The Age Of Shadows

This review may contain spoilers!

If you don't focus on your characters then the audience won't commit to your story, especially if that story is over two hours long. I would give The Age Of Shadows a 4/10.

This film deals well in suspense, creating scenes where you're on the edge of your seat waiting to see if the protagonists are going to be captured by the Japanese. Beyond these moments of suspense the other great aspect of the plot is when the espionage gives way to violent and desperate shoot-outs; the action is almost suffocating in how close and personal it gets. The cinematography really highlights the film's beautiful sets, extreme wides and tracking shots make you feel immersed in the landscape of the film. The score is matched to the espionage themes really well, the low bass notes only serves to heighten the suspense.

Gong Yoo, who played Kim Woo-Jin, makes for a very calm and reserved resistance fighter; his strategic ever-changing personas makes him an intrigue to watch. Um Tae-Goo, who played Hashimoto, was a wild antagonist; Tae-Goo made for an unpredictable and extremely hostile enemy to the protagonists of the feature. Shingo Tsurumi, who played Higashi, was an interesting bureaucratic antagonist; his two-faced nature made him shifty and in a way almost nastier than Tae-Goo. Park Hee-Soon, who played Kim Jang-Ok, really kicked this film off well; his desperate fight for survival really set the tone for the rest of the feature.

However the best performance came from Song Kang-Ho, who played Lee Jung-Chool. Made for quite an interesting and unique lead, most notably for his very flippant role. Throughout the entire feature what is essentially development from servant to revolutionary is disguised by making you distrust the character's ultimate loyalty. Kang-Ho's tired and disgruntled figure plays both sides and never really betrays exactly where he will end up. The high points of this performance are the moments of extreme emotion that Kang-Ho portrays; torturing Ji-Min's role is one harrowing scene, crying over her corpse is another and one of my favourites is his smug toast to Tsurumi right before the bomb he has set explodes.

The problem this film has is that the characters who are Japanese are treated as an overall faction, just as those in the resistance are; individual characters aren't ever really given any focus or insight into which makes it hard to connect to these characters. Because you're not invested in the individuals of the film what results is a slow paced feature discussing the politics of a Japanese occupied Korea. The editing was also horrendous, the transitions in particular; the fast cross-fades and dissolves were almost painful to watch and had a negative effect on the film's visual style and already horrible pacing.

Han Ji-Min, who played Yun Gye-Soon, was really only here to motivate some of the leading protagonist's man pain; Ji-Min was never given much to do in the feature and even had to work with the rather awful Burden. Shin Sung-Rok, who played Jo Hwe-Ryung, really had no screen presence in this film; his reveal as the traitor within the resistance wasn't a big twist or even a particularly memorable moment of the film. Seo Young-Joo, who played Joo Dong-Sung, was quite a pathetic minor role; his only function was to progress the plot and he didn't serve as a functioning character in any other capacity. Lee Byung-Hun, who played Jung Chae-Sun, had a lot of potential but no real substance; Byung-Hun is a great performer but couldn't provide any depth to this two-dimensional character. Choi Yu-Hwa, who played Kim Sa-Hee, really didn't stand out at all; her role as a police secretary didn't have much function in terms of the greater plot. Foster Burden, who played Ludvik, is honestly the wrost performer of the film; his line delivery is deadpan and clearly reveals that he isn't suited for a main role in any feature film.

Doctor Strange

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Substance over style is a lesson that I hope Marvel learns after this film. I would give Doctor Strange a 6/10.

As far as the story goes there's a decent tale about an arrogant, selfish man becoming a hero; and while that's nothing we haven't seen before the element of magic and Cumberbatch's stellar performance keeps it interesting. Everything that makes this film any good is the special effects, the mirror dimension or magical implements just look stunning and unlike anything Marvel has ever done before. The cinematography complements the effects well, massive cityscape establishing shots blend into brilliant wide shots for dialogue scenes or sudden intense close ups. The score for Doctor Strange certainly has a more ethereal feel to it while maintaining the intensity demanded of a blockbuster film.

Chiwetel Ejiofor, who played Mordo, has the stern demeanour of a devout mystic follower in this film; as hidden secrets are revealed it's Ejiofor's moments of passion and feelings of betrayal that really make these scenes resonate. Benedict Wong, who played Wong, really delivered some amazing stoic deadpan humour; I think Wong brings a character who not only feels experienced but willing to die for his cause. Tilda Swinton, who played The Ancient One, really had the gravitas needed for a role like this; Swinton feels powerful without ever really needing the aid of visual effects which is a big part of what makes this role so good.

However the best performance came from Benedict Cumberbatch, who played Dr. Stephen Strange. Cumberbatch has established himself firmly by now as an accomplished actor who can carry a film or series with ease. It's really no surprise that even with a messy script like this one that Cumberbatch holds the whole thing together as a compelling lead. Even as the egotistical and snarky neurosurgeon at the start of the film there's a charm to him. However as the film progresses we see this role grapple with the idea of being self-serving or being selfless which all results in a satisfying conclusion. Yet I can't help but mention that it is without a doubt Cumberbatch's portrayal of Strange's pain after becoming disabled that really stood out.

Magic is hard to do well, in fact fantasy films are struggling to make their mark on the box office these days, so it's no real shock when Marvel's attempt at sorcery feels a bit inflated and confusing. The magic world needs constant exposition throughout, they have to explain how magic exists, the multiverse, the mirror universe, the dark dimension, relics and a plethora of other magical mumbo jumbo that made the movie a slow going beast. As far as the narrative the structure is quite jarring, Strange's life as a neurosurgeon is jammed together quickly without making the audience ever really care for him or his love interest. As the film progresses there's a lot of training (mostly exposition) and then a lot of battles with bad guys who want to end the world for very flimsy and two-dimensional reasons. The characters are never explored at great length beyond strange, in fact Strange seems so determined to be a solo hero that we never come to feel for or relate to the supporting cast. This all concludes with a disappointing final battle in which Strange rewinds time so the world never ends and then he quite literally annoys the main antagonist into submission; the fact the tools to succeeding come so easily to Strange removes a lot of tension or suspense from moments that could have otherwise been great.

Benedict Cumberbatch, who played Dormammu, might have been a good protagonist but he let the film down as the main antagonist; his voice work was simple and we got an extra-dimensional threat that was about as intimidating as Krang from the TMNT2 film this year. Rachel McAdams, who played Christine Palmer, really had next to no purpose being in this film; she was shunted into a love interest role and had no agency outside of that. Mads Mikkelsen, who played Kaecilius, gave the most two-dimensional performance of his career; Mikkelsen created a villain that wasn't threatening and lacked motive quite noticeably. Michael Stuhlbarg, who played Dr. Nicodemus West, was a pretty pithy side role; Stuhlbarg doesn't match up to Cumberbatch nor does he have the presence to stand out. Benjamin Bratt, who played Jonathan Pangborn, is an actor I feel bad for; the crappy exposition he had to deliver could not have been done well by anyone. Topo Wresniwiro, who played Hamir, is a reminder that Marvel is fickle; we were never going to get a performer like Wresniworo to play The Ancient One which is a real indicator that Marvel clearly has to work a bit harder on it's casting.

Luck-Key

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This is a pretty bizarre comedy but it's charismatic narrative and stellar cast make it really enjoyable. I would give Luck-Key a 6/10.

The ultimate idea of this film is the whole 'switched identities' narrative done a bit more uniquely; basically one of the characters is a hitman and the other a struggling actor. What makes the film so unique is how the central actor (who was once a hitman) manages to construct a life for himself all around his lost memory, it develops to be quite a charming story about finding happiness in life. The cinematography shows a great attention paid to framing, Korean comedies are leagues ahead of American ones. The music for the film is great and really lightens up the tone, moments of joy are really backed up by the score.

Yu Hae-Jin, who played Hyung-Wook, was an excellent protagonist in this film; I loved his development after he lost his memory and I also thought the whole plot element of him having to play a 'bad' actor was fun. Sung Byoung-Sook, who played Ri-Na's Mom, was an entertaining minor role; I liked her opposition to Hae-Jin at first and how that quickly gave way to earnest praise.

However the best performance came from Jo Yoon-Hee, who played Ri-Na. Yoon-Hee delivers a passionate performance in which we see how much her character cares about the welfare of others, in particular Hae-Jin's character. The chemistry between these two is well developed and it's Yoon-Hee who often leads the relationship along. She is a funny, subtle performer and does very well in this film.

This film has a major issue in that one of it's two leads attempts to take his own life at the start of the film; suicide does not have any real place in a comedy film and the fact that it's being made a mockery of in this really switches you off the story for the first twenty minutes. Furthermore when Hyung-Wook gets his memories back you lose a lot of the build up that has been the nice charismatic life he has lead, it undercuts itself in a very disappointing way. The editing tends to be quite slow as well, resulting in pacing issues and shots being lingered upon for far too long.

Lee Joon, who played Jae-Sung, was a horrible lead and wasn't very funny at all; Joon's inability to carry his own storyline made him rather uninteresting. Lim Ji-Yeon, who played Eun-Joo, didn't really have much screen presence in this film; Ji-Yeon lacked chemistry with Joon which meant their entire story arc fell flat.

Keeping Up With The Joneses

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As far as action-comedies go this one felt pretty tame. I would give Keeping Up With The Joneses a 4/10.

There was definitely a witty quality to this film, the mockery of suburban life and aspects of modern day culture was a lot of fun. The way the spy characters were incorporated into the film also worked out pretty well, it was charming to see the leads interacting with one another in these particular scenarios.

Zach Galifianakis, who played Jeff Gaffney, is an odd yet charming lead for this film; Galifianakis really utilises his tendency towards awkward humour to deliver one liners or comedic dialogue in a really unique way. Isla Fisher, who played Karen Gaffney, really stands out when it comes to the four leads; Fisher's parody of a suburban mum who is overly suspicious and paranoid is a lot of fun to watch. Jon Hamm, who played Tim Jones, gives an exceptionally charismatic performance in this film; I really enjoyed the chemistry that developed between him and Galifianakis. Gal Gadot, who played Natalie Jones, really gave the men in this film a run for their money when she could; Gadot really fit the spy role and especially delivered the intensity a role like that required.

However the best performance came from Patton Oswalt, who played the Scorpion. I love when action comedies unmask the antagonist and it's immensely satisfying. Oswalt brought a lot of energy the minute he appeared which was a great start, the film had started to fizzle out and Oswalt raised the stakes back up. I felt that this character had a loose demeanour in which Oswalt could let out his comedic side but it also felt convincing when he was wielding a weapon and threatening the protagonists. Certainly a very fun action-comedy bad guy.

The film itself was very safe and never went out of it's way to be side-splittingly funny; therefore it just became predictable and quite similar to most every other film in the genre. The pacing really reflected this, the long wait between moments of suspense or action meant the film started to come to a crawl quite early on. The cinematography had a lot of potential but ultimately didn't aim high enough, we were left with basic framing and action scenes shot in a rather dull way. The editing wasn't particularly impressive either, if the narrative wasn't providing ba pacing already then the editing secured it. The score was a bit over the top at times, often feeling like it didn't really match the scenes it was put to; the soundtrack was barely noticeable.

Matt Walsh and Maribeth Monroe, who played Dan Craverston and Meg Craverston, were given far too much screen time and importance in this film; Walsh felt tired and barely put in any effort while Monroe was overperforming at every turn. Michael Liu, who played Yang, was dealt as a funny one off scene character that wasn't all that funny; in fact his performance was quite forgettable and overshadowed by Galifianakis and Hamm. Kevin Dunn, who played Carl Pronger, has no reason at all to be in this film; Dunn's only real purpose was to deliver a minute amount of exposition but even that didn't deserve the amount of screen time this character got. Richard Regan Paul and Jona Xiao, who played Sanjay and Stacey Chung respectively, were characters the film slotted in to stretch out the run time; all these performers provided were lazy scenes and weak performances.

Jack Reacher: Never Go Back

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The Jack Reacher films are slow yet well thought out pieces of cinema that boast some pretty good casts. I would give Jack Reacher: Never Go Back a 7.5/10.

This is such a good sequel that takes what worked in the first film and only improves upon it. For instance I liked how there was more of a focus upon Reacher's time as Military Police by placing him within a crime mystery at the heart of the very organisation he used to serve. The way Reacher and Turner interact and battle for dominance as they get further and further into the corruption at the heart of American weapons contractors is brilliant and makes for even finer chemistry than the leads of the first film. The director really brings a lot of variety when it comes to the cinematography, the action was snappy and utilised fast tracking shots while no dialogue scene ever really looked the same. The fight choreography was brutal; everything feels very life or death, probably best evidenced in the final fight scene between Reacher and the Hunter. The score for this film is a lot more emotive than the first film, action scenes feel much grander and have a new edge brought to them while emotional scenes are only heightened.

Tom Cruise, who played Jack Reacher, has always done the protagonist very well for these films; Cruise is able to present a very charismatic personality who you could also believe would snap and take out five guys if he wanted to. Aldis Hodge, who played Espin, took a while to make his character shine but when he found his feet I really came to like Hodge's role; in the film this character is quite the military hardass with a very fine moral compass. Patrick Heusinger, who played The Hunter, does absolutely amazing in this film; Heusinger creates this relentless force who is a very real threat and the best antagonist within the cast. Holt McCallany, who played Col. Morgan, was a nice stern introduction to the military antagonists of this film; McCallany has the arrogant air his rank and power allows his role played to perfection. Judd Lormand and Jason Douglas, who played Local Deputy and Sheriff respectively, were a great way to kick the film off; their stern appraisal of Reacher before the shock realisation of what his presence means for them is done very well. Robert Catrini, who played Col. Moorcroft, is great as a reluctant protagonist; his tired military officer prompted into action by Reacher is a role that felt very natural to the narrative of the film. Robert Knepper, who played Gen. Harkness, really worked as the overarching antagonist for the film; his smug exterior in his final scene of the film sparks a great confrontation between Smulders and himself.

However the best performance came from Cobie Smulders, who played Turner. Smulders really has the tough presence to work as a military lead, the character's stubborn and headstrong qualities are portrayed as well as the guilt and blame the character is carrying around with her. I enjoyed seeing an actress who could match Reacher not in a love interest way or an elite intense assassin way but as this woman who has served in the same capacity as him and who knows how to handle herself in the same field of combat. It was great just getting the little subtleties of the performance such as how she would constantly be grabbing objects from the environment around her to use as a weapon against male assailants much bigger than herself. Her last scene in which she is given a respectful return to her status and rank within her station is probably one of the most rewarding scenes of the film to watch.

The one thing both Jack Reacher films have had problems with is slow pacing, this particular film improved on that but was often let down by lingering too long upon scenes or delving into backstory and subplots that laboured the film down. The biggest example of a subplot that weakened the film is the introduction of Reacher's 'daughter' who promptly hampers the group at every turn or falls squarely into the damsel in distress role; just add to all that her lack of chemistry with anyone else in the cast and you start to see her negative effect. The editing also wasn't the best it could have been, for an action film the cutting should have been a lot swifter and more fluid.

Danika Yarosh, who played Samantha, is the film's off attempt to create a father/daughter dynamic for Reacher; unfortunately Yarosh couldn't have been a worse choice and she really becomes more of an annoying figure rather than an interesting one. Madalyn Horcher, who played Sgt. Leach, had a very diminutive presence in the feature; her delivery was clearly supposed to be important but instead what we got was Horcher delivering her lines to Reacher in a weird flirty manner. Jessica Stroup, who played Lt. Sullivan, is this emotionless drone for her scenes of the film; this is a role who lacks impact and substance. Austin Hebert, who played Prudhomme, gives one of the worst junkie performances I've ever seen; Hebert is introduced in the final act and he doesn't really lend himself to the exposition he has to deliver.

Ouija: Origin Of Evil

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The first Ouija was disappointing, so imagine my surprise when the prequel turns out to be one of the most bone-chilling horrors of the year. I would give Ouija: Origin Of Evil a 7/10.

Making the follow up to Ouija a prequel makes perfect sense, it's genius and is masterfully done within this film. The 60s setting works to the narrative's favour; creating a fresh take on the Ouija story while also appearing unique and interesting. The possession of Doris is a really unnerving story that unfolds to become a horrific slaughter of most of the main cast. I don't think a film has had me more scared than this all year, you see a little girl's face and body contort in ways that are just too hard to watch at times. The score for the film is really haunting but it also helps to trick you by making you feel optimistic when first Doris starts talking to the spirits, the soundtrack also does a good job in placing you within the time period and amplifying the terror.

Elizabeth Reaser, who played Alice Zander, really did a great job as the lead mother figure of the film; Reaser's desire to help people with her spirit readings is different and makes her role easy to like. Lulu Wilson, who played Doris Zander, is just absolutely creepy as hell for most of the film; the scene where she describes strangling someone alive is one of the better monologues delivered this year by a character. Henry Thomas, who played Father Tom, takes a while to really take off but is quite charismatic as the plot progresses; I enjoyed the scene where Thomas reveals he tricked the spirits - it makes everything more real and you feel like the conflict is about to come to a satisfying head.

However the best performance came from Annalise Basso, who played Lina Zander. This young protagonist has the tough rebellious streak and distance from her parental figure that we've come to expect in horror films, however Basso performs it incredibly well. As the film progresses we come to grow more afraid as Basso shows how frightened of Wilson's role her character is. Ultimately it all comes to a head when the character of Lina must step up and take responsibility for saving her family from the spirits that have possessed Doris; it's heartbreaking to see the grief she has to go through following this and then the loss of her sanity immediately after.

The film doesn't always know how to handle it's more mundane elements; a group of teenagers sneakily hanging out, school life, the awkward date between mother and priest, none of it portrayed very well at all. In fact these servants felt like loose plot points tying things together before the next horrific spirit or possession scene. The cinematography was also a bit disappointing, it certainly picked up near the end but for most of the film the framing felt rather simple and stationary. The editing didn't heighten thing either, the cuts were slow and the pace only ever picked up in a few select scenes.

Parker Mack, who played Mikey, was the film's awful attempt at a bit of romance; Mack really lacked chemistry with Basso which just made his presence a bit redundant. Sam Anderson and Kate Siegel, who played Mr Browning and Jenny Browning respectively, were a rather generic start to the film; the scenario felt tired and predictable before it was even halfway through. Halle Charlton and Alexis G. Zall, who played Ellie and Betty respectively, had made worried that we were going to get the flaws of Ouija all over again at first; this teenage fear of a board game failed the first time and I didn't want to see it portrayed by bland actors all over again.

Cafe Society

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A very stylistic film that does tone well but it's horrible characters and plot cripples it from the start. I would give Cafe Society a 3/10.

The 30s period setting is very vibrant in this film, you're dropped straight into a time that has been perfectly crafted and sculpted for screen. This attention to detail and whimsical romantic treatment of Hollywood elite life allows for a very casual yet expressive tone throughout the feature. In terms of the plot itself perhaps one of the few accomplishments was the plot twist revealing Phil and Vonnie's relationship, this took me by surprise and allowed me to reengage with the narrative. The cinematography is gorgeous, what really sets it apart are the precise roaming panning and tracking shots. The editing also achieves a unique style for the film, very few films can go for the transitions that this one pulled off flawlessly.

Steve Carell, who played Phil Stern, just had the energy and the drive to portray the big Hollywood exec; Carell really pulls out all the stops by revealing an inner struggle within his character over leaving his wife for his newfound younger lover. Jesse Eisenberg, who played Bobby, has the natural awkward yet charming witticisms that were so crucial for his role; Eisenberg is a great choice for the protagonist and makes his mark upon the film. Corey Stoll, who played Ben Dorfman, was a bit of a wild card in the film; Stoll creates an intriguing mob boss character who's ironically one of the funniest characters. Anna Camp, who played Candy, has a really fun and stand out scene with Eisenberg; I found Camp entertaining as the 'first-time prostitute' who didn't really know the tricks of the trade. Kristen Stewart, who played Vonnie, really showed her range in Cafe Society; you could actually see how torn Vonnie was over having to choose between Phil and Bobby.

However the best performance came from Blake Lively, who played Veronica. Lively manages to create a character who has both the charm and the personality to remain likeable by the end of the film. I thought Lively really crafted a character who was of the era and who also managed to be vibrant while on screen, her 'first encounter' with Eisenberg is a very endearing scene. Even when she became a mother I found Lively's Veronica to be both nurturing and suited for this transition of status.

When I say this film drags it's heels when it comes to pacing I find that to be an understatement, better to say this film feels like wading through a kilometre of quicksand. There's a lot of reasons why this is whether it be the really bland narration dealing exposition and holding your hand throughout the film, or the feature's tendency to cut to really unimportant clips or subplots. Yet it's how the characters are written and the depravity at the core of the main protagonists that makes this film hard to watch, not because they are morally wrong but because it means that none of the main cast are easy to empathise with - most of all Bobby, Phil and Vonnie. The score was also a bit drab, the attention to era was great but sadly left the film feeling flat.

Sheryl Lee, who played Karen Stern, was little more than wasted potential; Lee's character was more a visual reminder of Phil's wife as opposed to an actual character. Jeannie Berlin, who played Rose Dorfman, was a very two-dimensional overbearing matriarch; her fussing and nagging just grew tiresome after a while. Ken Stott, who played Marty Dorfman, just didn't seem to really commit to his role; Stott's character felt like a drained out minor role from a 70s TV serial. Sari Lennick, who played Evelyn, gave a very forgettable performance; it felt like Lennick and Berlin's performances were just too similar to make much of an impression. Stephen Kunken, who played Leonard, was a quirky idea but as a character didn't really have the comedic impact; Kunken's diminutive character resulted in a diminutive presence. Tess Frazer, who played Phil's Secretary, is very similar to Lee in that she displayed wasted potential too; her close ties to Carell's character could have sparked some interesting scenes or dialogue in the film but sadly this wasn't the case. Parker Posey and Paul Schneider, who played Rad and Steve, were this couple who kept appearing throughout the film but lacked the presence to be very memorable; I found they didn't have much chemistry with the rest of the cast (in particular Eisenberg) which is a shame as they guided a few scenes with the main cast. Woody Allen, who voiced the Narrator, really provided some boring and hard to listen to exposition; honestly Allen didn't need to do this himself and could have found a much nicer sounding voice performer easily.

Inferno

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It just goes to show that even an actor like Tom Hanks signs up to do a dud sometimes. I would give Inferno a 5.5/10.

This film has a great start that presents a very real threat and a good set up for the dangers that are to come throughout the story. What this film does best is build intrigue mainly through mysteries that need to be solved and chase scenes; however there are a couple of plots twists that, while not very surprising, add a lot to the overall narrative of the film. The cinematography looks great which isn't surprising considering Ron Howard's in the director seat, I enjoy the fact that you always feel in motion and that the camera moves right along with the action. The score for this film is another great example of Hans Zimmer knocking it out of the park, all of the mystery and intrigue I mentioned earlier is only heightened by the music accompaniment.

Tom Hanks, who played Robert Langdon, is such a great protagonist in this film; a lot of the film depends upon Hanks' performance which gets better as he solves more and more of the mysteries set before him. Irrfan Khan, who played Harry Sims 'The Provost', is an intriguing anti-hero in the feature; Khan's ability to both appear at ease while delivering ultimatums and brutal violence make him one of the most interesting characters of the film. Omar Sy, who played Christoph Bruder, has a strong physical presence as the relentless agent after Hanks and Jones; yet I liked that Sy had a chance to play the double agent and add a lot more to his performance than a simple agent role. Ida Darvish, who played Marta, was a very refreshing minor role in this film; her energy onscreen provided something the film had been lacking and she delivered her exposition about Dante wonderfully.

However the best performance came from Ben Foster, who played Bertrand Zobrist. Foster's strength is how he kicks this film off, the passion of his performance as he talks about the need for a decrease in the human population is powerful. Yet throughout he becomes a more and more engaging antagonist and his thinking becomes more precise and he develops to be more of a character rather than just an enigmatic entity. Foster pulls off a great antagonist even with an early exit from the film and a rather cheesy romance subplot.

The pacing for this film is slow as hell, unless you have come to this film prepared to be fully engaged then it's the type of feature that'd you fall asleep watching. The execution of the story is horrible, dwelling too long on Hanks' introduction to Jones and never allowing the action to spike so much as steadily chug along. The romantic subplots feel very off and it's hard to keep track of the numerous factions at play within the film. A lot of the roles feel very emotionless or are hard to like, which means it's hard for you to empathise with the main cast. The choice to erratically cut between the present and Hanks' jumbled memories and visions was a poor choice; the editing for it is really bad and constantly getting drawn out of the plot is jarring.

Sidse Babett Knudsen, who played Dr. Elizabeth Sinskey, gave a very dry and monotone performance; I also felt that the romantic subplot the film created between her and Hanks in the final act felt shoehorned in and lacked chemistry. Felicity Jones, who played Dr. Sienna Brooks, had no chemistry with Hanks or Foster who are pretty much the only actors she interacts with for the entire film; the plot twist that presented her as the overall antagonist was neither surprising nor well executed. Ana Ularu, who played Vayentha, was a really stock henchman-type role; it's a shame when characters like these aren't given any form of character or capacity to stand out. Cesare Cremonini, who played Ignazio Busoni, is treated as a character Hanks' knows very well but is never given the opportunity to have a scene in which he can stand out or even make this apparent; Cremonini's hasty introduction is perhaps just as bad as the fact the film seems to forget all about him entering into the final act.

The Girl On The Train

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This is an intriguing film that stands out due to Emily Blunt's performance and the incredible plot twist it pulls off. I would give The Girl On The Train a 7/10.

This is a very tense, thriller with a steady build up to a great revelation at the end. When the murderer is revealed to be none other than Tom this is both shocking and serves the narrative quite well; the abuse and mistreatment the three female leads have been subjected to is horrifying and as equally rewarding when justice is dealt unto Tom. The cinematography looks great and has a very artistic vibe, I enjoyed that the focus was never really perfectly centred and how characters seemed to slip off to the side. The score is hauntingly good, it really helps to set the atmosphere of mounting tension and anxiety as the film progresses.

Emily Blunt, who played Rachel, is an exceptional leading actress in this film; Blunt manages to craft a rather frail and erratic character who despite her sometimes questionable behaviour you can't help empathising with. Haley Bennett, who played Megan, has really had a good year for her films and has been stunning in them; Bennett's character is really interesting and her constant struggle to understand herself makes for one of the more memorable characters of the film. Rebecca Ferguson, who played Anna, plays a very cold and distant housewife; Ferguson's portrayal of a woman's fear for her own safety and that of her child is really well done. Luke Evans, who played Scott, has an intense physicality to his role; this is a very aggressive and violent character who seems quite antagonistic for a lot of the film. Allison Janney, who played Detective Riley, is one of best performances of the film; her hard edge and very blunt detective was one of my favourite characters. Lisa Kudrow, who played Martha, is very good at delivering stand out minor roles; this is a compassionate performance in which the plot twist of the film begins to be revealed.

However the best performance came from Justin Theroux, who played Tom. This film banks so much on the plot twist working well and thanks to Theroux this goes off without a hitch. I enjoyed seeing his performance as a rather reasonable and respectable father and husband when we're first introduced to Tom. However when he is revealed to be volatile and abusive a lot of the film just snaps into focus; this is a man who's a very real danger. One of the better antagonists to come out of 2016.

This film does take it's time to really kick off the murder mystery that's at the heart of this film, even when the murder takes place the action is slow and the character interactions and constant flashbacks are a drag on the film. The focus upon the three main women is great but the method to present their stories is very jarring. The editing doesn't help matters much, often lingering upon shots and allowing the pacing to slow even further.

Edgar Ramirez, who played Dr. Kamal Abdic, wasn't very convincing as a restrained therapist; Ramirez monotone drawl really lets down a lot of Bennett's scenes. Laura Prepon, who played Cathy, was without a doubt one of the worst performances of this film; it just felt like she was acting as opposed to presenting a character. Darren Goldstein, who played Man In The Suit, just didn't have the screen presence to really earn his place amongst the supporting cast; Goldstein's weak stammered scene with Blunt is very memorable.

Deepwater Horizon

This review may contain spoilers!

If you want to see one of the best film casts of the year then this is a must. I would give Deepwater Horizon a 9/10.

These days it's so easy for a biopic to come off as boring, we're getting more and more of them so that stands to reason. What Deepwater Horizon provides is an intense, empathetic story about a group of characters you really care for having to contend with one of the most striking man-made disasters in US history. There's a great balance when it comes to the pacing of this film; a well constructed build up to the ultimate disaster during which characters are fleshed out and a great atmosphere is set. This careful set up leads to a debilitating portrayal of the disaster itself, you are on the edge of your seat for this event throughout and by the end of the film you'll never want to get your petrol from a BP oil pump ever again. The cinematography really gives an edge to the disaster that is biblical in it's proportions; I always liked how much movement there was in dialogue scenes which allowed for a lot more flow. The special effects worked a charm, particularly the explosions upon the oil rig itself. There wasn't so much a score here that I wanted to praise but instead the sound editing is really worth mentioning, everything is set up so that you feel barraged by this avalanche of noise that only escalates as things become worse.

Kurt Russell, who played Jimmy Harrell, is one of the standout performances in this film; Russell provides an unrelenting figure who will do whatever it takes to ensure the safety and security of his workers upon the rig. Gina Rodriguez, who played Andrea Fleytas, is an actress that I feel I'm gonna enjoy immensely as she gets even more roles over the next few years; whether it's talking shop with Wahlberg or freaking out about jumping to potential safety Rodriguez proves why she's one of the stars of this film. John Malkovich, who played Vidrine, makes for one hell of an antagonist; his ignorant and smug BP executive works wonders for creating a deplorable figure to blame by the film's end. J.D. Evermore and Ethan Suplee, who played Dewey A. Revette and Jason Anderson respectively, were great supporting cast; I liked the strong comedic chemistry they brought to their introduction and Suplee's ability to convey the mounting threat shows his skill as a performer. Kate Hudson, who played Felicia, has a ton of chemistry with Wahlberg and crafts a good relationship at the heart of this film; Hudson makes the character indisputably her own and puts a lot of energy and humour into the performance.

However the best performance came from Mark Wahlberg, who played Mike Williams. Wahlberg has proven many times by now they he can absolutely lead a film as the protagonist; yet I would go so far as to say that this film is Wahlberg's greatest performance yet. As per usual he creates a fun atmosphere amongst the rest of the cast, this cements character relationships while also providing a light and comedic tone to kick the film off. However his intensity and drive to save as many lives as possible when the disaster hits makes him quite an admirable hero. Yet it's the scene in which he tries to make Andrea jump off the rig with him that really stands out; in this moment any walls his character might have had are stripped away and you see a raw emotional performance that is one of the best this year.

This film only suffers when it plays into the hands of the stereotypical disaster film formula too much, and while this is an amazing film it doesn't really go out of it's way to break formula if it can help it. The excessive supporting cast is also a big problem, you're not really sure who is going to be relevant and who isn't; this results in some scenes losing their impact because you forget how where the cast member was last introduced.

Douglas M. Griffin and James DuMont, who played Landry and O'Bryan respectively, create more antagonists and BP execs for this film than is really needed; what results is a couple of scenes where these guys are shoehorned in for minimal effect. Brad Leland, who played Kaluza, was overshadowed by Malkovich throughout this film; Leland's performance was too restrained and laidback to make him more memorable than the main antagonist clearly was. David Maldonado, who played Kuchta, wasn't very memorable when he was first introduced in this film; however it got worse when the film suddenly placed a lot of importance on his character and tried to unnaturally twist him into an antagonist figure. Dylan O'Brien, who played Caleb Holloway, creates a real schmuck role that feels too simple to empathise with when he's first introduced; in the second half of the film O'Brien is suddenly given more to do which feels quite out of nowhere and out of line with where the narrative had been taking his character so far. Stella Allen, who played Sydney, isn't a very good child performer; her tendency to overperform as if she were in a school production gets a bit too much at times.

The Magnificent Seven

This review may contain spoilers!

Despite it's slow pacing this film is going to be the best Western film of the year. I would give The Magnificent Seven a 7.5/10.

This is classic Western brought back to the big screen, despite any flaws you may find with the film it's impossible to argue that. What this story presents is seven very skilled people who all carry some dark imperfection, the act of saving the town at the end of the film seems to a baptism of redemption of sorts for each of them. The cinematography is truly superb, broad expanses are caught in a picturesque way and the shoot outs have clearly been carefully planned; just check out the scenes with the gatling gun or Denzel Washington shooting on his horse and you'll see what I mean. The editing is pretty good, it might not be the best I've seen this year but it certainly does the job and hits the right beats. The score is one of the major triumphs of the film, it's a perfect throwback to classic Western film scores and I'd go so far as to say it's one of the best scores I've listened to this year.

Denzel Washington, who played Chisolm, made for an incredible protagonist in this film; Washington has a resolute strength as the leader of the group and a dark edge that emerges in his final confrontation with Sarsgaard. Chris Pratt, who played Josh Faraday, is a character who's hard to like at times but begrudgingly grows on you as the film goes on; Pratt's natural ability with comedy makes his line delivery some of the best in the film. Byung-hun Lee, who played Billy Rocks, has a really intimidating physical presence throughout the film; he also has some great chemistry with Hawke which manifests itself in a sort of brotherly bond. Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, who played Vasquez, makes more of a likeable mark on you as the film progresses in a similar manner to Pratt; however I'd also say that I got a lot more entertainment out of Garcia-Rulfo's lines and found him to be a very enjoyable presence amongst the main cast. Martin Sensmeier, who played Red Harvest, had the opportunity to bring forward a really interesting and engaging Native American character and he nailed it; Sensmeier's role was interesting because this wasn't just a stereotypical performance but an interesting take upon a warrior and wandering tribesman. Haley Bennett, who played Emma Cullen, is a raging spirit of vengeance and pillar of strength in the film's narrative; Bennett's cold determination towards gaining justice for her husband's murder makes for one of the most interesting performances of the film. Peter Sarsgaard, who played Bartholomew Bogue, brings for a deplorable and vile antagonist for this feature; his sheer greed makes him extremely relevant and engaging to watch. Matt Bomer, who played Matthew Cullen, makes his mark by introducing the film really well; Bomer's stand for justice makes him immediately likeable so that when he's gunned down you're all the more committed to what unfolds. Mark Ashworth, who played Preacher, was a rather reserved yet passionate performance; Ashworth shares an incredibly poignant rooftop scene with Washington in what is one of my favourite moments in the film.

However the best performance came from Vincent D'Onofrio, who played Jack Horne. D'Onofrio plays this burly fighter who will charge directly into a phrase while murmuring or sometimes screaming biblical messages. The line delivery and accent D'Onofrio chooses is quite unique and makes him stand out from the rest of the cast. This is a character who is very detached from the rest of the group at first and he struggles to interact with other characters. However his progression to respecting the six men he fights with and dying helping an injured townsman really show the journey D'Onofrio takes this role upon.

What let this film down was slow pacing, the first two thirds is quite drawn out and would've benefited from tighter storytelling; the start especially takes too long to introduce Washington and Pratt in particular. I also found the relationships between the main cast could've been written a lot better when first we meet them; these are seven guys who don't necessarily share enough backstory, dislike one another or are out and out racists making the core cast extremely hard to empathise with.

Ethan Hawke, who played Goodnight Robicheaux, lacked thr gravitas and screen presence that the rest of the main cast had; frankly Hawke failed to deliver a character that you cared for or even really understood. Luke Grimes, who played Teddy Q, was a forgettable side piece to Bennett's role; the film's attempts to give him presence in scenes failed miserably. Dane Rhodes, who played Sheriff Harp, gave a rather stereotypical portrayal of this cowardly bought out lawman; I felt Rhodes presented a pretty lackluster minor antagonist. Walker Babington and Thomas Blake Jr, who played Dicky and Earl respectively, were really weak minor antagonists; this pair could've either been recurring minor antagonists or a strong introduction to Pratt's role but as they were neither the film failed this pair.