action | Fifth about The Seventh

Captain America: The Winter Soldier

April 11, 2014 by Felipe Rosa

Captain America: The Winter Soldier: this film’s story is relatively grounded (for the genre, of course; that’s not to say that aspects of it are not properly outlandish); the main character is appealing, for being so earnest and vulnerable. Likewise, the Russo Brothers shoot the action scenes, mostly, in a gritty way, appropriate for the nature of the main characters and villains. It’s a good-looking cast, even if they don’t have all that much to do; the recurring cast (Scarlett […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, super hero

Alemão

March 12, 2014 by Felipe Rosa

Alemão: solid, competent action film. At its center is a well-told story (with undertones of some Howard Hawks’ westerns, and making good use of a MacGuffin),

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action

RoboCop (2014)

February 25, 2014 by Felipe Rosa

RoboCop: this is a well-crafted film; the sound design, visual effects and Lula Carvalho’s camerawork (for the most part; there are a few handheld shots that stuck out like a sore thumb) are solid.

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, sci fi

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire – Revisit

January 3, 2014 by Felipe Rosa

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire: a new visit confirms that, while the action sequences

Categories: Film reviews, Revisit • Tags: action, sci fi

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug

December 17, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug: while beautifully realized (top-notch special effects, beautiful cinematography, great costume and set designs and, above all, outstanding make-up), this film suffers from being the middle chapter in a trilogy, somewhat aggravated by screenplay. As is often the case with adapted material from other media, how one reacts to the new work is related to how strongly one feels about the source; the film takes its time to show the world, but it also takes […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, fantasy

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King

December 12, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King: a great closing film to the trilogy. Technically, there’s no need to repeat how good this film looks. What truly matters is that the emotional payoff of the journey is present here; the story is completed and the characters given their dues without rush. Sean Astin defends quite well his character, the heart of the trilogy; most of the cast is strong as well. The tone is grandiloquent (accentuated by […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, fantasy

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers

December 4, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers: the production values in the second film as they were before (the consistency, result of the effort to treat the production as one throughout the whole series, pays out), but something else needs to be mentioned: the locations chosen are stunning. The pace on this film suffers a bit, partially because its condition of being a bridge between the beginning and the end of the overarching story; also, the extended cut has […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, fantasy

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring

December 3, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring: film adaptations of stories from another media are tricky; by one hand, the story and characters are laid down already; by the other hand, they necessarily will clash with pre-existing mind’s eye images of the material. The task gets further complicated when the original material has the scope and following of Tolkien’s writing, and Peter Jackson’s choices will be different from most others’. Costume design, set decoration, make-up and visual […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, fantasy

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire

November 27, 2013 by Felipe Rosa

The Hunger Games: Catching Fire: some sequels are content in repeating the story of the original work with minor variations (these generally make for less attractive experiences); others continue (in an organic way) and expand the story and the world where it takes place. This film (at least to those not knowledgeable about the source material) starts as one of the first type, but morphs into the second; the story got richer and more emotionally involving. The discomfort with the […]

Categories: Film reviews • Tags: action, sci fi