Belfast and tick..tick Boom!: Reviews
Do these two movies go together? Not really other than the fact I think they’re both solid nominations this year.
Belfast
My first impression, the first thing I wrote after watching the movie, was “what really works about this movie is that it is both light and dark, mundane and horrific.” I then added, “this is proof that an artistic film can be coherent.”
Branagh loves him some 360s. He plays with color vs black and white. Lots of interesting angles and shots. But the strength of this film comes through the excellent artistic choice to tell the story through the POV of a child as well as a solid script. Character performances are excellent throughout. Really glad I got to see Jamie Dornan in this to hopefully erase 50 Shades from memory. I’m always happy to see Dame Judi Dench. Always.
A solid movie full of pathos and warmth and humor.
This is a movie for people who
love historical pieces
want to find out more about The Troubles?
love Judi Dench
love Van Morrison
like smart scripts as well as interesting camera angles
This isn’t a movie for people who
don’t like black and white
do not want to find out more about the Troubles
do not like levity with their serious (eh, you probably won’t like my books, either)
tick…tick Boom!
I’m definitely going to have to go back to my notes on this one because we watched it back in January. My first note was “incredibly well-rounded movie.” Garfield gave yet another excellent performance. That guy is everywhere between this, The Eyes of Tammy Faye, and Spider-Man: No Way Home. I am not mad at it.
Kinda low-key mad that Lin-Manuel Miranda didn’t get an Oscar nod for directing because this film could’ve easily been choppy but instead was sewn together with all of the precision of a crazy quilt. That editing nomination is well deserved because the transitions are to die for. At the time I watched it, I noted “This is my pick for Best Picture so far.” It didn’t even get a nomination. Le sigh.
In addition to the way the timeline was handled, the music was integrated perfectly.
Then again, maybe this really spoke to me because I was feeling Jonathan Larson so much when his show flopped and the advice was simply “go write the next one.” Whew, Lord. I felt it in my bones.
This is a movie for people who
love Broadway, especially Jonathan Larson
love cameos
love stories about artists
This isn’t a movie for people who
don’t get Broadway
don’t love musicals
want a purely chronological story (but it works, I tell you!)
don’t want to cry? IDK…I got nothing
#MondayMovies disclaimer: This blog is just for my thoughts. Sure, I’m a writer and an English major so I have some idea—we would hope—of how stories work. I’m also a flawed human being with my owns likes and dislikes, though, so please watch any movie you like and love it or hate it or just go for the popcorn. (Also, there will likely be a post a day leading up to the Oscars because I have quite a few films left)