Polite Society

 This review may contain spoilers!

 

Polite Society follows Ria Khan, a young British-Pakistani girl with aspirations of becoming a stuntwoman. Her biggest supporter? Her sister, Lena. But when Lena is locked into an arranged marriage that Ria finds sinister, it is up to our young hero to save her family and prove herself. I was so utterly impressed with this film, it had creativity in spades and I highly doubt I will see another film that really achieves this level of originality in 2023. This film really frames itself as a coming of age story with Ria Khan fighting to prove herself as a stuntwoman, while also negotiating what it means as a young second generation Desi woman to be locked into an arranged marriage. Seeing Ria really learn about her own perspectives and shortcomings is great, but when she finds the strength of character to stand up for her sister and save her the film really shows me how rich the character growth is. The theme work here around arranged marriages, power imbalances in that sort of relationship and the really empowering message around women having power over their own love and their own bodies was so well told. I loved how stunt work in this was so hyper stylized, coming off as more broadly mapped stunt work of the 70s or 80s. But this sort of homage style was perfect because it made the moments with these sorts of fight scenes mean so much more narratively. The first one we get defines Ria as an outcast, the next notable one is when she falls out with Lena and the number of fights had in defense of Lena's freedom were extremely pivotal points.

The soundtrack is a real cultural hit and calls back to a number of beloved Bollywood hits, with Ria's big dance scene immediately being one of the most iconic. I also loved the occassional turns of Western tracks to punctuate the fight sequences or more high octance moments. The score for Polite Society is a real treat too, it has so much variety of character to it. I actually felt like each track wasn't aiming for one broad theme but instead really provided a tapestry of emotion that connected with each scene of the film.

 

Priya Kansara, who played Ria, is an absolutely wonderful protagonist for this with a bit of a manic edge.; I loved watching Kansara grapply between goofy plans to almost crying and breaking down when no one believed her about the true intent of the wedding. Seraphina Beh and Ella Bruccoleri, who played Clara and Alba respectively, took a moment to grow on me but have some fantastic chemistry with Kansara; both of these young performers often step in with their rough wit to lend a scene some great comedic moments. Shona Babayemi, who played Kovacs, really looms and intimidates as the classic school bully; but I loved how Babayemi flipped the script and eased into the friend group in a fitting way. Shobu Kapoor, who played Fatima, really works well as the meek Mum hoping to impress others; in spite of that image I really feel Kapoor did a great job of crafting a genuinely loving connection with her onscreen daughters. Nimra Bucha, who played Raheela, really is having the time of her life in this film; Bucha's overly sinister antagonist performance is such a nice foil for Kansara's protagonist. Jeff Mirza, who played Raff, is entirely funny as the father figure who struggles to read the room; Mirza doesn't have a lot to do here but he's really witty when given the chance. Akshay Khanna, who played Salim Shah, is such a charismatic talent that you aren't for a moment surprised Lena falls for him; yet I also loved how over the top Khanna goes with his mumma's boy underling switch up in the third act.

However, the best performance came from Ritu Arya, who played Lena. This actress has been on the up and coming for a little bit now but at the moment this is probably the best role I've seen in her filmography. When first we meet Lena she is in a really depressive, lonely state. Arya does a great job of portraying someone who is doing the bare minimum to still connect with those she loves while also being quite hollowed out over her own sadness. As the feature progresses we get to see Arya present her character happier as she forms some great onscreen chemistry with Khanna, her onscreen betrothed. You really see the power of feeling loved bring something good out in this character she didn't previously possess. You also get one of the best character conflict scenes between Arya and Kansara when their characters fight over the marriage. It's maybe my favourite scene of the feature and it hits like a ton of bricks emotionally. The latter moments in the film where we move back to a focus on Arya is wonderful because she gets to play to moments like reconciliation and absolute betrayal, reactions that both endear her to the audience and really up the stakes of the wedding storyline. Get yourself a big sis like Lena Khan, Ritu Arya nails it.

The glaring issue with Polite Society for me was how long it took to spiral into it's more sci-fi thriller elements. To be clear I loved the direction the film chose to take but there is very little foreshadowing to get to the exact nature of the Shahs' plans and I think Ria's story and that aspect of the main story could have been blended in nicer. The fact that the comedy of the film also came from some very English cultural dialect, mannerisms and aspects also made this film difficult to enage with at times, chiefly in the first act.

There are moments of wonderful cinematography in this film but I often felt the framing was quite wonky, worse were the number of shots that boasted some quite bad sense of what was in front of the camera as the lighting was horrible. The editing set a stilted pace that slowed an otherwise well told and surefooted script.

This felt as unsettling as Jordan Peele's Get Out while also being one of the more creative and inspired coming of age films I've seen in a long while. I would give Polite Society an 8.5/10.

Ghosted

 This review may contain spoilers!

 

Ghosted follows Cole and Sadie, an unlikely young pair who have their very own famer's market meet-cute and hit it off. The catch? She ghosts him and after tracking her down he discovers she's actually an elite operative for the CIA. I found the film had a real nice goofy and light approach to the relationship and the comedy in the first act that really had some charm. Beyond this the end of the first act/start of the second boasts some pretty fast-paced action/chase scenes that really stood out.

 

Chris Evans, who played Cole Turner, works perfectly well as our hapless protagonist; Evans leans into the confusion and exasperation of his role which is a fun point of difference from his usual action bravado. Ana de Armas, who played Sadie Rhodes, is fairly convincing as the cold and tough CIA operative; yet I really liked the moments where she got to be introspective with the character or have points of genuine connection with Evans. Adrien Brody, who played Leveque, is a rare sight on the blockbuster scene and it was real fun to watch; seeing Brody leaning in to an overly serious threatening figure was quite fresh in some ways.

 

However, the best performance came from Anthony Mackie, John Cho and Sebastian Stan, who played Grandson of Sam, The Leopard and God respectively. It's an odd moment for me as a viewer when one scene elevates the whole thing I'm watching, and the fact this one is the thing I walked away loving the most really speaks to the film itself. In a film stuffed with cameos galore, the biggest cameo scene of all is this one right here and it plays like a charm. Mackie, Cho and Stan all get to do their best takes on stoic, grievous hitmen each with a tough as nails line to throw in the faces of our leads. I actually really enjoyed the one-upmanship nature of the scene; Mackie got to brag and show off, Cho was steadier and more sure of himself, while Stan actually came across as cold and deadly. Just seeing a scene like this in which the characters can really have a bit of fun with the star power they've mustered is something I really enjoyed.

 

The basis of Ghosted is the romantic tension and relationship between our lead protagonists but the nature of these characters and how they interact after the first twenty minutes really struggles to be romantic. The entire film Cole winds up being quite creepy in how he expresses affection for Sadie; Sadie is also very cold and indifferent once we start to see her as a CIA agent. But when you put these two together in a scene the result is worse, the pair are constantly arguing with one another and often express how little they care for or trust one another. The final act of the film really pushes this pair together but it doesn't feel earned. Actually, throughout the film we're told this couple has a lot of 'sexual tension' and they get asked if they "need a room" constantly (seriously that line is in the film at least ten times). The film also really abandons almost all of the comedy elements from the first act once the CIA agent reveal happens. From that point on the comedy is very physical pratfalls and crude sexual innuendo that doesn't land ever. The big CIA storyline is lazy; it's yet another dangerous bioweapon that bad guys want for their shadowy 'buyers'. This film toys with the bare bones of a B action film plot and keeps stripping away anything that would make it interesting. The film opens by pointing out the unlikely nature of this relationship but the film almost wants to start taking itself seriously in the back half which is impossible to do with the concept they're presenting us.

 

I'm genuinely shocked the director of Eddie the Eagle and Rocketman is giving me the most dull looking blockbuster of 2023 thus far, the shots are so simple that even most action sequences feel repetitive to watch. The camera work is peppered with close ups that look ghastly and the shot composition only highlights how poor the lighting crew did on this feature. The editing sets a very staggered pace and the special effects work done on this hideous CGI bugs should've never been given the greenlight. The soundtrack for the film is peppered with a confusing array of Top 40 songs that have little bearing on the film itself; the musical score is too light and carefree for the type of movie we wind up being presented with. 

Mike Moh, who played Wagner, is your classic dull henchman antagonist; Moh has been slumming it in these types of action roles for awhile now and he's not growing in them. Tate Donovan, Amy Sedaris and Lizze Broadway, who played Dad, Mom and Mattie Turner respectively, truly don't feel like a family unit; none of the performers really share any chemistry with one another or Evans that makes you care about their dynamic. Mustafa Shakir and Anna Deavere Smith, who played Monte Jackson and Claudia Yates respectively, gave the most bland CIA agent leader performances you could expect; the rules seemly poorly reversed here as Shakir looms too heavily in his scenes for his mere agent role while Smith is too meek to really come off convincing as a CIA head. Ryan Reynolds, who played Jonas, is one cameo too many by the time he enters the scene; there is something unabashedly hollow and unfunny about his appearance too which is a shame. Tim Blake Nelson, who played Borislov, is normally fantastic with a small part but is lost here; it feels like Nelson just wanted to take an unusual accent for a spin more than do a decent appearance. Stephen Park, who played Utami, is a final act antagonist that just makes the closing of the story feel too full; plus Park's crime boss is a lot more stereotypical and bland than what Brody is doing. Marwan Kenzari, who played Marco, just goes too over the top with his crude comedic character; Kenzari has never been so good at playing comedy when a more dramatic role is available. Israel Vaughan and Victoria Kelleher, who played Martin and Edna respectively, are horrible introductions to the comedic tone and potential of the film; their line delivery is weak and really grates against what Evans is trying to do.

An action rom-com with boring action, a very off-putting rom and no com. I would give Ghosted a 2.5/10.

Mafia Mamma

 This review may contain spoilers!

 

Mafia Mamma follows Kristin, whose son leaves for college, her husband cheats on her and she inherits an Italian Mafia all within the same week. I went into this movie with low to no expectations, I didn't seem like the right demograph at all. My joy was watching this thing and discovering it was more of a parody of Mafia films, Mafia romance novels and the type of comedies Diane Keaton does about twice a year with a genuinely interesting character development and empowerment arc threaded through. There's a real camp and over the top quality to the humour that is consistent from the start, when the film uses it's comedic style to tease the genre or the absurdity of the very concept it is engaged in scenes often work extremely well. What I actually really enjoyed about this feature was how unapologetically empowering Kristin's story was. Her entire character growth is her going from no power, at the beck and call of her husband, son and male boss to being her own boss and being happy in herself. I like that this film never compromised on Kristin; you saw her as a kind figure with good values, she was a good Mum but she also wasn't being treated well. The entire mafia aspect and genre is a big push for her character to discover empowerment in herself and I actually thought they captured that remarkably well.

The soundtrack for the film really was something quite brilliant, one of the better assemblies of songs used for comedic potential.

 

Monica Bellucci, who played Bianca, is absolutely great as the overtly serious and wise right hand to Collette's Mafia boss; I found the homoerotic tension Bellucci played up between herself and Collette to be sidesplittingly camp and funny. Alessandro Bressanello, who played Don Giuseppe Balbano, isn't in this for long but actually feels the part of a stern Mafia head; yet what I admired about Bressanello was the convincing display of love lost he felt over his family that he gave in a monologue he wasn't delivering to anyone else but a camera. Eduardo Scarpetta, who played Fabrizio, was a role that took me a little to warm up to but once he got going I really could dig it; Scarpetta just crafts Fabrizio as the wild card of the feature which ultimately made for a decent antagonist. Jay Natelle, who played Hank, is a character you will just endlessly hate in this film which is down to a solid performance; Natelle finds all the right ways to make this character overbearing and impossible to like in very few scenes which makes this role a nice weight around our protagonist and her growth. Sophia Nomvete, who played Jenny, is actually hilarious as Collette's boisterous no-holds barred friend; Nomvete is immediately the sort of friend who comes off as extremely loyal and a good guiding light. Giulio Corso, who played Rudy, is extremely charismatic and the sort of dream romance for Collette's character; Corso also knows how to flip the switch and make his role easy to dislike over the course of a change in Act. Giuseppe Zeno, who played Carlo Romano, has a very dark charisma that makes him both alluring and dangerous; Zeno's ability to portray a cunning mob boss sets him apart from all the other mob bosses in the film. Vincenzo Pirrotta, who played 'Mammone' Romano, is fantastic as a more traditional portrayal of a Mafia boss; Pirrotta exhibiting willd outbursts and a drive towards aggression really makes him stand out.

However, the best performance came from Toni Collette, who played Kristin. The past few films I've seen from Collette have been very serious, dramatic roles so that was a really fun change. The character of Kristin is so meek and goodly when first we meet her, she is very caring and attentive to those in her family. But there is a small sort of hurt and insecurity that grows for her, you see it in her work scenes and in the scenes in which she considers going to Italy. This all races to a head in the scene where Collette discovers her husband (Daish) cheating on her; the scene really feels disarming and Collette plays it well by giving this reaction you cannot expect. As the film paces along and you see her freak out as she stumbles into the world of the Mafia, you get all the great gags and quirky dialogue played up from that point. I also really liked how Collette played her character's goal for a sexual relationship, the way she was seeking out a fling and not anything serious was a great touch. I loved watching Collette grow Kristin into a tougher figure, one who could lead a Mafia empire and hold her rivals at gunpoint by the end of the feature.

The biggest problem I had with the film was the actual Mafia elements, any time this film tried to take itself seriously with the crime plot elements it almost immediately fell over. But worse than this I actually really thought the generic Italian Mafia portrayal with the copious Godfather references, stereotyped dialogue and thin poisoner/hitman subplots was spectacularly weak writing. There was a clever comedy going on around it and a fantastic lead but positioning the Italian setting and characters like this felt patronising and poorly written/directed. I also left this theatre feeling pleasantly surprised but I was also aware the film really didn't know who it was for. This is too comedic to satisfy the Mafia/crime fans but it's also way too gory to squarely appeal to the older cinema goers looking for a comedy. There is a real muddled style in presentation that I found difficult to overcome, and I think general moviegoers would be hard pressed against it too. 

The film has a few location-based shots with some flavour but really the cinematography here lacks imagination and is comfortable with very simple static pieces. The editing was also quite a rigid pace and the film really had an inconsistent pace throughout. The score for Mafia Mamma was another generic whack at Italy and Mafia films; I felt they could have found their own sound had they looked but there was no desire for anything distinct.

Tommy Rodger, who played Domenick, really didn't feel connected to his onscreen family at all; Rodger's complete lack of chemistry coupled with his generic portrayal of a kid off to college made for one of the weaker performances. Tim Daish, who played Paul, was another component of the onscreen family that just didn't work; I could nod and understand that Paul was a jerk but I never once could find myself convinced that Daish's character would have romantic history with Collette. Francesco Mastroianni and Alfonso Perugini, who played Also and Dante respectively, are the bumbling characters in this film and generate some of my least favourite kinds of comedy; this pair just gets to clown their way through scenes and often entirely divert the tone of the feature.

I was entirely surprised by this, a real demonstration of Toni Collette's stupendous talent that a concept like this is made to work. I would give Mafia Mamma a 6.5/10.

Air

This review may contain spoilers!

 

Air is a biopic following the Nike team who managed to create Air Jordans, and convince Michael Jordan himself to partner with the company. Immediately going into this I was unsure of what to expect; I'm neither a basketball fan nor have I ever owned a pair of Jordans. But what did have me excited was seeing a project in which Matt Damon and Ben Affleck were playing off one another yet again; even better that Ben Affleck was directing it. The film is quite compact in a lot of ways, very dialogue heavy and often setting scenes in an office space or via a phone conversation. But that intimate, low stakes style of production is such a wonderful choice because it allows the dialogue to thrive. The script Air boasts in masterful, it really has some lines that hit with wit in one scene and weight in the other. I loved how characters played off against each other, grew because of their interactions with one another and really individually felt defined. This was a screenplay that knew how to use all of the pieces at play, there was a lot of dramatic tension but the film also did a great job of showing the eccentric side of this unbelievable story and more than that it really dug into the emotional pressure of the workers who made this story happen.

Ben Affleck makes more contained sets really come to life, the way this film is peppered with shots of people just talking and observing should make for a visually dull watch. But Air is captivating and it constantly switches up on framing, levels and angles to craft a really engaging visual piece that holds your attention throughout. The soundtrack throughout this feature is like living in a time capsule, it brings the 80s to life in a big way and also defines the feature as a narrative about a group of people daring something impossible.

 

Matt Damon, who played Sonny Vaccaro, is a wonderful protagonist for this feature; Damon presents a very mild-mannered yet determined figure who really steadily grows more passionate as the feature progresses. Ben Affleck, who played Phil Knight, is one of Affleck's best performances in recent years; watching Affleck play this character who is so intentionally eccentric and trying to inspire his workers is extremely funny. Chris Messina, who played David Falk, is like a fireworks show in this; a scene with Messina can be steadily ticking along and then he suddenly explodes with some of the wildest and most entertaining line delivery in the film. Viola Davis, who played Delores Jordan, is a lot more understated than some of Davis' more recent film roles but she is no less a powerhouse; watching Davis quietly affirm the significance and worth of Michael Jordan from a matriarchal lens was really well performed. Chris Tucker, who played Howard White, is quietly the heart of the film; watching the genuine admiration he has in scenes with Damon make for some very heartwarming moments. Matthew Maher, who played Peter Moore, is a very out of the box figure that surprisingly works well; Maher finds the comedy of Peter while also making the character come across as genuinely brilliant. Marlon Wayans, who played George Raveling, is this one scene character who leaves a solid impression on the film; Wayans really comes at George with a very grounded and sincere approach.

However, the best performance came from Jason Bateman, who played Rob Strasser. I love Bateman in most any comedy he stars in, but when he really takes the gloves off and steps into a dramatic role it can be something brilliant. Bateman's classic dry, sarcastic wit is all over his delivery and marks him with some of the best lines in the film. I enjoyed watching Bateman play an individual who is more meek than usual, he is stressed and just doing his very best to keep things moving forward. But the way Bateman plays character chemistry is a little bolder, watching him bounce off Damon is one of my personal favourite aspects of the film. The strength of this role is seeing that human element, in which Bateman depicts his character's fear of becoming estranged from his daughter. It is a stern reminder of the stakes in the narrative, and a deeply moving moment from one of the leading performers.

There is an element of this film that does come across as quite safe, it takes appropriate pauses and builds up the stakes but there is still a levity to the final outcome. This is a feature that takes place over phones and corporate meeting rooms, the stakes are limited and in such an inspiring biopic narrative it's no surprise the trajectory of the positive outcome. I also thought the film really could have wound things up a little tighter in the final act, it definitely stretched on a little longer past the point where it felt like they had nailed their ending.

In spite of a really grand visual style, the editing does let things down to some extent. There is a really gradual approach to cutting up scenes that drags the way scenes move more than I really appreciated as an audience member. 

Julius Tennon, who played James Jordan, is a necessary physical presence but is never a noteworthy character; Tennon spends the movie nodding and grinning without ever feeling like an active participant in the same way Davis is.

 

When Ben Affleck wants to showcase his directing talent, he really brings it. I would give Air an 8/10.

 

The Super Mario Bros. Movie

 This review may contain spoilers!

 

The Super Mario Bros. Movie is an adaptation of the hit video game series of the same name. In this feature, Brooklyn plumbers, Mario and Luigi are transported to a magical land and must join with strange new allies to defeat the villaionous Bowser. I really enjoyed the build in tension towards confronting Bowser in the final act, seeing Mario and Donkey Kong band together in spite of their rivalry to defeat a common foe really scaled up the excitement levels.

 

Illumination has done a real range of animated features over the years but I'm relatively confident in claiming this to be their best animation yet. The film looks exceptionally vibrant and detailed; with a great deal of love taken to really distinguish all the various elements of this video game universe. I really think there are two solid audiences for this film, very young children and those who are massive Mario fans. The love clearly shown to cramming this film with as many references and hidden content as possible is a nice touch. But not only is the love that goes into the visual design of the film so apparent, the score composed for this film by Brian Tyler goes superbly. The blend of adventurous, jovial music coupled with the famous tracks from the Nintendo video games is such a happy, feel good blend.

 

Charlie Day, who voiced Luigi, is relatively well suited to his character; Day really portrays his character well in fearful situations and does all the heavy lifting in establishing a relationship between the two title characters. Keegan-Michael Key, who voiced Toad, is one of the more veteran voice actors on the cast and it shows; Key's Toad is such a wild comedic performance and has bundles of energy. Anya Taylor-Joy, who voiced Princess Peach, is a performance that takes a little to warm up to but becomes something very noteworthy by the end of the film; Taylor-Joy's performance is best when she embodies the tough leader fighting back against the bad guy of the film and in a lot of ways she is the real protagonist of the feature.

However, the best performance came from Seth Rogen, who voiced Donkey Kong. Rogen has done voice acting a little bit more recently, my mind immediately going to his work on Invincible. He knows how to bring a sense of gravitas to a character and there is none who needs it more than DK. From the moment he enters the screen you get a major big entrance, he is full of showmanship and knows how to command attention. Rogen plays him cocky and very self-assured, you get the sense he's one of the greatest amongst the Kong kingdom. I also liked his mean streak, the way he really smack talked other characters a lot and built up his rivalry with Mario. Watching him get aggressive in key scenes was really fun and a nice touch by Rogen to actually make this character a little more unique from his own natural voice. Rogen also managed to lend a little bit of soft emotion in how Donkey Kong craves a sense of pride from his Dad, Cranky Kong. Definitely the most defined character in the film.

 

Illumination is a studio that makes projects which don't have the same level of care and attention to them that a Pixar or Dreamworks film might. Often they'll make something that feels motivated by a consumer friendly idea, things like spinoff movies about the Minions or The Secret Life of Pets. We had just come off a year that boasted Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, Guillermo Del Toro's Pinocchio, Puss in Boots: The Last Wish and even Turning Red; I expected something decent for the first major animated film I watched in 2023. But as Illumination has constantly done in the past they have put effort into the animation where required but very little went into the script or voice cast. Mario and his cast of characters sells, because it is a popular franchise vehicle; it's clear the script is something basic or concocted on the go throughout production. The feature really struggles with introducing Mario and Luigi to us in a way that makes us connect with them. The Brooklyn setting and really heavy Italian-American stereotypes and fake accents gets grating and annoying early on. The fact that Luigi is barely utilised throughout the entire film feels like a mark was majorly missed. The film doesn't really stop to allow us to connect with the characters, I barely cared about Mario because the film wanted to rush to the next setting or Easter egg showcase. This is how pacing works for the entire film everything moves stupidly fast to the next reference or video game tie-in, but these aren't plot points and whoever writes the film clearly doesn't care. But the result of that approach to writing means this really becomes a film inaccessible to those who don't really know the games. Instead what you're left with is a poorly paced feature with a broad adventure narrative that rushes to the final act and doesn't allow us to connect with the protagonists. The final confrontation taking place in Brooklyn instead of the magical words we had been previously watching made me think of the awful final act of another video game bomb: Monster Hunter.

Jack Black, who voiced Bowser, really doesn't feel like he's doing a whole lot to seperate character from performer; having constant obligatory music riffs just felt like a weird way of reminding the audience Jack Black is Bowser without ever actually crafting a semi-decent antagonist. Chris Pratt, who voiced Mario, was a casting choice criticised for a long time and that criticism is well earned; Pratt does nothing to make his voice consistent and accent work is abysmal. Fred Armisen, who voiced Cranky Kong, is a performer i rarely like anyway but his voice work here is entirely forgettable; this old leader type voice he puts on is possibly the most forgettable main character of the whole cast.

Mamma mia. I would give The Super Mario Bros. Movie a 4.5/10.