Tag Archives: Netflix

Film reviews

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Review

1 Comment

Director Rian Johnson invites his audience along for a new adventure. After the extravagant fun of Knives Out (2019), his new film Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery takes the adventure to a more enticing and dangerous level. The COVID-19 pandemic plays a small role in the entertainment and the setting of Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. The cast line-up is spectacular. Daniel Craig is Benoit Blanc (the continuing detective), Edward Norton is Miles Bron (the host of the grand party), Kathryn Hahn is Claire Debella, Leslie Odom Jr. is Lionel Touissant, Jessica Henwick is Peg, Madelyn Cline is Whiskey, Kate Hudson is Birdie Jay, Dave Bautista is Duke Cody, and Janelle Monae is Andi Brand. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a detective story full of wild realizations and unforgettable twists.

The detective work in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is showcased in scenes focused on the personalities of the characters. With Craig playing the detective, his characterizations prove he can narrow down the personalities of those who are trustworthy and those who are shady. His personality adds layers to the twisted suspense as do the behaviors of all the characters involved. Everyone has a side that appears to be questionable, but who is most dangerous to everyone at the party?

In Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery, the adventure takes place in Greece. That is where Blanc is invited to investigate a suspicious case. The problem, however, is that the location is filled with people on a weekend getaway, most of whom have had to pass through strange Customs due to the pandemic. Everyone involved is technically breaking the rules of lockdown. Bron is the host of all the guests at the party. They’re all wealthy to some degree due to success in business. The house owned by Bron is equipped with sensors and high-end artifacts. A variety of factors make the audience aware that Bron is a victim of crimes. The twist involves whether he really is.  A murder happens and heads start to role. This is when Blanc’s clever, opinionated tone kicks in and when Bron’s wealthy attitude mode also kicks in. When one person is killed, everyone loses their minds and pointing fingers as they wonder how much of the fancy home of Bron is truly safe. From that point on, Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery only gets more fun, complex, and invigorating.

Craig’s performance as Blanc portrays a vibrant, intelligent man with attitude. He can put together pieces easily and read victims’ minds, while also being a self-absorbed man. Norton as Bron displays wealth as well as many suspicious personality traits. The characterizations and suspicions are calculated. The self-centered traits of the characters played by Craig and Norton are at the center of the film’s many questions which makes the film inevitably captivating. I found myself repeatedly asking who, why where, and how, and then having to re-think those questions during catastrophic, yet humorous, situations in the movie.

With random deaths and serious incidents happening, Blanc can put all the pieces of the puzzle together. His tactics are precise, but with many of the guests being considered high-profile, his calculations tend to have both accuracy and errors. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery is a joyful ride in a pandemic era. Many of the situations have answers that have shock value, but also many filled with witty joy.

Is Blanc a genius? Can Blanc solve the case? Is Bron more smart than Blanc thinks? What else is dangerous in Bron’s home? Do any of the other victims have issues to share? Join the mystery and put together the puzzle in Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery. The many technological advancements in the movie’s high-end mansion truly step up the game of cat and mouse, not just for Blanc’s investigation, but for everyone who involved. Four stars.

Film reviews

The Good Nurse Review

Leave a comment

Being employed in the medical field is serious business. There are a lot of rules and regulations surrounding confidentiality, not just for patients but for medical professionals as well. The Good Nurse is a true story that shows how wrong things can go when those rules and regulations allow someone who can’t be trusted to care for seriously ill patients. As someone who has family that works in the medical field, this film spoke to me. And it shows how hospitals have changed since the true events of The Good Nurse.

Although The Good Nurse is a feature length film, its cinematography is like watching a hospital TV show. Many scenarios are rushed and the dialogue is not really enthralling. The plot of the film introduces us to nurse Amy Loughren, played by Jessica Chastain. She is a workaholic nurse with two children, and works constantly to make ends meet. Amy has a good heart with her patients and has a good home life. A new nurse, Charlie Cullen, played by Eddie Redmayne, joins Amy’s ward. He appears to have positive and caring qualities that lift Amy’s spirits when she gets down at her job. But as their patients start to die one-by-one, Amy starts to believe that Charlie is the one causing the deaths. Detectives Danny and Tim (played by Nnamdi Asomugha and Noah Emmerich) are assigned to the case, but confidentiality at the different hospitals where Charlie previously worked makes it an ordeal to get proof to put an end to Charlie’s terrible acts.

Redmayne’s performance as Charlie is sinister with a charm. He rides his evil side. Hospital confidentiality has protected him over the years and has allowed him been able to just move to another hospital when he was fired. And that confidentiality has also allowed him to continue in his evil ways.

The Good Nurse is not exactly brilliant, but it is haunting. The many patients who died makes the film disturbing. We fear for the safety of the patients, and also the safety of Amy. Chastain’s performance as Amy is breathtaking and daring, but the film is depressing. It is certainly not a feel-good movie, although I will say it is faithful to its harrowing story. It was worth a watch but it may be hard to watch again. Two and a half stars for The Good Nurse.

Film reviews

Blonde Review

1 Comment

The new film from director Andrew Dominik is rated NC-17, which means that—unlike R rated films—no one under 18 can be admitted to the film even with an adult. But what causes Blonde to be NC-17 instead of R? Is it sexual content or language? Is it violence or disturbing content? Again, why is Blonde rated NC-17, and not R? Viewers will need to see this brilliant film and decide for themselves.

Blonde is the story of the life of Norma Jeane, aka Marilyn Monroe. Ana De Armas plays Norma Jeane. The film opens with many harrowing moments from Norma Jeane’s disturbing childhood. Gladys is Norma Jeane’s mother, and she is played by Julianne Nicholson. After the disturbing events for Norma Jeane at a young age, the film jumps to her life of glamour and fame, when she becomes blond and takes the name Marilyn Monroe. From there, Blonde is an intense exploration of the good and the bad times of this complex woman. Dominik does not hold back on the drastic facts or information, which may be true or not, about the wild and dangerous life of Norma Jeane or Marilyn Monroe. It is lethally enticing.

Blonde is based on the award-winning novel by Joyce Carol Coates. With intense realism, the film is a blur of many emotions. As the film moves towards the fame days for Marilyn Monroe, the unsettling backstory continues. With quiet, sad, or harsh moments, the cinematography fades to black and white. These black and white fading transitions are one of the most effective film techniques I have seen in a life story adaptation in a long time.

Marilyn’s acting contracts and her relationships are the most cohesive aspects of her life, fueling the many emotions of the film’s storyline. Her relationships go in chronological order with those relationships involving Cass (played by Xavier Samuel), Eddy (played by Evan Williams), the ex-athlete (played by Bobby Cannavale), and the playwright (played by Adrian Brody). With all the odd or twisted relationships, and her mental health problems, Dominik’s direction makes the characterizations seem very authentic.

Dominik is also the screenplay writer for Blonde, and his writing is faithful to keep his audience in tune with the new chapters or new events in Norma Jeane’s life. And Armas is the true lady to portray the role of Norma Jeane. She has the voice, the looks, and the aptitude. She also stays in character and is amazing in her role. Her performance is Oscar-worthy.

Blonde was definitely one of the best cinematic experiences of the year for me. I have not seen a director who uses technology as well as Dominik does to shift the emotions of his audience. Viewers will certainly feel sorry for Norma Jeane, but Dominik also makes viewers hope that there is still light for her. Blonde’s tagline, “Watched by all seen by none,” is one that is important to the dark and uncharted territories for Norma Jeane. The film’s overall message is that money and fame are not the key to happiness. To the contrary, they can be the key to dark places and, for Norma Jeane, the can bring disconnect from family, mixed up relationships, and abuse.

From my experience, the heartbreaking moments on a film like Blonde can actually create a sense of connection for its audience. And as someone who appreciates film and cinema in many forms, I loved so much about Blonde. What I truly appreciate it for, though, is how it proves that even for the famous, that there can be times of tremendous struggle. Four stars for Blonde.