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Ratings
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Reviews
Dream Scenario (2023)
Not what I expected, but enjoyable
A movie about privacy and life in the public eye. Paul Matthews unintentionally invades the privacy of other people's dreams, becoming a global sensation.
Living life in the public eye comes with the cost of privacy and accepting that the public will never truly know you, only their perception of you.
I think most people would say this movie is about cancel culture. If the point of the movie was to make the viewer empathize with the cancel-ee, I think Paul would have seen some kind of redemption to the public eye or become an increasingly polarized figure. To me, what makes it about privacy is the introduction of dystopian dream advertising (nightmare scenario).
A Serious Man (2009)
The closest thing to real life I've seen in a movie
This movie feels just like real life.
A long string of moderate to severe misfortunes with occasional glimpses of happiness. All the while looking for reasons behind the misfortune but there is none. Life just be like that.
And no one can help you make sense of it because they're too busy dealing with their own long string of moderate to severe misfortunes with occasional glimpses of happiness.
Honestly, I didn't like this movie the moment I finished it, because it has a "slice of life" feel to it. Though after thinking about it a bit, I started to appreciate it because the pointlessness is built into the plot and I was never bored.
A Ghost Story (2017)
Most overrated A24 movie
Incredibly boring (and I like slow burns). I think the A24 logo is fooling people into thinking this movie is good.
Tons of very long and nearly static shots that don't really serve the movie or say anything (metaphorically and literally). These are artistic decisions that I don't agree with, others may enjoy them and feel they add something but I found them to last too long. To the point where I was essentially watching a still image. Just watch the pie eating scene to see what I mean, and that's one of the better scenes like that.
The entire movie being in a 4:3 aspect ratio does give it a nice vibe though. Would have been excellent as a ~30 min short film.
Mars Express (2023)
Very cool world, good enough characters
Visual style reminiscent of Promare, sci fi-cyberpunk world building reminiscent of I,Robot. Immersive soundtrack. That's what this movie does the best.
I also loved all the little details of the future tech: TV screen that moves to wherever you're looking, a bottle topper that acts as another barrier to prevent AA members from drinking, etc.
The weak point is the plot in my opinion, it's just average and I don't think the characters have enough backstory to really make us care deeply about them. These don't ruin the movie, but it does everything else better.
Overall, I would recommend this one. Especially for Sci Fi lovers.
Licorice Pizza (2021)
Not PTA's best
Licorice Pizza, an apt name for a movie about two things that don't belong together. I don't see how making the characters 25/35 years old changes their dynamic, and it lessens the weird age gap.
Weird movie, beautifully shot, well acted, decent score. Felt like the plot was kind of bloated and didn't really make a point, akin to "slice of life" style anime. This approach works for some movies, like A Serious Man, but not in Licorice Pizza.
Not my cup of tea, but scores slightly above average for the cinematography and acting. Imo, those are both strengths of the movie, but the heart of a movie (the plot) is not very interesting.
Civil War (2024)
Is this the future you want?
Civil War is a brutal look in the mirror of modern American society. The cinematography is excellent, the audio is well executed, and the performances are realistic and believable. I loved that when the main characters are snapping photos, they are intercut for just a moment. I do feel like the film would have benefited from having more context behind the war. Since this was left out, we must assume this is intentional, which tells me the reasons behind the titular war is not the point. The film doesn't hold your hand, but gives you enough information to arrive for yourself at the question: Is this the future you want?
The Social Network (2010)
Just as relevant today
The founding of one of the biggest and most influential companies of our lifetimes unfolds non-linearly through the lens of two lawsuits and the reasons behind them. Many great movies are character driven, and this one is no exception. Jessie Eisenberg as Mark Zuckerberg steals the show, and is supported by an excellent surrounding cast. The score is phenomenal, the club scene with Mark and Sean Parker in particular is a masterclass of sound mixing. It sounds and feels like actually being in a club, but everything is still audible without sounding like yelling. This movie may be remembered as one of the greatest from the 2010's because it is just as relevant today as when it came out.