Baby Done

This review may contain spoilers!

Rose Matafeo powerhouses as the lead of this film but the feature itself just doesn't have enough going for it to hold your attention. I would give Baby Done a 4.5/10.

Baby Done follows young couple, Zoe and Tim, a pair of arborists who have often scoffed at their other young friends who have gotten married and had kids early in life. Now that Zoe has fallen pregnant she is hurtling through a crisis of achieving a number of her adventurous goals before the baby arrives, while Tim is slowly embracing the idea of being a father. This film thrives when it focuses on Zoe and her struggle with being an expecting mother, it's a very real conversation about how young women feel towards motherhood. I think seeing a character deal with the mental challenges of having their entire life altered by something they hadn't expected or aren't entirely ready for is such an engaging discussion that this film handles very well. The soundtrack for Baby Done is this really vibrant blend of tracks that place it as a convincing indie-comedy, I like the nice upswing tone with a scattering of music used very effectively for comedic effect.

 

Rachel House, who played the Principal, is such a memorable standout role in her scene; House has a very dour tone throughout yet manages to deadpan in some comedy and present a charismatic role that takes care of her onscreen students. Emily Barclay, who played Molly, is one of the comedic performers that I felt really stood out; Barclay plays the humour of her role with a lot of range and her chemistry with Matafeo as onscreen best friends is one of the best bonds in the film. Nic Sampson, who played Brian, is one of the more awkward performances to watch but his ability to commit to the role make this an impressive portrayal; Sampson has an easy-going charisma and a strong ability to cut right to the humour in whichever scene he's in. Madeleine Sami, who played the Birthing Nurse, has a very fun no-nonsense attitude that works well against Matafeo's stubborn immaturity; Sami just sparks some of the best line delivery of the film and stands out majorly in the final act.

However, the best performance came from Rose Matafeo, who played Zoe. Matafeo has really placed herself strongly as one of New Zealand's best current comedic performers and this film highlights that well. Zoe is a very boisterous, self-confident person in how she presents herself; she's sure in her work and fiercely competitive. I really enjoyed watching as Matafeo took that personality and contrasted it against the news of impending motherhood; seeing a character scrabble so completely to affirm herself after that bombshell news impacts her life. We get to see Zoe go through flat out denial, complete rejection of her situation and steadily distance herself from everyone around her. But watching Matafeo then build her character back up, basically pull together when she reaches that final moment makes this such a wonderful well-rounded performance.

While this film is amazing from a lead character perspective, the story struggles to hold attention and the comedic qualities fall short more than they succeed. The main couple of Zoe and Tim is a pretty turbulent one to watch in some regards but they really don't have much chemistry and seem more at odds with one another than in love with one another. The film constantly struggles to balance out whose perspective to present and it certainly fails to cast either protagonist in a redeemable light for long. In fact the flaw of this movie is that while Zoe's story arc is interesting well-written there is no denying that most of the characters act like terrible people. There's never a common line of empathy and it takes a long time for characters' conflict to actually reach resolution. The comedy is another major pitfall throughout, mainly because there Isn't a very consistent approach towards delivery. This film packages itself as a comedy quite strongly at first but then goes for several scenes without even attempting to generate some form of humour. Baby Done manages a few witty lines but has several performers that flounder in a comedic setting and a lot of cringe comedy that really makes this a difficult film to find entertainment in. The cinematography for the feature is amateur at best, many scenes boast basic framing and there's no sense of dynamic style to the piece. The editing set a slow, laborious pace that lengthened scenes long past what they needed to be.

 

Matthew Lewis, who played Tim, flounders as the other leading protagonist of the film; Lewis' lead comes across as a bit of a bully at times and he struggles to find his place in the feature. Fasitua Amosa and Loren Taylor, who played Sefa and Penny respectively, really just don't seem like particularly believable parents in this feature; Amosa deadpans his way through being a dad while Taylor tries too hard to match up to Matafeo in terms of a mother/daughter relationship. Olivia Tennet, who played Beth, is a rather peculiar role that I never really understood in this film; Tennet's way of eerily edging her role into the main narrative felt off and seemed like a weirdly constructed subplot. Matenga Ashby, who played Sonny, is very much torn between being the over the top comedic relief and the surrogate kid character throughout the film; Ashby seems very torn between the two roles and almost seems cast to play a character that is too young for him.

Honest Thief

This review may contain spoilers! 

 

This is the sort of slow paced thriller that will really get its hooks into you the more you watch. I would give Honest Thief a 7.5/10.

 

Honest Thief sees Tom, an infamous thief who has stolen over nine million dollars across twelve banks, turn a new leaf in his life and attempt to come clean by turning himself in upon meeting the newfound love of his life, Annie. Unfortunately things take a turn for the worse when a pair of corrupt federal agents attempt to steal the money Tom is trying to return and frame the former thief for murder. This film worked because the story felt so nicely contained; this was a minor federal investigation that escalates steadily as events press on making the conflict feel very personal in how it plays out. You actually get to spend a lot of time with all of the characters who make up this story in ways that matter, a lot of films push out a thriller like this and focus on constantly upping the stakes both visually and through an intensive story. This worked because Tom never evolved into some kind of an uber-action man, he was a competent thief with a history of explosives work from his time in the marines. The bad guys made mistakes that turned allies against them, you got to see the antagonists of the film develop into monsters or steadily develop doubts about the decisions they had made. I think the nature of how the film showcased what could've been a simple revenge plot but instead became a delivery of justice, love and the significance of doing what is right really made it something special. The cinematography for Honest Thief looks really great, often capturing these really dynamic character-intensive scenes with intimate shots and carefully framed sequences.

 

Jai Courtney, who played Agent Nivens, makes for an incredible antagonist throughout this feature; Courtney becomes a darker force as his greed steadily consumes him and he grows more reckless in his attempts to walk away with the money. Jeffrey Donovan, who played Agent Meyers, has a fun dry wit when first introduced that I came to enjoy; but the power of Donovan's performance is his intense reaction to Sam Baker's (Patrick) death and the coy way he investigates both sides of this conflict. Anthony Ramos, who played Agent Hall, had one of the most interesting character arcs of the feature; Ramos showed a very good cop turn corrupt under the influence of greed and then turned his role from antagonist to protagonist again by exploring the serious ethical doubts his character had. Robert Patrick, who played Agent Sam Baker, isn't in this film for long but certainly leaves a strong impression; Patrick's dry wit pairs really well alongside Donovan's and he plays a role with keen instincts around a developing crime scene.

 

However, the best performance came from Liam Neeson, who played Tom. Neeson is a veteran performer who has done a fantastic job of leading several memorable films in the past; so it comes as no surprise that his leading performance here is such a hit. Tom is a quietly resolute character, almost gentle in his manner when he's alone or with those he's close to. I think this contrasts really well with the steely determination he takes on when enacting a plan or going to confront an antagonist. The build from confusion, to upset, to just plain rage that he is being dishonourably betrayed by federal agents who are personally destroying his life is really gripping to watch. I like how Neeson approached Tom, he built up a man who was so angry at the injustices he saw being enacted upon vulnerable people that he did something wrong; but in finding someone to love he was able to change what he was doing because of that.

Honest Thief is undeniably a slow-paced thriller at the best of times, the biggest weakness of this well-crafted thriller is a serious pacing issue. The film takes its time to get where it's going, often allowing for a big break in the action to host several long scenes in which characters talk circles around each other for a spell. Most of the time this leads to some very engaging, character-driven scenes but there are also a number of unnecessary moments that didn't really need to make it into the film. This feature also pushes the realm of reason at times by limiting the number of agents who are going after Tom, or taking a long time for the rug to fall out from under the antagonists. The romance element of the film works really well for Tom character motivation but as a character Annie goes through some character development that is very quick and hard to really become convinced by. The editing for the film helps set the slower pace and has a very blocky way of cutting through scenes, even taking a bit long to cut away from some of the messier looking stunts. The score for this feature is pretty generic, having high intensity sound for chase or fight scenes but little else to offer beyond that.

 

Kate Walsh, who played Annie, really slingshots her character throughout this film; Walsh goes from being one of the most plain love interests I've ever seen in a thriller to a ride along action co-star that just never really fits well alongside Neeson.

Love And Monsters

 This review may contain spoilers!

This was a charming blockbuster that really defied expectations. I would give Love And Monsters a 7/10.

Love and monsters is a post-apocalyptic coming of age film in which heartsick Joel decides to leave the bunker he has been surviving in to be reunited with his former girlfriend from before the end of the world. The catch? He has to survive 80 miles of monster-infested terrain with little to no survival experience. This movie had every opportunity to be a corny mess, to make a feature that slogged a lead through a journey towards 'getting the girl'. But it's far more interesting than I could have ever expected. The main character, Joel, has picked up minor skills in his time underground but is by no means a survivor. He feels like he is unable to contribute to his community and yearns to belong; most notably he misses life before the Earth was overrun and so endeavours to reclaim his life by reuniting with his former girlfriend. Joel is really engaging as a lead because he has a strong sense of humour and he lends a lot of his inner thoughts to the audience via narration in the style of letters to his former girlfriend, Aimee. The journey Joel goes through sees him overcome paralysing fear, develop survival skills, recognise the community he has built around him at his home bunker and confront the grief he feels over the death of his parents. It's a very light-hearted take on the apocalypse and a character journey that I think is extremely worth watching. The cinematography is really well-constructed blockbuster, you feel constantly in motion with the main characters while expansive sets or locations are framed gorgeously. The cinema tography for the film errs on the generic side but it really has a way of lifting your spirits or placing you in the dangerous scenarios; while I felt the soundtrack was a fun blend of thematic choices.

 

Jessica Henwick, who played Aimee, is really charismatic both as O'Brien's former onscreen girlfriend and the leader of her colony; Henwick has this flinty edge to her that makes her believable as a strong leader and capable defender. Michael Rooker, who played Clyde, delivers strongly on the gruff and supremely apt survivor you would expect from him; but Rooker's ability to unveil a gentle and nurturing father figure in this film was something I felt gave this feature a lot of heart. Ariana Greenblatt, who played Minnow, is one of the best young performers up and coming at the moment; her ability to come across as utterly fearless while entirely endearing was a big source of charm for this feature.

However, the best performance came from Dylan O'Brien, who played Joel. This is a film that relies strongly upon its main protagonist and that position is in really safe hands with O'Brien. We knew that this particular performer can barrel through leading a high-octane action blockbuster without breaking a sweat, the Maze Runner trilogy being the best example of this. This film we get to see O'Brien take a cowardly, meek role to a place of confidence and determination. Watching Joel evolve as a person and learn to survive and make meaningful connections with others is a genuine strength for this film. I felt like the quick wit and humorous nature of O'Brien's delivery makes this role immediately quite charismatic. This film also has a significant amount of narration for a blockbuster and I felt O'Brien managed to give an aspect of the film, that could've otherwise grown dull, a really engaging performance.

 

Love And Monsters has a lot of heart but sometimes it feels like it's a story at war with itself. Within the film you get the basic story of boy loves girl, boy loses girl because of the apocalypse happening, boy goes to reunite with girl upon reconnecting. So it's not so surprising when the film starts going down pathways like Aimee rejecting Joel at first, or Joel sulking about this, the pair reuniting after Joel manages to save Aimee's colony in a macho heroic way. There's a lot of subversion from some of the classic Hollywood tropes but sometimes you feel like the story was roughshod rewritten to conceal a story that isn't so likeable underneath. There are moments where Joel becomes a whiny, self-centred protagonist and these don't really ring true with the rest of the film. The entire third act is a good example of the film struggling with itself, pulling between an old form of storytelling and a more modern one. The special effects for the feature aren't always the best, sometimes changing significantly between scenes and often littered with shots that allow the film-makers to cut around having to work in the visual effect for some scenes. 

Dan Ewing, who played Cap, was a pretty generic and disappointing antagonist for the third act of the film; Ewing played up to his role's betrayal - suddenly becoming quite merciless and harsh for the sake of villainy as opposed to being in line with his role. Melanie Zanetti, who voiced Mav1s, was this overl sweet artificial role that reall grated with the tone of the film; Zanetti's voice work pushed the limits of what I was willing to accept within the film and ultimately the inclusion of Mav1s seemed a little off-key.

Greenland

 

This review may contain spoilers! 

 

An unfortunate blend of generic disaster movies and a bad run for Gerard Butler film choices lately make this one of the more forgettable films of 2020. I would give Greenland a 4/10.

 

Greenland follows structural engineer, John Garrity, a man who is flagged for emergency evacuation to Greenland alongside his family after an extinction-level comet threatens to break up and collide with Earth's surface. The film is at its peak right in the second act, when civil order has begun to crumble and mass hysteria has set in as people begin to realise that they're being left to die by their government. At this point the film is enhanced by splitting up our protagonists and placing them in dire, desperate situations. The main characters are marked as 'selected/priority evacuees' who are unable to make it onto a plane to Greenland, yet they still carry the wristbands which indicate their priority status. John's solo story sees him beset upon by a mob of people who covet his band, leading him to have to fight for his life and accidentally kill a man in self-defense. In a similar parallel, Allison Garrity is dragged out from the vehicle she is being transported in and her son kidnapped in an effort for her assailants to achieve priority status. These moments are uniquely harrowing scenes that actually change the characters and really cast the severity of the disaster scenario in a grim light. The cinematography for this movie knew how to make full effect of big set pieces and moments of action, while also toying with freehand shots for those moments of characters going through personal hardship or despair.

 

Morena Baccarin, who played Allison Garrity, was a strong leading role alongside Butler; I liked how Baccarin played a very competent mother in such a brutal survival setting. Andrew Bachelor, who played Colin, was one of the standout performances of the film; Bachelor embodied a genuine longing for the good of how the world used to be and sparked some hope in Butler's leading role.

However, the best performance came from Gerard Butler, who played John Garrity. A lot of Butler's roles stem from him being the most capable fighter in the room, your quintessential action hero. What I liked so much about John Garrity is that he functions well as a recognisable person struggling through very grounded personal reasons when we are introduced to him. Watching Butler doing his best to navigate a marriage that is crumbling apart while nurturing the bond he has with his son makes for an engaging performance. As the film descends into chaos and society begins crumbling you see this role's measured response steadily decline as he grows panicked at his inability to control the safety of himself or his family. As Butler's role deals with separation and loss he begins to take on this hardset determination to survive and recover his family at all costs, crossing a line that resounds pretty heavily with the nature of his character. Butler is comfortable leading a film and shows why he has been a leading man for years once again in this role that is a little outside his usual wheelhouse.

Greenland felt like it had several interesting ideas at work but was unable to break out with a disaster story that we hadn't seen hundreds of times before. The formula for the plot was exceptionally predictable; ordinary turned upside down followed by a chaotic human element as everyone scrabbles to survive en masse with the rest of the feature having the disaster positioned as the source of antagonism. The film has a light cast of characters, which means we're expected to find a very vanilla family story engaging for almost the entire time. But these aren't characters with exceptional qualities or attributes, there's no sub-plot that makes them better to watch. Eventually the characters have exhausted their potential but the film still has a significant amount of time to go. The disaster element of the feature is also pretty light, you never watch a scene in which the comet debris really feels like a threat to the characters. There always seems to be enough time to overcome a problem that stems from the disaster, another reason why the human element of the film is more interesting. The film also decides to resurface old plot points at extremely bizarre times; the marital problems between John and Allison Garrity being discussed and analysed at the start of the third act was a choice that really felt offbeat. The editing for this film set such a slow pace, I don't think I've seen a disaster movie with such slow moving sequences in a while. The score for Greenland is pretty classic blockbuster fanfare, boosting big sounds and horns when the action dials up but barely setting a pulse otherwise.

Roger Dale Floyd, who played Nathan Garrity, is quite a meek performer who lacks presence in his scenes; the character of Nathan is set up more as an object of the plot than an interesting role. Scott Glenn, who played Dale, might have found one of his most boring roles yet; Glenn's gruff nature and blind ignorance about the doomsday situation they're in is hard to like. Gary Weeks, who played Ed Pruitt, is quite a background role as the face of the neighbourhood cast in act one; Weeks' never finds a moment where his character really gets to engage with the main roles in a way that felt significant. Hope Davis and David Denman, who played Judy Vento and Ralph Vento respectively, don't manage to get away from the stereotypical immoral antagonists in a disaster/apocalyptic film; these characters feel so bland until they are charged up into undergoing an immoral act which defines them from there on out.