nyancatcandy Reviews

El Camino: A Breaking Bad Movie (2019)

A beautiful movie that finally give Jesse the ending he deserved.

[10/10 · 11 October 2019]

With Felina, Walter White had his closure. He got what he deserved. But what about Jesse? Jesse who, despite being tormented, manipulated, and toyed with by Walter, despite seeing his girlfriend die in front of him - what he later learned could have been prevented by Walter, despite having his whole life turned upside down by Walter, still stayed true to the criminal mastermind, what did he get? El Camino answers just that question, and with impeccable style.

Substance over style, or rather Substance but with style, is one way to describe Breaking Bad. El Camino retains the substance part, but ads a few layers of style on it. It is a strikingly beautiful film, something that was a surprise to be sure, given the quite raw cinematography of Breaking Bad, but a welcome one. With exquisite camerawork to flawless production design and unblemished editing, Vince Gilligan takes you on a deep reflecting cruise along the highway, with a few explosive stops during the way.

Apart from its stunning visual aspects, there are many nuanced layers of the story, that provides a greater insight into many of the shows characters, some new ones, but most of all it gives Jesse Pinkman the ending he deserves.

The story of Jesse's road to salvation is a suspenseful one, with almost every scene having something at stake, that is sure to keep anyone from being bored. But in the end, it all ties together as a rather beautiful drama, instead of a suspense thriller. Its greatest accomplishment is that it tells a beautiful story of a broken man on the search for salvation, something that feels quite rare these days.

Now what? Breaking Bad is long over, and now the whole story has come to an end. Do we just sit around and wait for Better Call Saul season five? Well yes, but let us appreciate the legend that Vince Gilligan has given us. It is a Shakespearian-esque drama that have no equal. So thank you, Vince Gilligan, for creating the most incredible visual stories.

It Chapter Two (2019)

Sorry Pennywise, Joker is the clown of the year

[5/10 · 7 October 2019]

From one clown to another. When I first started reading the book, I wasn't really captured by it. I put it away and didn't read it for some time. The next time I picked it up, I finished the whole 1200-page nightmare in little over a week. While not exactly following the events of the book, the first movie still managed to capture me and was a rather great horror film. Like the book, it relied on great storytelling and long-lasting scares. This one however, feels more like a interminable rollercoaster.

A great horror story is one that not only scares you while it is unfolding, but leaves you with permanent scars. It, the book, is one such example. Other films that does this are, Hereditary, The Shining, or Psycho. It's hard to see how It Chapter Two would fit into that category. It's an endless ride with predictable jump-scares and incomprehensible intercuts that leads to an unsatisfying climax. The "horror magic" from the first film is all lost through somewhat cheesy comedy and poorer script writing (perhaps suffering from the loss of one Cary Joji Fukunaga).

That said though, not all is bad. One thing they really nailed was how accurate the depiction of the adults were in regard to their younger counterparts. A few scenes, or parts of otherwise displeasing moments had me holding onto my chair. In particular the one where Pennywise lures away a little girl from her mother at a baseball game. Also while talking about the dancing clown, one cannot ignore the brilliant performance of Bill Skarsgård, who is scary good as the child-eating clown. Although this time around he had worse material to work with.

Nonetheless, probably the main reason why this film fails to scare, is because it's not gruesome enough. Which might sound weird, but in comparison to the book it is not even on the same level. The book is bizarre, grotesque, mind-boggling, weird, crazy, down right abnormal. If the movie feels like Stephen King was on pot while writing it, the book feels like he was on acid. Once in a blue moon I would say this: Skip the movie, read the book.

Joker (I) (2019)

Is it just me, or is it getting crazier out there?

[9/10 · 6 October 2019]

Where do we begin? Well, it begins as you might expect. The teaser trailer for Joker drops and I am instantly captured - it is one of the best trailers I have ever seen. My anticipation is sky high, and every day closer to the release raises it higher. Just a week or so before the opening day, criticism and controversy starts to surround this film. It encourages a certain type of violent acts that are frequent across America. It symbolises it and sends the wrong message. Some argue against this - some argue for it. Nevertheless, being the scared, paranoid, creature that I am, I begin to have second thoughts about the upcoming premiere. Nonetheless, I attend the opening night. In the back of my head I have all these thoughts about what could go wrong. I know stuff has happened before, I know about the controversy surrounding this film, but it wipes off easily. Until an unidentified man places an unidentified bag in the aisle right next to me. The next two hours I spent maybe just as afraid as I have ever been before.

Joker is without a doubt a disputed and controversial film. It is horrifying and psychologically unhinging, to the point where I even question If this is really why I go to the cinema - I don't go to the movies to be scared to return. Whether it was circumstances (it probably was, in addition to my paranoid self) or the movie itself that caused my hysteria, you cannot take away from this film the way it impacts you.

Todd Philips, in combination with a spectacular Joaquin Phoenix, manages to put you inside the mind of a mentally ill, abused, lonely man, and show how society treats such a person. What is truly sensational, and overwhelmingly mind-terrorising, is how we also get to see a first person reaction to those circumstances. The movie takes you deep inside the head of the Joker, and it is not a pretty place to be. Moreover, by showing Arthur Fleck's descend to madness, they also show just how bad it can get in a country like America. One might see it as a black mirror, reflecting on America and the American society, showing its darkest colours.

As a whole, Joker works brilliantly as a dark "comedy", as to quote the man in question. Every performance is spot on, particularly from the already mentioned Phoenix, though also from De Niro, who seems to be having his best year in a long time. Still, the score is by far the most impressive thing about it - If Hildur Guðnadóttir does not win the Oscar, I'm boycotting.

Apart from some over exposition, Joker is an almost flawless cinematic piece. The only inquiry that remains, is if it crosses the border of being what it speaks against. After writing this review, and having cooled down from the experience, I can say now, from my perspective, that it doesn't. Joker is the film that America wants to hide from.

Once Upon a Time... in Hollywood (2019)

Not a "feel-good", but the movie makes you FEEL good

[10/10 · 21 August 2019]

4 years. That's how long we had to wait for Tarantino to return to the big screen. Now that's an awful long time, but as the saying goes: good things happen to those who wait - this movie does not dissapoint.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is Tarantino's homage to the cinematic world and to, of course, Hollywood as it was back in its golden days - and what a stunningly good looking film it is. You can't help but admire the broad colour palette, the beautiful cars, old school billboards and the gorgeous neon lightning of the many cinemas, which together manages to create a more than believable 1960's Hollywood. An almost glorified version perhaps - in a good way - like a piece of candy you just want to reach out and grab. While mentioning the beauty of this film, one cannot forget to also mention the soundtrack, that is as close to ear-sex as you can come. I myself have listened to "Bring a Little Lovin'" on repeat since i left the theatre.

The movie circles around the outdated actor Rick Dalton (Leo DiCaprio) and his stuntman Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt), as well as following Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie) on her daily adventures. The main story at hand is the one of Rick and Cliff, but for those well informed knows that the year of 69' was a special one, in a sort of way, for Hollywood. Without saying too much, it involves Sharon Tate and Charles Manson. While being the background story, and the one inspired by true events, it fits really well with Rick Dalton and Cliff Booth's story. And Tarantino being Tarantino, you better believe that he "Tarantino-fies" the whole situation.

At the same time as Tarantino is being Tarantino, it is also a very different movie than what we're used to seeing. It touches on the brink of comedy, but not the silly comedy that were used to in films such as The Naked Gun or Mr.Bean no, this is Tarantino comedy. And my god he handles it well. The whole movie is a beautiful roller coaster, with not a lot of steep ups and downs, but with mature humour that is sure to make an audience have a great movie experience. As to give an example: seeing Brad Pitt play a minacious stunt driver, with a sketchy past, getting high and having a gun pointed at him is hilariously funny, and it's also one of the best scenes in the movie.

Do you need to mention the acting? When you have names as Margot, Brad, Leo and even Al Pacino himself you expect stellar performances - and that is what we got, plain and simple. Leo gives his best ever performance, Brad is scary good as a mysterious stunt driver, Margot is absolutely wonderful as the joyful Sharon Tate, and Al pacino, well, Al Pacino is Al Pacino.

Tarantino said this is the closest he's ever gotten to recreate Pulp Fiction. He also said that he put it all into this film, and you really can feel it. To experience Tarantino at this level is truly breathtaking. With the natural talent found within him and all the experience he's gotten from his past of remarkable films, he brings it all out on this one - and it pays off. You can feel Tarantino's breaths (Not literary, that would be somewhat disturbing) sitting opposite the movie screen. You can feel his heartbeat (Not literary either) pulsating throughout the film. All of his passion and love for cinema is felt right through the screen and it touches your feelings. It makes you feel good.

Sad as it is, Tarantino has stated he will only make 10 movies - which I respect. After Once Upon a Time in Hollywood's release, he has stated he might retire before his 10th. How sad it is, this film feels like the perfect end note for him. I wouldn't say he is at his peak, because he has peeked ever since Reservoir Dogs, but with this film he has truly proved himself as a master of cinema.

Boyhood (I) (2014)

Phenomenal, though falls short of its unbelievable potential

[8/10 · 8 July 2019]

A staggering and successful attempt at capturing the early years of boys. A movie spanning over 12 years in the production will always be something special, and there is no question that Richard Linklater has made a groundbreaking film in this genre.

Boyhood follows the boy Mason from his early kindergarten days to his first steps into adulthood. Throughout the years we follow Mason, his mother goes through several breakups and divorces. Something that is bound to have an effect on children. Mason's biological father, whom Mason's mother had departed with before the movie's start, comes to visit every other weekend and takes Mason and his sister Samantha out on different events. From the beginning it is obvious that Mason's father has some clear parenting issues and one might perhaps understand why Mason's mother left him. At the same time Mason's new stepdads seem much nicer at first. Though all this change later when they all turn out to be drunken control freaks.

It truly makes a great point about our life and society, when towards the ending of the movie, Mason's mother and father's lives have taken very different turns. His father, learning from the mistake he did with Mason's mother, develops through bonding with his children a sense of parenting and manages to gain some control over his life, while also finding a partner to stick with. Mason's mother on the other hand, keeps trying to find a good man, and all of them turns out to be horrendous. Towards the end his mother is exhausted, feeling that her life has been a complete waste of time. This greatly illustrates the harsh environment women sometimes find themselves in and how men more often than not can be idiots. Mason's father can simply learn from his mistakes and start again with another woman, while Mason's mother has to go through it all again with another man.

All of this is deeply and profoundly made with a lot of thought. Though where the movie falls short for me is the story of our main character. As any young human being, Mason goes through various stages of his life. Having long hair, being emo, painted nails and earrings. Something that all parents must be above all things is supportive. None of Mason's stepfathers were that. Having his hair shaven off at the barber and complaining about his earrings and painted nails. Though we see later how this will shape older Mason, I feel the movie fails at showing his momentary emotions. Not once throughout the film do we see Mason actually cry, and I do not for a second believe a person goes through their teens without shedding a tear. It feels like a missed opportunity. While the movie is exceptionally well made, it feels like it focuses more on the events circulating Mason rather than the effects it has on him. I would not have minded this film being 4 hours long, as it was joyful to watch all the way through, just so we could have been showed more sides of Mason.

On the technical aspects of the movie, it excels even further. The acting is truly remarkable, with the best performance coming from Ellar Coltrane (Mason), that I believe was Oscar worthy. Furthermore, Linklater knows how to get what he wants from the actors in every scene. Because they all seem supernaturally realistic, without being dull. On this aspect the script and dialog must be noted as well. While not being the most eventful like a Tarantino or Coen movie, this movie's dialog is so brilliant just for the fact that it is not. It absolutely nails conversations between teenagers, as well as adults and between adults and teenagers as well. Needles to say, the cinematography, production design and the rest is spot on, and the movie also needs to be hailed for it's unprecedented achievement in having the same actors do the same movie for 12 years. Have that in any movie and its bound to be good. The only part I feel the movie dissatisfies in, in the technical aspect, was that the scenes often felt too short, like there was no time to grasp the events that just unfolded. Finishing the movie it is hard to pick a "favourite scene" as there barely were any long enough to consider.

Conclusively, this movie is nothing short of brilliant. Though in some ways a let down, not because of what it was, but because of what it could have been. It truly could have been the perfect movie.

Chernobyl (2019)

"What is the cost of lies?"

[10/10 · 4 June 2019]

The phenomenon that is Chernobyl was one of the most horrifying events in mankind's history. A declared undestructable construction explodes on April 26, 1986, and the consequences that followed impacted all of humanity. Now, as a Tv-show in 5 pieces, the memories of Chernobyl are refreshed, to remind people of the devastating distaster that occurred.

The greatness and magnitude of "Chernobyl" can be forever discussed. It is not only the fact that it covers a very dark part in the human history very accurately that makes it an exceptional show, but the fact that it is so well made. Every frame, every inch, every moment, is designed to perfection. There is not one segment that is not incredibly well thought through. The results prove that. Though as any good Tv-show, it needs to deliver interesting and entertaining characters. Chernobyl gives just that. Every character, even the evil ones, are a joy to watch in every frame, all portrayed exceptionally by the cast (Stellan Skarsgård being my personal favourite performance). All the personifications of the real people who worked at Chernobyl appear eminently realistic, and there is not one misstep in their writing. Every bit of the ensemble works together as an orchestra, performing a master work.

While being an extraordinary series, "Chernobyl" also teaches us about the values of freedom of speech. The former Soviet Union is rightfully depicted as treacherous, as history has proven. The very essence that the disaster took place in a country suffering from censorship, might have enhanced the devastating effects caused by the explosion - and even more so, had the team working after catastrophe not shown such bravery. It can also be said that had free speech been respected previously, the event may have never happened. Nevertheless, Chernobyl became a breaking point in the former Soviet Union and Russia towards acceptance of free speech, and this series has further emphasised that.

Whilst talking about the impact of "Chernobyl", it is to be said that long has there been since an ending has proven to be that effective in that area. After the final words are spoken (the same exact words that are first said in the entire series), succeeding a marvellous final episode, a brief memoar is shown of the real life characters of Chernobyl. It is both touching and poignant, though also fascinating to finally understand the realism of this series - to understand that this is not fiction. Those roles who appeared on screen were real. The events were real. The consequences were real.

Simultaneously as Valery Legasov speaks the final words, you know beforehand what he is going to say, you know now what the meaning behind them are. You speak it with him: "What is the cost of lies?"

The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix (1975)

Flåklypa is the home of the greatest bicycle mechanic that ever lived

[10/10 · 29 May 2019]

This is one of those movies I have always loved, and will always love. It has been a favourite of mine since I was a kid, and recently I watched it again. Needless to say, it has lost none of the magic it used to have.

While not very well known, The Pinchcliffe Grand Prix is an iconic movie that will forever be remembered for its charismatic characters. From the all too lovable Lambert (Ludvig), to the sunshine Sonny (Solan), and of course the elegant bicycle mechanic Theodore Rimspoke (Reodor Felgen). But perhaps the most memorable character of them all, is the car, Il Tempo Gigante. When that car fires up to its full powers, you get goose bumps all over your body! However, no story is complete without a classic villain, that is Rudolph Gore-Slimey (Rudolf Blodstrupmoen). His dishonesty and unloyalty towards his former teacher makes you root for Reodor even more.

Apart from the lovable characters, this beautiful film also tells a captivating story. It delivers a simple message, but a pure one: That in the end, love, teamwork and good faith will always defeat evil. And perhaps that is why you fall in love with this movie so easily. That it doesn't try to be something its not, instead pushes hard on what it actually is - a charming story with a universal theme.

There will never be a point in my life where I do not think about Reodor Felgen and his unstoppable force, Il Tempo Gigante, as the greatest bike mechanic in the world, and the greatest car ever built.

Paterson (2016)

Poetry in motion

[10/10 · 24 May 2019]

Paterson is just a normal guy, living a normal life, working as a bus driver, doing the same old things day in and day out. What brings this film alive is its sense for poems. And that is a poem by itself.

Everyday life may for many people seem like the thing they want to avoid. They seek thrills through expensive worldwide travels, late friday nights dance clubs, or just making the most of every day. "Carpe diem", so to say. But Paterson shows exactly the opposite. It fills you with joy and a sort of happiness towards the everyday life. It finds the smallest of comfort in the faintest of details, through beutiful poems and heartening confrontations. Rather than showing the problem with trying too hard to reach for success, like many other movies, Paterson instead celebrates the life of ordinary people. And it honestly makes you feel more at ease with living an ordinary life - not having to chase the sunset at all times.

This film also celebrates poetry. Poetry that exhilarates the beauty in everyday life. It is not only the poetry of the actual poems, but the poetry in the film itself. Such as having Paterson interact in the gentlest of ways with different strangers he meet throughout the week. It is almost impossible not to let the brilliance in every little scene touch your heart. The brilliant acting of Adam Driver and the admirable directing from Jim Jarmusch helps emphasise this, as the movie takes a very neutral tone.

In the end, this film makes you want to live an ordinary life. It does such a good job of finding happines in the small specifics in life, that you can't help but admire it. With this picture, Jarmusch has created a moving poem. A movie poem.

Native Son (2019)

A beautifully made film, but lacks the depth and thought-provoking character of Richard Wright's novel

[6/10 · 28 April 2019]

Finally the new adaption of Richard Wright's classical novel is here, ever since I read the book and I found out a movie was being made, I have been looking forward to this. That said, I hade very high expectations of it, seeing that the novel is so captivating and in every sense great.

The first thing I noticed that differed from the book, was the main character, Bigger Thomas. In the movie he has green hair, nails painted black and wears trashy clothes, something that is supposedly ment to showcase Bigger's world view. But let's be honest, it is nothing but ridiculous. Furthermore, he and his family does not seem to suffer from the same economic and racial struggles as in the book.

Moreover, there is little that shows a society that treats Bigger and other Black people less worhthy, as the book does. This is a vital failure as the whole novel builds on these themes and is the underlying factors behind Biggers actions later on. This misstep makes the movie lack depth and meaning, as well as failing to to fully deliver the measage. Now this film is a modern adaptation, and society has come a long way since the 1930's, even though there are still inequalities. The movie doesn't really emphasis this either, as the only attempt comes from modestly showing some police brutality in the ending.

Moving on, the ending feels very forced and quick as well, and it wouldn't have hurt to add another 30 minutes to it - especially just to get to see that famous courtoom scene from the novel. It was truly disappointing not to see it as it was one of the things I looked forward to the most. This movie suffers greatly from the lack of a good script.

However, the script may be poor, but the directing and cinematography sure isn't. Director Rashid Johnson pulls a rabbit out of the hat, saving this movie from being a total disaster. The lightning and colours are very nice and helps display the dark setting of the film. As well as great camerawork and some good looking scenes. Just imagine how good this could have been with a good script.

Ready Player One (2018)

A film to watch on a lazy day

[6/10 · 22 April 2019]

You might wonder what Speilberg was thinking of taking on a movie like this one. Such a talented director and movie maker, but perhaps this is not really his genre, as can be seen by watching this film. A big mix-up of pop culture references and action sequences matched with a few uncoordinated romantic flirts.

The first and major problem with this film, is that it fails as a stand-alone movie, due to the fact that it relies on pop culture references to entertain the audience. There are countless of them, and many are just a few details left in the background. The idea of pop culture references is a good one. It's a good way to interact with the audience and make them nostalgic when they notice a Darth Vader-mask wearing robot in the background. But here they take up too much space and are to obvious. The fact that they even used a whole sequence from Stanley Kubrick's "The Shining" and made the characters fool around in it, does not only feel like a insult to Kubrick's work, but it also makes this film lack a character of its own.

There could have been some forgiveness for all of this had there been an interesting story, but there isn't. Although the idea of having a deceased game maker host a competition (where the competitos have to find 3 keys in order to gain access to the entire game) in his own game is a relatively interesting concept, it falls short due to awkward relationships between the characters and poor acting. Perhaps the only good performance from this film came from Mark Rylance. And the supposed romantic relationship between the to main characters feel forced and amateurish. The story also feels really predictable, as you almost instantly know that the main character is going to make it and get the girl in the end, which adds a sense of boredom to the film, and takes a way the eagerness to continue watching

However, not all is bad. Despite some colossal missteps with the pop culture references, there is a joy in seeing the old DeLorean back on the screen, as well as some other small references. Moreover, the action isn't bad either. It's a joyful and colourful spectacle to watch that is also suprisingly entertaining. And it is what saves this movie from being a total bombshell of a disaster.

Conclusively, this is an entertaining movie actionwise, spiced with some nice pop culture references, but some of them were too much, removing the sense of actually watching a new movie. And a poor story and character interactions doesn't help. But it still can be a good watch on a lazy day.

American Psycho (2000)

The neatest film of all time

[8/10 · 15 April 2019]

A performamce that launched Christian Bale's career like a rocket into the sky, that also proves what an astonishing and adaptable actor he is. Playing the main role as Patrick Bateman he carries the show forward through murder and despise, in a film that is set to cause horror amongst viewers.

Even though Bale is the standout performer, other small roles like Willem Dafoe's character Donald Kimball and Stephen Bogaert as the lawyer Harold Carnes, all help to create the unsettling and tense nature of the film. It's an aura that constantly keeps the watchers at unease, making them feel the same way as Patrick about his cowerkers: That they indeed are pretentious self-focused phonies.

Another great thing about this film is the neat and clever use of sound effects, such as the famous scene where Patrick and his coworkers compete over who has the finest business card, where you can her small "whooshes" and flings as they show each other their cards. And even the neat sounds coming from their expensive shoes as they walk down the street. Neat is a great word to summarise thia film, and it is neat in more ways than the sound effects. From the previously mentioned nice looking business cards and the shiny leather shoes, to Patricks shower routines and his and his cowerkers visits to keen restaurants.

The cinematography and lightning of this film is also very good, making every scene that much more frightning and that much more good looking. The tone of lightning in this film is consistent and also the tone of the film itself, further emphasising the neat feeling of the movie.

The most spectacular thing about this movie though, is the uncertainty placed in Patricks visions and behaviour. It is clear that he is not psychologically well, and carries som clear anger issues. But is he really capable of murder? Does everything really unfold as he perceives it? The viewer only ever gets to see his perspective and one begins to wonder how much of it is actually real. This uncertainty is great, and in the end, the viewer is left wondering who Patrick Bateman really is, and what actually happened.

The downside of this film is perhaps that it didn't hit as hard as it could have. It touches the edge of a masterpiece, but just falls short due to the way it impacts the viewer; not as much as it could have. It is true that it is a great story, with great acting, but it didn't make you feel that discombobulated or perplexed or astound, especially the ending, which is no way bad, infact it is really great, it just didn't impact the same way other movies have, such as Martin Scorsese's Shutter Island or Christopher Nolan's memento.

Nevertheless, this is a fine piece of a movie, with great acting, a great story, and a great conclusion, making for the perhaps neatest film of all time. Well that played to Mary Harron!

Quicksand (2019)

Interesting story with intriguing ending, while sometimes poorly directed and scripted

[7/10 · 8 April 2019]

Swedish televison almost always have the same problem: Stiff and unnatural scripted lines carries out by locked actors. They follow poorly written dialogue scrupulously making everyday conversations feel overly scripted. While this show follows this same pattern, it does comepnsate with a very interesting story, as well by the fact that dialogue is occasionally somewhat good.

The story is an interesting one, as previously mentioned, and typically swedish. This is indeed refreshing to see a story differ from American tales where there is a psycopathic serial killar or crazy hallucinations, no, this show tales a realistic, while also dark and deep story. While the script could also be said to cleverly fool the audience into thinking one way, it felt more forced than fooling. You had really no choice but to think one way, the way the script forced you to. Which I found dissapointing as the book opens for a more broad discussion of what to believe.

Moreover, another thing this show did really great, was the calm, but intense trial scenes. A difference again from the usually eruptive blowout of a trial seen in American films, here we see a confined Swedish trial, so dull and slow, yet it completely has you in its grasp. The only thing I wished for was that we had more of those scenes, rather than annoying teenage gibberish.

It was not expected of this kind of show, but the directing at some points felt unbothered and not thought through, simply as if they didn't care how the shots looked, as long as the message comes through. The lack of this gives for an unprofessional feel. But there are scenes that there have been spent time into organising everything, I just would have wished for more continuity in that.

All and all, this short show tells a compelling and moving story, beating out most other teenage dramas, and concludes with a different ending than what we're used to. It was one story that kept me glued to the seat, even though the sometimes poor directing and scriptwriting. Especially the trial scenes, those were pretty damn good, and cheerfully un-american.

Reservoir Dogs (1992)

The first Tarantino Classic

[8/10 · 31 March 2019]

This is the film that spun Quentin Tarantino's long running career of gruesom and violent masterpieces. With this film, Tarantino has made his first classic, and it remains a classic to this day, and will continue to do so for a very long time.

A director's debut for Tarantino and he came off to a really great start with this immensly intruiging and different take ganster genre. With this piece Tarantino started sharpening his knife, and he had a real sharp one to begin with, but you can tell there are some rough edges still.

The movie starts off with all the main characters having coffee together, chatting, doing what Tarantino is best at. Having seemingly pointless scenes, but that actually establishes character. Here from the beginning you get a sense of who is the leader, the comedian, and who you might wanna look out for. Even forshadowing some events to the trained eye.

But here already can some of the rough edges be seen, as the dialogue isn't as sharp as some of his other movies, and the Tarantino-esque stories don't have quite the same sting in them. However it is forgivable, as it is infact his debut film, and it is overshadowed by the rest of the films brilliance.

The film is beautifully built up towards the ending, through tense interactions and clever glimses into the past. It is a bold move to play haywire with the script and have it go in a non-linear order, but in this sense it works really well, building up tension and unravelling more and more as we go. And it all leads up to the scintillating and brutal ending, that would set out to become one of Tarantino's trademarks. The only problem I had with the flashbacks was the character of Holdaway, who we don't get any introduction too. The only thing we get to know is that he is a buddy of one of the other characters (not to spoil anything) and that he helps him in his task. A more detailed introduction of him would have been needed, to not make his character seem somewhat unnecessary.

That said, the movie is very nicely done with little to no music, except for the songs playing on the radio, providing a raw touch to the film. It is not too long, as a story like this could easily have turned out boring with too many bland and boring scenes. Instead Tarantino has made sure every scene is counts and is of importance.

A genre defying movie, or rather, a genre making movie. As this movie falls under the gangster and crime, it also creates it's own genre, or should I say, Tarantino has. With his first film, Tarantino manages a clean birdie, and creates for himself his own genre: The Tarantino-genre.

Bohemian Rhapsody (2018)

The movie for every Queen fan

[6/10 · 29 March 2019]

Queen is the kind of band I could listen too for hours without getting tired of it. One of the most famous and greatest rock bands in history, with a legacy larger than life. The question is, how well can a movie really preserve and retell a story as grand as this? Turns out it can do it just fine.

From listening to reviews, they seem to be split into to parts: Hating it, or loving it. But I have fallen in between that space. The hatred and bad critisim against it I find hard to understand, as it really isn't all that bad, but neither can I comprehend why people have such love for this film. Rather, I beilieve, do they have an uncondicional love for Freddie and Queen, submitting them into loving it.

The first 15 or 20 minutes of this movie I found quite annoying and unnecessary. Yes, it shows the backstory of how queen was formed, but that's about it. It is a series of montages that puts queen on the world map, showing the members touring and signing contracts. But it could've just as easily been cut out of the movie, given that it provides little to none information. The montages continues further in the movie, and I am not a fan of them. I personally think montages are just a way when the writers are lazy and tries to put in as much information as possible. Neither do I think they were especially well made for this film.

Moreover, other problems I have with this film is it's editing, and I don't really understand the reason it won an Oscar for this. The editing at times feels interrupting and clumsy, and some scenes feel almost irrelevant and some cuts are more disrupting than purposful. Furthermore, this movie felt more as a movie about Freddy Mercury than one about Queen. Sure, he is the big star, but he keeps talking about the importance of the group, not excluding anyone. The other bandmembers feel unattended and forgotten. Their backstories fall out of the picture, as well as their respective traits making them feel like very bland and flat characters. I have nothing against Freddy, I just wished more attention had been paid to the other bandmembers, because they felt left out and almost not even necessary to the plot.

Nevertheless, lets not forget what this movie excells in, exactly what it should excel in, providing an entertaining experience for watchers as close to the feeling of attending an acutal Queen concert. Of course nothing will eveer compare to the real thing, but it was nice to see her Majesty back up on the stage again. And lets not forget the best thing which is Rami Malek's performance. He has done great research and captured the spirit of Freddy spot on.

While the story feels unprocessed, and the editing is somewhat off, it still manages to deliver a sometimes funny sometimes heartbraking event. But that is due to the good performances rather than good scriptwriting, and the emotional connection might just be because it is Queen, and not any other band we're watching. It is also their music that make this movie survive. Had it been another band, I'm not sure anyone would have been bothered to sit out the whole screening.

The songs of Queen as well as Rami's performance makes you forget about the mistakes, which is why this movie is enjoyable. This movie is not bad, but neither is it amazing. I wanted more from it.

When it comes together, this movie is entertaining, but mostly due to Malek's outstanding performance, and to the brilliant music Queen had already made. The film in itself, is okay at the best, needing some extra work. As to the question if it captures the story of queen: It does it well enough.

The Favourite (2018)

A masterstroke from the entire film crew

[9/10 · 16 March 2019]

When it comes to unique story telling and unique character this movie doubtlessly excels. It really is refreshing to see three strong female leads, who are not defined by their gender, rather than pompous men playing worn out heroes. This movie provides for a whole new colour to the spectra of films.

There are many brilliant things about this movie. For starters, the acting is absolutely spot on, especially the three leads, Olivia Colman, Emma Stone and Rachel Weisz. But the side characters are perfectly poetrayed as well, by the likes of Mark Gatiss and Nicholas Hoult, giving the feel of actually being in 18th century England. Not only that, but it gives the the movie a feeling of beeing complete, that there is no question about a characters appearance.

Furthermore, I really liked the distinctive use of different camera shots, like the fish-eye lens used in some shot. This coud've easily flopped, but it turned out a big success making the shots feel more solitary. The directing overall is very nice by Giorgos Lanthimos earning him the Oscar nomination for best directing well deserved.

Another thing it was nominated for, was Best Costume, which it definitely should have won. There are so many different clothings, dresses and suits, all so well done to the slightest detail, adding to the already realistic and wholesome feeling of the film.

What makes this movie so good is not only its virtue, but the exceptional story telling and character developements. Throughout the film we see major changes in characters as the three mains engage in an intense love triangle with Stone's and Weisz's character toying and manipulating Olivia Colman's fragile queen. The ending to this tale had me shocked in my seat at the theatre. Though at first the ending felt abrupt, you soon realised what a brilliant ending it was and how it reflected back upon the wole movie.

But not to mention, the most oustanding about this film is Colman's performance. It is dazzling, ravishing, tantalizing and sensational, one of the best performances of recent time, and a very very very well deserved Oscar for her.

Some of the critique against this movie is unanswered, as this film is truly a masterstroke from the whole film crew. It is one of the most complete films I've seen, and it is staggeringly good.

2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)

The original interstellar space film

[10/10 · 3 March 2019]

I am honestly lost for words. This could be one of the best, most groundbreaking, most mind boggling movie ever made. It is perfection down to the molecular level, yet I have not the slightest clue what it is about. Which is the brilliance of it, that it becomes whatever the viewer wants it to be.

This movie is definitely an experience for used film watchers. Someone who doesn't have passion for films, could leave the theatre extremely disappointed and confused, because for them, the story and events must be clearly projected. If you do however, enjoy movies and their complexity, this will leave you mind blown.

For starters, it doesn't need saying, but Kubrick is as always shining in direction and cinematography. He is in complete control over the cameras and knows exactly what he wants them to show. The long-spun still shots to grand views of grand areas. Most of them might seem confusing to the common viewer, but to the trained eye, you can see that every single shot is of significance and not one minute of film is wasted. This is the excellence of the marvellous Stanley Kubrick, his strive for perfection. All of this in combination with the music, makes for a movie in a class of its own. It has one of the most complete scores of any movie I've ever seen. It's breathtakingly haunting and immensely colossal. It emphasises the greatness of this movie incredibly.

But the most astonishing thing about it is that it isn't obvious or simple, but extremely complexed. And in Kubrick's own words when asked about the meaning behind the film: "They are the areas I prefer not to discuss because they are highly subjective and will differ from viewer to viewer". It becomes whatever the viewer perceives it to be. It is a massive interstellar movie, a first of its kind, with special effects that has aged extremely well. It is a revolutionary film, that will remain an all time classic for all ages.

10 Cloverfield Lane (2016)

John Goodman excellence in Saw esque turned Independence day

[6/10 · 1 March 2019]

The first thing we see is the main character Michelle (Mary Elizabeth Winstead) supposedly running of from her boyfriend, when suddenly she ends up in a car crash. The crash itself seemed unnatural, and for some reason they decided to have the title flash in the middle of it, twice. It didn't start off on the right foot. But after that it seemed to find leverage.

One thing we see is a resemblance to the first Saw movie, only one room and the main character chained up. It has promise. At first, the scenes seem much too extended and that didn't contain any excitement. But this changed the further we went into it. The lines and delivery are just about enough to keep the scenes interesting, but the main thing that brings turmoil is the content of what they're saying. The story in this movie is a unique one indeed.

When a movie is made, solely focused on one room, you need dramatic things to happen, in a good way. This movie does just that. The story keeps unraveling as we go on, and turns out to be more and more breathtaking the deeper we go. The balance between action and calmness is also great, where there isn't more gore and activity than necessary. It is also the little things that builds up the different happenings, making for an aggressive expansion that thrills the viewer with excitement.

The conclusion is set to be a big and horrifying twist to the tale, that would have been a perfect ending to a otherwise brilliant movie. Instead they ruined it. The ending seemed rushed and unscripted, like they ran out of time and just threw something in. It was just plain weird and turned this great film into a cheap action movie.

Characterwise, they were not that interesting. Except for Goodman's Howard. Mystery surrounds him, is he telling the truth, or is he serial killer performing his frequent ritual? Well, for all the engaging depth of the character, it ended up ruined, all by the ending. It took away all the things during the movie that built up his intriguing character. However, Goodman's performance is not to be overshadowed here. He is surprisingly great as psycopath serial killer/crazy conspiracy theorist, deliviring a fenomenal performance. His acting is superior to the rest of the small cast, and he is truly over qualified for this movie, though he brings a very important piece to it. In my opinion, Goodman is one of the most underrated actors of our generation, and deserves more praise.

When it comes together, as The Beatles sang, this movie is filled with thrilling events in a horrifying story, but is totally ruined by the ending. It was a bigger anti-climax than biting into a juicy red apple only to find out it was made of plastic. Shame.

American History X (1998)

Racially loaded work of art - from a different point of view

[8/10 · 1 March 2019]

American History X is the white piano note on the aspect of racism. It is true that race discrimination can be seen from different points of views. Play the white note and you hear one sound, play the black note and you hear another. Whereas Tony Kaye's masterpiece plays the white tiles, it can be said that Richard Wright's Native son plays the black one. Both stories are displaying a different perspective on the topic of racism, both do it so well, and both are oh-so-important.

This film is appealing to the white crowd - the crowd that through generations have oppressed the other crowd for being less, when we are all equal human beings created together - to try and make people realize, as Derek realizes. The feature follows Derek Vineyard (Edward Norton), or rather his younger brother, Daniel (Edward Furlong) and their lives as neo Nazis and their road to redemption. It begins with Derek being released from prison, after serving 3 years for brutally killing two black criminals trying to steal his car. During his time away, Daniel, who worships Derek like a God, has followed in his footsteps and now Derek must try to keep him off that path. A different Derek came out than the one that came in, which is off-putting to Daniel as he struggles to cope with this new reality. The motion picture is filmed alternating between colour and black and white. The part in colour standing for the present, and the black and white part for the flashbacks. They provide an acumen into Derek's life and development and there are clear connections between flashes from the past where he is seen as an innocent young boy realising the equal worth of all humans, but also the tormenting from his father to steer him onto an awful direction, and the coloured future scenes where a now salvaged Derek, who no longer is a little boy, resists the temptations of his racist friends.

As for my opinion of the film, after seeing it twice, I can say nothing but that it's a masterstroke by the creators. No less credit can be given to the outstanding performances of the cast. Edward Norton keeping up with the rapid changes in his character, and Beverly D'Angelo putting on a truly devastating act. Moreover, you could argue that the film is too violent, but not according to me. The violence only helps provide the message of the film. Tony Kaye really nailed this racially loaded movie and provides for an entertaining show with a meaningful message.

Whether American History X will go down in history as the neo Nazis favourite movie or a true life- changer that hits close to home for many struggling white racist people, is perhaps unnecessary to discuss. There will always be people who simply doesn't care for humanity, or anything else for that matter. What does matter, however, is that movies such as this one is not only important but a must to show to young people in particular. Even with all the violence, it shows what could happen if you go down the wrong path.

Pan's Labyrinth (2006)

The most magical story you will ever behold

[8/10 · 28 February 2019]

Combine Harry Potter, The Lord of The Rings, Inglourious Basterds and you end up here. A most magical story set in post civil-war Spain, a little girl stumbles upon a faun in a labyrinth and discovers she is a long lost princess of an ancient mythical kingdom. She struggles to complete the quests given by the faun, as her step dad continuously battles his enemies, in this wonderful story told in Spanish.

This is for sure director Guillermo del Toro's best ever film, and also one of the greatest stories told in the 21st century. There are many great stories indeed, but nothing quite as spectacular as this one. The creatures are very original and fable-like and creatively decorated. They can bring sheer terror as well as enchant anyone watching. It's in these moments del Toro is lucky to have his go to man, Doug Jones, that make for brilliant and mythic performances.

The movie feels like a classic already the first time you're watching it. It has that energy of an old fairy tale, that is truly captivating and spellbinding. This is a movie that endures due to its extraordinary story telling, but some things feel a bit unmotivated. For example, why did Ofelia have to eat that grape, when the faun specifically told her not to. Yes, they looked delicious to be sure, but still, she wasn't suffering from amnesia. But perhaps that is the magic behind stories like this one, that things doesn't need to be motivated, they just happen and we go along with it.

The acting in this movie isn't breathtaking either, but neither is it bad. It is simply not the priority here. The best performance comes out of the faun, both the body movements and the voice acting, making it really come alive and feel so magical that it could have been a tree bewitched by Harry Potter himself.

It is not to say that other parts of this movie is bad, I just believe it is not as good as it could have been. But hadn't the focus been so fixed on the story, perhaps we wouldn't have got the wonderful piece that we have. The story is what it excels in, being one of the best story telling movies of all time.

Should I say it again? The story in this movie is out of this world and just absolutely wonderful and brilliant and classy, that you'd wish it was a trilogy. But something should stay untouched, and simply take its place in history as the most remarkable story of this century.

Django Unchained (2012)

Hats off for Monsieur Tarantino!

[9/10 · 27 February 2019]

Django, Django, Django, I think we've got a new badass in town. Yet another Tarantino classic, yet more classic and ground breaking characters. This piece by Tarantino is one of his finest works ever, "Django: Unchained" is set to become an all time classic.

There are so many things about this movie that are great. For starters, as in any Tarantino movie, the attention to detail of the characters is spot on. Every character you meet has a name, a certain or several traits (the way they talk or dress or act) and is from the bottom to the top extremely well thought out. He has said so himself that it is by his characters that he will be remembered, and for sure there are some memorable ones here. Django, the main character played by the all cool Jamie Foxx, a former slave turned bounty hunter travels with the mysterious dentist turned bounty hunter Dr. King Schultz, played outstandingly my Christoph Waltz, winning him his second Oscar, in his second tarantino movie! Together they embark on an unforgertable journey trying to rescue Django's lost wife, Broomhilda.

The movie stands at 159 minutes long, and that's a long time for a story not that long. The reason is that every single scene is so adequately put together. Though the sceens might seem long and dull, they are infact the opposite of that. Firtst and foremost, they slowly build up a tension that keeps you on the edge of your seat during the entire scene, to finally explode into something extraordinary. And that is what makes Tarantino's scenes so special. You sit there waiting for something to happen, and sometimes nothing will, other times all hell breaks loose. That is the brilliance of Tarantino movies, their unpredictability to rupture at any moment. Lets not forget to mention the, as usual, unprecedented and marvelous dialogues, it is the biggest reason why his movies work, and does not become a dull and boring fairy tale.

What this movie particularly shines in is all of those things, but especially in story telling. The story is un-heard of and definitely a one of a kind. The lovely friendship between Dr. Schultz and Django, but more than that, the astounding character developement of Django from insecure and scared to bad ass and serene, is a delight to watch.

In the end, this movie goes out Tarantino-style; Double-up! It's an ending sure to bombard and rumble as well as satisfy and surprise the viewer. This is one for the history books. Hats off to you, Monsieur Tarantino!

Drive (I) (2011)

A perfect Saturday night's date movie

[8/10 · 26 February 2019]

Usually when a movie is being made about cars and action, especially with a title as cheesy as "Drive", you'd almost immediately expect it to be a Fast and the Furious esque film with a bland story, bland characters and a whole load of seemingly unending car chases and explosions. Drive is a car movie, but it is de excat opposite of what I just described, and it touched me right in the heart.

Drive is a surprisingly cozy movie, with sequences with the two main characters simply going for a drive in the city. These "montages" might seem unnecessary at first, but the soothing neon and traffic lights, peaceful and relaxing electronic music creates a special tension between the two, as well as to the audience, like I have never felt before. It is a love story at heart, and it is these little scenes that really make me fall in love with this piece. Another thing that could have turned out terribly wrong, was the cutting of almost all of Goslings lines. But as cool and calm as ever, Gosling does notably deliver a really good performance doing nothing. Playing a mysterious character that doesn't say much could easily lead to a dull performance, but he seems to have a talent for this (as proven once more in "Blade Runner 2049), constantly making us fall for him.

Storywise, it further impresses. It might seem to lack length and depth, but it is infact a short, charming, little story. And as we get deeper into the movie, we see the full story evolving and turning into a memorable and unique story. Actingwise, it still surprises. Altough sometimes the lines are somewhat poor, the acting isn't bad, neither is it that overwhelming. It fits right in for a story like this, nothing over the top. But one of the most impressive thing about this film is its attention to different sounds, like a carefully organized orchestra, where every little instrument plays a a part. From the clenching sounds of Goslings leather gloves, to the music and the lovely sounds of the car - that aren't at all overdone, like most car movies - earning this movie a well deserved Oscar

The only problem I had while watching this movie, was the partially unrealistic gore and bloodshed. That was infact overdone and didn't really fit into the rest of the movie. It made the killing feel slightly silly, taking away some of the otherwise realistic feeling about the movie.

All and all, this movie is a charming little piece, that had me caught from the first second to the last. It is not a movie that thinks it is more than what it is, the character of the film is as charming as the film itself. A perfect saturday night's date movie, that will leave you feeling both shocked and satisfied. This has grown to become one of my favourites and will undoubtably become a classic in the future, even more than it already is.

The Dark Knight Rises (2012)

The perfect ending to a perfect trilogy

[8/10 · 25 February 2019]

Christopher Nolan has made the three best movies DC will ever make, nothing suggests otherwise. With The Dark Knight Rises Nolans trilogy is complete, and what an ending it is. From great action, no more than necessary, to clever plot twists, The Dark Knight is back again, keeping us all on the edge of our seats during the entire film.

With The Dark Knight, and Heath's one of a kind, Oscar winning, performance, the standards sure were set high. But this follow up does not dissapoint, altough its precursor will not let go of its champion belt that easily. The first and major thing Nolan had to do first, was to find a villain that could match the excellence of Heather's Joker. He did find the perfect actor in Tom hardy and the perfect villian in Bane, but the same story goes here as with the movie itself. Nevertheless, Bane is an equal match for Batman who now faces his greatest ever threat in an attempt to blow up Gotham City.

When it comes to practical effects and stunts, Nolan has a very realistic style, making almost all of them without green screen, and this time he has put on his magic gloves once more. This movie is full of action packed scenes and each and every one of them is a delight. Action movies often gets stuck on the violence and action, and forgets about the story telling and characters. But Nolan has sharp eyes and both the characters and the storyline are interesting and well built up, making for a perfect action movie.

This is indeed one of the best trilogies of all time. And it is indeed the best movies DC will ever make. Without pushing anything too far, without dragging out the storyline or ruining a well known and loved character, Nolan has revolutionised the superhero industry, even the whole action industry, with these three movies. It is a legacy to be proud over, and it is a legacy that will prevail. Thank you Nolan.

Oh, can I just mention the brilliant performance of one Sir Michael Cain. He has not as much screen time in this movie as the last, but talk about quality over quantity. Every time he was on the screen he made me cry. It might even be so good, he could've won an Oscar for it.

Darkest Hour (2017)

Extraordinary Gary Oldman in brilliant Churchill biopic

[8/10 · 24 February 2019]

We have had the pleasure of enjoying the career of Gary Oldman for nearly four decades, and he has since evolved to become one of the finest actor in film industry. Never onve before had he won an Oscar, but now it was his turn, and it couldn't have come at a better time. The portrayal of Sir Winston Churchill is a performance of a lifetime. I would go as far to say it is one of the best acting performance of the 21th century.

Considering the story and the theme of the movie, it had the potential of just being a flat out boring, slow paced, political drama, but Darkest Hour is none of those. It is entertaining, funny and gives an insight of Churchill like we've never seen before. It's a captivating story behind the only man who dared stand up against Hitler.

On the matter of Hitler, similarities can be found between this movie and the Hitler biopic "Downfall", between Hitler and Churchill in terms of character. Both are great speakers able to convince an entire nation to go to war, both lashes out at army generals not following orders, and both are naiv war leaders believing in the strenghts of their respective army. However, to quote Bane, from "The Dark Knight Rises": "It doesn't matter who we are, what matters is our plan", and this is where the two go go seperate ways. Both movies shows the man behind the actions, giving us a different way of seeing them. But in the end, when watching "Downfall" one is filled with vengeance and anger towards this man capable of such horrific actions, whereas when watching "Darkest Hour" one feels motivated and engaged to fight back.

Additionally, one of the things that gives this movie joy, is the wonderful music by composer Dario Marianelli. Combined with Churchills powerful spechees, the movie grabs a hold on you, keeping you on the edge of your seat wondering what the next move might be.

The best scene of this movie is its last, where Oldman perfectly captures Churchills greatest ever speech. Right after the speech he walks alone in the alley towards the exit, handerchiefs and papers flying all around him, closing the door behind him as the screen turns to black. The perfect ending to a wonderful movie. It truly makes you want to join his army and fight for the Brittish Islands.

Breaking Bad (2008–2013)

The best there is, the best there was, and the best there ever will be.

[10/10 · 18 February 2019]

This is it. This is the peak of television, nay, this is the peak of the entire film industry. Never will there be anything like Breaking Bad on the screen ever again. It is to this day, and always will be, the best Tv-series of all time.

I could go into detail about all the things that are good with this show, but I fear then this review would be endless. But the most astonishing thing about Breaking Bad is its attention to detail. The creators, writers, and directors are pure geniuses, how they can even come up with all these impregnated details and foreshadowings is beyond me. As astonishing is the acting, from Giancarlo Esposito and Byran Cranston to Aaron Paul and Anna Gunn, every single performance is spot on, and Cranston's is out of this world - more than deservedly winning him 4 Emmy's and a Golden Globe.

To spot flaws in this series, one would need an electron microscope. I'm not even sure then if you could find any. It is like the Mona Lisa of Tv - infact, the Louvre should replace her with a painting of Walter White. Flawless, absolutely flawless, I cannot put into words how good this show is.

Everyone who hasn't seen this, must see it before they die. Everyone who has seen it - watch it again.

Westworld (2016–2022)

Mind boggling dystopia with endless plottwists

[7/10 · 18 February 2019]

Beforehand I had acutally heard a lot of good about this show. Not much, just that it was good. And given my expectations, the first season both suprised and dissapoint me. The story telling is a truly one of a kind, you won't find something quite like this for some time. With multiple plottwists, interesting characters, the depth of this show is astonishing.

The first thing that really grabbed me was just that, the well worked storyline and developed characters. It's a story between human and machine, where the humans strive to make robots that perfectly resemble humans in all of its aspects. The show really hits you down deep and makes you question your own humanity, of what it means to be human, and what it is that makes these robots any less of a human than us? It's mindboggling. Furthermore, the brilliant performances of Anthony Hopkins and Ed Harris really helps to enhance the dephts of the characters and keeps you stuck in front of the Tv-screen.

However, Westworld is not free from problems. First of all, the list of good acting performances stops pretty much right there, and the rest of the cast acts like lame donkeys, especially Jimmi Simpson, whose performance almost ruins the entire character that Harris so barely manages to rescue. Moreover, the show feels a bit rushed, like no time was put into the making of the scenes, making it feel kind of low budget. But overall, the first season is actually quite good and just met my expectations.

But hold your horses, don't coun't your chickens before they hatch. While season one was good, season two is way, way, worse. If season one felt rushed, this one feels even more so. The several, and good, plottwists of series 1 expand into a chain of them, happening seemingly uncontrollably, to the point where it just feels like a never ending story and that the writers can't settle for an ending. The acting becomes even worse, Ed Harris character gets more and more ruined all throughout the season, and the only good thing about the entire season is the return of one Anthony Hopkins, jumping in to save the day, well, almost.

All and all, Westworld is a series worth watching that will twist your mind and make you question reality.