Mario Dhingsa's Blog, page 4
June 12, 2021
#SilverScreenBlack: Press Review - 'Finding Ophelia' (2021)
Filmotomy’s rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Everyone has fallen in love with an image that is unattainable. But what happens when it becomes so unreachable that it begins tearing your life apart? What happens when you begin losing your job over it? What happens when you’re unable to engage with anyone else because of it? And when, like Victor Frankenstein, the dream world has become the last paradise from the mounting desolation around you?
Stephen Rutterford’s award-winning debut feature, Finding Ophelia asks these questions and a whole lot more! Brace yourself, and I do mean using a five-point seat harness to watch this. Finding Ophelia is not only one of the most visually stunning films of 2021, but also one of the most original. Allegorical and experimental, evocative and ingenious, Finding Ophelia is cooler than Last Year at Marienbad (1961), madder than 12 Monkeys (1995), and way more dangerous than anything you’ll find in Inception (2010).
The film’s protagonist is William Edgar, a successful and self-confident advertising executive who becomes haunted by mystifying visions of a beckoning woman. She is forever reaching out to him and yet always seems to be leaving. Suffering from insomnia, William continues his search as he begins wandering the empty, hellish nights of New York. He sails closer and closer to edge of sanity, until not even the eye of Horus can save him.
The success of Finding Ophelia on the 2021 awards scene is well-deserved. It’s won Best Mystery Film at Cannes World Film Festival, Los Angeles Film Awards, and New York International Film Awards. As well as Best Feature Film at the London Independent Film Awards. And rightly so.
The film’s leads are gripping throughout. Jimmy Levar and Christina Chu-Ryan are effortlessly cool and eternally anguished. The supporting cast are equally impressive, with my favourites being Steve Shaefer as The Bartender (I found all of your jokes funny, Steve!); Emily Wendorff as The Barista, whose smile is slowly stolen from her; Annie Hansen as the Screaming Lady; the entire Caterpillar People; and the Chalk Children (played by Eva & Isabel Rutterford).
Special mention must also go to the incredible throbbing soundtrack by The Prolificators/DVR + EFKTS, Ben Runyan, and BrainOrchestra, which steadily unclasps your mind from whatever grip on reality it had going into the film. Costume design by Morgane Press also deserves praise for hitting the mark each time.
However, none of this would have been possible without the phenomenal effort undertaken by Stephen Rutterford himself. He not only wrote Finding Ophelia, but also directed, produced, edited and co-scored the film, as well as tasking himself with cinematography and colour design duties. And it is fair to say that, in all of these aspects. Rutterford has excelled. But his masterstroke is in creating a coherent vision as sharp and slick as anything you’ll see in Hollywood today. Despite whatever its budgetary limitations were, Finding Ophelia never looks underfunded.
I can’t imagine the NYC tourism board will be keen on this movie, but for everyone else (including Edgar Allen Poe fans) this is a must! Hypnotic, psychedelic and surreal, Finding Ophelia – or as I like to call it, ‘Ophelia’s Revenge’ – is well worth your time, money and the subsequent nightmares that may follow after. Because be careful what you look for. You may just find it after all.
Review published by Filmotomy.com [8/6/2021].
'Finding Ophelia' is available on demand from 23rd June 2021!
Everyone has fallen in love with an image that is unattainable. But what happens when it becomes so unreachable that it begins tearing your life apart? What happens when you begin losing your job over it? What happens when you’re unable to engage with anyone else because of it? And when, like Victor Frankenstein, the dream world has become the last paradise from the mounting desolation around you?
Stephen Rutterford’s award-winning debut feature, Finding Ophelia asks these questions and a whole lot more! Brace yourself, and I do mean using a five-point seat harness to watch this. Finding Ophelia is not only one of the most visually stunning films of 2021, but also one of the most original. Allegorical and experimental, evocative and ingenious, Finding Ophelia is cooler than Last Year at Marienbad (1961), madder than 12 Monkeys (1995), and way more dangerous than anything you’ll find in Inception (2010).
The film’s protagonist is William Edgar, a successful and self-confident advertising executive who becomes haunted by mystifying visions of a beckoning woman. She is forever reaching out to him and yet always seems to be leaving. Suffering from insomnia, William continues his search as he begins wandering the empty, hellish nights of New York. He sails closer and closer to edge of sanity, until not even the eye of Horus can save him.
The success of Finding Ophelia on the 2021 awards scene is well-deserved. It’s won Best Mystery Film at Cannes World Film Festival, Los Angeles Film Awards, and New York International Film Awards. As well as Best Feature Film at the London Independent Film Awards. And rightly so.
The film’s leads are gripping throughout. Jimmy Levar and Christina Chu-Ryan are effortlessly cool and eternally anguished. The supporting cast are equally impressive, with my favourites being Steve Shaefer as The Bartender (I found all of your jokes funny, Steve!); Emily Wendorff as The Barista, whose smile is slowly stolen from her; Annie Hansen as the Screaming Lady; the entire Caterpillar People; and the Chalk Children (played by Eva & Isabel Rutterford).
Special mention must also go to the incredible throbbing soundtrack by The Prolificators/DVR + EFKTS, Ben Runyan, and BrainOrchestra, which steadily unclasps your mind from whatever grip on reality it had going into the film. Costume design by Morgane Press also deserves praise for hitting the mark each time.
However, none of this would have been possible without the phenomenal effort undertaken by Stephen Rutterford himself. He not only wrote Finding Ophelia, but also directed, produced, edited and co-scored the film, as well as tasking himself with cinematography and colour design duties. And it is fair to say that, in all of these aspects. Rutterford has excelled. But his masterstroke is in creating a coherent vision as sharp and slick as anything you’ll see in Hollywood today. Despite whatever its budgetary limitations were, Finding Ophelia never looks underfunded.
I can’t imagine the NYC tourism board will be keen on this movie, but for everyone else (including Edgar Allen Poe fans) this is a must! Hypnotic, psychedelic and surreal, Finding Ophelia – or as I like to call it, ‘Ophelia’s Revenge’ – is well worth your time, money and the subsequent nightmares that may follow after. Because be careful what you look for. You may just find it after all.
Review published by Filmotomy.com [8/6/2021].
'Finding Ophelia' is available on demand from 23rd June 2021!
May 29, 2021
#SilverScreenBlack reviews: 'Let The Right One In / Låt Den Rätte Komma In' (2008)
(1hr 55 mins, Sweden)
⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
📣Love Song For A Vampire: A friendship begins to blossom between two lonely 12-year-olds, despite a river of blood and an ocean of time.
👍Permission to enter:
Forget 'Twilight', or Oldman & Ryder, this macabre tale of vampiric loneliness, love and Luleå is magnificent!
Superb acting from Lina Leandersson and Kåre Hedebrant that will play on your mind from dusk 'til dawn.
And featuring the best swimming pool scene in cinema history...
👎Bullies that remember:
The movie may feel underwhelming on first viewing - don't begin it expecting 'Blade'!
It missed out on an Oscar nomination for Best Foreign Film due to a technicality.
And it's SUCH a cool film... but I'm going to have to wait at least five years before I can show it to any of my children...
🥇Best quote:
"To flee is life;
To linger, death."
🙁Best depressing quote:
"Don't you celebrate your birthday? Then you don't get any birthday presents, do you?"
😭2nd best depressing quote:
"I'm twelve. But I've been twelve for a long time."
Twitter: @mariodhingsa
May 22, 2021
#SilverScreenBlack reviews: 'Shoplifters / 万引き家族' (2018)
(1hr 59mins, Japan)
⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
📣The Year of Living Dangerously: A family on the verge of nothing take in an abused child, and risk everything.
👍Beach waves:
An intricate story with incredible acting, this multi-award-winning film (incl. the 2018 Palme d'Or!) will steal your heart, and pilfer your preconceptions, but won't leave you feeling short-changed.
👎Shallow graves
The first half of the film may be a little slow for some, but every thread on show serves a purpose. You can't fall from a cliff, if you haven't climbed it yet...
🥇Best quote:
"Usually you can't choose your own parents... But then, maybe it's stronger when you choose them yourself."
🙁Best depressing quote:
"I didn't throw her away. I found her. Someone else threw her away and I found her."
🎗️Best reminder:
"If someone hits you and tells you they are doing it because they love you, they are a liar."
Twitter: @mariodhingsa
May 15, 2021
#SilverScreenBlack reviews: 'The Crow's Egg / Kaakkaa Muttai' (2014)
(1hr 30mins, India)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
📣Pizzeria Paradiso: Two children from the slums try saving up for a slice of life that they couldn't afford.
👍Finger-licking:
A story that's as sweet as any pineapple topping and as meaty as any pepperoni slice!
Primo acting from child leads, J Vignesh and V Ramesh; and their long-suffering mother, Aishwarya Rajesh.
And a supremo soundtrack serving by G. V. Prakash Kumar.
👎Coal-picking:
Some may find the plot as predictable as a margherita pizza.
And some of the supporting characters may be no deeper than a thin crust.
🥇Best quote:
"Look how tall he is! He can speak to a camel face-to-face!"
"He might be tall, but he'll have to bend for us."
🙁Best depressing quote:
"To buy this pizza... see that goods train over there? You'll have to pick an entire coach of coal!"
😭2nd best depressing quote:
"Once, my parents were arranging my marriage, but seeing my dirty clothes, the girl rejected me.
My mother said every person is judged by their clothes."
#20thCFlicks #empiremagazine #guardianfilm #totalfilm @mariodhingsa
May 8, 2021
#SilverScreenBlack reviews: 'Proxima' (2019)
(1hr 48 mins, France)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
📣Space Camp: An astronaut becomes torn between her two greatest loves - the brilliant stars above and her bright daughter below.
👍Star City:
Stella acting from Eva Green that will send you to the moon!
Her wonder, resolve, pain and despair seep through each scene, and each time it all hits you that little bit harder.
Plus the film has your new favourite song, 'You're High' by Agar Agar!
👎What a pity:
The film's pace and direction doesn't quite ignite until the 2nd half.
Its final scenes, with their stunning visuals, emotional impact and incredible music, are cinematic alchemy. I just wished there were more scenes like them.
🥇Best quote:
"You know, there's no such thing as a perfect astronaut, just like there's no such thing as a perfect mother."
🙁Best depressing quote:
"We all prepare for leaving but that's not the hard part. The hard part is coming back. When you realise that life goes on without you."
🌞Best space question:
"When the sun goes to bed, is anyone there to tell it a story?"
#SilverScreenBlack: Press Review - 'Painkiller' (2021)
Dissection & Reflection’s rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Revenge remains one of the strongest motives in story-telling. It is a theme that immediately captivates the viewer. It asks us, in no uncertain terms, would we be any different? If my daughter had died from a painkiller overdose, what would I do? If her doctor was still over-prescribing this medication, what would I do? If over 70% of all deaths from narcotics use were due to opioid painkillers, what would I do? If no one else is doing anything about it, what can be done?
Mark Savage’s excellent film ‘Painkiller’ shares a common theme with Alexander Nanau’s multi-Oscar-nominated documentary, ‘Collective’. Both are confronting systematic failings in national health care and government regulation. But whereas ‘Collective’ shows us the light that can be shone from investigative journalism, ‘Painkiller’ shows us the fire that can burn from personal rage.
‘Painkiller’ is an astonishing revenge thriller, and can hold its head up high with the best of them. ‘Painkiller’ captures the tragedy of ‘Falling Down’, the wrath of ‘The Punisher’, and the brooding of ‘Batman Begins’. Set in Tampa, Florida - which bears more of a resemblance to Gotham City as the story progresses – the film charts a one-man-retribution across the full spectrum of pharmaceutical villians, from the CEOs running the show to the pushers in the playgrounds. That the film remains enthralling to watch is due to the writing by Tom Parnell, Mark Savage and David Richardson; a superb score thanks to Glen Gabriel; beautiful visuals courtesy of David Richardson; sharp editing due to Christopher Roth; and impressive direction all down to Mark Savage.
The film deservedly reminds us that ‘A good cast is worth repeating’, and ‘Painkiller’ is no exception. Bill Oberst Jr, as the grieving father who has found a dangerous equilibrium in his life, does a phenomenal job of making his character’s two distinctive personas believable, fascinating, wounded, and lethal. Michael Paré, as the antagonist surgeon, displays a wonderful sleight-of-hand in showing us a man who appears to have everything but in fact has very little. Kristina Beringer is terrifying, and yet still incredibly touching, as a calculating ex-wife. Khalimah Gaston plays an increasingly desperate police detective. And Tom Parnell, who was my favourite character, charts a masterful journey from disgraced doctor to something quite different indeed.
If there are flaws with the film, there are a few threads in the third act that may not have been resolved to everyone’s liking, and some plot inconsistencies that may be apparent. But this is not to detract from the movie’s grand achievements.
‘Painkiller’ is a movie that is certainly worth your time. It is a fascinating revenge thriller that’s fighting for more than just your attention. It’s fighting to change a system. And it’s fighting to save a live.
Review published by DissectionReflection.com [5/5/2021].
'Painkiller' is now available on Digital Download and DVD!
Revenge remains one of the strongest motives in story-telling. It is a theme that immediately captivates the viewer. It asks us, in no uncertain terms, would we be any different? If my daughter had died from a painkiller overdose, what would I do? If her doctor was still over-prescribing this medication, what would I do? If over 70% of all deaths from narcotics use were due to opioid painkillers, what would I do? If no one else is doing anything about it, what can be done?
Mark Savage’s excellent film ‘Painkiller’ shares a common theme with Alexander Nanau’s multi-Oscar-nominated documentary, ‘Collective’. Both are confronting systematic failings in national health care and government regulation. But whereas ‘Collective’ shows us the light that can be shone from investigative journalism, ‘Painkiller’ shows us the fire that can burn from personal rage.
‘Painkiller’ is an astonishing revenge thriller, and can hold its head up high with the best of them. ‘Painkiller’ captures the tragedy of ‘Falling Down’, the wrath of ‘The Punisher’, and the brooding of ‘Batman Begins’. Set in Tampa, Florida - which bears more of a resemblance to Gotham City as the story progresses – the film charts a one-man-retribution across the full spectrum of pharmaceutical villians, from the CEOs running the show to the pushers in the playgrounds. That the film remains enthralling to watch is due to the writing by Tom Parnell, Mark Savage and David Richardson; a superb score thanks to Glen Gabriel; beautiful visuals courtesy of David Richardson; sharp editing due to Christopher Roth; and impressive direction all down to Mark Savage.
The film deservedly reminds us that ‘A good cast is worth repeating’, and ‘Painkiller’ is no exception. Bill Oberst Jr, as the grieving father who has found a dangerous equilibrium in his life, does a phenomenal job of making his character’s two distinctive personas believable, fascinating, wounded, and lethal. Michael Paré, as the antagonist surgeon, displays a wonderful sleight-of-hand in showing us a man who appears to have everything but in fact has very little. Kristina Beringer is terrifying, and yet still incredibly touching, as a calculating ex-wife. Khalimah Gaston plays an increasingly desperate police detective. And Tom Parnell, who was my favourite character, charts a masterful journey from disgraced doctor to something quite different indeed.
If there are flaws with the film, there are a few threads in the third act that may not have been resolved to everyone’s liking, and some plot inconsistencies that may be apparent. But this is not to detract from the movie’s grand achievements.
‘Painkiller’ is a movie that is certainly worth your time. It is a fascinating revenge thriller that’s fighting for more than just your attention. It’s fighting to change a system. And it’s fighting to save a live.
Review published by DissectionReflection.com [5/5/2021].
'Painkiller' is now available on Digital Download and DVD!
April 17, 2021
#SilverScreenBlack - OscarWatch: 'Tu Me Manques/I Miss You'
(1hr 49mins, Bolivia)
⭐⭐⭐⭐
📣Never Let You Go: A lover struggles to make sense of his true love's suicide, as a father tries to come to terms with his late son's identity.
👍In love happily:
A love story on par with 'Brief Encounters' and 'Carol'.
Phenomenal leads by Fernando Barbosa and Oscar Martínez, great supporting cast, witty script, and a stunning score by Julia Kent.
The original play in 2015 changed Bolivian society and law. This film is not to be missed!
👎Shunned by family:
Inspired by a tragic true story:
LGBTQ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their straight peers; and those rejected by their parents are eight times more likely.
📽️Favourite scene:
The play on opening night - there on stage, there's finally a chance to say what should have been said years ago.
🥇Best quote:
"Being a man is having the bravery to be whoever you want to be."
🙁Best depressing quote:
"Did you know that in the same page in Leviticus that you're quoting, the Bible also condemns tattoos, shellfish, haircuts, polyester and football. I mean, polyester I understand, but the rest of that?..."
❤️Best guide to romance:
JORGE: "Do you have a boyfriend?"
TJ: "No. Boyfriends are like toys, and toys break."
#20thCFlicks #empiremagazine #guardianfilm #totalfilm @mariodhingsa
#SilverScreenBlack: Press Review - 'The Oak Room' (2020)
Dissection & Reflection’s rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2
Everyone has a story to tell, and some of them can be very dark indeed. ‘The Oak Room’ may contain some of the darkest you’ll ever hear, but this deserves your attention, no matter how much blood it’s steeped in.
Set in blizzard-bound Ontario, a drifter enters a bar “… with something better than cash.” He has a story. And my God, he’s not joking. One of the best moments for a film critic is finding a gem of a thriller that not only has a great script, but direction, score and cast to match; and ‘The Oak Room’ has it all. The film makes it all look so simple in crafting such brilliance, but there’s an incredible amount of talent that has taken it this far.
Written by Peter Genoway, ‘The Oak Room’ began as a critically-acclaimed play that won the Toronto Fringe New Play Contest in 2013. Luckily for movie fans everywhere, Genoway remained as the writer as the project transitioned to the big screen, under the helm of fellow Canadian, director Cody Calahan.
What Genoway and Calahan have crafted is something exceptional. The film makes a blistering start with a minimum of fuss within the first two minutes, and the tension only increases from there. Watching ‘The Oak Room’ reminds you that there is an art to story-telling: The plot is ingenious without being convoluted, the conflicts are nail-biting without feeling forced, and the dialogue is bold, believable and always entirely necessary. ‘The Oak Room’ has a great secret at the heart of its set-up, and that’s actually a rare find in cinema and modern story-telling. There are no post-modern cop-outs here. Genoway and Calahan haven’t only delivered on the price of your admission ticket or streaming fee – they’ve brought you Christmas eight months early.
Genoway and Calahan aren’t the only geniuses at work here. The score, and original song ‘Love Didn’t Care For Me’, by Steph Copeland will leave you tingling for all the right reasons. And the visuals are another stunning achievement for the film, a feat made more incredible by how confined the locations actually are. It’s a credit to Calahan and cinematographer Jeff Maher that so much of the film is beautifully bathed in bar light and shadow, without ever obscuring the narrative or emotional intensity of its actors. It also comes as no surprise that ‘The Oak Room’ won Best Cinematography at the South African HorrorFest last year.
Watching ‘The Oak Room’ isn’t going to restore your faith in humanity, but it will restore your faith in acting. Legends Peter Outerbridge and RJ Mitte are perfectly cast as the weary bartender and the indolent drifter. It’s their conflict that carries the film so convincingly, and it’s played with an anger and unease that is mesmeric to watch. There’s also a supporting cast here that never makes a wrong step – Ari Millen and Martin Roach as men with dark pasts, Nicholas Campbell as RJ Mitte’s broken father, and David Ferry as the world’s unluckiest barman. Young Avery Esteves also appears as a boy whose childhood is ending in front of him, and Coal Campbell (playing Nicholas Campbell’s younger self and his real-life son) features in the best hitch-hiking story ever told.
If there’s a flaw with the film, it’s that a couple of the storylines could have been closed with the same panache as the rest of the movie so effortlessly embodied. But let’s not goose the truth here. ‘The Oak Room’ is an ingeniously simple premise that has produced a phenomenal piece of film-making. It is one of the best thrillers you’ll see in 2021. And even if you’re tee-total, this is one bar that you have to visit.
Review published by DissectionReflection.com [13/4/2021].
'The Oak Room' is available on Digital Download from 26th April 2021!
Everyone has a story to tell, and some of them can be very dark indeed. ‘The Oak Room’ may contain some of the darkest you’ll ever hear, but this deserves your attention, no matter how much blood it’s steeped in.
Set in blizzard-bound Ontario, a drifter enters a bar “… with something better than cash.” He has a story. And my God, he’s not joking. One of the best moments for a film critic is finding a gem of a thriller that not only has a great script, but direction, score and cast to match; and ‘The Oak Room’ has it all. The film makes it all look so simple in crafting such brilliance, but there’s an incredible amount of talent that has taken it this far.
Written by Peter Genoway, ‘The Oak Room’ began as a critically-acclaimed play that won the Toronto Fringe New Play Contest in 2013. Luckily for movie fans everywhere, Genoway remained as the writer as the project transitioned to the big screen, under the helm of fellow Canadian, director Cody Calahan.
What Genoway and Calahan have crafted is something exceptional. The film makes a blistering start with a minimum of fuss within the first two minutes, and the tension only increases from there. Watching ‘The Oak Room’ reminds you that there is an art to story-telling: The plot is ingenious without being convoluted, the conflicts are nail-biting without feeling forced, and the dialogue is bold, believable and always entirely necessary. ‘The Oak Room’ has a great secret at the heart of its set-up, and that’s actually a rare find in cinema and modern story-telling. There are no post-modern cop-outs here. Genoway and Calahan haven’t only delivered on the price of your admission ticket or streaming fee – they’ve brought you Christmas eight months early.
Genoway and Calahan aren’t the only geniuses at work here. The score, and original song ‘Love Didn’t Care For Me’, by Steph Copeland will leave you tingling for all the right reasons. And the visuals are another stunning achievement for the film, a feat made more incredible by how confined the locations actually are. It’s a credit to Calahan and cinematographer Jeff Maher that so much of the film is beautifully bathed in bar light and shadow, without ever obscuring the narrative or emotional intensity of its actors. It also comes as no surprise that ‘The Oak Room’ won Best Cinematography at the South African HorrorFest last year.
Watching ‘The Oak Room’ isn’t going to restore your faith in humanity, but it will restore your faith in acting. Legends Peter Outerbridge and RJ Mitte are perfectly cast as the weary bartender and the indolent drifter. It’s their conflict that carries the film so convincingly, and it’s played with an anger and unease that is mesmeric to watch. There’s also a supporting cast here that never makes a wrong step – Ari Millen and Martin Roach as men with dark pasts, Nicholas Campbell as RJ Mitte’s broken father, and David Ferry as the world’s unluckiest barman. Young Avery Esteves also appears as a boy whose childhood is ending in front of him, and Coal Campbell (playing Nicholas Campbell’s younger self and his real-life son) features in the best hitch-hiking story ever told.
If there’s a flaw with the film, it’s that a couple of the storylines could have been closed with the same panache as the rest of the movie so effortlessly embodied. But let’s not goose the truth here. ‘The Oak Room’ is an ingeniously simple premise that has produced a phenomenal piece of film-making. It is one of the best thrillers you’ll see in 2021. And even if you’re tee-total, this is one bar that you have to visit.
Review published by DissectionReflection.com [13/4/2021].
'The Oak Room' is available on Digital Download from 26th April 2021!
April 10, 2021
#SilverScreenBlack - OscarWatch: 'Collective' (2019)
(1hr 49mins, Romania)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📣Leviathan: A team of journalists fight to uncover why, after a Romanian nightclub burns, most of the fatalities came from the hospital care the victims received afterwards.
👍Thieves laid bare:
Exceptional movie-making by director Alexander Nanau showing exceptional heroism: journalists Cătălin Tolontan, Mirela Neag and the team at Gazeta Sporturilor; the whistleblowers who came forward; the survivors who wouldn't hide; and the new Minister of Health, Vlad Voiculescu. They all saw the breadth of the abyss beneath them and didn't baulk.
👎"Best possible care":
Every scene will break your heart even further as the scope of appalling hospital care and rampant corruption becomes apparent. There are scenes you will remember long after the film ends, for the rest of your life.
📽️Favourite scene:
The cemetery scene.
A family remembers their departed son, and there remains a moment of hope under the deluge of hopelessness.
🥇Best quote:
"In any sane country, a harmful substance is withdrawn immediately!"
🙁Best depressing quote:
"It's like we are living in seperable worlds. This country won't wake up for 30 years now. By the time you retire, it will still be the same."
😢Best quote to remind yourself:
"Tell me what it is that you see.
A world that's filled with endless possibilities?
Heroes don't look like they used to,
They look like you do."
#20thCFlicks #empiremagazine #guardianfilm #totalfilm @mariodhingsa
March 27, 2021
#SilverScreenBlack - OscarWatch: 'Judas and the Black Messiah' (2021)
(2hrs 6mins)
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
📣The Assassination of Fred Hampton by the Coward J Edgar Hoover: A young adult pushes back against poverty and oppression and is targeted as America's greatest threat.
👍Revolutionary fervour:
Brilliantly directed and edited on top of a smart, solid script, plus stratospheric acting, make this one of the most stunning and shocking films in the last ten years.
LaKeith Stanford, Daniel Kaluuya, Dominique Fishback, and Jesse Plemons do a phenomenal job, together with a supporting cast that never makes a wrong step.
👎FBI murder:
Why haven't LaKeith Stanford and Daniel Kaluuya been nominated in the best actor category at Oscars 2021; and why haven't Dominique Fishback and Jesse Plemons been nominated for best supporting?...
📽️Favourite scene:
Fred Hampton's final meal, where you see what kind of a man he was; and William O'Neal's haunted look, when you see what kind of a man he'd become.
🥇Best quote:
"You can murder a freedom fighter, but you can't murder freedom."
🙁Best depressing quote:
"House, justice, peace. It's not a contradiction. It's in the constitution. But when poor people demand it, it's called socialism."
📓The loudest whisper:
“We educate. We nurture. We feed. And we lobby.
Perhaps we’re here for more than just war with these bodies.
We scream, and we shout, and we live by this anthem.
But is power to the people really worth that ransom?”
#20thCFlicks #empiremagazine #guardianfilm #totalfilm @mariodhingsa
