Conclave

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Conclave is an adaptation of the Robert Harris novel of the same name and follows the conclave that transpires after the death of a Pope. This is framed as a political/religious thriller with the cardinals vying for what is a position of power, while Cardinal Lawrence attempts to solve the skeletons that are starting to tumble out of closets.

I love a good thriller script that leaves you guessing. There are significant points in this film where I wondered if it might turn into a murder mystery. However, the tale being told here is far more complex and engaging than the mystery of a dead man. Rather, this is a collection of cardinals who hold great ambition for the papacy, but many of them are trying to hold back secrets that would prevent them from getting voted in. The deceased Pope had a selected head of the Conclave, which falls to Cardinal Lawrence. Lawrence is a very steady and calm man, not outspoken but with a clear moral code and as an audience, we learn to trust him early on. It's really interesting to see Lawrence take it upon himself to ensure the best possible man to be Pope is selected, even compromising some of his values as the film forges on to do so. It's a film that raises the moral question of who deserves to be Pope and how can we be assured political ambition isn't the driving motivation behind this seat. Conclave handles a flow of narrative twists and turns extremely well, offering some great surprises and suspenseful scenes. I even reached a point where I lost trust in Lawrence, which shows the layers this thing brought to the screen. This is a whirling thriller that leaves you unsure who is right, and hoping that Lawrence is a man we can put our trust in. The pursuit of that outcome was great, the runtime of this feature just flew by.

Edward Berger really is one of those grand directors, he is becoming the sort of name I would be looking out for in a cinematic release. The visual style of Conclave is so reverent of the majesty of these deep-seated religious spaces, while also capturing the mundanity of them. That human element that permeates it with cigarette smoke, the latest iPads and designer suitcases. The intense close-ups and mid-shots peppered throughout to drum up the suspense and mystery are very effective. the score used throughout is swift and flitters through, it evokes grandeur in the right moments and inner anxieties in others.

Lucian Msamati, who played Adeyemi, is a real powerhouse in this; Msamati is one of the charismatic greats but has an enormous scene in which he has to capture loss so beautifully. Stanley Tucci, who played Bellini, is a very resolute figure who consistently sticks by his principles; I like that Tucci is so outspoken in this while also simultaneously proving to not be the fighter everyone wishes him to be. John Lithgow, who played Tremblay, is quite a gentle figure for someone so suspicious; I loved how Lithgow played his whole world dropping out from under him later in the film. Thomas Loibl, who played Mandorff, is a more quiet and restrained role but he stood out to me; an aide figure to Fiennes who is at the centre of delivering information that incites the mystery. Isabella Rossellini, who played Sister Agnes, is a very mysterious and distrusting character; her big scene of support for Fiennes in front of the other cardinals is a favourite of mine. Sergio Castellitto, who played Tedesco, is quite an amusing character for such a despicable figure; Castellitto balances moments of charisma with moments of belligerent narcissism. Carlos Diehz, who played Benitez, is a very goodly character that stands for principles many of the other roles fail to employ; Diehz really makes a role that feels humble and sincerely likeable.

However, the best performance came from Ralph Fiennes, who played Lawrence. This is one of those great awards-worthy leading roles. It is a masterclass in what an actor brings to a film when they understand the script and know how to enrich it. Fiennes has always been a master of the craft and this demonstrates that more than most. Lawrence is a calm and balanced figure at first, fraught with his grief over the death of the Pope. Yet Fiennes lends duty to him well, crafting a stalwart figure determined to oversee a worthy conclave. There are scenes of passion where he allows Lawrence to speak from his heart, to earnestly pursue his morals that I adored. Yet what I most found interesting was his frantic descent into achieving what is 'right'; discovering the right man for the papacy. Fiennes takes Lawrence down a wild, and stressful investigation that leaves the viewer questioning his place in all this. There were even times I questioned Lawrence and his ambitions. To evoke a character with that level of complexity is unparalleled, and I sincerely applaud Ralph Fiennes for achieving it.

I do wonder if the last twist delivered in the final act was necessary. It is an important topic that almost trivialises the ending more than it needed to. I would have loved a film that discussed this issue but to give discussion to a small scene at the end with only a little set-up felt undeserving and clouded the conclusion for the film. Conclave just wanted to point out one last time that all these characters carried secrets, but I am not convinced evoking this big of a topic right as the curtain was closing was the appropriate move. I also felt this film lost its grounding in the religious setting at times, even pushing the boundaries of realism around what this Catholic space might look like. It held the aesthetic in places, but I often found myself wondering if it lost sight of the Catholic bearing the film was rooted in.

The editing for this film could really have been tighter, it often lingered a bit too long on a shot and while the script moved at a captivating pace the cutting didn't always match up.

Jacek Koman, who played Wozniak, portrays a very simple and over-the-top form of grief; Koman's role is a desperate figure of intrigue but he fails to excite or engage the audience.

This film really had so many engaging twists and turns, all led by the incomparable Ralph Fiennes. I would give Conclave an 8/10.

Nosferatu

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Nosferatu is a remake of the 1922 silent film of the same name, which was inspired by/adapted from Bram Stoker's Dracula. In this film, Ellen Hutter finds herself plagued by an undying man who will bring ruin to London until the pair fulfil their desire for one another.

I don't think you can adapt the Nosferatu story much better than this. The film ties itself deeply to Ellen, how she was sexually assaulted at a young age, the internalised shame she carries from this and her sexual appetites that she is growing into depicted as both monstrous and frightening. The horror of this film is foreboding, the sense of something coming. A dark, lustful thing that destroys and wishes to ravage Ellen. We get to see a haunted Ellen wrestle with two sides of herself, the woman who wishes for the love her life holds and the one who teeters upon being consumed by this darkness. It is an interesting conflict externalised by Ellen's moments of possession, but also the way the setting of London descends and steadily becomes more depraved and sick. While a more minor harbinger, I point to Knock, who starts as the head of a property business and ends the film in a coffin dreaming himself the King of Rats. I liked the idea of the more noble love story in Thomas and Ellen versus the darker relationship of Ellen and Orlok. Watching Thomas first struggle his way to meeting and working with Orlok, fearing him and attempting to kill him was a wild act of repulsion; but as Thomas comes to fight for Ellen more on his return to London we see them both champion their love for one another. Ellen facing the darkness and choosing not to be consumed by it but to triumph over it makes for a tragic but powerful ending. A young woman consumed by the wrongs done to her, but defeating this selfsame darkness on her own terms.

Robert Eggers' has improved more and more with his style as his career has progressed. I think this might simply be his most potent film to look at yet; the visuals are unreal. Thomas' journey to Count Orlok's castle is an intrepid feast for the eyes, the crossroads shot is remarkable. I love how this film blacks with the blacks and the whites, it makes shadows and silhouettes into moments of real artistic expression. I also thought the visual effects where applicable in this film looked quite clean, I think to moments like the wolves or the effects enhancement on Orlok's form. Robin Carolan is gonna be really busy after this one, he should be composing forever and ever. The film doesn't build with such rich tension without the incredible tracks Carolan weaves through here.

Lily-Rose Depp, who played Ellen Hutter, gives one of her finest performances to date; I was most impressed by her physical performance and how she depicts a character ravaged by possession. Nicholas Hoult, who played Thomas Hutter, is entirely phenomenal as this steadfast and noble husband; Hoult is really showing a range here of a man displaying absolute terror right through to incredible feats of bravery. Willem Dafoe, who played Prof. Albin Eberhart von Franz, immediately embodies this mysterious yet goodly man of wisdom; Dafoe shines in this as a master of the occult and any scenes he shared with Depp were great emotional beats. Ralph Ineson, who played Dr. Wilhelm Sievers, is a very stoic and pragmatic figure; Ineson's role teeters on what he knows as fact and the mystery of the occult world. Simon McBurney, who played Knock, really lays it all out there for Nosferatu; McBurney delivers a man who appears of good station and descends into raving madness.

However, the best performance came from Bill Skarsgård, who played Count Orlok. It is very interesting to watch Skarsgård disappear into these monstrous roles; I think of his infamous portrayal of Pennywise immediately. But this is a role that shows how he has grown as a performer, it is a very grounded creature that still feels ancient, mystical and cursed. Orlok's voice is a distinctive heavy accent, lost under a gasping drawl. Skarsgård's character sounds extremely powerful and he holds himself as such to, there is a blazing intensity in his expressions that will not leave you. Any time he acts across from Depp it feels like you are watching two people who lust and hate each other circling, either longing to embrace or to choke the life from one another. Skarsgård breathes very real longing into this rotting vampire, he is a horrific creation that will set the bar for horror in 2025.

I have never been a great fan of Robert Eggers, his directed works have never particularly impressed me (though The Northman was decent). I find he muddles around in style in a few ways; the one I can never quite cope with is his depiction of the perverse. An Eggers production always tries to push the limit in regards to sex, gore or perturbing actions. Nosferatu is probably the tamest one we have had so far, but it doesn't mean the film doesn't cross the line in a few odd scenes to being unnecessarily unpleasant.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who played Friedrich Harding, feels a little lost in this production; I never felt particularly immersed by Taylor-Johnson and he seems to struggle with his place in such a serious period horror. Emma Corrin, who played Anna Harding, is really lost in the crowd with this one; Corrin feels an ill fit for the doting and meek housewife.

I am delighted to have finally found an Eggers' film that I really connect with and adore. I would give Nosferatu an 8/10.

The Best and Worst Films of 2024

 

In 2024 I watched over 110 films I had never seen before, according to my Letterboxd diary. This is about thirty less than the previous year but I'm still taking it as a win. Somehow, against some awful moments (this year saw me give one of my first 0.5/10 scores) I found excellence in cinema. In fact, looking back on last year's rankings I have five more films viewed in cinema and five more films positive than the previous year. The 114 films I watched over the year comprise my 65 in cinema and additional recommended watches from those who want to share their own movie loves. It is always a privilege to engage in the latter and this year, I connected with the horror genre more than ever.

The past year has felt busy, just as a year but also for me personally. When we go through great moments of responsibility it can be hard to know when you have shouldered too much or if you're not shouldering enough. I found the thing that helped me a lot is the power of listening, which might sound silly. But it is the voices of others who taught me what I needed to improve and it is others who lift you up via words of encouragement or wisdom. Going and sitting in front of a film is a lot like that; as is a play or a song or a poem. It weaves a story and if you listen hard enough, you might just learn something or improve a part of your character. I thought the whole year long about the sort of man I want to be after watching The Iron Claw.

After all the writer's strikes, actor's strikes, AI fears and giant pressures placed on special effect companies and animation studios, it's no surprise the smaller releases shone brightly this year. Those human moments or stories where we look up to the screen and see a part of ourselves. I'm a massive fan of superhero blockbusters but I've enjoyed some distance from them this year. It has challenged how varied I am as a viewer and led to some watches that I never would have expected from myself years ago (*cough* The Substance *cough*). This year felt like a chance for cinema to take risks again, and not cower behind 'surefire' box office successes. Superman is flying back in 2025 and the Jurassic World dinos are stomping back too, so this period might be brief. But for now? I have enjoyed wandering off the beaten trail.

Overall, this year has been pretty memorable and a chance to explore material I otherwise wouldn't have engaged with. I'm a firm believer in breaking from your comfort zone with stories, you never know what bright new discovery you might make. I feel the highs really strongly belong on this list, while the worst I won't be watching them again. Without further ado, let's dig into the films of 2024, starting with my Top 5...

The Best:

5. The Iron Claw - 8.5/10

The Von Erich family and their wrestling history is a story I didn't really know a lot about going into this. But I was floored by the time we cut to credits, barely holding back the waterworks. This was a film I watched all the way back at the start of 2024 and it has stayed with me ever since. This is nothing short of a tragedy, in which the unforgiving (and often unrealistic) expectations of a family patriarch lead to moments of addiction, depression, mutilation and death. It's a biopic, and a lot of this really happened which is unbelievable. This is a career-best performance for Zac Efron and clears him far beyond his time supporting light musicals and tongue-in-cheek comedies. It's gritty, it's gorgeous, and it is a film that will stay with me for a long time.

Check out my The Iron Claw review! 

4. Challengers - 8.5/10

This film was wild and electric, like a shot of adrenaline that had me on the edge of my seat. If you ever wonder what I mean when I say actors do or don't have chemistry in a review, then watch this. The leading performances presented by Donaldson, Zendaya, and O'Connor are some of the best leading ensemble performances of the year. The aesthetic of this thrilling film is jaw-droppingly good; I was dazzled by the way a game was captured but also intimacy via extreme close-ups. The musical score for this got into my bloodstream or something because I rarely listen to film scores and I listened to it for a couple of weeks afterward. This film defines some unique character relationships, invests you in them, and then pulls it all together into a confrontation so riveting you won't be able to blink. 

Check out my Challengers review!

3. Deadpool and Wolverine - 9/10

Deadpool and Wolverine is the exception to my disappointment in superhero media this year, this is the sort of superhero blockbuster I hang out for. Ryan Reynolds pours his whole self into the Deadpool franchise but it is so clear he can achieve a lot more now that he's out from Fox. This film takes two tremendous personalities who haven't crossed over since X-Men Origins: Wolverine and gives the fans what they've been craving. Deadpool and Wolverine, together as they should have been. I felt like that kid in the comic store watching big heroes and villains seamlessly being brought together in some incredible moments. The humour was the best it has ever been in a Deadpool film, they really were allowed to just let loose. I saw it in the cinema five times and I never once tired of it. (Also I feel really bad for Joseph Quinn having to top that Human Torch performance).

Check out my review for Deadpool and Wolverine

2. Wicked - 9/10

Last year I called Wonka a film that beat the odds for being a top-five film and being a musical. I should have called it a precursor to the genre making an exceptional comeback. Wicked manages to honour the Broadway musical with great care while taking advantage of the cinematic medium to define itself. I loved looking at the production of this; the sets feel like stages in a very intentional manner. Practical effects are turned to wherever possible, just look at that train design. The music for this film is so memorable, that there are several instant favourites at hand. Mine was 'The Wizard and I' sung by the legendary Cynthia Erivo. I'm holding a lot of space in my heart for this one, it meant a great deal to me.

Check out my review for Wicked!

1. Better Man - 9/10

I cannot believe this. I actually cannot believe this. The CGI monkey Robbie Williams film is my number one. I feel half mad. But you know what? It was beyond my wildest expectations and I hope everyone gives it a go. The use of a CGI figure to ease the telling of a story tackling themes of addiction, self-harm, and suicidal thoughts is a little ingenious. It's a musical biopic and somehow managed to chase all the Wicked songs out of my brain, suddenly leaving me with 'Rock DJ' and 'Come Undone' instead. It's a pretty raw and honest film, there's a lot of sincerity to go in hand with the creativity. I sat there with tears streaming down my face on Christmas Day watching this, it was a really perfect moment. Watch for his performance of 'Angels', I saw it twice for that alone. I want to go again...

Check out my review of Better Man!

It was wonderful to have some really strong, emotional heavy-hitters in the top five this year. I'm also so surprised and delighted that the musical genre made a comeback. It's a tough one to nail; but when it does, you're in for a treat. Now let me hit you with some films that were decidedly not treats. My bottom five...

The Worst:

5. The Beekeeper - 3/10

This was the second film I watched in 2024 and I predicted back then it would be bottom five, here we are. The Beekeeper is yet another clunky, shallow action film about a man with a shadowy past - an organization with agents so tough and deadly they operate "outside the system". But not to worry, he's retired. He's off the grid. He's a beekeeper. What could possibly bring him out of retirement? An elderly woman being scammed over the phone. Cue an hour-and-a-half action montage that is riddled with easy sequences and bee puns. Seriously, the big line of the final act is "to bee or not to be". Jason Statham was on my bottom five last year with The Meg 2, here's to 2025 I guess.

Check out my The Beekeeper review!

4. Venom: The Last Dance - 2/10

Man, I have hated the Sony Marvel spinoff films. They made a perfectly alright blockbuster with the first Venom and ever since we have been off the rails. In 2024, there were three Sony Marvel films of note, none of which were very good: Kraven the Hunter, Madame Web and of course, Venom: The Last Dance. This was the big send-off to Tom Hardy's titular role, the end of the trilogy and it felt remarkably hollow. This is perhaps the worst long-running project Hardy has attached himself to and it is hard to feel anything as he stumbles towards the Statue of Liberty to the tune of Maroon 5 at the end. This is a threequel that banks everything it has on setting up an antagonist we barely see, and who likely won't be used by Sony in the next five years. A strong reminder that just because you can make a superhero blockbuster, doesn't mean it's going to be a hit.

Check out my Venom: The Last Dance review!

3. Argylle - 2/10

Matthew Vaughn used to be one of my favourite directors, he made one of my favourite X-Men films and Kingsman is acclaimed for a reason. However, while his style is all over this, the film itself is a bit of a mess. This is a film that just tries to do too much and could have been done with a bit of simplicity. It has a nice concept in an author being pulled into her fantasy world, but then it balloons into much more than that. This film doesn't stop adding plot twist after plot twist, developing a thoroughly tedious and slow-paced narrative. There is a whole cast of 'book characters' acting out their scenes, which leads nowhere and the sleeper secret agent story is a hard sell at every point of the journey. I say again, I love Matthew Vaughn. But we didn't need Argylle in the state it's in, and we certainly didn't need it to be a set-up for yet another Kingsman property.

Check out my Argylle review!

2. Trigger Warning - 2/10

Was this supposed to be a Jessica Alba comeback vehicle? Her John Wick? It feels like the low budget, poorly written Netflix exclusive action film that it is. Alba plays a remarkably bland character who goes through no change in this film and takes a beating before killing the antagonists. The whole film never really settles on what it wants to be. It starts out with a military focus but this is more to just establish Parker can 'fight'. It seriously sets itself up to be a murder mystery but doesn't lean on this too well either. Even the love triangle at play here is entirely unnecessary and not very well realised. As a whole this is a script that it feels like someone wrote over a week and got pretty proud of, yet it is riddled with factually incorrect material, exposition galore and the dullest action protagonist of 2024.

Check out my review of Trigger Warning!

1. Borderlands - 0.5/10

When I wrote my review for this film I called it soulless, and I damn well meant it. I don't think I have ever given out a 0.5 on my blog before and this is the sort of worthless blockbuster that does everything it can to earn it. I don't know what Eli Roth has going for him as a style, but going off this you might consider the worst implementation of CGI in a major motion picture, the inability to film action and the most obvious display of sound staging I've seen in recent years. I couldn't tell you who this film is for, I can barely tell you anything about the film between the minutes-long narration and third-act flashback sequences. Newcomers are going to be a bit lost if you don't know anything about Borderlands as a series in the first place, while fans are going to recognise barely anything beyond a base aesthetic. The internet tore the casting to shreds before this film came out and I patiently waited, expecting some of the talent in that line-up to prove people wrong. But this was not the sort of movie that actors shone despite, this movie sucked performers in and spat them out. When I say this was the year in which blockbusters really took a back seat I can think of no better example than this waste of time.

Check out my Borderlands review!

So another year comes to an end! I'm really looking forward to 2025, and know that the January line-up is already packed with some exciting features. To see where all the films I watched placed this year, I have them ranked below:

1. Better Man – 9/10
2. Wicked – 9/10
3. Deadpool and Wolverine – 9/10
4. Challengers – 8.5/10
5. The Iron Claw – 8.5/10
6. A Quiet Place: Day One – 8.5/10
7. The Wild Robot – 8.5/10
8. Love Lies Bleeding – 8/10
9. The Three Musketeers: D’Artagnan – 8/10
10. The Three Musketeers: Milady – 8/10
11. Speak No Evil – 8/10
12. Transformers One – 8/10
13. Alien: Romulus – 8/10
14. Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – 8/10
15. The Bikeriders – 8/10
16. Sonic The Hedgehog 3 – 8/10
17. The Critic – 8/10
18. Moana 2 – 8/10
19. Blink Twice – 7.5/10
20. Spaceman – 7.5/10
21. Boy Kills World – 7.5/10
22. The Fall Guy – 7.5/10
23. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire – 7.5/10
24. Am I Ok? – 7.5/10
25. Kingdom Of The Planet Of The Apes – 7/10
26. Civil War – 7/10
27. Dune: Part Two – 6.5/10
28. Freud’s Last Session -6.5/10
29. Gladiator II – 6.5/10
30. Mean Girls – 6.5/10
31. The Substance – 6.5/10
32. Ferrari – 6/10
33. The Convert – 6/10
34. Kinds Of Kindness – 6/10
35. The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim – 6/10
36. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire – 6/10
37. Longlegs – 5.5/10
38. Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga – 5.5/10
39. I Saw The TV Glow – 5.5/10
40. A Mistake – 5.5/10
41. Red One – 5.5/10
42. Bad Boys: Ride Or Die – 4.5/10
43. The Watchers – 4.5/10
44. Damsel – 4.5/10
45. The Crow – 4.5/10
46. Woman Of The Hour – 4.5/10
47. Force Of Nature: The Dry 2 – 4/10
48. Trap – 4/10
49. IF – 4/10
50. Mea Culpa – 4/10
51. Joker: Folie à Deux – 3.5/10
52. Kraven The Hunter – 3.5/10
53. The Problem With People – 3.5/10
54. Madame Web – 3/10
55. The Beekeeper – 3/10
56. Venom: The Last Dance – 2/10
57. Argylle 2/10
58. Trigger Warning – 2/10
59. Borderlands – 0.5/10

Better Man

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Better Man is a musical biopic about musician-entertainer Robbie Williams; with a specific focus on his mental health struggles, addiction and tenuous relationship with his father.

This is an incredibly well-structured and creative biopic, the likes of which I have not seen in a very long time. In a world of Bohemian Rhapsody and Rocketman accolades (which are well deserved), I feel what this film has to offer is a step beyond. This movie maintains a strong sense of personal artistic voice, no doubt influenced by Robbie Williams' direct involvement with the production of the film. Yet where some projects would be restrained due to such presence, this instead only develops an open book feeling. Robbie disappears via this fantastical monkey facade and is free to be raw and honest with key moments of his life. He doesn't hold back from honest opinions around certain individuals, he exposes his personal grief and he is truly apologetic to those he has hurt. I loved the commentary around his personal mental health throughout the feature, it's neither pretentious nor generic but sincere. We see Robbie embattled with his own demons, even during his highest points we envision the spectres of his past judging him. It cements Robbie as his own worst enemy and takes full accountability for that. The fantasy of him being portrayed as an anthropomorphic monkey allows for other fantasy metaphors to bleed through. When he sings 'Come Undone' and jets on that dangerous road to nowhere, crashing into a body of water and then being swarmed by siren-like anonymous fans, we get a very clear metaphor for where his head is at and the consuming nature of celebrity. Other biopics wouldn't naturally be able to take such creative risk, nor revel at the reward. Even the more grounded moments, where he contemplates self-harm or is caught in the throes of heroin, or nearly takes his own life while singing 'Better Man' feels like easier ground to tread because of this CGI mask. The relationship work is another narrative high note, I was moved by the euphoria and ultimate tragic falling apart of his relationship with Nicole Appleton. The running story around his father, the expectations set on him at a young age, abandonment and later reconciliation are some of the most fascinating dynamics in the film.  Robbie's grandmother also has this beautiful relationship with him, watching her develop dementia and passing shortly thereafter was one of the best-told stories in this and it ripped my heart out. This is a film that understands struggle, conflict, tragedy, ambition and celebration. It is a film about the price of entertainment and it is much more than a monkey movie.

This is a great-looking film, the camera shows a very layered style with intimate close-ups to capture expression paired with whirling moving moments as we bounce through montages, narration sequences and choreography. The special effects are extremely impressive with the focal design of Robbie Williams as a monkey leading me to barely bat an eye. The creature design is strongly personified but opens the gateway for other great effects like the aforementioned siren scene or the colossal monkey fight at Knebworth. In a year that already holds a musical in my top 3, let me tell you this is the cleanest dance choreography we have in film this year; I was especially wowed by the duet of 'She's the One'. The music is a strength for this film of course, with multiple points in which the score lifted the whole emotional weight of this piece up. Robbie Williams' work on remastering some of his most beloved songs for the soundtrack helped craft some of my favourite scenes. Many of my favourites I have mentioned already, but 'Angels' left me in tears.

Steve Pemberton, who played Peter, is such an engaging point of the film as Williams' father; the way Pemberton portrays Peter as beholden to his own worldview and life without regret is both exceptional and tragic at times. Alison Steadman, who played Betty, is one of my very favourite performances in this film; Steadman is entirely sweet and her portrayal of a woman developing dementia broke my heart. Kate Mulvany, who played Janet, is perhaps a more minor role but she feels like a solid performance; Mulvany gives this character a heck of a backbone. Frazer Hadfield, who played Nate, is perhaps not consistently utilised but leaves a strong impression; the scene in which Hadfield gets to call Williams out for forsaking their friendship is an amazing moment of conflict. Damon Herriman, who played Nigel Martin Smith,  came off as a professional expert but a bit of a shark; Herriman really gave this music producer a sharp edge which was gripping in the first act. Raechelle Banno, who played Nicole Appleton, had so much chemistry with Davies onscreen; I found Banno's realisation of Appleton to be very kind and big-hearted which only made the relationship dynamic all the more tragic. Tom Budge, who played Guy Chambers, really crafted an eccentric songwriter; I liked the oddball manner with which he assessed and revised lyrics. Carter J. Murphy and Asmara Feik, who played Young Robbie, really developed quite a sweet beginning story for Williams; it is clear to see the personality of the role and the hurt being abandoned by his father brought him

However, the best performance came from Robbie Williams and Jonno Davies, who voiced himself and who played Robbie Williams respectively. I greatly enjoyed Davies's motion capture performance as the more simian-looking Williams. He has boundless energy in his movement, resulting in a very engaging protagonist. I also found his expression work to show a lot of range through physical performance, there is no successful leading performance without Davies in truth. However, Williams really bares himself through his voice acting. This is a retelling of self for him, and it is clear just how committed he is to getting it all right. Moments of conflict, breakdown or desperation have everything poured into them; though he is equally game to quip some of the raunchier dialogue. It's easy to understand why it would usually be unconventional to cast the person in a biopic about themselves, but here it works brilliantly.

Overall, this is one of my favourite films to have watched this year but it does take the first few minutes to really embrace the premise. The film really does just drop you into the monkey aspect and expect you to accept it and move on, which does happen but it is initially pretty jarring. I also found this movie a bit self-congratulatory in places, which is maybe the downside of having Robbie Williams himself so deeply involved in the production.

Jake Simmance, Liam Head, Chase Vollenweider and Jesse Hyde, who played Gary Barlow, Howard Donald, Jason Orange and Mark Owen respectively, weren't particularly memorable as all the other collective members of Take That; Simmance had the most chance of bringing some conflict to the story but he didn't really delve deep enough. Anthony Hayes, who played Chris Briggs, was perhaps the most unremarkable of the music producer-type roles; Hayes was little more than window-dressing to other players in his scenes. Leo Harvey-Elledge, who played Liam Gallagher, is more just here to play the name drop of Gallagher than the role; the film itself seems too scared of throwing a jab at Oasis.

What could have just been a CGI parody of itself is a surprisingly raw and honest biopic that has capped my 2024 off brilliantly. I would give Better Man a 9/10.

Sonic the Hedgehog 3

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Sonic the Hedgehog 3 marks the third instalment in the movie franchise that kicked off in 2020. In this story, a new hedgehog with motives for revenge against mankind appears on the scene: Shadow. Shadow the Hedgehog was once an experiment for G.U.N. but when someone he cared for was killed, he was placed in suspended animation for decades. Now that he is free and seeking vengeance, it's up to Team Sonic to do what they can to stop Shadow and...TWO Dr Robotniks!

This film is a full-throttle adventure, particularly from the second act onwards. In other films from this series, the light bonding moments or the witty humour lifts things up, but it's great to see the main narrative take a dramatic turn. The film is a race against the enemy, first to the control key for a world-ending weapon. Everything comes to a head with Team Sonic fighting Shadow in a great introduction moment at Tokyo; there's a lot of set-up here for a brilliant confrontation as we go along. It builds all the way up to the villain team forming together and both teams going through intricate heist hijinks to secure the control key. When Tom is injured in the ensuing battle by Shadow it sets Sonic down his own path for revenge, using the Chaos Emerald against the wishes of his team. The whole third act is an epic moment of confrontation unlike anything we've seen from this series thus far, the heated battle between Sonic and Shadow is a good one. It allows Sonic to reaffirm his good nature after almost falling to a darker way, while also allowing Shadow a moment of redemption from his own darkness. Shadow's storyline is such a high point of this film; we get to see him go from being a lab experiment to someone who feels loved through the friendship he forms with Maria. The moment of tragedy inflicted upon Maria, and by extension, Shadow and Gerald is a real heartstrings tug. I also loved that amongst the big action sequences and comedy antics led by the two Dr Robotnik's, there is still room for some great dramatic moments. The cold and compassionate betrayal by Gerald in service of his goal to destroy Earth is a tough blow, while watching Ivo sacrifice himself to save Earth and more specifically, Stone, is quite a beautiful end to the film.

Jeff Fowler has only gotten better at capturing special effects imagery with a fast-moving blockbuster piece. The focus on character interaction, high-speed moments and gorgeous action sequences speaks to the real passion for a continued strong Sonic adaptation. The special effects look as solid as ever with the designs of Sonic, Knuckles, Tails and Shadow all looking consistently good across the film. I also thought the final act space station and attack robots stood out. The score for this film has plenty of action beats to provide, but it was the score that really stood above for me. 'Galvanize' by The Chemical Brothers being used for the Robotnik dance number is my favourite scene of the film.

Ben Schwartz, who voiced Sonic, has always been phenomenal as the energetic and comedic protagonist of these films; Schwartz also nails the darker turn Sonic takes in that final act. Keanu Reeves, who voiced Shadow, has a harsh stoicism about him that fits the pain Shadow is carrying around; those quieter moments of reflection and hesitation where Shadow works his way to the light is where Reeves really fleshes out the character. Idris Elba, who voiced Knuckles, might have had his best run with this character yet; Knuckles was so entertaining in this that Elba almost eclipsed Carrey as my favourite performance. Colleen O'Shaughnessey, who voiced Tails, got to just be a part of the fun this time which suited the character more; O'Shaughnessey brings a genuine enthusiastic spark to Tails that makes the character so loveable. Lee Majdoub, who played Agent Stone, really plays off Carrey well as the loyal henchman; Majdoub has some very emotional farewell moments in this film that hit home. Alyla Browne, who played Maria, is the heart of the best sub-plot of the film; Browne carries the emotional weight of Shadow's backstory with range and talent.

However, the best performance came from Jim Carrey, who played Ivo Robotnik and Gerald Robotnik. This is a role that Carrey clearly enjoys letting loose in a bit, it feels like a role that lets him comedically adlib and improv like some of his classic roles. Watching him wallow and hurl insults as Ivo at an all-new low is a great reintroduction to the role. Yet as the film progresses, we see that unmatched ego and flair for the grandiose return. This pairs neatly with his work as Gerald, a more parental (or grandparental) figure who comes off as much more sinister than Ivo. Yet the pair are both comedic powerhouses with a multitude of side-splitting scenes. Carrey's dance with himself is the most memorable scene of the film for me as mentioned previously, but there is some dramatic weight here too. The betrayal of Gerald comes hard and heavy at Ivo and cements him as our lead antagonist. While Ivo's final world-saving speech directed at Majdoub's Stone is a beautiful departure for Carrey. The Sonic movies wouldn't be what they are without Carrey's Robotnik and this film proved that.

I'm almost surprised I wound up considering Sonic 3 to be the best in the series thus far, especially given the first act. The first act of this film is quite a cheesy affair of family birthday parties, poor use of human characters, generic military types and some of the worst humour the series has had to offer. It almost made it difficult to focus on the introduction of Shadow, a fight scene that was the singly good thing about the first third of the film. The entire first act is just playing it for the young demographic and knows full well the story is barely moving. For the opening twenty-five minutes, it feels like the film is really just waiting to start and come to life.

 James Marsden and Tika Sumpter, who played Tom and Maddie respectively, finally feel like the films are starting to move on without them; Marsden's emotional beats with Sonic just don't feel sincere like they used to. Krysten Ritter, who played Director Rockwell, is quite a bland new addition to the main cast; Ritter enters as another point of conflict but isn't very well realised. Adam Pally, who played Wade, doesn't really feel like he has a place in this one; Pally's cameo just doesn't make the mark and it would've been better to leave him behind on this one. Natasha Rothwell and Shemar Moore, who played Rachel and Randall respectively, are comedic cameos that come off as a bit too over the top; Rothwell in particular is crudely inserted back without much need at all. Tom Butler, who played Commander Walters, always feels a bit over the top in these; he just doesn't quite fit the military role nor the world of talking coloured super powerful animals.

This franchise went from a family-friendly blockbuster outing to a blockbuster entry that really rivals some of the most major releases of 2024. I would give Sonic the Hedgehog 3 an 8/10.

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim

 

This review may contain spoilers!

The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim is a tale from J.R.R. Tolkien's appendices, specifically from the 'House of Eorl' section. Set nearly 200 years before the original trilogy, this film details the end of the reign of Helm Hammerhand and a moment of civil war within the lands of Rohan.

This film is nice as an invitation back into the world of Middle-earth, from the opening map sprawl there is a sense of return to a world that holds a lot of intrigue to the audience. When this film took the time to sit in the worldbuilding it was quite marvellous, it gave us such an incredible glimpse into the history of Rohan in particular. I loved seeing beasts like the Giant Eagles, the Orcs and even the Oliphaunts which placed us in the more fantastical elements of this setting. The political sparring (and physical) between Helm and his rival, Freca, resulted in a great moment of tension that created discord in the region for years after. Watching Wulf's campaign turn to this bloodthirsty revenge narrative poised to expunge Helm's line from the annals of history is a strong conflict and brings the feature to a neat boiling point.

Stephen Gallagher does the score for this film and it is the single greatest thing about the feature. The music draws on old scores from the original trilogy to evoke that familiarity with the world, but it paints a colourful tapestry in this work too. Moments of calamity will rattle you, tragedy is a mournful dirge and battle will fill you with adrenaline too. I must also note Paris Paloma's 'The Rider', which is a gorgeous credits track.

Lorraine Ashbourne, who voiced Olwyn, was one of my favourite characters in the film; she had a quiet fire to her that made you realise the full extent of her warrior background. Benjamin Wainwright, who voiced Haleth, isn't the most noteworthy character but he does feel like a classic hero; Wainwright really shines in moments of his battle where his character's voice gets to shine. Yazdan Qafouri, who voiced Hama, is a very gentle and almost elegant figure in this; he's not a warrior son of Helm but he still rises above so noble regardless. Laurence Ubong Williams, who voiced Fréalaf, is another favourite character of mine in the film; Williams' character radiates goodness and honour that make him a true champion of Rohan.

However, the best performance came from Brian Cox, who voiced Helm Hammerhand. There is something to be said for being the most seasoned and decorated actor in an otherwise quite inexperienced cast. Cox demands attention through Helm, he radiates power and authority in equal measure. This is the sort of character who holds his reign with an ironclad grip, quite literally in a few scenes. He speaks with genuine affection for his family and speaks to the honour of Rohan the way a figure of majesty would. Watching Cox present moments of grief for his sons, or apology to his on-screen daughter or even the challenge in Helm's last stand resulted in some of my very favourite scenes of the film.

There is a part of me that wonders if there is a more interesting story to tell or a better way for this one to be told. War of the Rohirrim exists in the space of a wider franchise and feels like a slighter offering when held against other cinematic entries. The reasoning is that the film just comes off as a bit simple at times, Héra's rebellion to normal gender roles isn't really given much central focus and it's hardly something new, even for Lord of the Rings. More than this the film is poised as a simple good versus evil, which is fine but could have been fleshed out more. It just boils down to Wulf versus Helm and his line, there'll be an ultimate winner and Rohan will go on. The film doesn't venture off this path and as a result, there aren't really any twists or turns for the audience. The film moves quite slowly, the entire second act is our main characters hiding in Helm's Deep, licking their wounds and talking about what happens next or hatching escape plans. It really drags the momentum down and the film comes to an uncomfortable crawl only offset by Helm's demise.

War of the Rohirrim is perhaps the ugliest adaptation of Tolkien's work I have watched thus far. The animation is jarring and often moves in an inorganic way. The character models feel off and don't do a very good job of planting me in the setting, with some fantasy elements feeling entirely contrary to the design of a Tolkien creation. The animation is what this film is built around and the fact that it doesn't work means this film becomes a very difficult piece to sit and watch at times.

Gaia Wise, who voiced Héra, isn't a particularly engaging protagonist for much of the movie; Wise really over-delivers on her lines making this character come off as quite heightened a lot. Miranda Otto, who voiced Éowyn, is a dull and inconsistent narrator; Otto's character in the original trilogy was great but there is never a moment in this film that justifies the need for having her as a narrator. Luca Pasqualino, who voiced Wulf, is a very generic antagonist performance; Pasqualino just shouts his lines and paints a very stereotypical revenge-motivated villain. Shaun Dooley, who voiced Freca, is a gruff and blustery voice that isn't particularly impressionable; Dooley gives a bully of a brute and the depth isn't much deeper than that. Michael Wildman, who voiced General Targg, is a bit too lacking in presence to make his mark in this film; the General has a few good moments to shine with Pasqualino's Wulf but they are blips in the narrative. Bilal Hasna, who voiced Lief, is a nice reminder that child characters in anime can oftentimes be the most annoying; this character was my least favourite in the cast by a mile.

A Tolkien adaptation is always put on such a pedestal that reaching such a high bar is difficult. I would give The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim a 6/10.

Kraven The Hunter

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Kraven The Hunter follows Sergei Kravinoff, the estranged son of a Russian crime lord and infamous hunter of criminals. Sergei, or Kraven as he likes to be known, was left for dead after a hunting accident but a mystical medicine paired with lion blood saved his life and gave him the supernatural abilities to fight against a world of darkness. When his brother, Dmitri, is kidnapped, Kraven is reluctantly pulled back into the struggles of his father's criminal world.

This movie had one surprising strength: how unafraid it was to be a bit visceral and hardcore. The action scenes could be gory, rapid and with extreme bursts of brutality. It marked Kraven as an interesting character because the way he put himself into a conflict was unique, resulting in some really varied action sequences. There were also surprising bursts of random comedy or one-liners that took you off-guard but in a good way, the humour was a neat reprieve from everything else.

The way this film is shot is far from the most gripping action film of the year but it serves the piece well. I enjoyed how movement was captured, the focus on sweeping location sets and the way an action scene was covered made for some of the more gripping moments.

Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who played Kraven The Hunter, is somewhat practised at leading a film and did a nice job with what was available; the little moments of surprising levity really landed because of him.

However, the best performance came from Russell Crowe, who played Nikolai Kravinoff. The mark of experience and an accomplished career push Crowe leagues ahead of the rest of the cast here. This is a man with a mean streak, Nikolai can burst into violence but he also likes displays of power through strength. Crowe portrays this man as an unrelenting patriarch, a mentor who pushes his children and protects them while also breaking them down. What really impressed me about Crowe's performance here is how his role shows weakness. The way he defers to Kraven, still hoping to fold his strong son into his empire. But even the quiet moments of fear that are tougher to read, subtle moments that tell us why Nikolai has set all of this in motion. Crowe knows how to perform well, even paired with a disaster of a script such as this.

Kraven The Hunter struggles to be a cohesive action film at the best of times, at the worst of times it's trying to make some passing link to the comics that inspired it. The film starts with a decent action sequence introducing us to Kraven, it's a decent fight precursored by a couple of rubbish gags. Not too shabby, we are in with a chance. Then the film sends us hurtling through a prolonged flashback sequence that is nearly the entirety of the first act. The Kravinoff family, their whole dynamic, is strange and barely works much beyond male bravado character traits being imparted. The random hunting trip in which Kraven gets his powers, we are introduced to Rhino/Aleksei, we are introduced to Calypso and Nikolai has a full-blown meltdown is a strong signpost this film was not going to be good. Kraven's origin is a lot of nonsense that seems motivated by some strange connection he holds with wildlife that is never very well explored and a magical potion that feels poorly wedged into the script. But poorly wedged into the script might embody everything there is to say about leading lady, Calypso. Calypso who is sort of pa with a lot of African mysticism as her introduction and then is a very British lawyer several years later who also happens to have lethal archery training somehow. Kraven simpers around Calypso, killing people for her and 'for the greater good'; in fact, the pair turn into a bit of a duo very much out of nothing. Kraven awkwardly fights from place to place, going to locations but never really deepening the plot in any way until he kills the big bad, and in a very anti-climactic way, his father. The Rhino as a villain seems more of a joke to the point of parody, a crime boss who was so bullied that he took a drug that now turns him into a rhino if he wants to. The film also pads the thing out with antagonists like The Foreigner, who only confuse the plot and shouldn't ever really be inserted. The whole film pushes an unearned sequel tease between the Kravinoff brothers and undermines everything shown about the relationship between Kraven and his father, with Kraven taking a final point of advice from his father's letter. It almost feels against Kraven's nature to be wearing his iconic lion vest by the film's end.

I do not know what the budget was for Kraven The Hunter but it was clearly too small for the overly ambitious special effects. How characters moved in a scene sometimes looked unnatural paired with the environment, there were clear points of blue screen, the CGI animal designs were especially unforgivable and the final design for Rhino was quite comedic in some shots of the final fight. I also thought the score for the film was extremely unremarkable and barely present; while the soundtrack was such a hodgepodge of musical content that failed to uplift a very substandard movie.

Ariana DeBose, who played Calypso Ezili, is really hitting a string of awful roles at present; DeBose feels flat in this and doesn't seem to know how to substantiate an 'in' to this character. Fred Hechinger, who played Dmitri Kravinoff, is rather forgettable as the wilting lifeless Kravinoff brother; the lipsync performances Hechinger gives are a frightfully poor display. Alessandro Nivola, who played Aleksei Sytevich, presents his character like a Sacha Baron Cohen figure doing a dramatic lean; this absurd performance only gets worse when you see Nivola writhing and acting out his Rhino transformation scenes. Christopher Abbott, who played The Foreigner, was quite a bland antagonist; Abbott's role really had no reason to be in this and it was an error placing him in here. Levi Miller and Billy Barratt, who played Young Sergei and Young Dmitri respectively, just play up the angst of their roles a bit too much; Miller is a real case example that being a talented child actor isn't necessarily career-spanning. Diaana Babnicova and Susan Aderin, who played Young Calypso and Grandmother respectively, give the worst scene in the whole feature; Aderin's exposition delivery is so awkwardly dealt to the audience. Murat Seven, who played Ömer Ozdemir, is little more than a glorified henchman; his stoic stare and two-dimensional delivery make for a really uninteresting foe.

Embarrassingly, this is the best Sony Spider-Man spinoff film this year. I would give Kraven The Hunter a 3.5/10.