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Film reviews

The Housemaid Review

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This is one of those films that is based on a novel. It is slick and quirky which are two key ingredients that mix naughty and nice through the performances of Sydney Sweeney and Amanda Seyfried. These two actresses display attitudes that lead to rumpus kicks and unexpected twists that are unforgettable. A joyful watch due to the mysterious and unexplained patterns of behavior. The reason behind the outbursts leads to a chemistry of suspense. Based on the novel written by Freida McFadden, The Housemaid creates a portrait of deceit and livelihood at risk. Bold colors of glory may be visible, but a dark secret lies beneath.

The film’s main character is Millie (Sweeney). She has a deadly past on her record that follows her. However, she lands a gig being a housemaid for a wealthy family. The mother is Nina (Seyfried). Her husband is Andrew (played by Brandon Sklenar). They live in a fancy mansion with their daughter Cecilia (played by Indiana Elle). Millie does all she can to present herself as a professional. The film’s writing paints the picture of a big house and happy life. This seemingly ideal life hits a major pause when Nina begins to have outbursts over Millie’s smallest mistakes. It is almost like Millie is being set upto fail. During this time, Andrew is dismissive and supports Millie more than Nina. The storyline showcases a house in turmoil where individuals are not on the same page.

Bipolar behaviors fuel this film. Especially with the house full of wondrous halls, there is no saying how Nina will react. There is more to the film which leads to the creation of mysterious patterns. The husband may be hiding something. The story weaves together disagreements along with backstories of unexplained issues from the past. Sweeney’s character is the queen of one team. She possesses that “no one can stop me” attitude with her natural beauty and layers of intelligence. Seyfried’s character adds more confusion with her lack of conversation and unpredictable outbursts. There is a party filled with terror when these two tango. Yet, there is a charm to the fun-filled suspense taking place in this super-rich house.

There are peculiar and romantic moments. In a scene where Millie feels connected to Andrew, the pot naturally gets stirred. The film does such an amazing job at displaying jealousy. It is syrupy yet explosive, like a chemical combustion in the mansion, between Millie and Nina. Overall, the film is a portrait that results in a fuming dynamic jumping back and forth between the lead characters. Who can trust Millie more? Is it Nina or Andrew? In truth, neither of them should trust her. It’s a free-for-all in The Housemaid where lies and secrets may be unraveled. The movie is a steady thriller with interesting layers that may seem overly sweet. Overall, a joyful experience. Three out of four stars for The Housemaid.

Film reviews

Avatar: Fire and Ash review

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Director James Cameron does not stop in his creative tracks to keep the mesmerizing world of the Avatar franchise flowing. With Avatar: Fire and Ash, the heat is in the moment as the world of Pandora hits territory with new revelations. At the same time, bad allies form—at the intersection of science, planet and people. It all comes down to whose side everyone is fighting for. Cameron keeps the momentum going in every fragment and in every detail. This fascinating film dazzles and shines boldly because the graphics of the vast areas of forests, skies, and seas are spectacular. The magical cinematics are uniquely blended which results in dynamics that keep this franchise getting better with each film. James Cameron knows what he is doing.

It has been three years since the events of Avatar: The Way of Water. This time, the uncharted territories on the lands of Pandora are the setting. Jake Sully (Sam Worthington) and Neytiri (Zoe Saldana) are still trying to protect their children from the many events of the previous film. However, the dangers caused by the corruption of Recom Miles Quaritch (Stephen Lang) are not over. Now, Pandora has more advanced scientific experiments, yet the war is not over. Political aspects abound as civilizations take their stance in Avatar: Fire and Ash. The creatures and the people stand together. As the saying goes, “This family is our fortress,” which describes the defense that weaves togethers both emotionally and technologically in Avatar: Fire and Ash.

In this film, mayhem is working more effectively since the battles have been fought since the first film. The key focus is the conflict between Sully and Quaritch. Quaritch wants to maintain control and utilize Pandora for other purposes once he has the chance to demolish it. For Sully though, it is his home. He will not give up the fight for his family and homebase, especially with a native who wants to be one of them. The boy Spider (Jack Champion) is connected to Jake’s family. However, no human can breathe on Pandora without a mask. What if he has the chance to become one of them? Science is what matters, but mayhem reinforces the main point of the film.

There is a continued, formulaic approach that broadens even more in Avatar: Fire and Ash. Cameron utilizes technological components to keep the film’s various conflicts moving to points of breach. The film is captivating in portraying the fight between good vs. evil. Jake is with his family and has joined the forces on Pandora, but many of those he started with still want to navigate the sciences to abuse and torment. The subjects of civilization and democracy are what Cameron so effectively tackles both cinematically and technologically.

Additional characters add much emphasis to the film includeRonal (Kate Winslet), Dr. Grace Augustine (Sigourney Weaver), General Frances Ardmore (Edie Falco), and Parker Selfridge (Giovanni Ribisi). Ronal and Dr. Grace Augustine are on the same side as Jake and Neytiri, but General Frances and Parker Still remain on the opposing side. General Frances wants to bring the military back for execution, while Parker is focused on science for business. War, in this film, goes up several notches with a new creature Varang (Oona Chaplin) in the mix. She brings threats to Jake and his family, but also to the rest of the Na’vi. There are double the enemies, added chaos, and incredible cinematography which makes this Cameron film brilliant.

Looking back to the beginning, there is a pattern and tone to the writing which continues to become more immersive as these films continue. Scientific advancements in the world combine with conflicts between the humans and the Na’vi. Jake is in the middle and has become one of the Na’vi. Beginning as someone who cannot use his legs, the world of Pandora is where he stands. The people he began with are allies of both good and bad. Fortunately, there is much more to the planet that can be utilized for good. For Cameron, the journey towards acceptance and perseverance does not end without a rollercoaster ride. I was blown away by watching this movie in Dolby Digital. The flying and action scenes were enthralling. The things Cameron is known best for are all back again. As always, he takes this installment to new heights. Four out of four stars for Avatar: Fire and Ash.

Film reviews

Dead Man’s Wire Review

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This film is based on a true story with the setting being a normal day in the 1970s. It is February 1977, and director Gus Van Sant takes us into the world of Dead Man’s Wire. It’s a true account where there are invigorating moving parts where one tries to prove a wrong doing, but will not do so until he feels his needs for vindictiveness are met. It comes around with humor and class—all of which has a dark comedy narrative. Vindictiveness gets ugly in Dead Man’s Wire, and as a fan of the previous works of Sant, he paints the portrait of how two wrongs do not make a right, and that on the other side consequences await.

The film’s main character is Tony Kiritsis, and he is played by Bill Skarsgard. He takes the risk of kidnapping Richard Hall, played by Dacre Montgomery. Richard is the president of the Meridian Mortgage Company. Tony feels his needs were not met and that the family who runs Meridian has done wrong him. This leads him to take a sawed-off shotgun and wire it to Richard. He then takes the hostage scenario to the next level. Soon Richard’s father M.L. Hall (Al Pacino) becomes involved, a detective named Michael Grable (Cary Elwes) and a radio host named Fred Temple (Colman Domingo) are involved as well. The clock ticks in the city of Indianapolis and the control of power is in the hands of Tony. Dead Man’s Wire is a true story combining politics with many moving emotions that come into figuring out a plan, and of course someone must pay.

The dynamic between Tony and Richard is where the film starts to boil in the pot.  As the media comes around the story, the question of who is going down the hardest keeps coming and going. Of course, Tony is the instigator, opening the door to how the Mortgage Company could have wronged others as well as himself.  In return, there is that writing convincing the audience that coming up with an agreement may save everyone. However, in the 1970’s the middle and upper classes do not always see eye-to-eye, especially with Pacino’s character on vacation as the hostage scenario is going on. Sant knows how to label the characters successes while also navigating the ones who are jealous of those above them in Dead Man’s Wire.

As the film has the moments of putting lives on the line, it also all comes down to curiosity and faith. How much will Tony gain? How much will Tony lose? Will there be ramifications? Where is the benefit for the authorities? The heightened news story of the hostage scenario creates a tornado of wonders for the city of Indianapolis in a very suspenseful setting. Sant brings gain with fame amongst images of criminality and the true story context making it feel like a revolver hitting the pavement hard. There is no easy way to explain the experience of the film. It is well-acted, but the motives in the writing seem to have moments of confusion that fall out of context more than they should.

The film is vibrant with its true story mode, however, the amount of repeated boredom with the hostage scenario is where the characterizations lose their amazement. But the continuity and the plot do have structure, especially with the cinematography. Overall, it is a steady thriller where the true story side works to remain faithful. Three out of four stars for Dead Man’s Wire.