[Biodome]

Watched 6 films in the last two weeks, some recent releases, some older, mostly from the sci-fi genre. I'll list them in the order I saw them. It's a long post - sorry for that, but I didn't feel like posting 6 times, lest I be accused of spamming

1. The Post (2017)
   
   As much as I love Spielberg's storytelling and the way he develops his characters, this one, for me, was a slight let-down. The film does shine in some scenes, and it even gave me emotional shivers a couple of times, but I didn't feel that it was consistently engaging. All of the running around in offices and interviews just became boring after a while. It was well-received worldwide, though, so don't take my word for it - it's even got two Academy Awards nominations!
   
   
2. Arrival (2016)
   
   Having seen Villeneuve's Prisoners and Blade Runner 2049, I promised myself to watch every single film the director has ever made So once I saw that Arrival was screening, I had to go there immediately. And it's definitely a great piece of cinema, in my opinion. The structure sort of reminded me of Nolan's Memento, but, of course, this film takes a look at completely different themes. As a sci-fi fan, I enjoyed it immensely, and it encouraged me to continue on my mission
   
   
3. Ikarie XB-1 (1963)
   
   This one is a lesser known example of the early sci-fi genre, and it was made in Czechoslovakia. The English version of the film, which is slightly shorter and with a different ending, is more popular, but the cinema where I watched it at, got it in its original, Czech version. Through international effort a couple of years ago, it was actually restored from its original negative, and screened in 4K format. Looked crisp and clear. The film itself is pretty good, and the visual technique was beautiful. I remember a scene with a derelict spaceship, full of dead people - it was so detailed, vivid and eerie - I still haven't seen anything like it in modern films. In summary, it's sci-fi done right, and while I would critique its inconsistent pacing at times, I enjoyed it.
   
   
4. The Shape of Water (2017)
   
   Everyone has been talking about this one for a while, and the 13 Academy Award nominations pretty much forced me to see it. The story is weird, but in a good way, which, I suppose, is a typical way to describe Guillermo del Toro's films Very stylized, great visual technique and music, purposeful use of color, and the acting has exceeded my wildest expectations. The protagonist and the villain were done exceptionally well, and I wouldn't be at all surprised if the film took home several of its well-deserved Oscars.
   
   
5. Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
   
   I've seen Blade Runner 2049 already during it's October premiere, and I did love it back then. I couldn't find a valid reason not to re-watch it once more, as it was screening this month, and I loved it even more People sometimes say that sequels that are built on classic masterpieces are just a cheap money-grabbing strategy, but when you've got a director like Villeneuve on board, there is lots of room for exceptions. Again, he makes great pieces of cinema, and his style works really well with the sci-fi genre in general.
   
   
6. Superman (1978)
   
   I'm going to outright say that I didn't like Superman, although I recognize it will probably be an unpopular opinion, considering its huge success at the time and its extensive legacy. Some say it belongs to a holy trinity of films that inspired the sci-fi renaissance of the 80s (the other two being Lucas' Star Wars, and Spielberg's Close Encounters of the Third Kind). But I just think that the film didn't age well, both technically/visually, and story-wise, unlike its contemporaries. Felt like watching a mix of bad production and writing clichés. On the bright side, I loved John Williams' score, so if I ever touch anything related to that film in the future, it will probably be the Original Soundtrack CD
   

By the way, this year's Academy Awards ceremony will begin in just a few hours, for those who are interested. Admittedly, that's not the most convenient time for us in Europe. All of the Oscar winners will be known by morning.