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I always found John Wick to be an extremely over the top, fantastically entertaining and phenomenally directed franchise. The elegance of those movie lies in its simplicity and its commitment to action sequences and choreography, never trying to tell a profound story or anything like that - something Mission Impossible absurdly, desperately tries. 

After the fourth movie, I was pretty much done with the franchise because enough is enough and I was satisfied by those 4 extravagant movies. 

Ballerina is another great entry in the John Wick franchise that delivered some of the best action sequences I’ve seen in the last years, an elegant and charismatic central performance by Ana de Armas and a crazy bonkers third act that almost felt like a video game. 

First things first and let me be completely honest here: the story is almost non-existent. And when it tries somehow to build up a story, it fails. Again, the beauty lies in the simplicity and the elegance of the fight sequences. It’s a pretty bland revenge story that doesn’t have great dialogue or interesting characters and arcs. Did I care about that? Mostly no. Some characters were pretty bland - Norman Reedus’s for exemple has a very mediocre presence - but again, I didn’t expect much better than this. 

Now, I’ll explain why I absolutely adored Ballerina: 
Action Sequences. This movie is crazy from start to finish, with fantastically choreographed action sequences that makes every other action movie look awful in comparison. Since John Wick became a “thing”, every other action movie around feels so “meh” in comparison. Don’t get me wrong, my favorite action movie of all time is still Mad Mad Fury Road but damn, man… 5 movies into this franchise and my least favorite entry is still a 7/10. 
Grenades, handguns, katanas, shotguns, knifes - you name it. This movie is an action set piece from start to finish. 

And of course, as I expected from a John Wick movie, lots of neon-lights, lots of nightclub fight sequences and lots of blood and gore. 

Overall folks, you like John Wick and wanna see another round of epic over the top well filmed violence? Ballerina is the movie for you. 
You want a deep, poignant story? None of that here. 

Loved it. 

8/10

One of the best Disney movies I’ve seen during this marathon. 

Aladdin’s colors, visuals and overall feel is extremely impressive, captivating and memorable. It’s a movie that perfectly captures the essence of that city and that era. The soundtrack is fantastic as well, elevating the experience to something far more grandiose, epic and exciting. 

The story is what surprised me the most, to be honest. It’s such a charismatic story that, retrospectively, influenced so many other stories. For instance, the introduction of Assassin’s Creed Mirage is basically the life of a charismatic thief in Baghdad - it does make you wonder right? 

The story is very memorable, the ing cast is fantastic, and the overall story wraps up pretty well. The villain is extremely over the top in a good way and the main duo is sweet and their chemistry is on point. 

I don’t have a major nitpick with the movie, to be quite honest. The movie is so much fun, filled with fantastic action sequences, heartwarming moments and sweet character interactions. What it tries to do, it does tremendously well and I highly recommend it. 

9/10

Mulan is an epic Disney animated movie that greatly honors the word epic. 

The visuals are fantastic for 1998, with an incredible realization of China, filled with gorgeous landscapes and stunning castles.
Technically, Mulan is so impressively done, with fantastic battle sequences, awesome melee fights and an epic third act that keeps delivering punch after punch without ever losing steam. 

My only critique is definitely the second act - which is definitely the weakest. Mushu’s presence and guidance can be overwhelmingly difficult to digest - even if, in the end, was kind of ok. Unfortunately, I didn’t find him to be that funny or charismatic. At times I found him pretty infuriating, to be honest. Thankfully, those 20 minutes don’t stain an otherwise epic movie.

Mulan, as a character, is great. This is what female badass characters look, sound and act like. Such a fantastic screen presence, arc and overall realization. I think a lot of care and dedication went to the writing and realization of this particular character and I deeply respect and appreciate that. The ing cast is also, for the most part, very charismatic and charming. 

Again, the ending is very sweet, funny and heartwarming.
The overall experience ends on a very high note that left me extremely satisfied. It’s not one of my favorite animated movies of all time but it’s a very good movie, filled with fantastic memorable sequences, great overall themes and an all timer central character.

8/10

A Minecraft Movie is, probably, as good as a Minecraft movie can be. The source material is a huge sandbox with no story whatsoever that I really enjoyed playing in my 10’s but that’s about it. Everything - from the abysmal trailers to the cringe screenshots that released online - seemed so trash that I honestly had no interest in this. 

Well, the movie isn’t great, as I expected. It’s an extremely goofy funny time for kids, I guess. The dialogue is terrible from the beginning to end, the characters are laughably over the top and awfully written - but that’s kinda of the point? 
The realization of the world is fun and dumb - and that’s probably the main takeaway from A Minecraft Movie. It’s dumb fun and it’s not the awful 1/10 movie I thought it would be. 

Jack Black and Jason Momoa surely had a great time filming this and it shows. Everyone is having a great time on screen and that’s kinda contagious. Again, it’s an extremely dumb movie but the production is charismatic and, in the end, it’s a “turn your brain off” and enjoy reliving a bit of your childhood, I think. 

Some battle sequences are so hilarious that I just couldn’t help but to feel a bit nostalgic with it all. 
It’s not a good movie but it’s definitely not a dumpster fire. Some moments are sweet - with an incredible tribute to Technoblade that actually left me a bit emotional - and, overall, a great sense of fun and respect for the source material. 

5/10 

Sinners is astonishingly good!

Without a doubt, Sinners is one of the best horror movies of the decade and, personally, my favorite movie of the year so far. It’s an almost flawlessly constructed and executed movie from start to finish, delivering one of the best soundtracks of the last 5 years, a truly career-defining double performance by Michael B. Jordan and a masterclass directorial effort by Ryan Coogler.

I honestly wasn’t expecting to love this as much as I did because, in all honesty, I found Black Panther to be one of the most overrated movies of all time. Nowhere near as good as some people say it is and nowhere near as good as “academy award worthy material”. 

Here, Coogler actually shattered my expectations and actually broke the wheel. Sinners is a meaningful horror movie that explores grounded themes with wit, originality and humor - a complete cocktail of pure gory entertainment extravaganza without ever losing focus of its core. The characters are fantastic and well written; the dialogue is great and the use of music is absolutely phenomenal - varying greatly between charming and beautiful to downright creepy and uncomfortable.

Cinematography also extremely gorgeous. Such a good looking movie. 

The ending is basically the cherry on the top, with a moment that reminded me of one of Red Dead Redemption’s most memorable moments, delivering a satisfying, bittersweet finale that left me fascinated, entertained and deeply deeply satisfied by it all.

Chaotic, well constructed, gory, funny, important. 
Sinners is an horror masterpiece and a movie I play to rewatch soon. 

9/10 

Up is a devastating movie in many ways. It’s so impeccably written, crafted and directed - filled with sweet, heartbreaking moments. It’s that kind of Disney Pixar movie that works magnificently for kids and adults - for different reasons. 

I didn’t care all that much about the action sequences, even if they’re well choreographed and stylish. I’m sure that’s really cool for kids but what made love this movie from the bottom of my heart was definitely Mr. Carl Fredricksen’s story and his relationship and wedding with Ellie. It’s so damn emotional, so beautifully written and so impeccably scored, man. 

When Fredricksen finds the adventure book completed with photos … it just broke me. Absolutely phenomenal. 

At its core, Up plays out extremely similar to The Last of Us. Fredricksen finds a reason to continue to live after a devastating loss and reconnects with the world, ready to move on. It’s so beautiful, just so absurdly wholesome and heartwarming. 
Fantastic movie 

9/10

Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning has some deep, intriguing flaws that hurt the overall experience to a degree that, in the first act, I was not having a good time. Thankfully, I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I expected. 

The first act is messy, clumsy and exposition filled - to a nauseating degree. There’s so much going on, with no proper development, so many cheap throwbacks and almost no sense of pace whatsoever. The movie is extremely long but that first act was, unfortunately, an incoherent mess that tries desperately hard to tell a story that’s not as deep as they think it is.
It may seem I’m too critical but the story is cliche, filled with “save the world” type of scenarios that got the job done but never broke the wheel. 

After that exposition heavy mess, the movie turns into a gigantic epic two-set-piece movie that ultimately I really enjoyed. Mission Impossible: The Final Reckoning has, probably, the best underwater sequence I’ve ever seen in cinema. It’s so intense, so beautifully shot, so incredibly paced. When this movie aims for “Mission Impossible” it really succeeds, because the stakes are incredibly high and Tom Cruise’s commitment to this franchise is unmatched. 

After that, I really start to dig into the story - even if extremely cliched. The third act is pretty strong, with a final fight worth revisiting from time to time. It’s satisfying, epic - even if extremely contrived - and, ultimately, pretty entertaining. 

The Final Reckoning doesn’t deliver the closure I expected but it was an extremely entertaining, flawed, charismatic, phenomenally shot movie that I really enjoyed overall. 

7.5/10

Encanto is another marvelously animated movie by Disney, filled with catchy songs, a powerful story, message and, above all, a strong sense of heart, purpose and humor. 

The cast is fantastic, with phenomenal performances. The visuals are superb, as I come to expect from a Disney movie, and the story is superb. The central themes around the meaning and purpose of family are well explored, even if the resolution feels a bit abrupt and superficial. It’s very emotional, very lighthearted and sweet, very funny and human at its core. 

Also, Mirabel was a fantastic main character. So sweet and charming. 

Overall, not Disney’s best movie but still a great watch all around.

I grew up watching Final Destination. My aunt, one of the most important people in my life, always loved slasher movies so we watched them together over the years, since the mythical flight 180 to Paris, the highway crash or the awesome bridge accident. I had no expectations for Final Destination: Bloodlines and then I saw the reviews: borderline great for a guilty pleasure heavy franchise. 

Now that I watched it, I don’t think it’s the best entry in the franchise but it’s so fresh, so absurdly meta and funny (thankfully) and so over the top that I’m just grateful  it exist. 

The deaths are goofy, over the top, absurdly gore. The dialogue is corny, funny and quite hilarious at times.
Sometimes, however, it tries to take itself seriously and there my compliments end. I really don’t like the approach of some characters because it definitely follows Halloween’s (2018) approach. 

There’s some conveniences and the ending is absurd, as usual, but seeing Tony Todd again and watching another round of people dying in the most horrific, tragic and disgusting ways possible was just pure FUN. That’s, for me, my biggest takeaway from Final Destionation: Bloodlines - it’s so fun, so fast paced and so extremely over the top. The premonition scene? Wow. Fantastic. 

I also loved how this movies constantly baits the audience into thinking a character is going to die this way and then something absurd happens instead. It never feels cheap, it just feels fun 

Final Destination: Bloodlines doesn’t reinvent the wheel but shakes up the franchise pretty well, with another round of over the top gruesome deaths that felt so fresh, so thankfully meta and surprisingly funny that I was honestly charmed by the overall experience. 

7/10

Pocahontas is a visual marvel, delivering phenomenal artwork and good cinematic set pieces.

Unfortunately, I didn’t really like the characters for the most part. Pocahontas has almost no discernible personality other than fall in love with John Smith. The overall story of the movie is well intended and it’s actually really refreshing on paper but falls flat in execution. Everything feels rushed and underdeveloped, even if the ending is emotional and sweet. 
The message is extremely powerful tho, and even if I have some major issues with character development and background, I found the attempt really ambitious and refreshing. 

Overall, Pocahontas is good. I really respect it. It’s not a Disney highlight but it’s an interesting movie nevertheless . The script delves into some delicate, complex themes that I really enjoyed, even if the characters lacked a bit more depth. 

7/10

Technically flawless, absurdly catchy and, above all, heartwarming in nature, Beauty and The Beast is undoubtedly a 90’s Disney animated movie - but remains a very good animated movie nevertheless. 

8/10

Frozen is a sweet movie filled with memorable and charming musical moments and good pacing but, ultimately, it’s a bit overrated considering how popular, mainstream and successful it is.

Don’t get me wrong, I had a good time. It’s visually stunning, I really enjoyed most of the songs, and the love story is pretty sweet and charming. However, it’s pretty straightforward and simple - without any major theme captivating me that much. It’s a simple story about fear, love, isolation and human interaction but, I don’t know… it’s one of the most successful Disney movies ever and, in that perspective, it’s a bit overrated.

I really loved Anna, Sven and Kristoff. I think they’re the highlight of the movie, with Olaf having some moments here and there. Elsa, unfortunately, didn’t click with me and honestly found her character a bit boring. 

Overall, it’s nowhere near Disney’s best movies but I think Letterboxd rating is also a bit harsh. Paradoxically, I think it’s overrated and underrated at the same time. 
It’s a fun, simple, straightforward, visually stunning, cliche heavy experience that I’m glad I had. 

7/10 

After replaying The Last of Us Part II, time to get back to movies: 

Warfare is a great showcase of Alex Garland’s use of tension to create utter fear and chaos in the audience. 

It’s a brutally violent, crude and apparently loyal depiction of a very particular incident during Iraq’s war, in 2006. The cinematography, the sound (I can’t praise it enough) and performances are all fantastic. Some sequences are astonishing, delivering some of the best uses of sound and camera work I’ve seen in recent times, often feeling more like an horror movie than an actual war movie. 

Don’t expect a magnificent epic story because Warfare is based on stories of the survivors, and not exactly on an ambitious, dramatic or poignant screenplay. 

Warfare isn’t my favorite Alex Garland movie and it’s not one of the best war movies I’ve ever seen.
However, it’s still a very good experience filled with dreadful moments, fantastic cinematography,  directing and sound. Overall, Wardare is one hell of a tense ride from start to finish. 

8/10

Black Bag’s biggest problem is the whole “espionage thriller” marketing campaign. I expected something stylish, tense and more action packed. Well, I got the stylish aspect but, otherwise, it’s an extremely slow, dialogue driven movie that I don’t think it’s memorable enough. 

Fassbender and Blanchet are quite good here. Very interesting performances, with a great on-screen presence and chemistry. 
Technically, a very competently directed movie. Soderbergh’s style is convincing and methodical. 

The plot, tho… it’s there. There’s some cool twists and obviously THAT scene but that’s like 5 minutes of the movie. Most of this called “espionage thriller” is just people talking in doors and that’s about it. There’s some good writing here and the conclusion makes sense but, again, it’s a very superficial story. There’s really almost no memorable scenes through the whole movie and it’s just one of those movies that I’ll forget eventually. 

Black Bag doesn’t necessarily have major flaws but, unfortunately, it’s a largely forgettable movie that didn’t captivate me. I wouldn’t call it boring but it’s quite uninteresting sometimes. Very elegant to look at but disappointingly bland in taste. 

6/10

[Casa do Cinema de Coimbra - Ciclo de Cinema e Direito]

The Accusation is a powerful courtroom drama that has a very weak first act but ultimately two strong subsequent acts. It’s phenomenally acted all around, sharply directed and edited, and, above all, very interesting all around. 

The first 20 minutes are confusing, messy and very choppy. Writing-wise, it stumbles a lot in those 20 minutes, specially regarding dialogue. After that, I actually enjoyed the movie a lot. It’s ambiguous, it asks important questions and it draws and subsequently muddles the line between morality/law. 

There’s some odd creative choices, specially regarding Alexander’s father side story with that intern but I get the purpose. Overall, just like the movie’s structure, this review is messy but, in the end, I enjoyed it.  Performance wise is phenomenal. 

7/10

Mickey 17 is a disappointment. 

It starts out pretty strong, with a charismatic Robert Pattinson narrating a daily routine to die for (I’m sorry). The work, die, repeat stuff is extremely well thought and a cool gimmick during the first 30 minutes of the experience. The social commentary is there, it’s pretty efficient in the first act and the humor was pretty on point. 
Robert Pattison’s performance is constantly phenomenal. What an actor and what a comeback after Twilight, seriously. 

But then, I don’t know man. The movie completely implodes into a mess that I really didn’t enjoy. The first act is extremely strong but that’s about it and that’s quite a shame. Mark Ruffalo’s character is infuriating; Bong Joon-Ho’s CGI is frankly subpar with recent industry standards; and the writing just becomes so over the top.  

Unfortunately, I didn’t love Mickey 17. Much like The Host, I struggled to connect with this movie past the 30 minute mark. Ultimately, the gimmick is wasted in a messy story that’s massively carried by a fantastic Robert Pattinson. Joon-Ho’s directing didn’t particularly impress me at any level and the overall experience just felt decent, at best. It’s still an original movie but I expected a lot more. 

6/10

The Godfather Part II was essentially perfect on rewatch. When I first watched Part II, I thought it was substantially weaker than the first, even if quite good nevertheless. Now, I think it’s just as good as the first, narratively even better at times. 

The 4K Restoration is absolutely fantastic and a joy to watch. Visually stunning and phenomenally directed by Francis Ford Coppola, technically alone, The Godfather Part II is a an unprecedented dramatic masterpiece. The crowded streets of New York, the gorgeous vistas of Cuba and Nevada and the rural hills of Sicily - all absolutely gorgeous to see in 4K. 

Narratively, I think Vito Corleone’s origin story is absolutely superb. It’s just epic, carried by a fantastic performance by Robert De Niro. Everything feels earned, expertly written and beautifully executed. 

I find it superb that, in parallel, Michael’s story becomes darker and darker and morbidly depicts the downfall of Corleone’s family. While we see his father’s rise to glory and fame, we see Michael completely ruin his legacy. 
No other movie depicts “I’ve won, but at what cost” this way and so terrifically written. 

Magnificently acted, directed and written, The Godfather Part II is one of the best movies of all time. It stood the test of time magnificently and still remains of the most important pieces of cinema. One of my favorite movies of all time.

10/10 for both Godfather I and II . 

Interstellar is still my favorite Christopher Nolan movie, without a doubt. It delivers some of my favorite moments in all cinema history, for example, the docking sequence. It’s one of the most ambitious movies ever made so that alone deserves my attention and respect. It’s a flawed masterpiece and I do have some nitpicks about it, tho. There’s some cheesy dialogue, some stupid decisions and some moments that I don’t think stood the test of time particularly well.

First of all, the majority of the movie is simply fantastic. The movie is absolutely loved by everyone and I’m not an exception. Interstellar is visually phenomenal and, surprisingly, emotionally powerful - something Christopher Nolan doesn’t usually succeed at. One of my girlfriend’s biggest Nolan critiques is precisely the coldness and distance of his screenplays. His movies are, no doubt, technical masterpieces but, at times, they struggle to connect emotionally. I totally understand her point of view here and I tend to agree more with her now. The Dark Knight is a great movie but, retrospectively, failed to connect with me at any level. Dunkirk is one of the most distant, cold and indifferent movies I’ve ever seen - even if on purpose. 
Well, here, he succeeded. “23 years of messages” is heartbreaking and a phenomenally written scene

2001: A Space Odyssey’s inspiration is really important and I think Nolan beautifully homages my favorite movie of all time. This grand scale epic odyssey around the stars is my stuff of dreams but here comes my first nitpick with the movie. 2001 feels like a gelid movie and doesn’t have a lot of dialogue. It makes humans feel lost, overwhelmed and lonely.

Interstellar’s introduction to new characters adds unnecessary drama - particularly Matt Damon’s character. The whole “betrayal and fake data” story just felt a bit out of context and extremely “novelistic”. Damon makes dumb decisions - like horror movie style - even if he’s desperate or overwhelmed. 
Before that, Anne Hathaway’s character delivers a cheesy monologue about love transcending time and space that I frankly do not like it. I think when it comes to Cooper and Murph, it works. The whole “bedroom” and father and daughter connection is beautiful and one of the best things Nolan has written but, seriously? Brand is a ing character that doesn’t do much during the majority of the movie and SHE delivers that monologue? I don’t know, I just don’t think it works well in that context. I know it’s nitpicking but it stood out negatively. 
Again, there’s some writing decisions here that I don’t understand and, frankly, I think Interstellar should be 4h30 long. The first act is extremely rushed. 

So, even if I don’t think this is as good as 2001: Space Odyssey, Interstellar is still a phenomenal movie and a landmark of originality. Sci-fi is my favorite genre of all time and Interstellar certainly holds a top 5 position in the best sci-fi movies ever made. It’s a visually striking, emotionally engaging experience that delivers one of my favorite third acts in cinema history. It’s a flawed masterpiece, but it’s still a masterpiece and remarkably ambitious. 

Christopher Nolan remains my second/third favorite director working today, only behind Denis Villeneuve and I can’t wait to see “The Odyssey”. 

9.5/10

[Tv-Series Review] 

Finally watched what everyone was talking about. Seriously, almost everyone close was praising this show saying it’s the best Netflix show of all time etc.

While I don’t agree it’s the best show Netflix has made - that title belongs to the butchered David Fincher’s Mindhunter, Adolescence is a great 4-part show that’s stylistically shot, phenomenally acted and brilliantly written. 

Adolescence is a tough watch. It’s a crude one-shot gimmick 4 episode part that terrifyingly depicts online bullying and the rising popularity of stupid dumb abominable people like Andrew and Tristan Tate. It also depicts the current state of how young people are manipulated into thinking they need money, girls and muscles to “not be an incel” and that’s extremely refreshing to see. Adolescence is, at the very least, a powerful message about low self esteem, depression, isolation and violence. It’s an extremely important message.

As a show, two of the four episodes are masterpieces: third and fourth. 2 hours of fantastic TV, carried by a fantastic performance by Stephen Graham. But I mean, there’s no point in highlighting performance because everyone here shines. I actually think the last episode was my favorite because watching this family fall apart piece by piece but, nevertheless, have the courage to pick up where they left off was just refreshing and incredibly emotional. 
Writing is fantastic as well. Dialogue is interesting, well written, natural and very engaging - the third episode just .. wow. 

Really great show. Highly recommend it. 

8/10 

10/10. 

Still a masterpiece. 

[Ciclo de Cinema e Direito - Casa Cinema de Coimbra]

M has some undeniably revolutionary ideas and imagery. The third act is definitely the movie’s highlight because it goes in-depth in some really delicate aspects of insanity and the absence of proper “guilt”. M is also the stage of some great acting performances - which really surprised me considering it released in 1931. 

And that’s about what I have to say. I didn’t love it by any means because, in my honest opinion, some aspects didn’t age all that well. It’s a slow movie with no sense of pacing whatsoever - and that really hurt the overall experience for me. Thematically dense and, above all, historically important and revolutionary. M is classic cinema that I deeply respect. 

7/10 

Babygirl is another all style no substance drama/erotic poor movie that ultimately fails to deliver something meaningful, original or even entertaining.

Nicole Kidman delivers a perfectly fine performance but it’s just that - fine. The rest of the cast is forgettable and bland.

Cinematography is pretty good and that’s the only praise you’ll see from me. The movie is gorgeously shot but that’s about it. A well shot, eye pleasing 2h sequence of sex scenes - some extremely pretentious and laughable. There’s no substance, no discernible theme and no real story to tell. It reminded me a bit of Fifty Shades of Grey - but Babygirl is far more pretentious. 

One of the most boring, forgettable, sex driven movies I’ve seen recently. It’s bland, unfocused, messy and, above all, empty. 
4/10

[Bong Joon-Ho Marathon #3]

I must it the first 30 minutes of Snowpiercer didn’t quite click with me. The action sequences were choppy and uninspired - with poor camera work that heavily disappointed; the pacing was all over the place and some characters were quite insufferable. 

Well, I’m happy to say that after the bridge sequence the movie becomes substantially better to the point where I really enjoyed it overall. Chris Evans’ performance is strong and it’s a type of performance that grows during the movie, culminating in a very powerful sequence in the third act. The overall acting is decent, nothing crazy, but Chris Evans is definitely the highlight here. 

Bong Joon-Ho’s directing is a bit shaky. Overall, I think it’s a bit underwhelming in the first act - with some shady CGI and shaky camera work. He then gets substantially better, picking up the movie and actually delivering excellent fight sequences and memorable moments. Overall, it’s a good job even if a bit uneven. 

The overall concept and themes are extremely interesting. They’re not particularly subtle like in Parasite but they’re nevertheless strong. A train divided by class; the idea of no social mobility; the idea of mirroring our world when it comes to autocratic regimes; an overpopulation reflection - and, consequently, a reflection upon global warming and climate change. 
There’s much to reflect here and, arguably, too much themes that Joon-Ho ultimately wanted to explore. However, even if somewhat superficially, most of them are well explored. 

Overall, Snowpiercer is a bloody original good time. Great concept . 

7.5/10

[Bong Joon-Ho’s Marathon #2]

I loved mother. 

Mother heavily reminded me of the best bits of Memories of Murder and that’s the biggest compliment I can give to this horrifyingly cruel movie that delivers a powerhouse main performance by Kim Hye-ja and a top notch Bong Joon-Ho behind camera. 

At its surface, Mother is the most straightforward comprehensible movie in Bong Joon-Ho’s filmography but dear god, the implications. When I watch a movie written and directed by Bong Joon-Ho, I expect some sort of social critique. Here, the Korean judicial system is completely deconstructed and exposed, delivering a powerful portrayal of corruption, flawed investigation procedures and, above all, the social marginalization of some due to mental disabilities. Ring a bell? Right. Some themes are also present in Memories of Murder - even if MoM focuses more on police brutality. 

Not only that, Mother also deals with obsession and sacrifice. This mother’s heartbreaking journey defending her son completely destroys the line of right vs wrong; just vs unfair; acceptable vs unacceptable. You can clearly see that she loves him from the bottom of her heart - like I assume most mothers do - and she only sees the best in him. There’s a line where love and obsession become totally muddled leading to one of the most heartbreaking endings I’ve seen in a long time, where the mother is no longer the same person.

Not only the themes are extremely well explored but the murder mystery is also extremely interesting through the whole experience.
My only issue is that Bong Joon-Ho delivers constant tone shifts, as expected - and some of his “korean” style of comedy and tone doesn’t
work for me, ittedly. Nevertheless, the core aspects, themes and twists landed for me. 

Mother is Bong Joon-Ho at his very best. The movie is extremely slow-paced but one that magnificently rewards the viewer at the end. It’s a cruel movie with a twisted ending that made me love it even more. Powerful and heartbreaking. 

8.5/10

[Bong Joon-Ho Marathon #1]


The Host is the weakest entry in Bong Joon-Ho’s filmography so far. Still, it’s nevertheless a decent experience that, unfortunately, aged terribly. I think Ho’s directing really shows signs of greatness and a phenomenal sense of ambition. When it comes to directing, I’m really pleased and surprised by the camera work. When it comes to dialogue and themes, this apparently superficial monster movie has some interesting deep implications and themes to reflect and talk about, and, finally, when it comes to performances, I really enjoyed everyone on screen. 

Then why do I think it’s Bong Joon-Ho’s worst movie? Well, I appreciate the intention but the CGI is absolutely terrible and, for a monster movie, that’s unfortunate. Also, the movie cost 11 million dollars to make - that’s more than I thought actually. I think Alien is the perfect example on how to make a monster movie work: if you show the monster too often, it loses its charm and momentum. Here, Bing Joon-Ho constantly shows this horrendous creature that completely took me out of the experience. It’s not that I mind seeing a monster movie but how absolutely goddamn horrendous this looks. 
The movie is really well directed overall, with some pretty good shots and cinematography but my dear god, the VFX is awful and the decision to constantly show the monster is a mistake. 

The story also becomes a bit convoluted eventually, and the emotional stakes are simply dry in the third act. Ho constantly loses focus between the more grounded themes such as the environmental hazard caused by humans and the more goofy monster horror aspect. It’s an original movie but not one I find particularly great by any means. 


6/10

Unforgiven is a difficult movie to rate because there’s honestly a lot to praise here but, unfortunately, the overall experience felt a bit underwhelming. I think I blame myself to a point. Maybe some misdirected expectations, but a western directed by Clint Eastwood? I expected something more intense, more stylish and more interesting and engaging. I got none of that but I still got a respectable western that’s definitely slow, contemplative and extremely well shot. 

Unforgiven is a movie about coming to with ourselves. Eastwood magnificently plays an old, methodical and sometimes nostalgic outlaw that repeatedly insists he’s changed. I actually really liked the depth of these characters - played by Eastwood and Freeman. Unfortunately for me, Unforgiven is an interesting take on the western genre but it lacked punch. It’s very contemplative, slow story with lots of talking, ing and bonding but without Leone’s signature strengths. 
Eastwood’s directing is superb, with phenomenal camera work, excellent visuals and top notch cinematography. Acting wise and directing wise, Unforgiven is superb. 

Again, this is basically a farewell to a great old genre - The Western. These characters are old, maybe a reflection of Eastwood, who knows. There’s not a lot of epic action and it’s more of a nostalgia driven story to the good old days. 

Even tho I’m disappointed, it doesn’t mean it’s a mediocre or even a meh movie. No, Unforgiven is a good movie. If you’re into a contemplative western, you’ll love it. Me? I’m more of a Once Upon a Time in the West type of guy. I found Unforgiven to be extremely well directed, with phenomenal cinematography and camera work; extremely well acted as well - with awesome performances by Eastwood and Freeman but, unfortunately, too slow and not that interesting.
Ending is fire tho.  
Still, it’s a good movie. 

7/10 

One of the most shocking award shows I’ve ever seen. 

Emilia Perez nailing two Oscars is beyond me. Saldaña’s Oscar will go down as one of the worst academy awards ever. 

Mikey Maddison beating Fernanda Torres just proves that Americans don’t watch foreign films all that much. 

Now Anora. Best Editing? My brother in Christ. 
Anora best picture? Yeah, no. Sean Baker 4 Oscars in one night? Yeah, no. Anora isn’t a terrible movie but it’s definitely not Best Picture material and, in time, I think it’ll be regarded as one of the most overrated picks of all time. I genuinely don’t understand. 

Positive Points: 

I’m Still Here winning Best International movie was awesome and completely deserved. 

Adrien Brody’s performance was absolutely phenomenal. Totally deserved. 

Conan was alright. Pretty average overall. 

[Boys Night double feature] 

Machete and Machete Kills are absolutely awful, bloated, boring and unappealing. 

Trash movies with terrible CGI and awful acting

2/10

Watched on Saturday March 1, 2025.

While not revolutionary, A Complete Unknown brings the best out of Timothée Chalamet and 
strongly depicts the highs and lows of Bob Dylan’s early years. 

I’ll start this by saying that I’m no Bob Dylan fan.  I don’t dislike him or anything like that. I just don’t listen to any of his songs regularly. 
I went to A Complete Unknown a bit cautious because I have no emotional connection with Dylan’s music or his work. 

I’m definitely pleased to say that it’s a very good biopic that courageously depicts Bob Dylan as a complete moron from start to finish. It basically shows that Dylan was a deeply flawed and extremely talented young man. Mangold’s directing is really solid, cementing himself as a very competent director after the success of Logan and Ford v Ferrari. Really solid production overall, with fantastic sound, good cinematography and great pacing. 

Now, the obvious right? Performances. Flawless, most of them. Elle Fanning’s best performance to date, Edward Norton best performance in years, and a powerhouse performance by Chalamet. He’s just 29 years old and it’s quite possible that he delivered a career defining performance and, maybe, Academy Award winning. He’s just crazy good, charismatic and talented. Until now I was quite sure that Broady was the deserved winner of this year’s best actor academy award. I still think that BUT, if Chalamet wins? It’s deserved nevertheless. 

A Complete Unknown doesn’t paint the full picture of Bob Dylan’s life but it definitely shows his ups and downs early on. It’s a very well made movie that didn’t make me curious about Dylan’s music but, nevertheless, made me respect his audaciousness, boldness and contribution to rock and roll as we know it today. It’s not “best picture material” but it’s still a very well made movie. 

7.5/10

[Rewatched at Casa do Cinema de Coimbra] 

I’ll start this by saying the obvious: I was a complete idiot in 2022. I rated this movie 3/5 stars and was disappointed during the entire experience.  I don’t understand how, I really don’t because the first thing I said to my girlfriend when we finished the movie was: yeah, I absolutely adore this movie and I actually think it’s better than the first one. 

Before Sunset is Richard Linklater’s masterpiece. It’s such a fantastic movie about “what wasn’t and what could have been”. I actually like the characters much more this time around - they’re grown up adults with regular jobs, failed relationships and that morbid feeling of “something is missing”. That emptiness and melancholy about the constant pursuit of meaning is terrifically executed by an all timer script by Linklater, Hawke and Delpy. 
The dialogue is absolutely unreal good. 

Performances are much better, in my opinion. Hawke really grew as an actor and it shows onscreen. More likable, grounded and funny, with a pretty consistent and interesting Delp by his side. The chemistry remained unchanged and that’s something extraordinary. 

Cinematography is simple but extremely effective. Paris is damn pretty and a phenomenal setting for this movie. The boat ride is lovely, the Notre dame dialogue is engaging and the overall atmosphere is extremely charming. 

Overall, Before Sunset is extraordinary. I’m so ashamed by my first rating but well, opinions change and mine certainly did. 
9/10 

After rewatching There Will be Blood, I had to revisit 2007’s academy award winner for Best Picture. I enjoyed the experience when I saw it a few years ago but I didn’t love it - not even close. In fact, I’m not particularly fond of Coen brothers’s movies - Fargo is okay but that crazy, in my opinion. 

Well, I actually enjoyed this movie much more now, even if There Will be Blood remains my undisputed favorite movie released in 2007. 

No Country for Old Men is a movie about fate and the ever changing nature of life. It’s also a movie about the randomness of it all - life itself. I actually like these themes a lot, particularly the last one. Much like the Coen’s, I’m both fascinated and terrified by the randomness of life. Much of it doesn’t make any sense and, sometimes, there’s no grand closure or a big send-off. Sometimes it’s just extremely anticlimactic - like, for example, dying in a car crash or a sudden heart attack. There’s no big send-off, no big farewell, no big “goodbye world” to be ed. Sometimes it just fades to black. Also, I love how, essentially, the good guys don’t win anything at all - on the contrary. There’s no poetic justice, no guardian angels and sometimes, the “bad” guy just “wins”. I found these themes extremely well explored. At first, the ending felt bit underwhelming but it actually suits the movie extremely well. 

Bardem’s performance is, obviously, phenomenal. He is just vile. I think it’s one of those rare occasions where a performance gets under my skin. He’s so creepy, so morbidly classy, so abominable cold. It’s, of course, the performance of a lifetime and a tour de force by one of the best Spanish actors of all time. I actually think he represents death itself. He’s sort of this mysterious figure that hunts Josh Brolin’s Moss for the rest of the movie and almost never backslides. Chigurh is a fantastic character that deserves a full in-depth interpretation on its own because he’s just there, representing fate. Since the moment Moss picks up the money , his fate is pretty much sealed and, even if he somehow cheats death once, it ultimately comes to every living soul on earth. Bardem’s Chigurh coldness in my opinion, represents the randomness of life. You’re basically dead if you lose a coin toss - just like your decisions in life can lead you to an anticlimactic, anticipated demise. 

Tommy Lee Jones, also, fantastic. Beautifully drifts away from the “bold, brave old cop” that ultimately saves the day. He’s just a very depressed resigned old man that doesn’t understand the world anymore. That doesn’t know how to cope with the growing violence around him. Funny enough, I think we live in a world where half the world hates the other half. We just have to hate something to keep going, it seems. I found Jones’s character fascinating and, ultimately, his story to tell. 

I genuinely found No Country For Old Men’s philosophical questions fascinating. Well, at least how i interpreted it. 

Overall, No Country For Old Men’s is, at surface, a very straightforward cat and mouse thriller. It’s well shot, extremely tense and terrifically acted. However, there’s a lot of depth here. I’ll definitely watch it again soon because this movie deserves multiple rewatches. 

9/10

Watched on Tuesday February 18, 2025.

Jesse Eisenberg’s comedy/drama is a major surprise and an extremely delicate, intimate and emotional movie that deeply resonated with me. 

A Real Pain is gorgeously shot by Eisenberg. For such a “new” director, this is tremendously respectable and a really interesting work of art. It definitely feels like an European movie but made by an American. It’s slow but extremely funny and charismatic, mainly because the performances are top notch. What a phenomenal year for acting performances, honestly. Jesse Eisenberg’s performance is, probably, his second career-best, only after The Social Network. He’s just great here, delivering an intense, intimate dialogue that’s chilling and extremely crude and real. Kieran Culkin is definitely as good as I heard and read everywhere. The absolute pain, desperation, shame and anger in his eyes is heartbreaking, culminating in one of the most tear inducing conversations I’ve seen recently. 

There’s also an history element in the movie that I really enjoyed. It’s treated extremely well and with huge respect - even if there’s a bunch of comedy bits here and there. It’s an extremely funny movie, with deeply emotional implications and a devastating ending that left empty - in a very good way. 
I absolutely adored the ending, even if my girlfriend noted that she expected something more out of the story. I think the ambiguity suits the experience very well and concludes what I think “the real pain” is: solitude, emptiness and lack of purpose. 
Remarkable achievement.

8/10

Watched on Saturday February 15, 2025.

Watching The Brutalist - a fantastic film in its own right - made me nostalgic and eager to rewatch one of my favorite movies of all time - There Will be Blood. Don’t ask my why on earth would I chose Valentine’s Day to rewatch such a crude, slow and mesmerizing movie but here we are. 

There Will Be Blood is, essentially, perfect cinema. I don’t consider myself a huge fan of Paul Thomas Anderson - I actually truly dislike Inherent Vice - so I don’t have a particular bias with him. I really like Boogie Nights but that’s beside the point. Here, Paul Thomas Anderson delivers what I think is one of the best directing showcases of modern cinema, with a brilliantly slow-paced, character driven story about greed, animalistic capitalism and loneliness. 

“ I Want No One Else To Succeed“

Of Course, There Will be Blood wouldn’t be possible without Daniel Day Lewis’ career defining performance and, frankly, genre defining performance. I thought about it for years and I honestly think Day Lewis’s performance is my favorite performance of all time. Even if I change my mind someday, it would still be top 3 for sure. 
And of course, another magnificent performance by one of the most underrated actors around: Paul Dano. Their chemistry on screen is unmatched, culminating in one of the most absurdly crazy endings I’ve ever seen, delivering a top notch satisfying finale that’s both terrifyingly violent and incredibly symbolic.

There are other movies that have a similar feel to There Will be Blood. For example, Killers of The Flower Moon has a similar tone -  and themes - and well, even The Brutalist reminded me of this masterpiece. But there’s something that, in my opinion, those movie lack - even if purposefully - phenomenal set pieces. As I mentioned in my review, Killers of the Flower Moon’s directing is nothing short of extraordinary but it never packs a big punch and it never feels “epic”. I totally get why, tho. It’s dealing with some complicated themes and a true story so I respect Scorsese’s decision. However, I couldn’t help but feel like I wanted more - something memorable. 
I had the same exact feeling with The Brutalist. It’s an impeccable movie that has a very underwhelming ending. 

Well, There Will be Blood isn’t packed with action - on the contrary. It’s a very slow, methodical, well directed and written movie that definitely takes time to establish characters and motivations. But oh boy, when it explodes? It explodes. Tarantino once praised the oil rig explosion scene as one his favorite scenes in cinema and I completely agree. There Will be Blood isn’t an action movie but it damn knows how to deliver set pieces and memorable moments. The ending is another example of that. I couldn’t think of a better, more satisfyingly poetic ending - something The Brutalist couldn’t deliver properly. 

Overall, I love this movie even more now. It’s such a slow drama filled with excellent performances and good writing. It’s a mesmerizing achievement by Paul Thomas Anderson and the masterpiece of its genre. Greed, Hate, Religion, Capitalism walk into a bar and There Will be Blood is the punchline. 

10/10

[Cinema & Direito - Casa do Cinema de Coimbra]

Mar Adentro is a very good movie carried by phenomenal actors and excellent writing. Not only this is a deeply personal, touching and beautifully constructed movie, but it’s also a very important story that deserved to be told in the big screen. 

First things first, I it that I’m very sensitive with these themes. Historically, I’ve always been extremely vocal in ing the decriminalization of euthanasia. Secondly, I don’t agree with some people that say this is basically pro-euthanasia propaganda - at all. 
Mar Adentro is a deeply touching biopic that’ll definitely make you think, question and reflect upon life, death, dignity and love - but it never imposes anything. 

Javier Bardem is absolutely phenomenal here. What a fantastic performance by an all-timer actor. It may be his best performance - for me it is - even if he’s quite great in No Country For Old Men. It’s his most personal, touching and delicate work yet, delivering a performance that’ll stay with me for a long time. 
But he’s not alone. Every cast member is, at least, good. The other highlight for me was definitely Mabel Rivera’s charming, deeply sad and sweet performance. She showcases the many forms of love for someone and I found that heartwarming and deeply touching. 

At its core, Mare Adentro is about accepting ourselves. It’s also about being able to accept that it’s ok to don’t have a purpose or meaning in this world. It’s a fantastic movie that’s extremely funny, extremely charming and very crude - but never depressing or misery driven. 
I really liked this and I truly recommend everyone to watch it at some point 

8/10

After watching The Brutalist I just knew I had to watch The Pianist. Everyone praised Adrien Brody’s performance for decades so I just had to watch what was it all about. 

Adrien Brody’s performance is probably one of my top 5 favorite performances of all time. Absolutely unreal from start to finish and a fantastic showcase of flawless, delicate and intimate acting. The Academy Award was absolutely deserved and I wish he gets his second award with The Brutalist. 

Brody’s performance carries an otherwise tame, slow and somewhat constant movie. Roman Polanski’s World War II biopic isn’t emotionally packed as Schindler’s list but it’s still a very good movie - even if not quite extraordinary as I hoped for

The Pianist narrative construction is very strong and the rawness of it all is absolutely devastating. It’s an extremely powerful movie that culminates in two phenomenal scenes that really elevate the movie into something really special. Even if I think the overall experience lacks emotion - not as much as the obvious cold, methodical and quite frustratingly stiff Dunkirk - it’s still a very macabre movie that fantastically depicts the horrors of World War II in Poland, carried by a frankly perfect performance by Brody. 

8.5/10

Cinderella is a respectfully made live-action adaptation of the beloved classic story. Kenneth Branagh’s doesn’t add much to the story but I guess that’s the point. Disney has become obsessed with adapting beloved stories so Cinderella is basically another solid entry in the catalogue - even if it didn’t fully resonate with me. 

The cast is frankly really good but quite underutilized. Helena Bonham Carter’s presence is charismatic but extremely brief; Cate Blanchett’s performance as the evil step-mother is just okay, nothing crazy; Stellan Skarsgård is largely wasted, unfortunately. 
Well, at least the two main performances are quite charismatic and charming - with a standout performance by Lily James. She’s very good here and that ultimately saves the movie. 

The visuals are a mixed experience because it’s simultaneously beautiful but also extremely “fake” . Some CGI is subpar but some scenery is gorgeous. Makeup and wardrobe is absolutely phenomenal - as it should be. 

Overall, Cinderella is decent. I didn’t found it refreshing enough to justify its existence but it’s a pretty solid experience. My girlfriend has a huge soft spot for this princess movies so she loved it. Me? I found it respectably made but that’s about it. It’s always, at least, a heartwarming story to watch cozy with your soulmate. 

6.5/10

The Brutalist is a very dark, cold and phenomenally directed movie that masterfully depicts the immigrant experience post-world war II - well, at least the first half

The First Half of this grandiose movie is masterful. It tells a fantastic story carried by a brilliant Adrien Brody at the peak of his power, it delivers really good dialogue, top notch cinematography and, above all, very strong sense of pacing that really surprised me. By the intermission I was ready to give this a strong 9/10 because, again, the first act is absolutely terrific. 

The Second Act tho… I just doesn’t think it holds the quality. The Brutalist is 215 minutes long and, by the end, felt short and rushed. There’s so much going on in the second act that I don’t think the overall ideas were fleshed out well. Some characters make surprisingly shocking decisions that don’t make a lot of sense, the ending lacks punch and closure and the epilogue felt meaningless. 
I watched this movie with one of my dearest friends and he made a great point: there’s a character that says that the journey doesn’t matter. The destination does. 
Well, I don’t think The Brutalist’s destination is  very satisfying. 

Again, I very much enjoyed The Brutalist. The movie is absolutely gorgeous, well shot and terrifically acted but it lacks a punch and it lacks a more satisfying ending. I very much enjoyed the journey but the destination felt a bit empty - even if the cruelty of the American dream and the immigrant struggles are well depicted. 
While flawed, The Brutalist is still a monumental achievement. 

8.5/10

We Live in Time is a good drama carried by excellent performances and assured directing. Andrew Garfield and Florence Pugh are the heart and soul of the experience and I can’t praise their performances enough. Easily one of the best performances of their careers - Pugh probably the best, to be honest. 

Directing is really assured, with excellent camera work and awesome visuals. It’s a very stylish movie from beginning to end. 

It does, however, stumble a bit in pacing - even if I was never bored. The movie’s structure is unique but flawed. The dialogue is extremely sharp but also a bit frustrating at times.

Where the movie really grabbed me was in the third and final act. Phenomenal, emotional and heartbreaking. Such a delicate, poetic and devastating ending that left me in tears multiple times. I definitely think the last 5 minutes of the movie are, essentially, perfect. 

Overall, a pretty good romance/drama completely carried by performances that’s both cruel, heartbreaking and terrifying, but also funny and enjoyable - even if a bit flawed here and there. I very much enjoyed it. 

7.5/10 

[TV-Show Entry]

Recently, I said to one of my dearest friends that no TV-show deserved a 10/10. Game Of Thrones was definitely a 10 during 6 seasons but the final season was horrendous; Breaking Bad ended phenomenally but there were definitely low-points which didn’t age gracefully with me etc etc. True Detective Season 1 is a 10, probably 

Well, I can confidently say now that Chernobyl is a 10/10 without a doubt. This limited-series, 5 episode run portraying this atrocious accident is a masterpiece from start to finish, with no low points and no filler. The writing is absolutely phenomenal - Craig Mazin did one of the best screenplays I’ve ever seen in my entire life - and further proved to be a phenomenal screenwriter with The Last of Us adaptation. There’s some many tense sequences that consist in characters talking and that’s a tremendous sign of good writing and directing. 

Chernobyl is a masterpiece in every possible department. 

The cinematography is gorgeous and looks very expensive for a Tv-show. The characters and performances? Just wow. The three main performances by Jared Harris, Stellan Skarsgård and Emily Watson are absolutely superb, career best and genre defining. Few TV performances have so much depth.

Frankly, this review would be so monotonous because, well, I don’t have a gripe with this show. I honestly think this is as perfect as TV-show goes and I definitely believe nothing will ever top this.
 
Chernobyl is the definition of style with substance. It tells a powerful humane story that’s both horrifying, nauseating and heartbreaking, but also hopeful. Phenomenally written, excellently directed and magnificently acted, Chernobyl is a masterpiece. 

Side note: my girlfriend was actually not that interested in watching this at first and ended up loving the show. That shows how absurdly good this was. 

10/10

Alex Garland’s Annihilation is one of the most ambitious, ambiguous and visually stunning sci-fi movies of the last decade. I’ve watched this movie when it released and I wasn’t really very fond of it - and I totally understand why.

Annihilation’s third act is really weird. It’s strange, bizarre and a powerful showcase of visual storytelling. Retrospectively, the third act was the break point for me when I was 18 years old. Today, I’m sure it’s actually my favorite act of the movie and one of the best sci-fi sequences of all time. 

At its core, Annihilation is extremely Lovecraftian - something I didn’t really knew or appreciated at the time when it released. It focuses on something humans can’t comprehend and raises more questions than answers. I actually love movies that make me think, reflect and debate about human nature and our insignificance in the Big Picture of things - duh, my favorite movie of all time is 2001: Space Odyssey. Here, there’s clearly some weird alien stuff but there’s also a very important message that I think I only got in  the second viewing. Essentially, annihilation is a movie about transformation, mutation and evolution - physically and mentally. It’s a very powerful movie about human self destructing tendencies and the ability of us - Humans - to change, adapt and evolve - maybe into something beautiful, unique and meaningful or into something horrible, putrid and terrifying. 

Alex Garland’s directing is phenomenal, delivering powerful visuals and a mesmerizing atmosphere. It’s a very interesting, slow burn sci-fi movie that’s also extremely creepy and scary at times. His screenplay does the job well enough, even if I think the first act is the movie’s weakest point. I actually wasn’t digging Natalie Portman’s performance at first but it actually won me over but, I must say, the first act takes a while to get going and the overall establishment of the universe felt a bit off. The writing department is probably the movie’s weakest point, but it gets the jobs well done. 
I truly believe this is a concept movie and a terrifically executed one. It’s a movie that made me question, reflect and actually think about what I was watching. 

Of course, it won’t be a movie for everyone and I understand why general audiences didn’t like this at all. Now, I can confidently say that it’s not a perfect movie but it’s a damn fantastic sci-horror, nevertheless.

Phenomenal visuals, great atmosphere, gory creepy moments and a complete bonkers crazy ending make Annilhilation a fantastic experience. 

8.5/10

Raw, Heartbreaking, Cruel, Real

Ainda Estou Aqui is, simply put, one of the best movies of 2024 and of the best Brazilian movies of all time. It excels in every possible department  

Not only it’s a fantastic showcase of good screenwriting but also a mesmerizing director's tour de force. It’s a gorgeously shot movie that’s both pretty, supremely funny and entertaining… until it’s not. The structure is absolutely superb. Just like this family, the viewer is shattered by the rawness of this deeply disturbing emotional story, filled with excellent performance - Fernanda Torres is completely phenomenal here. If the Academy still has some dignity left, the Academy Award has to be awarded to her. 

Walter Salles’ ability to shift between tones is completely jaw-dropping. There’s a very lighthearted feel about Ainda Estou Aqui during the first act. It’s a very funny movie at times and that’s when it captivated me into liking, caring and actually rooting for these people (and I didn’t even knew it was based on a true story, actually). Then, of course, it shifts into a cruel, twisted and heartbreaking story about courage, resilience, determination and downright survival. 

It’s not an easy watch - like City of God - but it’s a masterpiece that deserves to be seen at least once. It masterfully depicts the torture, oppression and censorship lived during the 1970’s Brazil dictatorship, and the experience of a mother that deep down knows that she’ll never see her husband again. 

Carried by a fantastic, career (and possibly country) defining performance by Fernanda Torres, Ainda Estou Aqui is another Brazilian Gem. It’s a fantastic movie that’s aesthetically impressive, sharply written and, above all, extremely important. 

9/10

Another movie recommended by my girlfriend but, unfortunately, this wasn’t as good as I expected it to be.

Conceptually, it’s somewhat original and interesting in its simplicity but it reunites every single cliche possible on screen. It also failed to make me care about any of the characters until the third act - which clearly saved the movie from being downright mediocre. 

It’s fine. 
5.5/10 

{Rewatch for the first time in 6 years}

American History X remains a brutally painful, dark, intense experience that’s both hopeful and terrifying. I absolutely think Edward Norton delivers his career best performance here - and, come on, he should’ve won the academy award. He’s absolutely phenomenal.

Thematically, American History X is extremely dark, delivering a phenomenal story that crudely depicts the cycle of violence. The ending is still one of the most sad, heartbreaking scenes I’ve ever seen in cinema.

An incredible story about violence, hate, redemption and self identity that remains powerful after 3 or 4 views. Fantastic movie 

9/10

Another movie that my girlfriend wanted to rewatch so why the hell not? 
On a side note, we’re both law students and we can confirm that law students are, in fact, pretty damn boring.

Legally Blonde is another teen comedy that I wouldn’t watch by myself but, given the circumstances, i ended up enjoying: it’s a lighthearted, dumb, over the top comedy that has nothing new to add to the genre but it’s definitely really charming. 

Like my girlfriend said: they don’t make movies like Legally Blonde anymore and she’s totally right. 2000’s teen comedies have a very lighthearted vibe that’s just unmatched and, while they’re definitely very cliche, formulaic and sometimes chaotic in structure, they just cuddle your heart and soul. 

Overall, a fun watch. Nothing more, nothing less. 

6.5/10

The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is definitely one of my least favorite movies directed by legendary director David Fincher, even if the flick is still pretty decent in its own right. 

When a movie is directed by David Fincher, I except two things: disturbing psychological thriller and technical perfection from start to finish. What I didn’t expect was an almost 3h character study that (really) felt like an Oscar bait. Apart from the cinematography, imagery and color palette, nothing here reminded me of David Fincher’s best works or strengths. Unfortunately, The Curious Case of Benjamin Button felt extremely out of place in Fincher’s filmography, much like Mank. 

Even if I didn’t particular loved the movie, there’s some great aspects to mention: 
Brad Pitt’s performance is likable, charismatic and charming. Blanchett is also perfectly suited for the role, with a modest but powerful performance. 
Again, Cinematography is excellent - all Fincher’s movies are gorgeous, impeccably directed and well executed. Technically, it’s another win for David Fincher. 

The screenplay is a mixed bag, again. I didn’t feel remotely connected to any of the character, neither did Benjamin’s journey resonate with me. It’s a very slow romance that doesn’t really showcase Fincher’s best strengths. 

Overall, I’m disappointed. David Fincher is an excellent director when he’s working with deeply disturbing psychopaths - delivering all timers and  maybe my favorite thriller of all time - Se7en. Here, Fincher tried an Oscar Bait that, unfortunately for him, just came out serviceable. It’s a decent movie but a very forgettable, boring experience. 

6/10

Watched on Tuesday January 7, 2025.

The Order is a grounded, well acted, terrifically  directed surprise, and one of the best crime/thrillers of the year (2024). The execution is really good, which was a great surprise given that Kurzel’s last movie was Assassin’s Creed - yes, that abomination of a movie that failed miserably. 

Technically, The Order is very good, with fantastic cinematography, lighting and camera work. I just don’t understand how Assassin’s Creed was that bad - with abominable fight sequences and questionable CGI. Here, Kurzel delivers one or two extremely good action. It’s a very well shot movie, with a good sense of pacing and focused on performances. 

Jude Law is fantastic. What a return to form from this great actor. Such a brilliant thriller performance. 

The story is also very interesting, given that it’s actually based on real events. I read that some things are actually altered but the overall story is pretty faithful - reportedly. It’s a pretty dark, uncomfortable story - driven by a great performance by Nicholas Hoult (this guy is in three different movies this year - wtf)
So yeah, it’s a difficult to digest plot following people that ed, perpetuated and fought for abominable ideals and, consequently, committed hideous crimes. It’s also a slow movie that knows how to build momentum and tension - and knows how to deliver the big thrills as well. 

Unfortunately, even if the performances are great, I wished we could know more about Law’s character. He’s a washed cop - very cliché in a way - but we barely know the guy. We - the audience - clearly know he’s a broken man but we never get to go in-depth into his trauma. Yes, there’s a dialogue where you understand why the obsession but I just felt a little disconnected from the characters overall. Also, we know too little about The Order itself, its and why some of them got caught - The Order, at times, lacks depth. Still, the overall structure and execution were great. 

Overall, The Order doesn’t break new ground but it’s still a very solid, competently filmed and terrifically acted crime-thriller. 

7.5/10

1. John Wick: Chapter 4
2. John Wick: Chapter 2
3. John Wick
4. Ballerina
5. John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum

1. Sinners
2. Warfare
3. Mission: Impossible – The Final Reckoning
4. Final Destination Bloodlines
5. Mickey 17
6. Black Bag

1. 2001: A Space Odyssey
2. The Godfather
3. The Godfather Part II
4. There Will Be Blood
5. Grave of the Fireflies
6. The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
7. Alien
8. Schindler's List
9. The Matrix
10. Harakiri

...plus 30 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Interstellar
2. Oppenheimer
3. Inception
4. The Prestige
5. The Dark Knight
6. Memento
7. The Dark Knight Rises
8. Batman Begins
9. Dunkirk
10. Insomnia

...plus 2 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Dune: Part Two
2. Nosferatu
3. I'm Still Here
4. The Substance
5. The Count of Monte Cristo
6. A Real Pain
7. The Brutalist
8. Civil War
9. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga
10. Small Things Like These

...plus 43 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Parasite
2. Memories of Murder
3. Mother
4. Snowpiercer
5. The Host

• Dune: Part Two

  🥇 2024

• Nosferatu

  🥈 2024

• The Substance

  🥉 2024

• Oppenheimer

  🥇 2023

• Poor Things

  🥈 2023

• Anatomy of a Fall

  🥉 2023

• The Northman

  🥇 2022

• The Batman

  🥈 2022

• Top Gun: Maverick

  🥉 2022

• Dune

  🥇 2021

...plus 35 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. The Lighthouse
2. Nosferatu
3. The Northman
4. The Witch

Actually insane the my least favorite here is still a 7/10.

1. Blade Runner 2049
2. Arrival
3. Dune: Part Two
4. Incendies
5. Prisoners
6. Dune
7. Sicario
8. Enemy

1. Alien
2. Gladiator
3. Blade Runner
4. The Martian
5. The Last Duel
6. Kingdom of Heaven
7. Prometheus
8. Napoleon
9. Gladiator II
10. Alien: Covenant

...plus 3 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Oppenheimer
2. Poor Things
3. Anatomy of a Fall
4. Killers of the Flower Moon
5. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
6. Society of the Snow
7. The Holdovers
8. The Iron Claw
9. John Wick: Chapter 4
10. Past Lives

...plus 35 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Poor Things
2. The Lobster
3. The Killing of a Sacred Deer
4. Dogtooth
5. The Favourite
6. Kinds of Kindness

1. Alien
2. Aliens
3. Alien: Romulus
4. Prometheus
5. Alien: Covenant
6. Alien Resurrection
7. Alien³

1. Scream
2. Scream VI
3. Scream 4
4. Scream 2
5. Scream
6. Scream 3

1. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse
2. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse
3. Spider-Man 2
4. Spider-Man
5. The Amazing Spider-Man
6. Spider-Man: No Way Home
7. Spider-Man: Homecoming
8. Spider-Man: Far From Home
9. Spider-Man 3
10. The Amazing Spider-Man 2

1. Inglourious Basterds
2. Django Unchained
3. Kill Bill: Vol. 1
4. Pulp Fiction
5. Kill Bill: Vol. 2
6. The Hateful Eight
7. Reservoir Dogs
8. Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood
9. Jackie Brown

1. Se7en
2. Fight Club
3. Gone Girl
4. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
5. Zodiac
6. The Social Network
7. The Killer
8. The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
9. Panic Room
10. Alien³

1. Star Wars
2. The Empire Strikes Back
3. Star Wars: The Force Awakens
4. Return of the Jedi
5. Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith
6. Rogue One: A Star Wars Story
7. Star Wars: The Last Jedi
8. Solo: A Star Wars Story
9. Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace
10. Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

...plus 1 more. View the full list on Letterboxd.

1. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 2
2. Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire
3. Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban
4. Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows: Part 1
5. Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets
6. Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
7. Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince
8. Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone