Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned

This review may contain spoilers!

Certainly quite a bizarre film, but it's originality and beautiful style sets it apart from many other films I've seen this year. I'd give Vanishing Time: A Boy Who Returned a 7.5/10.

This is kind of a take on any film that involves time travel or some distortion of time to advance it's plot, except it's unlike anything you've ever seen before. The narrative starts out by crafting this wonderful relationship between two young kids only for us to watch as the young boy, Sung-Min, gets years of his life stolen from him after breaking a magical egg. What unfolds from there is a futile attempt at reconnecting with what he's lost and trying to find a place in a world that does not recognise him anymore. The cinematography is very vivid and beautiful, there's a real attention to detail with close ups of eyes upon the brink of tears or hair streaming outwards as a character floats upon water. The special effects and the cinematography go hand in hand here, the suspension of time is a hard setting to pull off and this film crafts something really unique and amazing out of it. The score really provided fitting emphasis to moments of high emotion, this was a crescendo film with the score rising to the key points of the narrative.

Gang Dong-Won, who played Sung-Min, does a great job at portraying a protagonist who has to be unique in how he interacts with an ordinary environment; Dong-Won crafts a tragic figure who is very easy to empathise with. Lee Hyo-Je, who played Sung-Min, does a great job of introducing us to this likeable child protagonist at the start of the film; his instant connection and chemistry with Eun-Soo sets the film up well for what's to come. Kim Hee-Won, who played Do-Gyoon, wasn't necessarily a great fathe figure but he went through some great character development over the course of the film; his abrasive manner meant his performance wasn't too conventional but it was nice to see he still cared for his stepdaughter despite his tough exterior. Kim Dan-Yul, who played Tae-Sik, is quite a cocky smart-mouthed kid when we first meet him; however what makes his performance really stand out is his portrayal of grief after seeing his friend die in the time suspension world. Jung Woo-Jin, who played Jae-Wook, has some of the best energy and line delivery out of all of the young cast; yet this only serves to make the film all the more tragic when we see this character struggle with his asthma in the time suspension world and eventually pass away. Um Tae-Goo, who played Tae-Sik, is a really interesting interpretation of what would happen to someone growing up in the time suspension world; his distant attitude and the futility in his voice make him one of the more tragic figures in the film.

However the best performance came from Shin Eun-Soo, who played Soo-Rin. This young protagonist crafted a strange outsider figure really well, a young girl obsessed with the impossible or the unexplainable. However when she befriends young Hyo-Je we see an instant chemistry between two young friends that is very heartwarming and nice to watch. Upon losing her friends Eun-Soo's grief and confusion guides the direction of the film and the trials she endures after meeting Dong-Won are intense to watch. This young actress plays a role who at times seems to be nearly alone against the world and she does a fantastic job of it.

This film attempts to introduce it's young cast of characters and their living situations very quickly, even the revelation of the magical egg and it's ensuing consequences feels rushed. This would have been fine if the film had at least kept with this style of pacing throughout but after Sung-Min is reintroduced the pacing slows right down. The tone of several scenes also undermined the dramatic intensity of the overall narrative, often taking things too far or throwing in a plot twist that just felt unnecessary. The ending for the film falls flat with Soo-Rin relating the final gripping events to some writer we'd never even met before and encountering Sung-Min again in what felt like an awkward final note.

Kwon Hae-Hyo, who played Baek-Gi, is the stern police chief that we've seen in heaps of different films before; nothing about this role felt original or indeed very necessary to the greater plot other than providing a form of antagonist. Moon So-Ri, who played Doctor Min, was a character that was introduced in the last ten minutes of the film and came out of nowhere; she wouldn't even be worth mentioning if there wasn't some weird level of importance placed upon her role in the film. Park Jin-Woo, Park Sung-Yeon, Kim Tae-Han and Kim Jung-Young, who played Tae-Sik's Father, Tae-Sik's Mother, Jae-Wook's Father and Jae-Wook's Mother respectively, were a group that really lacked dimension to their respective characters in this film; these roles were never really written to be developed and instead only served to provide background chaos throughout. Seo Ju-Hee, who played the Orphanage Director, was a poorly performed and predictable role in this film; her interaction with the two protagonists felt a little stilted.

The Founder

This review may contain spoilers!

This film doesn't always seem to know how best to present itself but ultimately what we get is a fairly interesting story about a greedy and corrupt man. I would give The Founder a 6.5/10.

The narrative takes a little while to get under way but once we meet the McDonalds brothers things start to get interesting; we're delivered a rather fascinating and relatively unknown origin story about how McDonalds really began. This is a great lead in to what makes the McDonalds brothers such likeable characters and you can appreciate their side of things throughout. Shortly after this the film finally begins delving into Kroc's rise to power, we see how he gets the franchise expanding and furthermore how he ruthlessly wrestles the business away from the McDonalds brothers. This journey is paralleled very well with Kroc's rather horrible treatment of his wife and ultimate change in temperament. The score for the film worked well having a very peppy go-getter edge to it at first but turning more and more sinister alongside Kroc's character development.

Michael Keaton, who played Ray Kroc, really had the sleazy salesmanship and manic persistence that made this protagonist/(antagonist?) so compelling; Keaton naturally led this role down a darker path until you could no longer empathise with him and he'd lost any redeeming quality which worked well to the film's advantage. Laura Dern, who played Ethel Kroc, had one of the most grounded characters within the cast; Dern's ability to present a relatable character made the hardships the role had to bear at the hands of Ray all the harder to watch.

However the best performance came from John Carroll Lynch, who played Mac McDonald. Lynch is a performer who I really enjoyed in his one episode appearance on The Walking Dead last season and he carries on impressing me in this film! Mac is by far the most likeable and charismatic of the whole cast of characters, providing a great burst of energy from his first appearance onwards. Lynch is an entertainer in this feature, a man who gets a lot of joy out of his business and working alongside his brother. However Lynch brings a more worrying side to his role, we see his character grow increasingly stressed and lose control as Kroc gets poised to take ownership of McDonalds. This is a fun character and a great performance from Lynch.

The film starts off pretty poorly, failing to establish it's main character well and providing a backstory about McDonalds that feels more like a well-concerted documentary interview than a biopic plot device. As the feature goes along Kroc is never really developed to a satisfying degree, instead we're treated to a rather simple view of his character and how that role develops. The story often seems split between Kroc and the McDonalds brothers with the narratives not really properly converging until the very end of the feature. One of the most disappointing aspects of the film is the sudden new love interest Kroc comes into contact with nearly two-thirds into the film, it's rushed in and a rather mediocre subplot. The cinematography is bland to say the least, there are moments where nice camera work has been attempted but it feels too artificial and forced. The editing is indecisive and has a serious effect on the film's pacing, it's hard to tell if quick snappy cuts and montages or slow fades and transitions would have worked better but using a mixture of all of the above wasn't a good idea.

Linda Cardellini, who played Joan Smith, was introduced too late into the film to have much impact; her role's relationship with Keaton felt very forced and out of place. Nick Offerman, who played Dick McDonald, just did not suit the dead serious number cruncher role; he's only ever convincing when he's trading happy sentiments with Lynch and sadly these scenes are few and far between. Patrick Wilson, who played Rollie Smith, is quite like Cardellini a performer who was added too late to the narrative; Wilson's sudden appearance onscreen had no impact and his role was very forgettable - only serving to introduce Cardellini. B.J. Novak, who played Harry Sonneborn, weirdly comes into the film in the last twenty minutes in a manner that could have been much better worked out; Novak just doesn't have any sort of edge to his character and he feels like a rather weak backing role to Keaton's lead. Mike Pniewski, who played Harvey Peltz, was quite a two-dimensional bank employee; his rather stiff approach to interacting with Keaton was nothing I hadn't seen in dozens of other films. Katie Kneeland, who played June Martino, was constantly being forced into a very background role; Kneeland's character had a ton of potential to bring out more of Keaton's character but was wasted by the feature's script.

Bad Santa 2

This review may contain spoilers!

The sequel is just as awful as the first film (I know, big shock!). I would give Bad Santa 2 a 1.5/10.

The movie itself actually picks up the narrative from where the first one left off quite well, if anything what this movie excels in is adding more character development to Willie. I really enjoyed seeing a bit more of Willie's backstory, it was great to see his role fleshed out and the relationship between Willie and Thurman was made even stronger within this film.

Billy Bob Thornton, who played Willie Soke, weirdly seems better as the protagonist in this film than he was in the original; whether he's become more of a seasoned performer or is comfortable in the deadpan snarky Santa role Thornton does a good job. Ryan Hansen, who played Regent Hastings, is one of the more energetic performers of the cast; Hansen's blatant greed and enormous screen presence makes him a notably minor antagonist. Mike Starr, who played Jolly Santa, has the happy soulful Santa portrayal down in this film; when he's revealed to be a pedophile it contrasts so well with his performance and results in a great scene. Ranee Lee, who played the Choirmaster, is a sweet minor role in this film; it's nice to see a character with a bit of spirit and decency in a film as bad as this one.

However the best performance came from Tony Cox, who played Marcus Skidmore. Cox is one of the strongest comedic performers of the film, snapping back with quick funny retorts at every chance he gets. This role was probably the best in the first film too and it's great to see that sometimes 'if it ain't broke don't fix it' really does apply. Cox has a strong presence with an antagonistic attitude towards most of the other characters and a drive to steal as much as he can and fulfill his sexual desires after thirteen years in prison.

This is a comedy of the crudest degree, it's horrible jokes and you wind up laughing more out of shock than anything else. Because all the characters are as deplorable as each other and the plot is struggling to fill in the running time you wind up with a rather drawn out mess. The cinematography is simple, there's no attempt here at style; it's all a bit bland to look at. The editing is exactly the same, the cutting is simple and the awful attempt at creative transitions from the first film don't even make a reappearance. The soundtrack is the exact same as the first film, in some cases with songs appearing roughly at the same points of the film which is just lazy.

Kathy Bates, who played Sunny Soke, has really not done a good film in a long time; this nasty crude attempt at a comedic role is yet another performance of hers that falls flat. Christina Hendricks, who played Diane Hastings, is a little pointless in this film; her entire role seems to be a copycat portrayal of Lauren Graham's role from the original Bad Santa. Brett Kelly, who played Thurman Merman, proves that what sometimes works when you're a child performer doesn't work when you're a mature performer; this role is awkward to watch and the dialogue feels like it'd be better suited to a younger actor. Jenny Zigrino, who played Gina De Luca, feels like a very two-dimensional sex object in this film; Zigrino's sudden infatuation with Thornton's role is hard to believe (which is putting it mildly). Jeff Skowron, who played Dorfman, is an over the top portrayal of a nerdy security guard role; this sort of cringeworthy character is hard to watch in a good comedy let alone a bad one. Cristina Rosato, who played Alice, is a throwaway role completely; Rosato is not necessary to inform the audience how awful Hansen's character is. Octavia Spencer, who played Opal, is quite simply better than a garbage film like this; sticking Spencer in a trashy prostitute role is a waste of a stellar actress. Valerie Wiseman, who played Greta, seems like a side role that's a bit out there even by Bad Santa's standards; Wiseman bringing forth a serving girl ready to sleep with Thornton at the drop of a hat is as unbelievable as Zigrino's attitude towards sleeping with Thornton.

Allied

This review may contain spoilers!

At this point I'm just impressed with how much French was spoken in the film, Brad Pitt in particular surprised me by spending the first half hour of the film mainly speaking French. I would give Allied a 7/10.

The first act of the film takes place in Casablanca, in which we're plunged into a huge espionage operation between Pitt and Cotillard, during which they begin to fall in love with one another. It's a gripping opening and really sets the bar high from the get go. After this act the film mellows out somewhat into an interesting mystery about the identity of a German spy; tension is high throughout and the strain this storyline places on Pitt and Cotillard's relationship is one of the hardest things to watch. The cinematography is magnificent, moments of art are captured throughout the feature whether that be Pitt parachuting into Casablanca or young Anna being born amidst a bombing over London. The score is very gripping, it especially helps to enhance the slower paced back half of the film.

Brad Pitt, who played Max Vatan, is a very stoic and reserved Canadian agent in this film; Pitt's hard exterior masks a deep affection for Cotillard that defies the expectations placed upon him by his superiors. Jared Harris, who played Frank Heslop, is a really gruff senior officer who has a great underlying chemistry with Pitt; Harris brings forth an authority figure who plays by the rules but who you can also empathise with and enjoy while he's onscreen. Daniel Betts, who played George Kavanagh, is one of the best sources for natural comedic wit in the entire film; Betts is quick and sharp with his line delivery prompting some great exchanges between members of the cast and himself.

However the best performance came from Marion Cotillard, who played Marianne Beausejour. Cotillard kicks the film off brimming with confidence and control, there is no doubt that she is the super-spy and Pitt is her sidekick. However the strength in this performance comes as Cotillard strips away her cocky exterior to reveal her role's more vulnerable qualities. We see her unveil more of herself to Pitt to the extent that they form a strong bond and touching romance. When the film reveals Cotillard to be a German spy it's heartbreaking, made even more powerful by Cotillard showing her character taking her own life to save Pitt's.

The narrative really feels like two different stories as I've indicated above, we get what takes place in Casablanca and what takes place in London/Paris. This duality within the story serves to be quite jarring and has a negative effect on the pacing of the film as the first half moves quicker than the back half. The dialogue is also written to be quite stilted, some interactions get to the point where you eye roll at a few of the things that get said - Pitt tells a young pilot to think of his father not his mother when flying into a warzone for instance. The plot twists are well done but it's also fair to note that nothing within the film is very surprising, it's all fairly predictable. The editing moves at a slow rate, there's a tendency to linger upon shots and scenes that allows the film to drag on for a bit longer than it should.

Simon McBurney, who played S.O.E. Official, gives such a dry performance that you can't help but find his scene underwhelmingly generic; McBurney paces through his lines steadily without ever making much of a lasting impression. Marion Bailey and Anton Lesser, who played Mrs Sinclair and Emmanuel Lombard respectively, are some weak minor antagonists in this film; this pair rounds out the German spy ring at the heart of London though you could have fooled me as they were hardly in the film. Lizzy Caplan, who played Bridget Vatan, apparently plays Pitt's sister in this film despite having no chemistry with him whatsoever; furthermore Caplan's character was depicted as a lesbian yet in a way that seemed very out of place with the direction of the rest of the film. Matthew Goode, who played Guy Sangster, is introduced to the film in one very brief scene; his connection to Pitt is kept very vague and you're expected to feel a great deal of sympathy for Goode without the film going to the effort to explore his character thoroughly enough. Josh Dylan, who played Capt. Adam Hunter, has one of the more forgettable roles in the film; Dylan's exchange with Pitt makes for one of the most awkward to watch scenes. August Diehl, who played Hobar, is a minor antagonist that seems more goofy than menacing; his parlour tricks and jokes really undercut what could be quite an intimidating scene. Thierry Fremont, who played Paul Delamare, is a rather stereotypical drunk Frenchman in this film; Fremont doesn't have a whole lot of purpose other than to deliver some small amount of exposition. Xavier De Guillebon and Camille Cottin, who played Claude and Monique respectively, are one of the blander aspects of the Casablanca storyline; this pair present an extremely boring couple who have some passing conversations with Cotillard and Pitt that you'd be quick to forget.

Arrival

This review may contain spoilers!

This is an incredible film about communication and global unification. I would give Arrival an 8/10.

This is a science-fiction film that completely redefines the genre and how it can be portrayed, the plot is a really abstract look at a 'first contact' feature. Over the course of the film we see global political tensions rise as nations around the world negotiate how best to interact with the 12 alien spacecraft that appear above various locations throughout Earth. The central character of Louise is at the heart of this film, making stunning linguistic advances and bridging the gap between humanity and an alien culture. As good as this narrative is at a first glance it is heightened even more by the implementation of some great plot twists; discovering Hannah wasn't due to be born until after the events of the film made for a good turn and seeing General Shang as a rather amiable character by the end of the film certainly drove home the film's message about unity. The cinematography is really unique, no two shots ever really feel the same which makes for a nice experience. I really enjoyed the special effects, the design for the aliens and the spaceships felt very abstract and original in a genre that is hard to be original within. The score for the film is exceedingly powerful, it also manages to be quite staggering and unsettling at times.

Jeremy Renner, who played Ian Donnelly, was quite a charismatic supporting role to Adams' lead; his sheer fascination with the science of what the aliens present makes for a really engaging and likeable role. Forest Whitaker, who played Colonel Weber, made the perfect stern and resolute military man; I appreciated that he wasn't always onboard with Adams' direction but he supported what she was attempting to achieve - made for a nice neutral role. Abigail Pniowsky and Jadyn Malone, who played Hannah (8 Years Old) and Hannah (6 Years Old) respectively, were both brilliant child performers; the inquisitiveness and open nature of these two performances really made the plot twists around the Hannah character all the more interesting. Tzi Ma, who played General Shang, is a voiceless antagonist for most of the film so when he's revealed to be quite a nice genuine character in a flashforward I was surprised; Ma has the skill to craft such depth to a role that only had one scene to really change audience perspective of him.

However the best performance came from Amy Adams, who played Dr. Louise Banks. This is a role who you can really relate to it, she's staggered by the experience and responsibility set before her, yet she handles the task in a very hands-on and professional approach. Grappling with an alien culture and language really affects Louise's mental state and Adams does a great job of showing the various impacts of this throughout. Her growing passion makes this an emotional journey right up to the point where we see her interact with her future and solving a global crisis by the end of the film.

For a long time the film seems more like an answer to a philosophical question, as such you feel distanced from the characters and don't feel as connected to what's happening in some scenes. This results in long, stretched out pacing until the back half of the film get underway. The pacing isn't aided by the film's slow and clunky approach to editing.

Michael Stuhlbarg, who played Agent Halpern, is a character that the film never really seemed to know what to do with; at first he seems a minor role then later an aiding character and by the end of the film he's devolved into some type of antagonist. Mark O'Brien, who played Captain Marks, was a poorly written antagonist; O'Brien never really develops into a convincing antagonist and the film probably should have spent more time fleshing out his motivations. Julia Scarlett Dan, who played Hannah (12 Years Old), was quite a bland portrayal following Pniowsky and Malone's depiction of Hannah; she really doesn't have as much of a connection with Adams as the two younger actresses do. Larry Day and Julian Casey, who played Deputy Director Of The CIA Dan Ryder and Australian Scientist respectively, were just two of the central roles that talked via screens who only ever really dealt some heavy-handed exposition; these were crafted to be forgettable and throwaway roles. Frank Schorpion, who played Dr Kettler, was a very rigid generic performance of a military doctor; the character never rises to the alien situation he's in which is surprising considering he's the only medical role we see in this situation.

Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them

This review may contain spoilers!

While an entertaining watch, this film certainly doesn't stand up to the Harry Potter series that precedes it. I would give Fantastic Beasts And Where To Find Them a 6.5/10.

What works in this film is what has always set the Harry Potter series apart, the way these stories capture the sheer wonder of magic and a fantasy world is enchanting. The best aspect of this film is seeing Newt Scamander lead Jacob, Tina and Queenie in a hunt for his magical creatures who are all more engaging and interesting than the last. I also appreciated the great use of comedy in this film, there's some great dialogue between characters especially from Jacob Kowalski. The cinematography looks good, of ten moving around an environment so that the audience can take in every spectacular detail. The special effects are stunning, the CGI creatures look amazing and the magic duels look incredible as well. The score is the perfect blend of nostalgia and original content, when the film opened with Hedwig's Theme I was thrown back to sitting in my lounge watching the first Harry Potter film as a kid.

Johnny Depp, who played Gellert Grindlewald, didn't have much more than a cameo in this film but he has me very excited for the sequels; Depp is a master at delivering some bone-chilling lines and i can already tell he's going to make for a memorable villain. Dan Fogler, who played Jacob Kowalski, is an incredible source of comedic entertainment throughout the feature; Fogler is really the perfect way of recapturing the magic of Harry Potter by portraying a Muggle seeing the wizarding world for the first time. Alison Sudol, who played Queenie Goldstein, is a very alluring character who is both enchanted and enchanting; Sudol and Fogler share some great chemistry and I enjoyed watching their developing relationship.

However the best performance came from Eddie Redmayne, who played Newt Scamander. Redmayne's skittish wizard globetrotter makes for a really interesting protagonist in this film. I appreciated how he didn't really seem to know how best to interact with other people, finding greater ease with communicating with his creatures. There's a gentle compassionate quality to Redmayne's performance, we see that his role cares for all life and he only really engages in action scenes when he's trying to defend others. This is by no means a character who springs into action, rather Newt Scamander is an wizarding animal activist with a heart of gold.

The American magic society is so different and harsher than what we're used to from the Harry Potter universe, unfortunately because this film mainly keeps qualities of wonder and comedy throughout this darker setting just feels jarring. This is most noticeable in the strange anti-magic orphanage storyline happening in the background, it's a plot that feels at odds with the rest of the film and grates against the more interesting aspects of the narrative. Really disappointing is that the best part of the film: Scamander's hunt for his 'fantastic beasts' slowly gets less focus as the narrative tries to push the weaker anti-magic plotline. The pacing is severely affected by the disarray within the narrative, meaning you'll be quite bored by the time the third act finally manages to roll around.

Ezra Miller, who played Credence, is a straight up horrible antagonist in this film; his role seemed to just twitch and cower for most of the time to the point that you didn't really see him as a character so much as a plot twist just waiting to happen. Katherine Waterston, who played Porpentina Goldstein, made for one of the weakest leads of the film; her tendency towards the same bland line delivery means you never really connect with her role. Colin Farrell, who played Percival Graves, is a wasted use of a great actor; Farrell never really stands out as a character and instead gives an admittedly forgettable performance as quite a two-dimensional shady agent character. Ron Perlman, who played Gnarlack, was a very simple portrayal of a shifty criminal character; he's dropped into the plot quite suddenly without being given much depth or dimension to his place in the story. Samantha Morton, who played Mary Lou, is the worst antagonist I've ever seen in a Harry Potter film; this manic Muggle seems so out of place in this film that you start dreading having to watch her scenes. Jon Voight, who played Henry Shaw Sr., is one of the most unnecessary characters of the film; Voight's gruff newspaper editor seems like quite a throw-away role. Carmen Ejogo, who played Seraphina Picquery, Was quite a monotone character who really made very little impression; I'm not really surprised as the British Minister of Magic equivalents have never been wildly memorable either. Jenn Murray, who played Chastity, just did not need to be in the film; she was one member of the anit-magic orphans too many. Ronan Raftery, who played Landon Shaw, was a Muggle with conviction that magic existed; in my eyes there seemed to be too many of these roles for the whole Muggles-being-oblivious-to-magic thing to work. Josh Cowdery, who played Senator Henry Shaw, was really only in this film to be killed off; his political role had little to no impact on the greater story within the film. Faith Wood-Blagrove, who played Modesty, is quite a creepy role with no real depth to her character; despite the film's best efforts it's pretty easy to tell that Modesty isn't going to be the film's final antagonist.

Sing

This review may contain spoilers!

Sometimes the most stunning animated films are also the simple ones. I would give Sing a 9/10.

Within this film we're introduced to a large cast of characters who are all written really well in this film and who each receive a really interesting story arc. I found this film to really balance out strong emotional moments with very clever and witty comedy, it's a fun take on the classic singing competition concept. The animation looks really nice, in particular how certain settings are given very beautiful and vivid colours. Yet what sets this film apart is it's incredible soundtrack, the use of songs to enhance comedy as well as to empathise character development is masterfully done.

Reese Witherspoon, who voiced Rosita, is quite a driven character in this film; she's relatable and you're really rooting for her from the beginning. Seth MacFarlane, who voiced Mike, is a smug and arrogant character who really makes his mark upon the film; he's never really the most likeable but he certainly has some of the best lines of the film. Scarlett Johansson, who voiced Ash, is such a fierce and strong character; her rebellious spirit comes full circle when she stands up and performs her own song at the end of the film. Tori Kelly, who voiced Meena, is a very sweet timid role; her development towards surmounting her fear and performing in the final show is one of the best character arcs. Taron Egerton, who voiced Johnny, has a lot of conflict about working for his father and performing onstage; I enjoyed how earnest this role was and how much he wanted to rise above his family's criminal lifestyle. Nick Kroll, who voiced Gunter, was one of the funniest characters of the film; he had so much energy and managed to stand out in every scene he was in. Peter Serafinowicz, who voiced Marcus, was a really tough father figure; the scene between him and Egerton in which they reconcile with one another is one of the most touching scenes of the film. Beck Bennett, who voiced Lance, really does the jerk boyfriend role well; his laidback attitude and dismissive behaviour towards Johansson really sparks an interesting storyline.

However the best performance came from Matthew McConaughey, who voiced Buster Moon. This was a role with a lot of passion and vision, who wanted to make something incredible because he cared about it. I really enjoyed seeing how much of a role model he became to the other characters, even encouraging them to rise above their fears and achieve their dreams. This is the funniest I've seen McConaughey in a film recently and he does a great job of keeping you entertained throughout.

If there's one thing I'd have to complain about it's that I took issue with how Mike's storyline was never wrapped up to a satisfying conclusion the same way the rest of the characters were.

John C. Reilly, who voiced Eddie, was a performance that didn't seem to have much effort put into it; he had a lot of scenes with McConaughey and generally wound up falling into the background. Nick Offerman, who voiced Norman, was such a bland delivery that you didn't really care for the role; it was such a let down for Witherspoon's character that her arc seemed to end with Norman being rewarded. Leslie Jones and Jay Pharoah, who voiced Meena's Mother and Meena's Grandfather respectively, just felt like simple two-dimensional background roles; these were characters who didn't have a lot to do and didn't actually add much to Meena's character development. Jennifer Saunders, who voiced Miss Nana Noodleman, was such a dry role and came off as too stilted; Saunders had this impassive quality that made her character hard to connect to. Garth Jennings, who voiced Miss Crawly, was such a grating and simple voice performance; more of a bumbling comedic relief element than an actual character.

Nocturnal Animals

This review may contain spoilers!

There's a good theme about futility in this film that is completely neglected by the awful writing and visual style. I would give Nocturnal Animals a 4/10.

There are three plots going on in this film and the one that really stands out is the fictitious plot of the novel 'Nocturnal Animals' that's acted out within the narrative. This story sees Jake Gyllenhaal act out the horrifying experience of having his wife and daughter raped and murdered while he alone survives, from that point he goes through some pretty questionable methods to gain a form of justice. It's an intriguing aspect of the plot and you wish that this was what the film was really about. The score for the feature was also quite incredible, it really served moments of tension well and built up swells of emotion in some very key scenes.

Jake Gyllenhaal, who played Tony Hastings and Edward Sheffield, as Edward we see Gyllenhaal craft a character who is charismatic and quite enthusiastic about his creative work; as the fictional Tony we see a harrowed man who battles with fear and despair after surviving the rape and murder of his wife and daughter. Michael Shannon, who played Bobby Andes, was a real gruff no-nonsense law enforcement character; Shannon brings out a sort of tragic lawman who seeks out a form of vigilante justice upon facing the reality of his own death. Ellie Bamber, who played India Hastings, really ramps out the anxiety of the abduction scene; Bamber plays a role who is such a very real person that her death is made all the more shocking. Karl Glusman and Robert Aramayo, who played Lou and Turk respectively, really add so much as antagonists to this film; it would be easy to give the antagonist credit solely to Taylor-Johnson but honestly the most terrifying scene of the film is made so good because the family feels swarmed by this whole group of criminals. Michael Sheen, who played Carlos, is probably the only character in the weird aristocratic storyline that I actually liked; Sheen has a sense of wonder and optimism that is lacking in the rest of the cast when he is introduced.

However the best performance came from Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who played Ray Marcus. This antagonist is really what makes the film, he's a terrifying presence that gets at the audience through attacking a family that could be any one of us. It was interesting seeing how Taylor-Johnson delivered dialogue, it was light-hearted and unpredictable often taking dark turns at sudden moments. When we see his final confrontation with Gyllenhaal it's his sheer lack of remorse over raping and killing Gyllenhaal's wife and daughter that make him one of the most monstrous villains I've seen so far this year.

The narrative structure of the film is pretty poorly constructed; we barely spend any time with Amy Adams yet the film hinges on her being the protagonist, meanwhile we're constantly fed snippets of the more interesting 'Nocturnal Animals' storyline and finally (too late) we're given some background to the relationship between Adams and Gyllenhaal. Each of these storylines is so opposed with one another in terms of tone and delivery that you can't help but get annoyed as the ongoing narratives conflict with one another. Adams' story is poorly presented in a serious way, the aristocratic lifestyle might work for period films but it's getting really dated in the context of modern settings. Furthermore the story isn't advanced by anything Adams brings to the film, we just get rather barbed and arrogant criticism of modern society. The background narrative fails in the sense that the two protagonists don't really share any chemistry with one another, so this story about unsuccessful young love just feels stereotypical. The cinematography is quite bland, often capturing bizarre or shocking content without capturing it in a particularly impressive way. The editing is riddled with flaws, most notably cutting to a black screen before transitioning between storylines is one of the worst visual cues I've seen this year.

Amy Adams, who played Susan Morrow, was such a poor protagonist for this view; she struggled to be expressive and her aristocratic role was too artificial for my tastes. Isla Fisher, who played Laura Hastings, has such little screen presence that you don't actually realise she's in this film at first; Fisher's role doesn't have that same raw terror that Bamber brought to her performance sadly. Armie Hammer, who played Hutton Morrow, just doesn't really seem to have much idea as to what he's doing in this film; his chemistry with Adams is non-existent and you grow tired of their stale relationship almost immediately. Laura Linney, who played Anne Sutton, was such an overbearing over the top performance; I struggled to take this Republican caricature seriously in her scene with Adams. Andrea Riseborough, who played Alessia, is basically the height over the over the top aristocrat performances in this film; it's such a fake role that it's hard to watch. Zawe Ashton, who played Alex, gives some of the worst line delivery of the cast; Ahston's inclusion comes pretty late in the game and it's unclear to say the least what her relationship with Adams even is. Jena Malone, who played Sage Ross, comes in with her weird Lady Gaga outfit and strange social criticisms pretty late into the film; I don't really think Malone needed to be in this film and it's clear she has nothing to contribute in the role she's given.

Hacksaw Ridge

This review may contain spoilers!

Mel Gibson already delivered one of the better acting performances in Blood Father this year, now he's directed one of the best films; Gibson is just plain unstoppable. I would give Hacksaw Ridge a 9/10.

This is a film about war that you don't really get all that often, we see the horror and pain that comes with a war film but there's this inspired story about morality and staying true to your beliefs at the heart of it. The protagonist of Desmond Doss is a refreshing character, what he believes and how he feels is always quite simple and straightforward but the rigors he must go through to stay true to his sense of self is nothing short of extraordinary. Yet it is ultimately still a film that depicts war brutally, you will see some unspeakable sights throughout the second half of the feature, providing a very realistic and desperate depiction of war and battle. The cinematography really sets this feature apart as a war epic, the camera often snapping quickly between wide shots of carnage and explosions. The editing moves at a great pace, keeping scenes moving when the action is quiet and then racing when bullets and bodies are flying. The score for this film is really nice, I'd say it isn't used heaps but when it does hit it really adds so much to the scene.

Darcy Bryce and Roman Guerriero, who played Young Desmond and Young 'Hal' Doss respectively, really introduce us to the backstory aspect of the film in the best way; these two kids are so charismatic onscreen and share some tremendous chemistry with one another. Hugo Weaving, who played Tom Doss, crafts a very intriguing tortured soul in this film; Weaving's incredible portrayal of survivor's guilt is only topped by the scenes in which he rises above this crippling mental ailment to aid aid his son. Rachel Griffiths, who played Bertha Doss, is such a sweet and compassionate character; Griffiths is quick to establish her role as the backbone of the Doss family. Teresa Palmer, who played Dorothy Schutte, is one hellfire of a female lead; this is a stand out performance from Palmer who shares some beautiful chemistry with Garfield onscreen. Luke Bracey, who played Smitty Ryker, is the real macho wartime champion a film like this demands; I enjoyed the rivalry between Garfield and Bracey that turned to friendship in the end. Sam Worthington, who played Captain Glover, was quite a stern commanding presence in this film; I enjoyed how humbled we see Worthington by the end of the film - I felt that was great character progression. Richard Roxburgh, who played Colonel Stelzer, is a very reserved psychiatric evaluator; this is a brief appearance in the supporting cast but his open questioning of Garfield brought out a very genuine and heartfelt scene. Philip Quast, who played the Judge, guided what was one of the better scenes of the film; Quast's tough exterior really set the tone of the trial scene while also allowing for ambiguity as to the ultimate outcome.

However the best performance came from Andrew Garfield, who played Desmond Doss. It does me some good to see Garfield back in another incredible leading role, he can bring such gravitas to roles that seem humble and modest. When we're first introduced to Doss it's hard not to be charmed by his bumbling social skills and his tendency to dive headfirst into helping others. As the film goes forth we see one of Garfield's talents is his capacity to engage with and form bonds with members of the cast, some of his best scenes are due to his natural chemistry with Palmer, Weaving, Griffiths, Worthington and Bracey. I truly felt for this character as time and time again we see his beliefs tested, most inspiring about it all is how he always manages to surmount these trials laid before him. After this film I think it's fair to say that Garfield has reminded us all that heroes aren't necessarily fighters, some of the best heroes are healers.

The start of the film lingers for a long time upon Doss romancing Dorothy, Doss' home life and his military training; while I enjoyed these scenes and would say the film paces itself well I would also note that this first hour and a bit has a tendency to be slow and repetitive. Cutting a few scenes down would have made this film flow a little smoother. I also felt there were some racist overtones or poor racial treatment in the film that took away from some scenes, Vaughn's barbs at various cultures weren't funny so much as they fell flat and if Gibson was going to put any focus on the Japanese forces then maybe he should have had that perspective a bit more constant rather than showing some officers just killing themselves at the end of the feature.

Richard Pyros, Jacob Warner, Milo Gibson, Firass Dirani, Michael Sheasby, Luke Pegler, Ben Mingay, Nico Cortez and Goran D. Kleut, who played Teach, James Pinnick, Lucky Ford, Vito Rinnelli, Tex Lewis, Hollywood Zane, Grease Nolan, Wal Kirzinski and Ghoul respectively, were let down by this film's tendency to dismiss the supporting cast as a faceless military ensemble; at times it was hard to tell all these characters apart and it's near impossible to know who was still alive and who was dead by the end of the film. Nathaniel Buzolic, who played Harold 'Hal' Doss, was really a lot of wasted potential; you never get the chance to see Garfield and Buzolic interact enough as brothers to care about their relationship. Vince Vaughn, who played Sgt. Howell, was all over the place in his performance; Vaughn struggled to play the gruff exterior of a military officer nor was he particularly funny or even able to present an effective mentor figure - he was just out of place. Robert Morgan, who played Colonel Sangston, is an antagonist midway through the film who literally comes out of nowhere; his animosity towards Garfield's role is nothing we haven't seen already and feels a bit much at this point. Ori Pfeffer, who played Irv Schecter, gave quite a dry performance the minute he entered onscreen; the addition of this war-ravaged medic felt like the plot was getting a bit over the top in drumming in it's message about the brutality of war. Matt Nable, who played Lt. Colonel Cooney, was yet another leading military figure introduced far too late into the film to be relevant; Nable was only really present as someone for Worthington to bounce dialogue off of.  

The Handmaiden

This review may contain spoilers!

Think I just watched the Koreans do their own take on Fifty Shades Of Grey. I would give The Handmaiden a 3.5/10.

When it isn't straying into unusual or explicit territory there's actually the workings of a fairly decent plot at the heart of this film. The narrative is essentially a great heist film in which sudden plot twists are used to reveal shocking new aspects of various characters; handmaidens became thieves, heiresses became sexual deviants and conspirators etc. The cinematography was very artistic and unique to the film, it had a very particular way of constructing shots that made me think of Wes Anderson films.

Kim Min-Hee, who played Lady Hideko, was a very muted character at first with a lot of mystery surrounding her; however when we see her more duplicitous nature her role really develops an intriguing sharp edge. Kim Tae-Ri, who played Sook-Hee, was a brilliant protagonist; her smug persona coupled with her lust for Min-Hee set her apart as one of the more engaging performances. Ha Jung-Woo, who played Count Fujiwara, was a really deplorable scoundrel in this film; his greed and self-centred ego made for an interesting role. Jo Eun-Hyung, who played Hideko (Young), was a brilliant performance by this child actress; a big part of this performance was delivering her sheer blind terror at her unfamiliar setting and rather horrible uncle.

However the best performance came from Moon So-Ri, who played the Aunt. I liked So-Ri's performance the most because she stood out as one of the performers giving a natural performance. Her passion and contempt for her husband and Sasaki was an interesting element of her character. I enjoyed seeing how she became a mentor and guardian of sorts to the young Eun-Hyung, with whom she shared a lot of chemistry onscreen.

So a film like this is a great way to talk about how to use sex scenes in a piece of cinema. When you're utilising a few seconds of a scene to show sex and the relationship between characters then it works, but only if you don't overdo it. Crafting a sex scene that lasts too long or that becomes gratuitous can damage a film, it starts to be about delivering visual pleasure to the audience which is tantamount to pornography. When a film prioritises the visual aspect of sex over it's own narrative then you get a film like 50 Shades Of Grey or The Handmaiden. Because the film focusses more upon showing sex than it's plot the pacing is thrown out the window early on and you grow pretty bored pretty quick. The editing is downright horrid, often cutting abruptly or using an inconsistent style of varying transitions. The score just doesn't match the film, never really bringing much out of the scene nor heightening any moments of the film.

Cho Jin-Woong, who played Uncle Kouzuki, was just a plain odd character; an antagonist who was never really consistent and often played his character a bit too over the top. Kim Hae-Sook, who played Sasaki, was a rather dull performance for most of the film; by the time her character was made an antagonist you'd forgotten that she was even in the film. LeeDong-Hwi, Lee Yong-Nyeo and Yoo Min-Chae, who played Goo-Gai, Bok-Soon and Ggeut-Dan respectively, were a rather ludicrous band within the supporting cast; only ever really there when the plot demanded it they were never really given any depth as characters nor linked to the main cast members all that well. Han Ha-Na, who played Junko, was a rather forgettable minor character; her brief affair with Jung-Woo had my eyes rolling to the back of my head.

The Light Between Oceans

This review may contain spoilers!

A pretty powerful film that boasts some of the most artistic visual styling I've seen all year. I would give The Light Between Oceans an 8/10.

This film presents what is initially a charming story about two people falling in love, yet it swiftly takes a dark path after a couple of miscarriages, a concealed dead body and the two protagonists essentially kidnapping a baby. Both halves of the plot bring about interesting qualities; the first half we see the strength behind Fassbender and Vikander's relationship, however in the back half the audience witnesses how a guilty act can harm a relationship as pure as this one. I enjoyed watching things decidedly getting worse as Weisz struggled to reconcile the fact her child wouldn't view her as her mother; at the same time watching the divide between Fassbender and Vikander grow is equally fascinating. The cinematography is what really sets this film apart, every shot captured looks like a breathtaking work of art and is a true testament to the cinematographer of the film as well as the director's vision. The editing has nice flow to it, it drifts between scenes quite calmly which allows each scene to start quite naturally. The score for the film is really nice, it's very melodic but has an unnerving undertone that marks the theme of the film.

Alicia Vikander, who played Isabel Graysmark, made for a really intriguing lead; you really felt her pain as she lost her two pregnancies and then the manic desire she has to keep Lucy is well portrayed. Rachel Weisz, who played Hannah Roennfeldt, was an exceptionally tragic figure who you really empathised for; Weisz brings forth a character wracked with grief over the loss of her husband and the events surrounding her daughter. Florence Clery, who played Lucy-Grace, is such a cute child performer; whether she was acting or the director just had her speak at will it's clear to me that young Clery is one of the highlights of the film. Jack Thompson, who played Ralph Addicott, creates the rugged yet jovial manner of a seaman very well; Thompson might be only a supporting cast member but he does a good job of standing out. Leon Ford, who played Frank Roennfeldt, crafted a very charismatic supporting role; despite being dead for a greater majority of the film you feel the weight of the loss as Ford brings forth a really genuine character.

However the best performance came from Michael Fassbender, who played Tom Sherbourne. Upon first being introduced to Fassbender in the film we get the impression he's a very quiet and reserved man, one who's been haunted by this serving the World War I. From here though it's nice seeing how his character develops, there's more of an open and committed feeling to the role as he engages with Vikander (with whom he has amazing chemistry). I think it's nice to see someone who is so loving to his wife and yet who is so haunted and guilt-ridden over all the bad he's done.

The scene does take it's time to examine the narrative and each of the characters before advancing along, it's a very 'stop and start' structure which means things drag out as the film gets further and further along. Unfortunately probably the biggest let down of the film is just how unconvincing it is that Fassbender's character would allow Vikander's to keep Lucy, it's one of those moments where the plot has been too grounded in reality then suddenly asks you to take a big leap of faith out of nowhere. I also thought the sound editing left a bit to be desired, there were many scenes in which dialogue was drowned out by background noise or the score. Also whoever was working on make-up in this film probably needs to update their skills, Fassbender's old age make-up was a joke.

Thomas Unger, who played Bluey Smart, really was just a way to advance the plot as opposed to being an actual character; Unger's performance was also overshadowed by Thompson who he shared most of his scenes with. Jane Menelaus and Garry McDonald, who played Violet Graysmark and Bill Graysmark respectively, these were very dry unimpressionable character; one of the more disappointing qualities of their characters is that they had no chemistry with Vikander despite playing her parents. Anthony Hayes, who played Sergeant Vernon Knuckey, seemed to struggle to portray any recognisable human emotion over the duration of the film; Hayes created a bland stereotypical law enforcement officer. Emily Barclay, who played Gwen Potts, really had no chemistry with Weisz which made her character a bit redundant; Barclay never did anything to stand out apart from delivering some exposition that the audience was already aware of. Bryan Brown, who played Septimus Potts, seemed to struggle to deliver lines in a natural way; Brown's character was over the top and borderline absurd in his mannerisms. Caren Pistorius, who played Adult Lucy-Grace, was a bit of a let down after the rest of the plot; her scene with Fassbender felt awkward and unnecessary.

The Accountant

This review may contain spoilers!

A unique and supremely satisfying take on the classic action film. I would give The Accountant a 7.5/10.

This film has an interesting mystery surrounding corporate theft and assassinations, throughout which the film's protagonist battles a small band of mercenaries in a bid to save both his life and the lives of the innocents who are caught up in the middle of his dealings.It's the main 'accountant' character who really sets this film apart from a standard action film, a mentally disabled hero who is no lesser for his disability but instead allows for a more unique form of story. The plot examines his current life as an accountant for various criminal and legal corporations, while also developing a backstory for him and another perspective upon the FBI investigation into him. All in all what develops is an interesting story around a rather unique vigilante figure. The cinematography also looks really nice and crisp, with a tendency to play around with unique stylish shots. The score backed most scenes very well and got quite intense near the end; the soundtrack was also brilliant, in particular 'To Leave Something Behind' by Sean Rowe.

Anna Kendrick, who played Dana Cummings, was a really vibrant if not quite nervous supporting character; Kendrick's capacity to be both energetic yet deliver dramatic lines in a very natural way made for a great performance. J.K. Simmons, who played Ray King, can just deliver exposition and leave you hanging on every word; his blunt no-holds barred approach really worked in his portrayal as a leading figure within the FBI. Jon Bernthal, who played Brax, was clearly having a lot of fun in his scenes yet still created a figure who emanated danger; I loved the instant chemistry he had with Affleck when it was revealed their characters were brothers. Cynthia Addai-Robinson, who played Marybeth Medina, gave quite a muted performance in this film; Addai-Robinson was careful in constructing a calm character who became passionate as she grew closer to solving her case. Alison Wright, who played Justine, portrays living with a mental disorder even better than Affleck does; I enjoy the fact that her voice work makes such a strong presence and that by the end of the film her physical performance is able to match this. Seth Lee, who played Young Chris, does a great job of portraying living with autism as a child; you get some very intense scenes as you witness the extremes he had to live through in life. Ron Prather and Susan Williams, who played Frank Rice and Dolores Rice respectively, were a rather charming intro to the film; their kind-natured and even humourous roles made a good impression throughout the film.

However the best performance came from Ben Affleck, who played Christian Wolff. I think it takes a lot to portray something as ridiculous sounding as an autistic accountant assassin but Affleck not only knocks it out of the park, but he develops a very positive message about disability. The tendencies of living with autism are well portrayed, nervous movements, difficulty with interacting socially, avoiding eye contact; all of which Affleck maintains throughout the feature. I liked seeing him admit to his desire to connect with others, and indeed his connection with Kendrick, Wright and Bernthal make for some of the best scenes of the film. Ultimately he also makes for a great action performer, dealing out some brilliant fight sequences and shoot outs.

The plot is disconcerting at times the way it jumps between four different narrative perspectives, the flashback storyline doesn't help this plot feel so jumbled. Because so many aspects of the plot are stretched out over a great length of time you can't help but feel the length of the run time, so as much as I enjoyed how the plot twists were revealed I did find that it affected pacing negatively. The editing also left a bit to be desired, I frankly found it disconcerting that the speed of the cuts were suddenly changing mid-scene.

Jeffrey Tambor, who played Francis Silverberg, was more of a plot point than an actual character; I wish there'd been a bit more of a focus on his role's relationship with Affleck's. John Lithgow, who played Lamar Black, was not made for the role of antagonist (at least not in this film); Lithgow portrayed a fairly predictable greedy corporate tycoon which makes for the seventeenth time I've seen a villain like that this year. Jean Smart and Andy Umberger, who played Rita Blackburn and Ed Chilton respectively, were rather dull minor corporate roles that were implemented to give a bit of fuel to the main storyline; ultimately all they delivered were rather bland and forgettable performances. Jason Davis, who played the Neurologist, really delivered his lines in a deadpan manner; I felt that Davis delivered the theme of the film a bit too obviously in an over the top manner. Robert C. Treveiler, who played Young Chris's Father, delivers such an over the top character that I wasn't sure if I was watching The Accountant or the Daredevil Netflix show; seriously this character's solution to his child's autism is to basically make him fight as many people as he could growing up - it's plain bizarre. Mary Kraft and Jake Presley, who played Young Chris' Mother and Little Brother respectively, are a rather dull glimpse into Christian's domestic aspect of his backstory; Kraft seriously lacks screen presence and Presley struggles to show any form of emotion throughout the film.