WHIPLASH ★★★★★
Perfectionism, graft, drive, at any cost. Exhilarating. Masterful editing. THE BLUE ROOM ★★★½☆ Mathieu Amalric is a very competent director. Narrowing the frame to enhance claustrophobia was a bold choice. LOVE IS STRANGE ★★★★☆ Much is going on: Age, class, sexuality, family. The emotion creeps up on you, mixed in with humour. BIRDMAN (OR THE UNEXPECTED VIRTUE OF IGNORANCE) ★★★★★ Masterful! Emmanuel Lubezki needs his second cinematography Oscar in a row. HARD TO GET ★★☆☆☆
Pretty naff romantic action thriller caper. TRUE ROMANCE this isn't. A GIRL WALKS HOME ALONE AT NIGHT ★★★★★ Wow, what a vampire movie! Achingly stylish and sexy. THE TRIBE ★★★★★ Deaf boarding school as apocalypse. Edge of your seat bravura filmmaking. WILD ★★★☆☆
Takes an age to get going, but then asks CHARLIE COUNTRYMAN question: How do you do justice to a great parent? BLIND ★★★★½ Fascinating presentation of sightlessness and storytelling. Frisson palpable. THE SALVATION ★★½☆☆ For all the classy cast, and half-hearted capitalism allegory, is a staid revenge Western. Mads Mikkelsen never goes full VALHALLA RISING, which was required. THE HOMESMAN ★★★★★
Tommy Lee Jones' Western delivers an emotional gut punch. The mistreatment of women is at its core. The badguy from OLDBOY is in the house. Am at the Busan Film Festival closing ceremony. I can't believe it's nearly over. OVER YOUR DEAD BODY ★★★½☆
Director Takashi Miike goes BLACK SWAN, and makes theatre production rehearsals as gory as you predict. THE INCIDENT ★★★☆☆ Has pros/cons of LOST: Ambitious, elaborate, slick, but also sometimes unfathomable. Great score. WYRMWOOD ★★½☆☆ Aussie zombie-comedy tries to jumble the rulebook, but, while being gory genre fun, lacks scope and panache. |
This website is written by Hemanth Kissoon.
Filmaluation is dedicated to arts culture, with a particular focus on film. I care about intelligence, quality and entertainment. Need some movie and TV show recommendations? See the drop down to the right of the Home tab. Enjoy. The vital ambitions of art and entertainment: - Perceptiveness - Illumination - The unexpected - Innovation Brains and soul are key; but adrenaline junkies do not fret, there is also much love for an experience that delivers a sucker-punch to the guts via stunningly delivered thrills. Noun, “filmaluation”: The evaluation of a film Verb, "to filmaluate”: To evaluate a film I am well aware how difficult it is to make a film, put on a stage play, create a television show, write a novel, let alone make something of note. (That appreciation doesn’t stop me from having high standards though.) This online magazine is edited by Hemanth Kissoon. Filmaluation is owned by Filmaluation Limited (Company number 8549302. Registered in England and Wales) Archives
February 2024
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