Fifth about The Seventh

Begin Again

July 4, 2014 by Felipe Rosa

Begin Again: in spite of the simple, old story, John Carney’s film is an interesting watch; it is driven by the passion of art (music in particular) that, for being so earnest, is very relatable. The great looking cast (Mark Ruffalo is a great presence, Hailee Steinfeld and Catherine Keener good additions for the time they are on, but it’s Keira Knightley, who has a nice singing voice, who is the highlight) and the nice songs go a long way to make it a pleasant ride. […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: drama, musical

Snowpiercer

July 2, 2014 by Felipe Rosa

Snowpiercer: an interesting action film; Joon-ho Bong executes with great measures of violence what is a great concept of a dystopian world, one which violence is far from being simply a concept; as it so ofter happens with good science fiction, this one has also something to say about our present times. Set design is an important part of this film, and it’s quite well executed. The cast is generally interesting (and refreshingly mixed), but Tilda Swinton in particular is fun […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, sci fi

22 Jump Street

June 30, 2014 by Felipe Rosa

22 Jump Street: Phil Lord and Christopher Miller’s film is not devoid of laughs, but they are few and far apart. Channing Tatum and Ice Cube are the main reason for them; Tatum, in particular, if for no other reason he is given more to do and has more screen time. As in the previous entry to the series, the story is almost an afterthought (and, in a much self-referenced bit, basically the same one told in the first film). Visually, it’s a rather nondescript […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, comedy

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Transformers: Age of Extinction

June 29, 2014 by Felipe Rosa

Transformers: Age of Extinction: this film presents strong evidence (if there wasn’t enough already) that Michael Bay is a firm believer that “more is more, and if there is more, it’s also better”; only that can explain the repetitive, noisy and excessive action scenes (if they can be called that; the lightning fast editing allows only the explosions to register, not what is actually going on) and the inane dialogue (so many lines are purely a description of what is […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action

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How to Train Your Dragon 2

June 25, 2014 by Felipe Rosa

How to Train Your Dragon 2: visually striking animation, with a beautifully realized world and varied, well-designed characters (both humans and dragons) and dynamic set pieces and action scenes. However, the main strength of Dean DeBlois’ film is its story; it focuses on a heartfelt, touching narrative in lieu of low-brow, easy humor. It helps that the voice acting is low-key, with character-building being its main priority. Read also: How to Train Your Dragon

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: animation, fantasy

Jersey Boys

June 21, 2014 by Felipe Rosa

Jersey Boys: most of the entertainment value of Clint Eastwood’s film (which, at least, is existent) comes from the music; otherwise, as a film experience, this is surprisingly flat. The main problem lies in the story and most of the character gallery, which are nondescript and unfocused; another issue is that the film meanders among many genres without convincing at any of them. The performances are usually too broad, theatrical (betraying the origin of the material in a different way than usual, […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: biopic / historic, drama, musical

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The Fault in Our Stars

June 13, 2014 by Felipe Rosa

The Fault in Our Stars: as this simplistic, schematic story evolves, it’s easy to see how one is expected to feel; that doesn’t mean that is achieved, however, as the manipulation is very ineffective. Indifferently directed by Josh Boone, the only outstanding aspect if this film is Shailene Woodley’s performance; she is able to be both touching and electric. The remainder of the cast doesn’t have much to do.

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: drama, romance

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Edge of Tomorrow

June 9, 2014 by Felipe Rosa

Edge of Tomorrow: while calling an adaptation (particularly one that is so clearly inspired by another movie as well) “original” may seem like a stretch, there is enough illusion of originality in this high-concept summer film to warrant that. Part of it comes from the playful tone that Doug Liman imprints in most of it; part from the smart way the high-concept is dealt with. Tom Cruise fits the role nicely, as does Emily Blunt; Bill Paxton chews the scenery […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, sci fi

Maleficent

May 31, 2014 by Felipe Rosa

Maleficent: Robert Stromberg’s film is able to tell an old, familiar story in a new way, retaining most of its recognizable elements at the same time as it alters enough to make it fresh and somewhat heartfelt, even if still simple. (It also avoids the pitfalls of other similar, recent endeavours, thankfully.) Angelina Jolie is able to infuse the proper tone to the title character, while Sharlto Copley chews the scenery. Beautifully designed world (costume design included) and CGI. Fun, […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: fantasy

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