Radioactive

This review may contain spoilers!

This is a stylistic biopic that not only dives deeply into the personal history of one of the greatest scientific minds, but the ramifications her work has affected throughout history. I would give Radioactive an 8/10.

Radioactive is a biographical feature about the life of Marie Curie, her discovery of two new elements and her relationship with her husband. I think straight away this film sets the stage very well, casting Curie as an intellectual figure worthy of respect who faces adversity due to her gender and immigrant status. The manner throughout this film in which she explores her scientific discovery through her own merits is worth praising, it also allows us to see how she navigates past barriers in her professional field through determination and her own sharp mind. I liked seeing radium being explored initially as a novelty by society, in spite of Curie's speculations about the safety of this. This film does a really beautiful job of showing the tragic yet brilliant life of Marie Curie against the scope of what her achievements lead to. There are entire scenes that visualise and explore the Hiroshima/Nagasaki bombings, the first x-rays and cancer treatments, America's nuclear armament testing on home soil and the destruction of Chernobyl. Contrasting these moments of history with key incidents of Curie's personal life is a stroke of genius that highlights her own fears and demons, but also her hopes for her work. This movie doesn't glorify radiation, far from it; but it does deify the mind and contributions made by Marie Curie beautifully. The cinematography for this film captures scenes brilliantly; the way lighting and focus is combined to create such a distinct colour palette for this film is breathtaking and achieves a visual language many films strive to achieve. The score for Radioactive begins with the light, erratic charm of a period biopic but this becomes more discordant as we delve into the scientific discovery and its ramifications. I felt the music within this film to be anxious and frantic, yet also wondrous and inviting; which perfectly captured the tone for the feature.

Sam Riley, who played Pierre Curie, is brimming with charisma throughout the feature; Riley is the greatest redeeming quality of the romantic storyline of Radioactive and his chemistry with Pike is unparalleled. Anya Taylor-Joy, who played Irene, has had an exceptionally strong year for period films; Taylor-Joy's Irene has the stubborn and stoic mannerisms of her onscreen mother and a relentless drive to assist others that is wonderful to watch. 

However, the best performance came from Rosamund Pike, who played Marie Curie. Rosamund Pike has proven herself in multiple roles to be one of the finest actresses that we have performing, this role is another glimpse into exactly what she can bring to a part. Marie Curie is presented as this stoic, tough-as-nails scientist who has to insist that her voice be heard almost consistently in the early days of her research. I think Pike found a real knack at playing the abrasive nature of Marie Curie while also opening a window into who she was and making a strong connection with audiences. I was thrilled by how passionate she was, the joy of discovery and science was at the heart of the more upbeat scenes in Radioactive. The manner in which Pike presents the long-experienced grief of Marie Curie after the passing of her husband is intense and entirely unforgettable. This was a role who commanded your attention and respect, whom I wholeheartedly emphasised with and never ceased to be fascinated by.

This film didn't do a good job of framing what it wanted to be at the start of the film. Initially we are placed in a biographical feature but it shifts focus between adversity, fact and romance in a very disjointed manner. At first the film felt like it had sacrificed the integrity of its storytelling by committing to an overly dramatised romantic storyline between Marie and Pierre Curie. This romantic storyline never managed to feel as grounded as the rest of the feature and often came across as quite exaggerated in its portrayal. The editing for the feature was entirely terrible and even enhanced some select scenes, yet the inconsistent style and tendency towards a slow pace did drag out the film.

Sian Brooke, who played Bronia Sklodowska, doesn't have much onscreen chemistry with Pike considering their sister relationship; Brooke is just too monotonous in her portrayal and is always ready to step back so that Pike may step forward. Aneurin Barnard, who played Paul Langevin, is quite a vapid role that seems a dull echo of Riley's initially; Barnard and Pike's character entering an affair later in the feature really throws you for a loop because they simply lack chemistry and continue to do so until Barnard's last scene.

Palm Springs

This review may contain spoilers!

The rom-com might be one of the biggest comeback film genres of recent times in terms of quality. I would give Palm Springs a 7.5/10.

Palm Springs is about Nyles and Sarah, a pair of wedding attendees who become entangled in a 24 hour 'time loop'; while trapped they learn more about themselves and one another than they could've bargained for. I have watched so many romantic-comedies in recent years really flip the genre on its head and redefine what we're watching as an audience. I have to say that right now it might be one of the most thrilling film genres to watch and Palm Springs carries on the trend. Carefully framing and explaining the rules of the time loop, this strange sci-fi phenomenon becomes the rather bizarre and intriguing setting of the film. I enjoyed watching this duo react to their circumstances, they really push quite a realistic take on how the human psyche would respond to the situation while allowing the characters to explore scenarios from the obvious to the insane. Both protagonists test one another and depend on each other for comfort and companionship, they are the only people who can endure their experience and because they support one another they start to grow as characters. The situation really does a fine job of defining the characters and then naturally developing them and their relationship with one another. Seeing Nyles and Sarah learn to understand one another, smash apart their relationship and then tentatively mend it together is one of the true delights of this feature. Plus the movie just manages to be effortlessly funny, the clever wit that a film like this generates is highly enjoyable and well-utilised. The cinematography throughout the feature is really stunning, there's a big focus on framing the characters together and apart quite differently that lends a distinct style to the film. The soundtrack for Palm Springs is a nice blend of party and pop tracks with some nice indie music that sits well with the levity of the film.

Andy Samberg, who played Nyles, really nicely handles the balance between depressed loner and dry wit; Samberg isn't just portraying a naturally comedic lead in this but rather a role who has had to live through an impossible situation completely by himself. J.K. Simmons, who played Roy, is a tough vindictive role who is quite a warped version of what Sarah's character could've been; I liked seeing the more peaceful, reflective side to Roy that Simmons reveals in the final act of the film. Meredith Hagner, who played Misty, is quite funny as Samberg's initial highly strung girlfriend; Hagner plays this role who is comically quite self-absorbed and not very bright.

However, the best performance came from Cristin Milioti, who played Sarah. I have watched Milioti in a few of her more noteworthy television roles in the past but I think this one might just be my favourite performance from her yet. The genuine indifference, rocky exterior and compulsive attitude are our first introductions to Sarah and she is a nice counter to the witty yet mopey, Nyles. Her very intense reaction to Nyles getting attacked and then subsequently pulling her into the 'time loop' really sets the mark for the rest of the feature, it's a moment that refuses to be like any other film you've seen before. Milioti really frames Sarah as someone who is good at not confronting her problems, she has a lot of guilt over irresponsible actions she has taken in the past and her impulse to run is a big part of her character. The arc of seeing Milioti confront Nyles (Samberg) over his inaction and then taking charge of leaving the time loop in a smart and determined way is such a meaningful display of character development. Also, in case there was any doubt at all, Milioti's Sarah is freaking hilarious; she gets to really go for it in some scenes and you can tell she has a lot to give. Just a brilliant role whom I really connected with.

The fallibility of blending the rom-com film with your sci-fi 'time loop' is that you eventually have to actually talk about that anomaly in a little detail. This is where the film loses itself slightly, suddenly the explanation of the science behind the loop and having a character actively researching how to leave it gets a little too straight-edged for what we're watching. The exposition heavy scenes around deconstructing the loop dull the tone and disrupts the final act in a pretty big way. The film also doesn't always handle the serious storyline with the comedic scenes very well, sometimes undermining a key scene for the sake of a weak or unnecessary punchline. The editing for the film doesn't have much style to it, the film has a very standard style of cutting and transitioning from shot to shot. The score for the feature doesn't quite hold up as strongly as the soundtrack, this hangs in the background but isn't crucial to tying the scenes together.

Peter Gallagher and Jacqueline Obradors, who played Howard and Pia respectively, are quite generic in the father and mother roles; their approach to scenes is quite a mundane boiling down of events and they don't get much opportunity to be funny in their own right. Camila Mendes and Tyler Hoechlin, who played Tala and Abe respectively, really have little emotion or presence for being such a focal point of the film; it's particularly disappointing with Mendes who seems to be portraying the figure of a sister as opposed to an actual sister character.

The Old Guard

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This film has a fantastic core concept that translates pretty well, but is upset by the pervading stoic tone of the feature. I would give The Old Guard a 6/10.

The Old Guard is about a group of immortal warriors who venture covertly around the globe seeking to save or help humanity. However, when the powers that be gain wind of these immortals a trap is set and our long-lived protagonists find themselves hunted just as they are recruiting a new member to their ranks. The concept is nothing short of highly creative and really well explored in this film; you don't rush into exposition and there is time set to learn and understand how the immortal soldiers work. In fact, some of the best elements of the film are when we flashback to the origins of the warriors, directly linking a lot of tragedy suffered to the main protagonist, Andy. I also felt the steady relationship of soldier and commander between Andy and new recruit, Nile, is fascinating. The amount these two learn from each other and grow as characters is extremely well written and enhances the third act. The action sequences for this film move quickly and there is a nice flow to the stunt work here; the cinematography often comes alive and moves in synchronicity with moments such as these. The score for the film has this ancient power to it, it has a self-reflective quality for key character moments and then segues effortlessly to this pulse-pounding pitch for combat scenes.

Kiki Layne, who played Nile, is really unique to watch in her role as the new immortal of the group; she tends towards diplomacy and finding the most effective approach to a situation which creates a nice parallel to Andy and the other immortals. Matthias Schoenaerts, who played Booker, is the more dour member of the immortal warriors; the crisis of conscience Schoenaerts presents in this film is really unique and different from your classic betrayal storyline. Marwan Kenzari and Luca Marinelli, who played Joe and Nicky respectively, are probably one of the best romantic duos I've seen in an action film of late; Kenzari's monologue about his love for Marinelli's Nicky is one of my favourite moments in the feature. Van Veronica Ngo, who played Quynh, is a role who complements Theron's Andy nicely in the flashback scenes; Ngo has this tough exterior that matches the fierce leader and the pair present a very solid bond in all of their scenes together.

However, the best performance came from Charlize Theron, who played Andy. Theron has proved time and time again that she is more than fully competent as a leading performer, and this feature is no different. Andy is this stoic immortal warrior who wears who centuries of pain and solitude plain and openly. In fact one of the interesting aspects of this character is just how worn down she is by living and at the same time how wise and full of experience she very clearly is. Theron presents this role as having an strong sets of instincts which allows her to really creatively and effectively handle situations that come her way. Watching the bond Andy shares with the other immortals is a really fascinating dynamic too, this is a camaraderie that runs deeper than most warrior bonds in similar media. As the film progresses Theron delves deeper into this character, showing how she reacts to mortality and the determination she has to survive in order to protect her people.

The Old Guard as a core concept is executed really well but the overall film has some serious issues in regards to pacing and tone. The fact that a number of questions have an attitude that is constituted of brooding, angst or a stoic out look means that the film lacks a range of emotion. The characters all seem quite dour most of the time and the gritty nature of the piece struggles to find levity or diversity in how it presents itself. Because the film has some key character or action sequences there isn't much else to be said for what lies in between; often we get a very monotonous depressing glimpse into life as an immortal soldier or a melodramatic rant from the over the top antagonist. As a film it has my interest but the whole thing struggles to come together coherently. The camera work only ever seems to come alive when we're in the middle of an action scene, otherwise the shots don't maximise the blockbuster potential of this film. The editing is staggeringly slow for a film of this calibre, scenes don't have motion to them and tend to drag due to the slow cutting. The soundtrack for the film feels like a total wild assortment of tracks that don't really fit the tone of The Old Guard, it feels like someone's personal favourite tracks dropped randomly into the film as opposed to a well curated film soundtrack.

Chiwetel Ejiofor, who played Copley, really flounders in action blockbuster films; Ejiofor lacks subtlety and you can read this character with flip-flopping morals like an open book in every scene. Harry Melling, who played Merrick, is going to sit squarely on my list of least favourite antagonists of the year; Melling's proclamations of Big Pharma science make zero sense and his sadistic role is often melodramatic and overbearing.

Red Shoes And The Seven Dwarfs

This review may contain spoilers!

This is a really charming, if not a little cheesy, animated feature that takes a really strong spin on a popular fairytale. I would give Red Shoes And The Seven Dwarfs a 6/10.

Red Shoes And The Seven Dwarfs follows Snow White, a young princess who steals the magical artefact her step-mother has been crafting, in order to discover the truth about the disappearance of her father. However, upon donning the shoes Snow White discovers her physical appearance is changed, making her appear to be beautiful to anyone who sets eyes upon her. Now she has to rely on the help of some famed adventurers-turned-trolls and her own wits to find her father and restore balance to the kingdom.I think this film handles it's own theme very well; it can be a very simple delivery at times but the message is so clear and really well explored. The film explores how appearance is often judged at face value, that we often make snap decisions about a person by how they look. Throughout the film Snow White struggles with the fact that she is 'accepted' because the shoes have made her full-on Disney Princess beautiful, rather than her normal size and shape in which she feels more herself. Likewise, the Princes believe that they are no longer as noble or heroic because of their hideous appearance as cursed trolls. The film really illustrates accepting people for who they are and how they look extremely convincingly. I also found the fantasy setting in this to be very fun and quirky, it almost bent the rules on a fairytale world in a way that was reminiscent of Shrek. The animation style was basic for the most part but the action sequences looked pretty good and the style was quirky is nothing else.

Chloe Grace Moretz, who voiced Snow White, does a stellar job of leading this animated cast; Moretz's character felt really confident in her ability yet explored and lent a voice to her insecurities about her appearance really powerfully. Patrick Warburton, who voiced the Magic Mirror, has a very dry barbed wit to his famous magical role; Warburton's comedy enhances scenes with the main antagonist while his ability to threaten marks him as a genuinely interesting minor antagonist. Jim Rash, who voiced Prince Average, is another comedic antagonist who really runs through the best possible line delivery for his role; a character who is wimpy yet entirely self-absorbed and desperate to be seen as a truly impressive figure - this is a villain who was really fitting for Red Shoes.

However, the best performance came from Gina Gershon, who voiced Regina. Despite being woefully underutilised in the film, Gershon is almost consistently stealing the scenes she is in. A lot of performers tend to lay into the melodrama when they take on an animated villain role, but this wicked queen didn't feel like that. Gershon built a voice that had a sinister edge and really radiated power, you felt like she commanded your attention. More than that, she played well to the more manipulative aspects of the role. The scene in which she twists Prince Average (Rash) to her side is well played, with a lot of coaxing but a veiled threat behind every statement. I also think it was nice hearing Gershon lend herself to a bit of back and forth dialogue with some of the other antagonists, the role felt she had a bit of wit to her which broke expectations somewhat.

I think tis film had a lot of charm and a powerful message, yet it never manages to punch above its weight and make itself known as a seriously memorable animated feature. The film sets up the core concept really well but then proceeds to not really handle the main storyline very strongly. The search for Snow White's father never really seems that important, and the Princes trying to reverse their curse is a series of pretty generic comedic mishaps. The film steers towards a driving theme which it explores thoroughly but the rest of the plot, the actual meat of the piece is quite scant. I never really connected with the side characters and the antagonist of the film is shelved for incredibly long periods of time. The unfortunate thing is, this film has a lot to say but doesn't know how to say it or present it in a succinct and well-paced manner. The animation for the film has some strong moments but there are a lot of scenes that are ruined by a basic design palette or slow motion visuals; and the background animations in particular lack detail. The soundtrack for the film belts a lot of emotional pop pieces but the tracks really don't lend a very unique sound to the feature.

Sam Claflin, who voiced Merlin, flounders as the leading male protagonist; Claflin's approach to voice acting seems to be playing everything up and hoping that by embracing a more melodramatic approach something quirky and comedic will develop. Simon Kassianides, who voiced Arthur, doesn't seem interested in presenting his role as anything more than the burly knight; Kassianides bellows and evokes self-praise but it's nothing we haven't seen before from this type of role. Frederik Hamel, who voiced Jack, is this very smug and shallow role who you never really care much for; the role of Jack is quite pampered and particular but is only good for a punchline. Nolan North, who voiced Hans and King White, had one of the most forgettable princes in the Hans role; while North's rather bland narration as the King didn't carry exposition along well. Frank Todaro, who voiced Pino, Noki and Kio, was in charge of delivering the oddball roles that were there to be laughed at; Todaro's roles waited in the wings and did their best to illicit a laugh without much success. Ava Kolker, Asher Blinkoff and Juju Journey Brenner, who voiced the Wooden Bears, were a lesson learnt in why child performers didn't always make great voice actors; the young talent here really struggles and their roles often bring the quality of the scenes they're in down by a lot.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga

This review may contain spoilers!

This bizarre musical comedy is one of the most charming, and at the same time, nonsensical films of 2020. I would give Eurovision Song Contest: The Story Of Fire Saga a 5.5/10.

 Eurovision Song Contest follows Lars and Sigrit, the amateur music duo known as 'Fire Saga'. When odd happenstance enables the pair to perform in the Eurovision song contest, Lars draws close to realising his dream of winning the competition while Sigrit hopes the competition finally draws them together as more than just a musical act. Something that struck me about this film was the genuine love for this competition, and more broadly for music. Within the movie there was this liberating love of performance, the way music can communicate something and allow people to connect with one another is perhaps one of the strongest themes in the film. I also have to admit that while most of the film focuses on the comedy and Lars, the genuinely interesting storyline is Sigrit's. All of her life Sigrit has been chasing around after Lars, hoping that they would fall in love. But over the course of the film Sigrit learns to fight for her place in Fire Saga and then rejects other characters' attempts to restrict her; ultimately triumphing over her doubts and fears by performing her own original song in the Eurovision finals. It was really nice characterization and one of the more likeable aspects of the film. The cinematography is very high rate for a comedy, capturing not only the beautiful settings but also the wonder of the characters experiencing the world of Eurovision for the first time. The soundtrack for this film is an absolute triumph; there is a range of really fitting Eurovision parody as well as celebration of song from cast and Eurovision performers from throughout the years.

Dan Stevens, who played Alexander Lemtov, is a bold and charismatic frenemy of sorts throughout the feature; Stevens plays well to the lustful, closeted Russian bachelor/performer who proves to be more heart than opposition as the film goes along. Graham Norton, who plays himself, has a wry wit that does everything for his line delivery; Norton unabashedly praises and mocks with fervour throughout and he is without a doubt my favourite cameo in the film.

However, the best performance came from Rachel McAdams, who played Sigrit Ericksdottir. There was this expectation going into Eurovision Song Contest that it would be yet another Will Ferrell movie. While it certainly had a number of glaring qualities of a Will Ferrell movie, this couldn't be described as anything other than McAdams. As a character, Sigrit is just utterly fascinating to watch from the start; she is almost like an overexcited fangirl eager to live up to Lars' dreams. The really nice thing about McAdams is just how naturally she builds her character's development throughout the feature. Sigrit goes from blindly following Lars, to becoming uneas about his ego and performance decisions; ultimately she starts to challenge him and fights for her voice in Fire Saga. I liked that Sigrit was a character motivated by love; her love for Lars never really went away and she was loyal to it but when she accepted her self-worth that made her role incredibly valuable to watch. Seeing Lars put aside his blind ambition for Sigrit by the end of the film was a nice way to fulfil all the character work McAdams had really been putting in and the final Eurovision song is a heartwarming ballad of love.

While Eurovision song contest is a charming film with a genuine passion for significant aspects of its story, there are extensive moments in which it struggles as a comedy. The film pushes for a laugh rather than offering one, often forcing a scene beyond the point of actually being funny and never really gauging when enough is enough. In typical Will Ferrell fashion the film revolves around an adult man who acts like a child for most of the movie, has an ambitious dream, lets his own ego nearly blow it and then snatches things from the brink of disaster right at the end. None of this movie really sets out to surprise you and Will Ferrell's leading role, Lars, is by no means very endearing or even unique from roles he has played in the past. The humour goes from just bland jabs at European and American culture right through to an overly elaborate Demi Lovato ghost and elf assassins saving the day. The film oftens feels like it's dragging its feet and for a relatively simple story it sure doesn't know how to get to the point; instead we are diverted with filler scenes, meaningless subplots or side characters who never really make their mark. The editing for this film is pretty sluggish, the slow pace of how this film is cut really lets down the pretty impressive visual style.

Will Ferrell, who played Lars Erickssong, fails the film as its leading performer; Ferrell doesn't stick strongly to his accent and tends to play to the melodramatic sense of comedy he is notorious for. Mikael Persbrandt, who played Victor Karlosson, is a stoic figure with a two-dimensional display of range; Persbrandt doubles down on portraying a very overly serious role and then proceeds to have the most convoluted and unnecessary antagonist reveal/death scene you could imagine. Pierce Brosnan, who played Erick Erickssong, doesn't really look like he wants to be in this film nor really understands it; Brosnan and Ferrell as a father/son duo is probably one of the most ridiculous pairings anyone could've dreamed up. Olafur Darri Olafsson, who played Neils Brongus, is a very generic government representative type; Olafsson plays his character like a lukewarm tea - you drink it because you made it, not because you enjoy it. Melissanthi Mahut, who played Mita Xenakis, is the young attractive rival for the leading actress and it never really falls into place; Mahut really tries her best but the nature of her character was played out when comedies were doing it in the early 2000s. Demi Lovato, who played Katiana, was one of the worst cameos in the film; Lovato's singing star power was the only sell to her being there because her ghostly acting was dismal. Zack Propert, who played Stephan, is funny visually as 'the kid in the bad' but his performance doesn't really do much for the film; Propert and Ferrell struggle to bring a genuine laugh out of their scenes together which leads to some flat moments.