movie – Adagat

Review – First Man

Posted on October 16, 2018October 25, 2018 by Adam

When you look up in the sky on a clear night, you’ll often see the moon perched above the skyline. It shines so bright that your eyes are naturally drawn to it. And it’s so easy to forget that we’ve been there. That a man has stepped foot on that distant rock. It’s easy to forget because it’s almost inconceivable. It’s all the way out there, in the dark midnight sky, and we...

Review – Call Me By Your Name

Posted on January 27, 2018October 17, 2018 by Adam

This is a film that stimulates the senses. It takes place in Italy, in the summer, in 1983. You can feel the sweat beading on your neck and navel, you can hear the trickle of fountains and the chirping of birds, you can smell the apricots in the trees and the summer breeze skipping across the watering holes. This is a film that transports you into its atmosphere. It’s a fil...

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 – 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...

Review – Inside Llewyn Davis

Posted on January 16, 2018October 17, 2018 by Adam

Halfway through watching Inside Llewyn Davis I wrote down a couple notes of what I was thinking of the movie, and how I’d think of it at the end (having thought I’d already pegged what kind of a movie it would be). But after watching the whole movie, those notes I had are completely invalid. I suppose I shouldn’t have gotten ahead of myself, considering this is a Coen Broth...

Review – Ex Machina

Posted on January 14, 2018October 17, 2018 by Adam

“You should see Ex Machina, Adam.” “Oh yeah? What’s it about?” “It’s right up your alley. It’s about a guy who gets to meet the first artificially intelligent robot, and decide if it’s actually artificially intelligent.” “Oh wow, that does sound good.” “Yeah. It’s right up your alley.” “You said that already.” “Because it’s true.” “Okay, I’ll ...