How To Train Your Dragon

 

This review may contain spoilers!

How To Train Your Dragon is a live-action remake of the 2010 film of the same name and a loose adaptation of the Cressida Cowell novels.

For a long time now the major complaint about the live-action remake has been the way they have all gone through major deviations, essentially abandoning the original film that they spawned from. However, DreamWorks makes a smart move by placing the original creative lead, Dean DeBlois, back at the helm for this adaptation. This creative link ensures that the original message and narrative beats are conveyed effectively. We get the chance to see the world of Berk, only it feels a little more real as humans interact, fight with and befriend the titular dragons. Taking on Hiccup's journey as an outcast who wants to belong, only to develop an unlikely bond that changes the Vikings forever is incredibly charming. I loved that this movie didn't pull punches. Moments where a fight had to have stakes we would see Vikings fall or our heroes in real peril, Hiccup and Toothless' bonding was really gradual and nice to fall into and the Red Death's reveal is a genuinely terrifying moment in the feature. This film might have lost a couple of scenes but it largely kept the script of the original, allowing this film to bring How To Train Your Dragon to a whole host of new young Vikings in the audience.

The visual effects for this film are pretty good for the most part. I most enjoyed how the dragons felt so characteristic, they were entirely expressive and the designs were as varied as they were in the original series. John Powell returns to give the iconic score one more go fresh, each song really uplifts the quality of a scene. Hiccup and Toothless' first flight is one of those iconic film moments that stays with you long after you've left the movie theatre.

Nico Parker, who played Astrid, does a great job of bringing Astrid's character journey to life; Parker presents a more aggressive character who finds inspiration in Hiccup and Toothless' bond. Gerard Butler, who played Stoick, looks like he is having the time of his life in this film; Butler really leans into the comedy of Stoick more successfully than I expected. Nick Frost, who played Gobber, is an admittedly decent pick for the teacher of the next wave of dragon-slaying Vikings; Frost wears his character's heart on his sleeve a bit which works admirably. Gabriel Howell, who played Snotlout, is a ton of fun as the cocky young Viking trying to impress everyone; I found Powell entirely entertaining without being too arrogant in his character. Peter Serafinowicz, who played Spitelout, did a lot without needing to say much at all; his rough-edged father figure paired nicely with Powell's Snotlout. Naomi Wirthner, who played Gothi, is a performance that really added an intriguing element to the world of Berk; Wirthner's Gothi managed to be mysterious and mystical without even needing to contribute dialogue.

However, the best performance came from Mason Thames, who played Hiccup. I have no idea how far they cast the net for this role but it was clearly the exact right amount. Thames is nearly flawless as the live-action Hiccup. He has a nervous and slightly off-kilter personality that makes Hiccup a bit of an outcast in the Viking village of Berk. Yet, he also has such a big emotional range and is relentlessly earnest. I loved the moments where he got a more determined edge to Hiccup, seeing him fight for Toothless and for his people to change for the better makes How To Train Your Dragon the special film that it is. I hope Thames gets the complete trilogy, he has more than earned it.

For better or worse, How To Train Your Dragon is exactly what the original animated film is. Beat for beat this film is the same, so it will not surprise you nor unfurl some major new plot point to keep it fresh. I feel the big criticism for live-action remakes beyond why on Earth they keep making them is that they often deviate too much from the original material. Here they find the best from the original work, but that can also be its own weakness.

Overall, the biggest failure of How To Train Your Dragon is the visual camera work. I often found the cinematography missed the best angle it could have found in a scene, favouring poorly framed close-ups or shots that only really serve to set up a visual effect. While I think the overall special effects in the film are good, that first village fight scene was really average and many of the flight scenes are blurry.

Julian Dennison, who played Fishlegs, is a New Zealand actor who has really struggled to make his mark in a blockbuster; Dennison was awkward and one of the characters I least wanted to see onscreen. Bronwyn James and Harry Trevaldwyn, who played Ruffnut and Tuffnut respectively, just pushed the comedic relief angle too hard; in a film where there was plenty of humour present, there was never much need for performances that oversold it. 

One of the most faithful and entertaining live-action remakes in years. I would give How To Train Your Dragon an 8.5/10.

Ballerina

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Ballerina is the first spinoff film in the John Wick universe, set between the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum and John Wick: Chapter 4. In this film, we follow Eve, a young assassin trained by the Ruska Roma, who goes off on a revenge mission when she encounters the group that murdered her father.

I love how scrappy Ballerina is throughout. Where watching John Wick is about watching a master assassin sweep his way through a room brimming with goons, Ballerina presents more of an underdog revenge mission. Eve enters this film through a fairly compelling tragic origin and an adrenaline-filled training sequence that sees her getting moulded into the fighter we've all come out to see. This is a film in which the protagonist struggles, she is smaller than most of her opponents and her punches don't pack a wallop. Seeing this character learn to fight more effectively as if her life depends on it, makes this an interesting premise from the beginning. We know Eve is going to hurl herself at her opponents like an animal, clawing her way through a fight creatively and without compromise. Eve's descent into the world of the High Table is fascinating, and this development introduces a new cult faction, making for a unique adversary. I appreciated watching Eve work her way up the ladder to achieve her revenge - even being judged for her righteousness by the Baba Yaga himself. The best aspects of this film come from seeing Eve fight her way through a killer village, that felt fresh for the John Wick universe.

This is a film that captures action brilliantly, thinking of ways for the camera to latch onto the most original form of movement to really make those brawls flow. Pairing neatly with that is just how nicely the editing weaves this production together; the action sequences involve very intensive cutting, which makes the film look all the better for it. I was blown away by the stunts across Ballerina, like a John Wick film the theme seems to be creativity first and choreography only half a step behind. The score for this film is nothing short of thrilling, with a real adrenaline pulse present throughout and a neat Tchaikovsky number scattered to weave an emotional bond with the character. Having a track from Evanescence and Halsey both meant this film had a broody, tough edge to close on that perfectly mirrored the tone of Ballerina.

Ana de Armas, who played Eve, leads this film with the same amount of intense drive that made Reeves' Wick so famous; de Armas has a primal ferocity and rage on show that really makes you sit up and pay attention. Keanu Reeves, who played John Wick, is such a staple of this franchise and a welcome return; Reeves presents a more morose and benevolent side of Wick here that I quite enjoyed. Anjelica Huston, who played The Director, is still an imposing force within this world; Huston lends a cold edge to this character which I loved. Gabriel Byrne, who played The Chancellor, is one of the most memorable antagonists in the John Wick universe yet; Byrne presents himself with such charisma while talking about spine-chilling actions. Ava Joyce McCarthy, who played Ella, is a brilliant child performer; she didn't get boxed into type and really gave her role a mean edge where required. Norman Reedus, who played Daniel Pine, is giving more than you might expect with his fatherly assassin; this role was quite a selfless type who pushed himself for the sake of his daughter. Lance Reddick, who played Charon, isn't in this for long but gives as good as ever; Reddick was a real treasure as Charon and he is an actor who will be sincerely missed. Abraham Popoola, who played Frank, is a role I'd love to see back in this universe; Popoola found the perfect balance between campy and cool.

However, the best performance came from Ian McShane, who played Winston. This character is such a brilliant fixture of the John Wick universe. McShane is entirely elegant and sophisticated in his delivery, making the actual person he is portraying both alluring and mysterious. In this feature we get the more benevolent side of Winston, seeing him shelter and protect young Eve. McShane does a great job of being the doorman in this almost fantastical world of killers and assassins. I was especially impressed with the way McShane subtly steers de Armas to her path of revenge. Winston becomes this figure for justice within the world of darkness he resides in, which has always been one of the most fascinating facets of his character.

I greatly enjoyed Ballerina, it feels like another sign that the John Wick universe is the safest place to go for good action. However, where Ballerina suffered is just how ridiculous it decided to get at times. I felt this film tried to be creative wherever possible, but it so frequently undercut this with a sequence that felt almost cartoonish. The grenade sequence and the flamethrower sequence in particular got a bit overbearing. Ballerina also tried a bit too hard to come off as a dramatic character piece at times, delivering Eve some plot twists around her past that were uninspired. This movie didn't need to make Eve's story overly complex, her revenge angle served the narrative enough. I also enjoyed seeing John Wick in this, but he was used a lot more than was really required. John Wick diving into the action at the end of the film as Eve's fight sequences were tapering out stole the thunder of her ending a bit. The focus was shifted from Eve right when it should have stayed squarely on her.

Catalina Sandino Moreno, who played Lena, just feels like an error within the story; the commitment to the secret sister arc is an emotional push that winds up having no weight behind it. Sharon Duncan-Brewster, who played Nogi, really gets saddled with the exposition dumps for this feature; I also found her being delegated the constant pep talks quite frustrating. David Castañeda and Victoria Comte, who played Javier and Young Eve respectively, weren't the most interesting aspects of Ballerina's opening; I particularly found Comte a difficult young performer to engage with as the child version of the leading role. 

This is just further proof that the world of John Wick continues to dominate the action film scene. I would give Ballerina a 7.5/10.

Mountainhead

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Mountainhead is almost a one-room drama of sorts involving four billionaires as they vent about their business woes, the disruptive consequences of their own A.I., and the idea of taking over world nations and crafting the perfect murder.

This movie is an interesting take on satirising modern billionaires and the power they wield. While I felt a lot of this movie lacked a decent narrative throughline, the presentation of the message was clear and decent enough. These characters are all very callous, none of them come near to being grounded and one even acts like 'other people' don't really exist. These characters release products into the world that have a global negative impact, and don't assess how to fix it but instead attempt to find humour in the situation. Everything is about reputation and how to get an edge over others to enhance their financial profiles. One character takes a sociopathic bend because he becomes convinced he needs to kill one of the others so that his consciousness can be uploaded digitally when the science progresses there. This seemingly convoluted fear of mortality turns into a crazy plot where three of the characters attempt the most ineffectual murder in history. This film does a lot of this, the characters talking about doing these big serious sweeping things and not really advancing towards an actual outcome. A light barb that billionaires are morally bankrupt and also only looking to make effectual change for themselves.

Jesse Armstrong has a pretty crisp visual style, with the camera keeping things active and interesting in spite of the singular location. I loved how dynamic the lighting was and how the camera sought every possible interesting angle of interaction. The score by Nicholas Britell is quite a delicate, almost trance-like sound that is virtually crystalline and perfect in sharp contrast to the characters at the core of this story.

Steve Carell, who played Randall, is a more sociopathic and emotionally devoid role; Carell's character is probably the most cutthroat in his willingness to betray others to preserve himself. Cory Michael Smith, who played Venis, looks to be having incredible fun playing the clear Elon Musk parody; this is a character who runs through some very extreme turns of emotion that happen at very surprising points in the script. Ramy Youssef, who played Jeff, is very intriguing as the more morally conscious member of the group; Youssef's character incites the most conflict which makes him fun to watch.

However, the best performance came from Jason Schwartzman, who played Souper. This is a character who is a simpering hanger-on to the big billionaires at the table. Schwartzman's role isn't a billionaire, the only one at Mountainhead with a net worth only in the millions. He walks around desperate for the approval of the other three, wanting to be seen as something close to an equal. The initial grovelling is embarrassing in the face of unabashed confidence or indifference, yet Schwartzman doubles down further and further. When he gets so desperate that he becomes the active pawn in a murder plot, we see how wretched and shallow this character truly is in the face of his ambition. He barely contains his glee at rolling over a rival to be held in better esteem by the end of the film. None of these characters is likeable, but Schwartzman's role certainly has the most interesting dimensions to it.

I really struggled to find the plot in Mountainhead. The story is really these four band together, talk some ideas but act impotently about them and then turn on one another for the sake of greed. It's a pretty shallow satire at best, depicting familiar celebrity billionaires via dramatic parody but without anything deep to say beyond what one might expect criticism of billionaires to look like on a surface level. The fact the comedic murder attempt story is as close as this film gets to a linear narrative is underwhelming. It's clearly a movie that thinks it has more to say than it really does, but the points aren't really these big intellectual discussion topics. This is a film that feels more like a corridor debate between university students than something helmed by an Emmy-winning creator.

The editing for Mountainhead is slow, no doubt owing to the limited ability to cut within a singular location. Unfortunately, it still contributes to a more sluggish presentation of the story.

More of a college philosophy bro's character assassination of a pack of billionaires than a groundbreaking satire. I would give Mountainhead a 6/10.

Fountain of Youth

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Fountain of Youth is an adventure film that follows Luke Purdue, an art thief and explorer, as he seeks the Fountain of Youth alongside his team. When he hits a snag in his journey he ropes in his younger sister, Charlotte, to reluctantly unlock the last pieces in the puzzle.

This movie holds a lot of charm, particularly in the moments where the adventure transitions into an action piece. I'm not necessarily speaking of the strange shootout at the end between Interpol and the security team, but rather those classic moments where the adventurers have to scramble out of harm's way. Watching Luke navigate a number of situations where he has to keep his research or discovery safe from Esme is often the high point of the feature. The best point of all this was the introduction to the film where Luke is engaged in a high-stakes chase sequence and then a train carriage tussle in Thailand.

I'm used to a Guy Ritchie film having a decent musical score and Fountain of Youth is no exception to the rule. This is a thrilling musical arrangement that builds into the sense of wonder present at times. I also loved the Thai version of 'Bang Bang' kicking the film off, great soundtrack choice there.

Natalie Portman, who played Charlotte Purdue, has a pretty good bickering sibling chemistry with Krasinski; she is the more stoic and cautious presence across the film. Eiza González, who played Esme, has some cracking chemistry with Krasinski across this that makes them the most fun of the film; she is a dangerous yet entertaining presence throughout. Daniel De Bourg, who played Harold, is perfect as the ex-husband role to Portman; De Bourg is so despicable in his role that he winds up being the more memorable antagonist.

However, the best performance came from John Krasinski, who played Luke Purdue. This is a pretty classic explorer figure. Krasinski plays a real rascal here, someone who you can't take very seriously as he works with a quip and an improvised plan. Luke is the sort of role who enjoys the chase of the score, often being pulled by the lure of his own greed. I enjoyed Krasinski's comedic displays of confidence and flirting, all while ensuring Luke came off as bumbling and lucky. This isn't a world-famous explorer character in the making but it's certainly a solid show that Krasinski can lead well in this genre.

The adventure genre hasn't been flying high for quite a while now. The new Indiana Jones was a disappointing end to the character, the Uncharted film was a pale reflection of the game and no one turned up for the National Treasure Disney+ show. So perhaps it shouldn't be surprising that Guy Ritchie's foray into this genre is such a disappointment. I mean, Ritchie hasn't been making very good or memorable films for the past few projects himself. Yet it would be fair to say that Fountain of Youth is perhaps one of the worst features in Guy Ritchie's filmography. This is a film that kicks off with a very compelling opening scene and then promptly descends into a slow, rambling story that moves our characters from point to point. The conflict present in this film is often very easily resolved if that conflict doesn't involve stuntwork and even the puzzles our heroes are solving don't feel especially inspired. Watching young Thomas wallop the drums until a secret Ancient Egyptian passageway opens up is one of the worst things I've seen in film this year. The film struggles with interpersonal relationships too, Luke and Charlotte squabble like siblings but their conversations rarely hold depth. Along those same lines, Luke and the entire team barely engage with each other on a personal level. This film also does what a lot of these sorts of films do and presents a potential mystical component, but the mystique around this is barely there. The secret organisation protecting the Fountain makes itself known to Luke before the audience even gets to meet his team. When the fountain is revealed it never felt like it was hard to reach and when it immediately starts exhibiting magical powers the reveal is underwhelming. I also cannot believe the amount of time this film wasted with Interpol as an organisation having a presence. The Interpol subplot just felt like an anchor on the whole story.

I love Guy Ritchie's style as a rule but the cinematography here was remarkably dull. The film didn't really capitalise on set pieces or locations as much as I expected and the gentler scenes of conversation looked very blocky and simplistic. The special effects for this film were ghastly, the whole Fountain sequence with the visual effect of the water looked like something out of M. Night Shyamalan's Avatar: The Last Airbender.

Domhnall Gleeson, who played Owen Carver, used to be a really promising up-and-comer but now seems to be circling some average roles; Gleeson is a very stereotypical greedy British businessman villain. Arian Moayed, who played Inspector Jamal Abbas, is one of the most annoying members of the cast; Moayed is overbearing in this and struggles to make his character feel relevant. Laz Alonso and Carmen Ejogo, who played Patrick Murphy and Deb McCall respectively, just feel like extra bodies to give the adventurers a 'team' vibe; the fact is these characters are barely engaged with and often forgotten about. Stanley Tucci, who played The Elder, has no real reason to be in this film; Tucci rattles off some dull exposition and nothing else. Benjamin Chivers, who played Thomas, isn't a great young performer; his dialogue delivery isn't great and he struggles to form convincing relationships with other cast members. Steve Tran, who played Kasem, is an odd novelty antagonist that gets more screen time than is really needed; the way the role hounds after Krasinski's is almost cartoonish.

Guy Ritchie used to be one of my favourite film directors ever. Now he makes lifeless adventure films that can't even beat out the Uncharted film. I would give Fountain of Youth a 3.5/10.

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning marks the eighth and allegedly final film in the Mission: Impossible franchise. This film picks up where Dead Reckoning left off, with Ethan Hunt and the IMF team racing to destroy the AI adversary known as The Entity. On their mission, they are beset by other parties seeking to control the Entity, both enemy and allied.

The Mission: Impossible series has been one of my very favourite action series for some time. The death-defying action that escalates in these movies is something that really authenticates the stakes. Over the years, Ethan and his team have grown increasingly isolated from their allies as their enemies crawl out of the darkest global underbellies. This places our protagonists in a very interesting place from the top of this film. They are extremely isolated because they are the only faction working towards the destruction of The Entity, everyone else simply wants to put it on a leash. This 'out in the cold' position IMF finds themselves within marks them as the underdogs the whole film, with only one another to fall back onto. The film does a good job of escalating the tension with a simple ticking clock across the story. Three days until The Entity nukes the world, giving our heroes barely any time to deep dive into military submarines, disarm city-levelling bombs or have a bi-plane altercation. There is a desperate edge to everything with this race against time that I loved. Another simple trick is that the hero and the villain just have it out for one another, Ethan and Gabriel tangle with one another across this which is a nice driving force.

The stunt work in these films has always been out of this world, and the final film continues to deliver on that front. Watching Cruise navigate complex underwater sets or walk along the exterior of an active aeroplane is a spectacle well worth watching. The visuals for this film are impressive, with dramatic well-lit close-ups in your more intimate scenes paired alongside grand-scale action sequences with stunning views. I really enjoyed the score for this film, it utilised the main theme nicely while also holding some really tense or poignant pieces throughout.

Hayley Atwell, who played Grace, is one of the freshest faces on the main team and she is entirely superb; Atwell plays to the stakes of a scene really well. Ving Rhames, who played Luther Stickell, is a bit underutilized in this feature but works extremely hard in his scenes; Rhames has a more earnest and melancholy edge this time around that will leave you mourning. Simon Pegg, who played Benji Dunn, gives his most grim take on the character yet; Pegg really plays a loyal and desperate soldier here who mirrors Cruise nicely. Pom Klementieff, who played Paris, really finds her place in this feature; having a more dangerous assassin in the IMF mix really added some new flavour to the team. Henry Czerny, who played Kittridge, has been nice to see back in the role he inhabited so long ago; Czerny leaves you guessing as to his character's allegiances which makes him a wild card in scenes. Holt McCallany, who played Serling, is the saving grace to the Presidential War Room scenes; McCallany has a seasoned edge and a propensity for character acting that sells him as this Intelligence Head. Tramell Tillman, who played Captain Bledsoe, was an incredible scene-stealer; Tramell really had fun with his character which made him a little unpredictable and interesting. Shea Whigham, who played Briggs, is just one of the great working character actors right now; Whigham presents a figure hounding after a deep-seated personal vendetta neatly. Rolf Saxon, who played William Donloe, is a surprisingly great returning role; Saxon's gentle genius who has been living in exile is a really intriguing addition to this film. Katy O'Brian and Paul Bullion, who played Kodiak and Shirley respectively, had this tough edge and banter that worked alongside Cruise; these scenes felt fun because it was just strong performers showing off against one another. Pasha D. Lychnikoff, who played Captain Koltsov, was a surprisingly fun minor antagonist; Lychnikoff crafted a respectful combatant with a begrudging chemistry shared with the IMF team cast members. 

However, the best performance came from Tom Cruise, who played Ethan Hunt. I find that in almost every single one of these films, this note rings true. Cruise is an actor/producer combo dedicated to this craft like few else, and across this film series, he has repeatedly put in the work. In his hands, Ethan Hunt has turned out to be a classic hero. An action hero with an unwavering moral compass who runs headfirst into danger to save the world around him. This film Cruise presents Hunt as being almost haunted by that drive, he knows the stakes through and through. This is a character entirely desperate to save everybody and willing to sacrifice himself in fifty different ways to do it. This is Cruise standing up and showing us all how much he loves Ethan Hunt one last time, and it's a true spectacle.

My issue with The Final Reckoning seems to be quite a bit of what I disliked about Dead Reckoning, showing a real unwillingness to learn. This film takes off with a bang in London, pitting Ethan and Gabriel against one another once more. We're then sadly pushed deep down into planning stages, political jargon and long stretches of exposition for the remainder of the first act. This is not a short film and it would benefit from a strong sense of pacing, but that vision just isn't present in this film. Once again, the film takes a strange turn by really doubling down on an omnipotent AI antagonist, weirdly making Mission: Impossible feel like it has taken on a sci-fi bend. The robotic antagonist is dispassionate and doesn't mesh well into this espionage world. I strongly feel this film series would have been better served with a more human antagonist to close us out. This film also continues the trend of the last one in another way, hosting a long bloated subplot revolving around American bureaucrats in a room hosting a debate. It's very dry storytelling that kills the rhythm. This last instalment loses a lot of the light-hearted charm of modern Mission: Impossible films, it just takes itself far more seriously than it really needs to. The Last Reckoning has a stern edge and the loss of levity is punctuated throughout.

A flaw the past couple of Mission: Impossible films have had is elements of the editing. It often feels like nothing is left on the cutting room floor and as many shots are pushed into a scene or sequence as possible, resulting in a slow pace and entire scenes that feel crammed.

Esai Morales, who played Gabriel, loses a lot of his menacing edge from Dead Reckoning; Morales is almost a cartoonish bad guy in this with his constant ultimatums and maniacal laughs. Janet McTeer, Nick Offerman, Charles Parnell and Mark Gatiss, who played Walters, General Sidney, Richards and Angstrom respectively, were quite a bland ensemble who were very unconvincing as figures of major authority; Offerman was perhaps the most disappointing as the blustering and self-sacrificing general. Hannah Waddingham, who played Admiral Neely, had a ridiculously impassive exterior; Waddingham gave this role little to no emotion whatsoever. Angela Bassett, who played Erika Sloane, wasn't especially engaging as the President for the film; Bassett helmed an ensemble that seemed to grapple with one another for who could come off the most stoic. Greg Tarzan Davis, who played Degas, is one of the worst main characters introduced into the IMF team; Davis barely brings personality to the film and feels like excess weight. Lucy Tulugarjuk, who played Tapeesa, is a bit of a curveball addition to the film with more screen time than the role demands; Tulugarjuk playing the Inuit woman who gets laughs for not understanding anyone was an odd bit of running comedy. Stephen Oyoung and Tomás Paredes, who played Pills and Hagar respectively, were the dullest aspect of the submarine storyline cast; Oyoung really grinds the audience through some average exposition delivery.

Far from the conclusion Mission: Impossible deserves but a decent tip of the hat to many years of Ethan Hunt. I would give Mission: Impossible - The Final Reckoning a 7/10.

The Wedding Banquet

 

This review may contain spoilers!

The Wedding Banquet is a remake of the Ang Lee-directed 1993 film of the same name. Within this feature, Korean trust fund baby, Min, faces an impending return to South Korea due to his visa expiring. When his American boyfriend, Chris, turns down Min's proposal, Min presents a new solution. He will marry their lesbian friend, Angela, and in return pay for Angela and her girlfriend, Lee's, next round of IVF. However, the plan encounters a hitch when Min's grandmother arranges a visit to oversee the wedding.

Andrew Ahn is a queer director and storyteller whom I greatly enjoy and want to see more of. His work on Fire Island was very memorable and indicative of the way he lifts up queer and Asian culture via his storytelling. The Wedding Banquet is similar in the way it presents a lot of facets of these cultures that the average viewer wouldn't consider. The film opens with an allusion to Chinese dragon dance, that is immediately subverted with performative drag for a gala. I think many people wouldn't be used to the conversations this film is willing to have; like Angela's mother presenting as such a strong ally and putting herself on a pedestal for supporting her daughter when there were parts of their history where this wasn't overtly true. We get a very detailed examination of IVF motherhood, and the parenting choice conversation held between queer couples. I felt Angela grappling with this amidst her previously mentioned mother issues made for an interesting lead role perspective. There is also a discussion of commitment in queer relationships, which is another conversation point that doesn't get a major spotlight. I most especially loved how queer friendships are presented through a 'found family' lens, due to shared experience and interest this is something very true of the queer community and The Wedding Banquet presents this very well. I mean just look at the last shot of the film, it's a special one.

The score for this feature is beautiful, setting a melodic tone that resonates consistently and yet manages to evoke a range of emotions throughout.

Bowen Yang, who played Chris, is surprisingly better when he's not playing it up for laughs here; Yang's character isn't the nicest and yet he still finds a way to ground the character and make him feel sincere. Lily Gladstone, who played Lee, just shows us all why she is an Academy Award nominee; I loved Lee and her enormous capacity for love and reflective conversations about the future of her relationship. Kelly Marie Tran, who played Angela Chen, really leads this film in a way that I loved; Tran presents a protagonist with a real chip on their shoulder and who wants to do right by others despite her own insecurities. Youn Yuh-Jung, who played Ja-Young, has a really well-rounded character arc; Yuh-Jung presents an older Korean woman who grows from her more conservative views out of love for her grandson.

However, the best performance came from Joan Chen, who played May Chen. This was a character you know from the opening scene will steal the show more often than not. Chen's energy is infectious and she definitely winds up carrying the comedic load of the film. Just watching her grind up on that Chinese dragon had me in fits. Chen is playing a mother who is this sort of 'mega ally', she's involved in more queer support groups than her lesbian daughter. She is this overbearing gossip and she loves to make things larger than life. It is a real whirlwind of a character that could have just been played for comedy. Yet, Chen brings a lovely bit of nuance to the character. Her scenes with Yuh-jung in which she gently supports the Korean grandmother towards a more loving approach to her grandson are quite beautiful. I also loved the dynamic she shares with Tran; that scene in the bathroom where she comforts her on-screen daughter and reflects on her own flaws is one of those real human moments only fleetingly captured in film.

I found The Wedding Banquet to be another Andrew Ahn success in that it had a lot to shine a spotlight on, but I'm not convinced the story told really did a good job with that. These conversation points deserved to be the focal point and they often lost their edge just as we started delving a little deeper into them. This is a feature that tries desperately to be a romantic comedy, but it feels more naturally aligned to being a romantic drama. The humour often feels misplaced, sudden or it straight up doesn't land. I found the constant need for a scene to get a little goofier distracting, and essentially it dumbed the story being told down. While I liked the conversation around commitment in queer relationships, this film doesn't make Chris very likeable which makes the good turn ending a bit harder to swallow. I also felt this film let the novelty of the fake relationship die out too soon. The grandmother working everything out straight away was realistic but it took a lot of fun out of the story. It was also hard to believe Min came from the type of money he did when the film rarely could present a location or character dressed in a manner that reflected this descriptor.

This film clearly didn't have much budget behind it and it sadly showed in the production elements of the film. The cinematography tries for this cosy, light indie vibe most of the time but tends to land on blocky framing and restrictive sequences that feel pushed for time. The editing doesn't really support this either, with static cutting that sets a dull pace to the whole thing. The soundtrack for this film is just too empty, beyond one excellent track from Chinese American Bear, there is nothing here to lift the film up.

Han Gi-Chan, who played Min, just seems confused by the tone of the film; he is almost always playing to comedy in an over-the-top cartoonish manner. Bobo Le, who played Kendall, feels a bit surplus to requirements in this film; Le is meant to be a guiding point for Yang's role but the pair have quite a disinteresting chemistry with one another.

It is an impressive queer work that gets lost in the weeds trying to be funny and could have been a little stronger with some of the messages it was trying to convey. I would give The Wedding Banquet a 6.5/10.

Thunderbolts*

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Thunderbolts* is the 36th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It continues the stories told in Black Widow, Falcon and the Winter Soldier, and Ant-Man and the Wasp. Within this film, several anti-heroes must break ties with their employer, Valentina, as they are confronted with a new superhuman threat: The Sentry Project.

Thunderbolts* is quite a new step for Marvel in terms of tone, a completely dysfunctional and dark motley crew hounding after the big bad they all used to work for. The first scene that draws these heroes together tells you this isn't the light and fun MCU of Thor: Love and Thunder or The Marvels. In this scene, we have four of the mercenary characters pushed into one room intending to kill one another. The stakes are immediately raised when one succeeds in performing an execution before they realise they have all been betrayed. These are the asshole heroes of the superhero world, no one is going to hold these characters up as the pillars of morality. Yet across the narrative, the rough edges on this team of unlikelies start to smooth, and characters who shouldn't be good together bring out the best version of themselves. The main characters aren't good people or they don't have good faith in themselves, and their journey evolves them into something more. It is a film about underdogs who become heroes through lifting one another up. I also loved the use of The Sentry in this film, this isn't as simple as describing an antagonist role. The Sentry, or Bob, starts as an awkward and mentally unstable figure who stands as the best mystery of the Thunderbolts*. Watching his vulnerability and the way it is preyed upon as he becomes the strongest character we have seen in a long time is a very impressive juxtaposition. Seeing all of this power and greatness corrupted into a shadowy figure known as The Void, is a thrill and even a little horrifying. The things Thunderbolts* does right are always the moments that try to be a little more creative and fresh from what we have seen before.

The visual style here has some nice flow to it, action just glides across the screen and when it holds still for a second the framing is brilliant. Thunderbolts* is quite striking with its use of light and dark contrast, bold in how a scene is captured and evoking what emotion we should feel. I was also very impressed with the special effects on display here. The fight scene with Sentry is one of the cleanest fight scenes I have seen this year, a really well-choreographed and designed moment. The design for The Void is also quite grim, with his ability to turn people into shadows quite a fearful touch. Son Lux's score is also a real boiling point, it leaves you feeling like tensions are just waiting to burst into full-blown conflict. The soundtrack isn't much to speak of but it fits neatly with the theme or plays well into the film's sense of comedic timing.

Florence Pugh, who played Yelena Belova, is more than capable of leading a major film production like this; Pugh does a good job of grounding Yelena right down into her core emotional state. Lewis Pullman, who played Robert Reynolds, really just runs away and steals so much of the show; Pullman can make young Bob quite charming in one scene and then shape him into one of the most threatening roles we have seen in the MCU the next. Wyatt Russell, who played John Walker, has a mean edge and a lot of snark to him; Russell presents a man who is angry at the world and reluctant to accept his own failings which makes for quite the journey. Wendell Pierce, who played Congressman Gary, really comes to bat as this politician hounding after injustice; Pierce plays a man who knows how to work the system and stand by it.

However, the best performance came from David Harbour, who played Alexei Shostakov. I did not expect to have missed this washed-out Soviet super-soldier as much as I did. Harbour yearning after his glory days, both past and future is a bit that never really gets old. I loved his enormous joy at any slight silver lining, even if it is one he has fabricated. Harbour carries the comedic weight of the film on his back with great talent, he knows how to draw the best possible laugh out of a scene. I loved his chemistry with Pugh, their genuine father/daughter connection props their characters up quite well. The scene where Harbour draws Pugh back into the fight before the final battle is one of the most heartfelt moments of the film. Harbour gives his absolute all to this character and his energy is infectious. This is a performance that does not stop and I wouldn't want it to.

Thunderbolts* is the sort of film that bounds with creativity and wants to blaze the trail with something new. So it is disappointing when it folds down into the classic formulaic beats. The film has a very impressive second act but the final act is patched with holes. These characters don't really brawl or engage in a conflict that feels satisfying. The Void is an antagonist that just devolves into all of Bob's 'bad feelings', a figure with supreme power who should not be permitted to wield it. On the cusp of Bob overthrowing The Void, it threatens to consume him and all of the team rushes forward to embrace him so that he knows he is safe. It's a nice sentiment but an underwhelming end to a film that previously held some worthy stakes. The film ends with a shared embrace and the end of all troubles, the sense that everything was all in our heroes' heads is disappointing. The film's opening is sluggish; it opens with a very monotonous voice-over from Yelena as she paces through a slow opening and action sequence. More disappointing than that is the political subplot peppered throughout Thunderbolts*. This loose sense of Valentina needing to be impeached and the committee railing against her is just another example that the MCU hasn't managed a sense of its political world to any great success since Captain America: The Winter Soldier. It also drags Bucky Barnes down into the murk that is this political landscape, which is a puzzling place to present such a character. The film ends with a convoluted 'big shock' moment that barely feels earned and left me leaving the cinema wondering what happened to that feeling I had in the second act.

Sebastian Stan, who played Bucky Barnes, regresses completely into a stoic beat 'em up sort of role; Stan feels outside the core cast of this which leaves him sticking out like a sore thumb. Julia Louis-Dreyfus, who played Valentina Allegra de Fontaine, is the sort of performer who just hams it up in their superhero film antagonist role; Louis-Dreyfus plays this role for comedy more than she ever tries to play it for a dramatic read. Hannah John-Kamen, who played Ava Starr, is such an intriguing role to add to this mix; but I just felt like she was wasted and not really explored throughout the narrative. Olga Kurylenko, who played Antonia Dreykov, might as well have not been used for this film; this character was propped up for little more than a death scene. Geraldine Viswanathan, who played Mel, just awkwardly sits in more scenes than this character really deserves or needs; Viswanathan's whole betrayal storyline feels pretty predictable and makes for a dull role to watch.

A film that can be creatively fresh while also diverting down the easy road at times. I would give Thunderbolts* a 7.5/10.