phamtastic_info Reviews

Cities of Last Things (2018)

They say life boils down to only a few moments.

[10/10 · 11 September 2019]

What a great film. This was well shot and thought of considering it's diverse cast. The reverse chronology was pulled off surprisingly well and easy to follow along. I rewatched some scenes afterwards to fill in some lingering gaps, but that's just my own habit of trying to better understand great stories like this one.

The futurism felt surprisiingly accurate in terms of where our world is headed. The chips in the wrists, the embedded live streaming, self driving transportation, and the touch screen information - all just so dystopian like.

Ara (Louise Grinberg) was absolutely stunning and her character was so damn adorable. Her engagements rekindled my soul... I hate smokers but man did they make the smoking look sexy as ever - J'adore toi.

Acting over all was great to say the least. The cheating wife, the forgotten mother, the corrupted supervisor and most importantly... the lost love... Definitely had me watching that revenge scene again.

... Ara.

Giving this a solid 10 for the precise shots in it's story telling. Not often do you see a story being told like this without a bunch of filler added.

Nocturnal Animals (2016)

And we wonder why we're twisted.

[8/10 · 3 February 2019]

Speechless, well almost. That ending had me howling like a wolf. I can see this being one of those films that will hit home for many of the modern day singles who have earned their scars in the battle for romance. I wasn't sure what to really think at first when the film started, but it definitely started catching my attention about 1/4 way in. The plot description doesn't really do it much justice, but the film itself does a good job at carrying itself through right to the end. There is some great acting all across the board here, with many familiar faces executing their roles with precision. Oh man, so many heart wrenching moments... The flashbacks of emotional agony. But as they say, it's better to have loved and lost than to have never loved at all.

Backcountry (I) (2014)

Worthwhile attempt for an indie film.

[6/10 · 18 September 2018]

Being someone that lives and does backcountry camping where this was filmed, I have to say, it's a little far fetched from actual reality.

I've encountered bears, and they don't just go out of their way to bother you. Also, random guys don't just stand around in the woods, and if they did, why would you even invite them to join your outting?

I believe this film is targeting what some of us like to call, city-ots (city idiots), who tend to shy them selves away from the Canadian adventure because they have drowned inside the concrete jungle.

Not sure what I was expecting from this but, it's definitely lacking in depth. They could've spent a bit more time and effort in developing a plot, or maybe even spend more time out there in the actual backcountry before they decided to film this.

The gore was okay to say the least, but camping isn't really about getting ripped apart by bears. But I guess if you're one of those city-ots that brings that attitude out into the woods, you got it coming to you.

A Beautiful Mind (2001)

The mind can never be understood.

[10/10 · 18 September 2018]

Frighteningly deceptive. I'm not sure what to think about this one, but maybe that's what makes a good film. My eyeballs couldn't stop watching this once it started. Magic is real my friends, and it's hidden inside the frames.

Directors of such films, should in reality, be called magicians, because it is magic to be able take your mind to such places, especially into the mind of a genius.

Quite frankly, I will never be able to understand the deep end of mathematics and I don't think most people are meant to but there must be a cost to bringing such knowledge into the world.

Dreams being chased by nightmares really make for some striking moments of vulnerability. If you don't shed a tear, then you either weren't paying attention to the film, or you haven't been through life.

I'm sure this is one of those movies which many people flick on when they feel life struggles getting heavy. And for that, I must give this a 10 - May he rest in peace.

Luck-Key (2016)

A refreshing comedy!

[10/10 · 27 March 2018]

In a world full of doom and gloom, this was incredibly refreshing. I was not expecting to laugh or cry, but I got plenty of both.

Hard to see how anyone couldn't love this, the acting was on point, and it's human moments were heart felt and touching.

The economic polarity expressed hit home for me and had me intrigued right off the bat, and I have to say the cast suited the roles quite well. A very broad array of emotions came out of me. Great acting all around - the corniness threw me off from what I'm using to seeing out of Korea but I enjoyed the chuckles.

Korean culture has such an elegant aura. 10 stars!

A History of Violence (2005)

Does what a good film is supposed to do - take you in full circle.

[9/10 · 10 February 2018]

It's rare to see the kind of acting that keeps your attention span these days. This is one of those films you just want to pop the play button without reading too many reviews.

Nothing short of a raw array of emotions are displayed inside these frames. A nice touch of gore that isn't too overbearing, just enough to keep things interesting. After all, the title does include the word violence.

With that being said, I definitely consider this to be an adult only film because the subtle leads into the murder and sex scenes are just bittersweet. Some very powerful acting within the nuclear family packing a punch on execution in portraying the complexities between chaos and peace.

The polarities were sinfully good, enough to make you wonder who the director was.

The Vault (I) (2017)

Waste of life, bone head entertainment.

[2/10 · 7 February 2018]

Starts off gripping, the whole bank heist thing, getting to know the characters, and then the added superstition effect.

But once all that is over, the film starts to fizzle out and rather flat. Cheap thrills from things like the group being separated, encountering the law, and so forth. Then some Random spirits show up looking to devour souls, and then the whole emotional outbursting of the cast to follow while looking for a retirement plan.

This formula has been done too many times.

I was hoping for some good corny entertainment, but this film couldn't even deliver that. I was ready to blow my brains out by the end.

Save your eyeballs for something better folks.

It (I) (2017)

The message buried inside the abyss.

[9/10 · 19 January 2018]

This film does a great job at portraying the very dark struggles of life. It's rare to come across such films, especially with a cast of youth executing the messages, calling it well done would be quite the understatement. This is one of those light beacons capable of taking anyone out of a storm.

I'm not someone who has read the book, or seen the original film but I can definitely appreciate how deep they tried to go with this remake.

The hidden messages revolve around deep rooted fear, and ironically, a clown gets to be the icon. Representing all the horrible things man is capable of. Subjects of degeneration, egotism, incest, selfishness, and despair, to name a few, were all drawn out.

Which really makes the moments of unity tear dropping, I have never cried watching a horror movie, but this one got me pretty good.

Certain people will appreciate this film a bit more than others, particularly the ones who have been touched by the dark side and are struggling to find the light.

Stay enlightened dear friends!