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Saturday, February 29, 2020

[8.00/10] The Invisible Man (2020)

The Invisible Man (2020)

Quick Review: With an ingenious high-tech spin on its suspense-filled plot focused on mental abuse which offers deft twists, grisly jolts, splash of gore, dash of wit and killer finale, "Invisible Man" is a visibly dexterous remake, whose sleek looks, chilling tone, cool settings, and edgy score add technical merit among its other top qualities, but it's Moss' restless, emotionally diverse performance as the terrified and uneasy, if cunning Cecilia that eminently intensifies this dire experience of terror.

Thursday, February 27, 2020

[6.75/10] The Call of the Wild (2020)

The Call of the Wild (2020)

Quick Review: It would have been better with real animals, even if the work on the CGIed ones is superb, albeit uncanny, but the fascinatingly old-fashioned  "The Call of the Wild" is a feel-good and gorgeously-shot 'canine' adventure set against the glorious backdrop of snowy Alaska, driven by the exhilarating fellowship between Ford's peaceful, yet quietly tough John and his brave, vigorous and sweet dog buddy, with the film's most uplifting bit being Buck's native connection with nature.

[6.00/10] Come to Daddy (2020)

Come to Daddy (2020)

Quick Review: Witty, darkly funny, bizarre, but above all disturbing, yet somewhat tacky looking and easily forgettable, "Come to Daddy" starts off as an amusing, tense, and often clever father-son reunion story with, surprisingly, a lot more humor than drama, but after an unsettling twist midway through, it gets grim, bloody and violent in its absurd and totally nuts, if less effective second half, with the perfectly-cast Elijah Wood giving one of his better, and more versatile performances.

Wednesday, February 26, 2020

[5.75/10] See You Yesterday (2019)

See You Yesterday (2019)

Quick Review: Sure, probably a more lighthearted and fun approach would have worked better, but this charming and moving time travel film manages to infuse as much comedy as drama among its sci-fi topics, but also to make a fairly pertinent social commentary on the police brutality towards black community, "See You Yesterday" is a creative hybrid a film about family, friendship, loss, and love for science, with an emotional, yet powerful and fiery performance from the adorable Smith.

Tuesday, February 25, 2020

[4.00/10] The Night Clerk (2020)

The Night Clerk (2020)

Quick Review: A moody, painfully sluggish, monotonous and pointless thriller wannabe that totally wastes its terrific cast, apart from Sheridan who steals most of the screen time as the anthropophobic and introvert Bart, "The Night Clerk" starts off as an intriguing murder mystery with a disturbing touch of privacy invasion, but unexpecedly shifts into a pretty dull romance, which ruins the entire tension built quietly until this point, turning the movie into a pretentious bore with zero purpose.

[6.50/10] Bacurau (2019)

Bacurau (2019)

Quick Review: A small town drama of isolation, poverty, and community dynamics that changes into a brutal western thriller riddled with savagery and violence, this atmospheric, set- in-rural-Brazil quiet shocker may be challenging in terms of pacing, but not only "Bacurau" is impossible to predict and so artfully and skillfully blurred in terms of genre identity, but it also concerns some important topics, such as political corruption, social inequality, and gun culture in scarily realistic situations.

Monday, February 24, 2020

[7.25/10] I Lost My Body (2019)

I Lost My Body (2019)

Quick Review: With an out-of-the-ordinary, gorgeously grey-ish hand drawn graphics just as unique as its peculiarly one-of-a-kind story that is simultaneously genuinely sweet and twistedly surreal, "I Lost My Body" is an oddly riveting French animation, whose romantic, often touching plot makes a powerful emotional impact, thanks to the likable characters and their authentic chemistry, but it's the soft touch of ghastly quirk that really elevates this urban fable to a more thought-provoking level.

Friday, February 21, 2020

[6.25/10] The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019)

The Last Black Man in San Francisco (2019)

Quick Review: An odd, poignant, and delicate autobiographical story of delusion, an unfulfilled dream, a love for place called home, but also one about friendship in its purest form, "The Last Black Man in San Francisco" is unlike anything you've seen before, turly authentic in feel, and acted so very naturally, and yet, the sluggish pacing and incoherent plotting make it challenging to hold your attention for two hours, in spite of its artful uniqueness.

Thursday, February 20, 2020

George Beremov's TOP 20 Best-Reviewed Movies of 2019

[click on the title to read the quick review]
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1. Avengers: Endgame [3D] (9.50/10)

Quote: "...culminates in a staggering third act, featuring a colossally epic grand battle that dazzles the eyes, followed by a dramatically affecting finale that hits the heart."
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Quote: "...Chapter 3 is pretty much action perfection, but it is the flashy visual style, dexterous cinematography, and snazzy use of light that elevate this one into a true genre art..."
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3. Alita: Battle Angel [3D] (9.25/10)

Quote: "...boasting with its technical grandeur, super-swanky cyberpunk style, jaw-dropping futuristic imagery, thrilling battles, 
and spectacular set pieces..."
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4. Knives Out (9.00/10)

Quote: "A brainy, dexterous, sharp-witted, smartly-conceived and brilliantly-executed Agatha Christie- esque murder mystery, whose pattern-like plot is so well-structured..."
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5. Togo (9.00/10)

Quote: "...Core masterfully narrates a taut, thrilling, and adventurous underdog tale, mixed with a sweet and moving backstory, to bring this soul-stirring canine legend to life..."
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6. Ford v Ferrari (8.75/10)

Quote: "Charged by its leads' chemistry, and balancing out deftly-crafted car racing scenes with cutting-edge sound effects that give an adrenaline rush, and a truly engrossing story..."
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Quote: "...the most riveting non-plot movie you'll ever see, which is 2 hours of cheeky randomness about zest for acting, narcissism, and hippies, and 40 min of brutal awesomeness..."
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8. Parasite (8.50/10)

Quote: "Inspired, unsettling, darkly quirky, at times shocking, but also deeply affecting, the brilliantly-conceived, thought-provoking, and delightfully unforeseeable..."
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9. Midsommar [Director's Cut] (8.50/10)

Quote: "...gets under your skin with its visceral grimness, while ravishing your eyes with its visual vividness -- a contrast that mesmerizes, disturbs, confuses, and startles all at once."
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10. Klaus (8.50/10)

Quote:  "...more than pretty visuals -- it's a daring, yet credible take on the origin of Santa, free of Christmas tropes, but also a sweet, funny and poignant story of growth, care and kindness..."
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11. Marriage Story (8.50/10)

Quote: "...is an introspective and penetrating emotional roller coaster ride through happiness and sorrow, pleasure and agony,
and freedom and loneliness..."
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12. Toy Story 4 [3D] (8.50/10)

Quote: "...offers so much more than a feast for the eyes, reintroducing old characters and presenting cute new ones, and concluding the series in the typical adventurous fashion..."
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13. Luce (8.25/10)

Quote: "..."Luce" is a brainy, gripping, and stimulating illustration of deception and manipulation that utilizes delusion to rise its suspense
to an un-bearable level."
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14. Ready or Not (8.25/10)

Quote: "...may be the deadliest 'hide and seek' game ever put on screen, set out to keep you on your toes with its edgy feel, non-stop tensity and Weaving's furiously badass turn..."
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15. Mirage (8.25/10)

Quote: "..."Mirage" uses its intricate time-wrap-driven narrative structure to skillfully unveil the mystery behind its enthralling story, 
taking place in 2 parallel universes..."
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16. Joker (8.00/10)

Quote: "Obscure, gritty, and with an off-putting feel that contrasts with its earthy color palette, but fits grimly well with the sense of havoc
and mass disorder in '70s Gotham..."
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17. Richard Jewell (8.00/10)

Quote: "...a skillfully-crafted, evenly-paced and well-written film that effortlessly balances out drama, humor, wit, and sentiment, being quietly intense and consistently riveting throughout..."
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18. Dark Waters (8.00/10)

Quote: "...does it in such a gripping, shocking and unsettling way, you can't take your eyes off, being also captivated by its murky in tone, toxically green-shaded cinematography."
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19. Pain and Glory (8.00/10)

Quote: "...moody and melancholic, yet playful, humorous, and nostalgic flashback, built up to a clever final reveal that ties the 
past and present deftly..."
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Quote: "...it also has a dark side about itself that contrasts to the touching nature of its central story, which is beautifully brought to life
by an imaginatively polished animation..."
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Honorable mentions:
All Rated 7.75/10

1917 | Two Popes | Little Women | Kingdom | Aladdin | Shazam!
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[6.75/10] Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon (2019)

Shaun the Sheep Movie: Farmageddon (2019)

Quick Review: Shaun the sheep goes extraterrestrial in this charming and fun sequel, and though not as cool as the first, "Farmageddon" not only stuns with excellent claymation and adorably designed familiar and new, alien characters, but in never sees to amuse, thanks to its bright slapstick humor, in spite of being a silent comedy, and manages to tell its simple story effectively enough to remain fairly entertaining throughout the 86-minute run time.

Wednesday, February 19, 2020

[6.50/10] Color Out of Space (2020)

Color Out of Space (2020)

Quick Review: Colors, creatures, and craziness are the key elements in this H.P. Lovecraft cosmic horror that goes from weird to bonkers as the plot unfolds, if kinda sluggishly though, but those who like their stuff more freaky than straight-up scary will be rewarded, as "Color Out of Space" offers a bizarre story, some gruesome imagery, and old school practical effects, all wrapped up in a neon-stained atmosphere with lurid visual effect that further emphasizes Cage's deranged acting.

Tuesday, February 18, 2020

[5.25/10] Overcomer (2019)

Overcomer (2019)

Quick Review: It aims to be both inspiring and uplifting, as well as to renew your faith, but this otherwise good-intentioned film doesn't really know whether it wants to be a 'failed coach discovers his new flair' sports dramedy or a manipulative 'father- daughter reunion' tearjerker or just a preachy 'embrace God' Christian drama, and the end result is a tonal mess that desperately tries to evoke a huge variety of different emotions, leaving the audience more confused than genuinely touched.

Sunday, February 16, 2020

[4.25/10] Fantasy Island (2020)

Fantasy Island (2020)

Quick Review: A cheesy mess that fantasizes to be an effective fantasy horror genre hybrid, but it ends up being funny in all the wrong places, not only the otherwise good-looking "Fantasy Island" brings zero scares, but it feels like five different stories poorly merged into one, which gets worse in the third act, throwing one lame twist after another, making its nonsensical plot even more absurd and confusing than it already is, and its attractive, if silly characters more obnoxious and unlikable.

Saturday, February 15, 2020

[6.00/10] Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Sonic the Hedgehog (2020)

Quick Review: Yes, it's familiar, far from inventive, and too juvenile for adults to enjoy, but this live-action CGI mash-up VG adaptation is also a nostalgic throwback with energetic pacing, fun action, cute cartoonish effects, cheeky humor, and a playful plot with surprising amount of heart, and though the film seems harmless at first, the speedy blue alien Sonic stirs the pot further on, during the chase with the loony villain, played manically well by Carrey.

Thursday, February 13, 2020

[7.25/10] Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019)

Ip Man 4: The Finale (2019)

Quick Review: As devastating as it's thrillingly action-packed, this last chapter in the series is dedicated to the final days of Ip Man's life, who Yen embodies with equanimity and wisdom, as the master goes through a muted emotional journey, dealing with a fatal illness and struggling to reconnect with his son, while facing off ruthless enemies, who he battles with in rough and electrifying 'kung fu vs. karate' fights, choreographed deftly by Yuen Wo-ping.

Wednesday, February 12, 2020

[5.50/10] Charlie's Angels (2019)


Quick Review: The diverse filming locations really please the eye, and all of the three female leads are fun as the Angels, especially Scott, who captivates with appeal and comedic talent, but this despite having some sense of style, this pointless reboot suffers from questionable direction, unspectacular, poorly-edited action, uneven pacing, and a muddled, yet totally cheesy save-mankind-from-a- deadly-device plot-line, full of corny twists, not to say "Charlie's Angels" is thirty minutes too long.