Arvostelut (2 872)
Scenes from a Marriage - In the Middle of the Night, in a Dark House, Somewhere in the World (2021) (jakso)
A conclusion that directly, and in various hints, explains the vicious circle of a toxic relationship and the whole absurdity around it. The last piece in a phenomenal mosaic. More conciliatory and not as expressive as the previous episode, but still suggestive and full of emotion.
Scenes from a Marriage - The Illiterates (2021) (jakso)
An all-out emotional inferno that picks up a fiendish pace at the beginning and just when it looks like it's going to keep it up for the whole episode, giving the viewer no room to breathe, the creators kick it up another gear for the second half. Breathtaking, phenomenal, unique achievement are some ways to describe it. One of the most complex hour-long relationship dramas ever made.
Scenes from a Marriage - The Vale of Tears (2021) (jakso)
Still a breathtaking palette of emotions and situations written by life itself. The third episode is less intensive than the second, but it remains an experience and an acting masterclass.
Hooligans (2005)
It's billed as a low-budget indie, but it’s packed with interesting acting names that don't disappoint. The straightforward story about wild football fans is entertaining, brisk and properly raw, helped by a good setting and decently filmed brawls. It doesn't have a deeper meaning and the ending is clichéd, but Hooligans does have a certain power of the moment at times. As a directorial debut, OK.
Moonfall (2022)
A mix of Independence Day and 2012, but it can’t hold a candle to either. Sure, this is primarily light entertainment, or classic Emmerich, if you will, though even lighter than usual because it’s worse than even Godzilla in character work, dialogue and level of stupidity, and that's saying a hell of a lot. Surprisingly, even the visual effects flourishes don't dazzle to any extreme, and the once so inventive wizard has fallen into the average green screen, where he greases up one unimaginative make-up scene after another. What would Elon do? I'm sure he wouldn't have made this occasionally funny travesty.
Scenes from a Marriage - Poli (2021) (jakso)
Breathtaking dialogue improvisation in the director's tightly grasped concept of analysing the breakdown of a relationship. Precisely delivered by both leads, the emotions bubble non-stop and when it gets to be too much, Hagai Levi intersperses it with some brief camera shots of a snowy cold Boston, enhanced by a depressingly cut single-note musical theme. Purist, simple, maximally effective.
The King's Man (2021)
If the script of the third Kingsman was a bit better than horrible, it could have been a solid ride, because Vaughn is able to reflect the contemporary political situation through his specific craft, he wittily alternates recent history and is not afraid to use subtle and daring humour and a distinctive directorial style to appeal to a wide range of audiences. In this respect, it’s perfect, but we want more from a film like this than ironed-out visuals with a plethora of familiar faces in the breakneck action scenes, which are good and some even fantastic.
Kuolema Niilillä (2022)
At times Death on the Nile looks like a modern theatre play, at times like a largely impressive colouring book, which is inappropriate for a film of this type. The whole thing is a little bit flat, sweaty, going for power, or rather for effect. Branagh's Poirot is OK, but the rest of the cast is mostly jerking and prancing around. What's missing are real visuals, decent camera work, real sets and, most importantly, a better plot.
Scenes from a Marriage - Innocence and Panic (2021) (jakso)
Great job with the lead actors, excellent dialogue and loads of interesting, supporting ideas about relationship issues. It seems to be a complex work, it will be interesting to see the next episodes and the development of the main characters.
White Bird in a Blizzard (2014)
An indie relationship film with just the right balance of coming-of-age drama, crime thriller and teen comedy. Shailene Woodley is superb. Plus for the filmmakers' efforts to present the teenage fable as realistically as possible, including slightly more explicit scenes with sexual overtones, where a lot is implied but just enough is shown. The ending is passable, but predictable. A small, low-key film that's dense and suspenseful enough for one viewing, but not for a second – there's nothing more to discover.