Jojo Rabbit

This review may contain spoilers!

This is probably the best Taika Waititi film I've ever seen. I would give Jojo Rabbit an 8.5/10.

Jojo Rabbit is about a young boy, Johannes, growing up in Nazi Germany and allowing his world view to be shaped by his membership in Hitler Youth. Jojo is forced to confront what he believes however, when he discovers his mother is harbouring a young Jewish girl. I think this was always going to be a risky film, depicting Nazism in a film with humour elements was always going to be a balancing act. But to say anything less than I was stunned and found the whole experience thought-provoking would be an injustice. This film does a really good job of showing how a culture of hatred is bred, corrupting a character as likeable and innocent as Jojo until you can envision the Nazi figure he has the potential to mature into. Yet seeing figures who dissent against the Nazi war machine and lead by a message of love, such as Jojo's mother, provides a nice counterbalance to the influences working on our young protagonist. Inevitably Jojo and Elsa meet and start their rocky relationship as enemies who fear or hate one another. The journey and joy of this movie is seeing these two overcome their differences and bond as friends; they endure a lot of pain and hardhsip but ultimately they grow closer and inspire change within one another. Taika Waititi's films are also well known for their sharp wit and remarkably unique humour, all of which you'll get throughout this feature by the bucketload. I particularly enjoyed how Jojo's imaginary friend, Adolf Hitler, was used as a tool to represent Jojo's inner conflict and ultimate change in viewpoint. The cinematography was really fun and often heightened the sense of comedy or charm in a scene by presenting an unpredictable or intimate shot that tied everything together. The editing set a very smooth pace and tended to lend itself to that finer stroke of nailing a punchline. The score for the film could be really harrowing or balance out and heighten the thrill of a scene; I really enjoyed the upbeat soundtrack that always seemed to deeply lead back to the film's ultimate message of love triumphing over hate.

Roman Griffin Davis, who played Jojo, is a phenomenal leading performer and brings a lot of charm to this film; Davis' ability to portray his inner conflict between devout nationalism and the love and protectiveness he feels for Elsa and his mother is the driving point for the film. Thomasin McKenzie, who played Elsa, is this very caged and angry young woman who clashes with Jojo when first we meet her; coming to understand McKenzie's Elsa is one of the most heartfelt and sorrowful journeys the film will take you on and it's nothing short of impressive. Scarlett Johansson, who played Rosie, is this wild force to be reckoned with and the heart of the film; Johansson introduces us to this fighter of a mother who doesn't fall under the thumb of the Nazi regime and proclaims messages of love consistently.Taika Waititi, who played Adolf, gives one of the more interesting and unique performances in the feature; the manner in which he presents a funnier view of Hitler through the mind of a ten year old is great but in showing Hitler as more manic come the end of the film we see a break away from those Nazi ideals for our young hero too. Rebel Wilson, who played Fraulein Rahm, is entirely over the top and one of the better comedic performances you'll get; Wilson takes one of the main Nazi figures and shows her to be a completely hopeless fanatic that is more than a bit ridiculous. Alfie Allen, who played Finkel, is a really good subtle foil to Rockwell; Allen holds the chemistry between the two of them and allows you to see the subtext between these two German men. Stephen Merchant, who played Deertz, is the most menacing figure of the film; Merchant really knows how to intimidate a role in as few words as possible and how to completely take over and dominate a space. Archie Yates, who played Yorkie, is quite simply one of the more loveable members in the cast; Yates shows a young boy who is entirely innocent and detached from blind obedience yet gets dragged further and further into the war as the film progresses.

However, the best performance came from Sam Rockwell, who played Captain Klenzendorf. Rockwell has always been one of my favourite actors and I was genuinely really curious to see what sort of perofrmance he'd be bringing to this film. Captain K is built to impress, he's a more than capable soldier with the open bravado and confidence the Nazi regime rewards. He's also really consistent at showing off where he gets the chance and is more openly flamboyant as the film progresses. I felt it was a bold choice to show Captain K as a character sympathetic to Jojo and Elsa due to his own homosexuality, which would have been condemned under Nazi rule. Rockwell's last scene in which he has to spurn Jojo and drive him away in an effort to save his life is one of the saddest moments in the feature; certainly the scene that left me the most emotional.

This film really could have done a better job with introducing characters at times, some of the cast got a strong lead in while others just really came into the film in a jarring manner. I really thought they established Jojo's mother quite late into the first act, while the initial first few scenes with Elsa were so hostile on both sides it was hard to feel much of a connection with either her or Jojo in that moment. While I felt the film used comedy really effectively there were a number of scenes in which the inclusion of humour was jarring and interrupted the flow of the narrative. A strong example of this is when Rosie pretends to be Jojo's mother and herself at the same time in what felt like an especially bizarre take on solo parenting.

Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil

This review may contain spoilers!

The first film was an unique twist on the Sleeping Beauty story, this sequel wasn't in high demand and takes you on a confused journey. I would give Maleficent: Mistress Of Evil a 4.5/10.

Maleficent: Mistress of Evil is the sequel to 2014's Maleficent, it follows the upcoming wedding of Princess Aurora to Prince Philip, the exploration of Maleficent's dark fey roots and Philip's mother, Queen Ingrith, declaring war on the fey folk. The best plot for this sequel was the cloak and daggers that occurred between Maleficent, Ingrith and Aurora as Maleficent was framed for inflicting a curse upon Ingrith's husband: King John. This felt like a very clever way to build conflict and subtly pit characters against one another, I felt like these moments really hearkened to the high fantasy setting they wanted to achieve.The cinematography really seeks out to capture the scope of the visuals and setting, you have these jaw-dropping wide shots that take in immense sprawling forests, towering castles and the deep warrens the dark fey call home. The special effects are certainly a sight to behold, the design of Maleficent and the dark fey - in particular their wings, looks incredible. But that is nothing compared to the abundance of fey folk throughout the feature that have a charming unique design that captures the joyous spirit of magic at the heart of this story.

Michelle Pfeiffer, who played Queen Ingrith, takes a little while to find her feet as the film's antagonist but once she settles in it is something to watch; Pfeiffer becomes this duplicitous monarch the likes of which you'd expect to see in Game of Thrones due to the manner in which she delivers lies and manipulations. Sam Riley, who played Diaval, feels like he's found a good groove as the voice of Maleficent's conscience this time around; Riley really feels like that familial bridge that links between Jolie's Maleficent and Fanning's Aurora. Chiwetel Ejiofor, who played Conall, is the compassionate heart of the film and as good of a guide into the dark fey as we could have hoped for; the manner in which Ejiofor presents exposition makes you feel the weight and history in the words he is saying. Jenn Murray, who played Gerda, has to be one of the most fascinating antagonist's henchperson I've seen; she has this silent lethality to her that feels really cruel in some of her key scenes and I loved the fiercely loyal bond you could immediately see between her and Pfeiffer. 

However, the best performance came from Angelina Jolie, who played Maleficent. As I said in my review of the first film, Jolie was born to play this character and continues to convince me of that here. This film may not have the strongest script but Jolie fights to show off every powerful and moving character moment she can when at all possible. Every scene she enters you feel the foreboding presence that comes of being a feared sorceress, she absolutely radiates powerful just through posture and a look. I think the subtlety of the role comes through in seeing her nervousness at attempting to reconcile with humanity, her perseverance for Aurora's sake and her pain and rage when Ingrith inevitably betrays and frames her. The entire film is a journey that sees Maleficent wrestle with these turbulent feelings, unsure if she can trust past treasured relationships and furious once more towards humankind. Her unification with the dark fey is fascinating because we see a side of Maleficent that is full of wonder and even joy at the sensation of being united with her own kin. Ultimately seeing Maleficent recognise her love for Aurora and a need for peace is a humbling moment and it's great to see Jolie bring a gentle, happy conclusion to this character's arc.

The story in this film has all the callsigns of a bad sequel script; significant aspects of the last film are repeated, there's a wedding, and most significantly there are now a whole new group of characters that closely resemble a main character. The entire film being fuelled by a budding romance between Aurora and Philip is a bit hard to swallow when the chemistry is so very bland, these two never seem strongly bound together and the narrative does nothing to enhance their relationship.The antagonist for the film has rather thin motivations for hating the fey folk and her entire plot to kill all faeries seems to happen because the sequel needs something to generate conflict. The film almost rushes to this point, seemingly aware that no one cares about Aurora and Philip and hoping the audience doesn't notice the absurdity of a flower that grows when a fairy dies being able to then be used to kill faeries. Once the film stops rushing however it slows, very noticeably, with the arrival of the dark fey: fey folk who look in every way like Maleficent does. Oh and they live in tunnels because they're the 'hidden race', such a new idea. The dark fey drag the film down because most of them are gearing up for war against the humans for very thin reasons and you start to realise the whole film is pushing towards a big fight scene but didn't really know how to get there. After numerous scenes of lengthy monologuing, some poor foreshadowing that Maleficent can cheat death because she's like a phoenix and one of the most forgettable character deaths in the film, the big battle finally plays out and the film rushes to its conclusion. If the narrative alone isn't enough to put you off the dialogue throughout the film is so bad even Jolie can't salvage it at times. The special effects throughout The film look pretty spectacular, yet in the first act there's a real problem with how the colour palette of the film is presented. You are assaulted with such a variety of bright colours that it really does feel like a lot of cartoonish chaos to take in.

Elle Fanning, who played Aurora, was absolutely stunning in the first film but doesn't really seem to know how to take the role further in the sequel; Fanning doesn't play well to her role's distrustful subplot and the bright, bubbly persona feels a bit more forced this time around. Harris Dickinson, who played Prince Philip, was undoubtedly one of the worst leads in The Darkest Minds film and has managed to improve a little this film; yet in spite of finding a better role Dickinson is ever consistent with a flat tone and an inability to find chemistry with a single living breathing member of the cast. Ed Skrein, who played Borra, is a war driven magical being who just seems to want a fight and that's about the totality of his character; Skrein is quickly becoming boxed into these antagonistic headstrong fighters and sometimes he runs with it and other times it is a shell of a role like Borra. Robert Lindsay, who played King John, gives about the most phoned in kindly father figure you'll see this year; Lindsay's blindly optimistic role feels like such dead weight in scenes with more complicated roles like Pfeiffer's Ingrith. David Gyasi, who played Percival, doesn't seem very comfortable in the medieval setting and struggles with his accent; Gyasi never really feels like a strong, soldier type and his relationship with Dickinson as on-screen friends is a hard sell. Juno Temple, Lesley Manville and Imelda Staunton, who played Thistlewit, Flittle and Knotgrass respectively, weren't good in the first film and aren't any better in the sequel; this trio just blurt out mindless comedic relief intended for the three year olds in the audience and are pretty forgettable otherwise.

Zombieland: Double Tap

This review may contain spoilers!

This is one of those genre comedies that has been a classic for a long time and the sequel was genuinely an equal pleasure. I would give Zombieland: Double Tap an 8/10.

Zombieland: Double Tap is the sequel to 2009's Zombieland and reunites us with main characters: Columbus, Tallahassee, Little Rock and Wichita as they attempt to navigate new survivors, evolved undead and life as a dysfunctional family in a zombie apocalypse. The reason I was drawn back to this one so strongly was probably how well they managed to keep the sense of humour intact, particularly as the film progressed the gags they explored just got better and better. It wasn't merely that this is a strong satire on every 'serious' piece of zombie pop culture, it was the range of humour brought to bear. There were moments in which zombie shows like The Walking Dead were being cleverly mocked that would switch to exploring a ditzy survivor and her interactions with the group, or doppelgangers of the main characters to poke fun at the film itself, and even leaping to a group of survivors entirely dedicated to pacifism in this desolate wasteland. Zombieland 2 thinks of everything and orchestrates exactly where it wants its jokes for maximum impact and if you find yourselves in stitches for even some of this excellent film then I highly recommend you hang around for the mid-credits scene. The film also nurtures the bond this strange family of survivors has with one another, often finding simple yet meaningful ways of approaching the heart of this narrative. You get to see Columbus and Tallahassee come to affirm the partnership/survivor duo dependence they have with one another, Columbus and Wichita go through relationship turmoil that actually feels interesting to watch and carries over well from the first film. Even the father/daughter relationship between Tallahassee and Little Rock hits home by the end of the feature, the pair learning some valuable lessons about giving room to be free but also knowing they can count on each other as family should. The cinematography used throughout keeps things active, each set feels like a place explored because the camera maps out every area characters can move within or be engaged in a point of action. The special effects look really good, both in term of the practical effects with some of the zombie encounters and some of the visual effects like the monster truck scene. The soundtrack throughout this feature is really funny and works in tandem with the films comedic tone, it also enhanced moments of action and really brought out the 'cool' factor in those moments.

Woody Harrelson, who played Tallahassee, stills feels like the most epic and dangerous character in the cast; Harrelson does a great job of portraying this tough as nails, gritty character who stumbles through his feelings towards his makeshift family. Jesse Eisenberg, who played Columbus, is still a really strong guide to this crazy zombie-ridden world as our narrator throughout the feature; I found Eisenberg's portrayal of conflict with both Harrelson and Stone really well done. Emma Stone, who played Wichita, is intensely determined and driven towards the protection of her sister; watching Stone grapple with her decision towards the proposal in this film is a nice continuation from what they set up in the first film. Rosario Dawson, who played Nevada, is a tough survivor that matches up to Harrelson perfectly; the way in which their shared interests emerge and their romance begins is actually quite engaging and pulls you in. Luke Wilson and Thomas Middleditch, who played Albuquerque and Flagstaff respectively, are a great pair who really mirror the roles Harrelson and Eisenberg inhabit well; I loved the scene in which they tried to conceal they'd been bitten by zombies and started to squabble amongst themselves when the secret became exposed.

However, the best performance came from Zoey Deutch, who played Madison. This character was by no means the brightest bulb in the box but her character was such a comedic powerhouse that she shined throughout. There was a lot of potential for this role to just be written off as the token 'dumb blonde' that was the hallmark of a lot of old American comedies. But I think what I liked is that Deutch reminded us that while Madison was a bit of a goofball she was undeniably human and capable of surviving. This is a role who hilariously springs to the aid of Wichita, claims out Columbus for her own after being alone for years and then presses through even when the main group of survivors have left her for dead. Deutch really has a strong sense of what she wants to achieve with Madison as a comedic role and I think she has just about the best timing and delivery of the cast.

This film was a really enjoyable and entertaining time but as a sequel it never managed to feel like a full plot or story. This isn't the sort of feature that feels like a fully realised eye-catching main narrative, rather this is a string of anecdotes tied together around a smaller main plot. It doesn't always feel like the best format for a sequel film and that lets down the pacing and structure of the film. The first act also spends a lot of time setting up punchlines for the second or even final act, but in ways that feel jarring and create some awkward scenes. The first act is by far the weakest of the film and it takes some time for Zombieland: Double Tap to find its feet and start running.

Abigail Breslin, who played Little Rock, is a solid part of the original main four cast members and really got forgotten in this film; Breslin doesn't particularly seem committed to the idea that her role wants to go off to find a boyfriend and so that entire subplot falls to the background. Avan Jogia, who played Berkeley, seems to be one of the few performers in the cast who plays to his eccentric stoner stereotype; Jogia never has a moment of sincere comedy and certainly lacks chemistry with Breslin.

Gemini Man

This review may contain spoilers!

A neat special effects premise that is lost on a lousy script and generic action flick. I would give Gemini Man a 4/10.

Gemini Man follows Henry Brogan, a retired government hitman who must run for his life after being attacked by a younger clone of himself. The driving force behind the film is watching Brogan attempt to uncover all the players behind the cloning operation and seeing him attempt to take them out. What works to this film's strength is the visual effects, the whole film is founded on making a version of the lead who appears younger and serves as his own separate character. I thought they managed inserting Junior in really well, seeing a young Will Smith face off against himself was great and it certainly showcased how far this particular line of effects has come.

Benedict Wong, who played Baron, is a very strong comedic presence throughout the film; Wong has some brilliant lines and knows how to make the most of his moments in a scene. Ralph Brown, who played Del Patterson, has a gentle kinship with Smith that fits their handler/agent relationship; I liked how this pair quietly got along with one another and the level of concern Brown portrayed at the risk to his friend.

However, the best performance came from Will Smith, who played Henry Brogan and Junior. Smith is a really seasoned pro at the blockbuster trade by now so he plays well to the different personas he has to juggle in this film. As the clone, Junior, Smith constructs a highly self-confident, headstrong role who operates efficiently in the field. But as Junior has to come to grips with his origins you begin to see his world fall apart. Junior becomes filled with doubt and has a lot of vulnerability about who he actually is as a person. I think Smith really found something with this having to journey back to a younger mindset, one who is held up so strongly by his dependence on a father figure. On the other hand as the lead, Henry Brogan, you get someone who is seasoned and plenty capable due to his experience. You can see that while Henry can fight relentlessly, he isn't committed to throwing himself into a battle as he once was. This is a more compassionate role who doesn't blame Winstead's Danny for doing her job or Junior for being created, he attempts to get the best for others out of the situation which makes for a likeable protagonist. Either way you cut it Will Smith is one of the best in the game for handling dialogue and he does it extremely well in this too.

The flaw with Gemini Man is it never exactly stops to take a breath or really show character connections, in fact you barely stop to get introduced to a character. From the very start of the feature we see how adept Henry Brogan is as a combatant but also the idea that he's getting old and wants to retire. This is important surface information about the character and relevant to the overall plot but you never really get grounded with the role, any information given is a plot point down the track. If you want an audience to connect with your protagonist it isn't enough for the actor who plays them to be charismatic (as Will Smith is), the role itself has to exhibit personality and show you who they are. Because the film feels like a lot of stoic, expressionless soldiers with daddy issues shooting each other the whole film it becomes quite easy to tune out and grow bored. The plot treats the clone as a twist but it never comes as much of a shock, the whole dynamic between Henry and Junior isn't overly dramatic but feels like something we've seen in a lot of sci-fi action films. The initial confrontation, shock and denial before eventually teaming up isn't thrilling when you've seen the same old formula so many times and this time isn't any different from the last. The way Gemini Man is shot must be about the dullest cinematography in an action film I've seen this year; I'm pretty surprised to see an Ang Lee film so clearly lacking vision. The score for the film is barely present to help set tone and the soundtrack is pretty sparse and not very engaging.

Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who played Danny Zakarweski, is normally such a hit in any film she's in so it's a shame to see her in such a boring role;The entire movie she's present but just seems dragged along through the action. Clive Owen, who played Clay Verris, gives a really warped portrayal of a military father figure; Owen's take on building a role whose redeemable trait is fatherly love falls flat when you never really see a moment where you believe in him. Douglas Hodge, who played Jack Willis, is brought in as an old friend to Smith's Henry and the chemistry is not once present; Hodge's character feels sleazy and unclean which is a long shot away from the fast wit and noble fighters you see our protagonist with for most the feature. Linda Edmond, who played Janet Lassiter, is quite dry as one of the heads of a government intelligence branch; Edmond approaches the role of a position of power in quite a flat manner which doesn't separate her from numerous others who've failed in this type of character. Ilia Volok, who played Yuri Kovacs, doesn't really seem to take his scene seriously; Volok pulls between humour and an intense mobster seriousness and neither blends well together in his performance.

Joker

This review may contain spoilers!

To call this a 'Joker' movie is probably more than a little generous, more accurately it looks like a bunch of guys in Hollywood got really into the idea of trying to capture The Dark Knight's lightning into a bottle and fumbled it. I would give Joker a 4.5/10.

Joker is a hypothetical origin story of how one of the most famous comic book villains in history came to be. The catch? None of the writers, the director, cast or the producers really like super hero films or comic books. The film has more narrative flaws than I can really list but the one thing it does excel in is generating a setting; the backdrop of Gotham is like a boiling pot. You see a bleak landscape filled with crime and poverty, people are clamouring for a way out of the very situation they are trapped in. It feels like a place that speaks truthfully to how a lot of people see the world currently, which is a strong chord thematically. The score for the is perhaps the most resonant and important component, it is a haunting melody that is both beautiful, tragic and horrifying all at once; I think most significantly it held this strong link to transformation and represented Arthur Fleck becoming the Joker more than anything else in the film.

Zazie Beetz, who played Sophie Dumond, is a really likeable single mother who seems incredibly grounded considering she lives in Gotham; Beetz's portrayal of being in an enchanting imaginary relationship with Phoenix's Arthur and her actual terror in his presence is remarkably done. Sharon Washington, who played the Social Worker, really has an edge to the government employee facing financial strain and a patient intake that is hard to keep up; Washington makes those therapy sessions come across as tense, fearful moments in the film that heighten Arthur Fleck as a force to be reckoned with.

However, the best performance came from Robert De Niro, who played Murray Franklin. This character wasn't present for a large amount of the film but his presence was strongly felt throughout. De Niro's talk show host was a quick witted, charismatic voice of the people. This character was a master of entertainment, he knew how to be funny and how to conduct a moving show. It was very clear early on that he was a figure our protagonist aspired to be, almost yearned for in a way. Watching De Niro sharply making short work of Arthur as a comedian was satisfying and foreboding all at once, you felt like he had the capacity to be mean-spirited and hold his own when the moment counted. The scene in which Arthur and Murray meet face to face on the show is one of the best in the film, purely for how De Niro conducts the appearance and turns it into an interrogation of a guilty suspect.

Joker just doesn't seem to understand the character it is trying to evoke here; and I say evoke because there is no way I can honestly endorse this as a film that portrayed the Joker at all. Where the Joker is an unknown figure who incites chaos, Arthur Fleck bumbles into a criminal act, enjoys the power it gives him and descends into murderous violence from there. Where the Joker is an intelligent and cunning antagonist who is always one step ahead, Arthur Fleck is a cowardly person who often seems deranged for the sake of it and commits random acts of violence. Frankly the story around Arthur Fleck is boring because it doesn't take advantage of the Joker persona, instead reducing the role to little more than an angry gunman, like the many we see on the news all the time. I'm not saying the film is bad purely because they didn't read a few comic books, no I like to judge a film purely by what it brings to the table. So let's look a little closer at Arthur Fleck; this is a role who is closely associated with humour because he's always wanted to be a comedian. Yet there's very little evidence of that desire outside of one stand up gig he performs in the film. The role has a myriad of mental health issues but these aren't really examined; the way his moments of mania exhibit themselves vary according to the scene and Arthur isn't actually a consistent figure to watch. His one constant is pretty lousy, he bursts into uncontrollable laughter without any control. That's right folks, the Joker's laugh is...a medical condition. Guess they didn't think we'd buy into a guy who just laughs maniacally? The film spends the whole first act telling us repeatedly that Arthur is crazy before he goes off the edge and kills three people; the film then dawdles for a solid hour before kicking things to a close abruptly in the very fast moving final act. It's a story so easy a chimp probably wrote it. There is a subplot around the film that also attempts to link Arthur to Thomas Wayne (Batman's Dad) in a father/son capacity but it's just a boring red herring plot used to jazz the second act up a little and has no value to the story at all. The cinematography starts pretty good but there's some really lazy framing, and any director who thinks they ought to be filming that much text onscreen rather than utilising dialogue ought to re-evaluate their decisions. The editing maintained a lethargic pace and I was swiftly bored by the whole feature. 

Joaquin Phoenix, who played Arthur Fleck, never really manages to keep a consistent bead on what drives his character and how his role functions; It feels like Phoenix uses a lot of twisted body language and an emaciated physical form to pass off the role as it's clear there's not a lot in terms of character performance here. Frances Conroy, who played Penny Fleck, is such an absent role that she never really has a lot of bearing on the film; Conroy and Phoenix doing the troubled mother/son relationship is such a played out storyline that it gets boring pretty quick. Brett Cullen, who played Thomas Wayne, is quite generic as the stoic, true American businessman; his bullying persona and staunch rejection of Arthur as a son aren't interesting qualities of the film but feel like redundant detours on the way to the end.