imxhill

Started more b-movie spirited than i expected due to the movement and depiction of alligators (do they really make sounds like that? Really reminding you that this is the man who made piranha 3D) but afterwards the movie just never stops. A pretty short 88 min runtime is full, very full and packed! Like a bowl that is small but filled with a mountain of food. Alexandre aja overloading this with pretty much everything he could do in this one-location alligator thriller. Albeit its one-note ness can be just a little bit tiring, but when you have the full picture in your head it's not really an issue. Water looks good, the environment , both the natural like the wind, the water, the algae and the man-made like the interior of the house and basement look good and feel tactile. Feels visceral. Maybe i'm a freak but wanted this to be just a bit more gory, when it comes to quality kills of disposable meatbag characters in the first two acts.

"ecstasy of steel and flesh"

one of those cases where a director's distinct style and aesthetic are replicated but never quite same nor effective - but the visuals of rise of an empire is still something you can't dismiss easily. Dust particles floating in the air as if it's underwater, or they're like stars hovering around us. Fire particles from bonfire flying around like fireflies // natural light shining through clouds and putting its hands on everything - from the ocean to the people, surrounding them while blurring and slightly consuming their silhouettes. Tiny details like these add to the sense of artificiality and otherworldliness achieved by the digital greenscreen environment permeating the entire world of rise of an empire. None of the location or shots feel real- even the nature, the ocean and the stars and the sky are 'not real' but they are in the world of 300. The artificial becomes the natural, the natural becomes the artificial, one blending with the other and creating this new videogame reality. We are entering that world where the rules of the universe are slow motion, bloody violence, artificiality, steel and water. It's artificial but never has that sense of cleaness - things are dirty, whenever it's on the ocean there're water on camera and with every slash and stab blood gushes on the screen. The aforementioned lights shine and brighten the screen and blind the audience's eyes. The actual movie itself is pretty dumb, head empty with every fiber of its being fully focused at sensation and action. The said sensation is never about emotions or what makes you think. You might say there is nothing much left or staying after watching this but nonetheless not necessarily a bad experience. The end credits sequence left me wondering how good an animated 300 movie would look like.

Finally watched it, michael mann's 2006 film miami vice. Its reputation as one of the most popular vulgar auteurist films, with the array of 5 star reviews on letterboxd, had me quite interested and excited for what this would be.

To begin, to say that this is unconventional and unique is an understatement, for better and for worse. From the digital, hand-held, dirty and raw cinematography that feels like you're looking into an actual captured footage of cops on miami crime operations, to its dry, cold atmosphere and approach, it isn't hard to notice miami vice's obvious exterior and the way it moves. But despite those initial impressions, i'm really hesitant to describe the film itself as necessarily cold or dry. Because it really isn't in the end. The gorgeous shots of nature -skylines, grass, forest, palm trees- coupled with pretty great soundtrack which might be my favorite part of the movie, there is something special and beautiful about the film, even something human. Also in regards to how human characters move and interact between them. Visuals - tone - vibes - all those elements combined, it really makes this film a relic/time capsule from the early 2000s. It really could not have been made during this era without sacrificing some of its features.

But despite all this - i sadly did not really enjoy the film that much and was let down by it. Simply put the film did not make me engage with it that much. No matter how many positive observations you make with the film, no matter how much you like moments from it or the ending sequence (thanks to this i did leave with positive aftertaste) - the truth is, what ultimately dictates my impression/opinion is my overall enjoyment. I didn't feel that much / the film didn't click with me / was bored / etc etc. You know the drills. At some points i was surprised with how much i could not enjoy or vibe with this film. I really wanted to like this badly and who knows my opinion will change - but it is important to be honest on how you feel. I didn't love miami vice.