Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

Blade Runner 2049 is the sequel to Blade Runner (1982) about a new blade runner and new secrets that start to come unraveled.

Director Denis Villeneuve is becoming one of my favorite directors. I first saw Prisoners and thought it was a decent film, then both Sicario and Arrival happened and I was sold on him. Villeneuve chooses his shots carefully and how he gets the most out of what we all know Gosling is capable of, is short of perfection.

Ryan Gosling can lead a film, he proved it in Drive. One of my favorite films of all time. The audience knows character traits about "K", his name, and watches his character arc as it is thrown up and down the proverbial roller coaster.

Harrison Ford's character isn't a spoiler for the film, seeing how he's on the poster. That being said he doesn't show up for quite some time. It was a good and daring move on Villeneuve's part to really give the audience to come to love the main character, K.

Ana de Armas has done work that I've seen her in, Knock Knock being most notable. She's probably the weakest when it comes to acting but this is the best I've ever seen her. It's a nitpick but I only wish she had more time to develop her craft before shooting this film.

Jared Leto plays Niander Wallace who is basically the richest person on earth and aside from what he does in the film, I felt that he did justice to what his character was supposed to do. Some people will find Wallace a bit...off.

Blade Runner 2049 is a long movie, but no scenes really felt out of place or could have been cut. Sure there are long scenes of Gosling just staring with intensity but they feel good, they feel like you're watching someone fall apart.

Result: A+ (My only A+ and my favorite film of 2017)

Comments

The Smashing Machine (2025)

The Smashing Machine (2025) is written and directed by Benny Safdie , better known for his work in front of the camera in films like Good Time and Oppenheimer . Safdie’s eye for gritty realism translates into this film, but the story suffers somewhat from being too loyal to its source material. The authenticity makes it a strong character study but keeps it from being as entertaining as other films in its genre. Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson delivers one of the most surprising performances of his career. Known for action-heavy roles in films like Fast Five and Black Adam , here he shows a range of emotions rarely seen in his past work. This is clearly his Oscar push, and it is likely he will receive at least a nomination for his work. Also from Oppenheimer, Emily Blunt, plays the girlfriend character with frequent emotional swings. The volatility works for the role her performance brings depth and unpredictability to the film. I mentioned to my wife that everyone knows a gi...

Avatar: The Way of Water (2022)

Avatar: The Way of Water is the followup to James Cameron's original box office winner Avatar. Continuing Jake Sully's story, now protecting his family from Colonel Miles Quaritch again. Written and directed by James Cameron . The worst parts of the writing probably came from the writers of Mulan, both Rick Jaffa and Amanda Silver. In terms of direction, there was the expectation that Cameron would recreate some sort of magic of Avatar, Terminator 2, or even Aliens. I think Cameron gave the skeleton of the story and Jaffa and Silver added their own dialogue and beats. Cameron doesn't really write boring movies and I was bored through parts of the film. 3 hours and 12 minutes is a long time to have amazing dialogue and writing. Sam Worthington is back but you don't recognize him since he was barely in the first film except in his avatar form. Most people don't know Worthington. Maybe if you played the Call of Duty Black Ops games as he played Alex Mason. I most...

Him (2025)

Him (2025) is directed by Justin Tipping , best known for Kicks , with Jordan Peele serving as a heavy-handed producer. Despite the talent involved, the film leans into “and then” style writing that feels meandering and leaves the audience more tired than engaged. Marlon Wayans , known for White Chicks and Scary Movie , goes over the top in a way that doesn’t fit the film’s intent, creating more distraction than humor or depth. Tyriq Withers , previously in I Know What You Did Last Summer , turns in an even weaker performance here, offering little in the way of presence or believability. Julia Fox , who gained recognition for Uncut Gems , is strange and out of place, adding little to the narrative. Jim Jefferies , a comedian known for Legit , is barely given anything to work with, and his limited screen time wastes his talent. I found myself bored and not surprised. There is also a bit of sacrilegious writing that might turn off some audiences. Result: C+

Movies, Film, and Chili

Search This Blog