Violet Nadaraja

Typically, in my opinion, live action adaptations of animated movies are actively bad. The Disney ones come to mind, Pinnochio and Alladin, The Lion King and Mulan. But therein lies the issue with live action How to Train Your Dragon. It’s certainly not a good movie, but it’s also not an especially bad one. There’s a reason why it could be enjoyable to watch the Disney remakes — maybe they’re laughably bad, like Pinnochio, or bring up interesting questions about the process of adapting the themes film, as with Mulan. They’re still entertaining, not in spite of their bad qualities but because of them. With How to Train Your Dragon, on the other hand, there’s pretty much nothing to engage with. Yes, there were times where I was laughing with or at the film, but even then it was barely because of anything in the film itself. The CGI dragons were kind of cool, I guess, but I like the animated dragons in the original so much more. That sums up the movie as a whole, I think. Every part couldn’t help but remind me of how much better the original was. Even the parts that I liked were just parts taken from the original with barely any changes. I guess the point I’m trying to make is that I probably would have enjoyed this a lot more if it was actively bad. At least then there would be some sort of reason to watch it rather than the original. Instead, what we’re left with is meaningless slop that is at its best when it tries to replicate a moment or element from the original but fails. Live action How to Train Your Dragon is the definition of a two-and-a-half star movie. So mediocre that I can’t even justify calling it bad.

I was kind of passively watching this but I really liked the choreography. Need to rewatch though.

I’ve been watching Twin Peaks, on and off, for the past month or so. Other than that, I haven’t seen a single thing by Lynch up until now. Twin Peaks is really good, maybe one of my favorite shows of all time. I am incredibly happy to know that David Lynch’s previous film Blue Velvet is just as good, if not better, than his later show. I could talk for ages about the themes, the cinematography, the colors, and pretty much anything else in this film. And maybe one day I will, but for now I’ll only say a few things. To start, the music is amazing. One of the best soundtracks I have ever heard in my life, and while my personal favorite piece the titular Blue Velvet, the other pieces sound so good as well. The soundtrack remains eerie and haunting throughout the film, no matter how each individual song is paced that feeling never truly leaves until after the movie is already over. The film is also just so intense, but pairs it with a strange feeling of calmness all at the same time. It feels like it should be impossible to do both at once, like something being hot and cold at once, but somehow that’s how it felt. The scene in the car is one example of this, as I was watching in fearful anticipation the entire time. The closet scenes are also particularly notable moments for me in this regard, and probably remain among my favorites from the film as a whole. Finally, the acting. It comes as no surprise to me that Kyle MacLachlan is an incredibly strong actor, but the rest of the cast is great as well. I was pleasantly surprised to see other familiar actors such as Isabella Rossellini, Laura Dern, and Jack Nance, all of whom are also really good. Dennis Hopper is new actor for me, but he stands out as one of my favorite performances in the film. Everything he does comes off as so menacing and genuinely terrifying, yet he is able to fully captivate me in his actions. No matter how many times I watch Blue Velvet, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to properly express what this film means to me. It evokes such a unique and visceral emotion in me, and I am left feeling anticipated for my next encounter with Lynch and his work.

I didn't really know what to expect going into this film. I had heard its name, knew a little bit about the director, and that's about it. Still, I felt a strange urge to watch it tonight, and I'm really grateful I did. What an amazing film. It is able to capture the feeling of melancholy fully, and it has a really unique and wonderful tone. I don't fully know how to express just how this movie makes me feel, but I can say that I cried at the end. There is something so intimate yet somehow also detached about this film, and I know that doesn't entirely make sense to those who may not have seen it but I hope those who have will understand. I appreciate that its cinematography is feels very matter-of-fact. You see things happen, as if they would happen in real life, and are left to come to your own conclusion. Speaking of real life, the characters and setting of this film come across as very real in a really effective way. I love Michelle as a protagonist, she is incredibly relatable and feels like someone I could really know. The other characters are great and interesting too, I have so many thoughts about both Danielle and Paul, especially in relation to Michelle. I love the entire movie but my favorite scene is definitely the dance scene at the party. I know, what a surprise. I could write an entire essay on just the party scenes. But still, the rest of the movie is incredibly thought-provoking as well. My other favorite scene is definitely the one where Michelle talks about the feeling of hurt, I really like that one as well. I want to rewatch the film immediately, that's how good it is. I think I'll forever be chasing the feeling of watching this for the first time.