Movies
A big step up from the first film. Rather than relive the 70s and marry it to some antihero antics, Phillips turns Fleck into a truly tragic figure. One who becomes a little too bold and self-assured and in doing so digs his own grave. That's quite a rare take for a big Hollywood production, and one I appreciated a lot. The musical elements offer a cool counterbalance, I just wish they were a bit more all-out. Phoenix and Gaga were good, the pacing was fine and the drama of the plot came through perfectly. The public backlash against the film is possibly even more tragic, but I guess it just shows that audiences get what they deserve.Read all
A decent war comedy from the guy that brought us the Hangover trilogy. Teller and Hill are a solid duo, the tone of the film is light and slightly frivolous (though the story is based on true events) and the film never drags, even though it's close to 2 hours long. Some good fun, though not very memorable and far from a classic.
I'll never understand why anyone would want to mix the silliness of a comic book universe with the dreariness of 70s arthouse drama, but this film is one big failure from start to finish. Phoenix is atrocious, the drama is exponential, the score is cheap and the social critique flat as a pancake. This makes me nostalgic for Nolan's Batman, which I also disliked with a vengeance.