOR.

Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen (2009)

The same as before

[5/10 · 3 September 2023]

I actually enjoyed this one more because of two things, it was played so much on MBC2 that it's full of tv nostalgia, and because it got into the it's so bad it's good territory by not taking itself as seriously as the first one.

There is no reason why this should be 2 hours and 30 minutes long, and I have no idea why almost every entry after this has the same runtime. All of the problems from the first one are still present. Michael Bay-isms are doubled, military bloating, underwritten and uninteresting characters, and a weak and cringey script with a mediocre and exposition-heavy plot. The nostalgia saved it from bothering me that much. It's honestly a nice change seeing the final big sequence of an action film take place somewhere that isn't the US or Europe, even if it means we have to believe that Petra and the pyramids are less than an hour's drive away from each other.

Transformers (2007)

You get what you expect, and yet you are still disappointed

[5/10 · 3 September 2023]

Michael Bay is simply an 'overdirector', that works when it comes to over-the-top and wacky action sequences, but when it comes to almost everything else, it is very mediocre.

I don't know who wrote this film but they've probably never had an actual conversation in real-life because characters here don't talk like normal people. There are too many characters, and the film wants you to like all of them but you end up not liking any because of the lack of characterisation. It's very outdated, but it can weirdly give off a nice late 2000s MBC2 film vibe. The entirety of the way the action is directed in the last act is great, Bay is very skilled in terms of directing movement and action, but not every scene needs to feel like it's an action scene, you can slow down. The CGI and overall VFX on the AutoBots has aged insanely well and still looks great almost 16 years later, the machines feel so tangible because of their grounded design and textures.

For these types of films you come for the action sequences and crazy Transformer battles, even if most of the AutoBots either lack any personality or are too cartoonish, but unfortunately those are sidelined by uninteresting characters and weak actors, along with a mediocre script and a film that takes itself too seriously for an absurd concept.

Glass (2019)

Meh

[6/10 · 3 September 2023]

Glass feels like a film that had to happen because of how Split ended, but it wasn't really necessary, because it has nothing to say and nothing to offer. I have to start with the ending, because it's become a recurring pattern that Shyamalan does not know how to end his films, his third acts and 'cheap plot twists' in this entire trilogy are always unsatisfying and hinder the overall plot, and as the third film in this trilogy, this film is exactly that. It was cool to see the different characters interact, but it just feels like nothing happens in this film at all. It's better directed and shot than Split for sure, McAvoy is still great but he can't carry the entire film on his own. Anya is wasted, and so is Bruce Willis honestly, there was not a good balance of character time on screen here.

Split (IX) (2016)

Hollow

[6/10 · 3 September 2023]

I don't know what happened in the 16 years between Unbreakable and Split, but did Shyamalan lose every bit of talent he showed back then?

Very mediocre script and thin plot which is heavily saved by James McAvoy's lead performance. All of Shyamalan's wonderful direction and camera movement is almost completely lost here, so many scenes feel directionless, or like they were shot by a film school student using a camera for the first time, especially anything to do with the psychologist, which I feel was a performance that brought the film down by a lot.

McAvoy deserves all of the praise for his performance here, I just wish he had a better film to showcase his talents, he's always been underrated, deserves more roles honestly. The supporting cast is very wooden, almost lifeless delivery. There are some great moments, anything to do with McAvoy and Anya was mostly great and fun, especially parts of the final act. But, it seems like Shyamalan doesn't know how to end his films unless it is with a cheap plot twist, which hinders everything that came before it and does not leave you satisfied.

Unbreakable (2000)

Well-Made

[7/10 · 3 September 2023]

A really interesting and original take on the medium of comic books and superhero films, made right before the rise of said genre.

Shyamalan clearly has talent, this is my first film of his and he clearly knows how to place the camera, one of the strongest aspects here is the camera placement, movement, and how the scenes play out, where he often chooses to utilise long takes that help the actors bring their characters to life. However, I found the narrative structure to be very weak, especially the third act and the ending, which I found incredibly unsatisfying with a cheap plot twist.

Great theme and some solid cinematography. All the acting performances are solid, it feels really grounded and you believe the characters surprise at the events happening. My main problems are all summed up in how the story feels like it leads up to nothing, not a lot is done with the characters or even their actions, it is more concerned with grounding comic book analogies than actually doing something with them. Well-made, unbalanced in its acts, and could've said more.

I, Tonya (2017)

Good, not Great

[7/10 · 3 September 2023]

If I had a penny for each time Sebastian Stan played an emotionally or physically abusive partner in a famous relationship that took place in the 1990's, I'd have two pennies. Which isn't a lot but it's weird that it happened twice.

An enjoyable watch, great performances, nice visual style, lots of funny moments, tells an interesting story that feels too bizarre to be true, but overall it didn't do much for me.

It's a good film, just not a great one. Pacing was a bit off most of the time, and a bit of an imbalance in the direction of the narrative, and the third act was very messy, ended like 4 times. For some reason, although abuse and domestic violence is a large factor and theme, I didn't always feel its weight in the film. Margot is great, and so is Sebastian, but I don't believe Allison Janney's Supporting Actress win is deserved, she starts off strong but then doesn't do much overall to earn that honestly, or she maybe wasn't given much.

Individually there are scenes, like the mirror one and the one between Tonya and her Mom at the house, that felt levels above the rest of the film. Sometimes the film was trying to do a lot of different things, not all of them worked, lots of obvious inspiration from Scorsese and Adam McKay, but not pulled off as expertly.

A stronger screenplay and a stronger focus on the implications of American celebrity and the toxicity of the sports industry could've elevated this film for me in some areas, still a good experience though.

Past Lives (2023)

Incredible

[8/10 · 3 September 2023]

It's hard to put into words the feelings that you are left with after this film. It starts out slow and soft, slowly pulling you until it hits right where it hurts, the what ifs we always think of, the dreams we never want to wake from, and the past lives we yearn to be a part of.

Everyone has had a first love, or will at some point in their lives, for some it's in this life that they get to see that love fulfilled, for others it lingers as a possibility that's hard to let go of, and for others, it becomes nothing but a memory that haunts you, wherever you end up.

Past Lives is a fully realised personal experience, where the story is too unique to be fabricated, it feels lived, because true emotions can be felt from the words and actions of the characters, you wish and you wish again that their questions are answered, but were any of ours ever answered? The core scene here is an undeniable gut-punch, knocking on every wall you thought you could put up to ignore your own experience, and you cannot help but listen, and let it get to you.

Incredibly impressive directorial debut, amplified by wonderful and heartbreakingly honest performances, beautiful imagery and score, and a devastatingly relatable story.

Ad Astra (2019)

"I know, dad"

[9/10 · 3 September 2023]

When I first watched Ad Astra in 2019 in cinemas, it came off as boring, too slow-paced, mildly interesting, and unsatisfying.

I love it when I'm wrong about films years later.

Gray take his time to let the vastness and silence of space take over you as you delve deeper into Pitt's Rob McBride's self-exploration through space exploration. It's a hauntingly quiet film, necessarily slow-paced at most times in order to concisely peel the layers of Pitt's masterful performance. Everything you need to know can be found in McBride's dreary eyes, filled with the weight of guilt, regret, despair, pain, and the last shreds of hope in saving his father. It is undoubtedly a performance-led film, one that is rich in its study of space travel, humanity's greed and lust, fatherhood and it's complications, and existence itself. The sins of the father that the son must bear, heroic ideas he held onto of his father that were only ways to suppress the trauma he experienced as a child growing up without him, and accepting that he is not destined to become his father.

The film is technically one of the greatest displays of space both visually and physically, the atmospheres that Gray is able to create provide a heightened sense of realism to the sci-fi melodrama, tension is all around the unknown vastness of space. What Hoyte van Hoytema achieved here is nothing short of brilliant. Every frame is a painting, filled with emotions and colors, nothing is wasted, a masterpiece of his own.

I didn't have a lot of problems with the segments that some other people felt were disconnected from the film, such as the narration or the inclusion of action sequences that feel disjointed from the rest of the slow, melodramatic tone. However, a bit of the ending took me out, it felt like the film that the director wanted to craft ended at some point, and then the cliche/expected ending was added on by the studio. Nothing too distracting, just not as thorough as it was leading up to be.

Nevertheless, the final scene perfectly sums up the core of the film, it's most important theme which concerns both humanity's exploration and the leads exploration of himself in space. When do we know when we have had enough? And when are we ever going to be honest to ourselves about that?

Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 (2023)

Really Great

[8/10 · 3 September 2023]

Gunn's farewell to these characters and universe accomplishes everything it aimed for amidst the mediocrity of the MCU post-Endgame. It's clear that there is passion behind this work, there is love for these characters, and there is a desire to do their stories just and set them off in the most caring way possible.

Every character gets their moment to shine and is provided a satisfying arc conclusion, you believe these relationships because Gunn has been able to guide the audience throughout his trilogy to fully care for how things might turn out for the Guardians. The action is highly kinetic and energetic, I loved how he fully utilised the IMAX scenes with incredible use of scope. The hallway scene is undeniably a highlight as well. Bright and colourful, the set design stands out as probably the most creative of the MCU by far, especially the sequence at the OrgoCorp headquarters.

The story develops in a very organic way, even if it focuses on Rocket for the majority of it, it still feels balanced despite feeling like there were too many flashbacks during the first watch. The High Evolutionary's performances was better this time too. The Counter-Earth segment is still creepy, weird stuff o look at. A bit too long, but it has to accomplish a lot, Gunn has to deal with consequences from previous instalments and other projects that affect his characters. Everything with how Gamora and Quill's relationship was really well handled and interwoven, but as for Adam Warlock, not so much.

I've grown accustomed to the regular "Gunn-isms" that are present in each of his films, but Vol.3 shines as an example of how important passion is, especially when making a comic book blockbuster, without it, many like the failures being released nowadays, won't stand the test of time, but this has a strong chance of doing so.

Crazy, Stupid, Love. (2011)

Could've been greater

[7/10 · 3 September 2023]

First off, Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling are the perfect cinematic couple, unreal chemistry in every pairing they've ever had. Julianne Moore and Carrell are also great. The rest of the cast brings down this film by a lot for me, especially the babysitter and the son, terrible storyline. I don't ever remember being so annoyed at a storyline this much to the point where it brings down what was otherwise a really fun romcom.

When the film is at it's best, it's really fun and enjoyable. Everything with Gosling, Stone, Carrell, and Moore is so entertaining. May have gotten a bit too melodramatic at times for my taste, but it was fine. Gosling has the rare talent of totally elevating a film whether it is a comedic or dramatic performance, he sells it every time. The reveals are fun, even if they're spoiled for me, the backyard scene works despite having to incorporate the stupid son/teen girl storyline, and not to mention how disturbing their last scene is and how the film plays it off as cute. I wish there was a version of this film without that storyline, I'm sure I would've loved it more.

The VVitch: A New-England Folktale (2015)

Unashamed to be its own thing, and pulls it off

[9/10 · 3 September 2023]

Robert Eggers is slowly becoming one of my favorite up-and-coming directors, he has a unique vision that allows him to create atmospheres that fully immerse you in his selected periods, whether it be two men losing their minds in isolation in The Lighthouse, a true-to-life Viking tale of revenge in The Northman, or a haunting New England Folktale in The VVitch.

It would be impossible to talk about this film without acknowledging how well-budgeted it is. Eggers fully utilized his merely 4 million dollar budget to create an environment that truly feels set in the 17th century, with sets and costumes that are tangible, it does not feel like a low budget independent production for a second, plus it's incredible that it is his directorial debut.

I absolutely love films that have to do with biblical themes and ideas, whether literally as they do here, or metaphorically and thematically. Eggers uses this setting to explore heavy themes of myth, faith, sin, disparity, isolation, desperation, and temptation. Great, tight, and unknown cast, everyone brought forth the necessary emotions that raised the tensions to a maximum by the end if it. Anya is especially great, perfectly capturing the feelings of disparity and fear.

Horror is one of the those genres that can clearly show if there is a talent behind the camera, what choices directors make, how they approach their characters, and how the let the story unfold are vital aspects of what makes a worthwhile horror film. My favorite type of horror is this, films that look to create horror and terror in terms of concepts, environment, and thoughts, instead of just doing creepy visuals or jump scares.

Eggers places you right with the family, you are as confused as they are, and what raised my rating my a half-point is the scene before the last, where it flips the entirety of how you were perceiving the film, and proves that Eggers successfully created enough illusion and confusion to make you doubt every surrounding, much like the characters themselves. A haunting scene, perfectly executed.

No doubt, there are weaknesses, I don't expect most people to thoroughly be able to enjoy it. The story can feel a bit thin before it ends, feeling like it is going nowhere and without reason, some scenes early on drag and can be very slow. Also, it was a brave choice to set the dialogue entirely in old English, but after a couple of minutes you get used to the way they talk.

Not a huge fan of typical, commercial, easy horror films, and this is definitely not one of them, a haunting experience that is carefully directed by a skilled director and carried by a compelling cast.

The Perks of Being a Wallflower (2012)

Emotional and Innocently Naive

[8/10 · 3 September 2023]

Finally got to see this after many years of it being constantly all over tumblr along with The Fault in Our Stars. Didn't know what to expect, and definitely did not expect it to delve into such deep and emotional themes by the end. Logan Lerman's performance is probably one of my favourite and most honest teenager performances ever, the way you can feel the weight behind every breath and a word is a bit too real. Emma Watson's wonky US accent was a bit distracting honestly, a lot of noticeable ADR too. Ezra was great too, lots of needed energy. Greg the Egg had the dawg in him fr.

Coming of age films are beginning to hit harder and harder now, especially the more far away your own high school days become. Despite the totally different settings and environments, you cannot help but feel nostalgic for something when watching this. Even if it's a whole different decade, country, culture, experience, there's still a lot of common aspects that I think everyone has experienced, and that's what makes this film so relatable to so many people.

Thoroughly enjoyed it, great performances and screenplay, paul rudd is the goat.

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

Hollywood

[8/10 · 3 September 2023]

A much better viewing experience upon a rewatch after four years. Some films suffer from too many uncontrollable yet self-inflicted expectations upon their release, and at times when you fall victim to that it's necessary to rewatch such films to truly know how you feel.

I think part of my earlier disappointment with the film is that usually Tarantino's films are very strongly structured in terms of plot, what drives each of his films has always been clear before. Here, I realised that Tarantino toys with audience expectations both narratively and structurally. You're constantly waiting for Sharon Tate's murder as much as you are constantly waiting for the "Tarantino" style to kick in. But it's there, just in a different way.

Tarantino's strongest ability to me is his genius in crafting multi-dimensional, human, flawed, and memorable characters that feel alive. Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth are both characters that feel as tangible and convincing as the film's beautiful production design. DiCaprio and Pitt both provide incredible performances that carry the entire film, because that's almost entirely what the film is concerned with. It's focused on the two characters, their personal grapple with their lives and careers, their friendship, their role in the industry, more than it is concerned with an overarching plot, which is still present in the form of the revised telling of the Manson murders.

In the end, Tarantino still delivers with the excellent third act, in full Tarantino fashion with gory action and deaths. But the first two acts are remarkable in their slow-paced but detailed look into Hollywood in the late 60's. From the gorgeous cinematography and colours, to the jaw-dropping production design, Tarantino brings his memories of Hollywood to life with such passion and detail that it is hard not to fall in love with this world.

Yes it can be self-indulgent, some things feel like Tarantino made them for himself only, but he can get away with it as long as it's still entertaining. Sometimes all you need is great characters with great acting, a great vibe all around.

Dunkirk (2017)

One of Nolan's finest...

[10/10 · 3 September 2023]

What I love about Dunkirk is that to me it is unlike every other Hollywood war film.

Personally, I find it too unconvincing when war films choose to focus on one or two soldiers, with them painted as heroes that rise above the average man in the midst of war. It's fine to focus on those aspects, but that's not what interests me in general.

Here, Nolan has crafted what is one of the most technically ambitious and daring war films. It stands out among the hundreds of WW2 films because of it's ability to immerse you deeply within those battles at the beach, the sea, and the air. Every character feels dispensable because that is the true nature of war, every soul is.

The tension and unease that Nolan crafts using the environments, from the claustrophobia inside those tight ships, to the fear of drowning at any moment in the vast ocean, are elevated through his excellent attention to detail, fully utilising this massive production. In every scene, you do not doubt for a second that the soldiers are in imminent danger. The cinematography is definitely the technical highlight, beautiful scenery and colours that are able to capture the scale of events.

There are things inside Dunkirk that are special yet undiscovered even on a third viewing. It stands out to me from his filmography as distinct for the right reasons, where the tight events take centre stage to fully immerse the audience, placing them right into the events. It might be crazy to say that between all his films, to me this is one that I'm confident only a director like Nolan could've achieved.

Circus Maximus (2023)

Disappointing for the most of time

[6/10 · 3 September 2023]

20 minutes of some interesting, some annoying, and some creative visuals that aid the UTOPIA experience. The human pyramid one and the one set in an African country stood out.

Other than that, the remainder is just a boring 55 minutes of Travis performing the rest of the album live in an old arena, nothing interesting or worthwhile. What's even the point of a live performance that takes up 75% of the "film" if you're going to play the studio recordings over the whole thing.

Simply an over-bloated music video, it's a shame cause it started off really good, then they ran out of ideas. But, I understand that this supposedly should've been the first time fans are exposed to the album and its world, watching it after having the album for weeks now doesn't add much of a value to the overall experience.

Caramel (2007)

Original and Captivating, as well as very Enjoyable

[8/10 · 3 September 2023]

For some reason, whenever I watch an independent Arab film I feel like it's the most unique thing ever, but this one really stands out to me. I think it's because even if, as a concept, it has been done before in countless different ways in the West, when a writer-director like Nadine Labaki provides her own touch on the story, integrating elements from Arab culture, the Arab women's experience, life in Beirut, religion in the Middle East and so many other aspects that elevate this film beyond a simple rom-com.

The film itself is highly enjoyable, accompanied by a great tender score, naturalistic cinematography, lighting, and environments. The strong chemistry between all the cast members. I loved the way that each woman's life was different from the other, yet they were all constantly bonding in their womanhood and struggle.

Another aspect that I'm constantly seeing in independent Arab films is that they are seldom rid of political or social commentary. I think it's unimaginable for any Arab director to craft a narrative without being able to do so because every Arab's life is inherently woven within a unique political, social, and cultural experience.

Atonement (2007)

Well-Made, but Messy

[7/10 · 3 September 2023]

One of those films that you constantly see in edits online, with specific scenes that turn out to be completely different than what you had in mind when they're put in context. Not the type of romantic film you would expect, at times that was the appeal, but at other times it hindered the overall experience.

The first 45 minutes stand out from the rest of the film, I liked the unexpected approach the story took and how it began to unfold, and what it would lead to. Unfortunately, the rest of it felt inorganically woven together to reach an ending that didn't leave me satisfied at all. My experience is that I left the film with it having little to no impact on me, despite liking a lot of aspects individually.

On a technical level, it is brilliant and subtle in the best of ways. Beautiful score with great hints of the typewriter interwoven as a narrative device. Impressively immersive with its cinematography and production design. McAvoy is incredible, at times I felt his talent exceeded that which the film had to offer. On the other hand, I felt like Knightley's character was underwritten, looks aside, I felt unconvinced of what made her so appealing to Robbie, which the film heavily depended on.

My biggest problems are with how the film is structured and how it fails to pay off what it builds up by the end of it. For me, the large chunk in the middle was uninteresting, yet necessary, but it felt like it was taking up time that was needed for other aspects. Lots of sections could be excused by the fact that you could argue it's supposed to play out like a book or a writer reminiscing, but it still needs to be structured like a film for it to flow well.

Might rewatch it again in the future to see if I feel different about it, expected to love it more than I did. Enjoyed it, well-made, but not really connecting to the large appeal honestly.

Spider-Man: No Way Home (2021)

A Fever Dream

[8/10 · 3 September 2023]

No Way Home is like a fever dream. It's the type of film that would be made up by fans on YouTube using fake fan trailers or discussions on Reddit. It's a film that truly feels like a pop culture phenomenon, something that cannot be replicated, and an experience people will yearn to have been part of in the cinema in years to come.

To critique such a film would be a waste of any viewer's time, you would be missing out on enjoying the entertainment present here, which is amplified a hundred times if you are a fan of all these different incarnations. Corny jokes, flat dialogue and line delivery, some rushed CGI, and lots of instants where things have to happen without making sense in order for the plot to move forward, yes all of that is abundantly present here. If that is to your disliking, that's fair.

But it's just a lot of fun, incredibly entertaining and rewatchable, and weirdly comforting. This is undoubtedly Watt's best direction in his trilogy, the entirety of the curing sequence at the flat is beautifully executed, especially the action scenes. The last hour specifically is really tight. It stands out amongst the other Holland films as the one that is best acted, shot, choreographed, structured, and overall most entertaining.

Dafoe is devastatingly good as Osborn, a role that might never be done better. Doc Ock is great. Foxx is mostly annoying but provides some good comedic relief. The Lizard is just weird. Sandman is just there. Tobey's return feels rightfully tender. Andrew is still the best one, and the most underrated. Yet, it's impressive that Holland remains at the centre of all the immense nostalgia-bait and fan service, and carries the film on his shoulders, his best performance so far.

I hope the next instalment really focuses on a grounded Peter Parker, away from all the Avengers level-threats and multiverse conundrums. Street-level. NYC. Manhattan. College. Daily Bugle. Oscorp. Give me the good stuff pleaaaaase Feige.

The MCU can end here, unless they can pull off the Fantastic Four.

Spider-Man: Far from Home (2019)

It's alright

[6/10 · 3 September 2023]

An enjoyable MCU film that technically features Spider-Man and his supporting characters, but one that is completely lacking in anything that feels like a Spider-Man story.

Personally, I prefer when Spider-Man stories are set in New York, it and any of its boroughs are as much of a character as any other person within Peter Parker's lore. I have no interest in a Spider-Man film that is closer to a multi-city European espionage thriller than it is to a grounded Peter Parker story. Nevertheless, there is still a lot to enjoy here if you can overlook all the other missing elements.

Jake Gyllenhaal is great, never turns in a bad performance. One of my favourite Spider-Man sequences ever is the illusion one here, beautifully designed and everything you'd want out of a Mysterio appearance. I just really don't like the overall approach to this film, and the entirety of the story with the E. D. I. T. H. Glasses is honestly uninteresting, it's a really dissatisfying way to explore Peter's arc in the MCU in my opinion. MJ and Peter's relationship is really weak and underwritten too, feels shoehorned because it just needs to happen. It barely scratches the surface of what the previous incarnations achieved with MJW and Gwen.

Avengers: Endgame (2019)

The Grand Finale

[9/10 · 3 September 2023]

The finale ten years in the making, an ending that was able to provide on so many aspects from the last decade of MCU films, 19 films, 3 phases, and hundreds of characters and arcs all given their rightful exit. I think it's nice that you can always look back on the early MCU and have it end here, with the next two Spider-Man films also serving as a sweet epilogue/bonus.

What I love the most is that each member of the original six Avengers had their own full circle moment, mostly. While Banner executed the snap and Thor had that important conversation with his mother, I felt like they had the least satisfying ending amongst the rest. Barton and Natasha's relationship came to a beautiful end with her demise, which provided a strong emotional core to the film. Tony and Steve were rightfully at the centre of this grand finale. In The Avengers (2012), their heated exchange is one of my favourite scenes in the entire MCU, and the way everything that happens after that between them links back to that is really satisfying. As you look back on the MCU, with all it's divisiveness and flaws, I think you can strongly argue that Tony Stark and Steve Rogers were beautifully written foils to one another in their character and actions.

There is a lot of rushed CGI, especially with the time-travel suits, they do not look planned at all and are underwhelming. Some jokes have become really outdated, or never landed. Not as many impressive action sequences as it's predecessor, but the grand final battle makes up for that. The final Trinity scene is incredible, plus Stark's suit is gorgeous here. It's not as tight as Infinity War, but it still stands as a great finale filled with great moments and arc conclusions.

It's true that there is an abundance of characters that the film has to deal with, especially trying to fit in every single one of them in the last act, but I feel like this film was able to do it's job as best as it ever could have, and is a conclusion to a feat In blockbuster filmmaking that many people may look down on right now, but will learn to appreciate in future years. Creating an entire universe through multiple standalone and crossover films, was bound to attract criticism, but in the end, Endgame was able to deliver on it's promises, and end it on a high-note.

Asteroid City (2023)

Great

[8/10 · 3 September 2023]

Amongst the recent influx of internet trends and soulless A. I. attempts at imitating Wes Anderson's style, Asteroid City arrives at the perfect time to prove that no machine or tool can truly capture the artist's unique take on life.

At first glance, Anderson's style may be purely categorised as a colourful assembly of geometric shots and compositions, accompanied by his dead-pan style of comedy and erratic collection of characters, often played by a wide array of A-list actors. However, when you look back on his filmography, his aesthetics should not be at the forefront of what you should appreciate about his work. Undoubtedly, these are beautiful productions that stand out from their contemporaries, where every frame feels meticulously constructed and designed. But, the core of Anderson's work is how he chooses to explore how themes of pain, sorrow, and uncertainty can unite different people within their respective locations. There is always a physical setting that is important to the overall story, here it is both the theatre and the fictional Asteroid City.

This feels like Anderson at his most self-reflective, where he uses the structure of storytelling and characters to explore what stories mean and what they can mean. Using the play, the production of the play, and the televised programming of said production and play, Anderson was able to tell three stories simultaneously more efficiently than I had felt he had in The French Dispatch. It definitely requires multiple rewatches, as there are many ideas spread throughout the film about existence, communities, storytelling, and belief itself, all of which I feel are themes that are very strongly interconnected.