A hypnotic, VFX-fueled epic of pure fantasy atmosphere, complex nature allegory, & bravura ocular craftsmanship w. a genius Dev Patel typecast, medieval necromancy, honor/religion/masculinity exposition, & modernize knights of round table. 9.6/10.
[category:actionadventure/fantasy/horror/drama/western/folk-movies,date:2021-08-30,rate:9.6,type:movies]
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Category: Fantasy
Raised By Wolves (2020)
One of the most epic-scale projects I’ve ever seen on TV and a new sci-fi dystopian vision from Alien/Blade Runner-legend Ridley Scott: A wickedly-original evolution of the Netflix age w. beautiful cinematography, despotism, religious allegory. 8.7/10.
[category:science-fiction/apocalyptica/fantasy,date:2020-12-23,rate:8.7,type:tvshows]
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Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
A cinematographical masterpiece & groundbreaking win for artistic freedom over studio-execs w. industry-changing power, epic mythological scale, characterization depth, pure comic book experience, genre-mixes, & greatest vilain ever’s lore. 9/10.
[category:actionadventure/apocalyptica/comic-book-movies-tv/fantasy,date:2021-03-17,rate:9,type:movies]
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Monster Hunter (2021)
Big monsters x colossal CGI blockbuster action joy quickly fade on this otherwise messy, virtually-unwatchable, contrived, mindless hodgepodge of aesthetics and [~narrativeless] spectacle killing DP/SNC’s 2020 wins for video game movies. 3.2/10
[category:actionadventure/science-fiction/kaiju/fantasy,date:2021-02-20,rate:3.2,type:movies]
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Star Wars: The Rise Of Skywalker (Ep. IX)
A course-correction after the trainwreck of Last Jedi that retcons ~all its sacrilege, *embracing* series lore instead of erasing it – with fan service abounds, viscerality in pacing, & best cinematography of SW-history – but overstuffed narrative. 7.5/10.
[category:actionadventure/science-fiction/fantasy,date:2019-12-24,rate:7.5,type:movies]
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Scary Stories To Tell In The Dark (2019)
A twisted, ominous spookfest sure to become the next Halloween staple with imaginative draconian literature/live-action scares, eerie atmospherics, strong character-based storytelling, & smart del-Torro script of genre nostalgia. 7.1/10.
[category:horror/coming-of-age/kaiju/fantasy,date:2019-12-16,rate:7.1,type:movies]
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Annihilation (2018)
A phenomenally scripted sci-fi saga impressive in scale, visually arresting rainbow-hued cinematography, biological exegesis, multi-layered interpretive symbolism, & mystery/suspense escalation centered by Portman and Garland’s direction. 9.1/10.
[category:science-fiction/fantasy,date:2018-09-12,rate:9.1,type:movies]
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Tigers Are Not Afraid (2019)
A dark, twisted fantasy adventure in the concrete jungle of Mexico City, blending narcotics crime drama, horror, & children’s fairy tales with phantasmagoria, cartel violence, & social consciousness latinx themes, reframing childhood trauma. 9/10.
[category:drama/horror/fantasy/crime-films/coming-of-age/internationale,date:2019-02-20,rate:9,type:movies]
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Aladdin (2019)
Although culturally dazzling, majestic in (swing-infused) score, and optically sumptuous, the live-action Aladdin suffers from a miscast Jafar, shaky romance escalation, and poorly-CGI’d WS-Genie lacking Williams’ comedic bijoux. 4.2/10.
[category:actionadventure/fantasy/comedyromance,date:2019-05-02,rate:4.2,type:movies]
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The Mandalorian (2019)
A bounty-hunting glimmer of hope for the fledgling Disney/Star Wars consortium with Neo-Western undertones, badass Pascal lead, & magisterial set pieces + Baby Yoda, but maddening TV-PG not-dark-enough tone & selective-CGI finesse. 9.2/10.
[category:western/fantasy,date:2019-10-11,rate:9.2,type:tvshows]
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