diegojosmer

I'm blown away by the sole power of this film. This is the most direct and personal take at a film that tackles trauma and abuse, simply because the actual survivor tells it how it is. We believe speaking out is simply as just telling someone, but this film shows how accepting is the real difficulty. Our memory thinks what it thinks to survive, so how can the truth be differentiated from what we tell ourselves. Laura Dern and her younger counterpart blew me away, as well as the sincerity and bravery by which Jennifer Fox tells her story.

Going into If Beale Street Could Talk, I knew it would be a good movie since Barry Jenkins directed it and Moonlight was incredible. But what we actually got was an absolute masterpiece. I still can't believe this didn't get a best picture nomination at this year's Oscars. We're all mostly aware of what's being said about this film, that the performances are incredible. And it's true. Regina King should win that Oscar, and I think she will. Our two leads were so moving as this characters going through something so rough. The writing is stunning, it's a truly intimate but epic story. Every scene has a purpose and an emotional value, building these characters and relationship in a beautiful way. The way they shot this story was what I loved the most about the film. It's incredible cinematography that fits with an incredible story. Every shot fits into the overall tone and just enhances the writing. Complementing the visuals and the writing, we then have the score which has been the only score I've ever decide to listen later just for the fun of it. It's incredible (I know I've been using that word for the whole review but it's the only word that describes this movie). If Beale Street Could Talk is a work of art. It's only January but it definitely will be in my favorite movies I watched on 2019. I'm sad it only got 3 nominations at the Oscar but I'm definitely hoping it wins them all.

Damien Chazelle is one of the greatest current directors, and this movie just reaffirms that. First Man was such an incredible emotional and visual experience, that I'm amazed at how they did it. Chazelle is my favorite director, and when First Man didn't get to any theatres on my city I was so disappointed. This is a movie that NEEDS to be seen on a big screen. Neil Armstrong isn't a character I'm really interested in, but this movie changed the way I saw him completely. Many of the critiques this movie had was that it was kind of "emotionless", which I completely disagree in. Armstrong was such a reserved guy that this movie does a great job at studying his character and the way he sees and feel the world. The performances by Ryan Gosling and Claire Foy we're moving but also they have a lot of depth that is unraveled once you analyze the film after it's done. The way this film is shot and edited gives it such a realistic feel that moments after the film ends you start to release this feeling of tension carried throughout the whole movie. Some criticized that it is too "shaky" but that's an aspect I loved. I saw many interviews with Chazelle where he talks about the whole filming process and the way he interpreted the story is transmitted with the filming style. He wanted to create a documentary like film that showcased the life of Armstrong as well as the risks of the space race, and working with the DP he achieved it. The space launch sequences gave me an anxiety lever that I've never felt in a space movie before. I truly could continue to talk about how great this movie is, but you just need to experience it in order to understand. I cannot wait to see what this incredible director does next.