Movie Review: Boyhood

It’s the Awards Season, which means pretty red carpet dresses and filmmakers accepting trophies and saying the speeches they practice all their lives. For that, I wanted to review an Oscar Nominee, and this one actually won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture.

Boyhood, directed and written by Richard Linklater, follows the story of Mason (Ellar Coltrane) and his family since he was 5 years old till he graduated from Highschool. The movie if you believe it was filmed through 12 years with the same cast, so we literary saw Mason and his sister, Samantha (Lorelei Linklater) grow old in the almost three hours movie.

When I heard about this movie, the first thing I imagined was, different cinematography and different definition because cameras and editing techniques have evolved in the last 12 years, but the movie kept it consistent. You won’t feel the difference at all. I mean it makes sense for them to think of that. 

The movie is long, but it’s so sweet and you can’t help but get attached to the characters and you want them to be happy and go to school and clap when they graduate. It really is a journey and it feels special to see them grow up and how the setting and cloths were true to the year they were in that specific time. I mean it was as real as it gets. I really enjoyed that.

Also I enjoyed watching how the characters developed through the years, because they won’t be the same, and to see what contributed to each new development. It was a good plot build up and again, still consistent. The cast was pretty good too and I’m happy they all stayed with the project or else it’d be a complete fail. You’d expect the grown ups (Patricia Arquette and Ethan Hawke) to be good and continue with their character, but I was happy to see that even Ellar kept it straight with his character Mason and you believe it’s the same boy from the beginning till the end. Good casting choice!

The movie had already won 3 Golden Globes and it’s on its way to the Oscars and after watching it, I can say it’s a good chill movie, where you live someone else’s life for a while as you relax on your couch. It’s one of these movies that are casual and quite, yet something special about them that makes you watch till the end.

For more information and to catch the trailer, click here.

Till again!

Kemz

Ajyal Film Review: Whiplash

Whiplash is a movie I wanted to watch at Ajyal Film Festival since the film guide came out and I was so excited and also scared from that excitement because what of it was bad? However it’s: OMG! OMG! OMG! Such a GOOOOOOD movie!!! OMG!! I LOVE IT!!! It passed my expectation and just amazed me!

The story of Andrew (Miles Teller), a promising drummer who study at a very prestigious music school and the moment he was accepted into a class with the strictest music teacher ever, Fletcher (J.K. Simmons) and together they go through an intense journey that will push both their limits!

The movie is so good and so beautiful and so so so intense! I was blown away by the acting and the script and the setting and everything!! My eyes were glued at the screen and right now as I write this, my brain is screaming, “I wanna see this again!!”  

The directing is brilliant! The synchronizing between the movement and the music is sharp and so on point! It made the movie way more intense and so good! I loved the colors of the movie! AH! The brown background, the black outfits and the rusty golden instruments! It made it so artistic and truly beautiful!

The drumming is so freaking awesome! Miles Teller is freaking genius! I was like how did they find this guy! And the character he played, Andrew, is so complicated. When you play the role of a brilliant person, you have to completely give yourself to the character; physically, mentally and spiritually! The dedication, commitment and obsession a brilliant person has is so not normal! It makes me feel like, wow, I am not motivated enough!

All I thought of when it ended was “WOW!” I enjoyed it so much! You know I always thought that if I ever played an instrument it would be the drums, however I admit that I am not good at anything other than dealing with words :p.

There is Oscar talk on this movie, so you do not want to miss it!! The movie will screen at the Ajyal Film Festival at 11:00pm on Friday December 5 at Katara Building 16, Drama Theatre (K16-DT). For more information and to get the ticket, please click here.  

Till the next one!

Kemz

Movie Review: E.T.

Yup, never saw this one before as well! Still digging into the 80s and finding good movies and this is defiantly a cute and magical classic! It would be even magical if I saw it as a kid, cause it’s perfect for kids and such a family movies, but I still enjoyed it and learned why E.T. became one of the most loved famous aliens. He’s so adorable!

So, if you’re like me and didn’t see it; it’s the story of a kid, Elliott (Henry Thomas) who finds a short and ugly, yet very cute alien that he names  E.T. He takes him in and bond with him till he realizes that E.T. needs to go back home. NASA however wants the alien, so it adds to the plot and makes it a bit adventury in the end.

Like the other 80s movies, I rented the HD version (which I LOVE) and believe me, it’s worth the extra money, because it makes it tolerable and feels ok to watch. And this movie did have some lame special effects (especially when the kids flew in the sky and it looked fake) but it didn’t affect me that much. I just brushed it off. Still you can see the great work of Steven Spielberg. I mean talk about a sci-fi genius in the 80s when they didn’t have much to work with! I mean the movie won 4 Oscars including Best Effects! 

You gotta give it to him, the man with the alien obsession brought us the most exciting aliens movies ever. Though he always tend to make them ugly. That’s disappointing. Aliens could be pretty if you allowed them to be, Steven.

Anyways, even though E.T. is such an ugly little fella, he’s still so freaking cute! So cute, I want one!  And you know who else was cute, Elliott sister, Gertie who was played by the cute tiny Drew Barrymore. She was so good and adorable you can’t but smile when she speaks.

This movie is really super cool and every child should watch it! A great movie option for family movie night!  Though the movie is a bit long, 2 hours, but we’re used to long movies these days, so it’s fine!

For more info and the trailer, please click here.

Till again,

Kemz

Quick Movie Review - نقد سريع للأفلام

Blood Diamond:

One of my favorite Leonardo DiCaprio movies! A thrilling heartbreaking story of the struggle of Diamond mining in Africa.

من افلام ليوناردو دي كابريو المفضلة! قصه مثيره ومؤلمه عن حال التنجيم وتهريب الألماس في افريقيا.

Valkyrie:

The most famous assassination attempt in history! A great performance by Tom Cruise.

قصة اشهر محاولات الاغتيال في التاريخ! تمثيل قوي من توم كروز.

Flawless:

A drama about two people stealing one huge diamond in the 60s. A good movie to watch.

فيلم درامي مشوق عن عملية سرقة لألماسة كبيره من قبل شخصين. فيلم ممتع للمشاهدة.

Smokin’ Aces:

OMG! How boring! I didn’t like this movie what so ever! I don’t know how they made a sequel.

فيلم ملل لاقصى درجه! ماعجبني الفيلم ابدا، وماعرف شلون صوروا وانتجوا جزء ثاني.

No Country For Old Men:

An Oscar winning movie that’s worth the watch! A drama directed by the Coin brothers!

فيلم درامي حاز على جائزة الاوسكار من اخراج الاخوين كوين .. يستحق المشاهدة! 

Thanks for the read!

Till the next one ;)

Kemz

Twitter & Instagram: @KemzMovies

Facebook: Kemz Movies

Movie Review: Django Unchained

As I tweeted the other day, I wanted to review an Oscar winning film. So, since winning an Oscar for Best Original Screenplay is my ultimate dream, I chose ‘Django Unchained’.  I’m not a big fan of the Wild West films, but it’s a Quentin Tarantino film, so I was really excited to see it. I don’t know how to explain my take on Tarantino’s filmmaking style. He is famous of making unconventional stories in the most innovative way while keeping in mind, the artistic and in the same time commercial aspect in his film. See, I told you, I’m bad at explaining his methods, hahaha. Anyway what I mean is; his movies have a combination of elements that appeal to both critics and viewers.  

So, the film is about Django (Jamie Foxx), a slave in 1858 who was freed by a German dentist, Dr. King Schultz (Christoph Waltz) who is a bounty hunter. Hoping to find his enslaved wife (Kerry Washington) Django join Dr. King and become his deputy. They finally find his wife under the ownership of, a ruthless plantation owner, Calvin Candie (Leonardo DiCaprio).

It’s a long film, 2 hours and a half with some bloody scenes (well, if you saw Kill Bill, it’s not that much) but it’s a movie NOT TO BE MISSED! It’s very smart and sharp and Tarantino knows exactly the right moment for slow motion scenes to intrigue interest. It’s so thrilling and really moving.

The main theme in the film was slavery (that reminded me that I need to watch ‘12 Years a Slave’). It just shows you how much the African American suffered in those days and no matter how you tried, you can’t imagine the feeling of being owned and humiliated like that. I really enjoyed how the story (written by Tarantino) showed slavery and all that suffering through the eyes of a couple who will do anything for their love. It raised the issue of the ‘forbidden love’.

Since ‘Django Unchained’ won Best Writing, Original Screenplay, I paid attention to the dialogue. The moment you hear the doctor speaks in the film, you know how smart the script is. It gave the doctor’s character its unique voice and identity. Waltz also won Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role for playing the doctor. He was super awesome. He was brilliant! I totally approve the win.

Jamie Foxx was amazing in his role as well. He brought the character alive through his eyes. I always said that the success of an actor is shown through his eyes. He made me believe he was dying inside whenever something happened to his wife. I also always, always, always enjoy Leonardo’s acting. He needs an Oscar soon! His characters are always varied and his acting is just ah! Genius!

The movie is again not to be missed. It’s even has some funny scenes, so it has everything! If you’re looking for a good movie, here’s a film for you. But if you can’t take the blood and torturing, you shouldn’t watch it. It’s a bit disturbing.

Oh and it has an awesome soundtrack! I love it!

Tell I manage to see something good soon! (hopefully Prisoners!!)

Kemz
Twitter & Instagram: @kemzmovies