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Film reviews

The Legend of Ochi Review

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This is one of those films where I felt a sense of connection that was mesmerizing. More by the fact that struggles with family in a fantasy setting loops in desperation and urgency—senses of feeling united throttle The Legend of Ochi. Written and directed by Isaiah Saxton, his focus brings his audience to a universe where one finds a cause to care for a particular creature. The setting has filming in Romania—a setting where mountains and villagers have a sense of brutality and norms. Saxton’s era is magnificent—because it is an adventure and fantasy that challenges a new approach to the sense of taking objectives that are right and sincere.

In the film, its main character is Yuri (played by Helena Zengel), and she is one who lives in the village of Carpathia. A destitute island with a vibe of mixed moving parts. It is written like politics are associated, but deep-down Yuri is the one who is alone. With a stubborn father Maxim (played by Willem Dafoe), and a questioning mother Dasha (played by Emily Watson). Yuri’s life revolves around scenarios that are not normal. Her life changes though when she comes across an “Ochi.” It is an animal where the village has been trained to despise, but Yuri feels that this creature is one that is in her hands to protect it. She decides to escape and make this creature her new opportunity. It is a newborn. She runs and Maxim hunts to bring her home, and so does her brother Petro (played by Finn Wolfhard).

The magnificent aspect is the lines of wanting to do good. There is also that nurturing personality of writing that thrives to make The Legend of Ochi feel like E.T. Overall. It is just in an era that is almost in the same period as E.T., but this one has more moving parts hidden beneath the surface. A lot of questions to why an “Ochi” is a creature of despise. Deep-down though, the bond is strong and heavy, and my hope for that true connection that thrives vigorously was when I kept praying for in The Legend of Ochi.

What kept coming to my mind is the pattern of the attitude with the performance of Zengel, Dafoe, and Watson—because throughout the setting of the film, they have that display of disconnect that throttles the sense of desperation. Of course, though, the village setting is in the protective zone, and that is what fuels the film’s loneliness side of the journey to save a creature. However, there is also a sense of good deeds invigorating the core. The Legend of Ochi tends to bring in beliefs to add layers of curiosity but also layers for optimism to keep burgeoning.

The setting of resources and times in complicated places is the valuable aspect in The Legend of Ochi. The writing of hardship and family patterns to maintain is where I found a light of hope that was insightful. The Legend of Ochi is a tail that invigorates a good deed for a cause of inspiration. “Inspiration” of what some will do to feel the lack of love—they will do the empathetic deed. Yuri is the one on the mission to fulfill that destiny. The task is not easy, but along the way, it spirals with magnificence.

Where depth and happiness throttle, it is in a moment when Yuri communicates with the “Ochi.” It is almost like speaking gibberish or Klingon (the language from Star Trek). In that key moment my gut for love felt nourished. That is because that makes the film revive a lonesome moment. It also leaves the door open for change to come around. Fantasy, the forests, and Yuri are the foundation to The Legend of Ochi. Truly magnificent, touching, wonderful, and a grandeur of wackiness with classiness on a level that goes dark to create a bigger meaning of empathy in a fictional tone. Four out of four stars for The Legend of Ochi.

Film reviews

Warfare Review

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Written and directed by Alex Garland and Ray Mendoza, this is Warfare. The film is one of the most astounding and instrumental portraits of how war feels. It blends desperation and darkness in ways that weave together the emotional and drastic side of being in a war zone. It is humanistic to the extent that audiences feel a deep personal response. Warfare is a hard watch, and at the same time it is unmissable.

The film focuses on Navy SEALS and features characters ranging from Ray (played by D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai) to Eric (played by Will Poulter) to Elliott (played by Cosmo Jarvis), to Sam (played by Joseph Quinn). There are other soldiers, however, the primary focus is on these individuals most of the time Warfare. They are in uncharted territory. The opening shows the soldiers going around doing surveillance, using scopes, and making sure they are ready for when an attack happens. When an explosion occurs, their mission becomes more critical. 

This film is based on a true story and takes place in one place. Accuracy is used as an element that helps to raise curiosity. The setting is a place in a world that is in and of itself mind-blowing, Ramadi, Iraq. The Navy SEALS based there are one of several contributors to stressors in Warfare. During each invigorating aspect or detrimental moment in the story, I knew there were other layers that were bound to boggle my mind. There was always another moving component swerving back and forth in my head during the time I viewed Warfare.

Since this film is an adaptation, the seriousness of the matters takes on a surreal sense. When soldiers are injured, the momentum shifts and the matter of staying alive becomes more crucial. Throughout the streets of Iraq, Warfare has many inevitable moments that practically made my blood boil. The continuity drives desperation to the most vivid level because survival is the weapon that matters in Warfare.

Garland and Mendoza know how to push the limits of combat. This is especially the case in situations when choices must be made in a timely manner.  There are no right or wrong answersonce scenarios burst wide open in Warfare. The film makes an impact and will likely cause audiences to have different responses. Some may be shocked, some may be mortified, and some may be blown away. I was all three after seeing Warfare, because it is one of the most chilling, aching, and cinematic thrill rides I have seen. Warfare displays action that can be anxiety-provoking when traps unravel. 

There comes a time to fight back and push adrenaline to the max. Warfare is all “adrenaline!” There is no holding back. The entire focus is making it out alive for all including those who are compromised. There is a vast amount of fear that can be dismissed, but there are lives on the line. The film’s key component is a cinematic jolt based upon what steps must be taken. It is a one-of-a-kind masterpiece. Four out of four stars for Warfare.

Film reviews

Death of a Unicorn Review

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This is one of the craziest retro films I have seen. It is full of colors, wonders, and quirky revelations all centered around a unicorn. Death of a Unicorn is one bonkers ride filled with elements of surprise. Written and directed by Alex Scharfman, The Death of a Unicorn is a film where one incident loops in theories and leads to silly outcomes. For a new director, it is visionary yet achieves more fantasy than value. Scharfman utilizes his directing skills to bring audiences on an invigorating adventure in Death of a Unicorn.

The film focuses on Elliott (played by Paul Rudd) and Ridley (played by Jenna Ortega), who play a father and daughter. They are in route to visit a wealthy pharmaceutical CEO when they hit a unicorn. They hide the unicorn in their vehicle which leads to an unimaginable ride once the unicorn goes bananas. It is a bizarre but enticing foundation because the unicorn has power. Once someone touches the horn of the unicorn magic is revealed which impacts each individual in a unique way. With the dynamics between the father and daughter who are visiting a wealthy family, lots of questionable judgment ensues. Egos collide which causes the fun to spiral and plays a key role in the massive joy in this film. It is especially entertaining when the middle-class tries to impress the upper-class and neither class knows what hit them Death of a Unicorn.

The story is a suspenseful ride that borders on insanity due in part to the wealthy family in the film. The family includes Odell (played by Richard E. Grant), Belinda (played by Tea Leoni), and Shepard (played by Will Poulter). Their butler is Griff (played by Anthony Carrigan). Elliott makes it his dream to satisfy this family, but when he brings the chaos of the unicorn tragedy to them. To an extent, it is clever that he cares so much about sucking up to this family because their silliness is over-the-top. They act like the world is in their hands, but the unicorn’s destruction puts an end to that. The wrath of vengeance unleashed in magical moments is out-of-this-world. Scharfman knows how to create new comedic trends in Death of a Unicorn.

There are special effects in the film that are worth noting. For example, touching the unicorn’s horn creates a world that looks like a Neil DeGrasse Tyson space. Those who touch the horn end up in a mind-boggling space-like universe. Effects like these are correlated with behaviors that make Death of a Unicorn feel interactive.

Overall, the film feels a bit cheesy perhaps because it tangles chronological events. The story starts with hitting the unicorn, then visiting the wealthy family, and then the unicorn wakes up. From that point on, more realizations and chaos evolve. Death of a Unicorn offers more than what audiences might anticipate.Some (i.e. members of the wealthy family) think there is a benefit to the presence of a dead unicorn, and others (i.e. Elliott and Ridley) see it as a bad sign of more destruction. In the end, the film is a jousting climax of unicorns, millionaires, and plenty of mesmerizing moments. Three out of four stars for Death of a Unicorn.