The Fall Guy

 This review may contain spoilers!

 

The Fall Guy follows Colt Seavers, a stuntman who suffers a severe onset injury that destroys his life and his relationship with upcoming director, Jody Moreno. Now healed, Colt has a chance to rekindle his love with Jody when he is invited back to be a stuntman in her big blockbuster project. The only problem is the lead actor is missing in action, and it's going to be down to Colt to find him and save Jody's film.

 

This is a film that truly loves blockbuster cinema production, like through and through, there is a tremendous amount of dedication to the craft here. Over the course of the movie there are tributes to various departments, a major breakdown of what a shooting day can look like, examples of the production process and even playful jabs at how studios interfere in big productions like this. The meat of this love is very notably geared towards stunt work and how these performers are the backbone of major action cinema. You get a detailed view of safety measures, how stunts are developed and the multiple stunts that can be worked into a film. Even the little references, quotes or nods to other blockbuster productions shows nice insight and passion went into The Fall Guy. The core chemistry of Colt and Jody is also a major driving force; in a film where action is the big spotlight, it's actually the romance that held my attention more. The characters are genuinely very sweet, and work well for one another in a way that makes you believe in them. I liked that their conflict, that which divides them for a time, is very understandable but also something they can be expected to work through together. The Fall Guy is also ceaselessly funny, there are a lot of great gags in this; which is certainly the sort of script I expect David Leitch to gravitate to these days.

The score for the film keeps a nice central theme to Kiss' 'I Was Made For Lovin' You' which really kept the fated love story very present throughout. I also thought the soundtrack for this film was incredible, it had a rough and rugged 80s vibe at times, and at others a very modern bleeding heart sound like Taylor Swift's 'All Too Well'.

 

Emily Blunt, who played Jody Moreno, is such a sweet character who just seems entirely fun and witty as this up-and-coming director; Blunt plays a role who really backs herself but is also really joyful and sincere throughout.  Aaron Taylor-Johnson, who played Tom Ryder, really has a blast leaning into the self-absorbed celebrity superstar; Taylor-Johnson's persona talks a big talk but is a bit of a flake under pressure, which is a nice change in type for him. Teresa Palmer, who played Iggy Starr, is a really fun role that leans into the celebrity girlfriend stereotype a bit; watching her bicker with and chastise Gosling is quite the memorable scene. Winston Duke, who played Dan Tucker, is a character who gets to be dedicated to just loving cinema, which feels wonderful to watch; I could honestly watch Duke deliver famous movie quotes back and forth with gosling all day long. Matuse, who played Doone, is quite the fun minor drug dealer character role; his sort of feigned bromance with Gosling's stunt performer makes him an intriguing figure. Adam Dunn, who played Nigel, is one of the funniest characters in the cast in my opinion; his overly-stressed AD character who goes from barking commands to losing himself to karaoke makes for a hell of a time.

However, the best performance came from Ryan Gosling, who played Colt Seavers. Gosling is on a real career high right now, buzzing off of Barbie, I think it'd be hard to go wrong with whatever script he chose. In Colt, we get a quietly charismatic and flirtatious stuntman who has such positive feelings of love and has to grapple with the fallout from losing that connection. Seeing Colt go from a man on top of the world at the start of the film to someone very downtrodden takes you to the pit with him. Yet, the hope and desire Gosling brings as his role returns to see Jody at her new film is this invigorating sensation that fuels the audience for the whole film. Colt can be a bit of an adorable dork, stumbling into things poorly or finding the wrong words before the right ones, but he's an easy underdog to root for. Watching his determination to fight for Jody, save her film and win her back is a classic character type, but one that Gosling really fleshes out and makes his own.

I like an action movie that has heart at its core, but I also like an action blockbuster that tries to find some fresh elements or plot points. Where The Fall Guy really falters for me is the action storyline, which is an outlandish crime piece that just feels a bit too generic for its own good. Colt running around trying to find Tom Ryder only to come face to face with a cartoonish criminal underworld and a murder conspiracy that is more than a little predictable is quite disappointing. The movie keeps dragging out the motives and actions of the antagonists to solidify them as the villains, but it makes the whole movie a lot harder to buy into.

The way this film is shot is surprisingly ugly given how much varied stunt work there is to cover. There are so many big blocky wides that repeat after one another, it's rare to see any effort to get creative visually or show a little variety from scene to scene. The editing was a real let-down too; setting a surprisingly slow pace for the type of movie this is and also chopping between far too many sequences in a scene at times. I also thought the transitions between scenes wasn't consistently very good, at times the shifts in location would be entirely jarring.

Hannah Waddingham, who played Gail Meyer, really just hams up the overbearing producer figure from her first scene onwards; this is a character that just gets worse as her role is brought into the action plot more and more. Stephanie Hsu, who played Alma Milan, is a role that just doesn't fit all that nicely into the movie; her character is just there to give Gosling a phone, and otherwise she makes for an odd sticking point in a couple of scenes. Ben Knight, who played Dressler, is entirely forgettable as the big muscle-bound goon of the film; Knight just seems capable of bringing generic anger and a menacing slower to his role.

 

The chemistry between Blunt and Gosling paired with the genuine love of major-motion Hollywood filmmaking, especially stunt work, makes this a gem to watch. I would give The Fall Guy a 7.5/10.

Challengers

 

This review may contain spoilers!

 

Challengers follows Art Donaldson and Patrick Zweig, two up-and-coming tennis players who both fall for Tashi Duncan, a player who is on the track to being a tennis sensation. While Tashi is motivated to compete and exceed at tennis by any means, both Art and Patrick are lovestruck and want Tashi's affection by any means.

 

This film tells you all the time that it is about tennis, but it never reduces tennis to a mere sport. What the film really wants to present you with is the idea of tennis; a duel and a partnership simultaneously. At all moments of this film, we cut back and forth to the Challenger game Patrick and Art are both playing late in their lives; the final climactic match we get to watch as an audience. This match at first feels like a game; but as we watch it evolves to a struggle to survive, a fierce rivalry, but also an intimate relationship that has a lot of fire left in it. The person in this film who understands the complexities of tennis and wants to witness a match like this is Tashi, on some level she fully understands this deeper meaning and strives for it in everything. This is why she becomes so disinterested in Patrick when he loses focus or starts falling out of love with Art when he loses his drive to compete. In a nice contrast, Art and Patrick are playing the game of tennis over years of their lives. They want to compete for Tashi in a competitive teenage way, taking things as a light competition between friends. Yet as Tashi comes to be something they both yearn for more and more, their friendship begins to fracture, and they come apart in a bitter way. Trading blows back and forth for years as they seek their moment with her, doing anything to be worthy of this woman they both love. Tashi also recognises this friendship as something that holds a very intimate bond. There is an element of repressed homoeroticism in Art and Patrick and how they feel for one another. It's actually very beautiful to see such a great friendship touch on becoming something more, shattering and then finding its own way to reunion. Challengers is the literary and visual metaphor done perfect, and it's going to stand as one of the best scripts of 2024.

 

The visuals in this get pretty wild and experimental at times, but that results in something that is visually quite thrilling, especially when watching the active matches. I also thought the hyper-close way this film shows passion, yearning and intimacy makes it one of the more visually attractive films of the year. The editing is conducted at an incredible pace, moving scenes from something steady to something electric with impeccable timing. The score crafted by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is this thrilling synth work that feels like adrenaline and desire made music.

 

Zendaya, who played Tashi Duncan, is a real calculating force of ambition in this one; I would probably say that this could be one of Zendaya's greatest roles to date. Mike Faist, who played Art Donaldson, portrays yearning and hunger for something very well; I also enjoyed seeing present day Faist at this low point of wanting to quit but not wanting to lose.

 

However, the best performance came from Josh O'Connor, who played Patrick Zweig. This role feels like a desperate individual when first we meet him, a bit of an underdog and someone who really needs a win. Which is true in some ways, but Zweig is a little more complicated and slippery than that. This is a role brimming with charisma, he knows how to talk the talk and feels so entirely sure of himself. O'Connor thrives with Zweig, presenting this cocky player who seems convinced every door before him will just open. He has such brilliant chemistry with Faist, their friendship is one of the most interesting aspects of this whole thing. I like how he presents boyish annoyance for his initial moments of conflict, but in his later scenes his anger comes across as more sudden or unexpected. O'Connor also just happened to be charming and seductive in this, he made Zweig this figure who really is quite attractive in the context of the story and to the viewer. It's a titan role in a film where all three leads absolutely dominate.

 

Challengers doesn't step poorly too often, but I felt some of the later act work to make a convincing cheating sub-plot really didn't land as nicely as was intended. It all just felt a bit more fantastical than everything else up until that point.

 

I also wasn't a fan of the intrusive text boxes to make everything look like a tennis match, it was a clunky and basic moment of post-production. The experimental, fast-paced camera work in the third act resulted in some point of view shots that just did not work and intruded on the flow of a scene here and there.

This film has one of the most electric and fascinating scripts of the year, writing this good is such a treasure. I would give Challengers an 8.5/10.

Civil War

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Civil War is a speculative dystopian film depicting the concept of the United States fracturing into four factions vying for power and control. The plot centres on a team of war journalists who are driving across country towards Washington DC in the hopes of interviewing the embattled President.

This is a film that feels really timely in a period where conflict is at the forefront of our minds globally, and America is filled with strong opposing political viewpoints that have broken out into violence recently. Yet the genius of this movie is that this isn't as easy as going it is a political right versus a political left sort of film, the conflicting sides are very unique and their motivations harder to identify. Every American that we meet on-screen has the potential to be hostile and a threat to our journalist protagonists. This film handles tension well, there can be some moments that will really have you in a chokehold with just a few set pieces and some stunning performances. The whole film isn't one I would describe as a war film or a political thriller, ironically this is a road trip film. Civil War presents as an all-American road trip in which our characters are driving their way slowly to Washington D.C. to meet the President. Yet where a road trip film might bring a dysfunctional family together while they see the wonders of America, this film unveils the dark horror of what America could be to our protagonists. Watching the 'family unit' at the core of this feature have misery visited upon them and slowly get torn apart until we are left with the remains is the strongest reason to get out there and see Civil War.

 

This movie is also beautifully shot with this intimate attention to detail on our core cast and long expansive visuals of a desolate dystopian America. There is a real reverence here to framing something that moves you visually, which is so powerful given that war photography is at the centre of all this. I also felt the score had me on edge throughout, while the soundtrack really lifted up the brutal irony of the scenes those tracks were playing in. My favourite example of this was 'Breakers Roar' by Sturgill Simpson, which feels warm and uplifting while playing against tragedy.

 

Nick Offerman, who played the President, feels very stoic and robust while also being appropriately charismatic for the role; Offerman leads us into the film and does a great job of crafting a very disarming version of an American icon. Kirsten Dunst, who played Lee, is a very cold role who is distanced from the scale of conflict around her; watching Dunst steadily break as this war takes a personal toll on her throughout this makes for a great protagonist journey. Wagner Moura, who played Joel, is very quick-talking and charismatic; Moura's character feels like one who doesn't let a thing phase him and is thrilled by the landscape of horror around them for most of the film. Nelson Lee, who played Tony, was such a thrillseeking hotshot when he is first introduced; the contrast with his intense shutdown during his final scene is excellent work. Stephen McKinley Henderson, who played Sammy, is in one of my favourite roles of his to date; this is a role that feels extremely wise and knowledgeable while also distantly mournful about the fall of the world around them.

However, the best performance came from Jesse Plemons, who played an American Soldier. It feels an odd move in some ways to single out a one scene performance as my favourite role in the movie but there is no part of me that doesn't think Plemons crafted the best narrative moment in the film. There's a very cool indifference from the start of the scene, where things should feel like they could go either way you instead know they are going to go rotten. This soldier character steadily moves through our cast, illiciting fear through an easy-going smirk and blunt disregard. His vitriol slowly coming loose as he interviews them to work out just how 'American' they all are felt like a very real moment; like something that would genuinely develop in a modern American Civil War. I would say Jesse Plemons crafts the most intense, fear-inducing and memorable scenes of the entire movie in this moment.

While I really liked this film overall it was a concept that probably needed to be tightened down a little more. The worldbuilding didn't make a great deal of sense in terms of how the Civil War functioned, stepping a little further back by watching this film through the lens of non-combatants helped this but not by much. I also felt positioning this movie around the perspective of war journalists was an odd one. At times this resulted in a very neautral or distant relationship with the material playing out before us, making it harder to connect with the emotional stakes of a scene. The film feels very empty a lot of the time during the travel sections, we have a number of excellent tense moments but the road to D.C. feels barren and the budget feels really pushed to the limit. There is a whole story arc around a young woman called Jessie randomly joining our journalist team, a storyline that comes together quite quickly with not much attention to detail. If more work had been done to justify Jessie's presence and her sort of mentorship storyline with Lee then I would have been more impressed. The final push into Washington D.C. feels like a whole different movie at times too; just a big 'war is brutal' sequence with none of the poignant reflecting from earlier in the story.

The special effects should be the thing that they got right, this was A24's biggest budget for a film yet. But the effects are a real eyesore in this, with a number of fake vehicles and backdrops that take away from the otherwise impressive camerawork at play.

Cailee Spaeny, who played Jessie, plays the plucky kid who really just wants to prove herself and it is a hard role to fit well tonally into this piece; Spaeny's performance almost finds the mark a few times but she is rare to surprise throughout.

An extremely volatile and well constructed piece of speculative fiction that is sometimes dwarfed by the immense concept driving it. I would give Civil War a 7/10.

Love Lies Bleeding

This review may contain spoilers!

 

Love Lies Bleeding is a crime thriller following Lou, a gym employee who has a crime boss father, and Jackie, a travelling bodybuilder. When the two become romantically entangled Lou's darker past and family threaten to destroy the love and life they have found with one another. Tested at every point, these two women must endure domestic violence, drug addiction and murder to find any hope of escape.

 

This is a film that really challenged me the whole way through, I felt like it would the moment the opening sequence went from this ethereal beauty to a bird's eye shot of a clogged toilet brimming with shit. That's the beauty and horror of Love Lies Bleeding for everything wondrous or romantic we must be grimly reminded of something ugly and hard to accept. The central relationship of Lou and Jackie is so electric and satisfying. These are at times starcrossed lovers meant to be, in other scenes you couldn't imagine two people worse for one another. And it makes sense right? The film is love Lies Bleeding, named for the plant Love-Lies-Bleeding; a plant that has symbolism of immortal love while also simultaneously representing hopeless love. A perfect symbol for the relationship that seems to be consuming itself. Lou and Jackie together feel strong and truly full of affection for one another. Yet their history and nature means that they are also the reason for one another's downfall. Lou is responsible for Jackie's addiction to steroids, while Lou pushes her vulnerable girlfriend into killing the man who is abusing her sister. It is only when an outside manipulating force attacks them both, in the form of Lou's father, that they come together to protect the person they love.This isn't the bubblegum queer story like Heartstopper or Red, White and Royal Blue nor is it the tragic 'kill your gays' trope coming home to roost once again. This is a deeply unique and creative queer narrative with a fascinating noir pulp setting and an intricate relationship at its core.

 

The way this film is shot is very graphic and arresting, the visuals are brutal and grimy. I felt like this film knew how to dance that line between grounded grit and fantastical imagery. The editing was very smooth, setting an often tense and frantic pace. It also had some brilliant, 70s/80s retro music video cutting to sequences that made this whole thing stand out like crazy. The soundtrack is a lot of fun and is filled with tracks that speak to the points of danger and change - with 'Transformation' by Nona Hendryx being an absolute standout scene. The score itself is anxiety-inducing, really seeping right into you while also holding a few faint tracks of optimistic hope.

 

Anna Baryshnikov, who played Daisy, is an extremely disarming and wild character in this; the way she portrays her intense infatuation for Stewart is alarming and makes for a dangerous role. Kristen Stewart, who played Lou, has found one of her career greats in this leading role; Stewart is so confident and in charge with this character both in her relationship and in her onscreen rivalry with Lou Sr. (Harris). Dave Franco, who played JJ, might be in one of his filthiest roles ever; Franco is portraying this vile thug who is abusive and an incredible creep to the female characters of the film. Ed Harris, who played Lou Sr., is not your typical antagonist with the Harris glower; this figure is a major manipulator and is more conniving than a physical threat in the feature. Orion Carrington, who played O'Riley, is quite a charismatic yet threatening figure in all this; this portrayal of an FBI agent feels like a force to be reckoned with despite his lower screen time.

However, the best performance came from Katy O'Brian, who played Jackie. This role is immensely interesting and a lot of what goes on with the two leads hinges on Jackie. The obvious component is how immensely physical this role is. Jackie is a bodybuilder and O'Brian has to get big for this role. But more than that she has to train for bodybuilder competition showmanship, posing and performance. This is an aspect of the character she has clearly put strong work into and achieves well. However, what separates this performance out is just how interesting she is; when first we meet her she is alone and has to make personal compromises to get work or a place to sleep. Yet she radiates joy and is quite a hopeful figure, she shines and it's no wonder that Stewart's character is so drawn to her. O'Brian and Stewart have phenomenal chemistry from the way they fall in love even to how intimate their points of conflict are. O'Brian's work to show Jackie as a vulnerable figure who doesn't know how to deal with complex things like Lou's pain so she responds with violence is interesting. Jackie is a rash person who barrels forwards; into aggression or into stereoids. Yet watching O'Brian portray the spiral and her role's reaction to the consequences of her actions is equally fantastic. Jackie is O'Brian's best work to date and squarely cements her as a genuine dramatic performer worth getting excited for in the years to come.

In the early beginnings of this film there is some great work done to create the two leads and how they come together in a very realistic way. I fell into their story because it was so neatly presented. This did result in the more crime family aspect feeling a little more fantastical when it was first introduced. It took some time for the movie to really work out how to blend the grounded elements of that with the heightened elements of that. There are also many moments depicting the obscene to make things go from bad to worse or to shake the audience back to reality. While I did like the thematic use of this style, I didn't feel like every instance of this was purposeful, resulting in some gross moments that felt excessive to the style.

Jena Malone, who played Beth, perhaps embraces the meek quality of her role too much; it is hard for Malone to leave an impression in her scenes and her character is more reduced to a glaring facial prosthetic than anything else.

 

I was horrified, transfixed, enamoured and sobered by this entire whirlwind of a film. I would give Love Lies Bleeding an 8/10.

 

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire

 

This review may contain spoilers!

 

Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire is the direct sequel to Godzilla vs. Kong (2021) and the fifth entry in Legendary's Monsterverse. In this film we journey with Kong as he explores his new home of Hollow Earth, a strange subterranean pocket dimension within Earth. As Kong grows closer to discovering a secret about his kind, we come to see Godzilla slowly preparing itself for a new great threat to our world. It will take the combined forces of Godzilla, Kong and the humans of MONARCH to take on the latest threat.

 

These movies have been begging for a bit more adventure to them for a little while now. In the last feature we were promised a pretty decent fight between Godzilla and Kong but the story just wasn't there around those action scenes. In this film, we start with Kong and get to stay with him on and off the whole film. It really solidifies the monsters as characters in their own right; especially because Kong's character arc here is struggling with a deep loneliness only to uncover he is not the last of his kind. Unfortunately, Kong's people are ruled by a tyrant and if he wishes to free them then he must face one of the biggest challenges we've seen him tackle onscreen. I really liked the treatment of the monsters here, we finally see them as more than just visual effects or action pieces. Likewise Godzilla is building a nice sense of foreboding by constantly powering himself up all movie long for an undisclosed threat. The film isn't shy to showcase a wide variety of interesting looking kaiju too; there are monster fights and designs consistently placed throughtout the movie which left the worldbuilding coming across as pretty rich. The human storyline is about learning the threat directly related to the monster plot, with them venturing to Hollow Earth to aid Kong and Godzilla. This was a really smart way to utilise the human characters, by blending their narrative arcs with the focal point of the feature.

 

This movie is shot exceptionally well and is my personal favourite of Adam Wingard's features to date. The camerawork takes in these monolithic special effects shots and leaves you wowed, the action and visuals all very immersive in how they are captured and the way actors are shot blends them into these CGI vistas and creatures seamlessly. The special effects might just be the very part of Godzilla x Kong, there are so many detailed and well scaled kaiju in this that all look amazing. Pair these creatures with the way environments, laser blasts and flying vehicles are designed and this thing is a sleek looking blockbuster. The score here is a bit retro at times in a very fun way but it also comes at things with the much sought action fanfare. However, the soundtrack is one of my favourites in the Monsterverse series, the inclusion of Kiss' 'I Was Made For Lovin' You' and Golden Earring's 'Twilight Zone' blew me away. 

 

Dan Stevens, who played Trapper, is having a real blast here and it kind of shows; watching Steven bring to life what can only be described as the Steve Irwin of the Monsterverse was a lot of fun. Kaylee Hottle, who played Jia, gets to bring a bit of personal conflict to this with her role's feelings of isolation/not fitting in; I also adored her and Hall's work on creating a fantastic onscreen bond. Alex Ferns, who played Mikael, is such a fun minor role in this; Ferns as this pent up and rageful soldier type who gets wound up so easily just had my full attention when he was in a scene.

However, the best performance came from Rebecca Hall, who played Ilene Andrews. Hall really had me impressed in Godzilla vs. Kong but this performance really just builds on that. In this we see Ilene as this really resourceful and dynamic science team leader. She sweeps through MONARCH with authority but you feel she is well bonded to those around her. I loved how she presented a growing sense of urgency as the kaiju threat started ramping up, even really barrelling into the mystery at the heart of the narrative. Overall, what Hall has done best in these films is play a mother to her onscreen daughter, Hottle. It's a really unique dynamic being a mother to a deaf daughter who also has been displaced from her culture/home. The amount of love and work Hall puts in to frame this incredible bond between mother and daughter is one of the best human elements of this film. Ilene is without a doubt one of my favourite blockbuster roles from Rebecca Hall to date.

The Monsterverse is rarely perfect, and though this is one of my favourite features from the series to date, it is not without flaws. The film really doesn't have a great blend on humour to dramatic elements. There is this real push to have a couple of 'funny' characters front and centre for levity in typical Hollywood blockbuster format. But the truth is these gag characters do very little to help the film and often take the punch out of otherwise decent scenes. A constant problem the Monsterverse has always juggled is the human element, how to make the humans in the film link to the monsters and also be interesting in their own right. This film does it better than most but it does start stumbling in the back half of the film. Suddenly old flaws like exposition dumps, hail Mary secret projects and a hidden human society all start popping up and things get more convoluted than they really need to be. The Iwi tribe in Hollow Earth is a storyline that doesn't feel well explored and added too much lore dumping in the final stages of the feature. There's also a brief subplot around Ilene misunderstanding Jia and thinking she wants to stay with the Iwi, which felt like unnecessary heightened drama for the sake of it.

Brian Tyree Henry, who played Bernie Hayes, really does make an effort to tone it down for this film but he's still too over the top for this feature I found; this is a role that is only here to keep rattling off comedic dialogue at a frequent pace and it really intrudes on a lot of scenes. Fala Chen, who played the Iwi Queen, was a real nothing role; this character does a lot of empty staring but rarely actually gets to play a part in the story of the film. Rachel House, who played Hampton, is such a hard sell as a scientist type; watching House stumble through a chief scientist role was probably the biggest miscast in the feature.

I haven't always loved Legendary's Monsterverse, but this film is one of their very best in the series. I would give Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire a 7.5/10.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire

 

 

This review may contain spoilers!

 

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is a sequel to Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021) in which we now join the Spengler family home in the classic Ghostbusters firehouse, careening about New York City and catching ghosts. Yet while the Spengler family faces the challenge of bureaucratic red tape a far more deadly threat is on the horizon: a being called Garraka that harnesses the chilling power of fear itself.

 

 The central storyline really builds itself up nicely, over the course of the movie you really feel the genuine threat of Garraka's impending release into the mortal world. The movie opens with an arresting moment of foreshadowing, a segment that spells doom as we are then hurtled into the sort of fun adventure that this more modern take on Ghostbusters is doing so well. Our family team of Spenglers careens through the streets of New York pursuing a ghostly dragon and causing mayhem, what more could you ask for? The way this film threads Garraka's prison and impending release through the story by letting it trade hands through the classic Ghostbusters cast, the new cast and into a new location is really a nice method of linking. All the while Garraka is steadily unveiled and the scale of what he will bring down upon New York is really well depicted, the tension in the lead up to his physical reveal to Phoebe is spectacular. While there were some issues with this subplot I really liked the nature of a ghost like Melody becoming a main character and befriending a Ghostbustser like Phoebe; it was a nice creative step the franchise needed to make.

The movie has a neat style, the camera work often feels very bold and makes use of the iconic locations or New York cityscape. I also felt this film could jump between a flourishing visual effects shot and a more cleverly placed 'scare shot' to up the tension. The visual effects looked really impressive, with a decent amount of variety between all of the ghosts and the ultimate design of Garraka being quite sinister. The score for the feature is the perfect blend of family friendly goof and charm alongside a more gripping sense of foreboding.

 

Paul Rudd, who played Gary Grooberson, was a pretty solid lead once again; Rudd has a very easy-going charm that makes most roles he plays quite charismatic. Mckenna Grace, who played Phoebe Spengler, is one of those character performances that has really defined the new Ghostbusters; the more down and out quality of this role in the sequel Grace tackled candidly while still maintaining a strong connection to what made her role so beloved in Afterlife. Kumail Nanjiani, who played Nadeem Razmaadi, is quite the random comedic role but he works surprisingly well; the real deadbeat loser turned hero trajectory is something Nanjiani has a lot of fun with here. Patton Oswalt, who played Dr. Hubert Wartzki, is only a small role but he leaves a good impression; Oswalt is really good at spinning long exposition and leaving it feeling fun. James Acaster, who played Lars Pinfield, is a whole lot of fun as the new uppity scientist on the Ghostbusters payroll; Acaster really falls into the severity of the role which draws out some great comedy from how he inhabits a scene. Bill Murray, who played Peter Venkman, is so quick with hilarious dialogue delivery that it feels like he never left Ghostbusters; Murry and Nanjiani's scene together is one of the very best in the film given how they play off one another. Dan Aykroyd, who played Ray Stantz, is one of my very favourite performances in this; Aykroyd feels like the heart of the movie and you can see how much he still believes in the magic of Ghostbusters. William Atherton, who played Mayor Walter Peck, is a nice returning minor antagonist; the way he takes to triumphing over the Ghostbusters makes you love to hate him.

However, the best performance came from Emily Alyn Lind, who played Melody. This is a role who wasn't exactly the most front and centre performance but who was a unique concept that really left a strong impression. Lind is really good at starting out quite witty with an edge of mystique to her. She really plays the friendly persona well, her and Grace have some excellent onscreen chemistry with one another. Yet there is this unsettling quality to her, something that makes you know beyond a shadow of a doubt that she is a dangerous person too. I loved her portrayal of grief at not being able to reconnect with her family; this tragic feeling of loneliness she fed into her portrayal. Lind also really presents the conflict between betraying her friend or serving her interests really well. This was such a fresh role for the Ghostbusters universe and it couldn't have been done much better than Lind.

Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire is the sort of story that holds a lot of promise but the content within really just doesn't work all that often. The second act was a very tough one to watch because the whole thing is filled with character after character explaining how all the technology worked, the history of Garraka or any other ghost that wandered into frame and even long winded explanations of new characters like the Fire Starter. The whole thing really slowed down because the movie felt like it had to take the time to explain itself in every second scene. For a franchise built on humour I was really surprised by how infrequent and poor the jokes were. This was an objectively funny cast but the dialogue rarely brought a laugh and there were scenes oddly scattered that felt more like skits than the natural flow of scenes. The family dramas of the Spenglers just weren't as interesting this time around; things like the mayor rallying against the Ghostbustsers are played out, causing Phoebe to feel angst because she was benched was over the top, they didn't know what to do with Trevor and Gary trying to find his place in the Spengler family was such a dull storyline. As a whole this is a film with a very exciting true north but it is riddled with some really lousy plot inbetween the 'big moments'.

Carrie Coon, who played Callie Spengler, is a character that really hasn't worked in these modern sequels; Coon plays a very stereotypical mother figure and she isn't great at the more comedic elements of Ghostbusters. Finn Wolfhard, who played Trevor Spengler, just feels like he's poorly placed in this film; watching Wolfhard complain about being taken seriously as an adult while fighting Slimer all film was such a poor use of this performer. Celeste O'Connor, who played Lucky, is inserted back into this film and doesn't really earn her sequel return; O'Connor just plays Lucky in quite a scattershot manner without ever making her feel like she belongs to the story. Logan Kim, who played Podcast, was fun in Afterlife but quite annoying now; Kim's same rapidfire dialogue delivery and in your face screen presence really have lost their charm. Ernie Hudson, who played Winston Zeddemore; delivers so much of his exposition like he's trying to sell me a used car; Hudson's Ghostbuster was always the more boring and this still holds true. Annie Potts, who played Janine Melnitz, never really justifies being back in this sequel; it's quite unclear what role Potts is actually serving and why she's here for any reason beyond nostalgia.

A decent special effects action blockbuster that really struggles to tell a story without cramming exposition down your throat or smashing storylines together like a toddler playing with blocks. I would give Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire a 6/10.

The Convert

 

 

This review may contain spoilers!

 

The Convert is a historical drama set during the times of colonial Aotearoa and follows a lay preacher who is troubled by the injustices faced by the warring Māori iwi and turns to championing their cause. The first act of this feature is something truly magnificant to behold. We get to see this righteous figure of Thomas Munro enter Aotearoa after a difficult overseas journey. He enters this land with a curious mind and a great deal of compassion for others; leading to his saving Rangimai from Akatarewa's raiding party. The establishment of this father/daughter like relationship, an almost guardian status is a soft and gentle thing at first that is often faced with turmoil from the town Munro preaches for. The Convert really highlights the way English colonies preyed on that which is other; this can be seen in the murder of Pahirua, the framing and murder of the Roman Catholic grocer, the 'exile' of Charlotte and Kedgley's dealings with the iwi in the area. I also liked the time spent learning of the Māori people in this historical context, in which they held their own way of life but had also adopted changes due to the pervasive nature of English colonialism.

This is one of Lee Tamahori's most beautifully shot features yet, the way the landscape of Aotearoa is captured speaks to something truly ancient and beloved about this place. Aotearoa feels vast and beautiful, it's wildlife so fascinating and even the move to visceral action, though shocking, will have your gaze arrested to the screen. The musical score by Matteo Zingales is enitrely melancholic, filled with long moments of sorrow and mourning woven into song. I was also really impressed by the very appropriate use of Māori waiata, which often lended this sense of gravity to a scene.

 

Guy Pearce, who played Thomas Munro, is an absolutely fantastic protagonist performance in this; there's a scene of great hardship in this where Pearce recounts an attack against a school his character made in the past in what I can only describe as the best monologue from The Convert. Tioreore Ngatai-Melbourne, who played Rangimai, is such a powerful young performer; the scene in which she demands someone seek revenge on her behalf was such a moving moment. Antonio Te Maioha, who played Maianui, is a very stern chieftain figure; Te Maioha is a steady presence who leads with great strength and really stands tall in his scenes. Jacqueline McKenzie, who played Charlotte, really did so impressively with her dedication to portraying a woman who could really fluently speak both English and te reo Māori; the pain McKenzie displays at recounting how Charlotte feels losing her family is another impactful moment of the feature. Lawrence Makoare, who played Akatarewa, is a truly excellent antagonist; Makoare presents a man entirely motivated by violent war and conquest.

However, the best performance came from Dean O'Gorman, who played Kedgley. In the context of the whole film, Kedgley was really just a character role that didn't have as much screen time but I found the role to be something incredibly genuine from O'Gorman. This mercantile ship captain has an air of indifference to him when first we meet him; he struggles to give a dedicated eulogy to one of his own crew and fobs the job off to the protagonist. O'Gorman as Kedgley feels very charismatic, he speaks well to those he meets and is passionate about his trade in Aotearoa, particularly with the Māori iwi. Yet the more we see how Kedgley peddles and swindles, the more the charisma falls away to reveal a more wily and cunning figure. The scene in which he desperately negotiates for Munro's life by equating him to a slave shows his true colours. But later yet, we come to see the greedy and arrogant trader Kedgley is; and his own hubris in holding superiority over the Māori people.

I was really hooked in by this film, knowing it was made by a legend of Kiwi cinema and just watching how entirely gorgeous it was had me very excited. But there was something else nagging away at me quite severely. Early in the film we get to see 'man of God' Thomas munro land upon Aotearoa by aiding his white horse to shore and then riding out of the surf along the shoreline. It was a very messianic moment and it made me think of a classic Hollywood criticism around the 'white saviour' figure. As a whole the film has a very Pākehā driven narrative, surprising considering how many Māori creators were behind the development of The Convert. Yet the film itself follows Munro as he saves Rangimai and nurses her back to health, then delivering the body of Pahirua back to Maianui. From here he teaches this iwi how to fight better with muskets, attempts to 'expose' the reasoning and practice to the Māori people, offers to singlehandedly negotiate and save Maianui's people and then turns to violence to fight for Maianui's people when Akaterewa attacks. There is also a side character who is partnered with Munro as one of the three central protagonists; a Pākehā woman who once married into Maianui's iwi. By the end of the feature Munro speaks on behalf of the Māori iwi to the English Crown colonial representatives, all while sporting a mataora. There is a lot of this that makes me wonder how much Munro and Charlotte deserved or even should have been the centre of this story, when figures like Rangimai were so better represented and meant a great deal more to the story. I understand wanting to make a film that resonated strongly with white audiences but I'm not convinced this was the happy medium it wanted to be.

The editing felt very inconsistent with some jarring cuts and fade to black transitions that looked horrendous. The uninspired approach to editing let down the stunning visuals of the feature in a few places and also dragged the pacing out a bit more than was really necessary.

Duane Evans Jr., who played Pahirua, feels a little too comfortable giving nothing at all to his role; this is a character that drops into the background very easily. Madeleine McCarthy, who played Bethany, doesn't really have much chemistry with Evans Jr.; the romantic entanglement between these two feels like the script pushes them together more than anything else. Ariki Salvation-Turner, who played Uenuku, has what can be described as some of the worst line delivery in the film; Salvation-Turner feels like he is regurgitating the script but hasn't found much of his character at all.

A truly majestic Aotearoa film visually, but the plot left me feeling a bit complicated when the credits started rolling. I would give The Convert a 6/10.

Damsel

Damsel thrusts viewers into the world of Princess Elodie, betrothed to Prince Henry of the Aurea kingdom, only to uncover the dark secrets surrounding her new royal family and their sinister relationship with a formidable dragon.

What sets Damsel apart is its adept manipulation of genre expectations. While initially poised as a fantasy survival narrative with a lone protagonist, the film masterfully weaves a pervasive sense of horror throughout. From subtle visual cues to the haunting score by David Fleming, every element contributes to an atmosphere thick with foreboding. The revelation of the dragon's ability to communicate further amplifies the impending danger, setting the stage for a gripping tale of survival.

Millie Bobby Brown's portrayal of Elodie is commendable, capturing her transformation from a dutiful princess to a determined warrior. Additionally, Shohreh Aghdashloo's portrayal of the Dragon adds a chilling depth to the antagonist, enhancing every scene with a palpable sense of menace. However, it is Robin Wright's portrayal of Queen Isabelle that truly shines as the standout performance of the film. Wright's regal authority and calculated malevolence elevate the character from a mere antagonist to a formidable force to be reckoned with.

Despite its strengths, Damsel falls short in its predictability. The narrative arc follows a familiar trajectory, with few surprises along the way. Elodie's sudden prowess in combat feels inadequately explained, detracting from the film's credibility. Additionally, the lackluster world-building leaves much to be desired, with both royal families and their respective kingdoms feeling underdeveloped.

Visually, Damsel struggles to immerse viewers in its world, with CGI effects failing to impress. The reveal of the dragon is particularly disappointing, lacking the realism needed to suspend disbelief. The poorly rendered CGI creates a jarring contrast with the live-action elements, detracting from the overall viewing experience. To add insult to injury, the film's choice to close with a lackluster rendition of "Ring of Fire" feels like a missed opportunity for a memorable ending.

Ray Winstone's subdued performance as Lord Bayford further dampens the film's impact, while Angela Bassett's exaggerated portrayal as Lady Bayford feels out of place.

In conclusion, Damsel is a film with untapped potential. Despite its atmospheric tension and standout performances, it ultimately fails to deliver a truly captivating narrative or immersive visual experience. While it may satisfy fans of the genre, its shortcomings prevent it from reaching its full potential.

I would give Damsel a 4.5/10.

Spaceman

Spaceman, a thought-provoking science-fiction drama, delves into the depths of human loneliness and the quest for connection in the vast expanse of space. The film follows Jakub, a solitary astronaut embarking on a solo mission beyond Jupiter, while back on Earth, his wife Lenka contemplates leaving him due to the emotional void their relationship has become over the years. However, the narrative takes a surprising turn when an extraterrestrial spider, Hanus, enters Jakub's spacecraft with the intent to alleviate his profound loneliness.

Contrary to the expectations often associated with Adam Sandler's films, Spaceman ventures into experimental territory, pushing the boundaries of storytelling and character exploration. The film's strength lies in its unconventional approach to depicting Jakub's journey of self-reflection and growth amidst the isolation of space. The juxtaposition of Jakub's struggles in space with Lenka's emotional turmoil on Earth adds layers of complexity to the narrative, keeping the audience engaged throughout.

One of the film's most compelling aspects is the unlikely bond formed between Jakub and Hanus. Despite the initial unease surrounding the extraterrestrial creature, Hanus emerges as a symbol of healing and companionship, guiding Jakub towards emotional maturity and reconciliation with Lenka. The dynamic between Jakub and Hanus, though initially jarring, evolves into a poignant reflection of human connection transcending cosmic boundaries.

Visually stunning, Spaceman captivates with its mesmerizing CGI effects, particularly in rendering the otherworldly presence of Hanus and the majestic vistas of space. Max Richter's haunting score enhances the film's atmospheric depth, accentuating moments of both beauty and melancholy.

Adam Sandler delivers a transformative performance as Jakub, portraying a man on the brink of emotional collapse with raw intensity and vulnerability. Carey Mulligan shines as Lenka, capturing the complexities of love, loss, and resilience amidst heartbreak. However, it is Paul Dano's voice work as Hanus that steals the show, imbuing the character with wisdom and empathy that resonate deeply with the audience.

While Spaceman's narrative occasionally falters in its pacing and focus, particularly in the first half, the core emotional arc remains compelling and resonant. The film's exploration of themes such as corporate greed and the fragility of human relationships adds depth to the story, even if some plot elements feel underdeveloped.

In conclusion, Spaceman is a transcendent sci-fi drama that delves into the existential depths of human existence, weaving a tale of loneliness, connection, and authentic love across the cosmic canvas. Despite its occasional flaws, the film's poignant message and stellar performances make it a captivating cinematic experience. 

I would rate Spaceman a solid 7.5/10.

Dune: Part Two

 This review may contain spoilers!

 

Dune: Part Two is the sequel to Dune (2021) and continues with the story of how Paul Atreides survives the decimation of his House and leads an army of Fremen against the Harkonnen forces. 

 

One of my main criticisms of the first film was answered almost immediately in the first act this time around. I found there was a lot of exposition and we were fed worldbuilding; but in this act the film finally takes a punt at letting the audience experience the world of Arrakis. When Paul Atreides seeks to reject his 'Chosen One' destiny and instead wishes to learn the Fremen culture and become immersed in it we get a really intimate examination of the lifestyle of this planet. Paul becomes more resolute in the trials he seeks out and forms interesting character bonds as a part of his journey, it's a neatly packaged journey in which we the audience come to understand the Fremen culture and the world of Arrakis better through Paul's own developing worldview. I also really liked how this form of storytelling fostered a believable resistance story of native people standing strong against a foreign occupier. It also kindled a great romantic subplot between Paul and Chani that added a lot of meat to the later conflicts.

 

The visuals Denis Villeneuve has brought to the world of Dune are what makes this trip worth the price of admission. The story I can take or leave but there are whole sequences of shots, down to singular frames that are the epitome of cinematic artwork. The setting could feel so barren but instead it feels expansive, beautiful and extraterrestrial. These movies transport you entirely and they are designed perfectly to do so through their look alone. The special effects are very impressive, the ships and vehicles scattered throughout right down to the sandworms or the Harkonnen troopers gliding through the air looks entirely realistic. Though I feel like his best themes really appeared in the first Dune I was suitable impressed by Zimmer's score for this one; it continues that trend of unnatural sounding music that aims to transport you there and also emphasise scenes where the action rushes forwards.

 

Javier Bardem, who played Stilgar, is quite a boisterous and proud leading figure of the religious Fremen; Bardem's exuberance and devotion really marks him as one of the true leading performers in this ensemble. Charlotte Rampling, who played Reverend Mother Mohiam, is a rather sinister figure who puppeteers the great Houses with a sharp wit; Rampling feels like a dark mystical force with a network cast wide over the galaxy.

 

However, the best performance came from Zendaya, who played Chani. This is a role that probably has the best arc over this epic cinematic feature. Chani is sympathetic to the outsiders her people have taken in at first, acting as a translator for Paul and humouring his constant questioning. But she stands mildly entertained by the outsiders and guarded against them too; she doesn't trust easily at all. As the film progresses we see that great work Zendaya does in portraying her character slowly coming to like, trust and then fall for Paul without ever really shredding that hard exterior of a warrior Fremen. There is a conflict on display here as the Fremen turn to religious zealotry around her, Chani cannot buy into what her people believe but she still deeply cares for Paul. Watching her strong feelings of love turn bitter and become resentment and ager speak strongly to Zendaya's ability to craft a complex character. That final scene in which she sees how much Paul was willing to fight for her while also choosing to throw her to the side like something disposable is heartbreaking because of Zendaya's acting talent. She gets that final shot this time around and damn does she deserve it.

 

There were entire moments of this film where I really felt like they improved upon the first Dune, and there were times where what had once worked was beginning to wear thin. Ultimately, when I left the movie theatre I felt I had watched something interesting but nothing truly fresh nor gripping when it came to the narrative. The wider sense of world building with the Emperor, the Harkonnens and the Bene Gesseritt all come across as superfluous this time around. There's a lot of interrupting the plot as the story wears on to focus on new characters who provide very little or to iterate vast swathes of exposition that don't always feel very purposeful in their intent. The entire storyline around religious fanaticism is interesting but it all happens very quickly and is difficult to suspend disbelief on. The Fremen are initially quite the interesting culture but the subversion of their identity takes place in a handful of scenes and left me wishing it had been thought on a little more. I'm still extremely tired of the Chosen One narrative, it feels like such an outdated brand of storytelling that you have to be inventive with these days. But this film fails to be inventive on this plot point and holds to the tired trope like it's the most fascinating direction we could've gone. A lot of the actual visual conflict was quite rushed and fight choreography in a number of scenes looked awful, with the final battle between Paul and Feyd-Rautha ending in a bit of an anti-climax. It was disappointing to see conflict rushed through while exposition and branching subplots really bogging down the pace. Also the whole thing with Lady Jessica becoming the head of a religion and talking telepathically to her unborn child within her own womb was maybe something that feels like an outdated storyline. Including that strange pregnancy arc was unnerving and took me entirely out of the film throughout.

 

Timothée Chalamet, who played Paul Atreides, lacks the presence to really make his mark this time around; I just don't believe Paul's journey to becoming this great leader when he's this reedy little figure who delicately whispers out his dialogue. Rebecca Ferguson, who played Jessica, is perhaps one of the most oddball performances in the cast; the moment Ferguson has to start acting out fake conversations with her fake pregnant belly the character became a bit of a joke. Josh Brolin, who played Gurney Halleck, is just way too laidback this time around; Brolin almost feels misplaced as a more comedic relief type role at times. Austin Butler, who played Feyd-Rautha, needs to seriously fire or get a new voice coach; the fact I heard an American accent right through to an awful Stellan Skarsgård impersonation made this antagonist a bit of a parody of himself. Florence Pugh, who played Princess Irulan, is a very talented performer but feels quite bland in this; Pugh is given barely anything to do and is the backdrop of one of the least entertaining subplots. Dave Bautista, who played Beast Rabban, has reverted right back to that wrestler level of acting this time around; watching Bautista shout every single line or bumble through uninspired fight choreography was painful. Christopher Walken, who played the Emperor, was hilarious as far as casting goes; you couldn't have anyone less suited to this character and the line delivery was everything you'd expect. Léa Seydoux, who played Lady Margot Fenring, is really just in this film to play an object of sexual desire for Feyd-Rautha (Butler); Seydoux has a lot of potential but she is really just placed here for one major seduction scene. Stellan Skarsgård, who played Baron Harkonnen, is really underutilised this time around; I just didn't feel the gravity of the Harkonnen's in this sequel. Souheila Yacoub, who played Shishakli, is a friend figure to Zendaya's Chani but the pair's friendship never feels too significant; Yacoub is one of the Fremen performances that falls more into the background and bears little weight. Anya Taylor-Joy, who played Alia Atreides, is the physical embodiment of one of the worst subplots in the film; it was a bit of a waste placing Taylor-Joy with such a strange piece of writing.

Much like the first part, this iteration of Dune is one of the most visually impressive films of 2024 but it is impeded by a narrative that feels overstuffed and out of date. I would give Dune: Part Two a 6.5/10.

Mea Culpa

 This review may contain spoilers!

 

Mea Culpa follows Mea Harper, a defense attorney who becomes embroiled over the mystery of her aerist client, Zyair Malloy's case and whether or not he killed his ex-girlfriend. At the same time Mea must face familial pressure to drop the case as her brother in-law, assistant to the District Attorney, lands the prosecution spot of the case and hopes to use the opportunity for a mayoral campaign.

 

The thing that works best with this thriller is when we get to sit with Mea as a character. She is a phenomenal protagonist who has to stay held together through a marriage that is imploding, a family who openly show signs of rejecting her and a case that is taking a heavy mental and emotional toll. Watching Mea analyse her husband, trying to understand if he was cheating on her while still holding the illusion of their life together by lying for him was interesting. I also enjoyed that she openly antagonised her in-laws who equally seemed beset against her, she was constantly being played off against others and seemed to have to fight for herself a lot. Watching all of these personal issues bleed into her casework and compromise her, to the point that she was effectively seduced by her client was an interesting journey to being compromised.

The soundtrack for this film film was incredible and spoke to the 'sleepycity with illicit affairs taking place' setting of the piece; 'Walk On By' by Isaac Hayes was my favourite track and it called to the way Mea was described as longing at one point while also noting the way she had to constantly move past her troubles.

 

RonReaco Lee, who played Jimmy, has some great chemistry with Rowland as her friend and confidante; I thought Lee moved scenes with a light charisma that really carried him and his scene where he tried to read Rhodes' character was one of my favourites. Nick Sagar, who played Ray, was quite interesting as the cool and arrogant DA's assistant; Sagar really built the work in to unveiling himself as an antagonist figure. Angela Robinson, who played Renee, was compelling for her major scene; Robinson's portrayal of someone who is so jaded and bitter from having been left behind is an interesting character moment and a great scene.

However, the best performance came from Kelly Rowland, who played Mea Harper. This was a feat of acting that really held you from start to finish. When first we meet Rowland she is struggling through marriage counselling; composing herself but containing feelings of hurt and anger that make themselves known throughout. Mea has this very personable approach and she seems a little larger than life, her presence in a scene is phenomenal. Rowland really captures the hard, professional edge to the role and she was very believable as this much respected attorney. Watching Rowland come at a case with such intensity, and studious inent was pretty fascinating and a unique role for her. I loved how Rowland slowly broke down that professional layer in her approach to her scenes with Rhodes; the way that got out of control for her character was fascinating. I also ultimately enjoyed watching Rowland claim back her character's agency, reject Zyair and stand against the criminal connections within her family. In my honest opinion, Kelly Rowland is THE reason to watch Mea Culpa.

I really expected more from Tyler Perry and I'm not really sure why; perhaps because he has become such a rising fixture in developing cinema or because he has a really good streak with dramatic roles. But this film just didn't feel like a fully developed project at all. The script was very inconsistent and more often than not played out like a telenovella. The will they/won't they element of the Harper's marriage isn't very interesting beyond Mea's perspective and it was difficult to understand why they were together in the first place. The wider extended family and the family issues in general were extremely over the top; moving through a fake cancer subplot wasn't even the worst thing going on here. What I struggled with the most was that this film really packaged itself as a legal thriller to some extent but the legal case is barely focused on. Even in scenes with Zyair, the focus is barely on the case. In fact there is a lot of trying to break down who Zyair is, and if he has it in him to be a murderer. But the plot doesn't convince me there really is enough substance to Zyair at all for this level of focus; he says these big passages of dialogue that rarely mean much of anything at all. The fact Zyair and Mea sleep together is a whole plot moment that comes together quite abruptly; while it might be the sexiest moment of 2024 it's not really a character relationship that is very well earned. But nothing really compares to the sudden conspiracy that is the final act, in which so many plot twists that don't really hold up are introduced all within ten minutes of each other. It makes the whole thriller become increasingly outlandish and by the end of everything it's not really clear how the final antagonists came to be about; the plot didn't serve this hook enough.

Mea Culpa also doesn't look good most of the time, the camera can sometimes be placed at some really questionable angles and the crane and dolly work in this is often crude. I also found this film to have a real lighting problem, there were so many scenes where the light just looked horrendously poor. The editing for the feature set a slog of a pace, and the juddering edits within the sex scene felt like a music video editor has jumped in for a second to spin the decks. This film felt like a newcomer had been given a budget much bigger than what they had ever worked with and simultaneously blew it and didn't know how to use it. The score for the feature also didn't leave much of an impression on me, there needed to be some more themed up musical pieces across this.

Trevante Rhodes, who played Zyair Malloy, has entirely no range in this film and is a terrible scene partner for Rowland; this role is meant to be mysterious and leave us questioning but instead it made me wonder if Rhodes actually wanted to do this film. Kerry O'Malley, who played Azalia Hawthorne, was a bit over the top as the antagonistic mother in-law; her whole villain arc spiral at the end just became more of a parody than anything else. Sean Sagar, who played Kal, was one of the most over the top performances of the whole thing; Sagar clearly struggled with the intricacies of portraying a husband failing in his marriage and so took things too big where a subtler approach could've worked. Shannon Thornton, who played Charlise, was quite an unimpressionable role and performance; Thornton didn't feel especially connected to anyone else and tended to drop into the background in her scenes.

Beyond an absolutely captivating performance from Kelly Rowland, there is little else worth mentioning about Tyler Perry's latest thriller. I would give Mea Culpa a 4/10.

Madame Web

 This review may contain spoilers!

 

Madame Web is the latest film in Sony's spinoff Spider-Man efforts; a story following Cassie Webb, who develops the ability to see into the future. When this paramedic foresees the immediate deaths of three young women, she intervenes to save their lives. Now on the run, Cassie must learn her new powers fast if she hopes to defeat the mysterious spider-themed assailant looking to kill the women under her protection.

 

What I really enjoyed about Madame Web was the tilt from Act One into Act Two, howe we see Cassie growing conscious of her powers and then getting in over her head very fast. The film plays with this sense of something wrong and new in a creative way, making us question what is real or just how an event might actually play out. It's also really satisfying to see Cassie grow and develop a confidence around her powers.

 

While I can't speak to all aspects of this element, I did enjoy the visual effects overall. There were some fun astral projection sequences, the 'webs of fate' looked especially well designed and the big pyrotechnic sequence with the explosions in the final fight were effective.

 

Sydney Sweeney, who played Julia Cornwall, does her very best with a poorly written role; I found Sweeney's performance as a more shy and reclusive teen charming and a bit of a contrast to her usual roles. Adam Scott, who played Ben Parker, was a real hit for me in this film; Scott and Johnson have some exceptional chemistry with one another as on-screen best friends.

 

However, the best performance came from Dakota Johnson, who played Cassandra Webb. This is a role that has gotten it's fair share of criticism but I think overall, Johnson helmed a really poor script surprisingly well. Cassie Webb is a bit of a reclusive figure, she sits apart from folks normally and carries around a big chip on her shoulder. Johnson plays awkward strongly, and those disarming moments of poor social interaction from Cassie are made all the better because of it. Her ability to actually deliver dialogue that feels a bit cutting and funny at the same time lends a weirdly camp quality to this role that I enjoyed. I also felt Johnson allowed herself to be angry at the three under her protection, the reluctant hero angle is something she played to very well. I also got this sense that Cassie was a lonely figure, looking to connect with others but being held back - a distance that was very well presented by Johnson.

The issue these Sony films have that take off minor Spider-Man characters and attempt to make their own thing is just the extremely vapid scripts. I remember when I watched Morbius how I didn't quite understand the point of it; why were they making this film? At least in that feature you could see the success of Venom reflected in another dark anti-hero. Here you have an extremely obscure figure without a strong fanbase saving superheroes before they even have superpowers with a power set that isn't extremely investing to watch for an entire film. This movie was set during 2003 but it felt like it was written back then too. You had ancient Amazonian Spider people tribes, annoying teenagers that aren't very well written and a bad guy motivated by bad dreams that haven't come to pass yet. For no reason at all Spider-Man's pregnant mother is in this film, placed in danger and ultimately delivering the future wall-crawler (though he is never named). The plot also has a weird sense of what is important and what isn't; our three leading protagonists beyond Cassie are never really developed and are instead sort of archetypes. The film doesn't pace especially fast, it moves in a meandering sort of way which drops the stakes significantly. The protagonist even has time to jet set off to Peru before the final act of the film.The antagonist, Ezekiel Sims, just might be the worst realised comic book antagonist I've seen brought to the big screen. His character never makes a modicum of sense and a lot of the time he just seems purely motivated to be bad for the sake of it. The film also has the gall to entirely change Cassie into a cryptic fortune teller in the last five minutes immediately after she goes blind, entirely shifting her character on the viewer. More than that, the film never realises the other protagonists as superheroes in anything but dream sequences.

The way this film is shot feels quite by the numbers, blocky wides that centre the leads but a distinct lack of original vision. I also found the action sequences to be shot in a way that really highlights the effects but ruined the flow of the scene or made the setting very obviously a big sound stage. The editing was disruptive and jarring, there was a tendency for things to cut quite abruptly and it resulted in quite an ugly film. The score was entirely forgettable fanfare, the sort I could attribute to any blockbuster not wanting to claim it's own identity. The soundtrack felt setting appropriate but there was no sense of decision making there, the tracks didn't exactly support the film they were in.

Isabela Merced, who played Anya Corazon, just gets the least amount of attention out of the teenagers which means she drops to the background quite a bit; Merced feels like she has nothing to work with and knows it. Celeste O'Connor, who played Mattie Franklin, is a hard protagonist to like; her role grates against the others and just comes off as very self-centred the entire film with no redeeming arc. Tahar Rahim, who played Ezekiel Sims, might be the worst thing to happen to comic book movie bad guys in decades; Rahim absolutely gargled his dialogue and had no variety in his delivery whatsoever. Emma Roberts, who played Mary Parker, is an actress who I felt used to be very up and coming so it's surprising to see her in such an asinine role; Roberts stereotypical turn as a bubbly baby shower momma feels out of step in a Spider-Man story. Kerry Bishé, who played Constance, really sets a poor start to the film; she gives no impact to her lines and you don't really believe she genuinely cares about the things she is talking about in her scenes.  Zosia Mamet, who played Amaria, is hilariously bland as the bad guy's hacker; Mamet just seems a bit lost at the wheel with this role at times. José María Yazpik, who played Santiago, comes off as a caricature role; a poorly realised fictional indigenous tribesman played by a good actor with a script entirely disservicing him.

A film that lacks purpose in a superhero universe lacking any kind of road map or reason for existing at all. I would give Madame Web a 3/10.

Force of Nature: The Dry 2

 This review may contain spoilers!

 

Force Of Nature: The Dry 2 is the sequel to The Dry (2020) and an adaptation to Jane Harper's novel of the same name. In this Aaron Falk is called out to a wilderness retreat to help find a criminal contact who has gone missing while on a tramp. As a storm front closes in on the area time is of the essence to track the missing person and establish if something truly sinister has transpired in the woods.

 

Something that I really enjoy when it comes to the depiction of Aaron falk is the calm nature of these investigations; the actual building of a case. You really feel like Falk is a steady figure, who very deliberately takes his time with interviews and pieces things together in a manner that is precise. There's a phenomenal scene as we shift towards the big reveal in which we see Falk piece it all together and the gravity of the scene entirely shifts. Just the nature of the investigation, from something standard to something frantic is something I was very affixed to.

 

The strongest aspect of this film was beyond a shadow of a doubt the way it was shot. Everything was so sleek and immersive, there was a modern style here that made the Australian bush look mysterious, ancient and entirely beautiful. Yet the way the camera pushed in hard for those moments of conflict was really gripping too. I also found Peter Raeburn's score to rreally drive home the haunting sense of dread, it pushed the ticking clock factor right over the edge.

 

Anna Torv, who played Alice, is a character who I really enjoyed watching descend into desperation and 'flight or flight' mode; Torv's character is one you sort of root for because she is competent and aligned with the protagonists but I genuinely appreciated that Torv had no qualms with playing her as downright mean. Deborra-Lee Furness, who played Jill Bailey, is a real range of talent at work here; Furness' prsentation of cool-headed leader who gets quite spiteful and aggressive under pressure was one of the better performances. Richard Roxburgh, who played Daniel Bailey, is really vile corporate figure that gets some very vixious dialogue; I loved the scenes in which he and Bana got to have a little verbal sparring match.

 

However, the best performance came from Eric Bana, who played Aaron Falk. For so much of this movie I wasn't sure of this but by the end I was entirely caught up in Bana's Falk. In a lot of ways I forgot what made Bana so good in this role and it's all laid out in this feature from start to end. Bana makes Falk a very grounded figure, you truly believe he could be a detective calmly setting out on a case and attacking things methodically. He has this very calm and even presence that makes him come across as extremely professional and highly competent. You swiftly realise that Aaron falk isn't Sherlock Holmes or one of these investigators who solves everything with great leaps of logic; he really works at the puzzle laid out before him. I loved the moments of quiet anger he displayed in the face of local police bureaucracy and the capitalist antagonist (Roxburgh) hesquared off against. The grief we get from Bana in the face of losing a witness is a nice raw moment, not oversold but exactly so. I think Eric Bana has crafted a very truthful role here, in that it feels like a person cut out of this world so truthfully he barely feels fictional.

 

The danger with a little Aussie crime drama getting a sequel is really managing to carry on those deep personal stakes the first feature had. In The Dry Aaron Falk was deeply, personally attached to his case and there was a tragedy happening in the past and the present that made us care deeper. In Force Of Nature they go for branching storylines again; which undercuts things this time. The backstory for Falk and his mother really ought to have been a scene of recounting in the present because it trampled all over the pacing and felt extremely confusing to watch in the context of the greater plot. While my favourite part of the film is the cross-examinations the present storyline is a lot of exposition dumping and wouldn't make for the most evoking watch if it wasn't for Bana really doing some heavy duty work. The main flashback of the tramp/incident really takes centre stage for most of the film and it is just a whirlwind of inconsequential conflict that doesn't lead to much at all. There's a lot of subplot that just feels like it's there to dress up a scene, a corporate criminal backstory that isn't interesting enough to fuel this whole thing and some extremely obvious red herrings. Ultimately, I was especially disappointed with the reveal of the major 'antagonist', it's an underwhelming moment that doesn't feel like good payoff. Everything about the final act comes off as blunder; the crime is a blunder, we blunder into the big reveal and the writers blundered up a nice, shocking end. I wasn't entirely impressed with the antagonists of The Dry either but this one just felt like an abrupt surprise for the sake of it.

 

The editing for this feature set a snail's pace, something the first feature slogged through too. It was made worse by the fact there is no great transition work or visual note for the shifting storylines which would have been a massive support to that confusing insert. I wouldn't normally talk to sound editing and mixing either but the way the film score blasted over the diegetic sound was obscene at times and one of the worst qualities about Force Of Nature.

 

Robin McLeavy, who played Lauren, was hard role to really get much of a sense of; the Lauren character was meant to be meek but McLeavy could've really fell into the background a lot less given how important her role really was. Sisi Stringer, who played Beth, doesn't live up to the hardened figure recovering from addiction and a criminal arrest; Stringer's attempts to come off as the 'tough one' feel stereotypical at best. Lucy Ansell, who played Bree, oversells the goody two-shoes sister part; Stringer's role feels overly sweet and it comes off as quite artificial. Jacqueline McKenzie, who played Carmen, is a performance that is very hard to watch; McKenzie doesn't feel like a character onscreen but rather a person reciting lines she had just memorised. Jeremy Lindsay Taylor, Archie Thomson and Ash Ricardo, who played Eric Falk, Young Aaron Falk and Jennifer Falk respectively, felt like additions to the narrative that never really justified their presence; Taylor was a particularly hard figure to believe as a father to Thomson or a husband to Ricardo. Tony Briggs and Kenneth Radley, who played Ian Chase and Sergeant King respectively, were supports on the investigation who spouted a lot of the more dull exposition; I wish the conflict between Bana and Radley could have been explored a little more.

This looks sleek like a car commercial and has all the substance of one too. I would give Force Of Nature: The Dry 2 a 4/10.

Argylle

This review may contain spoilers!

 

Argylle follows Elly Conway, an acclaimed spy novelist who is trying to find the end of her next spy adventure. When a real life spy saves her life she becomes embroiled in the sort of adventure she once wrote about, where the stakes are high and no one is quite whom they appear to be.

 

What this movie really gets right is that early inciting incident, bringing our unsuspecting author into the high stakes world of espionage. Watching her fearfully reject the violence that has come knocking only to fall deeper into the world and become a surprisingly good partner to Aidan is quite a good foundation for the humour element of this film. In fact, watching these two bicker over how to approach or resolve a situation laid before them is probably the best part of the plot. I also really think Vaughn's classic style of positioning an irreverent fight scene with the perfect soundtrack accompaniment really stands out, particularly in the first half of the film.

 

This film looks really impressive, the cinematography highlights quick and artful fight choreography while also spotlighting the scale of this globetrotting spy adventure. It's all bold wides that maximise the space and when you get something that gets a bit artful it feels extremely considered. The score by Lorne Balfe is classic spy thriller fare, with that final fight between Elly and Aidan playing to a particularly standout theme. I also was delighted by the witty use of the soundtrack, though the more melancholy inclusion of 'Now and Then' by The Beatles was the real showstopper.

 

John Cena, who played Wyatt, was this very calm humourous performance that sold the novel scenes to me; the way Cena really came off as this sharp-witted aide to Cavill was brilliant. Bryce Dallas Howard, who played Elly Conway, had a poorly written lead role on her hands and absolutely proved a great performer can shine regardless; I loved Howard whether she came off as an anxious cat-Mum author or when she was presenting a cold-hearted master assassin. Samuel L. Jackson, who played Alfie, has an almost kindly fatherly quality to his role that imbues trust immediately; yet Jackson also entertains with funny line delivery and incredible bursts of energy when leaning into his character's excitement.

 

However, the best performance came from Sam Rockwell, who played Aidan Wilde. This is a performance that injects a bit of life into a film that was searching for it. When first we meet Rockwell he is a little rough around the edges, uncouth and even a little abrasive in his own impolite way. This is a spy who is closer to the 'real thing', he has no charm and he isn't pushing past six feet but he's still naturally the best at what he does. Watching Rockwell patiently try and goad help from Howard while steadily growing more and more irritated by her cat creates a nice starting point for their relationship. As the film carries forward we see Aidan's frustrations are actually more with Howard's Elly, that he misses the person she was to him. Watching this cantankerous spy soften into someone who just misses his love and wants to find her again definitely tugs on the heartstrings; the final confrontation between them is a big reminder of how far those two have come. Sam Rockwell is one of my favourite actors out there and it is no surprise he steals the show entirely here.

 

Nowadays, when we think of movies Matthew Vaughn has made we often consider Kingsman, but Argylle really made think of that awful sequel: Kingsman: The Golden Circle. I say this because just like Golden Circle this is a showy feature with a lot of promise but just one of the most convoluted plots you could possibly cram into an action blockbuster. I wondered for a moment if a producer had written this during the writer's strike because the dialogue is chiefly cheesy one-liners and exposition. Worse still, the film is riddled with plot twists that don't make much sense and only serve to draw out the poor pacing of this overstuffed feature. There are whole elements of fake parents, repressed identities, hypnosis/brainwashing, secret romance, a friend back from the dead, fake out death sequences and a third act betrayal that is more of a headscratcher than anything else. The film tries to do too much, often pushing itself to seem smarter than it really was. This is a film that had a good foundation for a simple premise, with a writer being pulled into the world that they have written. But the plot gets away from that, starts chasing itself a bit too much and makes the entirety of our protagonist quite hard to follow at times. This film is also a shocker for dropping story elements; the biggest one being the novel characters appearing within their own scenes. This was a major aspect of the first act and it had good roots, but the film really abandons this making it all feel sort of moot in the first place. I also felt the really over the top push for a sequel right at the end to be a bit too much; with the additional effort to link everything to the Kingsman universe an even greater upset.

Beyond the smoke hallway fight scene I often felt the special effects didn't look very convincing in this, often the CGI came off as very artificial backgrounds or came off as heavily imposed over a nice real shot. The editing in general wasn't always the most smooth, that blink imposed over camera shots was one of the ugliest qualities about the film and it was used far too often for my tastes.

Henry Cavill, who played Argylle, really has me convinced I don't want to see him as James Bond after this; Cavill is almost emotionless in his scenes and his delivery. Dua Lipa, who played Lagrange, is a very stereotypical enemy spy performance; this is a performer who is more here for name recognition than any kind of impact in her role. Ariana DeBose, who played Keira, is a character we don't really get to sit with so never have much reason to care about her; DeBose is treated like an afterthought by this film and it made her third act appearance underwhelming. Tomás Paredes, who played Carlos, is one of the most generic roles in the film and he is just in far too much of it; Paredes is a henchman character who invades every scene with no ability to make himself stand out in those scenes. Catherine O'Hara, who played Ruth, is quite forgettable in her doting mother role; yet I almost preferred that to the over the top psy-ops scientist. Bryan Cranston, who played Director Ritter, hams it up too much with the sinister factor early on and that really sets the bar for this performance going forward; when Cranston is onscreen you just expect an explosion of angry or a mean little tirade which didn't thrill in a main antagonist. Sofia Boutella, who played Saba Al-Badr, enters this film quite suddenly and doesn't really do enough to leave an impression after she is gone; Boutella is deliberately stoic and closed off but that just makes her character very unimpressionable for the brief time the audience gets to know her.

A very rare and extremely disappointing flop from Matthew Vaughn. I would give Argylle a 2/10.