Adagat Blog – Page 15

Movie Rewatch – Dunkirk

Posted on January 26, 2018October 17, 2018 by Adam

I’ll keep this short and sweet. Upon re-watching Dunkirk, I now believe that it is a masterpiece. The first time you watch it, you’re on the edge of your seat the whole time. It’s breathtaking. And stressful. It’s a visceral experience – especially if you’re lucky enough to see it in the theater in widescreen. After I left the movie theater, the first time I saw it in the s...

Micro Review – Darkest Hour

Posted on January 26, 2018October 17, 2018 by Adam

Yes, Darkest Hour is the perfect companion piece to Dunkirk, and vice versa. But both of these movies work by themselves too. Darkest Hour stands on its own merits. It can be just as intense and gripping as Dunkirk, even without the battle scenes. Gary Oldman’s portrayal of Churchill can sometimes be exasperating. It’s almost as if he’s taken on too much of his real life in...

Micro Review – The Post

Posted on January 25, 2018October 17, 2018 by Adam

The Post has a way of lulling you into nostalgia. Stylistically, Mr. Spielberg employs his most traditional sensibilities. This is not a flashy movie (which we know he is certainly capable of). And I think there’s a reason for this. The subject of the movie is, after all, the Washington Post’s coverage of the leaked Pentagon Papers in 1971. Back then, The Post was not a hou...

Micro Review – Avengers: Age of Ultron

Posted on January 24, 2018 by Adam

In many ways, Age of Ultron epitomizes everything I dislike about Super Hero Movies. There are city-leveling fights that result in massive destruction (in this case, to the tune of half a trillion dollars). There are ridiculous and overcomplicated plot points that I don't think the screenwriters even completely understand. But they're not there for substantive purposes. The...

Review – Hell or High Water

Posted on January 23, 2018October 17, 2018 by Adam

Was it worth it? That feels like the question each character in Hell or High Water has to grapple with. For Toby (Chris Pine), is this robbery spree worth risking his livelihood? For Marcus (Jeff Bridges), has his career in law enforcement been worth it? Will his life AFTER law enforcement be worth living? Amidst the car chases and stick ‘em ups, there are deeper questions ...

Micro Review – Doctor Strange

Posted on January 20, 2018January 20, 2018 by Adam

I have to learn to appreciate Super Hero Movies for what they are – entertainment. Ever since the Super Hero Movie industry blew up, there’s been this push to take super heroes more seriously. Christopher Nolan’s Batman Trilogy had something to do with that. And the large (and growing) fan base tries to support this notion as well, which in turn causes the movie studios to ...

Review – Mudbound

Posted on January 20, 2018October 17, 2018 by Adam

Wow, I was not expecting that. Maybe the fact that it was a Netflix movie made me think it would be something different. But what a hard-hitting, emotionally affecting film. I was really impressed with the execution here. We hop from intimate moment to intimate moment, somehow effortlessly. It helps to paint a picture that is both micro and macro at the same time, exploring...

10 Shows To Look Forward To in 2018

Posted on January 19, 2018January 20, 2018 by Adam

2017 was a dense, exciting year for television. We’re currently in the midst of a passing of the guard, in a way, as we move into 2018. Some of my favorite shows have retired (The Leftovers, Halt and Catch Fire), are on hiatus until 2019 (Game of Thrones, Big Little Lies, Fargo), or are on mysterious, unknown hiatuses in which we don’t know if we’ll ever see another episode...

Micro Review – War Dogs

Posted on January 19, 2018January 19, 2018 by Adam

This is basically The Hangover mashed with Scarface. It’s aesthetically and thematically similar to The Hangover – it’s got trips to Vegas, people trapped in trunks, and Bradley Cooper. Which makes sense, considering it’s directed by Todd Phillips. And much like The Hangover, War Dogs is a very fun watch. It’s got equal measures of humor and action. The fact that it’s based...

Micro Review – Manchester by the Sea

Posted on January 17, 2018October 17, 2018 by Adam

I liked this movie. But man, what a downer. I think the tragedy of it actually limits the movie a little bit. It’s forced to take itself very seriously. So there isn’t a lot of room for any other emotion to explore except for grief. The whole film is infused with melancholy – even when it’s not focused directly on the tragic events that build the story’s foundation. There a...