Tag: Brisbane Film

Categories
Uncategorized

The Euphoria Rant  

Euphoria has been talked about to death. And here I am, about to write another article on this insanely popular TV show. And why? Because it’s a perfect TV show to talk about. It is designed stir up as much controversy and discussion as possible. It’s designed to split people. So lets dive in.

SEASON 1

Now I started watching this Show when season 2 had finish so my experience was very different to other people. I watched the show very spaced out over 2 months, mainly because I found it so boring. But there were a couple things that really stood out to me about season 1. The opening of each episode is a perfect way to start a show. It launches you into this world instantly and makes you care about each of these characters in 12 minutes. People are not appreciative of how hard that is to do. For all his faults, Sam Levinson smashes that opening. To me, it reminds of me of the Good Fellas opening – something I know has been done 1000 times before. But essentially, its so effective because it launches you into their lives instantly. You know these characters like a close friend in a way that can take some shows 4 seasons to crack. Big tick from me.

I also think the acting in this show is amazing. A standout for me is Jacob Elordi as Nate Jacobs – and that’s not just because he is from Brisbane. He plays a psychopath perfectly. That calm quiet demeanour with fits of rage is horrifying. As a great villain does, he really makes you hate him. The comparison is always how Delorse Umbridge is he out of 10? Nate Jacobs is a solid 8. He even makes some of the shitty writing sound less shitty. Everyone else is very good as well, no one stands out in a bad way. I do feel sorry for how much crying Sydney Sweenie has to do… every single scene, all the time.

Speaking of cast, the side characters are what make this show good. Personally, I just didn’t care about Rue. Maybe I’m heartless or biased because I haven’t experienced these things, but her story was just so fucking boring. It feels like everything that happens with her character takes place in the first two episodes, and then its just on repeat for the rest of the season. Her story with Jules is good and I like the “will they won’t they get together” aspect (an easy way to keep fans watching) but after about episode 4 I just didn’t care for either of them. Once again, maybe I am an asshole but their relationship just feels dry and yet also over the top. Also, they take up way too much screen time when you have characters like Fez, Chris, Kat and Nate carrying this show. There stories are the only part of the show that kept me watching. Every scene with Rue just felt like a distraction from this amazing ensemble.   

SEASON 2

I know it’s not controversial but hey guess what, season 2 is absolute garbage. I hate shitting on movies and tv because I know how hard people work, but season 2, fuck me what a miss. Nevertheless, the show grabbed me straight away. With Fezco and Cal’s story it hooks you right in. They are honestly the two best character openings of the whole show and the highlight of all of season 2. In particular Cal. He is such an interesting and engaging character that I am so glad they explored more.  Obviously, Fez is top tier. He is charismatic in such a natural way, and I think that’s because he just isn’t acting. I mean seriously this man is the exact same in real life.

So where does this season go wrong? I think there are two reasons this second season is such a flop.

Number one, Sam Levinson had not idea where to go with this show. If someone can honestly watch this season and tell me he knew where to take it I will give you a sticker. This season is completely lost. We are exploring things we have seen completed in the first season. We are watching scenes on repeat – episode after episode. We are spending time with none of the engaging character from the first season. We are dragging simple stories out just to fill up episodes. We are forcing over the top soap opera drama every single second. Just imagine for one second that this show ended on season one. Think of how effective it would be, how critically acclaimed Sam would be. Just like Fleabag, and every great British show, if you don’t have anything better to follow up with MAYBE JUST STOP.

Number 2, the editing. This point has been talked to death, so I will just briefly mention it. In this season, there is a captivating scene where Rue does a eulogy for her fathers’ death. Her performance is great, the writing (of this scene) is good, and it looks incredible. But you know what’s not so incredible? SEEING THIS SAME SCENE 5 TIMES ACROSS THE SEASON. I have now idea what Sam Levinson was going for but it was not effective. It was so predictable that I  knew the next words coming out of her mouth. It felt like Levinson watched Christopher Nolan for the first time and wanted to experiment with some time shit. No tick from me.

Also, this season dives way to much into Lexi Howard. I know she was a big hit in the first season and appealing but in the second she’s the writing of her character is weird. She has this stupid naivety to her about the play that makes no sense. Hear me out, this character is supposed to be extremely clever and yet she does realise this play is going to offend people? WHAT???

The play is also just a complete mess. How the fuck did Sammy think it was a good idea to spend an ENTIRE EPISODE about a play recapping a season we have witnessed. It is just showing us scenes we have already seen but done worse? If it was me, I would have had the play happen completely off screen. Thereby, you see the devastation it causes and the audience kind of creates this monstrosity in their heads.  Almost like reading a book. Maybe in the after-credit scene you release a 20minute special that shows the whole play, like in Hawkeye. But hey, that’s just me.

Final Thoughts.

Before I wrap up, I need to talk about the cinematography and lighting. It is… flashy. Its over the top and distracting but still kind of cool. Some scenes pull you out of the drama because of how unrealistic it looks. Honestly there’s only one way to describe it, a music video. The whole show looks like a music video and ultimately it comes down to whether you like that style or not. For me, not so much.  Also, the music is very good. Not my taste but clearly effective as it appeals to a younger audience (which is what this whole show is trying to do ((be as cool and edgy as possible)).

So the final question…

SHOULD YOU WATCH EUPHORIA INSTEAD OF REWATCHING THE OFFICE?

Maybe just the first season, then jump right back into that sweet sweet comfort show.

Categories
Film Reviews

Why The Batman Slaps? | The Batman Review

Categories
Film Reviews

A Short Peacemaker Review

There is an absolute shit ton of superhero content coming out right now. So much so that it is becoming harder and harder for TV shows and movies to really stand out. Thereby, that becomes the ultimate question. Does Peacemaker stand out amongst other superhero content? Well, sought of, let me explain…

The show overall is very good. Unique characters, good jokes and excellent action. However, one of the few gripes I have with it is how “James Gunny” it is. Hear me out. I love James Gun’s movies, especially Suicide Squad. I truly think he is very funny and original. What changed for me in Peacemaker is that it is a whole show of James Gun jokes. Halfway through they started to feel a little repetitive. Each joke goes like this – one character says something weird and unusual, another character calls them out and then they get into an argument about how stupid what they said is. In 2-hour movies, you don’t get sick of this, but in a TV show it just gets a little draining.

What James Gunn nailed was the character arc of Peacemaker. As with most people, when the show started, I was thinking “Fuck this guy” and I don’t want to watch a whole show about this clown. But very quickly I realised why he chose it. Gunn loves the outcasts. He loves the morally ambiguous lead characters as shown with all his work. As a result, Peacemaker works perfectly because he is an extreme version of this. And Gunn smashes it. The audience understand why he killed Rick Flag and also why he is so fucked up in the head. Ultimately, the show is a perfect extension of his character in Suicide Squad because it shows you how deep his backstory truly is.

On top of this, is the side characters. All of them compliment each other so well. Once again, Gunn knows how to write a team you care about. This is extremely off topic but in my head I kept thinking about Eternals. In this film, it is a team you just don’t give a flying fuck about. If Gunn directed it, that team would be very different. I guarantee you we would actually view them as a family. I think he is just a master at breaking down hard exteriors to show a soft centre within. Through this, the audience begins to actually care about a character and the people they love.

I do think the show has a bit of a midway slump. About halfway through it just feels like nothing happens for about 2 episodes. Honestly, I believe this was a film in his head and he stretched it out to make a TV Show. This is because the only part that seems like a show is how deep Peacemaker’s transformation is. Everything else just feels stretched to make it run longer, for example the relationship of Adebayo and her wife. It just feels like something written in to add more drama and tension.

SO! Does it stand out amongst other superhero content. Well yes because it is not bland and unoriginal like a lot of other content. What I would compare to is something like the Boys and Invincible.  And don’t get me wrong, this is a big compliment. I love these shows.

Should you watch Peacemaker?

Yes, absolutely. If you are in the mood for a funny and easy to watch show, then Peacemaker is your go. Especially if you are rewatching the Office for the 7th time…

Categories
Uncategorized

The Greatest Piece of Filmmaking Advice

DON’T PANIC. I am not going to be the one giving the advice. Given the fact I know fuck all about film I think its for the best. Instead, I am going to let someone with “slightly” more experience then me do it.

Akira Kurosawa.

To preface, I am just stealing this from an interview. If you don’t want to listen to me ramble, the video is just below (one day I will turn this into my own edit on youtube).

Unlike a lot of directors Kurosawa admits how much harder it is to make films now.

“It costs a great deal of money to make films these days and its hard to become a director.”

Older directors seem to give the same piece of advice. Go out and shoot films every weekend and edit it and then you have a movie blah blah blah. This sounds cool right? But realistically there is a huge over saturation with how many shitty short films are being made and uploaded out there (myself included). I just think in this day and age you need at least a solid setup to make something that grabs people’s attention. But Kurosawa offers much better advice.

“If you genuinely want to make films then write screenplays”

Kurosawa emphasises that all you need is a paper and a pencil. Nothing more. More importantly, by writing scripts you learn the structure of a film. You learn more deeply what keeps people engaged and how to make a good picture.

I believe that if you are a great writer, you will at least be a good director. For example, Sorkin, Koffman, Tarantino. It just goes hand in hand. Similarly, Spielberg gives the same advice to young directors. These guys are masters in their field and know how much a good script can change the world.

WRITING IS HARD!

Once again, Kurosawa is on it. Who would expect it from one of the greatest filmmakers of all time? Most writers emphasises the importance of writing every day. But it’s very hard and he admits this – especially for young people who have no attention span.

“The most essential and necessary thing is the forbearance to face writing on word at a time”

Patience. Writing is extremely hard, and you need this skill if you want to write an entire screenplay.  When you climb a mountain, you are told never look up at the mountain or you will be disheartened. Instead, you take one step at a time. Writing is the same, one word at a time. The tedious task of writing has to become second nature to you.

“If you give up once, that will be it”

While this is directed towards writing, I think it applies to all of film. If you quit once it becomes a habit. Every time things get challenging you will just bail. Honestly, it is simply about routine, nothing more.

“Do a certain amount of reading”

While Kurosawa emphasises reading widely in literature and in particular Russian literature, reading at all is pivotal to becoming a writer and also a filmmaker. He explains that unless you have a rich reserve within you can’t create anything. Essentially, you need a place for the idea to come from. This can either be literature or memories. Your next film idea is not just going to appear in front of you. By reading different authors, it sets of that light in your head.

Kurosawa’s advice ultimately changed how I view writing. I accepted how challenging I found it which made it easier to do. It sounds weird but if you just built it into your daily routine, you will see a jump in what you are producing.

Categories
Uncategorized

An underappreciated masterpiece

There are a lot of movies out there that I would recommend for people to watch. Hundreds. But there’s a movie that I could recommend to everyone, no matter what their taste is, I know they will at least enjoy it. Up in the Air.

Up in the air has this perfect balance of drama and comedy. It hits you with these truly depressing scenes but then contrasts it with hilarious performances by Zach Galifianakis, Jason Batemen, J.K. Simmons, Danny McBridge. I mean the cast is insane. But Jason Reitman uses everyone perfectly. He seems to just know the right balance with everything in this film.

I feel like this movie doesn’t have enough hype around it. I honestly believe it is an almost perfect dramedy and here is 4 reasons why:

4. The Music

There is one song in this film called “Help Yourself” by Sad Brad Smith that is truly incredible. Go listen to it. It has this weird sense of happiness and sadness, kind of like Hey Jude. When Jason Reitman uses it, it just adds this weird bitter sweet feeling to Ryan’s life. As if even he knows how depressing his world is and just doesn’t want to admit it.

3. George Clooners

George Clooney has this very specific niche in his acting. Something that very few actors have and is extremely hard to master. Charisma. George and Brad Pitt always come to mind when I think about this. George has this ability to make you like him no matter what. Even if he is a complete arsehole, he still makes you care for him. I think it has something to do with his eyes. Every time I look at him, he just looks like a sad puppy dog.

Anyway… His performance in this is so subtly brilliant you may just miss it. At the beginning of the film, we see this shell of a man. No attachment to anyone, no fucks given, no compassion. He is focused on one thing and that is his job. However, throughout the movie we see his shell crack – if ever so slightly. Looks with his eyes, smiles, these little reflections of a man who is beginning to learn what it means to be human. It is not a Daniel Day Lewis transformation but something much simpler and potentially more challenging. A slow and progressive change into someone who cares.

2. The themes.

This may sound weird, but no movie has scared me as much as Up in the Air. Ryan’s life genuinely makes me feel uncomfortable. And that’s exactly how this movie wants you to feel. It presents you with this man who is completely focused on working and nothing else. He doesn’t care about his family or friends. All he wants is some capitalistic and empty goal of 10,000 miles. Jason Reitman shows the audience what’s important in life by presenting them with this sad and depressing life of Ryan. He doesn’t hammer you over the head with the message, but subtly reminds you what’s important by showing you what you are not missing out on.

  1. SAD SAD SAD

I don’t know about other people, but I find this film very depressing. There are these 3 scenes in Up in the Air that show this almost nihilistic attitude toward life. That things just don’t matter and there is no point caring about anything. But what makes this worse is that Ryan changes. He transforms to become a proper human and is still beaten down by the people and world around him. Truly heartbreaking… especially when its George Clooney’s puppy dog eyes.

Not to mention that one scene… BRUTAL.

Could I write more about this film? Absolutely, but I need to keep editing my short film so this where I leave you.

Categories
Uncategorized

The Saddest Scene in Sitcom History

Don’t @ me

I recently saw the trailer for a reboot of The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. The show was made because Will Smith saw a fan made trailer for a dramatic version of the sitcom. Something that is fucking amazing. And plus, the show looks pretty solid.

Get out the tissues

But that’s not why I am here.

As soon I saw the trailer, flashes of the Fresh Prince came back to me. In particular, one scene. A scene that I truly consider the saddest moment in Sitcom history. Season 4 Episode 24 “Papa’s got a brand-new excuse” – Will’s Father Leaving. I know you might be sitting there punching your fist into the screen yelling “what about Michael leaving the office” or the many moments of How I met Your Mother and scrubs, or even Hawkeye’s story in M.A.S.H. Yes, worthy but let me give my justification:

Before I start I need to clarify the backstory behind this scene. A lot of people believe this was improvised and based on Will Smith’s own life. This is bullshit. The writer literally said, “every word was written by Bill and I.”

Anyway, back to the sad shit.

The first reason this scene hits so hard is that the whole show is strictly a sitcom. There is basically no dramatic moments throughout. It’s like that 70s show or friends where it completely focuses on comedy. Thereby, this scene hits you like a fucking stream train. It quite literally comes out of nowhere and catches the audience of guard. Unlike the rest of the shows light-hearted nature, it deals with such a serious and depressing part of Will Smith’s (the character) life. Something the show hides from you, waiting for just the right moment to punch you in the stomach.

A good example is the crowd reaction. Throughout this show, the crowd sounds like a circus. Raucous, over the top laughter. But in this scene, it is reported by the Washington Post that crowd was dead silent, like a church. Except for one person. In the background, you can even hear someone crying. If that doesn’t show how powerful this scene is, I don’t know what does.

Will Smith’s Performance

Will Smith’s performance in this is some of the best acting I have ever seen him do. Its so fascinating because Will was unable to hit this range yet. But from this moment on, the calibre of Will Smith changed. Director Shelly Jensen said, in a Washington Post article, that “it was that specific episode for me as a director [that] I saw him connect and make it work.” (2020). The light just went off.

In this scene Will’s range of emotions is mind blowing. In the space of roughly 3 minutes, he transforms between 3 deep and challenging emotions. Will starts off trying to act strong and tough, with slight hints of anger peeking through.  Following this, he gives a perfect line delivery – “you too, Lou.” The way he says his father’s name shows this resentment that has been boiling there for years. And anger he is trying to keep down in front of his father and Uncle.  

A 1990 Promotional Image of Will Smith as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (Photo by Mario Casilli/NBC/MPTV Images)

After his father leaves, he goes back to the Will we know. How he thinks he has to act. Cocky, upbeat, funny. Exactly like a teenager would, trying to act like they don’t care. Then, once again, comes the rage.

Sidebar – anger in film and TV is something I believe, is constantly overdone. A good example is 12 Angry Men. Everyone just yelling and slamming their fists. But in real life anger slowly builds up. Rising, cracking through the surface until then, you explode. And holy fuck does Will Smith explode.

‘TO HELL WITH HIM!”

The crack in the voice. The turnaround. The fists by his sides. Its all so subtle but expertly shows a teenager finally letting out emotions he has bottled up for years.

After this, we see another change. Listing of what he has to do to be better then his father, it shows a sense of drive and hope. A deep ambition to be a better man this his father ever was. Just something in the way he says these lines is so convincing. Its like you just know he is going to do it.

Finally, the end.

“How come he don’t want me man?”

Everything about this delivery is spot on. He is beaten down and shows that in his performance. The sunken shoulders, lip quivering and downwards gaze. Will is tired. Tired of not having a father figure; someone there to love him and care for him. And after so many years of acting tough, he finally lets it all out and goes back to this childlike state. 

The Writing

I think what is so special about this scene is how it almost works on its own. Even if you never have seen this show, this scene could be a 4-minute short. This is all through the character writing. Subtly crafted into the dialogue, the writers give you Will and his fathers entire histories, ambitions and personalities. Without realising, you learn Will’s whole life story and then exactly what he wants from this world. And his motivations? Simply being a better man than his wife. All in the space of 2 minutes, we see an entire character arc. A teenager coming to terms with his history, discovering the man his father really is. It honestly feels like something Noah Baumbach would write. Just Perfect writing.

THE FRESH PRINCE OF BEL-AIR — Season 4 —