Reviews by Reno

The Brasil's submission for the last concluded American Academy Awards, the 2015's Oscar edition and as we know it did not make that far. Again, one more movie in the list of 'based on the short film'. It also retained all the prominent cast and their respective roles for this full length feature. A teen romance-drama, a gay theme as well as a love triangle. Very light and softly narrated tricky romance theme and obviously suited well as a complete picture.

The story was told from the perspective of a blind high school student Leo. He and Gi are the friends since childhood. She's always there for him like a pair of eyes, a companion who walks with him home, only until a new student Gabe arrives. The things are starting to change around them and they begin to realise how much valuable to each other. What comes after is the crux of the story. The same old jealousy story, but from the fresh cast it looked so good.

In our eclipse, Gabriel would be the
Earth and you, the moon.

A successful domestic box office, critically acclaimed film and the better ratings in all the online movie database, but to me it was just a good movie. The story had adorable characters and the love tale was told in a cute way, though that was not enough for me to get excited. No offense, but the gay theme was the letdown, that doesn't mean I'm against the gay. I loved 'Love of Siam' and 'Bangkok Love Story'. Maybe because I'm a straight, though I had no problem with the movies like 'Water Lilies', 'Yes or No' and other lesbian movies.

It's a crazy world, full of crazy people and their crazy romances. Whatever the format is, the love is always sweet. I liked this film's concept, if it was reversed from the gay to the lesbian, probably I would have loved it more. Or the story structure and character development in the first half should have been improved. Because in the end part, looked everything hurried and forced to conclude. Don't listen to me, you might like it, but be cautious, especially don't go after it with a great expectation seeing plenty of praise everywhere.

7/10

Good to be back to a Korean movie and this time I'm happy that I picked the right one. A small budget movie produced by the Korean film board and many actors from the project did for the free. A massive victory for a debutante director July Jung after receiving a standing ovation from the audience at Cannes and the positive response from the critics, media and movie buffs around the world. From this you would know that you must not miss the film and I would say the same, but I also apprise you that it ain't masterpiece.

The story follows the police officer Lee Young-nam, who is moving into a quiet small coastal town station to take a charge after the allegation of drinking problem and other personal scandal in the capital city. Her task is to lay low for a while until everything calms down to move back. She succeeds only until a girl knocks her door, metaphorically as what the title say. An unexpected relationship develops, as well seems another trouble is on the approach. Whatever happen from there is the story, especially the second half.

The good thing is this film talk about the root cause of the domestic violence. Like alcohol is one of the major concerns for those. Small intake is okay, but the excessive and addiction is the worry. No matter its the good people or bad according to how they live and what they do, but the point remain same. Here in this story as well all the characters were associated with alcoholism, but differentiated with purpose of life they are in and responsibility. The child abuse, the family who treat their own child badly was the goal to expose for us. And what follows after that was beyond a proper solution. The point it ended and what might happen after that is still a questionable.

Alcohol is the problem.

The girl was Kim Sae-ron from 'The Man from Nowhere' fame. She's has grown up, a teenager. In the next movie probably would play a heroine. She was very good in the role. The girl with the mentality of when everybody sided her in the society except one who begin to care for her all the sudden, that might unleash the inner evil for having a support and to relocate, but the doubt is she's capable? From the girl's perspective, all are fair and square, but what society and law's take is another arguable angle. So you might know by now, the movie is not about any section of good versus bad people, but the reality of our world/civilization/society and a strategy to stay input/alive in the life between the obstacles we face.

Slow narration, particularly in the first half. Took time to evolve the characters, but still confines the earlier events of each one of them that gave a strong next half. Nobody can know where the story is gonna go, the possibilities are several. I was stunned for the way it ended, especially the last 15 minutes were not typical, but tricky. Even for a real life, this kind of stuffs scares hell out of being an adult for caught between being a villain, but not an (serious/life threatening) offender. I said it because still in many third world countries that is how a child brought up and nobody care including government/law or the neighbours. Its no matter small mischievous thing or not intended to, or you did it. What I'm saying is the example of movies like 'Jagten' and 'In the House'. Anyway, a nice movie with the talented performers. Worth a watch and to suggest those we know.

8/10

An Irish vampire movie, thus back to where the vampires were originated. There are no good vampire movies these days, all those are teen target products which are simply a fantasy flick. In the old days, its horror and terrifying ugly giant beasts, the werewolves were, but in the todays movies they are adorable giant wolves. It's either vampire movie or werewolf, the result is same. 'Twilight' or 'Vampire Academy' and others, just not my type, though watch them for entertainment and to keep up-to-date.

The reason I watched it is for Saoirse Ronan, because I like her. But Gemma Arterton has been so good like always. To me this is what called a vampire movie. Of course, themes should vary from a movie to another, that does not mean one can completely abandon the basic theory. Neo-gothic is one of that, the present filmmakers forgets, because that kind of set-up gives Dracula effect. This film has been just like everything I wanted, so I enjoyed every bit.

It is always great to see a movie that portrays the world over the span of 100 or more years. As usual survival and hiding the identity is the main intention for the concept. But from who (other than humans) and why is the suspense that reveals formally at the right time. If you like 'We're the Nights', then this is the right one to pick. But not great as 'Interview with the Vampire' was, in fact, it was directed by the same director.

7.5/10

A perfect role for Julianne Moore. All the other characters were nicely arranged around her's. It was a story based on the high school teacher and her ex-student, joining together for a school project. In the middle part, a wonderful development in the story turns the convincing second half. Some people are not a good listener, they try to finish the sentence before the speech givers. Such small instance, sometime may create a big trouble. Not right away, but it takes time of its own. At some point the truth will meet and all the hell will break out.

A movie with a good narration, but very familiar and predictable. Pleased performances, individually, but casts did not blend well together. Overall, a better movie than what I've heard about it, especially compared to so many overrated recent films. Easily just an above average, should have been better in the many parts, but the quality is there and entertains. In the end, it gives satisfactory for what it is. If you expect something more beautiful or powerful, this isn't the right film for you.

6.5/10

Sometimes we wanted to like the movie, because it was inspiring, family friendly, great cast, performances and so on, but something stops you. Not because of hatred, but the other end of the dislike, i.e., too much tenderness and packed with full of cliches. This Aussie film was one those, a very good concept and I would definitely recommend it, especially for children and families, but seemed everything was plain with no surprises.

Partially based on the real events. A young boy named Dylan who lives in Perth, the Western Australia with his dad discovers his skills on the paper plane making and launching. Soon begins to focus it on the professional level by aiming for the junior level competition to represent his country in the upcoming world championship held in Tokyo. How far this unexpected success would take him and how it would help to fix his grieving family is the entire story.

Right from the beginning you would know all those going to happen in the length x breadth of the movie. So the spoilers and synopsis won't hurt much if you are yet to watch it. Even the characters planned like that way. For example the boy's friendship with a hawk was not coincidental for this particular movie theme and also his grandpa was a world war 2 pilot. I already lost my interest at that point, but I was unable to dislike this little cute and rare film. I carried on because the boy's courage and passion for the paper planes was not just for his ownness, but everyone around him that gives a change to change.

Okay. Here's my advice.
Study everything that flies. (Snaps fingers)

There are plenty of mini sub-plots. Anti-bullying was one of the best things and the three different kinds of friendships; a boy from the neighborhood, a girl from the competition and with a bird. The father was kind of depressing and a bad example, but had a good reason for that. That boy's every action was directed to his father to make him look back. Well, the father was Sam Worthington, whose role was insignificant compared to his star value. It influenced to raise the movie value, especially the marketing which makes people come and watch it, but overall he was decent.

Okay, fine, to this point all I said about, but missing realism was unable to accept. I'm talking about the flights of the paper planes. It's not like 50 years ago, today we got the very best CGI at production level, that mean you can't omit the actuality and go for the extravaganza. That would work well for commercial films, and this was not one of those. It was suppose to encourage the kids and it did in a way, I appreciate that. Not the best children or Aussie flick that I saw in this mansoon. Eventhough I had a mixing feeling on this, I quite enjoyed watching it and I hope your opinion would differ to what I said in this review.

6/10

Looked like a normal drama, but I had a lot of laughs in the first half. And it was a completely opposite in the second part where it touched me deeper. It has been months I haven't had tears in my eyes for a movie. This was an excellent family movie with lots of good things about life and family in it. This was the closest one I ever got to one of my recent favourite music-drama from the Canada, 'Gabrielle'. There's no major comparison between the two, but similar movies with different characters and settings. The theme wise it was another version of 'Billy Elliot' for sure.

This was not about your typical rural family. It was a rarest where they are going to witness the next stage of the life's journey as a united family as well as individually. Being a member in a deaf family, especially when everyone somewhere, somewhat depends on you is a task needs devotion. But when you realise you are gifted with something valuable, what will you do and how your the family reacts. That's what the story is and illustrated with excellent bunch of characters.

Like I said earlier, the end scene will test your emotional level, but hard to hold it back, especially you are a kindest in nature. If you are having it with a numerous disturbances and lost concentration, then it will become an ordinary movie. One of the reasons for the mean people to say 'I'm a grown up man'. Does not mean men won't cry, but some they just hide it, that's all. In a such occasion when you are uncomfortable showing your emotions, then I recommend you go for it alone and have a good time.

Being deaf does not excuse everything.

It is not unusual for a movie to have the flaws, some will be neglectably small, but some will be strongly visible. It was the sign language that leaves a blank page as an invisible dialogue that we never get. I had a tough time understanding some parts of the movie. Instead, understanding the lines that said with gestures, I managed to follow the situation of the story and the scene. It would have been the same even it was an English language movie, hardcore subtitle would have been a better solution.

In the middle, the narration failed to keep up the momentum. Barely any interesting stuff occurs. It was a time when in the storytelling to take place a leap. Apparently only for that instant, but once you complete your watch, it does not seem much affected portion in the film. Interesting, the story began to break into multiple and tried to move in all the direction. Election campaign, brother's crush on his sister's friend, like that. But cleverly held back to the one line for the sentimental conclusion.

Does not feel like it was the first film for the lead girl Paula. She might have missed the title in 'The Voice' competition, but she has won an award for her lovely role in this movie. I am not a French nor English nor from the other Euro zone, and I don't know the songs from the movie, but loved them all. The lyrics were so good, especially that final song. A highly recommended movie for the families.

9/10

I thought it was Cliff Curtis' movie because that's whom I saw in one of the posters. Anyway, it's Jason Bateman's movie, which is also his first directional venture. A refreshing theme because only a very few movies were made based on the spelling bee contest, but this one was a bit messed up story narration. Most of the narrative looked so pale and dull. It is supposed to be an exciting storytelling with blistering pace.

You know, stories in the movies happen with a backdrop of the reasons. Like a piece of uninteresting wood carved into a something that attracts everybody. Some movie holds it till the end to reveal that beauty in the form of a twist, but some won't mind explaining it along the way. In this movie, what they had for the twist was lifeless, boring one, more like a cliché from the older days flick.

The boy from the movie 'Jack and Jill' was decent. I felt some material in the movie was inappropriate regarding a minor in one of the lead roles. But I know the title clearly suggests it is only for adults. Understandable that the writer wanted to give something new, but he could not get it right. Maybe lacked to bring some interesting and inspiring elements. What surprised me was, it was not either for commercial benefit nor a fine art piece.

All the way I knew something was not clinching and finally found out the approach to portray the main character in the negative mode had to do with something. They wanted the viewers to go against him and well, they got it in a way. Interestingly the screenplay was from the 'Black List' which was untouched for almost 10 years. Unfortunately Bateman decided to give it a try and the result is,... Here I'm with not satisfied fully, but okay-okay movie for being at least something different.

6/10

Ever since the movie 'Dallas Buyers Club' grabbed the three golden statues at the Oscars, the director has been in the spotlight. But I was enjoying his movies before that and yet this one is another remarkable adventurous-drama based on the real expedition into the wild. Cheryl Strayed whose story was this film based upon appeared in the beginning scene where she drops off her version of the movie character and wishes her a luck.

The world is round, you can't runaway with your problems. If you do, you might end up where you have started. That's why its called a circle of life, goes round and round and round. You can hide your issues with yourself, but it may lead to a depression. Sometime when an experiment goes wrong, it's better to restart from the scratch with a different method. Here in our (human) lives some people do the same, return to where we've come from to restore the lost life. Of course I said all these, because this flick was inspired by such real incident.

I prefer this film was very close to the Australian movie 'Tracks' than bringing 'Into the Wild' into the frame. Obviously the Australian movie and this one are about the two young women, but the thing is, the story deals with the different motivation for their decision to take part in the quest. The Aussie flick has an edge over this when it comes to the challenges faced during the journey and also I loved from narration to photography, music and performance.

Since they both inspired by the true story, I appreciate the filmmaker's effort to bring them into the screen and salute to those two magnificent ladies. In both the films, both the women psychologically affected by their earlier stage of lives which was one of the reasons to step into the wild. I feel, 'Tracks' should have been nominated instead this movie for the Academy Awards.

I've always been someone's daughter or mother or wife.
I never got to be in the driver's seat of my own life.

It was a wonderful 2014 for Reese Witherspoon. Back to back career reviving; biographical and inspiring human emotion movies in this graphic, sci-fi and fantasy dominated era. The year's sweetheart for the critics and I doubt there will be another same year. Remember, she was nominated for the Oscars for her role in this film.

The disappointment was the adventures. Not what I expected. The struggles were unable to reach for our deep heart compared to other self-discovery voyage films. Weight she carried and losing a toe nail, I don't see much impact because those are supposed to happen. This PCT (Pacific Crest Trail) is well planned and partially protected the hikers with all the needs supplied all along the route. The only thing they have to do is stay away from the wild lives and watch-out for the intruders between the checkpoints.

In other end coping with depression was what I loved in the movie. Without those flashbacks this film was nothing. Literally, this story all about the mental healing. The pain she carried, she just wanted to eject it from her body and mind, and the journey helped it. The funny thing is I liked Laura Dern a lot than anybody in the movie. Her character as well as her dialogues was very inspiring. Her nominee for the actress in a supporting role was justified. I can watch this film again and again, only for her alone, sadly she won't appear for a long stay.

I loved it, but not completely pleased with the product. The reason is 'Tracks'. I think the film came at the wrong time or maybe I saw this one when the other flick was still hot and fresh in my memory. An achievement is an achievement, I respect both the films. You like the movie or not, that's a secondary thought regarding movie's outcome. But it's a must see for disclosing the extraordinary adventure of an ordinary young woman.

7.5/10

The story was told by an escaped Jewish from the Auschwitz concentration camp controlled by the German Nazi during the second world war. Obviously the film was based on the history, so the story must be true, but I feel there are some fictional accounts as well. Because it was the first called 'Colette: A Girl from Antwerp' from the three book series about three Jewish women. The author Arnost Lustig was the victim of the war crime and it was his story. All the confuse is for the male lead character named Vili Feld, not Arnost Lustig.

It was a decent as a movie and one of the terrifying world war 2 horror as a story. Those who survived that outrage was lived to tell the stories, and just imagine how many more stories have not made its accounts. Despite it was about a young woman called Colette Cohen, the tale was narrated by Vili Feld by recollecting his memories of the prison camp events. Colette is the one he has fallen for. He gives up an easy job just to see her everyday. His secret love, suffering during held and deaths around, all these are the story's main ingredient told in a margin of the thin line between good and bad.

Vili lived all his life looking for the reason for the some unanswered questions. Being in the prison and having an affair was like a chess game. The story was also told in a similar fashion, like pawns moving all around from both the sides and sacrificing a few to win the game. Ultimately, how the game was set up for the grand finale was ended casually before the original timeline's end come into the effect. Survival was the main intention, especially the King and the Queen in the chess format to say. That's the reason the deaths around, I mean the pawn sacrifices were not heartbreaking that we see easily throughout the film.

The greatest thing a person could ever do...
Is to save someone's life.

Technically, it sounded a great; photography, editing, music all were depicted the 40s era precisely as for our knowledge of understanding. The performances were too not bad at all, but it was the second string end that looked so stupid. No complain if it was accurate to the real occurrence, though there are not enough evident to prove or the movie won't tell much at the end. In a such cruelty related theme I can't believe the shortfall of emotions and rawness. The screenplay was nearly comparable to the dark comedy, having a brutal war in the backdrop. It focused lots of thriller, but there are equally cool moments that actually calms. As a result, it seems not true to the novel, but borrows certain pages from the book, especially heavily on the romance bits and ignores everything else.

After watching the whole film, still doubt remained with me in certain parts of the narrative. Maybe I need to have one more look, appears to be something I missed. The film, coming from a country like the Czech Republic is really remarkable effort, especially for it in the English language which makes the world look to on this direction. There's no argument about the international standards, the original touch is what's needed because I felt many scenes were directly inspired by the other second world war flicks. Other than that it was very close to 'Life is Beautiful', except it was not a comedy. Worth for a single time watch like any plot that related to this filthy war the man forever regretted for.

6.5/10

I usually like Terrence Malick's flicks, but not this one. His story narrations are always aims more on the action (not stunts) than the talkings. Besides, spectacular visuals are the highlights and his trademark, and again, not in this film. He really tried, but it was so boring movie in the recent time I have seen. Pardon me to mock him, but I had to say that the film looks like the one what Willem Dafoe trying to make one in 'Mr. Bean's Holiday'. Except here with me there is no Mr Rowan Atkinson/Bean to make the film an exciting with his genuine editings to add some fun stuffs. Sorry, it goes straight to my 'I should have not watched it' list.

2.5/10