Goldbeater

This is a supposed tear-jerker drama about how all good women have to suffer, and how their suffering is caused solely by men who are obviously evil. Despite the one-sidedness of the narrative and the harsh screaming, it is an adequate movie with a relatively working chemistry between the central members of one Bulgarian family at its core, backed up by some solid performances. [KVIFF 2021]

This is a very dynamically and colorfully drawn character study of a person whose public image exudes complete self-control and contentment, yet at her core, there can be emptiness and an absolute lack of emotional fulfillment. Also, Magdalena Kolesnik puts in a solid great performance to further bolster the movie. [KVIFF 2021]

The plot, which is only worthy of an below-average episode of an unspecified detective series taken at random on TV, found itself being the subject of a feature film showing in cinemas for I don't know what reason.

This movie is a very solid sequel which while is mostly just a variation on the theme established by the first installment, it is still very engaging and does not really have dull moments. Cillian Murphy was an excellently chosen addition to the cast. In the end, however, I do have to admit that I was shaking my head in disbelief at some of the behavior of the characters in this movie, even though I could accept their somewhat questionable decisions in the first installment.

Just like this movie’s main character, Nicolas Cage himself seems to have stumbled into this project by mistake, however, since he was already there, he just kept his mouth shut and put in a great performance just so he could then put the whole thing behind him with clear conscience, once it was over. This parallel is probably the most amusing aspect I can come up with regarding cheap trash. The direction, writing, and especially editing are absolutely atrocious. Nick is basically the only thing that saves this movie and makes it watchable.

The rumors of a slow anti-revenge movie were not unfounded, this is certainly no frantically paced thriller. Pig is a brooding, almost stoic drama about loss and separation, dominated by Nicolas Cage's quiet albeit highly focused performance. This movie is a highly refined delicious treat for those open to trying something unusual.

This movie is uncharacteristically dark for the type of movie Harrison Ford would normally appear in, however, rather fittingly for director Alan J. Pakula, this is a thriller about a murder committed within the world of prosecutors and district attorneys. Bold screenplay and John Williams's haunting music do well to underscore the unsettling storyline which is of regrets, cover-ups, lies, and simmering sexual tension.

Dinner in America is a punk rom-com. At the heart of the movie are two peculiar yet likable characters you can root for wholeheartedly as they go through their various struggles, although they are certainly not saint. The titular American dinner recurs as a harrowing leitmotif, which, alongside the eccentric behavior of all the characters, seems perfectly natural and fitting. Above all, this is a very solid indie comedy, due to the good performances of Kyle Gallner and Emily Skeggs.

Gone in 60 Seconds is a reckless stunt-driven movie and is not focused on the characters, their backgrounds, or any "traditional" kind of storyline. It is a movie based purely on just action and then more action again. In the first half of the movie, there are some stylish action sequences involving dozens of cars being stolen. After that, there is then probably the best car-chase scene ever captured on film. The incredible continuous action makes you forget any impressions you might have had of the lame storyline. I do not think that movies do not always have to follow a traditional format, and so sometimes a movie-maker can just smack the audience in the face with raw, honest, and polished execution. I think Gone in 60 Seconds is a great example of that.

Marvel has been just spinning the same formula for some time, and so is now trying to make up for their past with a lot of catching up to do, ripping off everything from The Bourne Identity to the underrated Bond movie On Her Majesty's Secret Service. All this is done in such a lackluster manner which is so bland and stupid that it is bound to disappoint die-hard fans of this superhero franchise. The screenplay is not as cheap and crappy as in Captain Marvel, yet it is still completely pointless and a lame bare popcorn movie.