Film 2490 - Ghost Ship

Intro: Over at Simon's we were looking for a movie to watch after (my first) taco dinner. Somehow, I remembered this movie existed and we just went for it.

Film 2490: "Ghost Ship" (2002), Steve Beck
Watched: From the computer
Language: English
Watched with: Simon
Thoughts: I mean, certainly not a masterpiece, but "Ghost Ship" is fun enough to be entertaining for what it is.
The horror elements of the story aren't new and you can see them coming a mile away, but this movie has more of a vibe that stays with you rather than a compelling story no one has ever told before.
Specifically, I feel the set pieces are quite good considering the $20 million budget and the fact that this film was never meant to become a box office juggernaut. So the fact that so much thought and care was put into crafting visually interesting sets and visuals - including some camera angles and shots - really surprised me. I mean, I'd seen this movie before ages ago and certainly didn't remember this aspect of it.
The one thing I remembered, though, is the fact that Francesca Rettondini is in it. I'm sure she acted in other Italian projects before and after this, but to me she's always been the partner of Alberto Castagna, a very famous Italian TV presenter who was big in the 90s. The fact that Rettondini somehow landed this (mute) role is so fascinating and legit the one memory of "Ghost Ship" that stayed with me over the years.

And there is another element here that is connected to Italy: the disappeared ocean liner at the center of the story is, in fact, Italian. Therefore, a lot of design elements (signs) and even a song are technically in my native language. Why the 'technically'? Because they're either spelled wrong or pronounced incorrectly which, to me, added a fun element to the whole experience.
Like, for example, in the picture here, you can read 'Cabina di capitano', which should be 'Cabina del capitano' instead. It's just... funny.
All in all, "Ghost Ship" is fine enough to be enjoyable. The premise of the disappeared ship that might contain a golden treasure is intriguing, the cast is quite packed with extremely familiar faces, the scary bits are predictable but work, and the bloody opening sequence is actually quite impressive and a good way to start the story with terror and disgust.
So yeah, I had a good time rewatching this.
Cast: Julianna Margulies, Ron Eldard, Desmond Harrington, Isaiah Washington, Karl Urban, Emily Browning, Francesca Rettondini, Gabriel Byrne.
Box Office: $68.3 million
Worth a watch?: It's not a must-watch, but it has its moments, especially the opening sequence. I'd say, if you're curious, go for it.
Awards: /
Key word: Gold.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2457 - Eternity

Intro: This was recommended to me by one of the girls I took the Screenwriting course with.

Film 2457: "Eternity" (2025), David Freyne
Watched: From my computer
Language: English
Watched with: Bill
Thoughts: I think this is one of those movies that sounds better on paper. I'm not saying "Eternity" is a bad movie or anything - I actually quite enjoyed it - but there's a clear limitation to its potential: once the main idea is revealed and the plot is in motion, there really isn't much else to talk about. Let me explain.
I'll start with the logline you can find on IMDb: "In an afterlife where souls have one week to decide where to spend eternity, Joan is faced with the impossible choice between the man she spent her life with and her first love, who died young and has waited decades for her to arrive." This perfectly sums up what you find in this movie, because honestly there isn't much else to it, which is exactly what I was referring to. The main idea is so powerful and interesting, but the movie barely explores any other topic beyond it. It's like there's an ocean of possible storylines, but the screenplay corners itself: there's a time constraint, there's a choice to be made, and there are only two options (technically three if Joan decided to leave both men behind). And that's the end of the road.
Although the movie explores many themes - loss, love, aspirations, memories - and is filled with a decent number of characters, the scope of the story remains tied to the love triangle and never really lets go until it gets resolved. Which happens at the end of the movie, obviously. So once that happens, we fade to black and go home. Which I found, in the grand scheme of things, acceptable, but also a waste of great potential. The afterlife feels like a two-dimensional carnival: a fun ride, but not much else beyond picking your ideal scenario and off you go for the rest of eternity. I don't know, I just hope the afterlife, if it exists, doesn't actually look like this one because it would stress the hell (see what I did there?) out of me. And considering you have all eternity ahead of you, and there's definitely no lack of space over there, I really don't see why people are required to make their choice within a week. That creative decision didn't really make sense to me, especially considering that once you pick your afterlife scenario, you can't change your mind. Forever. You're stuck there. Endless scenarios to choose from and you give me seven days?! Too intense for my little brain.
All of this said, I think "Eternity" is a beautifully crafted movie. Its aesthetics are quite pleasing and although the color correction is a bit too on the nose at times, I still appreciated how bright and vibrant the colors were.
Miles Teller, Elizabeth Olsen, and Callum Turner make for a very interesting trio: all great actors and all perfectly cast for their parts. I thought Turner's character was unbearable and his story arc is something you can guess from a mile away, but look, we all need a villain. It also has to be said that Da'Vine Joy Randolph steals the show. She's unforgettable - she has such presence and charisma that you can't take your eyes off her when she's on screen. Such a star!
All in all, I enjoyed "Eternity". It's an unconventional story, it balances comedic and dramatic moments well, and it's beautifully shot. God save stories that try something different!
Cast: Miles Teller, Elizabeth Olsen, Callum Turner, John Early, Olga Merediz, Betty Buckley, Da'Vine Joy Randolph.
Box Office: $35 million
Worth a watch?: I liked it, although I was hoping the scope of the story would be a bit broader. If you like A24 movies, this is another one you shouldn't miss.
Awards: /
Key word: Hair.
Trailer
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Bengi

Film 2363 - Gladiator

Intro: The first week in Lanzarote was all about relaxing and recharging (but also working, because yes, we went there to work from abroad while enjoying more favourable weather than the Irish one). So we watched quite a few movies during our first nights we spent at home.

Film 2363: "Gladiator" (2000), Ridley Scott
Watched on: On the TV of the apartment
Language: English
Watched with: Niamh
Thoughts: I mean, talk about an iconic movie.
Not one of my favourite pictures of all time, but definitely one I enjoy watching, we decided to go with this one first between the many options available on Netflix because a) again, it's an iconic film, b) we just saw the sequel at the movies back in November. So to us it just made sense to go with the epic story of Maximus Decimus Meridius (Crowe) on his quest to venge his family brutally murdered by the jealous Commodus (Phoenix) after his father refuses to let him rule the empire and choses Maximus over him.
The drama is all there, Crowe and Phoenix are excellent in their respective roles and "Gladiator" just works: it's entertaining, well produced and acted and has an amazing soundtrack by Hans Zimmer.
Film 576 - Il gladiatore
Film 2363 - Gladiator
Film 2325 - Gladiator II
Cast: Russell Crowe, Joaquin Phoenix, Connie Nielsen, Oliver Reed, Derek Jacobi, Djimon Hounsou, Richard Harris.
Box Office: $465.5 million
Worth a watch?: Interesting movie, it's a good outing for a directorial debut. Zoë Kravitz has a clear point of view and the story has good plot twists, enough to keep the viewer constantly engaged. Not an easy watch.
Awards: "Gladiator" won 5 Oscars (Best Picture, Actor for Russell Crowe, Visual Effects, Sound, and Costume Design) and was nominated for an additional 7 (Best Director, Original Screenplay, Supporting Actor for Joaquin Phoenix, Original Score, Cinematography, Art Direction, and Editing). It won the Golden Globe for Best Motion Picture – Drama and Best Original Score – Motion Picture and was nominated for Actor (Crowe), Director, and Supporting Actor (Phoenix). At BAFTA it won Best Film, Cinematography, Production Design, and Editing over 14 overall nominations (including Best Direction, Original Screenplay, Actor in a Leading Role, Actor in a Supporting Role). It was nominated for 1 Grammy Award for Best Score Soundtrack Album for a Motion Picture, Television or Other Visual Media. 6 nominations at the MTV Movie + TV Awards and 1 win for Best Movie.
Key word: Afterlife.
Trailer
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Bengi