WLR #14
Twisters
Directed by Lee Isaac Chung
Twisted is a Hallmark movie in costume. All the usual tropes are there, with a little more cash, dressed up to look like something edgier. *High powered NYC go-getter girl returns to folksy hometown and the hunk in the flannel convinces her to stay in pursuit of something bigger. And love of course. I miss Phillip Seymour Hoffman
Two-and-a-half-stars
Trap
Directed by M. Night Shyamalan
M. Night Shyamalan remains an enduring puzzle in contemporary cinema. I confess, I defend him, not out of blind loyalty, but because of a genuine respect for his ambition. Here's a director who tries, who risks more than most, and who writes his own shit in an industry dominated by formula and focus groups.
He’s also made some certified hood bangers. The Sixth Sense, Signs, and Unbreakable are no less than masterpieces, while The Village and Split are solid films—works that might easily have defined the careers of lesser filmmakers.
Yet Shyamalan's relentless ambition, his insatiable need to pull the rug out from under the viewer in the third act, has also led him to moments of staggering failure. This, after all, is the same director responsible for The Happening and Lady in the Water.
His latest effort, Trap, epitomizes the mixed-bag nature of his work. There is something entertaining here, primarily thanks to the strength of Josh Hartnett’s committed performance. But as the narrative unfolds and Shyamalan's characteristic implausibilities begin to pile up, the film teeters on the edge of self-parody and eventually becomes totally ridiculous. And yet it remains oddly watchable. I guess that makes it vintage M. Night.
Two-and-a-half-stars
Kneecap
Directed by Rich Peppiatt
A playful and spirited exploration of free speech and pursuit of dreams. What I found refreshing is that, despite its modest budget, it resists the temptation to be a documentary. It embraces the cinematic, it goes for it, allowing the story to unfold with a flare that defies its financial limitations. This is, after all, a biopic, not a documentary, and it carries itself as such… Great directing.
Michael Fassbender makes a brief appearance, offering the project some legitimacy, but the film doesn’t rely on his presence to define its worth. It stands firmly on its own. I learned a lot, I felt inspired. The movie captures something essential: the importance of embracing chaos and finding beauty in the experience.
And as a bonus, I threw on their record afterward—it kind of slaps.
Three stars
