There's something intoxicating about the idea of a perfect memory, and Irene Villamor's Meet Me in St. Gallen knows that. Split into three segments, it begins with one such memory: the very epitome of a romantic meet-cute. Bela Padilla and Carlo Aquino's chemistry is simply amazing, and the conversations are buoyant, funny and interesting. What happens next, however, helps deconstruct the very idea of the meet-cute, and the notion that chemistry alone is enough and everything will work out in the end. Perhaps it's foreshadowed in the names of our main characters, an obvious reference to Celeste and Jesse Forever (2012), a film that dealt with the on and off nature of love. There's a sense of hesitation in the way Celeste and Jesse act after the first act, in that their own insecurities bleed into the amazing possibility brought before them. In trying to lionize such a perfect memory, they end up missing the possibilities that come with their meeting, and their relationship becomes one long goodbye instead.
Guillermo Del Toro's inspiration for The Shape of Water comes from a viewing of Creature from the Black Lagoon (1954), in which he actively rooted for the monster while watching the film. The result, The Shape of Water, is perhaps one of his best films yet. It's a movie about monsters both supernatural and real, the latter ending up being scarier than anything wrought from fantasy. Its unlikely heroes are people pushed to society's margins, made even more evident given the film's 1950's setting. As much as it reflects Del Toro's own experiences as an immigrant living in a strange land, The Shape of Water can also be seen as a trenchant examination of nostalgia, and the good and bad implications that come with it. The film harshly takes down the notion of the "good old days," portraying the fifties as it really was: a society still rooted in deeply racist and sexist ideologies. Never does it sugarcoat the setting, instead, our protagonists manage to find magic in this darkness anyway through their own positive nostalgic feelings - such as Elisa's fondness for grand movie musicals. And given the fact that the film itself is tribute to a 1950's horror classic, that applies on a broader sense as well. To borrow from the ad people who did Superman (1978,) after watching this film, you will believe a woman and a fish-man can fall in love.
Much has been said about Black Panther's role in perpetuating cultural diversity in big blockbuster film, or its varied political ideas dealing with issues like isolation, colonialism and foreign aid, or how it created one of the most layered and interesting villains in the MCU. That said, the thing that makes Black Panther most notable to me is its Afrofuturist aesthetic, through its colorful costumes and its amazing soundtrack. It gives the film a distinct identity, contrasting it sharply with the bland sameness of every MCU film that has come before it. Sure, the action sequences were just okay for me, but my enjoyment stems from how the film joyfully plays with the superhero and secret agent genres. Heck, it's the first MCU movie in a long time that had me wanting to watch it again, and given that I've gotten sick and tired of superhero movies lately, that's something.
For a country so hardheadedly determined to not legalize divorce to "keep the sanctity of marriage," whatever the hell that means, we sure do love our infidelity films. Sin Island is a particularly trashy and stupid example, but it's trashy and stupid enough to be enjoyable on a drunken night with friends. The film may pretend to be this really hot, racy film, but it really isn't that sexy; pinku films on WOWOW on Saturday nights are far more racy to be quite honest. The film is also full of idiots, including what might be the worst lawyer in movie history. I wouldn't hire that guy to defend my cat, if I had one. From a pulpy, almost campy premise, the film devolves into a weird facsimile of Fatal Attraction, without the things that made Fatal Attraction good. If there's anything nice to come out of the film, it's Nathalie Hart's interesting performance, including a rampage scene at the end where she seems to channel Jason Voorhees or something. To its credit, the movie is really well shot and scored, but it's still not enough to overcome glaring flaws everywhere else. While it's probably passable for a drunk watch, horny teens will probably fast forward to their "preferred" scenes, if you know what I mean, only to find out that they still don't have enough material for a good fap.
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