MarvinLeroy Reviews

Ibelin (2024)

RIP Ibelin

[9/10 · 24 March 2024]

I went to the cinema yesterday without knowing too much about the story, except it being very emotionally moving, and left it a feeling of gratefuleness.

This movie displays the story of a young man who had to live his life with a severe muscular disease, that eventually took him. Due to his incapability of taking part in life in the real world, he chose to spent it mostly digitally in World of Warcraft. In this virtual world he was not limited by his disease and could do things, that he was not able to do otherwise.

This documentary displays is life in WoW and how he affected others. It is a very moving story and I could imagine it to be eye opening, especially for elder people, who might not have a perception of how much a virtual world can impact people.

I consider myself a gamer as well, not particularly a roleplayer, but a gamer and thereby I know, how beautiful games can be and how they can yield relationships. With that perspective in mind, I also was moved by the story. Rest in Peace Ibelin.

Everything Everywhere All at Once (2022)

I do not understand the awards for this film

[6/10 · 5 March 2024]

Due to the many positive critics and endless rewards this film received, I went into it with high expectations and a pleasant anticipation. However, I was disappointed. The movie feels like it is trying to be so much more than it is. By using big words and a fascinating but not new idea of mutiple universes, it fails to live up to its potential.

The movie is mainly chaotic, I felt stressed during my watch and not in a positive way. It was exhausting and simply too much. In addition, the plot was greatly stretched. I would have found more pleasure in watching it, if it was 30 minutes shorter, because in my opinion it does not need 2h20m of screen time.

Nevertheless, I generally like the basic concept but it was definitely not adequately explored. The beginning felt very authentic and there were some laughs throughout the film. I do not, however, agree with awarding this movie with an oscar or other awards.

Poor Things (2023)

Quirky

[9/10 · 4 March 2024]

This film offers a very unique experience which cannot be fully categorized into a genre, but is more creating one of its own. The director introduces us to Bella and her world by using specific camera lenses and color schemes. This as well as the surreal world illustrates the absurdity of the movie.

It reminds the viewer of an arthouse film in some apsects, but I would not go along with calling it such one. What is most clear is that it stands out of many films. Either you hate it or you love it. Personally, I can understand both sides but I am one of its enjoyers. If you are looking for an absurd experience and want a diversion of generic movies, give it a go!

The Platform (2019)

Great message, interesting setting, but massive plotholes

[8/10 · 26 March 2020]

First of all, I want to start with the negative, which is the missing logic. You are not going to see a film, wherein everything is explained from A to Z. There are many plot holes, if you are looking for them. This could ruin the story for you, but does not have to, if you are ready for seeing it, as a form of art. Despite that, the backround story is thin, almost non-existent, but actually it does not need to be more explaining, although it could be.

(Because of this, I do not rate 10 stars)

The positive site of this film shows through the beautiful allegory to society and the economic system we are living in. The characters portray different traits of the human mind like egoism, opportunism, altruism and rationalism in a great way. Another positive aspect is the acting, which is as authentic as the makeup. The film has an open ending, which can be interpreted in many ways.

If you want to watch a movie with a message, which you can think about, give it definitely a try!

The Mandalorian (2019– )

This is Star Wars

[9/10 · 27 December 2019]

First of all, the series is great and leads up to an absolute fantastic final. Some episodes are not as good as the rest of the show, which explains the 9 out of 10, but they all add up together. The scenery is beautiful and gives the viewer a long forgotten Star Wars vibe. The story is innovative and does not copy anything else from the SW universe as for example the sequel trilogy did. I am really looking forward to the next season!

The Ritual (I) (2017)

A solid horror movie

[7/10 · 6 November 2019]

The acting and scenery is good, so is the plot until the last ~30min of the film. It starts interesting and has refreshing elements in it, but towards the end the movie does not develop its full potential. The basic idea of the plot is nice, but could have evolved into much more. I would not watch it twice, but regarding many other horror movies, it sticks out positively.

Joker (I) (2019)

Brilliant

[10/10 · 6 November 2019]

You probably going to see this movie with high expectations, because you already heard some good reviews. You will not be disappointed. This film is extraordinary and stands out of all the other popular movies this year. While seeing and enjoying it, I had an inner conflict whether I should rate it an 8 or a 9. After leaving the theater i stuck with an 8.5, but to this point, I did not realize what kind of masterpiece I have just witnessed. The days after watching the film i looked up some articles and videos about Joker and started to understand why I could not stop thinking about it. The whole movie can be interpreted differently, depending on how you read some certain scenes. If I had known that Martin Scorsese influenced Todd Phillips about this piece of art, I would have viewed it differently from the beginning. Of course Phillips landed some blockbusters with Hangover, but he can also direct a serious movie, which really builds empathy with the characters. Despite the excellent possibilities of interpretation of the Joker, the music amazed me. Together with the acting and cinematography, it built an absolute fantastic atmosphere and made it much more intense. There are brutal scenes in this film, but they absolutely do not support violence, but support the character and seriousness of the movie. I totally recommend seeing the Joker to all of you!

How I Met Your Mother (2005–2014)

Almost perfect

[9/10 · 24 October 2019]

Spoiler free: I do not know, how often I have watched HIMYM, but I am far from being bored by it. There are so many great things about this series regarding comedy, tragedy, emotions. I could go on, but I am sure, you get what I mean. I could watch it over and over again, and it does not get worse over time, as some shows do. You can find great humour in the first season and also in the fifth. Of course the style might change a little over the seasons, but so do the characters. You call that development. Spoiler: So why no 10 stars? I tell you why, first they spent over a whole season on the wedding between Robin and Barney ending in a breakup between them after only three years of marriage. Secondly, the ending is terrible. I think, I do not have to further explain why. That is not how you and such a great series. In my opinion, the alternative ending is acceptable/good. Despite the mentioned negative points, I really do recommend the show for all kinds of people. Give it a try, I swear, you will not regret it!

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)

A nice addition to the series

[7/10 · 24 October 2019]

Breaking Bad is one of the best TV shows ever made. Perhaps it is a bit boring in some episodes, but overall it is fantastic. Sadly, El Camino is not as fantastic as it could be. In my opinion, you can call it a nice addition to the show. The film seemed a little bit empty. Be aware, you will not experience a great written story as in BB, but it is not bad or average either. It is a good movie, but not a great one! The acting auf Aaron Paul is authentic and the best thing about this movie. It is what really gives you the Breaking Bad vibe.. I recommend the film for people who enjoyed the series and want to watch some more footage of the Breaking Bad Universe, but you definitely do not have to! Having Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul and El Camino in mind, I would rate them from best to worse as listed. I enjoyed watching it.