Daddy's Home

This review may contain spoilers!

This was a really fun film to finish 2015 on. I would give Daddy's Home a 6.5/10.

The rivalry between the protagonist and antagonist is so entertaining in this film, you really can't wait to see how Ferrell or Wahlberg will escalate a situation. The comedy within this film is really solid and is a return to some of the stronger American comedies from the past. The soundtrack works in really well with the film, heightening some comedic moments for the better. I also enjoyed the special effects in this film despite there not really being much, the big one of course is the motorbike scene which I thought was done really well.

Will Ferrell, who played Brad Whitaker, is back to true form in this film; this protagonist is one of the best that Ferrell has played in a long time. Thomas Haden Church, who played Leo Holt, was really entertaining as the hyper masculine boss; his stories about his ex-wives are some of the better scenes of the film. Scarlett Estevez, who played Megan, was one of the stronger comedic talents of the film; I love child actors that can go toe to toe with comedic talents like Ferrell and Wahlberg. Bobby Cannavale, who played Dr Francisco, is a really fun appearance in this film; I love the banter between Cannavale and Wahlberg. Hannibal Buress, who played Griff, could have been a complete throw away minor role but Buress made Griff one of the funnier characters of the film; the best part about his performance was his great line delivery that could completely steal scenes. John Cena, who played the Cool Dad, was the greatest cameo of the film; ending the film on Cena was such a strong and funny move.

However the best performance came from Mark Wahlberg, who played Dusty Mayron. In this film you really enjoy the banter and conflict that exists between Ferrell and Wahlberg; it takes you right back to The Other Guys but in a completely refreshing way. Wahlberg creates and antagonist that you can like just as much as you like Ferrell and he isn't someone you're completely against for the entire film. Ultimately Wahlberg is a strong comedic presence in this film and I hope to see him in more comedy films in the future.

This film runs a little too long at the end of the day, there's just a few too many scenes where the plot keeps returning to the same problem and it affects the film negatively. The cinematography in this film is quite basic, this is quite common for comedy films as they rely on the jokes to progress the film without creating much in terms of visual style. As a result of what I have previously mentioned the editing in this film is really simple; there just doesn't seem to be any desire to make this film look visually interesting. The score for this film isn't very memorable, it falls second fiddle to the soundtrack.

Linda Cardellini, who played Sara, isn't really funny in this film nor does her dramatic performance really fit into the film; I think the worst part is that Ferrell and Cardellini have absolutely no chemistry in this film so you really question why she'd marry him. Owen Vaccaro, who played Dylan, is quite a monotone child actor; vaccaro ultimately feels like he's reading his lines and playing out a very two dimensional performance.

Joy

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Don't let the trailers or the Jennifer Lawrence hype train fool you, Joy is a boring biopic about the self-wringing mop. I would give Joy a 3/10.

The cinematography in this film had a deft way of making dialogue scenes really interesting while also setting up some amazing visual shots throughout, the director had a very clear visual style that worked for this film.

Jennifer Lawrence, who played Joy, might not have been the perfect casting choice for this film but she really makes the role her own; ultimately it isn't until Lawrence starts inventing and fighting for her invention that we really connect with her role. Bradley Cooper, who played Neil Walker, was a brilliant businessman and show man in this film; you find it quite infectious when he works the set in the infomercial scenes. Edgar Ramirez, who played Tony, is an incredibly likeable character in this film; he has a very genuine and entertaining presence. Diane Ladd, who played Mimi, is the perfect narrator for the film; she brings so much heart to the plot and really grounds the story. Aundrea Gadsby and Gia Gadsby, who played Christie, doubled up on playing one of the strongest comedic performers in the film; I like the relationship these girls created with Lawrence.

However the best performance of the film came from Robert De Niro, who played Rudy. De Niro is kinda cocky and arrogant in this film, he's very selfish and driven. This is a role I haven't really seen De Niro take on in a while and he pulls it off quite well. This is a role who will serve himself and his own interests before that of his own daughter. De Niro performs a character who is at the same time very realistic and very confrontational.

This is a slow film that has no clue how to pace itself; it takes a long time for the invention of the mop to be introduced and even after the mop becomes a success we have to watch through another twenty or so minutes of really boring and redundant content. Ultimately the subject matter of this film isn't made engaging enough for the audience, the film is riddled with boring or irrelevant subplots while assaulting us with cheap gags or strange soap opera metaphors. The editing of the film lets down the fantastic cinematography quite a bit, the cuts happen very abruptly and pull you out of the sluggish story. The score for this film is terrible but worse than that is the soundtrack; the songs used have no consistency to them and as a result the film loses it's sense of tone completely.

Virginia Madsen, who played Terry, felt like a cartoon character; she was artificially written and acted out. Isabella Rossellini, who played Trudy, gave a performance that was far too over the top; also she was meant to be in a relationship with De Niro in this film so it would have been nice if they'd had a bit of chemistry. Dascha Polanco, who played Jackie, was really underutilised in this film; at the end of the day you feel a character who meant so much to Joy should have had a lot more scenes. Elisabeth Rohm, who played Peggy, was a really frustrating bland performance; frankly they had an antagonist in Peggy that wasn't written well enough and should have been given to a better actress than Rohm. Susan Lucci and Laura Wright, who played Danica and Clarinda respectively, were perhaps my least favourite part of the film; between these two actresses came the awful soap opera sequences that really let this film down. Jimmy Jean-Louis, who played Touissant, was a role that didn't have to exist and probably was given more screen time than he desrved; I don't even want to talk about how cringeworthy the relationship between him and Madsen was. Isabella Crovetti-Cramp, who played Young Joy, wasn't a very good child actress; her line delivery felt like a robot was talking to the camera. Melissa Rivers, who played Joan Rivers, brought one of the most redundant characters of the film to screen; it was as horrifying to see Joan Rivers in this film as it was in real life. Ken Cheeseman, who played Gerhardt, was an antagonist that was very hastily crammed into the last twenty minutes of the film; the script really should have focussed much more upon this role because by the time he was introduced I had long stopped caring.

Suffragette

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I guess they're saving all the best films for the end of 2015. I would give Suffragette an 8.5/10.

This film's plot is one side of many many arguments presented perfectly from a storyteller's perspective; and while you don't have to agree with the argument I think it's very worth showing up to the debate this film presents. The plot is constructed in a way that as the main protagonist develops so do the themes about women's equality and societal issues. Because this film presents such controversial and compelling material constantly you never really stop being hooked by the film, as a result the pacing in Suffragette is great. The cinematography for this film is quite raw and feels spot on for a political historical drama, the camera work might not be the best I've ever seen but there is definitely an artistic quality to the director's vision.

Anne-Marie Duff, who played Violet Miller, had some amazing chemistry with Mulligan in this film; it was Duff's initial ferocity that made the suffrage movement in this film feel so compelling. Geoff Bell, who played Norman Taylor, was just one of the many great male antagonists in this film; Bell presented a character who was thoroughly despicable from the get go which was excellent for the role. Ben Whishaw, who played Sonny Watts, was probably the most complex male character of the film; I liked how much he clearly cared for Mulligan in this film despite becoming an antagonist towards her due to his internalised misogyny. Helena Bonham Carter, who played Edith Ellyn, is an incredible leading presence in this film; Carter presents a fighter who almost blindly attacks at the cost of her own health. Brendan Gleeson, who played Inspector Arthur Steed, was a really great antagonist in this film; he worked really well against Mulligan the two of them were incredible opposites of one another. Adrian Schiller, who played David Lloyd George, was a character of two sides which I really liked; he seemed like a very reassuring role at first but then quickly appeared quite despicable at a crucial point of the film. Meryl Streep, who played Emmeline Pankhurst, had one of the greatest scenes of the film; Streep is exceptionally powerful as Pankhurst particularly in line delivery.

However the best performance came from Carey Mulligan, who played Maud Watts. Mulligan is phenomenal at presenting characters who display a great degree of development. This film has a solid protagonist in her and basically evolves at the same rate she does. I love how nuanced Mulligan can be, you feel the build of rage she displays towards Bell's role or the grief she feels over Press' role. Overall I love the spirit displayed by Mulligan in this feature, she was forever battling and struggling with hardship and at the end of the day Mulligan is one of the best actresses out there at the moment.

This film's editing wasn't great, particularly the colouring; I have a real gripe with historical English films that keep toning films grey or brown. The score for this film is quite ineffective as well, more often than not it fell into the background and failed to help set the tone for the film.

Grace Stottor, who played Maggie Miller, was a character who had a lot of significance to Mulligan and Duff was completely underutilised in this film; it was frustrating to see this character have so much potential but get no screen presence. Adam Michael Dodd, who played George Watts, wasn't a very good child actor; I felt like he had some emotional scenes but only ever played a two dimensional role. Romola Garai, who played Alice Haughton, had no screen presence in amongst the rest of this amazing female ensemble cast; Garai was a performer you forgot about for large periods of the film. Finbar Lynch, who played Hugh Ellyn, was a character I both liked and didn't like; I liked he wasn't used as a pariah for the 'supportive' male role but at the same time he really needed to have more screen time and chemistry with Carter. Natalie Press, who played Emily Wilding Davison, was one of the bigger disappointments in the film; she was treated more as a political symbol than a character.

Alvin And The Chipmunks 4: The Road Chip

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This is a surprising return to form for the Chipmunks series. I would give Alvin And The Chipmunks 4: The Road Chip a 6/10.

The Chipmunks film has always presented themes of family and working together really well and in this fourth instalment those themes are back strong. This fascinating story about the Chipmunks fighting to keep the status quo of their family life style is really interesting, you find yourself caring deeply about many of the main protagonists in the film. The pacing is good, ultimately the well spaced musical numbers and return to engaging plot points makes this film move quite quickly. Furthermore the soundtrack for this film is superb, the music isn't forced and starts playing a role in the narrative again. The special effects used to create the Chipmunks, Chipettes and squirrels looks really good; they fit well against the live action cast.

Justin Long, who voiced Alvin, is a great protagonist for this film; as always the best part of these films is seeing Alvin earnestly accepting his mistakes. Matthew Gray Gubler, who voiced Simon, has the perfect voice to play the nerdier character of the group; he acts as a strong conscience to the rest of the protagonists. Jesse McCartney, who voiced Theodore, is the most charming of the Chipmunks; the scene where Theodore gets hit by a car in this film is one of the best and most emotional. Josh Green, who played Miles, is a wonderful newcomer to these films; I really liked the backstory about his father and the character development he goes through as a result of the Chipmunks in this film. Christina Applegate, Kaley Cuoco and Anna Faris, who voiced Brittany, Eleanor and Jeanette respectively, really match up to the Chipmunks voice actors despite being a bit underused in this film; the Chipettes always have a lot of presence when they're in their scenes. Jennifer Coolidge, who played Ms Price, has a really great appearance in this film; I thoroughly enjoyed her comedic line delivery. Uzo Aduba, who played TSA Officer, was another one of many great cameos in this film; her presence meant that a scene that could have been reduced to toilet humour was saved and made quite entertaining. Retta and Stefan Gordy, who played Party Planner and himself, really kicked the film off with the great cameos; their shared comedic interactions are what made me realise this film might very well be a return to form for the Chipmunk films. Flula Borg, who played Man Behind Mask, was another great cameo in this film; I really enjoyed his tattoo scene.

However the best performance came from Jason Lee, who played Dave. Lee has always been a constant within these films; he interacts well against his animated counterparts. What he does really well in his performance is deliver really strong dialogue that feels very realistic and fits his father figure dynamic well. Ultimately Lee really embodies the family values that these films present.

The humour in this film falls spectacularly flat most of the time, the film relies on dumbed down comedy or puns that make you groan inwardly. The score for this film is really bland, in fact it feels like an over the top piece that belongs with a Disney Junior show. The cinematography in this film is very basic, the shots accommodate the Chipmunks well without ever actually presenting interesting visuals. The editing follows the cinematography in that it plays to a very basic film making rule book; the cuts are simple and don't help heighten the film.

Kimberly Williams-Paisley, who played Samantha, was a really strange character in this film; ultimately the romance subplot between her and Lee was quite hashed and they didn't have much chemistry. Tony Hale, who played Agent Suggs, was another weak antagonist in the series; Hale played his role far too over the top to be entertaining. Bella Thorne, who played Ashley Grey, had very little reason to actually be in this film; it was painfully awkward watching her interact with Green. Eddie Steeples, who played Barry, is a minor character that was given far too much screen time; honestly he had about two or three scenes too many. Laura Marano, who played Hotel Baby Sitter, was playing a basic stereotype; I'm quite tired of the teenage stereotypes that are slapped carelessly into kids or comedy films.

The Tiger: An Old Hunter's Tale

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I didn't expect the first film I saw after Star Wars to be even remotely as good but I do so enjoy being proven wrong. I would give The Tiger: An Old Hunter's Tale a 9.5/10.

This Korean film takes a heavy stance upon big game hunting, using powerful storytelling to create a compelling argument against this sport as well as painting it as a horrific act. However beyond the themes the plot itself is an incredible exploration about the conflict between man and beast, this was probably the most emotional rollercoaster I've seen this year. The special effects for the CGI wolves and tigers looked amazing, especially the Mountain Lord; frankly the story of the Mountain Lord was done so well that he actually felt like a character in the main cast. The cinematography for this film was simply beautiful, hunts looked like immense battles and nature was captured perfectly. The editing was really well done, the dialogue scenes were cut at a steady pace while the hunts were incredibly quick to as to heighten the action. The score for the film was another powerful element, I suppose the best way to describe a sound like that is haunting; this really is a composition that rocks you to your core.

Choi Min-sik, who played Chun Man-duk, is an incredible lead protagonist in this film; his relationship to nature and the tiger is performed incredibly throughout. Kim Hong-fa, who played the Herbal Shop Owner, was a really charming performance; his chemistry with Min-sik was great. Jung Suk-won, who played Military Officer Ryu, was a really erratic character which I enjoyed; I loved how cowardly and weak he played himself against Osugi. Ren Osugi, who played Government Official Maezono, was a fantastic antagonist in this film; his indifference to the honour of hunting was really well explored I felt.

However the best performance came from Jeong Man-sik, who played Goo-gyeong. Man-sik's performance within this film was antagonistic in some areas but you really felt and understood the character's motivations. I loved his determination to bring down the Mountain Lord, he appeared almost manic at times. His best scene for me had to be when he abandoned Suk-yi to continue his hunt, that was when you really his insatiable drive to complete his objective.

Make no mistake this is a long film and you have to be ready for that, there are many scenes that could have been completely cut from the film. In saying that they really needed to pay better attention to detail when it came to the flashbacks, there was nowhere near enough content or focus upon backstory.

Kim Sang-ho, who played Chil-goo, felt like a sort of comedic sidekick in this film; to be honest there was no real necessity for a role of that type in the film. Lee Eun-woo, who played Mal-nyeon, was an incredibly underused character in this film; they should have had more flashback scenes with her. Hyun Seung-min, who played Sun-yi, was a character I was just simply annoyed by; his death was done well but I certainly didn't mourn the character. Sung Yoo-bin, who played Suk-yi, was such an unnecessary character/subplot in this film; the relationship between her and Seung-min felt awkwardly forced.

Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens

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Not only is this the best Star Wars film to date but it is one of the greatest things to happen to the science fiction genre in many many years. I would give Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens a 10/10.

This film is everything that made the original trilogy classics while embracing the finer elements of modern cinema, this is the best film I have seen in years perhaps my entire life. The plot follows on well from Return of Jedi despite minimal references to backstory. Ultimately this is a film with new Star Wars leads and I couldn't be happier about it, the lead, Rey, is better than Luke and Anakin were and the main antagonist, Kylo Ren, is the greatest antagonist in the Star Wars universe easily. The story is very well constructed and the pacing is perfect, most every scene plays an important part in progressing the story or developing the characters. John Williams creates yet another award worthy score in Force Awakens; it's a sound that is the life blood of the film and will probably be immortalised for many years to come. The cinematography is incredibly immersive in this film, some of the best shots are the battle sequences where we see ship battles and land battles all happening in the same shot. The editing is an incredible throwback to classic Star Wars, I've missed those great transitions between scenes. The special effects within the film are an incredible blend between the style of the old films and what can be achieved with modern effects. The lightsaber duel between Rey and Kylo Ren in this film is perfectly choreographed; while very raw there was a lot of emotion in that single fight.

Mark Hamill, who played Luke Skywalker, is barely in this film but the few seconds he's onscreen is incredible; we are offered such an incredible emotional range in just those few seconds that has you rabid for the sequel. Adam Driver, who played Kylo Ren, is the greatest antagonist of the Star Wars universe in my opinion; Driver is wild as ren and particularly love seeing him lash out at his surroundings. Daisy Ridley, who played Rey, is the perfect lead for this film; she creates such a deep intricate character that you really connect with. John Boyega, who played Finn, is quite a fun performance; I liked it best when he was delivering comedic banter but more than that I enjoyed his chemistry with Ridley and Isaac. Oscar Isaac, who played Poe Dameron, is the cocky full-of-bravado X-Wing pilot we've been waiting for; you have to love Issac's earnest performance right down to his great interactions with BB-8. Lupita Nyong'o, who played Maz Kanata, gave a very sage performance; I think her speech to Rey about the Force is one of the best lines in the film. Andy Serkis, who played Supreme Leader Snoke, is such a great enigmatic antagonist; I really look forward to seeing more of this menacing threat in the sequels. Anthony Daniels, who played C-3PO, was a great return performance; I love seeing this pessimistic busy body droid getting under the feet of Fisher and Ford. Peter Mayhew, who played Chewbacca, had quite an emotional role to play in this film; when Ford died I think Mayhew's reaction was perfect.

However the best performance in the film came from Harrison Ford, who played Han Solo. From the minute Ford was back onscreen I knew he was right back into those old shoes of Han Solo, Ford quite simply knows how to play that role through and through. When Ford walks into the cockpit of the Millennium Falcon for the first time you feel a great sense of homecoming, this is a Star Wars film without a doubt. Ford interacts really well with every cast member in this film but I think he shows a lot of emotional range interacting with the likes of Boyega and Ridley. He just seems to be having fun in this film, look at him stealing Chewbacca's bowcaster more than once. The best scene we get from Ford is the interaction between him and Driver; the raw naked emotion here between father and son characters is incredibly sad and if you're not in tears by the time Ford has been stabbed then Star Wars is most certainly not for you.

If I had to criticise this film then I'd say that we get too many of the same shots and plot points that we've already seen in previous Star Wars films; for instance many shots of Jakku are replicating Tatooine shots from previous film, or the fact the big threat of the film is a bigger badder Death Star was quite disappointing even if it was executed well.

Carrie Fisher, who played Princess Leia, seems to have forgotten how to play her role completely; at the end of the day not all of the old cast was going to be able to reprise their respective roles perfectly but Fisher was so far from her source that you think they may have well recast. Domhnall Gleeson, who played General Hux, is a very corny over the top performance; you get very tired of seeing him in scenes very quickly. Max von Sydow, who played Lor San Tekka, is one of the most forgettable performances of the film; he doesn't even really interact well with Isaac. Gwendoline Christie, who played Captain Phasma, is quite a bland performance; frankly Christie delivers yet another disappointing overhyped character.

Inside Men

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This film was rather slow but finished on an incredibly high note. I would give Inside Men a 6/10.

This film has an exceptionally well done final act, the amount of plot twists and intense scenes make the first two thirds of the film worth sitting through. The cinematography in this film is exceptional, the director has to be commended for making this film so visually appealing throughout. The score for Inside Men is quite intense when it kicks in, it definitely enhances some of the best scenes of the film. I love the action sequences and the torture sequences in this film; it makes this feel more like an intense crime film than blockbusters like Black Mass and Legend.

Lee Byung-hun, who played Ahn Sang-goo, was a fantastic co-lead and had great chemistry with Seung-woo; I liked the banter he delivered with other characters it really brought a lot of wit to the film. Baek Yoon-sik, who played Lee Kang-hee, was an antagonist who really developed and grew as the film progressed; I loved his line delivery the most out of everyone in the cast. Lee Geung-young, who played Jang Pil-woo, was another fantastic memorable antagonist in this film; I loved how raw and wild his performance was - he was a true loose cannon.

However the best performance came from Jo Seung-woo, who played Woo Jang-hoon. I liked the earnest nature of Seung-woo, he played headstrong and determined very well. He shared some fantastic onscreen chemistry with Byung-hun that really made the film what it was. The peak of Seung-woo's performance came in two places, one was this terrifying moment where you see him freaking out as he starts to lose to the antagonists. However the best part is the twist of this film: you are quite convinced that Seung-woo has joined the antagonists only to learn that he's betrayed them; the reason I cite this as great is because this twist would have been predictable if it weren't for Seung-woo's convincing acting.

This film is very dragged out and you spend a lot of the first twenty minutes trying to figure out character connections and what is actually going on in the plot; as a result the pacing of the film is severely affected. There are a lot of unnecessary scenes and predictable moments in this film as well, so as a whole the film became a bit stale and boring after a short while. The editing was very simple, the cutting didn't heighten the film and let down the beautiful cinematography.

Bae Seong-woo, who played Park Jong-pal, was a weak minor character in this film; he never really matched up to the talents he performed against like Byung-hun or Geung-young.

The Good Dinosaur

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While it's a good film, The Good Dinosaur is let down by quirky or sloppy choices scattered throughout the film. I would give The Good Dinosaur a 7.5/10.

The animation for this film has some beautiful detail when it comes to aspects of nature or background imagery, two of my favourite scenes of the film contain these beautifully animated fireflies. In terms of the film's plot I think what worked best was the relationship explored and developed between Arlo and Spot, you felt a lot of empathy towards both characters as they grew to care about one another. The score for this film is another immediate Disney/Pixar classic, I often feel animated films have some of the best scores in the film industry and this film just proves that.

Jeffrey Wright, who voiced Poppa, was the perfect voice for the father figure in this film; he was one of the voices that stood out the most at the start of the film. Peter Sohn, who voiced Forrest Woodbush, was quite a funny role; I loved the name and claim gag with his character. Steve Zahn, who voiced Thunderclap, was a fantastic antagonist; I thought his manic character was quite terrifying.

However the best performance came from Sam Elliott, who voiced Butch. While the cowboy and rustler sequence seemed a bit out of place Elliot made it one of the more memorable moments of the film. He's got a very unique and intimidating voice which worked perfectly for his T-Rex character. The best example of line delivery from Elliott was the story about the crocodiles and how important fear is.

The plot didn't really have a very exciting journey, in fact Arlo's journey home was forgettable more often than not and was constantly being interrupted by questionable scenes like getting high off berries or cowboy T-Rexs. As a result of the journey being treated as unimportant the film began to drag on and was a bit slower, the pacing could certainly have been a bit tighter. The start of this film was really poorly done, I didn't like that Wright's role died in almost exactly the same way that Mufasa did in Lion King. The animation of the background may have been highly artistic but frankly the characters were awfully animated; it was jarring seeing the incredible animation of the scenery while watching the weak animation of the characters moving through it.

Frances McDormand, who voiced Momma, really paled in comparison to Wright; she has no real screen presence or purpose in the film. Maleah Nipay-Padilla, who voiced Young Libby, embodied one of the characters that was most underused in the film; out of all of Arlo's family Libby is the one you care about least. Marcus Scribner, who voiced Buck, was a character that seemed like he had a rivalry with Arlo; however it was disappointing to see that they didn't explore this dynamic of the siblings much. Raymond Ochoa, who voiced Arlo, is one of the most annoying voice actors of the film which is a shame because he's the lead protagonist; this was a performance that just had no strength throughout the film and so you cared less about Arlo because of this. Mandy Freund and Steven Clay Hunter, who voiced Downpour and Coldfront respectively, felt like very insignificant voices when compared to Zahn's work; they were very much background roles. A.J. Buckley and Anna Paquin, who voiced Nash and Ramsey respectively, just felt like they were giving very artificial performances; I was really only interested by Elliott out of the group of T-Rexs. David Boat, Carrie Paff, Calum Grant and John Ratzenberger, who voiced Bubbha, Lurleane, Pervis and Earl respectively, brought a distinctly Western vibe to The Good Dinosaur which felt incredibly out of place; their performances were absolutely caricatures of Western streotypes and made the cowboy/rustler segment tiresome.

In The Heart Of The Sea

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This could have been big and powerful if it had had the courage to take risks and be bold. I would give In The Heart Of The Sea a 6.5/10.

This film was really good at presenting an experience; you quickly became quite invested in seeing these men sail, hunt whales and try to survive 'Moby Dick'. The cinematography was really good when it came to big establishing shots that took in the incredible sets or visual effects; it felt like you were looking at well painted canvasses at times. The special effects were another stunning visual feat; I really loved how realistic the whales looked in this film. However it was the incredible score that made this film stand out; while some aspects of the film were lacking the score consistently rose to the occasion and is one of my favourites of the year.

Chris Hemsworth, who played Owen Chase, gives probably his best performance since Thor; he has such a strong physical presence as ship first mate in this film. Ben Whishaw, who played Herman Melville, played really strongly against Gleeson in this film; I liked that even he got to bear his vulnerabilities as a writer. Charlotte Riley, who played Peggy, wasn't in the film much but was as powerful as Hemsworth when she was onscreen; I thought her emotional reaction to Hemsworth's homeward return was really powerful. Benjamin Walker, who played George Pollard, was really good at playing a character you started to dislike at first; however Walker really took this role upon an incredible journey of growth and development. Michelle Fairley, who played Mrs Nickerson, had some incredible chemistry with Gleeson; I loved her reaction to his confession of committing cannibalism.

However the best performance came from Brendan Gleeson, who played Old Thomas Nickerson. Gleeson is the perfect person to guide the model of the film's plot; his incredible performance and emotional unfolding of his character make his scenes some of the best of the film. He has a lot of chemistry with Whishaw and Fairley, the only actor and actress he interacts with in the film. What really makes Gleeson's performance stand out is the scene in which he confesses to having commit cannibalism, it's very intense and Gleeson performs it brilliantly.

This film feels too long and there are scenes that drag out, the pacing could have been a lot better. The plot really fails it's characters because none of the figures in this film are really developed enough for you to care about them. The cinematography has some good establishing shots but the director also plays around too much with experimentation, there a few sequences where you are snapped out of the film because it's very obvious you're watching things through a lens. The editing is really slow and doesn't help the dragged out pacing; a film of this scale should have been cut together better.

Tom Holland, who played Young Thomas Nickerson, doesn't really live up to Gleeson's older portrayal of this role; in fact Holland doesn't have much screen presence and is a weak performer compared to the rest of his castmates. Cillian Murphy, who played Matthew Joy, was a character who wasn't explored enough in this film; he was supposed to have a big backstory with Hemsworth but it was never explored. Frank Dillane, who played Owen Coffin, felt out of place in this film; he was too erratic and felt artificial in his performance. Donald Sumpter, who played Paul Macy, isn't a very convincing authoritative figure; he doesn't really stack up against Hemsworth. Edward Ashley, who played Barzallai Ray, is supposed to be close with Holland's role but the two of them have no chemistry; frankly Ashley has zero screen presence in this film.  

Goosebumps

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This is a really enjoyable family film, though if you're an actual Goosebumps fan it may not be your thing. I would give Goosebumps a 6.5/10.

This movie had a plot that was fairly solid, I enjoyed the quest to recapture all of the monsters and I even enjoyed the romance storyline between Zach and Hannah. What really drives the plot is the human element of Zach who is coping with the loss of his father while adjusting to a new town, this aspect of character exploration made Goosebumps more than just a simple film. I think the film was more comedy than horror because honestly this was hilairious, I was laughing through a lot of scenes. The pacing for this film was well done, everything unfolded at a well calculated rate. The score for this film was perfect, it really played up the horror vibe well. I also liked the special effects even if some of the animation models could've had a little more work done, there were a lot of monsters in this film and I thought the way they were done was quite good.

Dylan Minnette, who played Zach, is a fantastic lead in this film; I thought he was quite charismatic and excelled at delivering some good sarcastic comedy. Odeya Rush, who played Hannah, matches Minnette perfectly in a leading role; she's a very likeable character and I enjoyed the twist around her character. Amy Ryan, who played Gale, is quite a fun character with some very realistic dialogue delivery; I enjoyed scenes between her and Minnette as they were some of the most genuine of the film. Amanda Lund and Timothy Simons, who played Officer Brooks and Officer Stevens respectively, gave two of the best scenes of the film; I loved these as a comedic duet and their running gag about a police officer in training.

However the best performance came from Jillian Bell, who played Lorraine. Bell has the strongest comedic presence out of anyone in this film, often delivering one liners that are absolute gold. She really brought a lot of her presence to any scene that she appears in, ultimately she is a scene stealer. Even when bogged down with a romance subplot between herself and Black she rises above and makes the best out of it. A really entertaining performance.

I wasn't a fan that they tried to force a romance between Black and Bell's characters as well as Ryan and Marino's, the only effect this had was the usual tired feeling of a forced attempt to romantically link all the single characters with partners. The tone of this film wasn't very scary or tense was another problem, you never really believed that any of the characters was in any real danger. The cinematography was quite simple and certainly didn't match up to the entertaining effects.

Jack Black, who played R. L. Stine, felt like he was forcing it this entire film; he gave a very artificial performance as Stine and you didn't really care much about this role. Black also voiced the film's main antagonist, Slappy, who started out as quite sinister and much more interesting than Stine but was ultimately very stereotypical and plagued by awful dialogue. Ryan Lee, who played Champ, was more annoying sidekick than comedic sidekick; he's irritating to watch in this film and just doesn't stack up to the rest of the cast. Ken Marino, who played Coach Carr, spearheaded this awkward attempt to create a romance between him and Ryan; thank God Marino has the screen presence of a cricket. Keith Arthur Bolden, who played Principal Garrison, had a role that could've been quite interesting in this film; he almost strongly lead the school against the monsters but was sadly underused.

The Night Before

This review may contain spoilers!

Not only is this the worst comedy of the year but it's probably in amongst some of the worst Christmas films of all time. I would give The Night Before a 2/10.

I did enjoy some of the humour that was used in this film, there were some incredibly well done jokes that landed pretty well.

Seth Rogen, who played Isaac, was one of the only leads in this film who felt comedic; despite being plagued with one of the worst plotlines of the film Rogen really presented some fantastic delivery in this film. Anthony Mackie, who played Chris Roberts, was entertaining as the 'celebrity' of the group; I liked the moral conflict behind his character's use of steroids. Lizzy Caplan, who played Diana, was a really good leading actress; she played a very natural, genuine role which was what this film desperately needed at times. Tracy Morgan, who played The Narrator/Santa, was a really funny intro and outro to the film; this was one of the few times that being absurdly wacky worked for the film rather than against it. Nathan Fielder, who played Joshua, was one of the better minor roles of the film; his chemistry with Mackie was great and the car chase sequence was probably one of the best scenes of the film. Miley Cyrus, who played herself, was an enjoyable appearance in the film; I enjoyed how candidly she took on some self-deprecating humour. Randall Park, who played the Boss, was a really good cameo in this film; he brought together one of the very few funny scenes that had Joseph Gordon-Levitt in it.

However the best performance came from James Franco, who played himself. Franco was only a cameo role in this film but the minute he was onscreen you felt like the film had just taken an adrenaline shot to the heart. Everything was a lot more entertaining the minute he and Rogen started working their brilliant chemistry. I loved this payoff of the Isaac getting dick pics subplot, it was one of the best set ups of the film.

This film relies heavily on crafting a story about someone who lost their parents, but you never really feel the emotional weight of that aspect; in fact the main character is kind of dislikeable. Frankly every plotline in this film gets a botched lazy treatment; Mackie's steroid abuse is never explored and Rogen's fear of parenting expressed through a drug trip is a subplot that is both strange and weak. This film doesn't take itself seriously but not in a good way; it's like watching the successful guy in high school become a crackhead. To even talk about pacing is a joke as this film didn't seem to have a sense of direction at any point of the film. The soundtrack for this film is completely all over the place; a very clear attempt to get cheap laughs through musical humour. The cinematography is pretty basic, the director didn't seem to be trying anything special with this film. The editing made me cringe at several points, the scene transitions felt like Windows Movie Maker cuts.

Joseph Gordon-Levitt, who played Ethan, was an awful lead for this film; I think I could count the number of times Gordon-Levitt made me laugh on one hand. Jillian Bell, who played Betsy, was quite an artificial performance; the worst thing was that she had no chemistry with Rogen at all. Michael Shannon, who played Mr Green, just presented this character that was too bizarre to enjoy; I don't know what the film really hoped to achieve with this weak Christmas Carol tribute. Ilana Glazer, who played Rebecca Grinch, was a weak antagonist for this film; she stole stuff and beyond that had no developed character. Aaron Hill, who played Tommy Owens, wasn't a very interesting character; he had zero chemistry with Mackie who was the only realy reason he had any purpose in this film. Mindy Kaling, who played Sarah, was a really annoying performance; she fell quite short beside the likes of Caplan, Rogen and Franco. Lorraine Toussaint, who played Mrs Roberts, didn't really have much presence in this film; this is a true shame because with a few more scenes she could have potentially stood out in this film.