The Starling

 This review may contain spoilers!

 

The Starling follows a couple who are experiencing grief in different ways after the loss of their infant daughter. I think some of the core issues surrounding mental health and grief are very profound; not every beat hits well but when it works, it really works. Seeing the distance created in what is a very realistic and loving relationship is actually hard to watch, you can see this pair still care but they can't reconnect. Seeing Lilly pull herself to pieces by trying to connect with her husband, repair her garden, reconcile her feelings for her deceased daughter and try to maintain some semblance of routine. Meanwhile we see the hollowed out fallout for Jack after his attempted suicide and the spectre of blame that hovers over this couple. I am so terribly impressed with seeing how these two are fractured and the difficult journey to reconciliation. The cinematography is a testament to the director's vision behind the film, the wide shots that define this crippling feeling of loneliness were great and overall the way space is captured is really well done. The score for the film really tugs at the heartstrings while I found the soundtrack painted this as an emotional indie drama.

 

Melissa McCarthy, who played Lilly Maynard, is an absolutely wonderful protagonist throughout the feature; I felt McCarthy did an excellent job of portraying a woman struggling with grief and being honest about her own conflicted emotional state. Kevin Kline, who played Dr. Larry Fine, is a real figure of charm and a bit of a reluctant hero; I found Kline's unorthodox vet/therapist role to be such a unique character who really lends a bit of variety to the film. Timothy Olyphant, who played Travis Delp, is the closest thing to an antagonist this film has and is utterly brilliant; Olyphant's passive-aggressive workplace micro-manager is one of the more lively roles in the film. Ravi Kapoor, who played Dr. Manmohan, gives a very convincing medical professional; yet more than this Kapoor gives one of the more insightful deliveries in the film during his final scene with O'Dowd.

However, the best performance came from Chris O'Dowd, who played Jack Maynard. This was a really vulnerable character performance who went through a very difficult journey throughout. O'Dowd plays his role as being very closed off while subtly showing the moments in which Jack is annoyed or close to a breakdown. Watching those gentle,charismatic moments between O'Dowd and McCarthy in the flashbacks was so special. The pair have such undeniable chemistry, and more importantly it is these moments of beautiful love that provide the context for the rest of the film. Watching O'Dowd present hopelessness, self-pity and deep depression is harrowing and extremely real. I think the way in which we see him blame himself constantly is a tough thing to watch. The moments in which we see him grapple with attempting to take his own life again was one of the most confronting moments in the feature. O'Dowd really brings home a lot of the heavy points the film has to offer and I was significantly impressed.

The Starling is a real mixed bag as far as dramatic films go, especially because it makes so many statements around mental health. On one hand, I think the film does present some themes extremely well; but there's another side to this coin. I actually thought there were big chunks of the film in which the statements being made weren't well presented or thoroughly explored. The large conversation about whether or not suicide was a selfish act was extremely naive in its depiction here for starters. I also thought this film decided to use terms like 'giving up' or 'quitting' pretty wildly to discount real struggle characters had experienced. The feature is far from perfect and sometimes starts something only to not really go anywhere with it. There is a large discussion around religions relationship with mental health that is started but never really fleshed out. I also thought the most damning thing about The Starling was the starling itself. The use of this bird and it's relationship with our lead protagonist is such a glaringly simple metaphor that it gets a little tired. Any moment we spend watching characters flail from the bird dive-bombing them is a moment in which the movie dumbs itself down. The special effects for this film are probably my least favourite thing, none of the birds throughout the feature look very real which is a major failing given the focus on the bird.

Daveed Diggs, who played Ben, is quite a stoic figure throughout the feature; Diggs has no room to stretch himself comedically and has no real place for connection with the main cast. Skyler Gisondo, who played Dickie, doesn't serve a lot of purpose within the film; he is often abruptly inserted for a bit of comedy just for the sake of it. Kimberly Quinn, who played Regina, is one of the duller performances in the film; her straight cut portrayal of a healthcare professional is very dry and lacking emotion.

While this film severely stumbles in its second half there is no denying that both McCarthy and O'Dowd give knockout performances throughout. I would give The Starling a 6/10.

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings

This review may contain spoilers!

 

Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings is the debut of the latest Marvel superhero, Shang-Chi. Shang-Chi has spent years of his life hiding from his father, the powerful leader of criminal group: The Ten Rings. However, a dark influence has drawn Shang-Chi's past back into his life and forces him to confront the legacy that has been passed to him from his parents. This movie is a great example of why Marvel is dominating blockbuster cinema. These films are presented through unique visual styles, a blending of genres and a range of settings. In Shang-Chi we see a carefully constructed love letter to the world of martial arts in Hollywood cinema, and I'm not merely talking stunts. Action blockbusters have seen a spike in creative, intensive fight sequences in recent years but what is on display here is far superior. You see styles like wing chun or tai chi carefully woven into scenes as a means of communication or defining character, penning strong comparisons to classics such as Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. More than a martial arts film, what Shang Chi presents is yet another complex and charismatic protagonist with a journey that is thrilling to be invited upon. Seeing how Shang's dark childhood being trained as an assassin both contrasts and connects to the heroic champion he grows into is brilliantly done. The cinematography is masterfully captured, with very grand shots throughout but also a real eye for variety when capturing fight sequences that you wouldn't get from most action films. The special effects look phenomenal; the designs for the dragon, Morris and especially Dweller-In-Darkness are mindblowingly good. The score for the film sets a quick and lively tone, while the soundtrack often lends itself strongly to the hilarious comedic elements of the film.

 

Tony Leung, who played Xu Wenwu, is a really great antagonist to counter our lead; Leung presents Wenwu as incredibly seasoned and confident both as a fighter and a leader. Awkwafina, who played Katy, is exceptionally funny throughout the film and has some excellent chemistry with Liu; I also thought seeing this role become so involved that she winds up joining the struggle for Ta Lo was a nice character journey. Ben Kingsley, who played Trevor Slattery, is such a welcome figure to see back in a Marvel film; Kingsley has always been so funny whenever he has appeared in a Marvel project and this stays true to form. Meng'er Zhang, who played Xialing, is a very battle-hardened and disgruntled figure; I thought Zhang really played this cold lonely sibling and daughter extremely well. Fala Chen, who played Li, is such an elegant performer; I liked her gentle presence and it is very clear that the good we see in Shang comes from her character. Michelle Yeoh, who played Ying Nan, presents a very wise mentor figure in this feature; watching Yeoh play a guide to the main character's internal conflict was a masterclass of acting. Jayden Zhang, Elodie Fong, Arnold Sun and Harmonie He, who played Young Shang-Chi, Young Xialing, Teen Shang-Chi and Teen Xialing respectively, are a group of extremely talented young performers; each of these young stars plays to the truth of some very tough character defining scenes. Ronny Chieng, who played Jon Jon, is quite a fun presence as the manager of Xialing's underground fight club; Chieng really drives the leads through the scene and comedically dominates the setting. Benedict Wong, who played Wong, is a minor appearance that the film really benefits from; his overtly stoic tone is nicely contrasted with the karaoke post credit scene.

However, the best performance came from Simu Liu, who played the title character: Shang-Chi. This is a very multi-faceted role who goes through such a fascinating arc that I loved watching. When first we see Liu as Shang we get a very laidback figure who doesn't seem driven by ambition; he's content with a very simple quiet life. Yet there are small things scattered to show us the heart behind the character, the immediate charm and charisma. Liu has a serious strength when it comes to very relatable comedy, I thought his comedic style paired with Awkwafina's brilliantly. Once we learn the truth of Shang's past Liu brings out this very heavy chip to put on his character's shoulder; our protagonist is really weighed by the severity of growing up under his criminal father's instruction. Yet he isn't just driven by this resentment towards his father, Shang is constantly pushed by a need to defend his sister, or his best friend or the village Ta Lo. The film becomes an internal struggle for Shang, he is torn between the violent path his father lead him down and the gentle protector his mother taught him to be. Seeing Liu play so strongly to the aggressive need for revenge against his father is well done. Even better is seeing him claim both sides of his character to become the wielder of the Ten Rings and defender of Ta Lo.

The major problems I had with this film all occurred in the first half an hour. I think opening the film by showcasing three different narrative strands that we would revisit throughout the feature was quite involved. It asked you to pick up on a lot of plot threads very quickly without really connecting you to any one point strongly yet. I also thinking establishing a film that constantly leapt back into flashbacks made this a little slow paced at times. The final fight sequence against Dweller In Darkness looked impressive but I think the further along it got the faster the visuals really hit you; making it quite busy at times. I loved what I was seeing but there could have been some time taken to really absorb everything being presented.

Florian Munteanu, who played Razor Fist, is one of the many henchmen antagonist types in the film that are easily dwarfed by Leung; the problem with Munteanu however is that he is incapable of range of delivery leading to some poor dialogue moments.

Not only is this a beautiful love letter to martial arts in Hollywood, it is the debut of a new Marvel hero I hope to see for a long time to come. I would give Shang-Chi And The Legend Of The Ten Rings an 8/10.

 

Don't Breathe 2

This review may contain spoilers!

 

Don't Breathe 2 is a sequel to 2016's Don't Breathe, following The Blind Man's life after the events of the first film. The film series continues with its muddied moral narrative and characters; we see The Blind man is a father again to young Phoenix. Phoenix is a sheltered kid kept apart from the outside world and subjected to the somewhat dubious parental instincts of her 'father'. However, when a bloodthirsty gang breaks into our protagonists' home and upends the lie linking the Blind Man to Phoenix, this father/daughter relationship will truly be put to the test. I think the core concept in this film of flipping The Blind Man from violent antagonist, to victim to protagonist was a fairly creative direction to go in. The cinematography for this feature is why this film is worth seeing, every action piece or new setting is really creatively captured. Visually this was a slasher that really tried out new elements consistently and I commend it for that.

 

Stephen Lang, who played the Blind Man, really knows how to inhabit this very warped character; Lang brings such cold intensity and wild fury to this role that he commands your attention in his scenes.

 

However, the best performance came from Madelyn Grace, who played Phoenix. It is a rare occasion for the youngest performer in a film to be the standout of the cast, but there's no competition here. Grace handles scenes with a mature talent that highlights her range and ability to navigate the truth of a scene. When first we meet Phoenix she is this lonely kid, very capable but lacking a real sense of childhood. Grace really plays to the roles yearning for friends and joy, while at the same time contrasting this with an unnaturally adept skill at warding off intimidating men. Watching this character go through the complicated journey of discovering her father is actually her kidnapper and that her real parents only want her back to steal vital organs from her is a dark story. The way Grace really hits the mark by depicting that betrayal, heartbreak and anger is undeniably masterful and one of the main reasons to watch this film.

The first Don't Breathe had the advantage of being a very disarming film that could really show off how unique its concept could get as the action moved along. Whereas this film doesn't have the same advantage, in fact what we watch is yet another home invasion film. The invaders this time are better equipped but that doesn't really change the nature of the action; at first the Blind Man surprises them with how adept he is, then the tables turn a couple of times in either direction until the protagonist ultimately wins. The only thing here is that this time the protagonist is the Blind Man. Which is a tough pill to swallow at any given point of the film. As a direct sequel you can't help but remember this guy was artificially inseminating women against their will in the first feature, this time around his daughter is actually someone he has kidnapped. Yet the film is dogged in its attempt to paint him as the one we're rooting for over the antagonist. Granted the antagonists want to harvest organs from a kid, but as villains they're quite over the top and also not very interesting. The film tears itself in two trying to keep with its theme of showcasing characters with murky ethics. The editing lends quite a dull pace, which can really drag out those tense scenes or high stakes action sequences. The score is practically non-existent, just another factor that is doing no work towards creating tone or atmosphere for the feature.

Brendan Sexton III, who played Raylan, falls short as the main antagonist for this feature; he is never intimidating nor are you really deceived by his portrayal of being a father figure to Grace's Phoenix. Adam Young, Rocci Boy Williams, Christian Zagia and Bobby Schofield, who played Jim-Bob, Duke, Raul and Jared respectively, are extremely generic henchmen figures; these individuals are there to be punched or stabbed at but don't stand up as characters. Fiona O'Shaughnessy, who played Josephine, is very out there as one of the surprise antagonists; she goes immediately over the top at portraying the deranged mother intent on killing her own kid. Stephanie Arcila, who played Hernandez, is a character who really doesn't serve much purpose in this film; a sort of ally figure to the protagonists she is killed off before she ever really serves any true narrative value.

While this is a horror sequel lacking in substance it is certainly a visual successor to its predecessor. I would give Don't Breathe 2 a 4.5/10.

 

Kate

This review may contain spoilers!

 

Kate follows an assassin who is poisoned on the brink of her retirement; leading to a 24 hour hunt for vengeance upon those who targeted her. This film is a wild thing to watch with a lot of key aspects coming together to craft something stunning. Kate is a protagonist you'll find really easy to connect with, she's quite a capable fighter and markswoman but more than that you relate strongly to her rage. Kate is pushed by this fury that her chance at living a normal life has been snatched away from her, and as this film goes on we come to understand the anger cuts deeper. This is a woman who has been pushed to her assassin lifestyle since she was a kid, she never got to live a life that was free of violence or taking orders. Seeing Kate channel her retribution into something just was a wonderful character journey that is gripping throughout. The stunt work makes this a highly intense action feature with a number of well-choreographed and gory fights. I found this to be an inspired film visually, something that really surprised me. The cinematography here highlights a neon pop-punk depiction of Japanese culture and imagery, marking for an exquisite colour palette that is absolutely stunning. The score for the film is almost akin to that of a dystopian film, you feel on edge and desperate whenever those tracks pick up. At the same time the soundtrack kicks in with these high energy Japanese songs that make for some fun action sequences.

 

Woody Harrelson, who played Varrick, had such great onscreen chemistry with Winstead as her father figure/handler; the measured way his role discussed assassination contracts contrasted nicely with the angered outbursts we see at his ally compromising Kate. Jun Kunimura, who played Kijima, is quite a calm and wise figure for the head of a Yakuza family; Kunimura's portrayal of affection for his family along with a quietly intense display of power makes him a bit of a scene stealer.

However, the best performance came from Mary Elizabeth Winstead, who played title character: Kate. This is the sort of film that really only works if you have a class act front and centre for the feature, Winstead is that in spades. At the start of the feature Kate is a character with a nice, charismatic relationship with her handler, Harrelson's Varrick. Yet after a hit on a target goes poorly Winstead plays to the trauma of the incident, we see a woman who is deeply disconnected with the life she lives and who yearns for something normal. But from here Kate's poisoning brings forth something intense and furious, she is consumed by rage and a need for revenge. Seeing Kate's intense ambitions and murderous intentions change into something more noble is one of the finer strokes in this film. Winstead does a phenomenal job at showing the realisation her entire life has been stolen from her and her crusade becomes something more honourable as a result. If you aren't moved by the death of Kate by the end of this feature I'd be very surprised; Winstead truly brought the A game.

This is a feature that tries a trick a lot of action films are doing these days, pairing the hero with a young child to bring forth their moral compass. I think this really works wonders in some cases but of late I'm seeing a lot more that aren't achieving their purpose. In this film it's really hard to believe in the relationship that is forming between Kate and Ani, because Ani is such a talkative and abrasive role she doesn't ever really pair well with Kate. This leads to a significant slump in the second act during which the focus is significantly upon this duo. This is also not the film to watch if you're in the mood to be surprised, the betrayal from Varrick and Kate's ultimate demise are events that you can expect from the very first act. The editing for the film had a tendency to linger, dragging the pace in moments that weren't brimming with action.

Miku Patricia Martineau, who played Ani, really doesn't gel well with Winstead onscreen; Martineau really plays to the more annoying aspects of her role's personality and it is never believable she has grown up a child of a Yakuza boss. Tadanobu Asano, who played Renji, is a major letdown as the secondary antagonist of the feature; he never commands a scene and often falls in the shadow of either Harrelson or Kunimura.

A highly stylistic action film with a praiseworthy leading performance from Mary Elizabeth Winstead. I would give Kate a 7.5/10.