films

cmbyn is the epitome of beauty in film. set in italy, the film is visually stunning and features a beautiful soundtrack: a mixture of classical piano and 80's pop. this juxtaposition directly resembles that of our two main characters, elio and oliver. one is a natural recluse who enjoys his own company, and the other is a loud and almost too confident portrayal of masculinity, something which is alluded to throughout the film. we see statues and busts of greek and roman origin, portraying bold and strong men in prime figure. one the most interesting scenes in the film is when one of these statues is discovered in the ocean, with both elio and oliver present. in this scene, we see the two come face to face with what is sometimes considered the goal in life: perfection in every angle.

one would assume this discovery would only set the stereotypical male figure as concrete in their minds, but in my opinion, the opposite occurs. elio and oliver discover that what really matters is the fact they are together, not what they look like on show. this companionship is like that of platos symposium, the idea that man was created with two faces, 4 arms, and 4 legs, and that they were split apart, forever looking for their 'soulmate'. in this scene, we could imagine these two parties to finally come together. finalised in the shaking of hands.

rating: 5/5

i bloody love marriage story. its the upmost peak of family breakdown films and it makes me cry everytime i watch it!!! adam driver is superb in this film and the soundtrack is on point. i would reccomend this to anyone who wants to get upset. plus its shot on film so it looks very nice.

rating: 5/5 --- average cry count: 4

the grand budapest hotel is perfect. you are taken on a bizzare yet engaging storyline filled with twists and turns, all at the expense of m gustave. be prepared to 'laugh out loud' and this highly exjoyable film. the stylistic choices are worth mentioning also: the majority of the film is set in 4:3, giving it a vintage and unique look. this resolution changes throughout based on the time period it is set. the grand budapest hotel is perfect.

rating: 5/5 --- watch count: 14