The Happytime Murders

This review may contain spoilers!

I really went into this expecting the crude comedy the trailers had shown, yet I was pleasantly surprised to be entertained with an original take on a comedic film noir. I would give The Happytime Murders a 7.5/10.

The Happytime Murders takes us into a world in which humans and puppets live side by side, yet puppets certainly get the short end of the stick as their often harassed and tormented for the goofy, soft exterior. In this strange yet familiar society, we come to realise that it bears a remarkable resemblance to our own, right down to some of the violent revenge-driven crime that takes place throughout the feature. As puppets start dropping like rag dolls the protagonist, a puppet private investigator known as Phil Philips, races against time and teams up with his former human partner to take down the serial killer behind the killings. This narrative is so unique and fun to watch, there's such attention paid to the construction of the world and the interesting relationships that exist in this film. At the same time, Happytime Murders goes right by capturing that light-hearted energy and approach to comedy that works so spectacularly in Muppets shows and films. The whole thing plays well to a fairly strong plot and sense of humour while hitting all the right notes and tropes of a gritty film noir.  The cinematography is rather dynamic for a film that relies so heavily on puppets, you can see the careful construction and care that goes into making this film an engaging action-comedy. The score had that hard edge noir films often use which worked wonders for the tone, while the soundtrack was an entertaining medley of comedic tracks.

Melissa McCarthy, who played Detective Connie Edwards, was a strong foul-mouthed partner to the film's protagonist; McCarthy really led an interesting role who struggled with addiction and navigated the crooked streets of her city with ease. Elizabeth Banks, who played Jenny, may haven't been given the best end for her role but in spite of this really stood out for most of the feature; Banks' role had a passionate connection with the protagonist and you could feel deep chemistry there ( which is no small feat when half that partnership is a puppet). Maya Rudolph, who played Bubbles, is this very likeable, sweet secretary character; the way Rudolph styles her persona to be so wholesome and good makes her stand out in a positive light. Leslie David Baker, who played Lt. Banning, has a begrudging respect for McCarthy and Barretta's roles which makes for an interesting dynamic; Baker's optimistic outlook towards the future really moves the plot ever-forward to that final endpoint needed. Joel McHale, who played Agent Campbell, has the overzealous tough persona needed for this higher echelon of law enforcement; yet the way McHale plays to his character's moments of awkwardness and confusion makes for several moments of light comedy too. Kevin Clash, who played Lyle, entered the narrative as a cool no-nonsense gang boss; yet his easy-going manner made him a likeable, friendly character.

However, the best performance came from Bill Barretta, who played Phil Philips. This role has a very dour outlook on life when first we meet him, he sees the world through shades of grey and it's hard to disagree. The world of Phil Philips is bleak and it's not an easy one for a puppet. Barretta does a great job of showing the kindness of the role that dwells underneath his hard exterior. The character of Phil is often pushing an indifferent, dispassionate front; yet as the film develops it becomes clear just how driven he is by a need for justice and a desire to protect those closest to him. The moral dilemma Barretta takes his role through right up till the end standoff is an interesting one and one that makes for a truly great protagonist.

the film stumbles most when it takes to muck around with crude comedy, for the most part, this is handled well enough but it does saturate the feature at times. The necessity for such content isn't really there, the purpose just seems to be to shock the viewer, which is counter-productive to the strong narrative at play here. The final act also slips a bit as everything builds to the climax; the most glaring problem being the return of Jenny near the final moments of the film; the death of this role was an excellent scene and the choice of this twist was very jarring. The editing for the film was also quite slow and didn't attempt any interesting transitions; clearly, the film was limited by the types of shot needed with filming puppets but it had the negative consequence of affecting pacing.

Dorien Davies, who played Sandra, didn't make for a great antagonist; her very obvious exploitative nature and playing heavily on the 'black widow' trope from the outset didn't leave much room for any surprises. Victor Yerrid, who played Larry, really hams up this role a bit; you don't spend enough time with the character to empathise with him nor is there any brotherly chemistry between him and Barretta. Drew Massey, who played Goofer, is probably the most over the top performance of the film; this character just pushes the crude sense of humour a bit far and creates one of the more uncomfortable scenes to watch.

The Darkest Minds

This review may contain spoilers!

The young adult dystopian films died out a couple of years back now, the creators of this feature clearly didn't get the memo. I would give The Darkest Minds a 1/10.

This is a film that starts strong; we're treated to a horrible opening in which young children are dying of sickness and the need for a quarantined, military state arises within the United States. This brutal setting is fairly interesting and you want to see how the main protagonist is going to navigate such a warped reality at first. The special effects are also nothing to scoff at, making some of the key action scenes stand out through the use of vivid eye effects or the design of the 'Reds'.

Bradley Whitford, who played President Gray, makes quite the impression for only having two scenes; Whitford delivers a passionate speech that connects on a very human level and is a significant element for the strong opening. Miya Cech, who played Zu, is really the heart of the film in a lot of ways; without any dialogue, Cech uses her incredible facial expressions and body language to convey a young child on the run.

However, the best performance came from Skylan Brooks, who played Chubs. If Miya Cech is the proverbial heart of the film then Skylan Brooks is the soul; anything character-driven that interests the audience will often stem from this performance. In many ways, Brooks carries a lot of this film to the end. Chubs is a very particular character, one who doesn't trust easily and who is extremely observant. Brooks has a very grounded manner and responds to situations in quite a realistic manner, making this a role that is very easy to engage with. Not to mention it's just plain nice to have a role with a sense of humour, one who can genuinely make you laugh in amongst the bog of bad dialogue.

A few years ago I was watching films that had been adapted from young adult dystopian novels begin to worsen as a genre; the Divergent films never found their feet after the first one and The 5th Wave was an absolute nightmare. The genre seemed dead. Then someone decided to make this mess of a film and it was hard to believe something worse than what had come before had come to pass. This feature sets up a horrid setting then spends most of the time avoiding it or making it cheesier through corny antagonists. At every turn there was a need to force out exposition and tell the audience member every little detail; so there were no surprises in store and it wasn't long until one grew bored. I struggled with the main protagonist's conflict; early in the film she erases herself from her parents' memories, rather poorly explained away as a 'defence mechanism'. What then transpires is a story in which a girl is cut off from her parents and attempts to get back to them, yet it's all glaringly convenient and hard to empathise with. Undoubtedly the worst aspect of the film is just how much it dedicates itself to a bland romance between two protagonists who have very little chemistry with one another; the fact this develops into a poorly written triangle in the third act is a serious flaw and doesn't do anything to spice up the weak narrative. The cinematography is very poor for an action-oriented film like this; the epic moments look constructed and any of the moments in between are very lazily framed. The score for this film is quite a generic blockbuster fanfare, while the soundtrack doesn't provide this film with character either; opting instead to provide a selection of the latest pop songs or up and coming musicians.

Amandla Stenberg, who played Ruby, doesn't make for a strong leading protagonist; she fails to show an emotional range and the inner conflict she faces isn't presented well throughout the feature. Mandy Moore and Mark O'Brien, who played Cate and Rob Meadows respectively, are very poorly placed minor roles that fade in and out of this story at an inconsistent rate; Moore, in particular, is hard to watch, delivering a spew of exposition in almost every scene. Harris Dickinson, who played Liam, has the acting talent of a brick; not only does Dickinson have no chemistry with Stenberg but he comes across as uncomfortably awkward and creepy. Gwendoline Christie, who played Lady Jane, is just one of those over the top nonsensical antagonists that always seem to find their way into these young adult films; Christie has done better than this but has seen some terrible roles come her way lately. Patrick Gibson, who played Clancy Gray, practically relies on his character introduction, turning point and development all happening in the final act; this is a rushed performance one that Gibson doesn't manage successfully. Wade Williams, who played The Captain, is quite a generic military antagonist; he plays quite safely to a stereotype and never finds a way to make his role feel unique. Lidya Jewett, who played Young Ruby, is one of those child actors who is restricted by the range of their ability at a young age; Jewett is incredibly obvious in how she plays her role and this is very much a two-dimensional introduction to the leading role. Carson Holmes, who played Leader Kid, is a very cringe-worthy character that is introduced near the end of the second act; Holmes doesn't fit the tough role he is given to play and feels seriously miscast the entire time. 

The Spy Who Dumped Me

This review may contain spoilers!

This is an action comedy that doesn't really understand how to balance action and comedy in the same narrative. I would The Spy Who Dumped Me a 4/10.

The film shines strongly as a comedy when it gets quite absurd, having characters who act and speak quite randomly is hilarious and sometimes unpredictable touch. The camerawork throughout does a pretty good job, most notably the key action sequences look exceptionally polished and sharp. The fight choreography is surprisingly good for an action comedy, the action moves at a fast pace and often goes for showy stuntwork over realism or brutality.

Lolly Adefope, who played Tess, is a very funny minor character; Adefope has a very low-key way of portraying a snarky friend. Kev Adams, who played Bitteauto Driver Lukas, is a very insane role who turns the chase sequence scene into one of the more iconic in the film; Adams turns a very recognisable ordinary role into a frantic, manic performance over the course of a couple of minutes. Jane Curtin and Paul Reiser, who played Carol and Arnie respectively, are hysterically unexpected roles; the way this pair emulate and shine delivering the type of humour we see from McKinnon is great. Tom Stourton, who played Edward Snowden, is another one of those roles you just don't really expect from this film; Stourton playing an awkward, lovestruck Snowden is a curveball performance that absolutely lands.

However, the best performance came from Kate McKinnon, who played Morgan. I've always found McKinnon to be a strong comedic presence in most features she's in, and this feature is no exception. In this role, you get a lot of hilarious and absurd dialogue that is completely random and often quite a surprise. McKinnon pitches this fiercely loyal friend who is very zany but full of heart. Without McKinnon's clever line delivery and ludicrous wit, this film wouldn't have had much charm at all.

This film holds aspects of an action comedy and even markets itself as such, yet in execution, this genre really fails to work for the film. At any point where the film tries to take its own narrative too seriously, the pace slows and you find yourself losing interest. Likewise, the cast of the film is clearly not dominated by comedic performers and most comedic writing falls flat because of this. The extended main story about Audrey's love life and her being self-confident before finding another relationship is quite stale and doesn't do anything unique. The entire plot has several contradictions and sacrifices a consistent, well-reasoned plot to attempt some convoluted twists that just leave more questions than answers. The editing is very slow for an action comedy, which is a shame considering the reasonably nice cinematography; as a result, the pacing is greatly affected. The score for the film is generic fanfare for the action sequences, while the soundtrack for the film is a range of dull and unappealing hits (something even the characters point out).

Justin Theroux, who played Drew, seems disinterested in his own role; he has no chemistry with Kunis and you don't really buy into the backstory that they had a one-year relationship. Mila Kunis, who played Audrey, is a terrible leading performer who doesn't present her character's main conflict strongly at all; Kunis on;y fuels a dull main narrative and leaves the lion's share of the comedy work to McKinnon. Dustin Demri-Burns, who played Viktor, is quite a crude minor antagonist at the beginning of the feature; this type of character just lowers the bar and sets a tone for the type of comedy film to expect. Sam Heughan, who played Sebastian, has a very dry style of acting; he doesn't express a great deal of emotion in his role and you don't sense a connection develop between him and Kunis at all. Hasan Minhaj, who played Duffer, is pushed onto the audience as a type of 'funny' antagonist which has quite the opposite effect; Minhaj isn't a subtle performer and it comes as no shock that he reveals himself as a 'surprise' antagonist. Gillian Anderson, who played Wendy, doesn't rise above a very stereotypical portrayal of an intelligence agency leader; Anderson is completely wasted throughout this film delivering dialogue in an extremely stiff manner. Ivanna Sakhno, who played Nadedja, is a straight-up perturbing antagonist; Sakhno is playing a role that is weird and doesn't fit comfortably into a film like this. Fred Melamed, who played Roger, is another creepy antagonist who comes across as a bit much; Melamed really goes quite over the top with his performance and is yet another accessory in this film with too many antagonists. James Fleet and Carolyn Pickles, who played Tom and Marsha respectively, are just plain unnecessary roles by the time they are introduced; they deliver sinister in a way that hams things up and they never make their roles feel significant.

Mission: Impossible - Fallout

This review may contain spoilers!

Of all the action film series Mission Impossible is probably the one to most consistently deliver; Fallout is certainly no different. I would give Mission: Impossible - Fallout an 8/10.

This is a really well-made sequel, it balances quite an introspective theme for the narrative and the protagonist. The entirety of Fallout is spent posing a response to the consequences of Rogue Nation and Mission: Impossible III; how has Hunt distancing himself from Julia and keeping his most significant antagonist, Solomon Lane, affected his life and how can the decisions he has made in the past come back to haunt him? The feature follows Hunt, who is tormented by nightmares of Lane enacting vengeance upon him. It's a more vulnerable depiction of the character, similar to how he was in the third Mission Impossible and it certainly makes how he responds to the events of this film interesting to watch. This series balances a great light-hearted tone with tense, monolithic action sequences and Fallout goes to great lengths to keep topping our expectations.

Visually, this is probably the most impressive Mission Impossible feature to date. There's an impressive display of symmetry from the camera making this a smooth and well-crafted film to watch. The editing goes to great lengths to complement this, timing moments of comedy well or heightening dramatic reveals with the way a scene is cut together. The score for the Mission Impossible films are iconic for a reason and this one is no different from the rest, the traditional theme upping the ante in several key moments.

Ving Rhames, who played Luther Stickell, is the heart of these films in a lot of ways; Rhames does a great job in depicting the friendship that exists between his role and Cruise's and through this you can see the years of tough experiences they've lasted together. Simon Pegg, who played Benji Dunn, can generate some nice comedic dialogue and knows how to bring the film to a more light-hearted tone; seeing Pegg assist Cruise throughout chase scenes or daring moments of action is one of the highlights of this character. Rebecca Ferguson, who played Ilsa Faust, presents an agent torn between her better interests and her need to survive extremely well; Ferguson has a very natural presence in these films and fits into the main cast extremely well. Sean Harris, who played Solomon Lane, is one of the best antagonists Mission Impossible has ever seen; Harris has a quiet way of presenting terrible wrath that makes him an extremely dangerous role. Angela Bassett, who played Erica Sloan, has the cold, stern manner of an intelligence agency leader; Bassett flips between an open, negotiating manner to a hostile persona in a snap which makes for an interesting role. Vanessa Kirby, who played White Widow, is a very two-faced role who has a kind appearance but boasts a darker side; Kirby builds up a dispassionate criminal who is merciless in her profession. Michelle Monaghan, who played Julia Meade-Hunt, is a welcome return to the Mission Impossible series; Monaghan's chemistry with Rhames is immediately re-established and leads to some very heartfelt scenes. Wes Bentley, who played Patrick, is fairly entertaining as the clueless husband; Bentley's earnest performance is quite funny in juxtaposition with the scenes he is in. Alec Baldwin, who played Alan Hunley, Baldwin takes the time to have a lot more fun in this feature which is a welcome sight; Baldwin's connection to the main cast is very strong and his departure really makes an impact on the rest of the film. Kristoffer Joner, who played Nils Debruuk, is another interesting minor antagonist; Joner plays quite a depraved role who maniacally celebrates at his supposed victory over the IMS team.

However, the best performance came from Tom Cruise, who played Ethan Hunt. Cruise plays his famous character in a manner that is quite interesting to watch this time around; Ethan is notably more trapped in his own mind. There is an underlying arc for this character that shows how tortured he is by the decisions he has made in the past and a lot of this film is guided by the character reacting to his own fears. I think its great how introspective Cruise gets with this storyline, he holds a mirror up to his role and exposes all the weaknesses. This is a great Mission Impossible film, though not my favourite it has some of the best acting from Cruise in the series to date.

This film suffers significantly from a distinct lack of an interesting major antagonist; Walker has a tendency to play to a very obvious narrative and he feels like a glorified henchman to Solomon Lane, who really should have played a stronger role. The integration of Julia was an awkward aspect as well, the pained revisitation from Hunt's past is clunky and awkwardly handled. The presence of a romantic sub-plot doesn't necessarily play strongly into this film but the inclusion of Julia should've been handled with greater grace than it was.

Henry Cavill, who played August Walker, gives a very wooden performance throughout the feature; Cavill doesn't strike a strong leading antagonist and is often eclipsed by the rest of the cast, particularly Harris.