 What's up, everyone? Welcome to a brand new review. Today I'm discussing Annihilation, the new film directed by Alex Garlo, who if you don't know who Alex Garlin is, he directed X-Machina. And X-Machina is one of my favorite films of all time. I said it. X-Machina is one of my favorite films of all time. It's like in my top 20 of all time. And initially when I came out of X-Machina, I liked it. I really liked it, in fact, but I didn't love it. Upon rewatching it, I found myself loving it and loving it and liking it more. And the more I processed the film, I found myself just 10 out of 10 for that film. I think it's a perfect, near perfect masterpiece of a film. You can say going into Annihilation, I had a lot of expectations. And I did. I mean, Alex Garlin is a very up-and-coming director. And he did a fantastic sci-fi in X-Machina. In this new sci-fi film he's directing, I saw one trailer. I said, that's all I need to see. I saw the cast. I didn't need to know the premise. The trailer is all that sold me. And from there, I just stayed away from every other review, every other reaction, everything. I stayed away from this film completely because I had so much expectations. If you saw my most anticipated films of this year, Annihilation was in there. Now I've seen the film and officially I can say, I really like this film. Like, in fact, I don't know if I loved it yet. This is a film that you have to process. This is a film that you're gonna have to think about more. And this is a film that people are gonna either hate and people are either gonna praise. That's my thing about X-Machina. X-Machina, I think most people can watch the film and enjoy it, for the most part. It's not that much of a processing film. There is a lot of stuff to process in there, but Annihilation is so different and so unique to any other film that I've seen ever that it's a film that I really do need to process more. There is stuff that I easily missed in this film. But the thing that's so unique about this film that I really liked, and just so you guys know, I'm gonna stay away from a lot of spoilers in this film. I'm really just gonna give the bare minimum. But the thing I liked about this film is that the characters in general, the thing about this film is that the third act is gonna very much, I think, divide a lot of people. You're either gonna really like the ending or you're not. I'm in the middle. I really, I like the ending. I got what was going on, but at the same time I feel like I didn't. And that's how a lot of this film feels is that I feel like I didn't get what I got. I enjoyed. I got a huge weird experience. A vivid, dream-like, nightmarish experience with this film. I didn't figure out everything. And I mean, going into the film, I didn't even think I was gonna figure out everything, but I felt like I should know at least something. The film does not spoon feed you anything. In fact, it doesn't even give you glasses or anything. It throws you into the film. And in general, I like what Alex Garland did with that. And I think some people won't like that, but I think what Alex Garland was going for, at least this is what I got, is that you're pretty much in the perspective of our main characters, in their perspective. Because as much as you find out is as much as they knew. And as much as you discover, it's as much as they discover at the same time. On the same track as them, it's not like they know more than you or you know more than them. And when you find out character development, it's all from Natalie Portman's eyes. When she finds out something about a certain character, you find out about it too. And vice versa for a bunch of different things. That's why I really like this experience, because this film is an experience. But it's not just one of those experiences you watch where you're like, I don't know about this film. No, it very much is an experience. I really do think that this will be the Blade Runner of this year. I say Blade Runner, I don't just mean, oh, it's only for Blade Runner fans and only certain people. No, maybe this film really is only for certain people. But I think if you really loved Blade Runner last year, you're going to love this film. I think if you don't like Blade Runner and it's kind of confusing to you, I think this film might not work for you. That's where it comes down to is I think this film, like I said again, some people are going to hate this film. Some people are going to praise the hell out of this film. And I think that's where it's going to come down to. I think it's kind of going to be like the mother of this year slash Blade Runner, especially with the ending. I mean, Paramount, I give them full props for giving Alex Garland every tool for letting him just take control of this film because the ending of this film is where I'm still stuck at to see if I really liked this film or if I didn't. When the ending of this film happened, the last 10-15 minutes, it is some of the most beautiful looking stuff I've ever seen on a screen, but I cannot tell you one single thing. I cannot understand what just happened. Times maybe I can because my brain thinks it knows, but at the same time I feel unsure of saying what it is. And that's where I say I need to see this film a second time. I think in the end it comes down to what are you wanting out of this film? Are you wanting an experience or are you wanting to analyze the hell out of this film? Because if you're wanting to analyze this film, it's going to take multiple rewatches. If you're wanting an experience, you're going to get that experience. You have to say the performances in here are top-notch, especially from everyone. Natalie Portman is fantastic. I think this is one of the best performances she's given in a very long time. So Thompson also shows up in here. If you guys don't know, I'm a huge fan of her and she really surprised me as well. But the two big people in here that shook me and like made this film what it is. I mean Alex Garland is pretty much the star of this film because he is the director. He's behind the scenes, but he's the star. But there's two main actresses in here who really stole the show from me. That is Gina Rodriguez who I've seen her in some minor things, but she is fantastic in here. And also I have to say this, Jennifer Jason Lee, who I'm not usually the biggest fan of. I think she's a good actress, but I'm usually not the biggest fan of her. She was fantastic in here. She was great. And I give major props to her. I've said this before earlier in the review that this film is beautiful. This film is magnificent. This film is easily one of the most gorgeous looking films visually that I've ever seen. And it's like mind blowing how amazing this film looks. Like Alex Garland is like punching you in the face with how amazing this film looks. I mean the second you get into the shimmer, this area that's so unique, you're just like in awe. And there's a lot of horror elements in here. Like I said, there's nightmare experiences that they go through. There's dream like aspects of this film where you really do feel the wonder in this world, but also the horror in this world that is just creative. It's like a creative mind was just thrown into this world and just, it's amazing. My cons is though, is that I really wish we would have gotten more into the shimmer. This whole area that they're exploring, I wish we would have gotten more into it, the different species, the different things that they discover in this world. Because we do discover quite a few things in here, but I wanted a little bit more from the shimmer, which is now because I've never read the source material. I like I said, I stayed away a lot from what this film was about because I wanted to go into it not knowing anything. And in reality that was kind of helped me. Now I want to go back and reread the source material and figure out like how close is it to the book? Like is there more stuff in the book that I can go into this world and enjoy more? This film, like I said, it's a lot to process. But in the end of the day, I really liked Annihilation. I don't know how the rest of my theater felt. There are some scenes in here where they are gruesome. They are very squeamish for some people. So if you're kind of squeamish to certain things, this film might kind of scare you. That's what this film works on. I mean, the horror elements working there, the nightmarish elements, the wonderful wonders of this world, just add to it. I mean, Oscar Isaac's also really good in here. The performances are top notch. Alex Garland is the star and I cannot wait to see what the guy does next. Overall, again, I liked, I actually, I really liked Annihilation. I can't say I love it yet. Again, I'm not the process film. I'm going to try and see it again this weekend because I need to see it again. Like there's so much that happened in this film that it's just insane. And I mean, the pacing was so brisk. It didn't even feel like almost two hours past. It was superb. This is excellent sci-fi at its best. And I think Alex Garland has another home run on his hands. So with all that said, I'm going to give Annihilation an A minus. And like I said, I think this film, some people are going to hate it. Some people are going to praise it. And it might not be the film for you. So I'm just, if you like, if you like what I'm saying, I think you guys should go check it out. It really is an experience at the theaters and I'm curious to hear what your guys' thoughts are on Annihilation. I feel like some people are probably going to be a little underwhelmed or disappointed with this film and some people are going to come out loving it. Maybe after I see it a second time, or maybe the more I process it, then maybe I'll like it, or maybe my score will get bumped down. But for right now, I feel very safe with saying an A minus and I feel very happy saying that I really liked the film. I know I liked it, but did I love it? That's the question. Of course, guys, thank you guys so much for watching. You guys are all the best. Make sure to go hit up all my social media links down below because so that way maybe we can talk more about Annihilation or other films coming up. And also, make sure to go hit that like and subscribe button because you guys are all the best and I love talking movies because that's what I love doing on my channel. We have lively discussions about entertainment and all sorts of geekiness on this channel. And also, make sure to go check out Sam or Shawn Films down below. It's a website that I'm a part of where you guys can actually win advanced screens to films like this Annihilation, Red Sparrow, Ready Player One, or even Tomb Raider. Yes, all the big films coming out. So you guys want to make sure to go check out our website and see if there's an advanced screening near you. I can't say this enough. Thank you guys so much for all the support. We're at 1000 subs and it means the world to me. I can't wait to give you guys that Q&A and that reaction video to some of my first few videos I ever made. It's going to be a ton of fun, guys. As you guys all stay classy.