FilmFlowCritics's Reviews

Carry-On (2024)

7/10

28 December 2024

.... That Taron Egerton should be the next Bond, this movie now finally shows that he could do it. Yes, it's predictable, yes it's in the "Home Alone" or "Die Hard" category, where the movie is set at Christmas but hasn't actually anything to do with it, NOT a Christmas movie for sure, but it's entertaining. Does it live up to nearly every stereotypical movie cliche? Yes. Can you sometimes even predict the next line in the dialogue? Yes. Is this movie not entertaining though?

Worth a look on a fresh take in this Lego build movie that was clearly pieced together from other movies, but I absolutely enjoyed the ride...or flight?

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A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)

2/10

Ever wondered what Zombieland would have looked like if it wasn't a comedy?

26 July 2024

That's exactly what you will get here. A women, even more obsessed with a food item than Woody Harrisons character in Zombieland, that is unlikable and without any depth. A side character that lacks an arc or motivation. An origin plot that seemingly has the whole population already understanding the rules and hunting mechanics of the aliens after 5min, but then changes that collective understanding, if it needs plot armor. A main character who hasn't been at her home in god knows how long, only then to return there to pick up meds which she could have collected from any pharmacy or hospital.... Absolutely nothing makes sense or is fun in this movie, besides the cute cat, which earns the 2 stars.

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Empire of Light (2022)

6/10

An Ode to the craft of cinema...

13 October 2022

...Well... at least that's what could have been. When the movie opens and sets us back into the late 70s and early 80s, seeing a classic cinema, with some craftsmanship behind it, that we forgot how to appreciate. With beautiful cinematography and lighting, this really makes you melancholic... that's the good part...

Unfortunately I checked my watch so many times during this movie, wondering when it would finally reach the 2h mark and therefore the end. It's easily 30mins to long and while it has a VERY important message that is still relevant today unfortunately, it somehow get's lost in its own melancholia, but not in a Lars von Trier way, just in "are we there yet?" way.

While it surely has its beautiful moments and lovely dialogues along the way, it did only drag me in for about 2, 3 mins and had me lost in the other scenes for some reason. It feels like this movie wants to be to many things at the same time and can't decide where to put its focus point.

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Amsterdam (2022)

7/10

So much in between the lines!

13 October 2022

A movie, that is so critical on the power structures it criticises, that it most likely won't get much attention, even with such an amazing ensemble cast! This movie takes place during WWI and the lead up to WWII but the shocking truth is, that it seems as accurate as ever.

Sure, this is a bag full of facts, mixed in with a bit of fiction and satire and therefore becomes hard to deceiver what actually is truth and what isn't, a struggle we are facing every day. This movie MIGHT frustrate you at times and yes, it is a little bit too long, but so is war, it's lead up to it and its arrangements.

Let this movie sink in, do some research and enjoy the long ride!

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Triangle of Sadness (2022)

7/10

You know why this won't get any rewards?

13 October 2022

Pretty much like "The Square", Östlund delivers again so much in between the lines of social criticism, while also not shying away from pretty much on the nose satire in its most vulgar form. While being creative and very anti-consumerism with the message here, this is a movie that might be to "critical" of the high society lifestyle, to reap rewards for the cleverly written satire it really is. It has a clear structure but also many flaws, that won't spoil the enjoyment though.

This movie is unfortunately 40mins to long and has an ending that is not satisfying in my personal opinion, but that's a matter of taste.

P. S. - Don't eat during act 2 and thank me later.

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The Whale (2022)

9/10

Don't judge a book by it's cover...

13 October 2022

Warning: Spoilers

I'm not an emotional person per se, but I tried really hard to keep myself together, but Brendan Fraser nearly makes this impossible in the last 10mins of this movie! Having writer Samuel D. Hunter at the screening made this even more emotional and touching and he so deserves an adapted screenplay Oscar for this.

@TheAcademy: This is an incredible year with incredible movies and performances. I think NOW it's the perfect time to make a one in a lifetime exception and give an Oscar to Austin Butler AND Brendan Fraser - they both deserve this by such gripping and well played performances...but I digress, You want to hear about the movie....

Sometimes a movie comes out at the write time and post all the C19 isolation, this movie might actually hit more people than it would have done before, and that is a good thing!

This movie is written in such a beautiful manner that it instantly should become a classic of our times. The even more beautiful part here is, that it also relates to a classic, by referencing Moby Dick a lot and this makes you (re-)think and put it all into perspective.

You like Max in Stranger things? Excellent, Sadie Sink does such a good job that you can't feel anything but despite and hate for her character. Hong Chau also does great work and delivers probably the best performance of her career here, I would love to see her rewarded for this with at least a nomination.

This movie will take you onto a boat, sometimes the waves will hit it hard and it gets rocky, sometimes the quietness of the sea let's you reflect on the bigger picture. Just remember...

Don't judge a book by it's cover, or it's descriptions of whales.

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The Handmaiden (2016)

9/10

The PERFECT Trailer

15 September 2022

This is how you do a trailer for an international movie and this will not tell you anything about the movie, but it sets the tone and this is simply all it needs to do. I've seen this years ago on a film festival with a director friend of mine and we were both so amazed by how this cinematography was composed and functioned as almost an additional character to the movie.

An absolute GEM from my ALL TIME favorites!

If you have not seen this masterpiece yet, do yourself a favour, watch it on the biggest possible screen with a good sound system and enjoy this masterclass of korean cinema! This is not only a movie, this is art and should be considered as such. Every viewer will think about this movie for a good long time after watching it, it never will let you go and neither will the trailer.

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Nope (2022)

6/10

Joke's on you - NOPE - Underwhelming

15 September 2022

I rarely get hyped by trailers or promo material, but this one has been the exception, but then the most likely thing has also happened, I was really underwhelmed by the experience.

It is a solid movie, not more, but far away from the pre hype it generated with its misleading marketing materials and this movie could have been as well 45min shorter and would not have lost substance.

While the cinematography is truly beautiful, you will not feel suspense at any time and you will be waiting 2.5h for SOMETHING to happen....

The weakest Jordan Peele movie imo.

Will this make my top 20 this year? -> NOPE.

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Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

9/10

A Philosophical Art Dramedy of Matrix + Cloud Atlas + Sorry To Bother you

5 July 2022

Well.... What did I just watch here?

.... That's certainly what a lot of people will be feeling, after seeing this movie...no..sorry... "Piece of art" I should say, that meets silliness on an abstruse level. Rarely did I ever experience such an emotional rollercoaster, where it goes from silly stupid joke, to intense philosophy, back to an obscene joke, reverts back to social criticism, building up an intense emotional fraction, just to rip you out of this again with a dumb joke.

I love movies, that are dark sheep, disguised in Pikachu yellow cotton candy, so you really need to wait for some fine British drizzling, to see the actual dark core of the satire here.

The chemistry that Ke Huy Quan and Michelle Yeoh have is simply amazing and I would be VERY surprised NOT to see her winning an Oscar for this, even though dramedies tend to get robbed at the Oscars! This goes as well for an INSANE amount of editing work, that needs to be appreciated. With only 2h17 runtime it does feel almost twice as long though, which is not a bad thing, it is a long journey! You could probably write your master thesis in philosophy and social psychology completely based on those two hours, there is so much you could write about this, but I'll end it here, just go and watch it for yourself and form an own opinion.

This is the most bizarre movie you have seen in the last decade or so and the bold level of abnormality this movie delivers, while still being so meta....that's simply an accomplishment of art!

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The Batman (2022)

8/10

Get dreaded in a film noir arthouse Gotham - 8.4

16 April 2022

I was sceptical when I heard about the casting of Robert Pattinson as The Batman - but I am surprised and delighted that this works so well. Christian Bale hs been the perfect Batman for me, in is aura and physicality, but the younger Batman really finds his way through the portrayal that we can witness in this movie.

A few negative points, that need to be addressed:

Andy Serkis simply doesn't work for me as Alfred, as this character reached its perfection in Micheal Caine, and Serkis is missing the warmth of this figure.

While Catwomen surprised me a lot, as Zoey Kravitz was way better than expected in this role, the shame lies in the writing. She is often in scenes where you kind of think "What is her purpose here?" and this is where the script shows its weaknesses.

Many say the film is to long, but I disagree. It perfectly portrays the character of Gotham, its film noir ambience and functions as a heavy burden that sits on everyones shoulders, especially Batmans'!

The final of the movie feels like the ending that the Dark Knight Rises should have had and it cleverly steals from movies like the Zodiac Killer, Seven and other good movies of its kind. A super heroe movie, that is more a True Detective than any Marvel Popcorn cinema waste of time. This is how it's done!

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Blue Bayou (2021)

8/10

Gripping poem about an ugly truth

13 November 2021

Alicia Vikander is the biggest name of this movie by far, BUT she is not at ll the highlight here, as Justin Chon is just slashing it!

This movie shows us what is wrong with immigration politics in the USA and I knew that these cases exist, but not how common they actually are.

You will follow a heartbreaking story that will probably not leave your eyes dry. I havent seen a movie like this in a long time, where I literally could hear the majority of the people around me in the theatre cry, no matter which age, gender or race... This movie is very touching, even though at times it gets a bit "toooo much" and is slightly over the top, especially in the last wuarter of the movie.

That being said, it is still a very strong movie that tells a heartfelt story that has so much poetry between the lines, that it will make you appreciate your life and everything you have, even more, while still making you very depressed with its brutal honesty and depiction of events.

I can recommend this, especially if you are adopted yourself or are an expat of any kind in another country!

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Holy Island (2021)

5/10

A star is born in Jeanne Nicole Ní Áinle

12 November 2021

Well... This movie has a very ambitious idea and concept which it sometimes executes very well, but then in other times it really feels like its loosing itself and drifts into nihilism.

It almost feels like an art piece, rather than a movie. It surely drives into the world of the deep questions and touches on them, but never really brings any conclusion.

Jeannes first feature movie is a debut that you can only wish for. A movie, that is pretty much all over the place gets saved by a stunning first time performance by Jeanne Nicole Ní Áinle. Surely someone to watch out for in the future.

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The Innocents (2021)

7/10

Something VERY different!

12 November 2021

Are you tired of the conventional "horror/thriller" movies? Then this one might be for you. It is by no means scary at any time, but it surely pushes the boundaries of what you expect to see in a movie, where children are the lead characters, this might upset your stomach at times, but this provocative choice is by design.

The supernatural/abnormal aspects are never fully explained though, which shouldnt be an issue in a fantasy scifi genre, but at least a small attempt towards some concept justification would have been desired. Still a very gripping film to watch, which could have been 20mins shorter to get a better score!

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Little Palestine: Diary of a Siege (2021)

7/10

It doesnt get more real than this

12 November 2021

The title is spot on... This was filmed by a "citizen" of the Palestinian refugee camp and by all means, it is not professional, so dont expect an amazing production with Dune cinematography, but this is down to earth, painfully real and you wont get closer to experiencing such a situation, unless you are in it!

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Boiling Point (I) (2021)

8/10

Gordon Ramsay meets "Uncut Gems"

9 November 2021

One take movies have been around for a while and while "Birdman" snuggles in a few cuts and therefore cant be considered a one take movie, "Boiling Point" is literally a 90in play, more like "Victoria", which is a much longer movie though.

The coordinations and technical difficulties that come with it are handled very well and Stephen Graham is undoubtably the only star in this movie, BUT you dont feel this, as he is supported by a brilliant cast. Especially Vinette Robinson is stunning with her facial expressions of all possible emotions you can feel in such a high pressured environment.

The only "downside" of this movie is, that it can seem a little bit "too much" at times, like all stereotypes of people that work in this industry suddenly came all together and work in this one restaurant in London, which was exactly the point I think, but it takes a little bit of the realism away at times.

The "Chekovs gun" is a bit to much on the nose and you see it coming from a mile away, but still the conclusion and execution of it was handled brilliantly!

The amount of comic relief is just the right dose and its combined with a stunning dramatic performance by Stephen Graham, so you feel like you have a perfectly spiced dish on your plate!

I'm keen to see what Philip Barantini has on his menu next!

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Yuni (2021)

7/10

A glimpse of a very different culture

9 November 2021

This movie not only shows you how traditions vary in other cultures, but only which struggles they cause for the people affected by it. It manages to grab your mind and fully emerges you into this world and you try to imagine what you would do in such a situation or how you could possibly escape it.

A really important story to be told and brought to western societies. The quality of cinematography and sound is of course not on a top notch level, but this isnt important. Yuni shows, that a gripping story is ALL you need for a great movie, no matter if you film it on a RED or an iPhone.

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From the Wild Sea (2021)

5/10

Between world class and boredom

8 November 2021

This topic is so worth making a movie about, but in my opinion the movie falls short in many aspects, while it is world class in others!

Let's start with what works best... The sound-Design and cinematography choices are simply great in this, you will see what I mean when you watch this, but it really helps you to "be in the shoes of the animals" at times, like not many documentaries make you feel usually.

So why only 5/10? Well, it starts off with being very educational, but then suddenly stops with that and drifts more into an artistic approach, which I find sad, as this topic needs to raise awareness much more. You will learn something, but the movie misses a massive chance to even teach you more, because it could certainly do that! Unfortunately it jumps fro one "Plot point" to the other, without really fully telling "the story" in full.

This movie has no voiceovers at all and rather tells the "story" by literally just listening to what is said in conversations, an interesting choice of style, but unfortunately it just doesnt fulfil its potential, which is such a shame!

It was still good to have seen this movie, but maybe it could have benefitted from a few more explanations to teach a very important lesson, that all of us should learn... stop trashing this planet!

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Memoria (I) (2021)

3/10

This movie could easily be 45min shorter and it still would feel to long!

8 November 2021

Maybe this movie was to overhyped for me, but it probably is the biggest disappointment of 2021 for me.

The concept was ambitious, but the movie still cant decide what it wants to be and in the last 10mins it completely shifts its genre, which was just to much...

Tilda Swinton is brilliant in it, no doubt, but this plot, that gets dragged out more and more (and I usually love slow paced movies, but that was even to much for me) simply doesnt help itself. It reminded me a bit of LOST at times, where it mysteriously opens up a loooot of questions but never answers any of those.... or you could say... "it leaves it up for interpretation". A second viewing would certainly help you to understand those connections better, but I cant make myself endure this another time.

Its such a shame that this amazing idea has not been executed much more smoothly.

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A Mouthful of Air (2021)

8/10

A must see, but no joyride!

8 November 2021

It is so hard to write a spoiler free review for this, as you literally just notice the brilliance of this movie, when its in the last 10seconds!

I will say, the fact how it plays with time, anticipation, expectation and delivery, is simply sooo well done, that you probably can see it twice and still appreciate how well done it is.

The fact that Alysia Reiner and Jennifer Carpenter have such big names, but only appear in the movie for a couple of minutes, if even, is completely ok, even though unexpected AND it just shows you how captivating Amanda Seyfried can be in this, best performance of her career by a landslide.

This movie delivers exactly what "C'mon C'mon" failed to do, it engages you fully into the emotional rollercoaster that movie is. Not for the faint hearted, as it for sure is a sensitive topic, but if you do a movie about this so well, you just have to acknowledge it!

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King Richard (2021)

7/10

Awesome Will meets mediocre movie

21 October 2021

This movie looks like it was written for Will Smith. The script fits him so well. He can show off hs comedic style as well as the serious drama bits. Oscar nomination guaranteed.

Where this movie makes you laugh and entertains you while Will is in it, thats also its biggest weakness. I've seen it a week ago and I cant remember any scene, where WIll wasnt in it, thats dangerous for the movie and its plot.

Personally I wish it would have shown the journey of the WIlliams sisters even more into their later career stage, but this movie is NOT really about them, its about King Richard!

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Dune: Part One (2021)

6/10

MadMax + StarWars + Matrix and the Jason Momoa beard show

21 October 2021

Well... This is a classic case of "Over-hype"!

This movie was awaited for so long and the hype was real... sometimes this can hurt a movie, as it did in this case. There are good and not so good aspects.

What does the movie well?

Soundtrack: Hans Zimmer done it again and he will get another Oscar nomination for this AT LEAST. A really compelling score, very Zimmer like, that you feel in every pore of your body!

Oscar Isaacs: One of his best performances I can recall, such a joy watching him!

Jason Momoa: Well...whats not to like? He is the comic relief in this movie as well as the tough fighter and finally shaves after act-1 !!!

Visual effects: As you expect, a movie like this needs top notch effects and while the effects are solid, I felt like seeing it in an imax was not really worth it!

This brings me to what didnt work so well...

Sure, this story is old, and I am not even talking about the original movie here. So you cant say "this movie stole from XYZ", in fact it might be the other way around, but this still feel like an unnatural and forced combination of Star wars and MadMax, when it comes to the story structure and cinematography.

The "story" is 0% engaging, the movie is only 2.5 hours long but it feels like 4h and I dont know how often I checked my watch during this movie. It drags on for way longer than it should and I still cant remember much of what happened.

This is what happens when an amazing star esemble cast meets too many effects and focusses to little on the writing and dialogues. Dont get me wrong, its a decent movie and I didnt hate it, but I was expecting SO much more.

A victim of the hype.

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Drive My Car (2021)

7/10

Long roadtrips

15 October 2021

Fancy a 55min long Prologue? Look no further!

This surely is an unconventional movie, that combines the principles of acting, story structure and well written dialogue so well, that you at times forget, that you are NOT watching an acting masterclass.

This movie is not an easy watch, its 3h long and yes, you feel it, but that is not necessarily a bad thing. In my opinion, the movie could have cut out 30mins, but the length is used as a storytelling device as well and the movie takes its time to flash out its characters to make them 3-dimensional, which works very well for most of them.

For a movie that has no less than 7 languages in it and (as far as I can judge from the subs) well written dialogue, there is so much left unsaid and left in between the lines for you to interpret.

The weakness of this movie unfortunately is its ending, which didnt satisfy me in the way you would expect a 3h movie to wrap up, but this is just my opinion and you might feel different about it. The ride is certainly worth hopping on!

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Mass (2021)

8/10

A Masterclass in acting!

14 October 2021

This would make a fantastic theatre play, as its exactly that. Sure, some people might say "why should I watch 4 people sit and talk in a room for 2 hours?" ...but this is so much more than this. I think I have found my surprise/underdog Oscar nominee here.

I would even recommend to NOT watch the trailer and experience that journey like it was meat to be watched. You slowly get clues fed and construct what really happened. The movie completely relies on the reverse principle of film making and goes for the "Tell dont show" in this case, which does work though!

Especially Martha Plimpton and Ann Dowd are NAILING it in this movie. This could very well been have a Masterclass session by those two on how to act in a drama.

There is no visual stimulation, but this movie still manages to take you onto an emotional journey and when you think its over....it isnt.

In all honesty, this is not a movie that needs to be seen in the cinema, this is actually perfect for a streaming service. Just give this movie a chance and fully focus on how brilliant those 4 actors are!

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The French Dispatch (2021)

5/10

The french Miss-Match

12 October 2021

First of all, I havent read the book, so I cant compare or judge on that. As always, this movie is "very Wessy". If you go into a Wes Anderson movie, you know that you will experience a weird film, that most likely is all over the place, so in this part it doesnt disappoint.

It consists of 3 different short stories, that are (apperently?!) unrelated to each other and unfortunately are played in the complete wrong order, from most entertaining to least.

Visually, the movie kicks of with a bang though! I love good credits and the artistic integration of those, unfortunately the quality of the movie doesnt continue to be on this superb level though!

Its a movie that leaves you confused for a while. Ecstatically its one of Wes best ones, but story-wise, probably one of the weakest ones. If you like to soak in weirdness though, this movie is a good match for you!

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C'mon C'mon (2021)

4/10

Joaquin Phoenix & Woody Norman saved this movie

12 October 2021

I am a massive Phoenix fan and seen every single movie of his, but this is my least favourite - by far! To be honest though, without him and the brilliant Woody it probably would only get a 1/10 from me.

This is a movie that you probably gonna love or hate, but I find it extreamly insignificant and its not even 24h ago that I've seen it and I already forgot 99% of it.

If you are a parent you will see this movie with different eyes I think, but I simply could not relate to this movie and its story, or the lack there of.

The two leads save this movie from being a complete disaster and this little boy is brilliant, plays on one level with Joaquin and he is only 12 years old (but looks like 8!) - I am 100% sure, that we will see a LOT from him in the future, maybe even a very early Oscar nomination! A star is born - I hope he doesnt go the macaulay culkin way in life!

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