John Wick, from the offset does something that would prove disastrous for any other franchise, it deifies its main character. Wick is an intense, rather silent character who is revered by everyone around him. He’s the boogeyman, as scary as they come, a character it should be impossible to root for. 

Should be, but isn’t. We care for Wick because he’s not shown to be unreasonable or irrational. He’s just a guy trying to live his life and put his past behind him. Life just doesn’t seem to work out for him. And by the end of the third film we see him decide to take on this whole system head on, peace be damned.

Why Does John Wick Work?

Apart from Keanu Reeves’ performance as Wick, the reason these films work is because of the action. More specifically, the commitment the series shows to its action. The way each fight scene could so easily have been the same thing over and over again, but it’s not. Each fight is choreographed to be add more tension as each film progresses.

The same is true of John Wick 4. The action is fantastic. There’s one scene in particular that gives us a look at the action from a very different angle that adds a whole other dimension. Another aspect of it is the way blood-spatter is shown. It’s always pronounced to highlight the impact of any gunshot or stab wound. It adds an element of realism, of consequences to these films that for the most part seem implausible, at best.

The franchise, even in its 4th outing manages to keep things fresh. Just when you think you’ve seen everything they have to offer, Chad Stahelski and team will find a way to surprise you. Everyone who’s a part of John Wick seems to really love what they’re doing and that does translate to the screen.

The films also have the benefit of being set in a universe that has an entire assassin ecosystem. John Wick 4 expands on the intricacies of this universe with the primary conflict of the film relying on the rules that Wick and his associates have broken and subsequently the cost of breaking the rules.

Thoughts on John Wick 4

To me, John Wick 4 was one of the most gorgeous and most cinematic of the lot. Paris has never looked better. The colours really pop and I couldn’t get enough of the colour palette. Some of it reminded me of The Batman (2022) and that’s the highest compliment I can offer any film at the moment. 

The action is creative, it’s as intense as ever and Keanu Reeves always brings his A game. Another highlight in this film was Donnie Yen as Caine. There’s a particular action sequence centered around a staircase that I thoroughly enjoyed. 

The part I’m not completely sold on is the story. I know the story isn’t why anyone’s watching John Wick but I think this one particularly doesn’t try at all. The first 30 minutes are painful to go through, that also happens to be the ‘plot’ part of this film. I know the primary concern of John Wick 4 is not to tell a complex story but an effort would have been appreciated. 

The further expansion of the universe is also not done in a way that feels organic or satisfying. I’m not sure I want to know too much about the High Table, it’s supposed to have some mystery about it and further explanations and clarifications only end up taking away from what has already been set up. 

There’s a part of this movie that reduces the central conflict to something a lot more simplistic and much less interesting. There’s a balance that needs to be maintained with the John Wick movies and the involvement of the larger assassin universe at play. This one misses the mark on that front in favour of a typical mustache twirling villain in Bill Skarsgard’s Marquis de Gramont. 

And yet, John Wick 4 has probably the most entertaining, high intensity encounter of Wick and the High Table. The film keeps you at the edge of your seat till the very last second. 

Is it worth the hype?

John Wick 4 is a mixed bag. The highs are really high and the lows put me to sleep. I enjoyed it more than I didn’t, so for me, yes the hype is worth it! Each frame is visually stunning. The characters feel like an extension of the world and it’s a pleasant ride. 

Ultimately, I think this film does a great job of providing a conclusion to this series. It feels like a complete story. But maybe I would have liked to leave the theater with a little more to chew on.

It reminded me a little of a 1980s action film but with modern technology and very few movies these days manage to do that these days. Capture the essence of the genre so succinctly. 

So yes, the hype is deserved. Go watch it if you’re interested in the John Wick series.

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Don’t Worry Darling is the latest film by Olivia Wilde starring Florence Pugh, Harry Styles and Chris Pine. We follow Pugh as a housewife in an idyllic 1950s community figuring out that something about her perfect world isn’t so perfect after all. 

Florence Pugh does a fantastic job playing the character of Alice. Her performance is emotional and it brings a lot of depth to a character that really needed it. She has too good a grip on what she’s doing by the looks of it and as always I’m excited to see what she’s in next. 

I also did enjoy the aesthetic of the film. The sterile, glamorous 50s look of the film gives it that cinematic quality that I’m assuming is what Harry Styles was referring to in that one interview. 

Some scenes are genuinely creepy and the feeling of dread is palpable throughout. The mood is well and truly built up in certain scenes. 

And that’s about all the good stuff that I have to say about this movie. 

A bit of a rant

The most egregious crime that this movie commits is putting its audience through a script that lacks clarity and the conviction to pull off something truly outstanding. It is bloated, doesn’t offer a conclusion of any sort, sets the audience up for failure and doesn’t lead anywhere. 

Don’t Worry Darling is a great example of a film that had just about everything going for it except its script. A script that is its eventual downfall and leaves the audience hanging on one too many occasions. 

Normally I’d just list out all the stuff I didn’t like here and leave it at that but on this occasion specifically, I feel the need to get into spoilers and rant a little. So this is your warning. Spoilers!

Speaking of Spoilers

If you’ve watched ‘The Matrix’, you’ve watched a more stylistically evolved film tackling almost the same plot. Except this film is also about control over women and their bodies and their lives. 

This film is frustrating because it gives its main characters so little to do. It’s like someone got stuck writing this film and didn’t know how to get to the ending naturally so they just threw it together hastily and now you have a movie that’s the equivalent of a carelessly thrown together Tuesday night sandwich. 

Like someone just didn’t want to try to make this a little better. 

The idea that none of this is real is such an uninteresting concept to me because it’s been done before and beaten to death. 

What it almost got right

In my opinion this film would have benefited from leaning into its horror elements. It would make a great horror movie but they’d have to change the entire third act. The idea that maybe what’s happening in Victory is bigger than men controlling their wives. Because while that is horrifying it’s simply not enough of a revelation. 

I’m going to make an unnecessary comparison here to the 2021 film, ‘Last Night in Soho’, directed by Edgar Wright. Also a film plagued with inconsistencies and plot elements that turned frustrating over time, that’s a film that manages to utilize the atmosphere it creates. It loves its aesthetic but also incorporates it sufficiently into the larger story. Don’t Worry Darling wastes its extensive setup and seeing how 75% of this film is setup by the end I was more annoyed with the film for wasting my time than I was for its mediocrity. 

The other issue here is that of Frank (Chris Pine’s character) as the architect of this reality and worldbuilding in general. Frank is supposed to be smart, he’s revered by everyone in the film but when you actually recap the events of the film in your head you realize that he simply isn’t? That comes down to the worldbuilding, the world doesn’t work so neither does Frank. There’s plot holes everywhere you look and it’s all stuff that could have been cleaned up in a rewrite. 

Conclusion

Wasted potential is always frustrating but especially here because it had the perfect shitstorm in terms of the conversation surrounding the film. Can you imagine the impact this film could have had, culturally, if it worked even a little? 

As it stands, the possibility of Harry Styles maybe having spit on Chris Pine is still the most interesting thing about this film.

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Gossip Girl. A seminal work of literature that would later evolve into a series that shaped the minds of an entire generation of teenagers and by the time its effects began to wane, a reboot of the classic to keep the legacy going. 

Alright then. I’ll be the first to admit that Gossip Girl is often, not very good. But its cultural impact is undeniable. The problem is, it’s addictive. Once you start watching, you want to keep going. I will not call it a guilty pleasure but it’s definitely somewhere in that league. 

That’s not to say it’s a bad show. It has its moments. It’s entertainment, scandalous drama, shocking twists, overall debauchery all consisting of teenagers living beyond the means of most, you want to watch more even if you think you’re better than it. 

I’ve watched all six seasons of Gossip Girl and I bring that up more often than anyone needs to. I watched it after the show ended so I knew who Gossip Girl was from the get go and I still decided to watch it. Why, you may ask? And the answer is, I don’t know. I think it seemed like required reading (watching, in this case). 

It’s easy to forget just how big this show was at its prime but on a re-watch, there are enough cameos (not all good) to remind you that this show was right up there.

The High Highs

Gossip Girl found itself at the heart of pop culture from season 1, arguably the best season of the lot. Season 1 doesn’t take itself too seriously, it’s about rich kids being rich kids and the Humphrey siblings trying to find their place in this ridiculously unstable world, despite not being rich kids themselves. 

Season 1 is interesting because it’s fairly simple, Dan and Jenny are trying to fit into a world in which neither of them belong and they both have to navigate the schemes of Blair Waldorf, in different contexts. Blair Waldorf makes this season as the scheming rich girl, obsessed with the social hierarchy that keeps her on top. She’s a bit of a tyrant but she’s also just another student, but she inspires fear in everyone who comes across her but she’s also humanized throughout the season with her fierce protectiveness of the people she cares for. 

Gossip Girl herself also sees Blair as their main subject as the series progresses. Yes, Serena and the rest of the gang are also referenced regularly but Blair has the biggest moments. 

I haven’t revisited the series recently because I’m not big on rewatching anything but almost every important, iconic, gasp worthy moment has to do with Blair. 

I also think the way Gossip Girl presents itself is sort of reminiscent of Big Brother from 1984 (yes, I compared Gossip Girl and Orwell, I’m aware it has been done before and I’m going to say it again). The concept of a being that sees and hears everything you do or say and being judge, jury and executioner, reminded me of the classic, despite their philosophies having nothing in common. 

The ‘You’ of it all

And now, we see how much further technology has come and how much more it could be used for and we have ‘You’, starring Dan Humphrey himself, Penn Badgely as Joe Goldberg, a twisted stalker who would make an excellent, if murderous, Gossip Girl. 

‘You’ is a more accurate take on social media today. It should have been a PSA but the drama was too juicy to stop after a single season. It is almost a continuation of Dan Humphrey’s arc seeing how the last episode of Gossip Girl has a flashback that makes this rather believable. 

Joe from ‘You’ uses social media to his advantage and to get an entry into the life of a woman he interacts with once and is instantly obsessed with. It’s scary and believable and instills the same fear in me that Gossip Girl did in the fictional characters of the Upper East Side. 

‘You’ does what the Gossip Girl reboot fails to do, it helps you realize just how creepy the whole concept is. 

Oh! How the mighty have fallen

The Gossip Girl reboot is a lot like Legacies (The spinoff of The Originals which was itself a spinoff of The Vampire Diaries). Wasted potential, relying a little too heavily on the reputation of what came before, entertaining sometimes but lacking in consistency. 

Gossip Girl (2021) does use social media but it doesn’t capture the essence of the original. That can primarily be attributed to the audiences knowing who Gossip Girl is from the very beginning rather than leaving that as a mystery, but that may have been an improvement on the original had the drama lived up to the mark. 

In the original, Gossip Girl was horrible and didn’t hold back, she was ruthless and her vendetta remained consistent at least for the first season. Which is why everyone feared Gossip Girl. 

A look behind the curtain should have made it more interesting but that’s impossible because Gossip Girl is now the teachers and that’s gross and creepy on so many levels. Plus, it hampers the access Gossip Girl has to the information about the teenagers. It also dramatically reduces the tension within the group and presents them as a united front. 

In the original, there was always this possibility that one of the kids was Gossip Girl. They were all aware of that. And that automatically made them distrustful, it amped up the drama. And I happen to like drama of the fictional sort. 

Final Thoughts

A show that pulls off the mystery and the look behind the scenes a lot better is Bridgerton. While season 1 is problematic and season 2 is not without its flaws, it manages its gossip writer reveal and subsequent portrayal rather well. Plus, you’ve probably already heard of it. 

This has been a long and rambly look at a series I will likely continue thinking about once every few months. I don’t know if I’ll continue watching the reboot or if I’ll give up on it like I did with Legacies but it has been insightful to say the least. 

I think there’s something to be said about the evolution of the content being produced and the impact social media has had on it. In a sense, the new Gossip Girl could never capture what the original had because of the way the world has evolved since then. The original aimed at being scandalous and wasn’t afraid to take it too far, admittedly not the best approach but the risks it took allowed itself to cement itself in pop culture, long term. 

What’s to say what becomes of the Gossip Girl legacy beyond this point but it’ll be interesting to see if it manages to recapture a moment in time as convincingly as it did in 2009-10. 

The post Gossip Girl : The Old, The New and ‘You’ appeared first on Diti Writes Reviews.

I didn’t want to review this movie, I didn’t think my opinion mattered because I’m at the height of my Robert Pattinson phase that essentially started with that one batshit GQ interview that I will mention whenever I get the opportunity. 

Anyway I can’t seem to write much these days so I figured hey let’s just get this Batman review out of my system. 

Firstly, I was super proud of myself for getting really cheap tickets so that was a big win. And then I got there and was completely blown away by this gorgeous looking, decently constructed, rather funny film that has some really cool shit. 

The Dark Knight

Let’s first get the “Is this better than The Dark Knight?” question out of the way. So is it? 

Nah. But it’s close. 

The Dark Knight is one of those films that cannot be replicated. It redefined what a Batman movie and comic book movie in general could be. It was artistic but mainstream, it was chaotic and brilliant and has easily the best performance in a comic book movie in the form of Heath Ledger’s Joker (a performance that also changed what the Joker could be in future Batman projects). The Dark Knight is nothing short of iconic and yes everyone says that but it’s only because it’s true.

The Batman (2022) is, in its own way, brilliant. It’s enjoyable as hell. I can see myself rewatching this movie a few more times and enjoying myself just as much or probably more. But it also owes a lot to The Dark Knight’s success.

The Batman: Why it works

Technically proficient, The Batman makes its 3 hour runtime fly by. The editing is snappy and the film wastes very little time. From the first shot itself we’re thrown into this awful version of Gotham that needs its Batman to make it slightly less shit. We understand why this version of Gotham needs this version of Batman. 

The action is fantastic, the camera work brings a lot to the table here. The cinematography is droolworthy and is assisted by the score in creating the perfect atmosphere. The colour palette is consistent and adds an additional visual dimension to the film which leads to a more visually distinct Gotham.

Gotham looks and feels like the worst place you could end up in. It’s such a mess and everyone is the worst. I loved that. It’s a city that needs something to change and it needs something as random as a billionaire dressing up as a bat and fighting crime. It makes sense. 

Then there’s the Riddler, the most exciting part of this film. Riddler has a sense of humour and he’s also played to creepy perfection by Paul Dano. He’s good at what he does, he’s eccentric and he thinks he’s doing the right thing for Gotham. He’s a product of the Gotham we see. 

The cast also includes Zoe Kravitz as Catwoman and Colin Farrell as The Penguin. I hope we get to see more of both of these characters. Especially, The Penguin who was essential to this version of Gotham.

Alls Well That Ends Well

I liked this movie more than I thought I would. The chaos feels earned and it’s a hopeful film. It makes me want to see where this Batman goes. It’s a take on a Batman who finds hope and I adore that, conceptually. 

Robert Pattinson’s Batman is dynamic, we can see this character evolve, he’s got a gothic charm to him and he cares deeply about Gotham. I want more of this Batman and I’m not just saying that because of my Robert Pattinson phase, I genuinely believe there’s more to explore here and I can’t wait to get more funky action sequences and Batman villains right out of the comics.

The post The Batman: A Short Review appeared first on Diti Writes Reviews.

I believed that the show that best embodied this was Euphoria. A 2019 teen drama that has an artistic but clearly adult tone, that tells a story in the most heartbreaking but wonderful looking fashion. A show that’s glamorous, unrealistic and exceptionally binge-able.

With season 2 of Euphoria just having ended it has become more than apparent that this show doesn’t want to concern itself with effective storytelling or prioritise the story, which was a disappointing shift, to say the least.

Euphoria, as seen from the first half of season 2, relies a little too heavily on shock value. Much like an earlier HBO show that lost sight of what made it great in the first place and decided that plot could be substituted for big moments *cough cough* Game Of Thrones. 

So I’m going to look at what these two shows have in common, what each managed to do best and where I think they both failed. 

The Best Of The Best

Euphoria season 1 is easily some of the best TV to come out in a long time. It takes the teen drama to the next level, not only does it have an exhilarating plot right from the get go, it also sets itself apart by having a soundtrack that’s instantly recognisable and cinematography that makes it feel like a movie. 

Each episode follows a different character and we have Rue, played by Zendaya, narrating these events in creative cutaways and making use of every moment of screen time, but Rue is ultimately unreliable due to her own struggles with substance abuse. 

Every scene in season 1 feels purposeful, every sound, every second given to a character feels weighty and like it belongs to that character. 

And at the same time we get to know these characters, we get to see their backstories, we get to understand them, at least to a certain extent. 

The show does a brilliant job of establishing these characters, setting up their conflicts and their flaws while also being supremely entertaining. 

Much like Game of Thrones, it has a first season that does everything right. It cannot be confused with any other show, stylistically or thematically. The nudity was, at times, excessive and uncomfortable but it could be ignored in favour of the plot that seems to drag on a little but definitely ties everything together. It sets things up brilliantly. It uses the element of surprise and shocks you when it needs to grab you again. And, most importantly, a cast of characters that draws you in but where each character remains deeply flawed. 

The Characters

Euphoria has a colourful cast of characters, to say the least. Each character has a unique voice and believable motivations. They do, for the most part, feel like teenagers who have been moulded by their experiences and their backgrounds. However, their behaviours are exaggerated. I didn’t mind, it made for some compelling drama.

Maddy Perez (Alexa Demie) for example, has quite a sad backstory, she’s also iconic, her outfits, her makeup, her attitude it makes her easy to root for but she’s also in a relationship that’s awful and makes her awful, and while she realises that she’s still not ready to let go of that. 

Her boyfriend, Nate Jacobs (Jacob Elordi) is a terrible person. Even a character like Nate shows moments of vulnerability that make him interesting, if nothing else.

What worked in season 1 of Euphoria was the immense care that went into creating it, visually, acting wise and in terms of the writing. It was unattainable and shiny and melodramatic and it was exactly what it needed to be, relatability be damned. 

You either die a hero or live long enough to see yourself become the villain

Season 2 tries to top that. The teenagers are sexualized like never before, the nudity is at an all time high and all the things that made the story plausible in season 1 are given up for shock value.

You don’t realise how essential the structured storytelling of season one is until you come to the third episode of season 2. Suddenly everything is random, it’s hard to keep track of all the characters because the show struggles to give all of them attention. Instead of narrowing down, the show expands its cast to include more storylines. It tries to flesh out characters who didn’t really need it, like in the case of Cal Jacobs. It feels very season 5 of Game of Thrones. 

The show lacked direction. Something that should have been obvious from the start because the show wasn’t structured to last more than a single season, as it was. Season 1 works by itself. It leaves enough loose ends to keep you thinking about it but it has a big ending. An ending that only works if you stick to it. 

The show still has addictive drama but it made me feel a little stupid as a viewer. More than once I felt like I was stuck watching something a little too close to Riverdale for my liking. It also made me question what I loved about the show in the first place. 

Which is not what a season 2 is supposed to do? 

Speaking of Season 2

It was messy. It doubled down on its pretentious tone but took away the narration that made it sound rational. And it desperately lacked cohesion. The story just can’t seem to get it right, it’s stumbling at every turn. There’s no clear direction, which was okay as long as the show had some reliable structure.

I don’t know if this is just me but this season unfairly punishes characters like Cassie (Sydney Sweeney) and Jules (Hunter Schaefer) for being teenagers and making the kind of poor decisions that teenagers often do. It’s okay if they make mistakes. 

And characters like Lexi (Maude Apatow) get away with things they shouldn’t because they don’t make as many mistakes and are the closest to being relatable. 

The second season is self-indulgent to the point of narcissism. It takes itself a little too seriously and assumes it’s smarter than its audience. There’s one episode that tries to be a bottle episode where we follow just one character. No distractions, no cutaways, just this one character doing increasingly unhinged tasks and getting away, and that’s the one that jumped the shark for me. It’s a clear display of acting ability but it contributes so little to the plot that it seems unjustified. 

I didn’t hate it but I did think that it squandered all its potential. Euphoria doing a bottle episode makes sense on paper but I haven’t been that frustrated with a show since the last episode of season 7 of Game of Thrones. You know things are in a tough spot, you know it’s probably lost the charm that made it so addictive in the first place but you also know that you’re going to keep watching and you’re going to keep hoping that it gets better despite showing no signs of the same. 

Game of Thrones built something so magnificent over its first four seasons that it was inconceivable that the ending would disappoint even the least critical of viewers. I don’t want to see Euphoria go down this path but it seems likely and yet my optimism will persevere. 

Conclusion

The end of the season gave me hope for a better third season but it’s too far away. Who knows if I’ll even be watching. It’s okay, I think, is what I’ve learned from this show.

I enjoyed watching it, it kept me going, it was something to look forward to each week. It was something to talk about, something to cherish. But in hindsight season one was enough. It was contained and couldn’t have worked as a show with multiple seasons. 

I’m heartbroken. I wanted this show to be better. To rise above its worst tendencies. To let us enjoy a show set in highschool that doesn’t resort to love triangles and two girls fighting over a guy, a show with hope and colours that popped. A visual delight that was equal parts melodrama and one of the most exciting things you’ve seen in a long time. 

But it fails in so many ways. So many aspects of this show are removed in favour of something much more commercial. Something easier to sell.

And that’s all I have to say. This is a show that did everything right and subsequently sacrificed all of that in favour of mediocre plotlines and an aesthetic that comes nowhere near being as distinctive as the first season. Which is a shame.

The post ‘Euphoria’ & The Game of Thrones-esque Fall: Season 2 Review appeared first on Diti Writes Reviews.

These movies are generally action-something movies; that includes action comedy, action thrillers, action sci-fi, etc. 

Let me make it very very clear that anyone can enjoy these movies, I enjoyed them and I think they’re really fun to watch, if a movie falls into this category there’s also the chance that my dad will like them, which I’m assuming is a problem other people face? I don’t know, I just thought this would be a fun article to write so here we are! 

Let’s get started, shall we? 

Nobody (2021)

This is the movie that inspired this list. This is the dad version of John Wick. It’s fun, there’s a ton of fun action and a really believable performance by Bob Odenkirk who just looks so done with everything the whole time but also like he’s made for this. 

Also did anyone know that Tobey Maguire is one of the producers? Not significant but still a cool fact. 

This movie has some delightful action sequences, not all of it seems plausible but it makes for entertaining action, well shot, intense, really cool action, with some rather creative stuff thrown into the mix. 

I enjoyed this movie a little more than I thought I would and my dad was also pleasantly surprised. 

The Nice Guys (2016)

This movie made my top 10 watches of 2021. I adore it. Unmistakably 60s, full of life and some of the most fun I’ve had in a long time. It’s like getting punched in the face with serotonin. I love the way it’s lit and how crazy this movie gets. 

Starring Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling as an unlikely pair of enemies to best friend private detectives, who get wrapped up in a much more complicated situation and the party scene of the 70s, they really make the film. They have the chemistry needed to make a movie like this work. 

And the action is fun, sure, some of it is serious but some of it is ridiculous and wonderful. I enjoy movies where the surroundings are integrated into the fight scenes and that happens here a lot. 

And we all burst out laughing so many times with this movie it was just such a brilliant time! I cannot recommend it enough!

Snatch (2000)

The editing in Snatch is unmatched, that along with Brad Pitt and the whole plot? Shit is crazy but so much fun. There’s also a hint of tragedy mixed with the generally hilarious plot. This is a movie about fighting and a diamond and honestly I can’t explain it, that’s the beauty of it. 

Directed by Guy Ritchie, this movie is out there and a bit nuts but a really fun, action filled, dirty looking, joyride with a lot of fantastic moments and editing that shines through. It’s a film about crooks and bad guys and repetitive bad decisions and impeccable pacing.

I appreciate films that don’t waste my time and so does my dad. He liked it because of how crazy this film was and I concur. 

No Time To Die (2021)

Alright. So this was the most recent James Bond film and I’ve heard mixed reviews for it but personally I liked it. I thought it was a bit stupid in parts as every James Bond flick should be and I think this one has some emotional weight to it, nothing groundbreaking but still, more than I was expecting. 

It doesn’t feel like a James Bond movie but maybe that’s a good thing. It doesn’t limit itself to a lot of the things that Bond was previously restricted to. It’s not quite as effective as other spy thrillers but it’s an entertaining movie that even at its slightly inexcusable runtime doesn’t feel too long.

I liked watching it and my dad thought it was one of the less terrible Bond films, overall an entertaining time with some real badass scenes even if the mystery in this one is practically nonexistent. 

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

This one is more for artsy dads. Blade Runner 2049 directed by Denis Villeneuve continues the story of Blade Runner (1982) which was based on the book ‘Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep’ by Phillip K. Dick. The film is beautiful and has some really intense sequences what qualifies it for this list is the nostalgic element of Blade Runner. 

I cannot promise that it’ll have the desired reaction but it’s such a well made film that I think there’s something to love for everyone here. It’s cold, it’s sci-fi and it has the coolest visuals of any of the films on this list. 

Mission Impossible (All the films in the series)

I need everyone to understand that I’m obsessed with the fact that the Mission Impossible movies exist. Somehow one of those series that does the same thing over and over again but differently each time and with more bonkers action than what came before. 

Tom Cruise is a star, the fact that he’s willing to climb the tallest building, jump out of planes and do whatever else is required to make these insane movies makes for a series that is consistently entertaining and never disappoints with the action. And watching this series of films with my dad gave both of us something to look forward to for a few days. I love the Mission Impossible films and cannot stress enough how much fun they are. 

Conclusion 

There are so many other films that belong on this list like Shooter (2007) a movie my dad and I once watched 4 times in a week because it was on TV 4 times that week, talk about re-watch value (and the main character is actually named Swagger).

There’s also Jack Reacher (2012), another Tom Cruise action movie that doesn’t disappoint, and also the Bourne Trilogy (yes, I’m only counting the first three 2002-07) based on the books by Robert Ludlum, starring Matt Damon as Jason Bourne, a spy thriller with a staircase sequence that is seared into my brain because I’ve watched it so many times. 

Action movies have to be a little ridiculous and all of these films somewhat fulfill that criteria. These are fun, light movies that are all quite well made and entertaining. The plot in a few of these is near identical but that doesn’t mean they’re bad, it just isn’t a priority. 

I hope this list is helpful or at least fun to read! Let me know if you’d like to see any other specific lists!

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There’s always that one TV show that first got us interested in TV. Like, the kind of TV where you binge multiple episodes in a day, search for fans who agree with you, try to get everyone to watch your favourite TV show and get a little too invested in the show.

That was Dexter for me. A show that made me really care about TV because it could be really really good.

When I first watched it, I watched a lot of it on my phone and it was quite the experience. I devoured this series. I was very late to the party so I was aware that the show really went to crap after the fourth season and the ending was a joke but I still decided to give it a go and it was worth it.

When Dexter’s Good, it’s really good

Dexter is a crime-drama about blood spatter analyst, Dexter Morgan, who investigates murders with Miami Metro Police Department and moonlights as a serial killer. We follow his life, his adoptive sister Debra Morgan, his colleagues, and his love life.

The show has a total of eight seasons but the fourth season is ideally where anyone watching should stop. That’s not to say that the later seasons are all bad, they just don’t live up, they have some good . They undo everything the first few seasons did and really, season 4 has an ending that makes the story feel complete.

So. For this rant. I’ll be focussing on the first four glorious seasons. This article is going to be part 1 of 4 or 5, I haven’t decided yet.

Dexter season 1 has some of the best writing in a TV show, in terms of how efficient it is. Episode one of the show is a perfect episode of TV. The writing is tight. It gives you all the information you need and it sets up all the characters of the show as well as the big mystery for season 1.

Dexter Morgan

Season 1 is wonderful. The editing is great, there’s just the right amount of cheesiness and we see the character of Dexter brought to life by Michael C. Hall who embodies the character to terrifying perfection. The portrayal of Dexter is the main draw of this series. Dexter is a serial killer, but he only kills bad guys, he’s clever, he follows a code, he genuinely cares about his relationships. He has a sense of humour, he’s good at what he does, Dexter is complex. And none of that would have translated to the screen had it not been for the way the character is acted.

The performance has nuance, it makes you want to root for Dexter despite the fact that he’s a murderer and season 1 embodies that with Dexter learning new things about himself. It’s such a brilliant season that doesn’t mess around or waste time.

We also spend a fair bit of time with Debra, Dexter’s adoptive sister played by Jennifer Carpenter. Deb is foul mouthed and still trying to make a name for herself and finding her place in Miami Metro. She’s hardworking and eager, she’s the only real relationship in Dexter’s life for a very long time. Debra starts right from the bottom and we see her learn and grow throughout. As the series progresses she establishes herself as one of the strongest characters in the show.

She also comes off as the most human of all the characters in the show. She cares deeply, especially evident in the first season.

The Mystery of Season 1

The mystery in season 1 is just so creepy. It keeps you on the edge of your seat and even when you know who the killer is (which is not left to the finale and gives us enough time to get to know the character) there’s so much to explore. The killer also has a personality.

Season 1 is just so good. The writing, the characters, the way these characters change and develop, it’s all just so well done.

I also really appreciated the editing here. They don’t always make bold choices but when they do it really sets the tone.

Season 1 is really the foundation of the series with events of this season having repercussions down the line. It’s such a thrill to watch it because it sets the tone for the rest of the series and it holds up surprisingly well even after all the years.

The Vibes

In my rewatch of the series this year, what I noticed was how carefully Dexter sets everything up. It builds on itself and it rewards the audience for paying attention.

Special mention to the title sequence and the soundtrack that give the show its identity. Dexter’s tense music is its personality. The sounds of Miami make the city feel as much a part of the show as New York is to How I Met Your Mother. The score overall is particularly immersive. It’s essential to the soul of the show. Dexter without creepy background music isn’t Dexter at all.

However, sometimes I think we often overlook just how strong of an aesthetic identity the show has. It uses cheese to elevate the show from any ol’ cop show to something that’s a lot more thoughtfully constructed. The blood is red to an alarming degree, the language is crude, the humour is distasteful and the main character does despicable things and the show is better for it.

Right from season 1 even the baddies each season have a style, something distinctive, something that translates well to a screen. Particularly true in seasons 1 and 4. (season 6 also technically count here but I will be ignoring that because by that point the storytelling made the show near unwatchable. Nowhere near as bad as season seven’s Russian mob plot but I’m getting carried away here.)

The show makes for a fantastic re-watch as well, it lets you really absorb those striking visuals since the first time around you’re too occupied with the story. Season 1 rewards you for re-watching, but it’s also obvious that the show was aired weekly because certain facts and events are repeated over and over again. This can be a little frustrating but since most of this is done through Dexter’s inner monologue it’s not so bad.

The show isn’t flawless and I still cringe at Dexter calling it his ‘Dark Passenger’ but I’ll forgive that.

Conclusion

Re-watching this show all the way from season 1 breaks my heart because of the legacy this could have had. It could have been considered one of the best shows ever, one of those instant recommendations. And I suppose, for a brief period in the late 2000s, it was. But to watch a show build itself such a strong foundation and then implode on itself is devastating. I feel for the creators, actors and everyone else who was involved in the production of the early seasons because they almost made something great. Something unmissable.

But that’s something we’ll get to later, for now, it’s all about the glory of season 1. A season of TV that acts as a perfect set up. A beginning so well written that it led to seven more seasons and a spin-off a decade later.

The post What A Way To Start: ‘Dexter’ Season 1 Review appeared first on Diti Writes Reviews.

Succession is a family drama, following the rich and powerful Roy family and the politics of their media empire of Waystar Royco. The family consists of a cast of absolutely terrible people, headed by Logan Roy, a ruthless man and shrewd businessman, constantly testing his children, refusing to believe in any of them and refusing to pick the next CEO of his empire. The show was created by Jesse Armstrong and premiered in 2018. 

The show revolves around Logan being forced to pick his successor and the drama that ensued from his decision, or rather, indecision. 

Logan Roy

I want to focus on Logan Roy for a bit. Prior to season 3 I didn’t have much of an opinion on Logan but season 3 is where he really shines. Played to perfection by Brian Cox, the patriarch of the Roy family steals every scene he’s in. He overshadows his children in every instance and despite, arguably, being the most morally corrupt character of the show. 

He’s terrifying to all his children and even to the audience as being this unpredictable, exceptionally powerful character who could tip the status-quo of the show at any moment he sees fit. 

When the series starts, Logan is treated almost as an outside element, someone who’s not actively a part of the action, decisions are taken around him but he hardly does anything himself. His presence grows over the next season, he remains unpredictable but his presence can be felt a lot more. But we still don’t understand him. Season 3 is where we really get to see Logan and we get to see a few different sides to him. 

It makes for some of the most exciting TV I’ve ever watched, it’s tense and you can never tell what’s coming next with him. 

The man embodies capitalism in the show and he does it brilliantly. Every moment with Logan on the screen is filled with a different sort of energy. 

The Children

Here’s a show where you don’t have to root for anyone, they’re all terrible people. Logan’s children are all flawed to varying degrees, his eldest, Connor, is an idiot; next is Kendall, a man going through a lengthy and embarrassing midlife crisis consistently makes the same mistakes; younger brother Roman is a vulgar, selfish man with no respect for anyone or anything except his father; and sister Siobhan/Shiv, who for a long time tries to be better than her brothers, eventually ends up just like the rest of them, power hungry and corrupt. 

Yet, there’s moments in the show where you find yourself rooting for each one of them, at least a little bit. 

Kendall

Kendall (Jeremy Strong) starts out just trying to run the company, like he’s meant to, still seeking his father’s approval but willing to forgo that to be at the top. He’s flawed but still sort of likable. A lot of the show consists of him trying to take down his father, which makes it easy to care about his cause. But Kendall is frustrating, rooting for him is exhausting and his growing detachment towards the end of season 3 leaves us with a deconstruction of what the character originally started out as. 

It’s wonderfully done and Kendall has the perfect level of cringe but not the worst vibe to him. 

Roman

Roman (Kieran Culkin), on the other hand, is instantly unlikable. He says and does things that are gross and misogynistic. But he looks up to his father and is always hesitant to pick a side that isn’t his father’s. Roman says things you don’t want to hear and yet, in some ways, he’s probably the best equipped to run a company, save the fact that he’s the worst and the most anxious to please his father. Season 3 is also where we see Roman shine. 

Shiv

Shiv (Sarah Snook) starts out different. She works in politics and is actively trying to make a change that she believes in. She isn’t a part of her father’s company, at least not actively. She’s got a very steady moral compass and she sticks with it, that’s until she gets a taste of power. Shiv has a very interesting arc and it’s probably my favourite thing to see in a show/movie. Taking a character in this direction is not unusual but it’s just such a fascinating journey every single time and here it’s done particularly tactfully. 

Connor

Connor (Alan Ruck) is weird. His goal far surpasses running the company and so he’s not quite as involved in a lot of the politics that goes on but he does have his own weird plot going on and that’s entertaining in its own way.

Tom & Greg: The Outsiders

Tom Wambsgans (Matthew Macfadyen) is Siobhan’s boyfriend and he’s one of those characters that lacks a spine, so is Greg (Nicholas Braun). But while we see Greg start off as an outsider and possibly even a good guy, we see Tom while he’s already sort of a part of the Roy family (and already rather annoying) as Shiv’s boyfriend but he’s still trying so hard to get Logan’s approval and to actually fit in and have a place in this family.

Each of their characters go through a lot and yet, we see them form probably the most sincere friendship on the show. Yes, they both have vested interests but let me just give you an example, there’s a scene in season 3 where Tom gets some truly fantastic news and the only person who he actually shows his joy to is Greg. Partly because he sees Greg as being a little lower than him in terms of their social standing but also because Greg would understand. 

Tom also takes the most effort in the family to make Greg feel like he belonged. 

Greg also finds himself asking Tom for advice the most and they have their own support system in each other (sort of). 

Their relationship is not perfect but it’s a very important part of this show. Season 3 was big for both of these characters. Tom especially. Also Greg hates Greenpeace now, which is just hilarious. 

The Writing and Dialogue

So yes, the characters are great and all but the writing? The writing is what makes the whole show. The show is incredibly clever with its dialogue and its humour particularly. There isn’t a dull moment or a moment that feels out of place. It’s all consistent. 

Many times you’ll find yourself listening to a conversation that means nothing with its words but everything when it comes to the characters having the conversation and the consequences of it. There’s an absurdity to the way the characters act and talk and that’s what makes the whole thing click so well. The writing is nuanced and bonkers at the same time. 

Balance is key. 

Each character has a different way of speaking and each of them is written in a way that’s distinct, it’s easy to place characters with their dialogues.

It’s an entertaining show, what can I say?

Conclusion

It’s a show about rich people being horrible to each other while also exacting their power on everyone else. A fun watch but not something I would recommend binging. Each episode is about an hour long so I’d suggest taking it slow and steady. There’s a lot to take in and it’s all great stuff. 

When I first started watching the show I thought it was okay but I couldn’t figure out why everyone was so crazy about it but as the show progressed it became painfully clear that Succession is one of those shows that utilizes all its potential and that’s what makes it so great. The ending of the third season feels like an end to the show in many ways so I’d be interested to see where this show goes from here. But they have a fantastic foundation to build on.

The show also has the best opening credits theme ever and it was one of the main reasons I found myself drawn to the show, Nicholas Britell is a genius. The soundtrack remains consistently fantastic through the show. It is beautiful.

The post An Empire Without an Heir: ‘Succession’ Series Reflection appeared first on Diti Writes Reviews.

I’ve always wanted to write about Taylor Swift’s music because I’ve been listening to it for a pretty long time now but I don’t think I fully appreciated it until I listened to ‘folklore’ on repeat. The entire album is a masterpiece and I’m still not over it. If you’re interested, my top 5 songs are probably: seven, hoax, august, exile and betty. And maybe someday I’ll write about it but today is not about that. No, today is about more pressing matters. 

All Too Well (Taylor’s Version)

This short film made me feel something and there didn’t seem to be any other place to start. It’s essentially a long music video but it tells its simple story in a beautifully compelling way, with Taylor Swift’s familiar, comforting vocals driving the whole thing. 

All Too Well is the quintessential Taylor Swift track. It’s not one I was very familiar with but it still feels nostalgic. It has all the elements but the great writing is right at the forefront, assisted by a catchy guitar tune that reminds you of the 2010s. 

The song tells a story and it doesn’t need a video to help you visualise anything but the visuals make it that much sweeter, but also that much more heartbreaking. The performances from Sadie Sink and Dylan O’Brien is what makes the film. 

Sink has the wide eyed wonder of someone who’s young and in love in the beginning of the film, essential for the rest of it to work. She brings a lot of emotion to her performance. It’s easy to empathize with her and even without a lot of dialogue she delivers a performance that makes the character easy to relate to and in turn makes the song mean more. 

However, the star of the show is Taylor Swift. Her storytelling paints a vivid picture, it makes you feel and it makes you feel young and naive again, even without the nostalgia, there’s a lot to love here. And knowing how her writing has evolved over the years only made me appreciate the simplicity of this song, and makes me appreciate the punch it packs, a little more. 

Yeah, basically I could have watched an hour and a half of this and still enjoyed it. But what a lovely short film. 

Conclusion

It’s like 15 mins long, go watch it, it’s on YouTube. I’m not going to sell it any harder. I only wanted to write this because I had thoughts and nostalgia for a song I never listened to when it first came out. 

The post All Too Well: The Short Film (A Short Review) appeared first on Diti Writes Reviews.

Ah Dune. Based on the classic science fiction novel of the same name by Frank Herbert, Dune is the new Denis Villeneuve film that takes place across the sandy world of Arrakis where we follow House Atreides trying to establish their hold on the planet and the coveted Spice that’s essential in this world.

This movie is special because it’s the first movie I watched in a theater after the start of the pandemic. It had me hyped, to say the least. I was prepared for something slow but gorgeous and full of sand. And in that sense, Dune didn’t disappoint. 

There’s a lot of sand, the film moves at a snail’s pace. It’s all picturesque shots that make you feel small but not insignificant. Dune fulfills its purpose for the most part, it feels like an epic sci-fi story that’s just getting started but there’s still something a little bit off. There’s a spark of magic that’s missing, something to convince me that the movie was, infact, a fantastic adventure that leaves room for more. 

Is Dune a good movie? 

It’s competent in most respects. It looks epic, it sounds epic, it feels epic and it has all the ingredients to a great movie but where it fails is in being consistently entertaining. Dune has moments of greatness that are stuffed between pacing issues and mediocrity. Scenes that leave you stunned, truly speechless that are spread far enough apart that they begin to lose their charm.

I had no prior experience with the series so I didn’t have any specific expectations. I think I’d have been less disappointed if I had some frame of reference to contain my anticipation. Dune has a lot going on, there’s political drama, funky sci-fi stuff and a lot of discussion around a sword (an ugly sword, so there are negative points for that), but ultimately it misses out on capturing magic. 

For example, when the movie starts, there’s a beautiful sweeping shot of the desert with narration describing the current state of affairs, spice trade, the way the locals of the planet are treated. It’s reminiscent of the British Empire and just for a brief moment I expected the story to explore that aspect of trading spice. The movie is more concerned with its traditional ‘chosen one’ narrative that rests firmly on the shoulders of Timothee Chalamet’s Paul Atreides.

It is carried, primarily, by Oscar Isaac and Rebecca Ferguson, as Paul’s parents Leto Atreides and Lady Jessica respectively. They do a lot of the emotional and political heavy lifting. Each has their own storyline and they have an admirable relationship, they support each other but know when to respect the other’s boundaries. Paul is a little harder to fit into the equation. He’s a little bland but shows intent and promise, so I have hope. 

A Lot of Nothing

If you were to ask me what Paul does throughout the movie, I’ll stare at you blankly and try to put together a better description than, he walks around through sand and tries to get to some place with more sand, also he can see the future, sort of, in a way. That’s not all he does, he fights a little, talks about stuff, learns a few cool tricks, but the sparseness of the plot makes it almost feel like nothing at all happens. 

The really disappointing bit is that the world of Dune doesn’t make sense all the time. There’s an incompleteness to the world. House Atreides is a prime example of this, they’re key players here but nothing in the way they live or manage their household would indicate that. Apart from the way they talk. 

The Good Parts

The best part of this movie is a character named Duncan Idaho. All the names, actually, sound weird and somewhat cool. Not Paul though, which is a shame since he’s the main character. Also the absolutely tedious pacing that makes the action even more exciting. Every action scene in this film has a massive scale. Each one is larger than life, with the stakes being raised between these action scenes without fail. The tedious pacing is instrumental to the world building, the slowly rising tension, to making the film feel like an epic. It feels like old sci-fi and I loved that. 

I don’t think I’ve walked out of a film recently with the full intention of going to watch it again. I need to watch Dune again. Simply to experience the grand scale of everything in this film that makes it feel like you’ve been transported to a different world. Everything in this movie comes together to form a whole that feels complete, the score, the cinematography, the overwhelming amounts of sand and the tone of the film. It makes every moment feel heavy and filled with tension. 

Conclusion

I cannot stress enough how big everything feels here. The world is complex, the politics is twisted and every character is acutely aware of their own purpose in the grand scheme of things. But still, there’s a layer of world-building that’s missing. Spice trade, here, has been around for centuries but that gets harder and harder to believe as the movie progresses. Even our understanding of the world changes as we come to see how unsustainable it is. Which only makes it harder to believe.

Ultimately, Dune suffers from a lot of problems that only exist because it’s a story of such massive scale. Denis Villenuve approaches this story masterfully, but is unable to contain the flaws that plague Dune. It makes for an intersting watch, but one that leaves you frustrated.

Overall, Dune has a lot of potential from a storytelling standpoint. However, I’m convinced that some of those potential storylines will never come to fruition. It’s an epic that lets itself down by simply not having a lot to say in this installment. But leaves room for more. It isn’t perfect but it’s mesmerising in more ways than one and just for that it deserves to be watched over and over.

The post ‘Dune’ Review: Sand, Sand, Sand & Spice appeared first on Diti Writes Reviews.