Category Archives: Opinion

The Last Jedi

The legend of Luke Skywalker and how Star Wars: The Last Jedi is surprisingly metafictional and self-examining

One of the three* primary themes that The Last Jedi offer a point-of-view on (see what I did there?), is Legend status. The legend of a great Jedi Master, set up as the saviour of the good guys – mostly because [34 year old spoiler alert] his suffering once got Darth Vader to kill the evil Emperor and bring relative “peace” to the galaxy.

[SPOILERS for Star Wars: The Last Jedi follow below. Don’t continue reading if you haven’t seen the movie.]

Floris Groenewald
Floris Groenewald

Floris sometimes writes things when he’s not watching movies or playing video games or editing videos or folk-rock singing/songwriting.

http://www.theflow.co.za
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Split

Split’s big twist: M. Night Shyamalan is back

A lot of people are calling Split a kind of return-to-form for director M. Night Shyamalan. And it very much is. When he first appeared as the “new kid on the psychological thriller block” in 1999 with The Sixth Sense, M. Night seemed to have a successful formulaic approach to his films: Slow-burning, tense thrillers, with a big twist at the end that surprises audiences and encourages multiple viewings.

Floris Groenewald
Floris Groenewald

Floris sometimes writes things when he’s not watching movies or playing video games or editing videos or folk-rock singing/songwriting.

http://www.theflow.co.za
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Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice packs punches – but lacks heart?

What can I say about Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice that hasn’t been said by the ten jillion trailers and lacerating critical reviews? Very little. But my will to rant has always been strong.

Warning: I spoiler in my sleep so watch out.

Jared Viljoen
Jared Viljoen

Jared is a cantankerous designer looking for love in all the wrong places and living vicariously through television. Sometimes he makes things.

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The Hateful Eight - The 8th film by Quentin Tarantino

The Hateful Eight – Tarantino wants to get there last

Samuel L. Jackson portrays the bounty hunter Major Marquis Warren in Quentin Tarantino’s 8th film, The Hateful Eight. “Let’s slow it down,” he says at one point, while aiming his revolver at other characters. “Let’s slow it way down.”

Floris Groenewald
Floris Groenewald

Floris sometimes writes things when he’s not watching movies or playing video games or editing videos or folk-rock singing/songwriting.

http://www.theflow.co.za
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Floris’ Top 10 movies of 2015

Every December, I make a list of my 10 favourite movies of the year. We’ll call it “Top 10 movies of 2015”, but it doesn’t reflect box office performance, critical reception, or public consensus. This is just one person’s recommendation of 10 great films that were released in the past year. Now, counting down to #1 – Floris’ Top 10 movies of 2015:

Floris Groenewald
Floris Groenewald

Floris sometimes writes things when he’s not watching movies or playing video games or editing videos or folk-rock singing/songwriting.

http://www.theflow.co.za
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What The Force Awakens does right

I don’t know if there’s ever been a movie with higher expectations than Star Wars: The Force Awakens. Okay, maybe The Phantom Menace, but that’s the black sheep of the family we don’t talk about. The pressure to get things right must have been extreme. I’m pretty surprised director JJ Abrams even survived the ordeal.

Floris Groenewald
Floris Groenewald

Floris sometimes writes things when he’s not watching movies or playing video games or editing videos or folk-rock singing/songwriting.

http://www.theflow.co.za
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Spectre – The road leading up to James Bond’s latest adventure

When Daniel Craig stepped up as the latest in a long line of actors to portray James Bond, it came with a bigger responsibility than usual: Not only were the producers recasting the lead role in their hugely successful film franchise, but they were also rebooting the series. 2006’s Casino Royale, an adaptation of Ian Fleming’s first James Bond novel, explored the character as a younger, more flawed, and less experienced secret agent. It reignited the series, and this year’s Spectre might just be the resultant inferno.

Floris Groenewald
Floris Groenewald

Floris sometimes writes things when he’s not watching movies or playing video games or editing videos or folk-rock singing/songwriting.

http://www.theflow.co.za
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