Dr_Aristotle

One of the rare films that I can't quite parse how i feel about it. Starts off very disorienting, seemingly following no chronology and no consistency in whether what's being shown is part of the MC's documentaries (with fantastical and metaphysical elements woven in), reality, memory/dream/retelling of events, or abstract manifestation of the MC's interpretation of himself within the greater context of his work, reputation, and cultures. However as the film progresses things start to click in how it should all be taken in, with there being an actual chronology (just that the transitions were so seamless that you can't be sure they've occurred until you're well into the next one) and that what's being shown is all of the aforementioned (mostly simultaneously) that culminates into something very special and unique. While I can't say whether I liked the movie or not, it was quite the experience and one I'm glad I stuck with till the end.

Can't recall having seen a Western like this before, was more of an intimate thriller. Was a wonderful watch though, especially in how it handles builds and pays off tension throughout. How tension is shifted between the various pairs of characters and, when things boil over, it doesn't manifest through physical violence but petty actions, social manipulations, and attacks to others sense of self and feelings of belonging or adequacy makes this really feel pretty unique within the genre.

There's a thematic throughline about repression between characters and seeing the various ways in which they, both advertently and inadvertently, contribute towards those feelings in others that result in said repressions is fascinating to witness.

Can't guarantee you'll like this if you're looking for something more conventional within the genre but if you're into thrillers with more low-key and intimate stakes or watching shifting social dynamics play out within a period piece, give this a chance.

I was pleasantly surprised by this movie, and it may end up being my favorite Marvel movie to date.

Like most of the recent Marvel movies, Ant-Man adds superhero elements to a different type of film, in this case a heist movie. A lot of the excitement and fun in the film comes from the merging of these two elements, which are otherwise carried out in a standard way. The movie is full of staples and clichés from both genres, such as the criminal who wants to go straight, the hero having a troubled personal life, the "impenetrable" building that has to be broken into, and so on. While this makes the movie fairly predictable, the advantage is that the movie maintains a brisk pace. Backstories, motivations, and relationships are all quickly established, formed, and explored, allowing for the humor and action to shine.

The characters, while not being particularly deep or complex, are still a lot of fun to watch. The performances are mainly good and invest you in the movie, Paul Rudd uses perfect comedic timing, which works all the more well because of how effective Evangeline Lilly and Michael Douglas play the straight men. Though all the characters, even the minor ones characters, get humorous moments throughout the movie. A lot of the enjoyment comes from the characters themselves having fun, which has been absent in a lot of superhero films. The characters enjoy what they're doing which adds levity to the movie and makes it engaging.

The plot itself is pretty standard, but provides a good backdrop to explore the abilities of Ant-Man, which are fantastically portrayed. This movie does an extraordinary job making ants, the ability to control them, and the ability to shrink all very cool. This is due to how the powers are used, with the ants and shrinking being used creatively and shot in a visually eye-catching way. The shrinking effect wonderfully conveys the scope of the environment, while the CGI is magnificent. There is a particular instance in the beginning, when CGI was used to de-age some characters, and it is unbelievable how realistic it looks. The movie makes sure to convey the size and space of everything in relation to the characters, making easy to understand who's doing what and where they're doing it.

The movie is pretty much it's own thing, making it so that you don't have to have seen the other Marvel movies/TV shows to enjoy it. There are some easter eggs and cameos, one of which is particularly cool, none of which interrupt the story or flow of the movie.

Overall, I'd recommend this movie to all that want a fun, funny, lighthearted flick. I found it to be refreshing and highly enjoyable and look forward to the sequel.