rafaelravelli12 Reviews

The Bone Collector (1999)

REVIEW

[4/10 · 6 May 2023]

The Bone Collector entered the frenzy of police investigation and thriller films of the late 90s, along with titles such as The Silence of the Lambs and Seven. Of these cited, The Bone Collector is the least prominent.

We had the participation of two Hollywood stars, Denzel Washington and Angelina Jolie.

I saw a slow unfolding of the film, taking time to stimulate the viewer. A series of murders has been taking place and set the tone of the film, which has a terrible ending. The killer seeks revenge on the Detective, trying to reveal his identity by leaving clues at crime scenes. Revenge occurs for a past criminal trial, which from the perspective of the criminal was unfair. It's a bad premise.

I also detail another weak and even laughable scene, where the quadriplegic detective manages to seriously injure the murderer, hurting his hand and then biting his neck.

There are more negatives than positives, although it is a story that involves and shows some genius in the art of deciphering crimes.

I've read that the eponymous book takes a different approach, with the killer being the Detective's personal doctor. It should be more connected there.

I don't recommend watching it, it's a film with an air of grandeur, but little robustness.

The Super Mario Bros. Movie (2023)

REVIEW

[8/10 · 23 April 2023]

The Super Mario Bros is a movie that will certainly please adult audiences and probably children. The film succeeds in maintaining the original formulas of the story without forcing it into large digressions.

My main impulse when watching the movie was to see how the Company would deal with the princess kidnapped by the villain. We would then have the contrast of the fragile and helpless princess, to be rescued by the hero, typical of the 80s when the franchise was launched, compared with the current empowered princess. How then would this question be dealt with, driven by Japanese traditionalism?

We see Princess Peach strong, independent and leader, a little far from the aura of sanctity and chastity seen in the stained glass windows of the castle in Super Mario 64 (Nintendo 64). Here the protagonism will subtly shift from the male to the female figure. There will be several scenes in which the pseudo-protagonist will be seen as weak and disposable. Her small stature is often ridiculed in tragicomic terms. We will then have the sad Homer Simpsons/Peter Griffin archetype for the hero.

We then come to Mario, the hero. The hero's journey includes family frustrations (the father denying his son's ambition), firm fraternal bonds with his brother Luigi and the newly loved one. The narrative arc formula used in the context of the Hero's Journey is understandable, strengthening it over the course of experiences.

From protagonist to antagonist. Bowser will seek the Princess's love to the same extent that he will show his evil and recklessness. I don't remember video games showing romantic intentions when the Princess is kidnapped, which, looking at it from today's perspective, seems obvious to me and fits well with the script.

Other characters will be added without much depth, namely the charismatic gorilla Donkey Kong, embroidered on the metric of brute force debating with intelligence. A supporting actor I really liked was Toad. Humor and charisma in the right measure when being a servant to the princess.

The script is fragmented and fragile. Too many environments and contexts tied together without consistent ties. Parallel universes, from the real world to the fantasy world are frequently explored formulas (the closet in the chronicles of Narnia, platform 9 ¾ in Harry Potter), but in Super Mario they don't work well. It would be better to immerse the whole story in the fantastic universe.

I recommend watching this movie, the first layers of analysis show it to be simple, fun and efficient. For children it is a great afternoon session and for adults a pleasant visit to the past.

Psycho II (1983)

REVIEW

[2/10 · 15 April 2023]

I do not recommend watching this movie. The expectation generated by the feature being the sequel to the anthological predecessor was great and was not achieved. We have a fragile, flawed and confusing script. On the other hand, it pleases to see the psychopathic Norman Bates again.

The synopsis of the film is interesting, that of reintegrating Norman into society and the consequences of both. We will thus have people close to those previously murdered who will seek revenge. The plot starts badly, with a co-worker (Mary) of the protagonist agreeing to sleep in his house on the first day of his freedom. The fact is later justified with the revenge plan intended by mother and daughters, but it does not pass verisimilitude.

Other elements are inserted to match the story, but they don't like it. We have the current owner of the motel who will be fired, a couple who will visit the basements of the house for sex, among other elements that will give substance to the story but not depth. The script experiments will take place precisely between the mother-daughter couple and the protagonist and they are terrible. There is a lot of confusion between the murderers of the supporting actors, at a certain point the sheriff will determine that justice has innocent Norman, but it remains confusing. Norman will remain under pressure, not knowing how to deal with external stimuli. Anyway, I gave up trying to dismember the Frankenstein that the movie has become.

Revisiting the environment of the first film, the house, the hotel, the swamp, brings some joy to the viewer. Too bad it stops there. They will be theses and facts that are not very far-fetched thrown into the lap of the viewer, who will have to clean himself of them so as not to scratch the brilliance of the first film.

Pearl (2022)

REVIEW

[8/10 · 13 April 2023]

Pearl is a good movie, excessively trashy and not very far-fetched, but a good movie nonetheless. Good film because it has a concise and cohesive script, without great provocations or philosophical inclinations. It's an entertaining movie. Perhaps in this lack of refinement, important elements are lost to be explored, which could enrich the story without making it overwhelming.

The dialogue between the protagonist and her mother that precedes their physical fight is the highlight of the film, although it was precocious. We could have more conflict scenes between the two to better justify the mother's 'raising the knife'. The premature death of the protagonist's lover also indicates the lack of refinement given to the plot, quick dialogues for so much depth. Vaguely pushing the car with the murdered lover reminded me of the classic Psycho.

The final monologue is the weak point of the film, it could be so much more. It could have been deeper and more tormenting, but it wasn't. It even made me yawn. Soon after, we have interesting scenes of the murder and dismemberment of the sister, and finally the final feast, which reminded me a lot of the classic Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

I recommend watching it.

The Purple Rose of Cairo (1985)

REVIEW

[9/10 · 13 April 2023]

The Purple Rose of Cairo is a film that appeals to the most demanding audience, even though it can impact enthusiasts on the go. Marital issues that remain conflicting will be raised, such as the female role in marriage and extra-marital affairs. It starts from an unhappy marriage of the protagonist Cecilia to the escape found in film sessions.

The personification of love in actor Tom Baxter is literalized in the scene in which he is transferred from the screen to real life. This point inaugurates the fantasy phase of the feature film.

The idealization of a romantic love dichotomized by the cruel reality of violence and aggression literally collides in the scene of the fight inside the church, a place not gratuitously chosen for this purpose. Nuances of religion, morals and ethics are raised and highlighted, even if in the background.

The spectator will be able to digress on profound themes such as the boundary line between reality and fiction and the acceptance of tragic reality or its confrontation, staged in a suggestive atmosphere of comedy.

It is a work that pleases and moves, the unhappy ending alludes to the pettiness and finally to the melancholy that so often contemplates the human soul.

Like Father, Like Son (2013)

REVIEW

[8/10 · 12 April 2023]

I recommend this story to anyone who wants to be entertained and also to think. We will have social dichotomies, represented in the financial power between the protagonist families. It raises the question of whether one of the families is considered the best throughout the film. I am inclined to think that the poorer family is slightly preferred by the screenwriter. Watching the film made me think that there were more teachings like this for the other side. The point is that there is a convergence of opinions and knowledge throughout the film, which leads one to believe that the eccentric tragedy to which the families had to be subjected had a happy ending.

After the Rain (1999)

Review

[10/10 · 8 April 2023]

Love Amagu is among the best movies I've had the opportunity to watch. It is a complete film, in the sense of demonstrating human values in the context of classes. The figure of the Samurai is emblematic of Japanese culture, especially when we associate it with the "ronin", the pilgrim samurai. The film will portray a whole context of evolution of the human soul.

The plot will be located in an inn next to a road, closed for the moment due to heavy rains. Due to the flooding on the road, a couple of ronin will be staying there. They then start to live with the simple people of the place, situated in a low social class. The protagonist, samurai, is soon noticed due to his mastery in reconciling conflicts, having parsimony, emotional intelligence and technical skill. Eventually he will end the clash of two popular swords, preventing injury and death. The narrative arc is then marked by a fight for money, where the protagonist defeats sword masters in the city. Although there was nobility in his attitude, that of taking money to the inn's poor, this decision marks the narrative arc in a subtle way.

The protagonist's wife is a peculiar character, with a behavior rarely seen in the contemporary universe of the 21st century. She is submissive to her husband, that is, under her mission, supporting what he believes to be correct. The relationship between the two is romantic and courteous, showing respect and honor.

The plot continues with the perception of the aristocracy to the samurai. He is invited to demonstrate his skills in a public presentation and is successful; so soon comes the invitation to assume the position of master of the Dojo, the academy of swords. The King is very pleased with his abilities. It then impacts the element that closes the narrative arc, the decision taken by the Dojo masters to invalidate the samurai title, supported by the fight for money, which was a prohibited practice. Dissatisfied with the last news, the couple of ronin returns to the road, now possible to be crossed and continues its journey. The King, enraged, tries to find the couple by road, having this meeting left open. Precisely at this point, the film ends.

It is an exciting, well-constructed film, has a well-defined narrative arc and its main arguments are well connected. The photograph points to an ancient society, with little technology and a lot of trees, a universe far removed from the one we live in today. More than 5 times I was allowed to watch this work of art, I believe it can summarize well what Screenwriter Akira Kurosawa intended when criticizing the structures of social hierarchies, often supported by vanity, fear and laziness.

Alias Grace (2017)

review

[7/10 · 7 April 2023]

I found the series Alias Grace, on Netflix these days. Set in the post-abolition of slavery period, it portrays the life of a poor young woman who recently arrived in Canada. Grace, the main character, is the victim of a violent father and as soon as she leaves childhood she is forced to leave home and look for a job. She gets it in a house as a maid.

We have in our friend Mary the revolutionary impetus present in the lower class. Sometimes it mentions the rebels who led the last rebellion and were killed. The elite's hypocrisies are exposed in the context of work and home, in particular the society of Christian values is highlighted. Sex before marriage is exposed and generates conflicts. The son of the owners of the house gets Mary pregnant, ironic because she was precisely the one who had the most revolutionary desires, taking advantage of the premise of getting married and then abandoning her. The episode culminates in an unsuccessful abortion attempt that kills Mary. Grace is devastated by the death and even more by the impulses of the son of the owners of the house towards her. She decides to work elsewhere.

At his second job tragedy strikes. The story is dubious and it is not clear whether or not there was any intent on the part of Grace in the murder of the owners of the house. James, one of the house's servants, rebels against his bosses and decides to murder them. Much of this anger stems from Mrs Honey, one of the house's maids, who has an affair with the single owner and begins to mistreat the workers. Very interesting at this point, Grace's religious digressions, about the forgiveness or acceptance of love between the maid and the owner, since the two were not married and she had already seen a friend die in similar situations. This, among other details, leads to the duality imposed by Grace's guilt or forgiveness in relation to the homicides.

After years it is observed that Grace got her freedom and was acquitted of the crime. She marries one of the workers she had known and leads, by all indications, a peaceful old age. At the end she writes a letter addressed to Dr. Simon where he told, probably, the details he needed to know to close the case and regain lucidity. She implies, therefore, that he would be able to recover.

The series enchants for bringing elements of the time, rebellious yearnings, biblical questions and dualities to be thought by the viewer.

Finally, those who watched, remember the scene of the angels with their heads torn off.

No Country for Old Men (2007)

review

[9/10 · 5 April 2023]

"No Country for Old Man" is not the ideal translation for the film, "Where the old don't have time" might be; I say this because the film will deal with Sheriff Ed Tom Bell's last police case, which will culminate in his retirement. The Sheriff shares the protagonist role of the story with the farmer Llewelyn Moss, who starts the film finding a suitcase of money near the scene of a crime involving drug dealers in the Texas desert. We will then have the plot being composed with the farmer's unruly escape from a hitman, Anton Chigurh, hired especially for the return of the briefcase.

Farmer Llewelyn represents the archetype of the average person, with right and wrong decisions, flashes of genius and stupidity. Llewelyn has military assignments related to the Vietnam War in his construction, being a war veteran, so he has experience with weapons and war techniques. These will be put to the test by the assassin Chigurh, an interesting supporting character and antagonist.

Chigurh is a cold and calculating killer, exhibiting several traits of psychopathy. Part of his crimes happen with him attributing chance to context, flipping coins in "heads or tails" to define the future. This premise is rooted in nihilistic foundations, relating chaos to the meaninglessness of everyday social relations. One scene shows Chigurh shooting a pigeon for no apparent reason. Here we can make a parallel with Llewelyn, who practiced sport hunting by shooting deer, apparently two similar situations with different moral perceptions.

The costume designed for the assassin Chigurh is coldly proposed to be exotic, with an old-fashioned and rough haircut. The intention of the film is to make the character somewhat cartoonish, so that it does not encourage viewers to see him as a hero.

The farmer's escape is lost in mistakes that lead to his death. It is proved that he was not into the criminal business and, even trying to confront him, he believed he could win. Namely some fragile attitudes of this protagonist: returning to the crime scene at night (to give the mercenary still alive water), not inspecting the briefcase with money in search of a digital locator, keeping in touch with his wife and, mainly, his resignation from his wife for the prostitute. Highlight: When Mexican traffickers intercept Llewelyn's wife and mother-in-law and discover his whereabouts, it is implied that they would set a trap. So they hire a prostitute to seduce the character and take advantage of this scenario to surprise and kill him. Although the film does not make explicit the hiring of the prostitute, it is a suitable proposition for the context.

The protagonist's death does not lead the film to the end, it is therefore implied as another everyday event in that dystopian reality. This is how the exact situation for the retirement of the Sheriff is constructed, who is no longer able to fight contemporary crimes, much less understand them. For the Sheriff, who at the beginning of the film was proud of police officers not having to draw their weapons in the past, the current reality no longer contained him. He was an "old man who would not have another turn".

The film is unpleasant at times, being monotonous (stretches between the first and second hotel) to the point of making you sleepy, but it catches your breath and pleases. The soundtrack pleases in its minimalism. I recommend the film, alerting those sensitive to scenes of violence.

The Addams Family (2019)

review

[8/10 · 4 April 2023]

The Addams Family is a pop culture classic. Conceived as a humor show with dark elements, it attracted thousands of fans. We have outstanding characters such as Mãozinha and Cousin It, in addition to the famous opening song.

The recent theatrical release (2019) is an enjoyable film. It is a script aimed at the Free public, intending to reach children. The script follows regressive linearity, with a conflict being repeated at the beginning and at the end: the family's flight from the city due to being persecuted. In the latter, the outcome is different from the former. We will have in the plot the contrast of ordinary people with the eccentric residents of the newly discovered house.

The combination of horror and comedy elements is interesting. Wanda's hair braids and her somber mood, the tree with a life of its own, the giant ghost of the house, among several proposed elements entertain and amuse. As it deals with a potentially frightening theme, the film always walks a tightrope to what could, in fact, frighten. He falls off this rope once, the scene in which the son Pugsley walks through the walls, in a reference to exorcist films, goes beyond the point and bothers him.

The art of the film is pleasing and versatile. We have recent Disney style animation for supporting characters and cartoons and super kings for the main characters. Mortiça's walk and Frankstein's design are funny. The one-eyed aunt who turns out to be half the size is hilarious. A familiar of the family mounted on a giant spider, it goes without saying then. All elements that make up an eccentric universe. I love the antagonist's hair too.

The plot fails at depth and perpetuates childish clichés like sectarian popularity at school. One could take advantage of the opportunity not to insist on the theme. The Pugsley son is also not pleasing, it has a narrative arc that does not excite. One has the impression of a story created to close gaps.

I also mention the reference to Anton Lavey represented in one of the family members of the Family, with the characteristic horn, goatee and bald head.

I recommend the movie!

A Monster Calls (2016)

Review

[3/10 · 31 March 2023]

Second-rate melodramatic romance. Weak and fragile. It is supposed to reach the unwary by endless whimpering and, in fact, it does.

The plot revolves around the illness of the mother of the lyricist, a boy passing from childhood to pre-adolescence. The mother's condition worsened to the point that the disease made her a serious candidate for death, a fact known to be observed by her son.

In this context, a character with mystical traits appears who will help the boy to go through the process of death, materializing in a talking tree. The narrative arc focuses on stories told by the character to the boy, functioning as a transgressive element of his reality. It works, in a Freudian analysis (1856-1939), as the Super Ego limiting and directing the protagonist's attitudes. Supporting characters are too characteristic, losing in reliability and verisimilitude: the grandmother, who proposes her identity through rigidity; the schoolmate who bullies the protagonist, lacking depth and blasé as the protagonist's revolution; and ex-husband. To this last one, I will prose with greater tenacity.

Greater tenacity because it was in this part of the film that I felt disgust. The ex-husband embodies prejudices in himself in the statement "Ah, that's because I'm a handsome guy". It starts from the premise that only one's beauty is a necessary attribute to generate a child, a concept that is deformed in the contemporary world. Disgust comes precisely from not being true, since the attribution of this speech to the context proactively ideals of brutality and power based on aesthetics. This detail made my evaluation of the film much worse, considering that, in my opinion, it makes it point in the wrong direction.

Tree stories are confusing. It tries to convey the idea that bad attitudes don't always have bad results, but lacks simplicity when exposing it.

As positive points, I mention the animations, there were times that I didn't watch one. They have qualities. I recover: positive point. I believe I was the only one. I close so as not to remember the 'crying' of the film again. I don't put this text against dramas, I'm a big fan of the genre, but I like it when it works. I mention two films that drama works: Requiem and Fatso.

In short: it is a film for children, which became a cult due to the intellectual fragility of the thinking elite.

Blade Runner (1982)

Blade Runner review

[6/10 · 14 March 2023]

"Contains spoilers" The film catches attention by its famous name: "Blade Runner". I had heard that name several times, I decided to watch it.

I highlight the sex scene in which "Indiana Jones" to some extent forces the woman to act. Certainly such a scene would be rejected today. Current cinema that, by the way, puts the man in the waiting position and who takes the initiative of the kiss is invariably the woman.

Aside from that glaring remark, we moved on. The film's setting is adequate and the scenarios immerse the viewer in the post-apocalyptic universe. The gigantic pyramids with apartments, the very tall buildings, the chaotic closed scenes of metropolis cities are well placed. Flying cars are naturally expected elements of futuristic cities, 40 years after the film's release, they still don't exist.

Too bad the development of the film does not please. The characters are not concatenated in a way that is of interest, a random amount of supporting fugitive robots is clearly evident for the plot to unfold. It could be better developed. The scene that could save the film did not, precisely the one in which the Machine finds the Creator and ends up killing him. It could be better detailed. As a deepening, I suggest the conversation between Bernand and the Director in the book Brave New World. The idea is the same, but well executed.

The film becomes dull towards the end and the final fight scene lasts longer than it should, leading to boredom.

The main character falling in love with the robot and them running away even though she had little time to live was an ending that pleased me, perhaps because of a spark of romance that still exists in me.

I recommend the film, even if it unfolds slowly. Perhaps years ago it was revolutionary.

Point Break (1991)

Point Break review

[7/10 · 12 March 2023]

I was recently recommended by the Netflix platform to watch this movie, I believe it was in the Classics category. It was a welcome recommendation.

The film's premise of taking an FBI police officer to investigate bank robbers among surfers, given some hypotheses, works well. The story gains rhythm and dynamism linearly. Anti-hero Bodhi questions and challenges the viewer and justice by taking sides with God in conversation with Officer Utah. The very ending of the film refers to this duality in a striking scene on the beach.

The film brings back memories of the distant past of the 1990s seeing "tube" style computers and phones that could only make calls.

Although dull in action scenes and fights, the film manages to entertain and proposes interesting reflections on freedom and the need for the police as a moderating agent.

Birdman or (The Unexpected Virtue of Ignorance) (2014)

Review

[6/10 · 12 March 2023]

Birdman is not a simple movie to understand, now on the second time watching it I could have better perceptions. I think preciosity put him among the best, as I saw some spectators doing. Some open points in this plot lead more to confusion than to creative freedom for the viewer.

The camera effect popularized in the mainstream with Black Swan is noticed and gains space, making cinema a great theater. Although in this film the sequential rhythm is very fast, overlapping scenes and sometimes shortening the perception and assimilation time of the content.

The film makes use of surrealism to create a fantasy environment, which is immediately observed at the beginning with the main character floating. Perhaps this dreamlike universe could be better exploited, but what we saw presented was a weak scene of the character flying to and fro. It has some interesting dialogues, like the one from the newspaper critic.

The film tries to be cult but lacks depth. It's not a total waste of time but you'll end up with a little bit of that feeling. That's if you get to the end.