The Best and Worst Films of 2020

 2020 was such a turbulent, unexpected and outright crazy year for so many of us. I think it's a year that is going to have a truly historic impact on a number of industries, the very way our world works has changed for the foreseeable future and that is unbelievable in a lot of ways. Every week since I started running this film review blog I have strolled down to my local cinema and watched the latest offering, but this year I found that was no longer possible. We entered lockdown and a number of shared and familiar experiences were lost to us. In the world of cinema productions were being halted, some projects were being pushed back while others were cancelled. I got over my stigma against reviewing streaming services original features, a number of the films I have reviewed this year I watched via Netflix, Google Play, Disney Plus or HBO Max. It was something so different for me, watching movies that felt like they belonged in a theatre on a smaller device but there was something certainly charming and convenient about watching at home too. 

 

Now we're seeing studios beginning to get underway again, major and minor productions alike are finding safe ways to bring entertainment back to our screens. Streaming services are wielding a lot more power and content than they did before, so for better or for worse there will be more to watch readily at home in years to come. But I will tell you this much: after my country left lockdown and eventually progressed back to level one I I went back to my local cinema. Not only that I tripped about the country and went to a number of smaller theatres and the experience is still one of my favourite things in the world. Lounging back in a spacious seat, warm popcorn at your side as surround sound speakers orchestrate you through a visual journey set upon the big screen, there is nothing like it. Where it is safe, where you can, I strongly encourage the support of local cinemas in what has been a very tough year. It is very easy to watch a film, but experiencing a film in the theatre is absolute magic.

Allow me to take you through some of my experiences this year, as I share a bit of insight into the best and worst films I watched in 2020...

The Best:

 

5. Onward - 8.5/10

 

Disney/Pixar together have almost always crafted these animated features that breathe magic into whichever world they want to construct. This time around that happened to be a world of, well, magic. Onward is a fascinating original setting, a fantasy world that has cast aside the need for magic due to the convenience of technology. It's a real treat watching characters like orcs and manticores blend between a modern setting and a more mystical one. The feature is a lovely story about family and the relationship between two brothers who have supported one another their whole lives. Chris Pratt and Tom Holland bounce off one another with charm and lead a phenomenal cast in what is immediately another classic for the House of Mouse.

Check out my Onward review!

 

4. Savage - 8.5/10

 

Not only did New Zealand set a fine example with our response to the pandemic this year, but our cinema releases have been decisively great as well. I was initially quite nervous about Savage because New Zealand has done a number of features covering gang violence and I didn't believe it could do anything new or original. But Savage is an intensive character study that shows the main character, Damage, as he navigates a social services system that has a number of flaws and becomes embroiled in gang life. Watching the deep psychological duress and extreme violence Damage lives with is one of the better narratives I witnessed this year and it is played out brilliantly by lead actor, Jake Ryan.

 

Check out my Savage review! 

 

3. 1917 - 8.5/10

 

This might not be the highest of my top five but it is certainly the best in terms of cinema as an experience. 1917 was filmed utilising a number of long one take shots that blend together seamlessly to make you feel placed right into the chaos of a First World War battlefield. It was a high stakes piece of cinema that was unlike any other war film I had seen and was visually stunning. Heightened by a pulse-quickening musical score I was blown away and astounded by 1917. It is a must see.

 

Check out my 1917 review! 

 

2. The Gentlemen - 8.5/10

 

I love Guy Ritchie. He is, quite possibly, my all time favourite film director. This is a man who made some very clever black comedy gangster films and has since gone on to make some of the better blockbusters in modern cinema. The Gentlemen is a blend of Ritchie's roots and all that he has learnt handling bigger production pieces. This is a major mobster narrative told through the eyes of an unreliable narrator, it is a web of deceit filled with twists and witty laughs aplenty. There is an all-star cast here who will blow you away, in particular Matthew McConaughey, Michelle Dockery, Charlie Hunnam and Hugh Grant. Each time I go back to his film I have a new favourite scene, it is nothing short of both style and substance.

 

Check out my The Gentlemen review! 

 

1. Soul - 9/10

 

Disney/Pixar did it twice this year. Where Onward is a fresh new world that will become an instant classic for a lot of families and young viewers, Soul is something a little different. It has all the style, humour and care of a classic Disney/Pixar animated feature but there is far more to it than that. Soul holds a valuable lesson about the significance of experiencing and enjoying life, told through a beautiful character arc that a lot of mature audiences will really relate to. Soul possesses an unparalled musical score that transports you in key scenes; literally in the case of the last ten minutes. There are good animated features out there but this is a crowning achievement and a reminder that more can be told through the animated medium than we give it credit for.

 

Check out my Soul review! 

 

A lot of these films are an interesting example of more exposure to local NZ made cinema, that which I watched at home and the releases I got to see at the start of the year. A very strong indicator of just how different this year has been for our cinema viewing experience. These changes did lead to watching some rather bad films as well...

 

The Worst:

 

5.  Artemis Fowl - 2.5/10

 

I loved reading the Artemis Fowl books growing up, I reread them this year before the film came out. So I have a strong sense of feeling behind it when I say that this is the worst book to film adaptation of all time. This isn't one of those things where they missed a few scenes from the book to make a better quality feature; this is an unwatchable mess. As a character Artemis is stripped of any exciting traits and becomes an awkward rich kid who struggles to fit in until all the weirdness of the plot comes to catch up with him. Between Josh Gad garbling over the story as a strange narrator, the eyesore visual effects and action scenes and a plot that is constantly struggling to piece itself together, it's no wonder people prefer the book to the film in this case.

 

Check out my Artemis Fowl review! 

 

4. Wonder Woman 1984 - 2/10

 

I was never the biggest fan of the first Wonder Woman feature but what did work for that film was its strong message around a female hero who was able to be loving and nurturing while also being powerful and strong. It was a film that resonated strongly for a lot of people and with fair reason. This sequel couldn't be further from the first movie in any respect, even some of the returning cast struggle in roles they have already played. This film is a staggering two and a half hours long and never once manages to justify its inexcusable runtime. The entire premise is built around a magical wishing rock that Wonder Woman must stop after an oil tycoon absorbs its powers. It's a story that gives the bad guy and the good guy whatever they need to advance the plot all while it trips over its own storytelling. I was extremely disheartened to see a film built around female empowerment handle a female antagonist so poorly in the guise of Cheetah. This is going to go down as the worst DC film in recent years.

 

Check out my Wonder Woman 1984 review! 

 

3. Bill And Ted Face The Music - 1.5/10

 

I'm going to say it louder for the film producers in the back: cult films don't always need sequels or reboots! The first two Bill and Ted films are a lot of fun, they're very light comedies that don't take themselves too seriously and are entertaining through rose-coloured glasses. But this final note in the trilogy was one that I wish had never been executed. The film is obsessed with pushing itself as the biggest and most important moment in our main characters story; yet nothing ever happened that lived up to that big pitch. The film takes things way too seriously and drains a lot of the humour and energy out of the two leading roles. Everything needs an explanation for why it happens now and the film is very rarely allowed to be silly just for the sake of it. This is a Bill and Ted film in name only, there's very little in it actually worth watching.

 

Check out my Bill And Ted Face The Music review! 

 

2. Godmothered - 1.5/10

 

Disney Plus is a relatively new streaming service and doesn't have a lot of original content out there yet, in fact a lot of its best exclusives are films that have been pulled from a cinema release window and put on the streaming platform. Godmothered is a good example of why I'm so hesitant to watch streaming original films, they're often low budget nightmares with very little soul to them. This is a film with terrible visual effects, all the plot of a Disney Channel original and an all-star cast that should be capable of better. It's a shallow performer at best and it makes we worried that we'll get films cranked out like this because they're easier to make and market. There might be a fairy godmother at the heart of this film but I see no magic here.

 

Check out my Godmothered review! 

 

1. Playing With Fire - 1.5/10

 

This has to be one of the worst comedy films I'll ever see and it was my biggest cinematic low of the year. This film had little to no plot, a romantic relationship that felt awkward and wooden and an egregious amount of My Little Pony references. This was the lowest of the low in terms of comedies because it was very simple pratfall humour and otherwise toilet-based jokes. Failing that you have to watch John Cena hit a career low and present an embarrassing performance that will be a stain on his filmography forever. Thank od the last time I had to watch this was back in January.

 

Check out my Playing With Fire review! 

 

So concludes another wrap up of the year's best and worst films, as always I'm keen to hear what your own favourite and least favourite films were! Here's to a new decade of exciting cinema ahead! For those curious where your favourite film of 2020 wound up check my list below to see my complete rankings:   

1. Soul – 9/10
2. The Gentlemen – 8.5/10
3. 1917 – 8.5/10
4. Savage – 8.5/10
5. Onward – 8.5/10
6. Extraction – 8/10
7. Emma – 8/10
8. Dark Waters – 8/10
9. Radioactive – 8/10
10. Spies In Disguise – 8/10
11. This Town – 7.5/10
12. The Lovebirds – 7.5/10
13. Palm Springs – 7.5/10
14. The New Mutants – 7.5/10
15. Happiest Season – 7.5/10
16. Saint Judy – 7.5/10
17. Bloodshot – 7.5/10
18. Honest Thief – 7.5/10
19. Sonic The Hedgehog – 7.5/10
20. Fatman – 7.5/10
21. Enola Holmes – 7/10
22. Love And Monsters – 7/10
23. The Dry – 7/10
24. Bombshell – 6.5/10
25. Seberg - 6.5/10
26. The Invisible Man – 6.5/10
27. Freaky – 6.5/10
28. Blithe Spirit – 6.5/10
29. Come To Daddy – 6.5/10
30. Tenet – 6/10
31. The Old Guard – 6/10
32. Red Shoes And The Seven Dwarfs – 6/10
33. Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga – 5.5/10
34. Scoob! – 5.5/10
35. Underwater – 4.5/10
36. The Personal History Of David Copperfield – 4.5/10
37. Baby Done – 4.5/10
38. Trolls World Tour – 4.5/10
39. Greenland – 4/10
40. Mulan – 4/10
41. The Call Of The Wild – 3.5/10
42. Unhinged – 3/10
43. Birds Of Prey – 3/10
44. The Witches – 3/10
45. Project Power – 2.5/10
46. Artemis Fowl – 2.5/10
47. Wonder Woman 1984 – 2/10
48. Bill And Ted Face The Music – 1.5/10
49. Godmothered – 1.5/10
50. Playing With Fire – 1.5/10

Wonder Woman 1984

This review may contain spoilers!

 

Wonder Woman 1984 is the sequel to 2017's Wonder Woman, taking a nearly seventy year time jump from where we last left Diana. Picking her story back up in the 80s, Diana chances upon a mystical 'wishing stone' that causes a number of secret desires to come true for any who hold it. When this stone falls into the hands of Maxwell Lord, Diana has to everything in her power to stop him before he brings about the collapse of civilisation. This film is strongest when it doesn't try to construct something that looks like a story; in fact the majority of the action sequences in this feature are the few strengths of the film. While the visual effects aren't always there, the fight choreography and stunt work within this feature blend together nicely to make scenes like the White House fight or vehicle convoy chase/fight enjoyable to watch.

 

Gal Gadot, who played Diana Prince, still entertains as a solid protagonist for these films; Gadot has the calm charisma of Wonder Woman and her ability to deliver impassioned dialogue and speeches really lifts up the quality of some scenes.

 

However, the best performance came from Lilly Aspell, who played Young Diana. In the first film I thought Aspell was a great performer, certainly bringing a lot of charm to the younger depiction of Wonder Woman while accurately retaining traits Gadot brought to the role. This film was a major step up for the young actress as the beginning scene falls squarely onto her shoulders to perform, and to say she does a phenomenal job would be underselling things. Aspell expands on some of the things we saw from her younger Diana in the first film, an extreme level of determination that leads to her barrelling at obstacles much bigger than her head first. This is a time of Diana's life in which she pushes herself to be as great as Amazons fully grown, refusing to be held back by restraints such as her age. Watching Diana celebrate her success and concoct cunning plans to remain ahead in an Amazonian contest is a lot of fun, and seeing that success become failure just as victory is within reach is very powerful. Aspell proves herself at every turn and is sure to be a young performer worth watching out for.

 

While I wasn't a big fan of Wonder Woman what I found worth celebrating in it was a powerful female superhero who was a positive example and set a strong feminist message at the heart of its narrative. Wonder Woman 1984 is a two and a half hour long empty shell with surface level themes around greed, doing the selfless thing and the significance of truth. The film struggles because this time the nature of the story is a lot campier, with some seriously corny scenes, dialogue and characters. The point of antagonism for this film is a magic rock that grants a wish per person, that rock then gets absorbed into the big bad who then can manipulate the wishes however he or the plot desires until Wonder Woman can give a passionate speech that'll save the day right at the very end. This rock allows the writers an easy way to bring back Steve Trevor in what is probably the most boring and poorly thought out sub-plot I could've experienced. In fact the magic wishing stone is right at the root of what is wrong with this movie because it does all the heavy lifting and it is such an easy uninspired plot device; Diana needs to choose between her duty or her dead boyfriend? Magic rock. We need a bad guy that will collapse civilisation? Magic rock. We need to make Cheetah be in this film but Barbara already used her wish? Oh, the magic rock can now grant multiple wishes apparently. This is a film that always takes the easy road whenever it is available and then just cuts corners and crafts inconsistencies in spite of all that. Maxwell Lord can barely be called an antagonist because his motives are so shallow that you don't really understand why he's the one babbling his head off to Wonder Woman at the end. Barbara Minerva is a character who is meek, gains self-empowerment and worth through magical means and is then vilified for this; a choice I thought very counter-intuitive to a Wonder Woman sequel. This is a film that feels too long, it never earns its runtime and you don't really feel like you've learnt anything by the end. The cinematography is initially impressive but the further in you get the more the expansive wide shots feel so starkly empty; while the fight sequences are peppered with quick close ups to skimp on special effects shots. The special effects for the film are more often dismal than they are impressive, Cheetah's design is pretty minimalist and Diana running at super speed looked like it was taking notes from the early 2000s. The score for this feature is rather forgettable and only ever picks up when it draws cues from music used in the first Wonder Woman film.

Chris Pine, who played Steve Trevor, is absolutely unrecognisable from his brilliant performance in the first film; Pine spends a lot of this feature floundering in the comedic relief position and hamming up his role's lack of knowledge about the 'modern' world. Kristen Wiig, who played Barbara Minerva, really found the most monotonous way of presenting her antagonist role; Wiig just felt like a serious miscast for such a stoic and jaded character. Pedro Pascal, who played Maxwell Lord, might have found one of the worst roles of his career; Pascal goes over the top in every scene that he is in and almost seems to lose himself in this exuberant, campy energy as he bumbles his way through very repetitive dialogue. Robin Wright and Connie Nielsen, who played Antiope and Hippolyta respectively, are the only downside to the opening scene for the film; neither actress give particularly inspiring delivery as the mentor figures and their return to this sequel goes by without much notice.

This is to Wonder Woman what Batman Forever is to Batman. I would give Wonder Woman 1984 a 2/10.

 

Soul

 This review may contain spoilers!

Soul follows middle school teacher, Joe, whose passion for jazz music is almost realised before an accident transports him to a realm between life and death. It is here with the help of an infant soul that Joe must find a way back to Earth and his body; discovering what it means to truly live along the way. This is an extremely carefully crafted narrative that takes the story of someone who is both a mentor and extremely passionate about his ability to play music and it holds a mirror up to what we find important in life through this individual. Soul possesses strength because Joe is someone you can meet but he isn't someone the audience can step into and be, he's a very unique role with a life story that is engineered to show us the truth of this film. That truth is that life is a gift, not a trophy case. People aren't measured by what they achieve, life is to be experienced, enjoyed and loved. Joe is driven by a strong desire to return to his body and 'capture his dream' because he believes it's his purpose. But as Joe becomes obsessed by his goal his makes selfish choices that cost the friends he makes throughout his metaphysical adventures, including 22 - a young soul who has struggled to find a reason to go down to Earth. Once Joe has set aside everything to achieve his goal he realises the dream is a hollow thing, the experience was good but he lost a lot more to attain it. The beauty of seeing Joe redeem himself by guiding 22 to Earth through music and self-sacrifice is this extraordinary character arc that few films can even dream of achieving. This is narrative storytelling often at its very finest; and while it might not be the kid-targetted feature we'd normally see from Disney/Pixar I will say, Sould is going to be an animated feature that will live with me for a very long time. The animation style manages to craft a very diverse and authentic take on urban New York life, with a very abstract and experimental take on the plane of existence in which souls reside. The score for the film is a testament to the jazz music that protagonist so passionately loves, the scene in which he plays his way back into the soul plane is one of the most moving scenes in the entire film.

 

Tina Fey, who voiced 22, is such a fun high-spirited role who is extremely motivated by mischief; I really liked that Fey found 22's personal vulnerabilities and depicted them in such a subtle yet powerful manner. Graham Norton, who voiced Moonwind, was one of the funniest characters in the film; Norton really pushed the boundaries on how zany he was willing to go with this spiritual plane-walker and I think that served his scenes marvellously. Alice Braga, who voiced Counselor Jerry, was perfect as this kindly guide into the metaphysical world of the Great Beyond; Braga has a soothing and thought-provoking manner to how she speaks that is both gentle and extremely wise all at once. Angela Bassett, who voiced Dorothea, is a stern force to be reckoned with at the head of musical performance in this film; Bassett crafts a character who is deeply insightful and runs an extremely tight ship within her band. 

However, the best performance came from Jamie Foxx, who voiced Joe. This is a character who is immediately very grounded and someone you understand as a person. They have a job that is stressful but that he finds passion within, and where he connects with those who want to learn from his passion. I love hearing Foxx discuss his role's love of music and of jazz, you really get this incredible picture of what that sound means to him and how he connects to it within his life. Yet watching as this character spirals out of control and fights to retain his life on Earth is really satisfying to watch. You get to hear Foxx depict the conflict between what he desires and doing what is right by Fey's 22. This is a performance built on careful consideration from what we observe in life and how we can enjoy it, certainly one of the more powerful deliveries from Foxx in recent years.

Soul is a feature I really connected with and it is a story that I think a number of people will get a lot of meaning from as they come to view it, but the nature of how it is presented and who presents it might mean this film struggles to meet expectations. If you're looking for a animated feature that is for kids and adults in equal measure then this probably isn't the film for you. I've never really seen Disney/Pixar do a feature that so squarely will land with more mature audiences than younger ones. I also think the story wants to examine it's very abstract ideas in depth at times, while in other instances undercuts this method of storytelling by doing something goofy like the body swap with Joe, 22 and the cat.

Rachel House, who voiced Terry, is one of the harsher voices in the feature and a point of antagonism that doesn't always work for the best; House's role has this harsh stickler vibe to her that goes a bit over the top in an effort to be humorous. Richard Ayoade, who voiced Counselor Jerry, is another tone that doesn't fit the higher being he portrays; often quite a grating tone and never really capturing the wise manner Braga wields effortlessly. Phylicia Rashad, who voiced Libba, is a stern matriarch but far from an interesting one; Rashad struggles to find an emotional link between herself and Foxx's role.

I found this to be one of the more moving and thought-provoking films I've seen from Disney/Pixar in recent years. I would give Soul a 9/10.

The Dry

 This review may contain spoilers!

The Dry is an adaptation of the Jane Harper novel of the same name, in which we follow Federal Agent Aaron Falk as he returns to his drought-stricken hometown for the funeral of a childhood friend. When he's asked to look into the mysterious circumstances around the death, Falk finds himself caught between a mystery in the present and a personal mystery from the past. The really pleasant aspect of the storytelling is how nicely it blends the two main storylines: the murder that happened in the past and the one Falk is trying to solve in the present. The flashback storyline works so well because it paints a simpler, more idyllic time that you know is inevitably going to be disrupted and become the defining point of our protagonist, Aaron Falk, and the town in which he grew up. At the same time the present day storyline is a very calm case that examines desperate or prejudiced people at the end of their rope; people who don't trust Falk or who want nothing to do with the case. What I like is seeing how paranoid and desperate Falk gets as he clings to the notion that mystery he is trying to solve will reveal something about the mystery from his past. It's a nice parallel to the chaos and fallout that erupts in the flashback story as the body of Ellie is discovered. As the title indicates the setting is an inhospitable one and you see characters presented in their rawest form, antagonistic, hostile or in true desperate need. As each mystery comes to be revealed the way in which the storylines collide to paint these really intensive sequences between timelines is an astounding moment in the film. The cinematography captures the dry, inhospitable wastes of the setting, the location feels barren, desolate and so immense that it could swallow you whole. The score for the film is very discordant and harrowing, often picking away at the audience by concocting an unsettling atmosphere; the cover of 'Under the Milky Way' by BeBe Bettencourt is a defining track for this film in every way that counts.

 

Genevieve O'Reilly, who played Gretchen, has a lot of onscreen chemistry with Bana and their rekindled romance is a nice subplot to follow; O'Reilly has a moment in the film in which her character comes across as colder in a way that really shakes up character dynamics in the film for the positive. Keir O'Donnell, who played Raco, is excellent as the rookie cop who is seriously shaken by responding to the crime scenes in question; O'Donnell has a nice bond of friendship with Bana onscreen and he plays to his character striving to do well in his job excellently. Matt Nable, who played Grant Dow, truly steals the show for a lot of the first and second act; Nable has this very abrupt manner and is an extremely hostile persona throughout the feature. Eddie Baroo, who played the Bartender, is a minor role who has a strong comedic presence in the film; Baroo's light genuine delivery makes him feel like the kindly pillar of his onscreen community. Miranda Tapsell, who played Rita, is a fierce protector of her household and her onscreen husband; I liked how strong this character was and how little she feared to speak her mind. BeBe Bettencourt, who played Ellie Deacon, is quite an interesting role who has a vulnerable side that is well-explored in this film; Bettencourt really manages to subtly reveal how hurt her role has been by the harsh life she has lived under her onscreen father. 

However, the best performance came from Eric Bana, who played Aaron Falk. This leading role was fascinating because he was so calm, quiet and reserved throughout the feature, in a lot of ways he was the perfect vehicle for the audience to witness the mystery. Bana has this easy-going charisma in his performance that makes him warm and easy to like; this extends strongly to scenes with O'Reilly and O'Donnell. This role is really set apart by the mounting paranoia and desperate drive to resolve the case, you witness Falk brought right up to his breaking point in a couple of key scenes that feel unbearably tense. I felt that Bana plays the role as haunted, but as he confronts his ghosts he becomes tortured and by the time he finally uncovers the truth he seems entirely hollowed out by the ordeal he has just gone through.

The Dry is a fascinating thriller at its core, but there is no dying that this is a very slow burn thriller in every sense of the word. The story doesn't push the pace, taking a very casual and steady approach towards the investigation and exploration of the narrative. This does make the second act quite a laborious ordeal with a number of scenes that could have been tightened up to maximise engagement. The revelation of the killers for both the past and the present storylines is rather disappointing. Whitlam as an antagonist feels so unlikely and dissatisfying that his reveal is only salvaged by the films beautiful visual presentation, while Mal being Ellie's killer is a very predictable development. The editing for the film starts by setting a nice style of slipping between intriguing shots, but this isn't maintained for long and resorts to simple cuts as the feature progresses.

Bruce Spence, who played Gerry Hadler, is quite a muted patriarchal figure; Spence doesn't command much respect from other roles and the strength of his accusations against Bana's Falk never hit hard. James Frecheville, who played Sullivan, just plays to his character having something to hide without presenting much of a role; Frecheville struggles to make the revelation of his role's sexuality an appealing dramatic subplot. Sam Corlett, Joe Klocek and Claude Scott-Mitchell, who played Young Luke, Young Aaron and Young Gretchen respectively, don't put much into this film to mark them as anything other than stereotypical teens with a rebellious streak; Klocek in particular has a lot of responsibility to reveal how significant the event of Ellie's death impacts his role but this is never conveyed that well. Jeremy Lindsay Taylor, who played Erik Falk, was a very strange father figure role; he never seemed to measure up to how the role was described and he played the character as very intense at very bizarre moments. John Polson, who played Scott Whitlam, was a weak reedy character who really had to worm his way into scenes; Polson played an awkward antagonist who felt like a puzzle piece that didn't fit very well. William Zappa, who played Mal Deacon, was one of the more generic antagonists of the film; his confused old man bluster and anger was pretty simple in nature and presentation.

This is a thriller that manages to juggle intrigue and a breathtaking style. but struggles to bring the narrative to a truly satisfying twist. I would give The Dry a 7/10.

Blithe Spirit

This review may contain spoilers!

Noel Coward's Blithe Spirit is a script I have always really loved and enjoyed, this film adaptation is a decent take that flounders somewhat in the final act. I would give Blithe Spirit a 6.5/10.

Blithe Spirit is an adaptation of the Noel Coward play of the same name, in which struggling writer, Charles Condomine, is pressed for time and stuck with no ideas for his upcoming screenplay. A chance meeting with an eccentric spiritual medium provides him with inspiration for his work, unfortunately the medium's work has the unexpected consequences of summoning Charles' dead ex-wife back from the dead. What I really admire about this script more than anything else is the uncanny handle it has on the humour of Noel Coward; dialogue has this dry and immensely clever nature of being told and presented that left me laughing out loud in my seat. The approach to this really unique love triangle between Charles and his two spouses is fascinating to see and I like watching Charles ineptly navigating his relationship with either wife in what becomes a horrific struggle for normality, love and success. As the film heightens and Elvira becomes more of a malicious presence you really feel the subtle change as her methods go from playful to increasingly violent towards Charles and his new wife, Ruth. It clearly finds the charm and novelty in Coward's work and a lot of the heart behind the original piece is here if you come looking for it. The cinematography for the film isn't always the most polished thing but there's certainly a masterful eye at work here; framing is often bold and captures the exquisite sets and colour palette of the film nicely. The score is a sincere celebration of the Jazz Age of music, a lot of thrilling riffs and blasts of intensity that suit the chaotic nature of this comedy.

 

Dan Stevens, who played Charles Condomine, does an exemplary job as the film's leading character; Stevens lends a layer of charm to the role but constantly stays true to the fact that Charles is a self-pitying and self-centred fop at the best of times. Leslie Mann, who played Elvira Condomine, is an absolutely dark and chaotic spectral figure; yet what I most liked about this performance was Mann's ability to reflect on her role's life and how she loved when she was alive. Judi Dench, who played Madame Arcati, is a lot of fun to watch as this very eccentric spiritualist figure; Dench's role has this quiet pain or heartache to her as she misses her deceased love and Dench plays to this extremely well throughout the feature.

However, the best performance came from Isla Fisher, who played Ruth Condomine. This role was an immense amount of fun because Ruth has this strong sense of ownership over her household but really has to grapple with having a rogue spirit sow chaos through a space that used to be hers. Fisher is extremely funny as this character who can go from being haughty or uptight to these sudden gushing moods of love and infatuation. Ruth is a character who likes to maintain things to the status quo as she sees it, she has this vision for how her house, her garden and her relationship with her husband should look. Yet despite this nature of Ruth, Fisher brings this really vulnerable gentle side to the character; she's wounded emotionally by the fact her husband almost seems to care more for Elvira than her at times and it's a jealousy that consumes her at times.

A lot of the charm of Noel Coward's work is caught in this film but it is far from a perfect adaptation of the famous play. The struggle between Charles, Ruth and Elvira is at it's core treated as a simple one in the feature; leaving Charles caught between two women he loves and being unable to truly be faithful to either. Unfortunately the film struggle to expand on the relationship much more than that and often devolves into comedic hi-jinks rather than exploring the trio or twisting scenes to send the narrative down exciting paths. Even when Ruth meets her accidental demise at the hands of Elvira the twist doesn't land as strongly because it's abrupt, the moment happens quickly and with little impact. Meanwhile, a lot of the runtime is filled up with the strange spiritual adventures of Madame Arcati, who upon learning that she summoned Elvira successfully, goes on a rather dull adventure to learn how to banish her. This all culminates in a final act that goes a little absurd with an overly stylised banishing ritual and the rather hurried death of Charles at the hands of his now jilted spectral ex-wives. The editing for the film also left much to be desired, setting a sluggish pace and having some offbeat transitions at times.

Emilia Fox and Julian Rhind-Tutt, who played Violet Bradman and Dr Bradman respectively, are quite genric period performers in this piece; they are staples to the setting and barely function in their roles as friends to the leading characters. Aimee-Ffion Edwards and Michele Dotrice, who played Edith and Edna respectively, are quite odd sorts of comedic relief scattered throughout the film but they often feel like afterthoughts; Edwards especially is given a lot of rope to garner a laugh but as the film wears on it becomes clear her characters merely exists to be laughed at rather than seen as a role.

Godmothered

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Imagine if 2007's Enchanted had been such a ghastly trainwreck that it wasn't worth watching. That is this film. I would give Godmothered a 1.5/10.

Godmothered follows fairy godmother in-training, Eleanor, as she attempts to save her dying profession by giving a young girl, Mackenzie, her happily ever after. The only problem is that Mackenzie has grown up since first writing her letter; now Eleanor has to help this single mother of two find her fairytale ending before the portal back home closes behind her. This is a film that sacrifices everything in order to convey its plot; which leads to some good delivery in the final act. The idea that helping people become happy as opposed to find them a perfect fairytale ending is remarkably nice; and further pushing the idea that happiness looks different for every sort of person is a nice touch.

 

Santiago Cabrera, who played Hugh, is quite a soft-natured role but stands really firmly with his beliefs about honest journalism throughout; Cabrera has a lot of charm that makes him one of the more likeable characters in the film. Artemis Pebdani, who played Duff, is a bit of a sneaky hit for me in this film; Pebdani's minor camerawoman role is extremely comedic and has this dry wit that makes her the funniest role after Bell.

However, the best performance came from Jillian Bell, who played Eleanor. I liked this character a lot because she got to be the sense of wonder and fascination in the film. Every time Bell was in a scene she would come at it with peak energy, making her this beacon of fun and joy. I liked that she was a little reserved about her spellcasting, bumbling through some spells while confidently casting others. Bell's role is so full of optimism and a love for magic that it's hard not to be spellbound by her, but I liked the lessons she learned by the end of the film even more. Eleanor learns that the rigid ways of fairy godmothering aren't all they're cracked up to be and she becomes a bit of a voice for change in her magical kingdom.

This film conceptually felt like Enchanted but in execution it more closely resembled 2010's Tooth Fairy. It's a very frustrating film because almost immediately we're linked up with this tiresome narration that tells us the story, there is never really any significant narrative beat that isn't painstakingly explained to you in the first ten to fifteen minutes. From there the story goes on to be the most plain concoction I've seen, main character awkwardly inserts herself into the family's lives and after some charming mishaps becomes a part of their 'family'. Because Godmothered has a very shallow way of telling its story, it's very easy to grow bored of the bland slapstick comedy or cringeworthy musical numbers. The film waits to be a third of the way in before it even bothers to indicate that it wants to be a Christmas/holiday film too. Godmothered fails because it presents the shell of a film but never bothers to be a fully realised story. The cinematography looks quite boring for such a fantasy-heavy film, often reflecting the low-budget and the minimal sets. The special effects for this feature are miserable; the portal sequence, explosion over the football field and CGI raccoon made for some horrible eyesores. The soundtrack is a very unpleasant blend of Christmas songs and popular pop music that never quite feel like they fit in the same film.

June Squibb, who played Agnes, feels more disoriented in her scenes than she is actually acting; Squibb doesn't seem entirely sure of her role or what needs to be gained from each of her scenes making for a bizarre role more often than not. Jane Curtin, who played Moira, is this weirdly warped mix of a mentor role and antagonist role; the film never knows which way to angle her more so we get this strange dual persona that makes this character confusing. Stephnie Weir, who played Barb, is this weird comedic take on a right-wing news anchor that never manages to be funny; Weir is absolutely bonkers to watch and genuinely never embodies a character nor draws any laughs. Utkarsh Ambudkar, who played Grant, is this very intense egomaniacal minor antagonist; Ambudkar plays out this extremely over the top scumbag media boss who has this very two-dimensional character motivation. Isla Fisher, who played Mackenzie, was really miscast as the co-starring lead of this film; Fisher never really gets to lean on her comedic ability and instead is confined to this tightly wound, serious single mum character. Jillian Shea Spaeder and Willa Skye, who played Jane and Mia respectively, are quite generic as the kids who start out as distanced but become more like the joyful conscience of the feature as it progresses; Spaeder's angst-ridden approach to performing and singing live is such a black and white take on this very overdone character plot. Mary Elizabeth Ellis, who played Paula, is a role that feels seriously tacked onto this film; the character of Paula doesn't actively achieve anything and just sort of exists within the background of the film. 

Happiest Season

This review may contain spoilers!

 

This is a very classic take on the family romantic-comedy genre but adds a very unique voice by centring the narrative around an LGBT romance. I would give Happiest Season a 7.5/10.

 

Happiest Season follows Abby and Harper, a young couple going back to meet Harper's parents for the first time at Christmas. The only problem is Harper hasn't come out to her family yet and isn't confident about doing so yet, forcing Abby to pretend to be her 'roommate/friend'. The inevitable complications of hiding from and sneaking around the family lead to dysfunctional comedy and heartbreakingly moving scenes in equal measure, it's a very light film but it carries a lot of weight. This film works so well because it carefully lays out traditional aspects of the Christmas rom-com that are very easy to connect with and laugh at; moments like sibling squabbles at the ice rink or heated discussions and advice from the best friend over the phone. But at the same time these light moments are what make this film so appealing and easy to watch. What makes this film so worth staying for is this well told narrative around identity, family and how coming out affects these things. Throughout the film we see what a beautiful relationship Abby and Harper have, the happiest these two ever seem is when they can be free to connect with one another. However, as the film goes along we see Abby grow more fearful and trapped, she feels like she's losing Harper and having to fight to keep in a situation that she never expected to be this tough. Meanwhile, Harper is in a scenario in which she is terrified what she might lose if she reveals her sexuality to her family; being around her family causes her to become more and more distant towards Abby. The film builds towards this really powerful conclusion that shows what happens when a family so torn apart by image can become when they learn to come together. It's areally beautiful movie with strong themes around the value of love and family, it's the sort of uplifting thing that really ties out this year well.

 

Kristen Stewart, who played Abby, is an excellent protagonist in this film and continues to find refreshing new roles that highlight her ability as a performer; Stewart really illustrates the conflict her character feels between the love and hurt caused by her onscreen partner. Mackenzie Davis, who played Harper, is such an explosion of genuine emotion every time she pours her heart out in a scene; when Davis is agonising over how scared she is or proclaiming with joy how much she cares you really cannot believe any differently. Victor Garber, who played Ted, feels like this stern busybody leader within his household; Garber has a very hard edge to him throughout the film but he peels that back to show how much he loves his family in a steady and natural way. Mary Holland, who played Jane, is this very high energy wild card who you really warm up to throughout; Holland is so full of joy and genuinely compassionate delivery that you cannot help but love this role. Aubrey Plaza, who played Riley, has this stoic and brittle exterior with a somewhat distant delivery when first she is introduced; watching Plaza connect with Stewart's role and reveal the painful history of coming out her role went through makes for an amazing performance. Jake McDorman, who played Connor, is a very charismatic if not sometimes unobservant old friend role; McDorman has this very likeable way of presenting himself and you really feel a sense of history between him and Davis.

 

However, the best performance came from Dan Levy, who played John. At first what makes Levy so great is that he's by far the strongest comedic talent in the cast. He has this very confident, quick-witted delivery that is quite funny and he goes into every scene with a strong amount of energy. The friendship between him and Stewart is enjoyable because while she's very grounded, he can go extremely high tempo. I like that Levy can enter a scene and almost sense how to present himself to give a nice balanced dynamic with the other performers he shares scenes with. Near the end of the film we really get to see John come into his own as a character, describing how hard it is for those in the LGBT community to come out, even emotionally imparting the difficulties his character faced when he came out. It was this heartbreaking moment that really upped the ante for the feature and told a story that was more than just your typical Christmas rom-com.

 

There were some elements of Happiest Season that meant this film struggled to get off to a strong start. Most notably was the quirky nature of the household, the patriarch of the family (Ted) was running for mayor of his district and so everyone had these highly elevated personalities or occupations, things that highlighted the family as being tied to a very successful politician. It was a quirk that made the situation or some of the characters rather hard to connect to or believe at times. The cinematography for the film really didn't do anything too new, often sticking to quite blocky or generic shots to map out a scene. The editing reflected this easy style by keeping to a very mild pace with simple cuts and transitions. The score for the film was quite uninspired, there was a very light melody throughout that could have belonged to any Christmas film and the soundtrack was packed with similar fare. 

Mary Steenburgen, who played Tipper, is such an overly high strung role that it feels comical at times; the moments between this character coming across as too uptight to be true and compassionate towards her family feels like a very harsh contrast. Alison Brie, who played Sloane, is such a deadpan stoic role as the jilted sister and GOOP salesperson that I couldn't help but wonder if Brie was a miscast; you never feel like Brie's dismissive and uptight tone suit her and it isn't until the last few minutes of the film that she even manages to find an emotion that fits her range. Burl Moseley, who played Eric, has no chemistry at all with Brie or really any other member of the family; Moseley feels like a role attached on for a visual purpose and is not really much of a character.

Fatman

This review may contain spoilers!

 

This was one unique example of storytelling and a black comedy take on the Christmas movie I could never have expected. I would give Fatman a 7.5/10.

Fatman is the story of a nasty child who hires an eccentric hitman to kill Santa Claus after he receives coal for Christmas. A film like this really can just turn me around, the core concept alone is so bizarre and out of left field that I had no notion of what to expect. The film is quite a unique black comedy that takes what we love about the Christmas film and completely warps it; Santa is disillusioned, the kid is the dark antagonist pulling the strings and Santa's Workshop is engaged in a military contract with the US government in the off season in order to pay the bills. The film casts these things that should be joyful and jolly through a very grounded and cynical filter, Santa possesses a number of magical powers but can't manage to make ends meet in a commercialised world. The film pushes this really brilliant take on how Santa would function in a society that doesn't care so much any more. At the same time the black comedy element is pushed to the boundaries by having to juggle elements like this twisted hitman who hates Santa for not bringing his parents back to him after they died when he was a child, or examining Santa's elves and Santa's supernatural abilities. This film knows it is punching way outside the box and it has fun with this, cracking jokes in a subtle way and often letting the humour unfold nicely through developing circumstances or the bizarre cast of characters on hand. The soundtrack and score for the film are simply brilliant; juggling the brutal tone of a revenge action-thriller with the often comedic accompaniment of a light Christmas melody.

 

Walton Goggins, who played Jonathan Miller, is a very warped antagonist with a strange obsession for collecting other individuals' gifts from Santa; Goggins character is a force bent towards inevitable confrontation who carries a hurt around that is felt throughout the feature. Marianne Jean-Baptiste, who played Ruth, is the genuine conscience of the film; Jean-Baptiste is a figure of love and care who helps lift Gibson's Chris Kringle out of his disillusionment. Chance Hurstfield, who played Billy Wenan, is the dark mastermind antagonist pulling the strings token to many great black comedies; Hurstfield's cruel and merciless role is the ultimate take of the mean-spirited kid who fails to embrace the values of Christmas. Eric Woolfe, who played Elf 7, is the rational and driven figure at the forefront of Santa's Christmas operation; the matter of fact way with which he conducts business alongside the way in which he throws himself into peril to save his fellow elves makes this a great character to watch.

However, the best performance came from Mel Gibson, who played Chris. This is a take on Santa that feels very grounded and realistic, for a lot of the film you'd imagine he's a man trying to keep his business afloat in rural Alaska. Seeing Gibson bring to life this weary take on Santa, a man who is so distanced by the greed and selfishness in the world around him is a very interesting take. I enjoy this Santa because he wants to be the spirit of Christmas but he hates how much he has to rely on money to keep his operation functioning, as well as the lack of interest in what Christmas should be about any more. Yet as the film goes along we see the quiet spark of kindness come to the forefront, Gibson talks people out of making bad decisions through his role's connection to others since their childhood. We see Santa/Chris steadily become convinced that things can improve and that Christmas can be what it was again. This optimism is temporarily disrupted by Goggins' hitman attacking Santa's workshop wherein we see Santa become a warrior-like figure, fighting to defend his home. By the end of the figure Gibson seems like this strong, imposing figure who both is capable of being the stoic defender of Christmas and the optimistic giver of gifts we all know and love.

Fatman really masterfully blends two styles of family in a very witty way but there is a lot of empty screen time between key scenes. This film is mostly set up for the big final confrontation and so there are a number of points, particularly in the second act, where there are very meaningless arbitary sequences. These moments tend to be repetitive instances where sub-plots or personal struggles are repeated or brought up for the upteenth time, often to drum home their significance. But it starts to feel like there isn't anything left to engage the audience between first meeting the characters and the big final act confrontation. The visual style for this film is quite dull, with very easily framed shots and blocky cinematography. The editing doesn't improve a very slow-paced tone, often dragging scenes out for all they are worth.

Robert Bockstael, who played Captain Jacobs, is quite a generic take on the military leadership figure; Bockstael's role is often used as an outsider lens into how this take of Santa's Workshop works which leaves little room for him to function as a character.