richarddillomes

1917 should've won Best Picture at the 92nd Academy Awards. How's that as opening? But seriously, not to take away from Parasite's deserved success, and politics aside, 1917 in my opinion was the best movie of the group, this coming from someone who is a) not into war movies and b) feels that war movies automatically gets a nomination even if there were more deserving movies instead (I'm talking to you, Hacksaw Ridge and American Sniper.) It is just unfortunate that 1917 and Parasite were released in the same year, otherwise they would've easily won the award if they were nominated in different editions of the Oscars.

1917 is based on director Sir Sam Mendes's grandfather's experience as a messenger during World War I and because of this you can feel his investment in the storytelling. There's a 11 minute featurette available online where you can see the massive undertaking that went into making the movie. In it they talk about the 6-month rehearsal needed in order to get everything perfectly timed because they wanted to give the impression that everything was done in just one take. The concept of doing the movie in one shot and real-time allows for an immersive experience, letting you to go through the story along with the protagonists. The choreography of the shots were impressive as not one second is wasted because there are details to keep you glued in while waiting to see the actors again. Cinematography was impressive as well for a movie that kept going forward and no location was repeated. Cinematographer Sir Roger Deakins has won 20 awards for this movie alone, including the Oscars.

You will root for George MacKay, you will get annoyed at Dean-Charles Chapman's naivete (as we also did when he was in Game of Thrones.) Cameos from Colin Firth, Andrew Scott (you just knew he was going to play that kind of officer) Richard Madden and Benedict Cumberbatch (again, you just knew he was going to play that kind of officer) did not distract as they all seamlessly made their way in the movie.

Godzilla 2014 is the first installment of the so-called MonsterVerse, which would eventually setup Kong: Skull Island, Godzilla King of Monsters and more recently Godzilla vs. King Kong. I first came across Kong: Skull Island and while it was okay, it didn't seem like the franchise would last that long (but at least it already was on movie #2, the Dark Universe already bombed on its first try, the Mummy reboot with Tom Cruise.) So I came in for this with low expectations, but with special interest as it will lead up to Godzilla vs King Kong.

Starring Aaron Taylor-Johnson and Elizabeth Olsen who we more famously know as the wonder siblings Quicksilver and Scarlet Witch from the Marvel Cinematic Universe. So it was a bit disconcerting seeing them as a couple after adoring them as brother and sister. Having seen what Olsen can do, this movie was a waste of her talent, she can do what she did here in her sleep. But it was still a joy to see her in something outside of the MCU. The other great choice for acting is Juliette Binoche. Same with Tarantino, that scene with her was the longest since I have been affected like that. You do not do that to a Juliette Binoche!

As for the story, it was decent considering it's been in development hell for years. There were too many loopholes to the point I've lost count and as someone who has personal experience with evacuation, you do not find someone that easily amidst the panic and chaos. Also it's weird I felt shorted even though apparently this has the longest exposure for Godzilla. I get the reference to Jaws, where we were being teased but maybe the pivotal scene was done in the dark that's why it felt lacking. It did not feel like I was there with them, it felt like I was watching and I can't see a damn thing. Which might be an indirect criticism to the human element of the film, it did not draw us in as much as they were supposed to. I barely cared if the protagonists found each other again, I was more invested in seeing the monsters go at it.

Admittedly, I was one of those that questioned the need for a standalone Black Widow movie but that's why I'm just a viewer and Kevin Feige is the boss. Logic dictates that after missing the boat when Wonder Woman came out, Captain Marvel's decent output and traditionally super-powered male leads getting their own spin-offs, it's hard to picture where a "basic" character like Black Window will fit in. She doesn't have a shield, a suit, a hammer nor magic to keep us entertained with for at least 120 minutes. But we have been bombarded with all these enhanced beings left and right that maybe we needed someone to ground us back again. And Black Widow fits the bill.

We get a super spy action movie at a time when James Bond or Ethan Hunt have been awol for a while now. In a review for Hobbs and Shaw I floated the idea of a dysfunctional family of spies and we get that here. We get Florence Pugh (we love her in Midsommar) who was a big help in carrying the movie, David Harbour (we love him in Stranger Things,) Rachel Weisz (we love her in the Mummy films) and Scarlett Johansson finally gets the spotlight she deserve (if only to pay her back for having to endure all the sexist questions she had to maneuver her way out of for suiting up as Black Widow for the past decade.)

While obviously not the strongest MCU installment in the 24 movies released so far, the fact that Black Widow was even made (Johansson also serves as an executive producer,) released, in the middle of a pandemic at that, earn some money and bring up talks of a future installment (Pugh to take over unless they do a prequel) is too much of a win for a movie that so many people (me included) doubted in the first place. Black Widow can now rest in peace knowing she wiped clean all the red in her ledger, and then some.