mtrburrows

Other than a couple of small technical problems (which is to be expected in these low budget indie projects), The Foreboding: Fractured is an extremely solid short that manages to accomplish a surprising amount with its short run time.

Never has a horror short had me this invested in the characters before. The charming cast bring to life the more human, comedic scenes with this group through some really solid chemistry and lively physical performances. It never felt like the script was relying on archetypes or cliches, instead it feels like you're following a genuine group of uni students.

It makes the horror scenes all the more tense once they do kick in, and that paired with the direction and score makes you feel invested in every step of this narrative. If anything, I left the film wishing it was longer, as the atmosphere of the experience is a very compelling one. Very excited to see what this crew do next.

While many prefer Get Out to Us, I think it's undeniable that in terms of subtle writing and masterful directing, Jordan Peele has progressed from a director to look out for to a master of his craft.

The one flaw with this movie is the nonsensical ending - it's what ruined the film for a lot of people and it's pretty undefendable. However, the plot holes presented in the last 20 minutes didn't distract me at all from the near masterpiece the first hour and 30 minutes gave me.

Peele fixes what were my biggest issues with Get Out - here the dialogue is much more natural and less cliché horror movie, the theme is presented with much more subtlety, and the tone is way more consistent. While everything that was great about Get Out is only expanded on here: Peele REWARDS his audiences time and attention, making sure each line of dialogue either explores the films theme, presents foreshadowing, or tells us something about the characters. In short, Us is so meticulously written and directed in a way that every scene and every shot is riddled with detail, either relating to theme or reflecting duality, while NEVER being too obvious in a way that it's spoon feeding its audience. As a result, the lead up to it and the symbolism of the ending twist overpowers the many plot holes it leaves, and it really didn't brother me at all walking away from the movie.

Great performances, great writing, great direction, this is one of the best that 2019 had to offer!

Uncut Gems is such a unique movie in how it has garnered its fandom & critical success. It's the first film I've watched in a long time that made me forget I was watching a film. The work put in by the Saftie brothers & Adam Sandler to make such an immersive experience should be celebrated in this day and age. Not that cinema is dead, but the films that came out that make you forget you're watching actors play out the work of a director (films like Pulp Fiction, Back to the Future) sometimes feel like films of the past.

Watching Uncut Gems is an anxiety inducing, deeply frustrating experience. But in the best way possible. I didn't see any actors on screen, especially not Adam Sandler, I saw real, grounded people. This is mainly due to the direction, the sound design, the choice to cast first time or lesser know actors, and most importantly, the career-changing performance by Sandler. His character, while seedy and frustrating, maybe even annoying, felt like an honest portrayal of a real life person, and all I wanted to do was reach through the screen and grab him, to stop him on his believable downward spiral.

As the film plays, it's atmosphere washes over you, again, as if you're watching real life. As I watched it, it didn't seem groundbreaking. Partly because it may be a little too long, but mainly down to how engrossed I was. However, by the time the final scene came around, it clicked, and I knew that I had just watched a modern day classic. A film is only as good as its final scene, and Uncut Gems could not have ended in a more perfect place, for its plot, and its character arc. Despite its simplicity, it was jaw dropping.