Mike Charest
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Stories (22/0)
Oscars Countdown: 'Call Me By Your Name'
The love story subgenre isn’t as prolific as you may think. Most are shoehorned into the romantic comedy category or aren’t critically successful enough to be anything more than that thing boyfriends are dragged to every February. Call Me By Your Name dares to tell such a story on the Academy Award scale, earning it a Best Picture nomination and, more importantly, a spot in this completely irrelevant review series.
By Mike Charest6 years ago in Geeks
Oscars Countdown: 'The Post'
The Post made for an interesting study of expectations affecting one’s viewing experience. Full disclosure, I made fun of this movie’s trailer for some time. I called it Movie: The Movie because it seemed laughably generic. Even the title screen, while it did maintain the newspaper theme, threw some stock font on a black background. They then shamelessly sold legendary lead actors and a similarly esteemed director to draw interest, despite the film itself showing nothing interesting upfront. Then I had to go watch this thing because it snagged a Best Picture nomination.
By Mike Charest6 years ago in Geeks
'Black Panther': Believe the Hype
Marvel continues to test fans with another three-movie year on the way. Superhero fatigue wants to be a thing, but the movies are just too good to let it happen. The MCU has become more of a genre than it is a finite franchise so, much to our benefit and the dismay of others, it seems this first decade was only the beginning. Black Panther ushers in a next ten years, and does so with style.
By Mike Charest6 years ago in Geeks
Oscars Countdown: 'Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri'
Every award season has an early favorite that, for no apparent reason, loses steam over time just so the Oscars can be competitive despite being the last in a slate of ceremonies. It’s as if people just grew tired of voting for The Revenant, Avatar, or the many others who’ve fallen victim to this trend. This year, that early winner is Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri. The film’s success must be as tedious as its title to the many who foresee a not so surprise upset for The Shape of Water to end our big night.
By Mike Charest6 years ago in Geeks
- Top Story - February 2018
Oscars Countdown: 'Darkest Hour'Top Story - February 2018
Darkest Hour may cover a considerably wider window than Dunkirk, but the two spend a surprising amount of time on the same page. It’s almost odd, given how they’re both nominated for Best Picture this year. I’m afraid the only lasting impact Darkest Hour had on me was a recent obsession with these long lost siblings of cinema. So let this serve not only as a review of one film, but as a pitch for a version of either World War II snooze button that might’ve been a more exciting time.
By Mike Charest6 years ago in Geeks
Oscars Countdown: 'Phantom Thread'
Phantom Thread is one of those movies that makes over half its box office earnings from people doing their Oscars homework, myself included. Seeing this one was more of a requirement than anything else, just to end up saying I went 9/9 on Best Picture nominees. And of course, Phantom Thread ends up being great. Homework or not, I loved this bizarrely beautiful movie. It’s important to note how I went in blind as can be. I knew literally nothing about Phantom Thread, outside of Daniel Day-Lewis allegedly retiring after the production. And I strongly recommend seeing this film knowing as little as possible. That’s an odd way to lead off a review, as I’d certainly like you to stick around, but Phantom Thread’s delightful oddities most strongly impact the unsuspecting.
By Mike Charest6 years ago in Geeks
Oscars Countdown: 'Dunkirk'
Dunkirk takes a less is more approach to the often-glamorized war genre, foregoing over the top heroics for a gritty survival experience. The film’s consistent sense of realism contains just about all of its appeal because, to be honest, this is a pretty boring movie. A filmmaking style capable of great suspense is let down by shallow, forgettable characters. This is a tough one to love or hate, leaving Dunkirk with a mysteriously mediocre result. I will now attempt to review something that isn’t interesting enough to praise, but also not bad enough to make fun of. Happy Oscar season, everyone.
By Mike Charest6 years ago in Serve
Oscars Countdown: 'Get Out'
Oscar season hosts a number of movies that feel like Best Picture contenders, but that doesn’t necessarily mean you enjoy them. I didn’t love The Shape of Water but, as a religious award season fan, I recognize it as a film that’ll carry some hardware home. Get Out is the fundamental opposite of that. It is the antithesis of Oscar Bait. I’ll keep the whining to a minimum, but I wanted to lead off by saying my thoughts on Get Out are in no way a reflection of its Oscar season chances. Keep this one in your collection, but out of your office pool. And watch me try to reverse-jinx this movie to victory.
By Mike Charest6 years ago in Horror
Oscars Countdown: 'The Shape of Water'
Sometimes, the logic is simple. If it looks, sounds, and smells like a Best Picture nominee, it probably is one. And The Shape of Water has Best Picture written all over it. It’s not one of the more pretentious cases of “Oscar Bait,” which is always appreciated, but it is Oscar Bait, nonetheless. The film’s award results have been sporadic and, regardless of its success, I can’t say I enjoyed it all that much. For a concept that lends itself to some very different storytelling, the way the second half plays out is surprisingly straightforward, and I don’t think people watch The Shape of Water preparing to see something conventional. With that said, it is a wildly impressive movie that’s still a medium delight to any fans of this wonderful director.
By Mike Charest6 years ago in Geeks
- Top Story - December 2017
The People vs. 'Star Wars: The Last Jedi'Top Story - December 2017
'Star Wars: The Last Jedi' Well…you just had to want different, didn’t you? You just had to call The Force Awakens predictable and formulaic? It seems Rian Johnson was listening and said fair enough everyone, not-your-father’s Star Wars it is, then. Star Wars: The Last Jedi is what you deserve.
By Mike Charest6 years ago in Futurism