Luca Concialdi

Netflix snapped with this one. Icarus is an extremely interesting watch that also features some genuinely elite visuals. The story is absolutely unmatched, unfolding in a way that genuinely took me by surprise. It’s well told, funny at times, deeply disturbing, and overall a properly insightful watch. Arguably a must-watch documentary. Seeing the perspective of someone essentially on the run from the Russian government is insane, and it creates a level of tension you very rarely get in documentaries. I’ve always been a big fan of documentaries that play out in real time, and this is one of the best examples I’ve seen. The section where Gregory is on the run is potentially the most stressful thing I’ve ever watched in documentary form. Moments like him learning about his friend’s death through the news as it happens are also incredibly gripping and help build up the story's depth unbelievably well.   A fascinating and engaging must watch documentary with a perfect ending.

How did they go from a literal egg as a villian in the original to "death" in this. 😭  Puss in Boots The Last Wish feels completely different from the style DreamWorks has been known for over the years, and honestly, it might just be my favourite animation the studio has ever produced. The visual style is incredible and surprisingly unique. The strong use of dolly zooms in particular is one of a kind for this type of animation and perfectly shows what can happen when a studio moves away from the classic, over-polished “perfect” safe look we see so often today. The plot and writing are on a completely different level from the original. It’s genuinely great fun without ever feeling cheap or shallow. On top of that, the soundtrack is fantastic, with the Wolf’s theme already becoming iconic. The character design is executed perfectly, and the sound design, especially for the weapons, is absolutely elite. The villain might be the best animated antagonist I’ve ever seen, and honestly, maybe even one of the best I’ve seen in cinema in general. Every line he delivers is peak. Whoever wrote his dialogue is some modern-day Shakespeare. My only minor gripe is that the first act leans a bit too heavy on exposition at times, but it’s aimed at kids, so it’s hard to fault it too much. Even so, it still appeals to a wide audience extremely well overall. An arguably perfect animated film.

Spammed this to death as a kid. While it doesn’t quite hold the same level of greatness I saw in it back then, Puss in Boots is still an extremely fun watch. The storytelling and visuals are textbook peak DreamWorks, capturing a classic charm the studio was known for in the past. The writing isn’t perfect or as strong as many of their other films, but it suits the target audience well, and from what I’ve heard the sequel leans more toward a wider and more mature audience for all to enjoy. Excited to check out the sequel.

It’s not just you Murray was proof from the very start that Scorsese wouldn’t just become a filmmaker, but one of the greatest of all time. The visuals are wildly ahead of their era, and the film’s influence is clear not only in Scorsese’s later work but arguably in directors like Wes Anderson as well. The opening section especially is shot incredibly well, and the use of fourth wall breaks is one of a kind. I’ll admit I got a bit lost in the plot at times, though that may have been due to the low sound quality of the version I watched. An unbelievably strong first proper effort.