Aditya

Such an interesting and well-made film! Strong screenplay paired with efficient storytelling, dynamic score, and a commanding lead performance by Terence Stamp. I was especially intrigued by the editing style here, jumping back and forth between multiple locations and showing the main character’s state of mind at a given moment. Another great showcase of Steven Soderbergh’s adaptability. Highly recommended. PS: The fact that Steven Soderbergh made this right after OUT OF SIGHT and followed this film up with ERIN BROCKOVICH, TRAFFIC, and OCEAN’S ELEVEN back-to-back (winning the Oscar for TRAFFIC along the way) makes this one of the more remarkable streaks for a director I’ve ever seen.

Such a stylish and cool film, paired with a clever usage of non-linear narration as well! Fantastic screenplay, cinematography, editing, and direction (the latter by Steven Soderbergh). The performances (and especially chemistry) by the leads (George Clooney and Jennifer Lopez) are incredible, with strong performances from Ving Rhames, Don Cheadle, and Steve Zahn as well. I’m particularly impressed both by the vibes of this film as well as Steven Soderbergh’s ability to adapt his style for each film. One of Soderbergh’s best films. Highly recommended.

Absolutely loved this film. A heartfelt yet comfortable character-driven drama that sees a teacher and a student open up over the course of the winter holidays. Reminded me heavily of character-driven dramas from the early 1970s (especially HARRY AND TONTO, with a touch of DEAD POETS SOCIETY). Fantastic direction, screenplay, and acting (Paul Giamatti especially stands out in a nomination-worthy performance, with Da'Vine Joy Randolph and Dominic Sessa also delivering outstanding performances). I especially love how the overall aesthetics (especially cinematography and production design) are reminiscent of the early 1970s films too. Deserves Oscar nominations IMO. Highly recommended.

Seen the first 2 episodes so far. I have really liked what I have seen so far. Extremely well acted and written. Brie Larson’s performance in particular is phenomenal, and crucial to making this work. Lewis Pullman is fantastic too (between this and THE CAINE MUTINY COURT-MARTIAL, he is having quite a year). Highly recommended.

Such a fascinating and riveting film. Fantastic screenplay and especially performances (Judith Anderson (who left such an incredible impression in her short screen time), Kirk Douglas (in a very different role yet was great too), Barbara Stanwyck (easily the MVP), and Van Heflin). Great atmosphere and set design too. I was especially impressed by how the characters and performances leave their impression on the viewers really quickly. P. S.: This was in fact the film acting debut for Kirk Douglas (his son is Michael Douglas, best known to modern audiences for playing Dr. Hank Pym in the MCU (although he has had a fantastic set of performances himself from other films)). This movie was a hell of a way to kickstart a career for Kirk, who has had an astounding run of quality movies and performances especially from the late 1940s till the early 1960s.

Really well made and acted. Michael Fassbender's performance is pitch perfect here for the nature of the role, with fantastic editing, cinematography, score, and direction that does an effective job in putting the viewer in the main character's headspace. Given the simplistic nature of the plot, I was surprised at how effective the whole film was overall. Highly recommended.

A brutal yet really satisfying third installment, with a jaw-dropping intro to boot as well as beautiful locales. Strong editing, cinematography, and storytelling as well (the director Antoine Fuqua is really underrated as a storyteller IMO). Another reliably charismatic performance from Denzel, and I also happy to see a MAN ON FIRE reunion of sorts (with Dakota Fanning and Denzel appearing in that film too). Easily one of the best action trilogy franchises ever made, with no misses among any of the films (I can only think of JOHN WICK franchise being similar in terms of consistency). Denzel totally deserves the praise he has been getting of late as being among the greatest actors ever, forging a totally unique career path of his own blending blockbusters with acting showcases (sometimes both at the same time) and being equally adept at both. Not to mention spend his 60s carrying an action franchise of his own (he was 60 when the first EQUALIZER released). I personally am really happy regarding this development, as Denzel is easily one of the most reliable movie stars in terms of delivering entertainment and quality performances. His ability to be effortlessly charismatic is truly something to behold. PS: I heard that Denzel Washington will appear in the now-filming sequel to GLADIATOR (with the original film's director Ridley Scott also directing the sequel), which I am looking forward to seeing despite hating the first film, and he is the only reason why.

This movie is absolutely bonkers in the best way. Super hilarious from start to finish, with great writing, direction, and acting (Kevin Kline, Jamie Lee Curtis, John Cleese, and Michael Palin MVP). Kevin Kline thoroughly deserved the Supporting Actor Oscar he won for this (one of the category's Top 10 best wins IMO), although I felt Jamie Lee Curtis and Michael Palin should've been at least nominated for this (the fact that Jamie had to wait till EVERYTHING EVERYWHERE ALL AT ONCE to even get nominated - let alone win - was astounding to me). Very well-deserved Oscar nominations for both John Cleese and Charles Crichton for Best Original Screenplay (and Crichton for Best Director as well). One of the most well-directed comedies ever made. Highly recommended.

I was literally gobsmacked by this one. Such a phenomenal (and unsettling) exploration of celebrity worship and a cautionary tale of how obsession can lead to detachment from reality and taking things too far. Incredible performances, especially from both Jerry Lewis and especially Robert De Niro, as well as direction and editing. One thing that really stood out for me was how the viewer is put in the headspace of Robert De Niro's character. I can totally see where Todd Phillips's JOKER took it's inspiration from. One of Martin Scorsese's all-time best films IMO, and a remarkable showcase of his effective storytelling style.

I saw season 1 earlier, and watched up until season 2 episode 5 (the most recent episode so far). Easily the best of all the MCU shows. Tom Hiddleston MVP. UPDATE: Such a great way to end the 2nd season! Great performances from all, including Tom Hiddleston, Jonathan Majors, and Sophia Di Martino. I find it a hilarious coincidence that I’ve seen 2 MCU media featuring both Tom Hiddleston and his real-life fiancé Zawe Ashton on the same day (Zawe was the antagonist in THE MARVELS).