iulianturicianu Reviews

Challengers (2024)

Hot people problems

[7/10 · 19 May 2024]

I'm not a big fan of sport movies, but although tennis was a huge part of this one, I found it enjoyable.

The good parts:

• clever time jumps, it's like pieces of a puzzle coming together into this ultimate match that lasts from beginning to the end, and the more backstory you get, the more tense it becomes
• convincing acting from main actors, I've never seen a movie where actors playing younger selves are so convincing, usually it's just makeup, but here they really felt younger in the flashbacks
• fun soundtrack, especially if you watch it in a cinema

The meh parts:

• ultimately, the main conflict wasn't so engaging, it's like watching hot people not being able to decide who to choose because they're all 3 too attractive, so I guess at the end we can sleep well knowing that they can have 3somes
• a bit too much tennis for my liking, I've never seen so many balls being hit around, and it does get a bit repetitive

All in all, enjoyable but not deep enough.

Civil War (2024)

Agree with the 6 and 7 star ratings here

[7/10 · 1 May 2024]

Although in theory this felt like a well made movie, both visually, and plot wise, I couldn't help but feel a bit disappointed by the end of it.

From the small plot holes that the others noticed, like why during the last and most violent scene they had minimal protective gear, to why suddenly Kirsten Dunst's character who was established to be a very tough and seasoned photographer suddenly looks like it's her first experience, while the young impressionable girl takes great photos. It's hard to be happy with the girl becoming a successful war photographer when she was the reason why Kirsten's Dunst character was dead in a pile.

Grave of the Fireflies (1988)

Most I've cried at a movie ever

[10/10 · 25 February 2024]

Although I'm somewhat familiar with the Studio Ghibli productions, and watched the famous 'Spirited Away' and 'Princess Mononoke', I've never hear of this one before watching a random reel on Instagram from a movie enthusiast, mentioning a few films that absolutely broke him.

I've decided to give 'Grave of the Fireflies' a go, because I've realised I've watched many movies from the 2nd world war that were exclusively from a western perspective, but none from the perspective of a country so far away.

What I did not see coming was that this film made me cry uncontrollably for the most part, and I'm not someone who cries that easily. Seriously, I'm happy I decided to watch it on my own, and I suggest you do the same, unless you're ok with other people see you ugly crying and sobbing.

I guess the fact that it doesn't feel manipulatively tear jerking, but just the really sad story of a pair of sibling who have to make it work through literal hell, and who are the sweetest and most innocent, is enough to make you feel really upset.

However, as someone who is aware at how horrific wars in the past have been and still are, I wouldn't call this film depressing. It's just the point of view of some very innocent characters who have to suffer so much that makes it much more hard to watch than your usual war movies. I still strongly encourage you to watch it, it's a masterpiece, to be able to create so many emotions out of an animation is a proof of how mind blowing this art form can be.

Friends: The One with All the Cheesecakes (2001) Season 7, Episode 11

One of my favourites

[10/10 · 14 January 2024]

I don't know why this episode hits hard for me, I love the dynamic between Joey and Phoebe, he's proved again and again what a lovely and loyal friend he is. Also one of Lisa Kudrow's few serious and heartfelt teary scenes, which she nailed. I also enjoyed the Monica and Ross story line, and how that played out. Chandler and Rachel are a really funny duo too, which I feel doesn't get exploited as much as it should've, and this episode is a proof of that.

I don't know why this episode hits hard for me, I love the dynamic between Joey and Phoebe, he's proved again and again what a lovely and loyal friend he is. Also one of Lisa Kudrow's few serious and heartfelt teary scenes, which she nailed. I also enjoyed the Monica and Ross story line, and how that played out. Chandler and Rachel are a really funny duo too, which I feel doesn't get exploited as much as it should've, and this episode is a proof of that.

Seven Seconds (2018)

One of my favourite series I've seen in 2023

[10/10 · 7 January 2024]

I find this series to be massively underrated, the quality of the acting, story, screenplay is just beyond amazing. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the 2 main characters. They started very annoyed with each other, and ended up working really well together. Be warned that when you start watching this, it's very hard to stop, so it very binge-worthy. I can't believe this was made before the George Floyd, it's like they predicted what will happen.

Also I enjoyed the nuances of the characters, they all made human mistakes, and you can understand what drives them. It's not a simple story of good guys vs bad guys.

Memories of Murder (2003)

Great detective drama

[10/10 · 7 January 2024]

It starts a bit goofy and on the lighter side, but as the time goes by, things get darker and more tense. I'm not a huge fan of Korean cinema, but I did really enjoyed Parasite and The Handmaiden, so I've decided to give this a go.

Even though the subject of 2 main detectives at odds with each other trying to handle gruesome murders in a local community feels familiar nowadays, the film still felt very original and fresh. The imagery, the soundtrack, the characters come together into a really enjoyable piece of cinema. The murder mysteries turn out to be inspired by true events, and the murderer only got caught a few years ago. I really liked how the main characters transform throughout the film and make you feel like you should judge a book by its covet.

Tár (2022)

Who is the target audience?

[3/10 · 15 December 2023]

This film has been on my watchlist for ages, and I postponed watching, being worried that it would take a big emotional tall for me, who is a professional classical musician, trying auditions and having to deal with conductors and orchestras on a regular basis.

After watching it with difficulty, I can say that being disappointed is an understatement. I'm just so curious who is this film meant for? It's very pretentious and goes into very detailed conversations about classical music, but in a shallow and unrealistic way. I also would've expected that the music would be a big part of the storyline, however from the beginning you're greeted with a soundtrack that I can only describe as nails on a chalkboard.

Ganz normale Männer - Der 'vergessene Holocaust' (2022 TV Movie)

Food for thought

[10/10 · 23 September 2023]

I've watched a lot of documentaries about the holocaust and the WW2, and I can say this one is of the good ones, especially since it tries to answer the question 'how could so called normal people do such despicable and cruel acts'. Even though it's a subjective approach, it does being you closer to understand the thought process of those people involved.

Another aspect I really enjoyed was getting to know better the last surviving persecutor of the Nurnberg Trials, Benjamin Ferencz (unfortunately passed away recently), who is such an inspiration and a highly intelligent but kind person. The contrast between his stature and the courage that he had to confront some of the biggest nazis, adds even more charm to his on screen presence. I definitely recommend giving this a watch if you're into WW2 history and would like to get more insight!

Four Hours at the Capitol (2021)

Much more serious than I imagined

[10/10 · 9 September 2022]

As an European I was of course familiar with the events from January 2021 at the capitol, mostly from the news with the pictures of people with MAGA hats and the famous shaman guy with horns. However I had no clue of the extent and the seriousness of the situation. People really believed they will die there and rightfully so. The scenes at the tunnel are surreal and show how powerful an angry mob can be and how close they were to murder some policemen who just tried to do their job.

And it's clear that it was provoked by Trump, someone who wanted to go out in flames.

Watch this documentary, even though you think what happened because you'll be surprised. Very extensive footage together with commentaries from the people being at the scene.

The saddest part is that those people who support Trump feel very proud and smug for what they've done. Absolutely disgusting.

The Most Hated Man on the Internet (2022)

Frustrating story with a satisfying end

[10/10 · 31 July 2022]

Even though many might say, 'oh, another woke story about evil straight men being taught a lesson by brave strong woman', I think the facts presented in this documentary series are very clear and not manipulated. Those woman were abused in the sense that they were publicly shamed, with absolutely no reason to do so.

And yes, Hunter Moore is definitely a psychopath, with 0 remorse or empathy, however what strikes me watching this, is the army of pathetic followers and interviewers who applauded his actions, and made him feel like a rock star. That is the saddest part of this story, and a depressing mirror over our society. It was only thanks to some incredibly brave women that actions were taken, albeit I expected a much more serious punishment for them.

Coming Out Colton (2021)

Awkward and fake coming out of a very attractive man

[1/10 · 12 December 2021]

I'm not American and I didn't know anything about this obvious gorgeous man, but as a gay man myself decided to give it a try. It's so cringy, I'm so sick of the capitalizing on "struggling and coming to terms with own identify/sexuality" when it's so clearly overly produced and it only works if the person is famous (Caitlyn Jenner) or in this case very traditionally attractive.

If you're looking to get into genuinely coming out stories and get inspired by how brave those people are being themselves in a world much more conservative than this series depicts, better watch 'We're here' on HBO.

Feel Good (2020–2021)

Started strong and then it fizzed out

[6/10 · 19 June 2021]

I had high hopes for this series, but it didn't deliver. First season was superior to the second where the characters got lost, no one is really likable, and there is a dose of cringe with every interaction. It's a shame as it had the potential to become something amazing.

Banana: Episode #1.5 (2015) Season 1, Episode 5

Whaaat?

[1/10 · 15 October 2020]

I actually really enjoyed this episode and the themes it explores, as someone who left home a long time ago. But the ending is so wrong! Josh is a horrible character who plays dirty manipulation games with his bff who genuinely loves him, and the ending is making you think that he was right all along!

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)

Could've been much funnier

[6/10 · 27 June 2020]

As a gay European, Eurovision is a big part of our culture, and I'm aware it's so cheesy and over the top, but you can't look away, it's a lot of fun. The first part of the film embodied that well, it started with many funny moments, and in a tone of satire, which made me laugh out loud a few times. However it doesn't take long until it looses it's mojo, and the tone gets over the place, there are some melodramatic moments, cheesy moments which I didn't expect, as it does to make fun of cheesy at the same time. Also it felt like they were quickly left out of jokes to make , like Lars being late for the song, storming on the stage, it was ok the first time, but then that happens again in the final act. I hoped they'd go all the way in with the comedy and they didn't.

Bodyguard (2018)

No Ma'am

[5/10 · 29 May 2020]

It was intriguing during the first 3 first episodes, much of that being the merit of the character of Julia Montague, but once she gets the chop, it goes downhill, turning into a messy, headache inducing 'who's done it' detective mystery, with lots and ridiculous twists. I didn't think that's how the show will turn out to be, being invested mostly in what Julia Montague will bring to the table as a rising contemporary Iron Lady politician, and how it'll play out with her bodyguard having very different opinions from being in the front lines of the conflict in the Middle East. Sadly, it turns out to be another cliched angry terrorist Muslim story, which let's be honest, it's 2020 now, and media should find cleverer plots than that. A dishonorable mention deserves the finale, which was surprisingly bad, especially after the bar was raised pretty high in terms of action scenes. I laughed out loud after he disarmed his bomb vest and just jumped over, and the police looked away like 'oh well'... has he just vanished into thin air? And how did everyone believe him towards the end, just because he shouted 'it's over', when he was a prime suspect. But suddenly everyone decided to tell the truth, just because. No ma'am!

The Last Czars (2019)

Don't listen to the haters

[9/10 · 17 May 2020]

I think the series get a very unfair comparison to 'Chernobyl', which has a completely different budget and team behind it. This series presents the last years of the Romanov family, and the many mistakes the tzar and his wife made, that led to the spontaneous revolution that changed the face of the world. It's not a very profound and highly intellectual historic document, however, for someone like me, who had bad luck with history teachers in school which led to me hating it, this makes me realize how compelling and interesting history can be. I also found that the format of combining actual real footage with narrators and the actors really works, as it assures us that what is presented really happened and it's not just history based fiction. Of course the acting is not Oscar worthy, and there are some extra love making scenes which I didn't get what they add to the story, but all in all it made me watch it all in one go and made me very interested in the subject matter, so that I ended up researching much more about that period and learning all sorts of interesting facts, which I assume it's what this series was made for.

Luther (2010–2019)

Hmm no

[1/10 · 15 May 2020]

As soon as in the first episode the main character stormed out of the interrogation room and told everyone she was the killer because she didn't yawn, I was like... whaaat? Afterwards I could only force myself to watch another episode and had to give it up. Idris Elba's character is very unlikable, has serious anger management issues and is just overall irritating. Pass!

Criminal: Germany (2019)

This is how you do it!

[10/10 · 14 May 2020]

I agree with other reviewers that the German version of this series is the best. Especially first and third episodes, gripping from start to end, the interrogation team feels really professional, unlike the French and Spanish one, they genuinely want to find out the truth, and not traumatize even more and throw tantrums at the person across the table, just by going on a hunch. Shout out to the actors as well, who do an amazing job, especially the person being interrogated in the third episode, I wasn't prepared for such a tour de force in terms of acting. I also noticed with the German series, the overall tone is much more subtle, it really sucks you in and it's even poetic at times. Would love to see more episodes of it.

Criminal: France (2019)

3rd place, after Criminal:Germany and Criminal:UK

[8/10 · 14 May 2020]

I enjoyed the French twist of this series, the Bataclan club shooting in Paris, working under pressure that may lead to death, a lethal homophobic attack, are themes that feel all too current and real and are well represented. Apart from that, a recurrent theme of the series comes through here as well, the struggles and challenges a young woman faces when being in a position of authority that is traditionally associated with men and patriarchy. On the downside however, for the same reason I disliked the Spanish version of Criminal, the interrogation team, or at least some of it, feels very unprofessional, especially in the first 2 episodes, you get massive tantrums and inappropriate behavior, which bring down the quality of this concept.

World War II in Colour (2009)

Detailed video journal of Second WW

[9/10 · 13 May 2020]

At 13 episodes of 51 minutes each, you can imagine you get a good overview of the major events of the war. For someone who is born towards the end of 20th Century, and only heard and read bits and pieces, this was a great way to connect the dots and get a total overview of those years which shaped the world even to this day. Does it feel a bit biased towards the allied forces? It does feel at times, but not too much to lose it's authenticity. I wished however to also describe how war was experienced by the civilians, what they had to go through, and especially, a dedicated episode to the atrocities against the Jewish population. It was overwhelming at times, on one hand because of the horrors shown on screen, and the other because of the continuous battle scenes, which in case of binge watching is sure to give one a headache. However, it is a must see for everyone, as it's very important to know our past, to avoid repeating the same mistakes.

The Keepers (II) (2017)

Gripping from beginning to the end

[10/10 · 11 May 2020]

Another gem in the Netflix Docuseries category, this time an in-depth look into the abuses of people of the church. Even though I knew what the main theme is, and I was aware of the many pedophile accusations inside the Catholic Church, I wasn't prepared to learn how deeply disturbing some so called people of the church are. This to me was a depiction of what true evil looks like, someone who prays on already vulnerable girls who were previously abused as children, and who understandably try to find some comfort in someone who is supposed to give wise advice and spiritual guidance. And not only that person doesn't do that, but it uses that past trauma to inflict even more trauma and abuse in ways that will make you go numb with disgust and frustration. And it doesn't stop there! You'd think, alright, it's just this individual who is deeply disturbed, and he needs to be taken out immediately from a school environment. But what a surprise, the officials of the Catholic Church actually fight those accusations, made by numerous women (and a man as well), who have to testify and describe in detail what traumatized their whole life in front of strangers, only to be dismissed entirely afterwards. It is a really difficult view, but it is also very inspiring to see a lot of very strong woman individuals who still fight for what's right and just. My only wish with the series would be to explore a little bit more how did they have faith and if they still could be practicing Catholics after the massive injustices they had to endure, as it seemed to me that many of them are still practicing Catholicism. All in all, a must see series on Netflix, definitely recommend!

Dead to Me (2019–2022)

Loved 1st season, hate the 2nd

[6/10 · 10 May 2020]

I don't understand why so many commenters say how second season is even better?! Everything that made this show interesting and exciting, setting us up for traps of what to expect and delivering the opposite, being witty, making fun of melodramatic stereotypes, while still feeling like a serious depiction of grief, are gone through the window in the second season, delivering exactly what first season made fun of. Like the witty humor of the bird showing up as the dad in the first season, is now being dragged out into a whole story to beat us on the head with what the main characters go through. It's just not the same show anymore, which is a shame as I was super excited for the second season.

Love, Death & Robots: Sonnie's Edge (2019) Season 1, Episode 1

One of my favorite of the series

[10/10 · 23 April 2020]

Apart from all the amazing visuals and story telling, the soundtrack was a huge plus for me as well, it's a great addition to the cyber punk vibe of this episode