saystheman behindthemask

I would say one of the most memorable recent films to my recollection. Unlikely I would watch it again only if I want to watch with someone and freak them out. It does have a message about obsession with youth and beauty standards. By the end the film borders on surrealism and comedy. If you want to watch something unusual, memorable and unsettling I recommend The Substance. It’s definitely not for everyone though.

The beginning was promising… REALLY had my hopes up. But sadly it falls apart as the show moves along. It had so much potential and could have been made into something really interesting. As many said the lead actor is really good in this. I want to see more stuff with him

I can’t give any less than 5 stars because of Murray alone. I think it’s a simple film and if you’re in a mood for one you should watch it. I think many negative reviews regarding the “wife husband chemistry”… I think that was kind of the point of the film. Spoilers potentially: marriage can become like this, you become more like friends, sad but true. AND men CAN be consumed by their work completely but often the main driver for that is the good of the family. We as the audience should have been guessing if he was faithful or not… just like the lead… in fact we see the story from her perspective for that very reason. We find out in the end that it was a false alarm… I guess it’s not as dramatic as some have expected. Also don’t forget that the daughter father relationship was in fact the main storyline. While her (as she thought) troubled marriage was merely an excuse for her father to step in and for them to sort out the relationship between daughter and a father. It’s a better film than the score here suggests.

I think it’s pretty good for what it is. It wasn’t trying to be too serious but there were some meaningful moments… it’s not all dumb fun. There were a lot of interesting choices made in terms of direction and story telling. It wasn’t as linear as it could have been. The visuals were impressive in terms of giving that Neo Tokyo vibe even though the majority of film was on train. The film’s style was quite reminiscent of Tarantino. It’s bloody, messy, over the top. I enjoyed it quite a bit. I don’t understand the mixed reviews. The movie never tries to be something it’s not. Usually not the type of film I would go for but I enjoyed it quite a bit

Not great unfortunately. The idea is cool but writing is super weak. It's frustrating watching characters do the opposite of what they are supposed to do. It's a tired problem of many horror films. Also the tone is confusing because it's so over the top with the superstition from the very start that you question if it's intended to be taken seriously. The premise had potential but poor writing ruined it completely.

this is thing is so cheap and so poorly acted it is beyond me as to why Ethan Hawke is in this and how this film gets any praise whatsoever. Because of poor acting I couldn't sit through longer than 30 minutes of this train wreck.

Super glad I am not the only who thought it was a below average film. It’s nice to see that European countries learned how to make pretty shots. The production and atmosphere are good. So first 2-3 episodes I actually kind of enjoyed but then the story becomes ridiculous. The writing is quite bad. I don’t get how this got green-lit. The acting is good though as well as cinematography. Just come up with a good story. This seems like a very common problem in modern cinema though. So it’s not surprising. In top of that The ending is forcing this thing into season 2 as well. I suggest you avoid this one

Cooking and being a chef is cool and trendy now! Which is why movie like this and "The Menu" were made. Though both are heavily inspired by the series "Hannibal" in terms how the food is presented. It's beautiful and eerie... also very pretentious. Which is not necessarily a bad thing because this happens in actuality in the world of gastronomy. The characters have their own values and motivations which indicates good writing... though the fact how the girl developed into a competition for an established chef like Chef Paul is not very believable... they should've done a Timelapse where she spent at least a year in his kitchen. Acting is very good. Direction is good BUT it's also very trendy... about every dramatic film these days looks visually stunning but very much the same with similar techniques used over and over. Shallow depth of field, intense closeups, slow motion, colour grading is vibrant but dark and moody. Overall the film is dark in moody which is very much a trend just like the direction of the film. I enjoy this approach but perhaps it should have it's time and place instead of being used in every modern film. If you are a chef or work in gastronomy this might be an interesting watch. For the rest if you like dark and moody might be worth a watch as well.

Ehm... I did like it overall. But unfortunately it feels like a lot of sub plots were kinda dropped and we are left guessing as to who did what in the film... seems like a lot of people were involved into this sort of... conspiracy. If you expect a murder serial killer thing... it's not what you're getting really. And the murder itself is not really the focus it's more of a starting point. Should you watch it? Yes. But you gotta be one of those who enjoys slow paced films... it's not a lot of action... basically 2 scenes and they are short. It's like over in a few gun shots. Everyone dies fast and instantly... with one acceptation. The film honestly had so much more potential... there's a lotta loose ends and way too much is left to our imagination. SPOILERS! The paint, the bite, the 30 something stabbings and the knife lodged into the bone, the snake skin at the beginning... All kind of make no sense or at least to my understanding. We still don't know for sure who killed the girl... I assume it's the bald dude. But why the bite and so many stabs? Is it to mislead the investigation? The paint I think never lead anywhere... did the husband finish off the girl? The snake skin at the start... I assume was just a coincidence... because it sort of makes you believe that it's like "the mark of a serial killer" but it's not what we get at all... because it's only one single killing and it's for profit alone. And that's the title of the film "Reptile". Seems quite misleading... because not once does the police mention or find the snake skin... the only other reference is Del Toro peeling off that wax off his hand... is that it? Is that what the entire film titled after? I did enjoy the fact that basically all of the friends of Del Toro's character are in on the operation but the it feels like the film is kind of miss-marketed.

They say "they don't make movies like they used to anymore"! This film is a proof that it's far from the truth. I believe this is a modern day classic. With depth, message and a meaning. Beautifully shot, well written and acted. The story doesn't unfold in a linear way and you don't quite know how it's going to end. A modern day masterpiece with a slow build up... but once things pick up you won't be disappointed. Top notch acting from all of the cast but of course the leads especially! One of the best roles by Renner if not THE best as well as Elizabeth Olsen. The film feels almost too real. Highly recommended!