The Average Film Enjoyer

Eternals (2021)

Some comparisons are also being made between this show and "The Last J*di" or the prequels, but I believe Rian Johnson and George Lucas brought a lot of creativity and dedication to their projects, which I find missing in this show.

It seems that some are defending this show more strongly because of its creators' backgrounds, whereas similar shows with different teams haven’t received the same level of defense. For example, "The Book of B*ba F*tt" and "Ahs*ka" faced criticism despite having similar issues. I personally think "Andor" stands out as the best show in the franchise right now, thanks to its strong writing, acting, and overall execution.

Bodies Bodies Bodies (2022) Dir. Halina Reijn

Such a fresh take on the slasher horror sub-genre. It really will keep you guessing who's the killer on the loose until the twist reveal at the end. It is also extremely funny. The way it pokes fun of rich people and victim mentality/twitter culture. One thing though, I get that this is an A24 film, and it wants to be original and unique. But, I think the simplistic style of execution really took away what could have been a more enjoyable and more thrilling Scream-type slasher. Maybe like more faster edits,more loud music. Just anything that could match the type of story they were going for on paper. Either way, I'm satisfied with what the filmmakers made here, and it is an welcome addition to the new renaissance of horror movies.

I gave it a 3 1/2 out of 5 stars.

Predator 2 (1990) Dir. Stephen Hopkins

The city is his new jungle. Predator 2 is such an enjoyable film to watch. I loved the urban setting, it felt so fresh, and so different from the first film. We also get glimpses of the origin of Predators on Earth. The new cast are also so badass. Everything here is so badass. What's not badass though is the lack of plot and characterization. It really felt like they didn't had much story to tell after the first one. But I'm still so thankful this film got made because of how much it expanded the lore of Predators

Hocus Pocus 2 (2022) │Dir. Anne Fletcher

Spooktober Day 1- The witches are back! And they're still as entertaining as they were 29 years ago. I loved seeing Bette Middler, Sarah Jessica Parker, and Kathy Najimy again in their roles as the Sanderson sisters. They looked like they had so much fun doing this film which can be felt permeating through the screen. This time, the sisters have a new goal, and it's not as "brave" as the '93 (where they straight-up lure children) to become the most powerful witches in Salem by performing a spell. I love how it captures the energy and tone of the first film, but it also still has an identity of its own. I'm just now realizing I just loved the nostalgia.

The only issue with the film is the look. Yes, the film is very well-lit (unlike most modern Disney productions) and looks good at times, but it still looked a little cheap, almost like a DCOM. Another issue I have is with the main characters. They weren't given that much depth. This would be fine if they were fun (?), but they were not. This is a personal issue, but the old cast's performances really showed how different modern acting is. The new cast was like just there, meanwhile, Bette Midler and company are carrying entire scenes.

Also, can't the legendary film director Kenny Ortega return? I don't think he's doing anything these days, so why can't Disney hire him again. You know, just a thought.

"One day soon

your daddy will leave his body...

but will always be around you

in the air"

“I wanna be what intimidates me.”

The Art of Self-Defense (2019) │Dir. Riley Stearns

Let me preface this by saying that I watched this because Riley Stearns has an upcoming film titled Dual, which caused me to check out his debut film first. And also, I found Riley Stearns very cute. With that being said, I was surprised by how good this was. Stearns shows some strong skills in directing in terms of creating a compelling story and well-written characters.

The film is centered on a weak and cowardly guy. He sought ways to defend himself after being assaulted by a mob of men one night. His life changed significantly after enrolling in a karate class and meeting a mysterious sensei that manages the dojo.

Jesse Eisenberg's awkward and monotone portrayal of the character brings so much to the story. And at the same time, it is also very believable. He longs to be in control of his life and become unafraid. He is scared of men, the people who he wants to seek companionship with the most. It felt so real, to me at least. I would know because I relate deeply to his character in the first half of the film.

I would say there were some clever things in this. Things that were set up early in the film come back satisfyingly later. And the concept of self-defense as a central theme is odd but they somehow made it interesting. During its second half, I like how it manages to turn itself serious after being somewhat darkly funny in the first half. Things feel like they're at stake. Which is uncommon for first-time indie directors. Films like this usually become boring in the middle, or even until the end.

Here's what I watched since my last review on this page. So I caught up on films released in 2021. Those that competed in awards festivals and more blockbuster ones. I also watched new films released in 2022 and some older ones. There were some really great films last year, especially those from established filmmakers. West Side Story, Licorice Pizza, The Power of the Dog, and Nightmare Alley was so good. I'm very happy these were acknowledged by the Oscars. 2022 films. However, 2022 films need to up their game.

The Worst Person in the World (2021) │Dir. Joachim Trier

This film gave me a heavy existential crisis, man. Maybe because I can see myself in the main character. In some ways, I can be hugely indecisive. I am easily bored that I look for something new every time. I can see myself making the same mistakes, making the same decisions. Hell, the part where she changed majors in college many times hits too close to home. And it scares me. What if I become like Julie? If I do, what would I do then?

This is my first time seeing a Paolo Sorrentino film, and I quite liked it. I appreciate it for being different. It's not a typical coming-of-age story, or at least not like the films of the same kind I've seen before.

Obviously, I'm not familiar with how Sorrentino's films work. I don't know if all his films are similar to this, but there are some moments here that I think is pretty surreal. Not the Lynchian surreal, but weird things that come out of nowhere surreal. For example, is the little monk. Or that scene where the guy protagonist gets laid for the first time. Or guy protagonist wanting to bang his auntie. Or that director near the end of the film. O the sister in the bathroom. Or that BEAR. I find it fascinating how all of it makes sense to the story and the guy protagonist's character development. I think I got what all of it means. I'm sure there's a deeper meaning to all of it. I just didn't like how the protagonist just suddenly wants to become a filmmaker and meets this director all of a sudden without proper build-up. I read somewhere that this is the director's experience growing up in Italy during the 80s', so I guess we can just brush past that.

"I don't like reality anymore. Reality sucks. That's why I want to make movies."

Marie Antoinette (2006)