Spaghetti Kitchen: Year VII - The Reviews Awaken

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Did you upgrade starlight @Spaghetti

[4815162342]

Finders Keepers

 

 

Because HOW

[Ezen Baklattan]

1 hour ago, YourMother the Edgelord said:

Ends of The Universe

Tower of Babylon

Ends of the Universe - A few people criticized The Long Way Home for not standing out amongst the number of space sagas in the game, but I would argue these criticisms, while still not severe, apply a bit more here. There's lot of enjoyable character work and stunning visuals here, and John DiMaggio and Laura Bailey give winning performances (Hats of to Numbers for using a cast of mostly voice actors), but it feels a bit too formulaic and boilerplate to truly shine as something special. The more mature spin does give it a lot of merit, however, but I'm going to copy a bit @4815162342 used in his reviews. I appreciate the relatively more laid back and non-franchised focused take of the space journey, but I have to admit...

 

 

Tower of Babylon - Stunning on all levels, I loved this partly for the same reasons @cookie loved In the Aeroplane Over the Sea last year. It's a lucid, powerful dream unlike most movies you'll ever see, leaving you wondering so much about the world you live in and what else exists within our space. It's a haunting dreamlike world that never overstays its welcome and gives you so much to relish over its runtime. And that's not even mentioning the mind blowing and gorgeous visuals. See it on the biggest screen you can and your world will never be the same.

[Ezen Baklattan]

2 hours ago, SLAM! said:

 

Megalo Box and Tongues--Thank you for #15 and my honorable mentions!

Megalo Box - This boxing adventure is able to stand out a lot more thanks to its exciting world building and powerful performances, with Benicio Del Toro being a particular standout. The plot threads aren't completely unfamiliar, but there's a unique, badass energy to this where the story makes unique and interesting choices, particularly in its ending. I enjoyed this one a lot.

 

Tounges - There's a *REALLY* strong movie in here, especially in how it seemingly lays the ground for a scathing critique of white paternalism, but I feel that the movie ultimately plays things too safe and feels a bit more like a lifetime movie than the more biting satire the film felt like it wanted to be at times. It's still a solid film with strong messages and a capable cast and direction, but it came close to being something truly sepcial.

 

2 hours ago, cookie said:

Looping

Looping - While I'm more positive on this than, say, Cookie and Alpha, I wasn't quite as blown away by this as some critics' reviews had me hoping. Jackman and Marsai have great chemistry together, and even watching them create their new lives in the time loop is touching, but it doesn't quite have the energy to build towards a satisfying conclusion. Like @cookie said, the obstacle course felt like an awkward climax, while the very ending kinda felt like a cop-out too. I did enjoy it a lot overall, but see the Patricia Arquette gif above.

 

2 hours ago, Alpha said:

Laika

Fatal Attraction

 

Laika - Goddamn. An utterly gut wrenching and heartless parable about the lives sacrificed without consent in the name of progress and glory. I really can't say anything that other reviews haven't expressed more eloquently, but this tale is gripping from start to finish and left me thinking a lot about how cruel humans can be, but also questions the price we must pay for advancement. Mulligan, Colman, and Sheen give stunning performances in a cast that is admittedly overstuffed, but not in a way that seriously hinders my enjoyment of the film. A truly excellent film and one of the best animated efforts in the game so far. Also Max Richter GOAT.

 

Fatal Attraction - Gyllenhaal and McAvoy give chilling performances in this surprisingly unique and effective remake. Again drawing from @cookie's review, the gender swap is really what makes this, along with effectively setting up McAvoy's character as a seeming ally without malicious intent. Sometimes a movie's just damn well made and gets to the point, and this is one of them.

 

2 hours ago, Blankments said:

The disappointment

Roman fever 

 

The Disappointment - This should be included in our discussion of space opera movies because everyone acts like a fucking alien in this. ALSO WHY WOULD ADAM MCKAY SHOW TRUMP IN A POSITIVE LIGHT IN THIS MOVIE, ALSO LET HIM BE IN THE MOVIE IN THE FIRST PLACE?!

 

Roman Fever - Winona Ryder and Amy Adams play off each other brilliantly in the backdrop of 1930s Italy (not really touching, you know, the whole fascist stuff) as they uncover secrets and betrayals in their past. I do think Ryder gives a more subtle and interesting performance, though Adams is terrific. The stuff with the daughters did feel a bit awkward in how Jenny is shown seemingly in a kind of unfair way, but the drama is just as juicy and the wine, and the surprises are legitimately something to behold. An exquisite piece of summer art house drama.

 

 

[Ezen Baklattan]

1 hour ago, 4815162342 said:

Finders Keepers

 

 

Because HOW

Finders Keepers - As long as it's not racist, sexist, homophobic, etc., I am a HUGE sucker for dark comedies. The macabre humor and madcap killings make this a really wickedly delightful treat that reminds me of Blood and Fur in its gleeful, violent abandon. The characters are basically caricatures, but everyone has a lot of fun with the ridiculousness of the premise.

[Ezen Baklattan]

@Ethan Hunt, @Alpha, and @cookie, in that order: Have your crack at one of 5 pre-reads. Aquarius, which is owed to @4815162342 from last year, is not eligible.

 

BE MORE CHILL

(dir. John McPhail)

 

A film adaptation of the cult musical, Be More Chill follows an awkward teenager who discovers a secret that promises to fix up his social life, not knowing that it will stop at nothing to achieve those goals.

 

BH3, OR MARION, CASSIE, AND THE GREAT SUPERNOVA OF Y8

(dir. Noelle Stevenson)

 

Marion and Cassie begin their final adventure to keep a prized and powerful artifact from falling to malicious hands as they find themselves in a war against all other galactic bounty hunters.

 

THE EPSILON SYNDICATE: ART OF THE DREAM

(dir. Cathy Yan)

 

Nadine and Madame Y team up with old flames and few faces to stop the plans of a demented children's show host who plans on creating a new world order.

 

THE EPSILON SYNDICATE: OPERATION COPYCAT

(dir. Nacho Vigalondo)

 

Antigone Ska and Donatello Chau are assigned the protection of a scientist working on a powerful project, unaware that a spy resides in their mist and could single handedly threaten the entire omniverse.

 

HOTEL AMORA

(dir. Lulu Wang)

 

Somewhere unknown in time a space, there lies a place where dreams become a reality. As the only home she had known since her birth, one of the hotel's employees tries to make their own dreams come true for a change.

[Ethan Hunt]

Thank you so much for the number one placement. This is an incredible milestone in my CAYOM experience. As for the preread I'd like to gander at Hotel Amora

[MCKillswitch123]

Thank you for #19, #17 and an honorable mention 🙏

 

And I request reviews for Tony Hawk's Pro Skater and The Turkey Squad.

[Alpha]

I request Art of the Dream.

[4815162342]

@Spaghetti I'd love a Notorious review when you have time.

[cookie]

I’ll take Furry Vore 3