by Felipe Rosa
Anna Karenina: the big question for this film is, do the unique, stylized set and blocking choices enhance the story? There are a few moment that they do, but for the most part they feel mostly like an empty trickery, albeit a marvellous-looking one. Aaron Taylor-Johnson seems like a poor choice, given how flat and lifeless he is.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: drama
by Felipe Rosa
Skyfall: by both mixing and dismissing old and new elements, the series circles back and gains in the process; it wisely keeps the vulnerability (to a degree of course; one can’t change the true nature of the character) seen in the last few entries. Visually, it steps away from the “Bourne” style, and of course with Roger Deakins lensing it, there are a number of great-looking shots. The villain created by Javier Bardem is great, and has a magnificent entrance. […]
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action
by Felipe Rosa
The Man with the Iron Fists: not much in this film that was not done before, and probably better, by films that were already bad. The acting is flat, the dialogues are laughable, the story as well. The only purpose of this seems to be the extremely gruesome deaths; maybe that was the goal, but that doesn’t mean that if it aims to be bad and succeeds, that makes it any good.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, bottom, fantasy
by Felipe Rosa
Lincoln: the blocking here has a immobility that is usually associated with stage theater; it fits, however, with the character speech patterns, more relevantly to the characters themselves and to the story being told. It is, after all, the story of a debate, and it is beautifully shot, with all the technical bells and whistles one could expect from Steven Spielberg. The cast is superb, and that may be understating Daniel Day-Lewis’ acting. Still, it’s a film that I can […]
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: biopic / historic
by Felipe Rosa
Flight: while this film will be mostly remembered by two tours de force (first, the impressive plane crash sequence; second, the acting of Denzel Washington), it goes beyond that. The acting wouldn’t be so meaningful if the character wasn’t such an interesting one; the same is true with the story, balancing a very interesting moral issue. Technical aspects are also strong, particularly the camera work.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: drama
by Felipe Rosa
The Sessions: while John Hawkes builds up a great piece of acting, not only because of the physical challenges involved but also for being able to make a tri-dimensional character, the rest of the characters and the narrative feel very stiff. The blame here belongs to the writing and not to the cast, it should be noted.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: biopic / historic
by Felipe Rosa
Modern Times: not many films can claim to be this funny or this touching; to be both at the same time and have something to say (whether one agrees or not is not all that relevant; the fact is, Charlie Chaplin had an opinion about the state of the world and he shows it loud and clear), practically unheard of. It has a great visual quality to it (since it is, of course, a “silent” film), but the use of […]
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: comedy, top
by Felipe Rosa
Cloud Atlas: a common mistake that will be made with this film is that people will try to make sense of the connections between the six stories, that could almost stand alone. The connections, however, are not rational, they are emotional, and in that regard it works famously (it’s much like trying to understand music; you either feel it, or you don’t). Beautifully crafted, as well.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: drama, fantasy, thriller
by Felipe Rosa
Seven Psychopaths: a screenplay that tries to disguise how messy it is by pretending it is smart and self-referential; it doesn’t really work. The cast certainly deserved better, but graphical headshots are more important than any sort of character development. There are good moments, but they are few and far between.
Categories: Film reviews • Tags: crime
Fifth about The Seventh