Trizzo

Kinda a mix between “Smile” horror and “Barbarian” vibes (duh, it’s the same director). The movie bounces between different character’s perspectives, each individual story exploring a separate theme. With Justine, it was the idea of being falsely persecuted. With Archer, it was loss of a child. For Alex, it was the helpless of being a kid in a dire situation. I thought it was well executed, but didn’t feel as terrifying, heartfelt, or comedic as it needed to be. Not gonna lie, the trailer was somehow more unsettling than most of the movie. Modern horror marketing has gotten really good.

Effects feel like something out of Sharknado. Horrendous acting. Quick cuts are annoying and disorienting, and the editing and camerawork of this movie actively gave me a headache. Obviously, a ridiculous plot that has little to do with the original source doesn’t help things. And just to top it all off, the entire movie was just an Amazon advertisement. Absolutely abysmal film, no other notes.

Klaus Kinski just seems like an evil guy. Maybe it’s because I first saw him playing the villain in “The Great Silence”. Maybe it’s because I’ve heard how horribly he treats other people when the cameras aren’t rolling. Maybe it’s because he’s German. Who can say. Anyway, I just finished reading Heart of Darkness and wanted to rewatch “Apocalypse Now”. Since I didn’t want to pay $4 to Amazon Prime to rent it tonight, I instead chose spend $0 to watch a new (to me) film somewhat inspired by the same book. Funnily enough, I’ve heard this work referred to as “Herzog’s ‘Apocalypse Now’” due to the similarly nightmarish production behind each of the two films. Apart from the visual aesthetics and slight plot overlap near the middle, the movie and the classic book are only loosely connected from what I gathered during my viewing. I found “Fitzcarraldo” to be an interesting look into the ego and pride of one man, and how it can inspire him to achieve remarkable - nearly impossible - feats of will (no matter how fruitless the outcome may prove). Also it really helps if you have lots and lots of slave labor. I don’t know why I’m writing such a long review for a movie I only thought was mediocre. If you’ve read this far, there’s crazy lore behind this film’s production, check it out if you haven’t already.

Why do I feel like Tom Cruise wasn’t actually acting in this one? What a film to end a career on. Kubrick doesn’t make bad movies, and despite how long I put this one off for (I did not think I’d like it at all), it certainly didn’t disappoint. The first half-an-hour of the movie seems to prey on the insecurity of married men, and the rest of the film shows the husband in question attempting to rid himself of these insecurities which cannot just be brushed aside for him (and then of course, dealing with the consequences of his actions). The music is great, there are some genuinely terrifying moments, and the acing is obviously superb. I thought it was going to keep going for another 30 minutes or so, but it just kinda ends. Fitting for the tragic end to Kubrick’s career as a whole. Really unique movie that gets scarier the more realistic you think it is.