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Film reviews

Oddity Review

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Psychological horror is on the verge of a mystery—a structure with moving parts where there is more to the puzzle (than what audiences think). Much of that aspect is in Oddity. Written and directed by Damian Mc Carthy, it is a blindsiding ride of surrealism. It is a mystery of covered-up aspects. It brings in despair with questions. Who was the cause of the death? Who had previous conflicts before a death occurred? The theme of materialized aspects in the direction of mental health and stability fuels Oddity.

Oddity takes place in Ireland. Its main characters are Ted (played by Gwilym Lee), Darcy (played by Carolyn Bracken), and Yana (played by Caroline Menton). Lee is the head doctor of a psychological hospital. His wife Dani (also played by Bracken). Dani is dead. Darcy is a psychic medium. She believes she can see the truth. The “truth” contains a clear portrait of who is responsible for Dani’s death. Darcy owns an “oddity” shop.

The film brings in the usage of personification where my mind had captivation. Darcy sets up a creature-like mannequin in the home of Ted and Yana. This process is to help her cue the truth about Dani’s death. This process uncovers hidden gems in Oddity. Is there a story behind what has happened? Is Darcy crazy? Is Ted crazy? Did Dani have parts of her life that no one knew about?

The trait of the film’s psychological tone is Darcy being blind. That is because she is the one mentioning moving parts that concern Yana. Ted is more on the same page (since this is Dani’s sister). With Ted having a mentally stressful job at a mental hospital, his thought process has a halting point when it comes to Darcy. The direction (of the characters) is like all the characters want to find light.

My fascination with Oddity is the factor it brings in for its audience to think of the opposite. It begins with an introduction of events. They are ones of violence in Oddity. The pieces are scattered. The key to the truth lies in Oddity. There is no resolution without the full scope. “Full scope” of what there is for truth.

With the development of characters’ questioning behaviors, Oddity is a wrath of personality turmoil. Yana is one in this category. With Yana terrified of Darcy’s moving parts, there is the assumption that Darcy presents a form of uncertainty. That heightens Yana’s vulnerability since she is alone with Darcy frequently. There is that momentum of scarcity with brutality awaiting among the “wrath of personality turmoil” in Oddity.

Oddity is one of the most brilliant and terrifying revelations I have seen. It changed my perception of how terror of minds loops in twists of spellbinding revelations. Mc Carthy knows how to set up a form of mystery with presence. “Presence” is within what is right and wrong with the puzzle in Oddity. How did Dani die? Can Darcy put it together? Is it all a myth? Find out in Oddity. Three-and-a-half out of four stars.

Film reviews

Deadpool & Wolverine Review

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Ryan Reynolds (left) and Hugh Jackman (right) in Deadpool &Wolverine

Disney may have acquired the rights to Marvel, but that does not stop Ryan Reynolds from having one vocal-mouth in portraying a very volatile hero. There are no barriers with Reynolds as he delivers the role well and is classy as always.  Deadpool & Wolverine cranks up the notch five times higher than previous films in the genre—there are a lot more surprises, and tons of unadulterated dialogue that is just to die for. A raucous time filled with laughs, twists, and consistent lethal action. Reynolds does Deadpool right, and he is not afraid to break the truth of his comic character with a gem for being successful…no matter how stupendous he may be. With Hugh Jackman (back in the game as Logan and Wolverine), Deadpool & Wolverine is ascenario where it takes two to tango…especially when each wants to feel like the bigger hero.

This is the third film in the franchise of Deadpool. With Reynolds back as Wade Wilson aka Deadpool, he is trying to climb out of reality and make his way into the universe of Marvel. He refers to himself as their, “Jesus.” The humor that fans expect is in full force and surprisingly it plays well and gets even better. After living a few years as a mercenary, he looks to get back into the game. Unfortunately, his world and universe face all kinds of issues. The one who presents these problems to him is Mr. Paradox (played by Matthew Macfayden). With the universes in all kinds of crisis scenarios, Jackman returns as Logan aka Wolverine. Together, this is a dynamic where villainous moments are fueled with all kinds of adventure. The universes are in a tangle and Deadpool and Wolverine despise each other. Their adventures leap over all kinds of hurdles in a superhero adventure that is unforgettable with twists.

It is a rollercoaster of reminders as there are many nostalgic moments linking to previous movies from the days of Fox and Marvel. Some dialogue gets a little slapstick at times, but it just adds fuel to the fire. Deadpool & Wolverine is a formulaic escape into the pure depths of what both these heroes are truly made of. When Reynolds and Jackman are in the boat having to work together, expect trial with many errors done brilliantly and humorously. The combination of humor, saving the world, and all kinds of mishaps are all explored fully within the clever writing of Deadpool & Wolverine.

Even the nostalgia adds to all the memories of captivating with Deadpool & Wolverine. With the older heroes from previous films making their way in, the film reminds us of how some previous films never continued. Some of those previous heroes found the right place to redeem themselves and be seen again, especially after how the Marvel Cinematic Universe is in a weird bind going forward. The performances of Reynolds and Jackman are the voices of what is a joyful and clever direction to pick up on again. Deadpool & Wolverine is diverse and entertaining in its track of slapstick, fun, and adventurous moments.

Who is the true hero? Is it Deadpool? Is it Wolverine? Is it them together? What are the heroes that come around for nostalgia? How much filter is there in Deadpool & Wolverine? Not much. All these questions are answered with thrills to die for and live for. Three-and-a-half out of four stars for Deadpool & Wolverine.

Film reviews

The Last Breath Review

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Kim Spearman in The Last Breath

What is more detrimental? Limits on oxygen levels? Sharks? Two sharks or more? The Last Breath brings terror to the depth where survival is critical. The film is directed by Joachim Hedén is known in his directing to depict perilous diving expeditions. With his recent project, The Dive (released in 2023), he introduces new aspects of fear.

The discovery of a historic finding is what makes The Last Breath unique. With the center of the action taking place arounda WWII battleship, there are many paths to choose or opportunities to become direction-turned. The Last Breath has that expedition factor of hitting unexpected blocks when exploring the unexplored. When the divers go below, the views of the water and the battleship are stunning, however it is the writing that conveys that this is not a friendly environment for a new adventure.

The film introduces us to Levi (played by Julian Sands) and Noah (played by Jack Parr). They both are divers and recruit a group of friends to go on a diving trip. The exhibit is the sunkenU.S.S. Charlotte. The other friends are Brett (played by Alexander Arnold), Logan (played by Arlo Carter), Sam (played by Kim Spearman), Riley (played by Erin Mullen), and Brian (played by Maxime Durand). This diving trip is an extraordinary one for the group. Once they enter the ship, there are many spaces and places to explore. That is until white sharks swim rapidly in and around everyone. As the title hints, having the ability to breathe is the key to making it out alive in The Last Breath.

The sense of trepidation and dread is felt with the limitations of oxygen. Noah reminds the gang frequently about their percentage levels in the oxygen tanks. That had me thinking back and forth about the chances of survival with the gang. Time, stress, and breathing intensity decrease the viability of the oxygen tanks. The usage of resources hitting their plateaus sold me on this gripping storyline with The Last Breath. I asked myself questions. Who is likely to have more air? Who is to think logistically for safety? Who has a chance of making it out with resources hitting limitations? There are also ones about sharks. How can the divers think clearly when  sharks are squirming everywhere? What are the weaknesses of sharks? A WWII battleship becomes the scene of an underwater survival match of sharks and minnows in The Last Breath.

The sense of going deeper creates dangerous possibilities in The Last Breath. The presentation of water is in cinematic mode. The lighting (before and during the peril) immerses its audience in the feeling of being in the trenches with the divers. It leaves the viewer with no limits on thinking and if there is a point-of-return or not for these men.  The vibe of scarcity is pervasive and engaging.

There are components around safe diving in The Last Breath that hold a place of importance. The divers stick together to ensure safety to prevent injuries or death. Many dive films care about finding a terror trap and have their divers fall right into it. The Last Breath does not do that. The difference is The Last Breath provides angles to create a thinking pattern within the suspense for its audience. Predictability finds itself blurred in The Last Breath. It is a direction of peril with many moving parts in the sense of Tetris. Three out of four stars.