Movies
Surprisingly amusing. Not that I don't trust Russell to make a fun, entertaining film, I know he is capable enough, but his attempts don't always gel with me. Amsterdam was a pretty big flop and after watching it, I can see why. The film's a little too goofy and quirky for its own good, but that's what makes it so loveable. Two veterans end up in a hospital in France, where they meet a lovely nurse. The three flee to Amsterdam, where they live the good life for a while. Their lives drift apart until years later they have suddenly reunited again. A secret autopsy and vicious murder put the three in the spotlight, but there's a much darker conspiracy hiding in plain sight. Bale is the star of the show, the rest of the all-star cast does a good job too. The plot is a bit overcomplicated, but that's part of Russell's style, and I was happy to see that he decided to keep it light all the way through. The cinematography and production design were on point too. Not a film that really stands out, even so, I really liked what I saw.Read all
A pretty typical Russell film, especially with Lawrence and Cooper present. Joy is a basic Hollywood biography, romancing the rise of a (somewhat?) famous person through hard work and adversity. This could've been a pretty dull film, but Russell's pleasant direction adds a bit of much-needed flair. Joy is a young woman who takes care of her family and kids. She's also somewhat of an inventor, and when she thinks up a self-wringing mop, she wants to turn that into a business. The world isn't too kind to female entrepreneurs and Joy has to create every single opportunity herself. I'm not familiar with the true story, but when it feels like Hollywood mediocrity there's probably been some artistic liberty at work. The cast is solid though and Russell has a way to pace his films perfectly. The slightly above average cinematography certain helps to set the film apart further. Decent, but nothing too out of the ordinary.Read all
