John Wick’s motivations weren’t as earnest here so the stakes felt less significant. But it also didn’t suffer too much from a sequel syndrome. Couple of callbacks to the first film were a nice touch. The character that Ruby Rose played could’ve been better casted.
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Special Delivery 2022
As far as car chasers go, this was probably the best I’ve seen. I’ll gladly watch anything with Park So-Dam in it.
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The African Desperate 2022
This made me think of Gasper Noé’s Climax but definitely no where near that sort of suffocation. It’s mostly fun in a weird way but I did not get a lot of the memes, bleeps, and references. The “fuck me or you’re racist” scene had me howling.
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RRR 2022
It was as they said it would be — an electrifying, completely bonkers, fun time at the movies movie. So much fun that it was almost too easy to overlook the ugly subtext amidst the cinematic pageantry and catchy tunes. The fame that this film has amassed and the timing of its success is concerning especially at a time when nationalist ideology is on the rise. While the anti-colonial stance is laudable, the explicit role of the film in upholding the caste system is unsettling. Look beyond the spectacle. Freedom for some is no freedom at all.
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Drive My Car 2021
Felt nothing all the way through and then shockingly at the end, tears. Tears of joy because I don’t have to sit through another minute of that boring ass play. Short stories are SHORT for a reason. Shelving this under another overrated Murakami pretentious waffle. Nice wheels though.
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Hit the Road 2021
Fully enjoyed this — the tenderness, the despair, the humour, the meandering dialogue, the landscape, the music, and that little devil of a kid who stole the show. What an endearing story. Masterful in shifting and layering emotions. Can’t wait to see this again.
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Shiva Baby 2020
Thought I was going into something light and chill. What I got instead was an anxiety-filled, claustrophobic ride. The premise is simple yet effective but the relationship between the two girls were unconvincing. Didn’t feel like there was much chemistry there.
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Black Bear 2020
Nobody does awkward as well as Aubrey Plaza. Another great performance. For the most part I liked where it was going and what it was trying to do — all that meta-commentary about writer’s block and the price of making art — but the second half of the film really wore me out. The extra characters felt like it was plucked from a different movie and inserted here. They had that slight comedic tinge to them which felt quite jarring for the tone of the film.
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Mars One 2022
Sweet and hopeful tale about navigating family dynamics amidst struggling to make ends meet. Starts slow and continues in that trajectory for about 80% of the film. It ramps up in the last 20% with great emotional delivery. The bond between brother and sister is not what you’d normally expect to see on screen. Their close relationship stands out above the rest which makes for the more memorable parts of the film.