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NinjaOwl
Reviews
Them (2021)
Captivating but...
Note: This review only refers to season 2 (The Scare). I haven't seen the first season so I can't comment on it.
Season 2 of "Them" beckoned me with the promise of the presence of Pam Grier, a cinematic icon I deeply admire. However, her screen time was disappointingly sparse. Despite this, I found myself captivated by the overall narrative. The gripping storyline kept me glued to the screen and I watched almost the whole show in a single sitting.
The standout performances, particularly from Luke James in his portrayal of Edmund Gaines, added layers of depth and emotion to the series. James' performance was truly convincing and left a lasting impression.
However, amidst the show's strengths, there was one issue that nagged at me throughout: the portrayal of white characters. Throughout the series, every white character seemed to embody malevolence. While it's no secret that racism permeates institutions like the police force, the complete absence of nuanced, sympathetic white characters felt jarring and unrealistic, even for 1991 Los Angeles. Even Luke James' white adoptive parents are portrayed as loathsome individuals. Moreover, the absence of white characters outside the Reeve family home, such as at Kel's school, felt out of touch with the diverse reality of modern society.
At a time when inclusivity and representation in the media are increasingly valued, Them falls short by presenting a narrow perspective that borders on racial stereotyping. For a show that purports to tackle issues of racism, this narrow focus feels regressive and, ironically, perpetuates harmful stereotypes. I really don't get what the show's writers intentions are here.
Despite these flaws, Them does have its merits. Its compelling story and standout performances make it worth a watch for anyone interested in thought-provoking narratives. However, its failure to present a more balanced portrayal of race ultimately detracts from its overall impact. Were it not for this troubling aspect, I would easily give it a higher rating. Nevertheless, I can recommend season 2 of Them.
A Perfect Murder (1998)
Gwyneth Paltrow is no Grace Kelly
A Perfect Murder is a solid thriller that hardly does anything wrong: it's exciting from beginning to end. Cinephiles will quickly realize, however, that A Perfect Murder is actually just a remake (not entirely faithful to the original) of the classic Dial M for Murder. A Perfect Murder manages to take the most important plot elements of that classic and transfer them to the high society of New York in the late 90s.
The movie's greatest strength is the casting of Michael Douglas, who perfectly embodies the ice-cold stock market shark. Viggo Mortensen does an okay job, but I did not find his role very challenging. His feelings for Gwyneth Paltrow also remain unclear. In one scene, he reacts rather callously when Michael Douglas lets him in on his brutal plans, in another, he seems devastated when he contemplates the presumed death of his lover. The script seems a bit inconsistent in this regard.
In contrast to the male leads, Gwyneth Paltrow is completely miscast. In her role, she is supposed to be a highly educated, worldly millionaire heiress, but in reality she comes across as a shy, plump schoolgirl. Even the expensive clothes and luxurious jewelry can't change that impression. A total contrast to Grace Kelly's immaculate performance in the original film. Why Paltrow was chosen for this role remains a mystery. Besides, she cries throughout the movie and says only a few halfway interesting words.
I really enjoyed the performance of "Poirot" actor David Suchet, though. It's a pity that we don't see him more often in big productions.
The Invisible Man (2020)
Nothing new, but still enjoyable
This is a wonderfully entertaining movie, although it certainly doesn't have much new to offer. It is interesting, however, that the subject of the invisible man is reversed here and viewed from the perspective of an "outsider", i.e. his wife. And this is done in a very intriguing way - at least most of the time. At the beginning of the film some scenes felt like from a dull B movie horror film, but as the story goes on, things get more and more exciting. Generally, I liked how they sort of mixed "Sleeping with the Enemy" with sci-fi elements.
The actors fulfill their roles well, with one exception: the husband / invisible man himself. Unfortunately, this actor has no charisma, and the question arises as to why the wife would fall for him in the first place.
The plot holes criticized by some users are not such big issues, though, and can be explained if you have some imagination. Admittedly, it is not entirely understandable why the man wants his wife back at all costs - and why he hauls out the big guns. The reactions of the woman, on the other hand, are too logical. After all, she has to put an end to the threat once and for all.
On a side note, some of the reviews with the lowest ratings are mostly based on the irrelevant fact that the evil guy is white and the good cop is black/the victim is female. If the gender or color of the characters are such a huge problem for these reactionary reviewers, then the best and most logic movie might not be able to satisfy them.
In conclusion, The Invisible Man is a highly entertaining film with a few weaknesses you can ignore.
The Vanishing (1993)
Better than I expected
I watched this movie as a teenager (about 20 years ago) and thought it was very entertaining. After reading the negative comments and after watching the original titled Spoorloos just a few weeks ago, I thought that I would probably change my mind about the remake. So I bought an old DVD and gave the film a second try. To my own surprise, I still liked it. Of course, the original film is better, but The Vanishing is definitely not a bad remake. I must even admit that some scenes of the remake made more sense to me, for instance how the boyfriend gradually falls in love with a new woman; his decision to intensify the search for the missing ex girlfriend; the killer's motivation to go after the boyfriend etc. The parts that were admittedly pretty dumb are the long scene of the new girlfriend fighting with the killer and the lame "coffee joke" in the very end.
The original film is definitely more "intelligent", in particular as regards the portrayal of the killer's personality. However, the remake does not disappoint.
Fonotune: An Electric Fairytale (2018)
Wonderfully rare
Described as a "fairytale", Fonotune is set in an unknown place and time near the end of the world. Appropriately enough, you are left with few information on the characters and the universe they belong to. With barely any dialogues, all we learn from the film is that they are some kind of travelers, inviting the viewer to join them on their journey to meet a rock musician, the charismatic Blitz.
For my part, I was willing to go on this weird trip with them. This is mostly due to the fact that each character - Mono, Analog, Stereo and Bubblegum - has his/her own cool and unique visual style.
Loosely connected at first, these guys share a passion for music. It is their driving force throughout the film, and music is what pulls the viewer right into the movie. It seems music is a means to compensate the lack of spoken words, and its choice and composition is to the point. I also think that the songs felt pretty refreshing compared to usual film soundtracks.
Fonotune is not a film easy to watch, though. Fast-moving and loud on the one side, bleak on the other, it might not be a film for a broad audience. There is no straight storyline and the settings are reduced to a minimum. However, this is exactly what makes the film so very atmospheric and interesting to watch. It is nothing you get to see very often, and thus it is a rare and strange work in the most positive way.