Remedy

A brilliantly paced psychological thriller that gets totally buried at the end by perhaps the most perverse climax imaginable. Johnny Depp is without question superb, John Turturro is also great in a role somewhat atypical for him also great. David Koepp is otherwise a master screenwriter, but he didn't quite pull it off here. I wouldn't have any particular complaints about the direction, but the likes of Tony Gilroy and Michael Clayton definitely have the upper hand in the "writer/director" category.

The first Luhrmann film that’s bothered me with its superficiality. That fabled need for visual masturbation was present in this case too, of course, but it doesn't work in any positive way, because this time it's too "colorized", insanely over-stylized altogether, and some of the characters are at the very least begging for a beating (the opening scene at the gas station is the height of awkwardness and I had a strong urge to turn it off... ) Fortunately, it's then saved by Leo and Claire, whose intimate scenes are quite successful, but considering that the source material is the great William Shakespeare, there was tragically little emotion for my taste. The soundtrack was ok, the level of the visuals was not great for Luhrmann, the emotions were lacking, the central duo was all right. But overall nothing more than average.

A completely professionally made film (perfect editing, amazing cinematography, breathtaking sets...), which thanks to its "soft drink" script manages to attack the viewer's emotions quite indiscriminately at some moments. Fortunately, the whole thing actually feels on the whole quite natural and civil (mainly thanks to the excellent cast), and therefore there is no need to wonder if Cameron Crowe is just forcing your emotions or if the characters are so wonderfully written and acted that you just believe them all. What’s more, the story itself is so beautifully human that perhaps it must ultimately soften even otherwise purely cynical hearts. The ending is so very moving it's almost unwelcome :)))

The environment Rupert Sanders has created here is captivating and very appealing. Add to that the truly perfect casting (Charlize is still beautiful and in terms of her character actually plays a total bitch :))), Kristen matures like wine from one film to the next, and Chris is gradually growing into a star of considerable stature), and the result is actually a pretty above average affair. One could of course draw comparisons and say that Snow White and the Huntsman is in better taste than Narnia or The Golden Compass (however, my beloved Stardust remains unsurpassed), and ultimately that is indeed the case :))), but for me the important thing was that it all somehow held together and maintained a fairly high standard despite its fairy tale subject matter. 3.5 stars

Now that was literally God's will. And one of the rare instances where I'll gladly change my original review and my original rating from the theatrical release back in 2013. Back then, just 4 stars and a bland and flavorless assessment in the style of AngelAngie-style – who thankfully hasn’t been writing any reviews since 2011 and can’t anyway – that, my friends and others, was also God's will. Indeed, the citing of God's will here is the key to everything, and if I apply it metaphorically to the entire production of Prisoners, it was definitely God's will to create such a merciless script (I hope Aaron Guzikowski gets a few more chances to write a story that is every parent's worst nightmare), to find more tremendously interesting subject matter for Roger Deakins after Skyfall (albeit notoriously more intimate subject matter, but Deakins' incredible eye for every shot is perhaps even more palpable here than in Skyfall), to inform a now international audience of Denis Villeneuve's immense directorial talent (if any Villeneuve film can be considered his Hollywood breakthrough, it's this one), and above all, it was definitely God's will to choose such a bravura cast. The rivalry between Jackman and Gyllenhaal is epic from the first minutes (and they're on the same side!) and perhaps the most interesting thing about their duel is that for a while you’re rooting for one of them more and then for the other, and you have to have human sympathy and deep empathy for both. What's even more remarkable about this film is how it differs markedly from similar genre films in certain ways. It is, of course, a crime thriller through and through, in which a standard police investigation takes place. But it's so cleverly written that you'll almost feel (and I mean almost!) the entire time that the cops are playing second fiddle in this case. The desperately pissed off daddy versus the cop with a tick in his eye. Borderline genius.

Seth MacFarlane has no mercy for anything at all (for which he has my admiration), but as a result (or perhaps because of it) his Ted comes across as a maximally unfair but otherwise quite intelligent and cohesive spectacle, which may give unprepared viewers the impression with its "fairy tale" opening that this is really going to be a nice fairy tale about a good teddy bear... which, of course, is reliably buried by the very first scene with the bong on the couch : ))) At the very least, Seth MacFarlane deserves admiration for not being afraid to tread in places that are quite sensitive for the Yanks (e.g. 9/11 and "half-Muslim chicks" :)) and also for letting his Ted act like a total asshole at times and then portraying him as a lovable stuffed animal who has to hide under the covers with his owner before the storm. Ted works great as an 80s-referencing comedy, but somehow on the inside makes you think there's something more to it. I wouldn't characterize that as a criticism or some insanely sophisticated allegory, but if you're even a little perceptive, you just can't miss the parallels.

Steven Soderbergh in his best period (at least in my opinion) follows two "relatively serious films" with a terrific diversion that teems with star actors, occasionally offers some pretty awesome dialogue, and feels incredibly fresh and brisk. There's a bit of that "playful directing" effect present here, and I dare say that all the protagonists must have enjoyed the filming in every way (at least that’s the impression I got). A suspenseful crime comedy with themes of "the greater good", Soderbergh gets an A plus for this one.

Jennifer Lawrence is without a doubt the great asset of the whole film. She's basically a dopey girl who may not be particularly attractive to most of the male cast, but to me she represents the more "normal" part of the girl population and is a human and natural actress in the truest sense of the word. If the main character had been some busty blonde with too much makeup, I wouldn't even have bothered with this one. As far as the story is concerned, it's obviously not a very original affair, but on the other hand I certainly can't say that I was clear about everything from the beginning and that nothing surprised me. A technically average affair with an above-average script. Jennifer is of course great... :-)

Perhaps it could be said that Roman Polanski is the exemplary master of minimalism, which of course he proves in his later work. The concept of his first film directly encourages it – three actors in a very limited space and a concept that is truly almost theatrical. Being "closed in" on that lake creates an interestingly oppressive atmosphere and deepens the psychological depth of the film. The beginning is rather lukewarm, but once the "macho" dialogue starts to gradually escalate, the whole film picks up momentum and offers an open-ended but (at least for me) quite enjoyable ending. Polanski and his first example of pure craftsmanship.

I cried a few times, I admit it. At the same time, I'm ashamed of myself because Monsieur Cassavetes is a downright emotional manipulator. Sorry, but if after 10 minutes of the film the main sufferer shoots off a couple of poorly aimed (on top of everything else!!!) streams of vomit, that makes it a violent, forced, and unnatural plea for the viewer's emotions that I find utterly repugnant. The fact is that the film as a whole is a very respectable piece of craftsmanship, I won't deny that and I’m taking that into account in my overall rating. The acting was pretty good, too; however, my biggest problem was with the hysterical Cameron Diaz. She was just overacting in the most tense moments, which unfortunately cannot be excused. As a whole, the film isn't bad, and it's definitely not crap. It's a well made film with an unfortunately overly tear-jerking script that at certain moments acts as a signal that seems to say "it's going to get really bad now, get your tissues ready, but that's life!"