JFF: What Was the Last Film You Saw, and How Would You Rate It? (Pt. 20)

Dune: Part Two (2024) (4/10)

😑vastly overrated

1-Paul and Chani romance looks like a hallmark film or a perfume ad (depending on the moment) It is full of clichés and cringy lines.

2-The conflict between the Messiah camp and the sceptic camp is caricatural. It is laughable. 

3-The political machinations are never interesting in the film because of these scenes are explanatory.

4-So many actors and so few great performances.

5-Pretty, but bland artistic decisions. No ambitious take on any subject.

To me, David Lynch's Dune remains the best version. I know it is an unpopular take.

With American Fiction I finished watching all Best Picture Oscar nominees.

American Fiction gets 8/10.

My ranking of preferences is:

1.- Barbie

2.- Oppenheimer

3.- Killers of the Flower Moon

4.- American Fiction

5.- Poor Things

6.- The Holdovers

7.- Anatomy of a Fall

8.- The Zone of Interest.

9.- Past Lives

10.- Maestro

Also watched makeup nominee Golda - 6/10.

Good makeup, average movie.

Last weekend at the NYICFF (New York International Children's Film Festival)

Saturday:

Short: Two One Two (2023), 8/10.

Chicken for Linda! (2023), shortlisted for this year's Oscars. French language animated film. 10/10.

Sunday:

Short: Dormouse (2022). No locatable IMDb page. 8/10.

The Concierge at Hokkyoku Department Store (2023): Japanese language anime. 8/10.

Diuna part 2 - 9/10

Second weekend (official last weekend of the festival) - NYICFF (New York International Children's Film Festival).

Dounia and the Great North: two episodes smashed into one from the second season of Dounia (2020- ). 8/10. 

Swimming with Wings (2024 - animated short): 9/10.

Double header:

Magic Candies (2023 - world premiere): Technically cannot rate as there's literally no current IMDb page. 10/10. This could very well be the front runner for next year's Animated Short Film Oscar.

and

The Klutzy Witch: Fuka and the Witch of Darkness (2023), 5/10.

Head in the Clouds (2023 - animated short): 9/10. Also no IMDb page.

1. Shadows of Forgotten Ancestors (1965) (7/10)

2. Unrest (2022) (7/10) maybe (8/10) would be more appropriate

3. Le navire night (1979) (9/10)

4. The Holdovers (2023) (4/10)

5. Red Rooms (2023) (5/10)

6) Gamma Rays (2023) (4/10)

7) Jusqu'à ce que tu meures (2023) (6/10)

8) UWD (2023) (6/10)

9) Madeleine (2023) (7/10)

10) Les rois (2023) (7/10) maybe (5/10)

11) Cherry (2023) (5/10)

Not the greatest film. But, one starts wondering when someone dies of cancer so young (only 36 years old).

12) Simple comme Sylvain (2023) (6/10)

13) Vampire Humaniste Cherche Suidicaire Consentant (4/10) (2023)

14) L'armée des ombres (1969) (6/10)

Two weeks ago:

Rewatch of Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai (2018-2019): 9/10, up from 8/10. Prepped for the double header in the movie theater (below).

A couple of Sundays ago:

Rascal Does Not Dream of a Sister Venturing Out (2023): 8/10

Rascal Does Not Dream of a Knapsack Kid (2023): 9/10

Wheels of Fortune and Fantasy (8/10)

Offret (7/10)

Civil War (5/10)

TV series "Mr and Mrs Smith" 4/10
Madame Web 9/10

Ripley (2024) (rating pending)

It is literally been 2 years since I last saw a TV series. Wednesday disappointed me beyond belief. I was not a fan of TV series, but that thing put the nail in the coffin.

I tried the first episode of Ripley. It is not that bad so far. It is kind of subtle for a TV series. A rare quality. Let's see if the other episodes are good. That is the trick with TV series. Often, the first episode is good, and the rest is utter garbage. It is a reality that is not so well represented by IMDB because people who watch/rate all episodes typically already like the show.

The Menu (2022) Review (5/10)

Goods:

Moments of humor add lightness to the film
Ralph Fiennes delivers a commendable performance
Bads:

Subpar acting from most of the cast
Characters feel clichéd and lack depth
Criticism presented is conventional and lacks innovation
Satirical elements fail to make a significant impact
Some scenes feel unoriginal, predictable, and devoid of humor
Overall message is disappointing and lacks depth

It seems the film serves as a larger analogy for cinema rather than a commentary on the culinary scene. Many of its arguments can easily be paralleled with the world of cinema.

Rebel Moon - Part Two: The Scargiver (2024)

The 1st installment of this Star Wars derivative had its charm, but this film was a lazily written poorly executed dud. 4/10

This weekend. Saturday:

At the Japan Society, Bumpkin Soup (1985) AKA The Excitement of the Do-Re-Mi-Fa Girl. I'm being quite generous only because it was so weird and at some points enjoyable. A super rare 5/10.

Sunday:

At Netflix's Paris Theater, Fantastic Mr. Fox (2009): rewatch, still a 10/10.

2024 is looking like it might be a worse year for movies than even 1 CE (1 Covid Era aka 2020). - at least in the genres that interest me; Thriller, Sci Fi, Horror, Mystery etc.

It was fast and furious movie I'll rate it 10/10