Darkest Hour – 2017

Score: 10/10

Amazing, simply amazing. 2017 has been a great year for war movies, and especially for war movies that focus on the Second World War. Darkest Hour is a masterpiece, and Gary Oldman has the role of his career portraying Winston Churchill. It is a movie you can’t miss and it tells a heroic story of human resilience in front of impossible odds. Watch this and Dunkirk together and you will really get a full picture of what that moment truly meant, for the war, for England and for the world!

The story is fictionalized a little, romanticized, but they did it well and it manages to stay realistic while also transmitting raw emotions to the audiences. You will feel the struggle of a country on the brink of extinction, you will understand what war actually means and how decisions taken in stuffy rooms underground go on to save or condemn millions of people. Dunkirk showed us in 2017 the ugly side of war, the gritty struggle for survival, and this movie comes to complete the picture by showing us what happens behind the scenes. Both worlds are important and only when they work together is humanity able to overcome the direst of situations.

The characters are amazing. Every single actor does a great job, they all feel real, relatable, you understand each and every single one of them. It is a brilliantly casted movie and Gary Oldman is perfect, absolutely perfect, down to the last little gesture and to the last intonation. It is rarely that you get to see such an amazing performance from an actor, and he is supported very well by Kristin Scott Thomas, Lily James, Ben Mendelsohn, Stephen Dillane, Ronald Pickup, Nicholas Jones, Samuel West, David Schofield, Richard Lumsden, Malcolm Storry, Hilton McRae and Benjamin Whitrow.

The mannerism in the movie, especially Oldman’s is one of the best feats of it. You actually feel transported into that time and you can discover all the great aspects of the amazing leader that was Winston Churchill. The movie revolves around him, everything happens because of him and the scenes are carefully calibrated to inspire this. Churchill is always in the center of attention and this is what makes the character and the movie pop on screen.

Everything is dramatic here, but dramatic in a good way. You will feel every single scene down to your core, and the ending, oh my god the ending, you can’t help yourself. I stood up and clapped right along with the characters. That speech was memorable and it changed the course of history, and the movie does it total justice here. Along with the music and the way it is filmed, everything comes together and creates one of the best war dramas that I have ever seen. It is a masterpiece through and through.

In conclusion, Darkest Hour is a great movie, one of the best war movies I have ever seen. And it manages to do this without showing you any actual war scenes. There is no violence here, there is no blood and amazing action scenes. But despite this, the tension reaches incredible levels and you truly feel that you are witnessing history being made. It is a brilliant film and you will feel empowered by it. Watch it and marvel at the power of humanity. And always remember, you cannot reason with a tiger, when your head is in its mouth!

Hacksaw Ridge – 2016

Score: 10/10

I just had to come back for this. Hacksaw Ridge is one of the most emotional movies I have watched and one that will haunt you for a long time after seeing it. It is a true testament to the power of the human spirit and an amazing example of how religion can be used as a positive catalyzer in the world. It is brutal, based on true events, which makes it even more terrifying and deep, and it manages to show you the cruel realities of war and the immense sacrifice that people do when they believe.

The story is truly amazing, unbelievable and I was shocked when I found out it is 100% true. Desmond Doss was a hero of the war and one of the best examples of what humanity is all about. He fought in the biggest conflict in the history of our world and he managed to impact that war and save the lives of 75 people without ever firing a bullet. Now that is what having principles means and this story is sure to leave you in tears. I can’t say that I am a believer, or religious, but even I could not hold back my emotions during the climax of this amazing movie. You will cry, you will feel and you will rejoice knowing that people are capable of these sorts of heroic gestures. It makes you happy to be a part of this world.

The characters are spot on, perfectly created and integrated into the feel of the era. Every single actor does a terrific job and you can relate with everyone in the film, even if they are on opposite sides. You can understand every gesture, because the acting does a great job in looking fluid and natural. It is by far the best cast movie of 2016 and you should never forget the names of the actors that made it all possible. Andrew Garfield, Vince Vaughn, Sam Worthington, Luke Bracey, Hugo Weaving, Ryan Corr, Teresa Palmer, Rachel Griffiths, Richard Roxburgh and Luke Pegler gel perfectly together and offer one emotional moment after another.

The special effects are great, managing to transmit the horror of what Hacksaw Ridge was. They are on par with other Great War movies like Saving Private Ryan and 2017’s Dunkirk, managing to elevate the movie and to make you feel truly inspired. The raw emotion that this movie emanates cannot be matched by any other war movie of the last 20 years and it will remain a classic for future generations to come.

The battle scenes are amazing, some of the best depictions of war ever brought to the big screen. Mel Gibson may be a controversial figure, but he is one of the best directors out there, especially when it comes to depicting grandiose battles. He manages to make you feel that you are there, in the midst of all the action and carnage. You feel every single bullet, you feel every single explosion and you are immersed in a battle of good versus evil in which good comes out on top for once, shattering all your preconceptions and beliefs.

In conclusion, if you haven’t seen it already, watch it now. It is a must, because Hacksaw Ridge is one of the best movies ever made and certainly a testament to what any of us can do if we truly believe in something. An amazing movie, an amazing experience that will move every single one of you… See it now, be amazed, and always remember the words that motivated Desmond Doss to go beyond his limits and achieve the impossible:

“Lord, help me get one more…”

Dunkirk – 2017

Score: 10/10

Oh my God! Dunkirk is hands down one of the best movies of 2017, maybe even the best (you will have to wait until next week when I will be releasing my top 10’s of the year to see if that is the case). It is a thrilling experience from start to finish, it is the perfect length at 106 minutes, and it manages to resonate deep inside its viewers, bringing to light one of humanity’s finest hours and doing it total justice. You can’t watch this movie without being amazed at the power of humanity, as director Cristopher Nolan offers up another masterpiece of epic proportions that cements his place once and for all in the gallery of cinema legends. He is maybe the best director of his generation and this is perhaps his best film to date…

The story is simple, powerful and emotional. There are several narrative treads that intertwine and the perspective between them is constantly shifting. Nolan also plays with the temporal aspects of the story and although it may seem a little bit counterintuitive at first, by the end everything falls into place and you discover that the scenes click, they pop on screen and they keep you in a permanent tension. I could not take my eyes off the screen because the rhythm is frantic and I did not want to miss even one second of this amazing story.

The characters, oh my God the characters. Every single one of them seems to be taken straight out of the battlefields of World War 2. The movie oozes realism at every turn, every actor portrays the time period perfectly, even down to the little mannerisms and idiosyncrasies specific to that era. It is an amazing example of acting and of how a cast can come together to offer the viewer a phenomenal and immersing experience. There are not many big names here, but every single one of them deserves a mention. Fionn Whitehead, Tom Glynn-Carney, Jack Lowden, Harry Styles, Aneurin Barnard, Barry Keoghan, Kenneth Branagh, Cillian Murphy, Mark Rylance and Tom Hardy offer perfect examples of how war affects people and brings out the best or the worst in them.

The cinematography is great, Nolan changes perspectives and angles very fast and manages to make you feel you are actually there. The scenes are brutal, the transitions are seamless and you get the sense of an epical clash as well as the personal dramas that unfold around it. The effects are pristine, not over the top but yet filled to the brink with raw emotions. Nolan used a lot of practical effects here and their quality is evident. It is one of the best shot movies of 2017 and right up there with other legendary war pictures like Saving Private Ryan or Apocalypse Now.

Hans Zimmer, as usual, offers amazing music, that helps enhance the action and makes you feel every single dramatic moment right to your core. It is chilling, it is majestic and it is one of the best scores that this legendary composer has created. Some of the survivors that are still alive have said that the movie is louder than the actual battle was, and this makes your experience even more powerful. Combining the music with the sounds of war is one of the reasons this movie will most likely make you cry and shiver in awe.

In conclusion, Dunkirk is a movie you can’t afford to miss. Everybody has to see this movie because it is a visual testament to the power of humanity in front of insurmountable odds. An amazing film that fully deserves a 10 out of 10 and its place on every list of greatest movies ever made. Rejoice at the wonder that Nolan created and always remember those famous words that have shaped the history of our world:

“We shall go on to the end. We shall fight in France, we shall fight on the seas and oceans, we shall fight with growing confidence and growing strength in the air, we shall defend our island, whatever the cost may be. We shall fight on the beaches, we shall fight on the landing grounds, we shall fight in the fields and in the streets, we shall fight in the hills; we shall never surrender!”

Atomic Blonde – 2017

Score: 2/10

Oh my God! Oh my God… I had such expectations going into this movie. Amazing, comedic, action filled, sex scenes, good acting performances, bla bla, bla bla bla… One of the most hyped movies for me this year, with good reviews from critics, good box office performance, I mean I was sold before the film even started. And now, after forcing myself to finish it, over the course of two days because I just couldn’t bear it anymore at the first hour mark, I have to say that Atomic Blonde is by far the worse action movie I have seen this year.

Nothing is as advertised. No comedy, not amazing but boring, the sex scenes are laughable, the actors look like they wanted to just get out of there, everything is bad, bad, and actually insulting to the audience at some points. The director wanted a lot but managed to achieve close to nothing, and the result is a drawn out film in which the transition is poorly done and illogical. You jump from one part of the story to the other without warning and without proper introduction, there is no suspense building, no character development and nothing in the form of a mystery. And the so called surprise in the end was fucking obvious from the first 5 minutes of the film, I mean seriously…

The acting is bad, Charlize Theron is tragically wasted as her character is nothing more than a fighting robot that takes frequent baths in ice. The same can be sad about the supporting cast, who are simply props in the director’s desire to have action scene after action scene. You feel like the movie doesn’t care about story or about any sort of logic, just jumping from one innovative way to beat someone to the other.

And the action scenes themselves, oh my god the action scenes. Listen to me very carefully Hollywood: The action scenes in The Bourne movies are BAD! The fight scenes from the Bourne movies might be realistic, but they are BAD. Shaky cam fighting is BAD. Making a fight very close up might make you feel like an indie director and might please the hipster critics, but normal people want to understand what is going on. Stop making fight scenes like this, stop it… At the end, during the last action scene I actually got up and started making myself a sandwich and just listened to the fighting, and it was the same thing. BAD.

The only decent thing in Atomic Blonde is the music. This is the only reason it does not get a 0. Yes, the songs are nice, they link well and you will be actually be tempted to search for the soundtrack, especially for the German songs. But this is the problem. I got the distinct impression that the director had a soundtrack and built a movie around it, just making the action fit the songs. And that is not how you make a good movie, the music has to be tailored around the action and not the other way around. In conclusion, Atomic Blonde is a movie I would not recommend to anyone. Don’t waste your time. Go watch the Bourne series or the Bond series if you want to see the films it rips off and don’t waste your time with this garbage…