Tag: CharlizeTheron

The Odyssey

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After the Trojan War, Odysseus (Matt Damon) wants nothing more than to travel home to Ithaca and back to his wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and his son Thelmachus (Tom Holland). Throughout the course of his ten year voyage, Odysseus comes across many creatures that threaten his life. But with perseverance and the help of his men, he vows to never give up.

Coming off the heels of Oppenheimer, Christopher Nolan shocked fans when he announced that his next feature film would be an adaptation of Homer’s The Odyssey. Unlike anything he had done up until that point, it was a risk that audiences all over the world would wait in bated breath for. As the days counted down and the release drew closer and closer, the film grew into being one of, if not the most anticipated of the year. While the acclaimed director is not afraid to take risks, all eyes were still on him and he delivered yet another masterpiece.

I don’t think I have ever seen a film that featured so many major name in cinema. In addition to Damon, Hathaway and Holland, there was also Robert Pattinson, Elliot Page, John Leguizamo, Mia Goth, Himesh Patel, Charlize Theron, Zendaya, Jon Bernthal, Lupita Nyong’o and Samantha Morton. Some of these casting choices may have been questionable at first; if a project has so many big names attached to it, the chances of it succeeding is not always a given. Although many of these actors only had limited screen time, every single one of them used what time they did have to their advantage and delivered phenomenal performances. Damon and Hathaway in particular were outstanding and I would be shocked if they didn’t receive Oscar nominations for their roles. I was also very impressed with Patel’s Eurylochus who was a true pillar for Damon’s Odysseus.

Truly a feast for the eyes, the cinematography and landscapes were elevated to a whole other level. Nolan is known for his on location shootings and this just made the story feel more real. Spanning across Morocco, Greece, Iceland and Scotland to name a few, each were expertly chosen and built upon to create some incredible sets. Combined with a masterful score from Ludwig Göransson that matched every scene and gave it a whole new meaning, every single one of my senses were heightened.

I had initially been worried that I wouldn’t understand the story and therefore not enjoy myself. One I realized what it was actually about, I was able to fully immerse myself. That being said, I did feel the run time and felt like it could have been a little bit shorter. I was also thrown off course with the use of modern American English. It was a choice I’m not sure I would have made.

The Odyssey is another Nolan epic. He took a big risk and it completely paid off. With its sprawling locations and brilliant performances, it just worked. I’m sure this will be another awards season darling and I am looking forward to seeing it all unfold.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️♥️

Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga

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From director George Miller comes the long awaited new installment of the Mad Max films. This time the focus is on Furiosa (Anya Taylor-Joy) where we learn about her origin story. After being kidnapped as a child (Alyla Browne) and held captive by the evil Dementus (Chris Hemworth), she vows to one day return home. Through the next fifteen years we see her grow into a fearsome warrior who will stop at nothing to get what she wants.

This was my first foray into the Mad Max films. I wanted to at least watch Fury Road before checking this one out, but time ran away from me. I was worried that this would hinder my overall enjoyment of the film. Luckily that wasn’t the case. I’m guessing as it was a prequel, it helped set the tone right from the get go and I found it quite easy to follow.

The first thing that struck me was the cinematography. The vast landscapes of the Wasteland were stunning and I really felt as if I had been transported into another time and place. Learning about the different areas from the Great Place of Many Mothers and Citadel was interesting too.

Taylor-Joy is one of the best actors around right now. The way in which she embodies Furiosa, taking on the role from Charlize Theron in the 2015 version, was absolute perfection. Though she doesn’t have a lot of dialogue, she conveys everything she needed to with her looks and mannerisms. Hemsworth, on the other hand, donned an entirely different character than I’ve seen him play before. He was a strong villain and he was so completely out there which worked effortlessly. Browne did a fine job as a young Furiosa and I loved the additions of Tom Burke as Praetorian Jack and Lachy Hulme as Immortan Joe.

Another area in which the film excelled in was its action sequences. They were visually impressive with lots of cool stunts and special effects. Those complete with the sweeping score really added an extra element to the overall experience I had while watching.

I’ll admit that I was initially on the fence about watching Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga. I didn’t think it would be my type of film or that it would go way over my head. I’m glad that I gave it a a chance anyway and was proven wrong.

Rating: ♥️♥️♥️.5

The School For Good And Evil

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Best friends Agatha (Sofia Wylie) and Sophie (Sophia Anne Caruso) always knew they were destined for more. Growing up in Gavaldon, a tiny town where nothing ever happens, Sophie in particular has always begged to be taken away to the School for Good and Evil. But when it happens, Agatha tries to intervene and gets taken along for the ride and the two are dropped in the wrong area. Only true love’s kiss can set things right and they will do anything to fix this mistake.

I wanted so badly to enjoy this movie. I never read the books so I cannot say whether or not they stayed true to the story, but I was hopeful for this adaptation. There were so many promising aspects from the incredible world building, to the magical creatures and fantastic costume choices. Also, if you think about it, we haven’t had a captivating enough fantasy series in a while.

I’m sad to say that this flat out disappointed me. I don’t know where I went wrong in thinking this would be an origin story between Lady Lesso (Charlize Theron) and Professor Dovey (Kerry Washington), but that would have been one hundred percent more interesting. Then there was the fact that Theron and Washington weren’t even in the movie as much as I thought they’d be.

While I wanted to get onboard with Agatha and Sophie’s story, there was something holding me back. I think a large part of that had to do with their acting. Having seen Wylie in High School Musical: The Musical: The Series, I was familiar with her work and found her to be the strongest one of the bunch, though at times her too cool for school attitude grew tiresome. Caruso, on the other hand, was just bratty and annoying. I get that was the point of her character, but I couldn’t stand it as time progressed.

In addition to seeing more of Lesso and Dovey, I would have liked to have more backstory on some other characters. Kit Young portrayed Rafal and Rhian, the founders of the school. More focus on him would have been a different take. Or even when they were older, the role taken on by Laurence Fishburne would have sufficed. I did like having Cate Blanchett as The Storian, however.

I truly believe that if The School For Good And Evil had been adapted as a TV series instead of a movie, it could have been much better. There would have been more time to flesh out each character and plot point and it wouldn’t have felt so jumbled together. A wasted opportunity.

Rating: ♥♥