The nature of films, and indeed all media, means that comparisons are almost inevitable and it’s important to remember that just because a film isn’t as good as a similar films, that doesn’t mean it itself is a bad film. Case in point, Pilgrimage comes across as a mix between Valhalla Rising and Silence, without the visual trip of the former or the heaviness of the latter, but still within it’s own rights is an enjoyable and interesting examination of faith.
Looking Beyond Eyes: An Interview with Aaron B. Koontz
Schedules can be hectic. My flight back to Los Angeles from a wedding in New York and director Aaron B. Koontz’s packed press schedule meant that we couldn’t talk directly. But our good friends at the Katrina Wan Press Agency had our backs. Samantha Arevalo and Camelia Adibi forwarded my questions to Aaron so the Cinephellas community could get some insight into his artistic process, being a first-time director, and why he wanted to tackle Post Traumatic Stress Disorder in the new film Camera Obscura. I’d like to thank Samantha, Camelia, and Aaron for taking time out of their busy schedules, and I hope Aaron’s answers get you as hyped for the movie as I am.
The Representation Game: A Conversation with Matthias Hoene
Pop culture products like movies and TV shows help us recognize social issues that need discussing. If we’re lucky, they enlighten us in entertaining ways. Sometimes they even make us uncomfortable because they force us question our own beliefs. Enter the Warriors Gate, the latest film from director Matthias Hoene, does all that work and more.
When the first Guardians of Galaxy was released in 2014 it felt like a very odd choice for Marvel to make following the success of The Avengers; a sci-fi series featuring a talking tree, a psychotic raccoon, the tubby guy from Parks & Rec., and directed by a guy from Troma? Never should’ve worked. And yet, $770 Million and worldwide praise later, the film did work and serves as one of the highlights of Marvel’s cinematic universe, so no pressure on the sequel.
To get it out of the way quickly, Vol. 2 doesn’t live up to the first, only because the first film had no expectations of it, it came from nowhere, and blew everyone away. While the sequel had the unfortunate luck to come second, it’s still a burst of color and fun, while one of the best standalone MCU films to date.
‘Ghost In The Shell’ is a remake from internationally acclaimed futuristic Japanese hit in 1995, directed by Mamoru Oshi of the same name and based on Masamune Shirow manga published in 1989. I just saw it yesterday morning and in it’s first 10 minutes, I was starting to think that this could be one of the best, visually impressive dystopian sci-fi films ever put onscreen. The film has a vibe of Ridley Scott’s sci-fi masterpiece, Blade Runner, with the aura of The Wachowski Brothers’, The Matrix . It’s hard not to think of some other films we’ve seen in the past years that touch on the same subject as this movie, but Rupert Sanders was able to find ways to continuously make it seem new to us.
The year is set in 2019: Major (played terrifically by Scarlett Johansson) is a female human-android and being called the first of her kind, designed to kill world’s most dangerous criminals. Major has mind and soul, she was told that she was saved from a terrific accident and only her brain survived. She is having visions, memories from her past that led her to the truth why she was brought to Hanka, a corporation that develop state-of-the-art robotics.
Logan reviews Jordan Peele‘s directorial debut Get Out . Check it out below and subscribe to our YT Channel. #GetOut #MovieReview
by Kevin Muller
What more can you say about “La La Land” that already hasn’t been said? They say it is a masterpiece of a movie that is about ambition, dreams, and hope, all set against original music and beautiful dancing. They say Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling have one of a kind chemistry and are also individually incredible. Yes, a lot has been said about this film and most of it is true.
Logan reviews Tom Ford’s newest film, Nocturnal Animals.
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