Reviews

Buenísima película , obra maestra, cierra todos los puntos que te presenta con un gran mensaje de aceptación 💕

H

Updated review that I wrote for That Shelf:

Jay Kelly, filmmaker Noah Baumbach’s latest Woody Allen-esque drama, co-written with actress-writer Emily Mortimer, lovingly targets the celebrity experience. The two attempt to add depth to the people behind your favourite films. What goes on off-set that really impacts the life of a celebrity actor? What happens when their legacy threatens to swallow them whole, or when they let the tail wag the dog? How do they handle being the platonic ideal of a particular type of man, receiving and achieving everything they wanted, and still end up uncertain and not quite fulfilled? These questions all make for a fascinating screenplay — no surprise, considering Baumbach’s ear for dialogue and penchant for an emotional knife twists that feel both surprising and logical — and a reasonably decent final film.

George Clooney portrays Jay Kelly, an actor whose career mirrors the actor portraying him. A handsome television star, who then shifted to mega Hollywood A-lister, and eventually to an Elder Statesman with Appeal. So it’s no surprise that Clooney carries the character well. And you can save all of your criticisms about certain actors always playing themselves — they address those in the film. Do they address them to a satisfactory degree? Not entirely. But at least Jay Kelly is self-aware.

The plot feels messy, but so is the chaotic life of a celebrity on a promotional tour. What comes along with that chaotic life is a built-in entourage of managers and agents that, over time, become what could be called close friends. The best parts of Jay Kelly concerns those people. Adam Sandler plays manager Ron Sukenick and it’s clear that the Sandman and Baumbach are keyed into each other. The Meyerowitz Stories made that clear. This film reaffirms it. Unfortunately, Laura Dern, as agent Liz, is given a less sizeable and more thankless role. Where Jay and Ron get to discuss their families, the world at large, and celebrity at length, Liz is removed and given depth only by way of her limited relationship to both men. Occasionally other familiar and equally loveable actors show up and improve the periphery (Riley Keough, Greta Gerwig, Billy Crudup).

Taking great swings at the human condition and celebrity on film is a clichéd minefield, and not even the talented Noah Baumbach is capable of dodging them all entirely. Or even mostly. The biggest offender here is composer Nicholas Britell (Succession, Moonlight), who’s produced some of the best scores of the last ten years. Perhaps it is the fault of where Jay Kelly uses its score as opposed to the score itself, but time and time again music cues send an already melodramatic scene into soap opera territory. There are musical phrases that all but say: Feel this. Now feel this.

This film will go down easy with Hollywood-based (or obsessed) viewers because it helps, despite all its hemming and hawing, glorify if not salacious celebrity then at least noble filmmaking. It will also satisfy movie lovers with its wall-to-wall recognizable cast of A-listers. Despite those many pluses, Jay Kelly will likely go down as a middling addition to George Clooney’s filmography. If this is in fact Baumbach’s Stardust Memories (and it is, complete with its own reference to Federico Fellini’s 8 1/2) then, when it’s all said and done, it needed a little more stardust to standout.

https://thatshelf.com/jay-kelly-review-legacy-will-swallow-you-whole/

Time is a crazy thing. I can’t believe it’s been nearly 10 years since Disney animation released the smash hit ZOOTOPIA, a “bunny-cop” movie about a rabbit joining forces with a fox to solve a case in a world full of animals. Now, ZOOTOPIA 2 is finally out of the hat (yes, I’m trying to cram as many animal puns in here as I can). The story takes place just one week after the original. Judy Hopps (Ginnifer Goodwin) and Nick Wilde (Jason Bateman) are now partners on the police force, the first mixed species team ever. Everybody around them is skeptical of their partnership, but the dynamic duo is determined to prove them wrong. They pick up a new case and are immediately embroiled in a conspiracy involving a snake named Gary De’Snake (Ke Huy Quan) and how Zootopia is able to cohabitate all kinds of land mammals. Along for the ride are new and funny characters such as the beaver podcaster and conspiracy theorist Nibbles Maplestick (Fortune Feimster). This movie is just as amazing as the original, perhaps a smidge funnier. It’s full of funny animal puns/jokes, references (some not just for kids), and an extremely heartfelt message of friendship. Another, more adult message in here is about how a group of animals were wiped off the map by another group. I feel like whenever Disney tries to make an animated musical these days, it fails. Yes, there is one song in this, but it’s actually catchy and good. I love how there are entirely too many known voices in this, definitely too many to type out here. Despite the familiar buddy-cop story, the core is still Judy and Nick’s relationship. It’s complex, authentic, and it brings out some emotion. This movie is on par with K-POP DEMON HUNTERS as my favourite animated movie of the year, also probably one of the best Disney sequels out there. Overall, ZOOTOPIA 2 was well worth the wait, and I’m very excited about where they can go next. Take the whole family and stay through the credits!

Execelente

let me watch fisrt

When you eventually pass away, where would you spend your eternity? What would you do? In the uniquely surreal A24 romantic comedy ETERNITY, these questions are explored. This fascinating concept involves the fact that when you die, no matter how old you are, you enter the afterlife, reverting back to the age where you were happiest. In this film, the afterlife looks like a large way station, full of ads for different eternities people can go to. You have one week to choose which one to stick with, for eternity. Elderly couple Larry (Miles Teller) and Joan (Elizabeth Olsen) pass away relatively close together. Larry gets there first, introducing us to this bizarre world. His afterlife coordinator Anna (Da’Vine Joy Randolph) shows him the ins and outs. When Joan arrives, her entirely too handsome ex-husband Luke (Callum Turner) pops up, saying he’s been waiting for her since he died in the Korean War. Joan is now forced to choose who to spend eternity with. On paper, this might sound like just another love triangle movie. While it is that, it goes deeper. This movie is perfect for a date night, but only if you’re with your “person”. The potential danger is it might make you question “Why does this person love me?”, “Why do I love this person?”, or “Would I spend eternity with this person?”. It takes its time to get to know each character, making Joan’s choice that much more impossible. It’s a sweet story that’s thought-provoking, but it’s also very funny. Overall, ETERNITY has a cleverly utilized high concept idea about choosing your forever and is exceedingly charming. The rules of the world get a little flimsy near the end, but I had myself a very good time.

Are we all just acting through life? People can enter our lives and monumentally change them, for better or worse. In the new movie RENTAL FAMILY, lovable teddy bear of a man Phillip Vandarploeug (Brendan Fraser) is struggling to find acting gigs in Tokyo. He gets hired by Rental Family, a company that sends actors to clients that need a stand-in for a variety of things; wedding/funeral guest, romantic partners, even estranged parents. As Phillip gets more gigs, he is shown many different facets of life, allowing him to fill the void in their lives, and his own. Two of these gigs take center stage in this movie. The first is when he poses as a journalist, interviewing a legendary but forgotten actor Kikuo Hasegawa (Akira Emoto), who is in the beginnings of dementia. The second is when he poses as an estranged father to a young girl Mia Kawasaki (Shannon Mahina Gorman), who is trying to get into a private school that requires a father. This is inspired by actual businesses such as Japanese Efficiency Corporation. It deals with identity and loneliness, highlighting the stigma of therapy in Japanese culture. It acknowledges the troubling nature of these gigs and presents serious moral and ethical quandaries. The side characters are layered, revealing themselves slowly over time. It’s not flashy or sensationalizing. It’s heavy, but it’s very well-handled and the script finds the right moments to add levity. It's a self-aware character study of a white man in Japan who will never stop trying to understand the unique culture. It’s a love letter to Tokyo, showcasing some spectacular images of Japan. Fraser gives yet another Oscar-worthy performance. Overall, RENTAL FAMILY is a deep heartwarming crowd-pleaser about humanity and connection. It hit me in all the best ways. If you’re human, I couldn’t recommend it more.

“Sisu” is a Finnish word that translates to a white-knuckled form of courage and unimaginable determination in the face of overwhelming odds. SISU was a 2022 Finnish low-budget movie that became a sleeper hit, garnering a respectable, specific fanbase. Now, director Jalmari Helander is back for more in the sequel SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE (FURY ROAD was taken). SPOILER ALERT for the original SISU! It is now 1946 Finland, two years after the silent Aatami Korpi (Jorma Tommila) struck gold behind enemy lines, killing countless Nazis all the way to the bank. Finland has now ceded part of the east to the Soviets, effectively moving the border. Aatami has become a legend, much like John Wick. He has become the embodiment of “sisu”. Going back to his home, he tears it down with his bare hands and loads the wood onto his truck, determined to move back to Finland. Little does he know, Igor Draganov (Stephen Lang), the man who murdered his family, has been tasked with cleaning up his mess and hunt him down. I absolutely loved this movie, as much as the first. It’s one of the wildest, violent action movies since the original. The crank up the crazy in this one. Physics be damned! It has a similar structure, divided into seven chapters. The stakes are bigger. The director says the tone was inspired by INDIANA JONES, JAMES BOND, and the films of Buster Keaton. I can’t believe Tommila is 66 years old, and Lang is 73! The things they do in this are nuts for any person. The story is very simple, but more personal. Funnily enough, it made me think of UP. It has a dark sense of humour that never compromises the tension of the moment. The hits are bloody and satisfying. This is one of the most entertaining popcorn movies I’ve seen this year. Overall, SISU: ROAD TO REVENGE reimagines everything that worked in the first, and builds on it, as all action sequels should. I want more of these, but I know we can’t have too much of a good thing, especially in Hollywood.

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Good

From the hard grey pastels of New York to the bubbly sunlight of a swimming pool, Charlie Kaufman-Spike Jonze's 'Being John Malkovich' is the sort of film that never allows you to completely get your bearings, but trusts you enough to let you enjoy the ride. It is a landscape we can recognize, glancingly, with characters we also recognize, almost intimately. John Cusack as Craig Schwartz, a disresepected puppeteer is the hinge of the film, but I have to give the most credit to the women in the film: Cathering Keener (the only acting nominee for an Oscar in the film) and especially Cameron Diaz as Lotte Schwartz, who went out of her way to become nearly impossible to recognize. And of course, there is Mr. Malkovich, who must have received this script and wondered which particular demigod was smiling down upon him.
So, see it, love it and enjoy it.
Just don't expect any of the usual conventions except for the idea that love really does conquer all.

Quede sin palabras, eso si que buen esfuerzo le pusieron en la produccion con las escenas jevis

I have never read the Wicked book series or seen the critically acclaimed Broadway musical. WICKED: PART 1 released last year and blew my mind. I was fine with musicals, but this was on another level. After winning some awards, the epic conclusion WICKED: FOR GOOD has now been released. SPOILER WARNING if you haven’t seen PART 1! After challenging the Wizard’s (Jeff Goldblum) totalitarian regime in Oz, Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) must grapple with her identity as the Wicked Witch of the West. Meanwhile, the Wizard has given Glinda (Ariana Grande) the title “Glinda the Good”, and public status as the nation’s defender against her best friend Elphaba. The two witches must make tough decisions that seal their fates. Right off the bat, if you compare this with PART 1, you might be a little disappointed. The songs aren’t as memorable or catchy. It has a darker tone, but it has deeper themes and emotions. Because the relationship between Elphaba and Glinda was built so well in PART 1, you can’t help but root for them. While PART 1 leaned into Elphaba’s journey, FOR GOOD leans into Glinda’s. Their friendship is still at the core, getting complicated when society tries to pull them apart. Everybody has terrific performances, especially the two leads. Grande was fantastic in Part 1 because of her comedic timing. This time, she’s fantastic because of her dramatic acting. She deserves an award even more this year. Erivo is just as amazing here as well. I still can’t believe both of them sang while acting. Usually, they record themselves after. While I wasn’t as enamored by this as I was last year, they do a really good job depicting the propaganda machine that is the Wizard. There are a couple of new songs that are great. There are less comedic moments, but there are still a few here. When they weave in the story from THE WIZARD OF OZ, I really enjoyed how it was done, but it felt really quick. I’ve heard the stage play is also quick to tie up loose threads. This might sound strange, but this installment could’ve been even longer, giving us more time with certain characters and certain story beats. The first act feels a little out of place, the CGI animals didn’t look that great. Thankfully, the third act is very engaging and I love the twists and turns it takes. The production design, costumes, and make-up again deserve awards here. Overall, WICKED: FOR GOOD isn’t as great as its predecessor. It’s darker, more emotional, but ultimately sticks the landing with a satisfying third act. This is a must-see for fans of PART 1. They’re not going to be making any spinoffs, right?.......Right?!

Watched this documentary with great interest, as it's one of many docs out there in which children reckon with an absent parent.
This film has many qualities, starting with the amazing archival footage and images the filmmaker drew from public and private sources.
I didn't know much about the star Jayne Mansfield, but I certainly learned a lot through this film.
Because this plot has so many twists and turns, the film is probably most enjoyed by people like me, who have little knowledge of the movie star's private life.
I don't want to spoil anything, but this documentary is beautful, emotional and full of surprises. I teared up towards the end.

No puedo explicar lo que me divierte cada capítulo, el guión me parece espectacular, la serie es tan fresca como la elocuencia de los diálogos, se siente como ver Girls en pleno 2025.
Ojalá la renueven porque realmente me encanta.
Cuando termine la primera temporada probablemente escriba un artículo porque es un nuevo referente pop para las chicas.

I can't explain how much I enjoy each episode; the script is spectacular, the series is as fresh as the eloquence of the dialogues, it feels like watching Girls in 2025. I hope they renew it because I really love it.
When the first season ends, I'll probably write an article because it's a new pop culture icon for girls.


Jeg kan ikke forklare hvor mye jeg liker hver episode; manuset er spektakulært, serien er like frisk som dialogenes veltalenhet, det føles som å se Girls in 2025.
Jeg håper de fornyer den, for jeg elsker den virkelig.
Når den første sesongen er over, kommer jeg nok til å skrive en artikkel, for det er et nytt popkulturikon for jenter.

Fue muy lindas

A married woman gets up in the middle of the night to paint her toenails just because of one line from a younger guy, then quietly wipes it off the next morning. That tiny detail alone makes this a five-star drama for me!

My absolute favorite K-drama, no competition. The emotions are delicate, and the visual language is so refined 🎬✨
This is what an adult romance really looks like. You feel the spark, but you still hesitate to step out of your comfort zone. You’re no longer reckless — you know exactly what you want, you weigh the pros and cons, you think about the cost… and yet, in the end, you still follow your heart! 💛