Snow White

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Snow White is the latest adaptation of the famous Brothers Grimm fairytale and a remake of the 1937 film Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. In this adaptation, Snow White finds herself a rival to the Evil Queen and, after an attempt on her life, tries to take back her kingdom from the Queen's cruel reign.

Snow White is one of the oldest properties in Disney's animated history; it's not just part of the bricks and mortar - it's right there in the foundations. I greatly enjoyed this remake when it found the moments in which presenting an homage worked, while simultaneously heightening the story with modern elements. Scenes like the Evil Queen interacting with her magic mirror, Snow White fleeing through the woods, or even the Dwarfs meeting Snow White for the first time evoked a feeling of being caught in the tale. It's a feeling that I shared as a kid, watching the original animated classic. Making Snow White a more autonomous character was a worthy call as well, the character is something modern audiences can see themselves within a little more. I also really liked that the film paired Snow White with Jonathan, the leader of the Resistance. The romantic chemistry felt very present throughout, and it was nice to see this subplot evolve naturally from the story rather than present with a character who shows up in all of two scenes. I especially loved how this film does the Seven Dwarfs; they are a wonderful ensemble, and the focus on Dopey's character draws a decent emotional reaction from the audience.

Marc Webb knows how to craft a blockbuster on a grand scale that looks well-tailored to a theme. This film is very special effects-heavy heavy and yet it never feels terribly artificial. Snow White is filmed in a way that is colourful and frames these picturesque moments, even replicating iconic frames from the original animated feature. This movie opens with a storybook, and Webb paints that for the audience. The special effects all look very charming, notably the woodland creatures Snow White befriends. I found the Dwarfs rather uncanny at first, but they grew on me too. Their animation allows for expression, and their design very squarely makes them present as mythical beings. I was also entirely taken with the musical numbers across this film, not only some of the familiar tracks, but the incredible new additions that had such heart and character to them.

Andrew Burnap, who played Jonathan, is a much better replacement for the Prince Charming role; though the charm has not been removed, as his chemistry with Zegler is utterly electric. Andrew Barth Feldman, Tituss Burgess, Martin Klebba, Jason Kravits, George Salazar, Jeremy Swift and Andy Grotelueschen, who voiced Dopey, Bashful, Grumpy, Sneezy, Happy, Doc and Sleepy respectively, are a wonderful ensemble cast to capture the magic of these famous dwarfs; Feldman is particularly striking as the soul of the film with his portrayal of Dopey finding his voice. 

However, the best performance came from Rachel Zegler, who played Snow White. Zegler is a very promising up-and-comer with a real capacity for range and committing entirely to a role. This is one of the first roles in which she top bills a movie solo, and she takes that responsibility on admirably. Watching her version of Snow White grapple with living under subjugation while feeling she has abandoned her people is quite intriguing. Zegler defines this role as someone who wants to resist through compassion and fair treatment of her kingdom. Within all of that, however, Zegler preserves the sweet and charming qualities of the original animated character, a young princess filled with optimism and a sunny disposition. She is trusting and truly good. But if all of that doesn't make Zegler stand out as our latest Disney princess, her singing is absolutely next level and will blow you away.

There's a lot of Snow White that should work; there are tweaks that bring this film into the modern age, which aren't inherently bad and pad out the runtime in a meaningful way. Yet, it tips too far in the other direction and overcomplicates the need for a new story within Snow White. This film presents Snow White's kingdom as an overly cheerful place where nothing was ever bad, all reigned over by Snow's parents. Things begin to alter and change: Snow's mother dies, the Evil Queen marries her father, and the reign of the Evil Queen begins as Snow White is forced to be a scullery maid. The years of servitude feel much more like Cinderella in some scenes than Snow White, but that's not glaring enough to really make me find this movie to be very average. It's the storyline around the Queen's reign, the resistance against her and how Snow White comes to overthrow her. Snow White is weirdly positioned in this movie, often having no power but always being around to voice her opinion on important kingdom-related matters. She becomes entangled in the resistance, which is odd for several reasons. The resistance feels awkwardly jammed into this movie, and there are only eight of them. It feels like this extra element was pushed into the classic tale to make the story work harder. When Snow eventually confronts the Queen, it becomes this big uprising crowd scene, in which Snow awkwardly overthrows the Queen by remembering people's names and occupations while the Queen even offers Snow the chance to take the kingdom by stabbing her in a very Game of Thrones-esque moment. This long-running narrative shift around who governs the kingdom and what is 'fair' rule feels complicated at best, and at worst, it is a large coat of grey in an otherwise colourful children's film.

Emilia Faucher, Hadley Fraser and Lorena Andrea, who played Young Snow White, Good King and Good Queen respectively, introduce the film in a very one-note bubbly way; Faucher is particularly disappointing in introducing no memorable character traits for Zegler to expand upon. Gal Gadot, who played Evil Queen, hasn't presented a good display of acting in years, and nothing has really changed here; her line delivery is horrid and worse than that: they gave her a song. Ansu Kabia, who played the Huntsman, might be the most unintimidating version of this role I've ever seen; Kabia really struggles to make himself stand out in amongst all that is going on. George Appleby, Colin Michael Carmichael, Samuel Baxter, Jimmy Johnston, Dujonna Gift, Idriss Kargbo and Jaih Betote, who played Quigg, Farno, Scythe, Finch, Maple, Bingley and Norwich respectively, are the surplus to requirements ensemble cast that forms the resistance; this band of fighters fail to add a single thing to the film as a whole. 

Despite Rachel Zegler's powerhouse leading performance, this is just another reminder that the Disney live-action remakes aren't going well. I would give Snow White a 6/10.

Novocaine

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Novocaine follows Nathan Caine, a reclusive assistant bank manager with a rare genetic condition that prevents him from feeling pain. When Nathan's girlfriend, Sherry, is taken hostage during a bank robbery, he goes across the city on a rampage to save her.

Novocaine is the sort of film that wants to have fun with itself, or at least the premise at work here. The moment the action and comedy are allowed to play into one another we start to get a few good scenes. This film is best when it draws a laugh from the audience, even if the laughter comes from a place of shock or surprise.

The soundtrack used here is a lot of fun. It often ramps up the novelty of action sequences or provides extra levity. The intro song, 'Everybody Hurts' by R.E.M., was a fitting choice.

Matt Walsh, who played Coltraine, isn't in this much, but every scene he is in lifts Novocaine up; Walsh is a master of comedic timing and delivering a side-splitting line.

However, the best performance came from Jack Quaid, who played Nate. It's not often we see Quaid at the centre of a feature, he usually is paired against or sits in support. Yet I will admit that while this wasn't the gripping action lead some may hope for, Quaid performs excellently within the material he has. The character of Nate is awkward and decidedly introverted from living quite a reclusive life. I enjoyed seeing how morally good and sincere Quaid made Nathan, it really bonds the audience to this unlikely action hero. Quaid's perfect at playing the awkward lead in to finding first love, the way his character falls head over heels for Midthunder's Sherry is entirely convincing. This first love is a perfect trigger point for his obsessive pursuit to 'get her back'. I also think the moments of fun are Quaid enjoying the absurdity of the 'no pain' gimmick as much as the audience. A lot of making this work really does fall on just how much Quaid gives.

Novocaine is the sort of movie that seems to be holding its breath when it starts. The movie knows what it really wants to do, which is not set up the characters or really sit in the narrative for long. This movie wants to make good on the gimmick it centres on. Putting a guy who can't feel pain through scenarios where he should be feeling extraordinary levels of pain, all while dishing it out in a comedic manner to the bad guys. The movie is unbearably simple and just frames the moments of violence in rather repetitive ways. The story is also rather predictable, you never expect Nathan to not eventually reach Sherry and the one betrayal twist is pretty clichéd. The only moment in the film where I felt genuine surprise was when a comedic side character suddenly dies, which barely has any bearing on the main story. This movie isn't really all that interested in presenting a story, which might be fine if the action was something to write home about. The action sequences feel like simple stunt work, with all the leg work being done by special effects, make-up and prosthetics. We're meant to look at the gruesome injuries and go "Oooo, what a killer scene!" But nothing much has really transpired. This sums up the tale of Novocaine really, it's a poorly thought-out premise with an entirely lacking attempt at a script.

This is an ugly film to look at most of the time, there are scenes with stale establishing shots and dull dialogue mids pepper the feature. I also felt this film was visually a poor action movie, it often relied on slow-motion shots to make the action seem more impressive than it really was. There were even entire sequences shot through a window where you had reflection glare, which seems pretty amateur for a major release film. The editing is rather slow-paced and quite static, which interferes with the urgency of the action component of the feature. The score is quite stereotypical, with an intense droning sound that rattles in the background when punches are being thrown.

Amber Midthunder, who played Sherry, is squandered in this simplistic over-the-top first-glance romance with Quaid's lead; even when Midthunder gets to pivot in an Act 2 twist it feels a bit tired and obvious. Ray Nicholson, Conrad Kemp and Evan Hengst, who played Simon, Andre and Ben respectively, just weren't much more than two-dimensional goons when they should have been the main antagonists of the film; even Nicholson comes off as too campy to make a convincing bad guy. Jacob Batalon, who played Roscoe, might be fighting against type for most of his career; the awkward best friend type to an awkward leading role gets a bit stale when you've seen it before. Betty Gabriel, who played Mincy, is too dramatically serious for this film; Gabriel tries to play this like a crime procedural and it makes her one of the dullest characters in the cast. Lou Beatty Jr., who played Earl, feels like an easy stereotypical portrayal of an elderly wise character placed to teach the young lead a lesson; there isn't much emotional weight behind Beatty Jr.'s performance despite Earl's backstory. Garth Collins, who played Zeno, staggers through his scene waiting for the action to really start; even Collins looked like he didn't believe Quaid could take him down in a fight scene.

It did not take long for this absurd action-comedy to do nothing more than just lean into its only gimmick. I would give Novocaine a 3.5/10.

Black Bag

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Black Bag is a spy thriller about George and Kathryn, a couple who work for the Intelligence agency MI6. When it comes to light that Kathryn might be a traitor to the nation, George takes it upon himself to find the truth.

I really liked the second half of Black Bag quite a bit, this is a film that works itself well when the mystery is given a bit of gas. When things start speeding up and the mystery is given the focus it deserves, things become far more engaging. George is a very clinical and detached protagonist, I almost suspected him to be bland at first. But with time the film really shows how such a calculating personality handles the rug being pulled out from under him, the moments in which he loses and how he recovers. The fact this film made it more of a personal frantic struggle for George and Kathryn in the back half makes it easier to care from an audience perspective. I also loved the polygraph scene, that is the best scene of the film by a mile. It is a moment that ramps us up to the final reveal, weaving a montage of intense scrutiny and wit in equal measure.

Steven Soderbergh's films are often visually stunning and all have decent variety to them too. Black Bag is no different. Black Bag has a distinct orange and blue colour palette that filters this into a tasteful attempt to evoke the classics in the spy genre. I also found David Holmes' score to really creep up on you, it gets progressively more anxious and off the wall as the film moves along.

Michael Fassbender, who played George Woodhouse, is quite an unusual and interesting lead role; Fassbender plays a very neutral and calculating figure who is driven by an unwavering sense of love and loyalty. Tom Burke, who played Freddie Smalls, is one of the funnier characters in the film; Burke is quite quick with his delivery and dabbles into a sour attitude that belies his true self. Naomie Harris, who played Dr. Zoe Vaughan, really makes so much of this film her own; Harris feels like she is walking an emotional tightrope so carefully from start to finish in what was an incredible display of skill.

However, the best performance came from Marisa Abela, who played Clarissa Dubose. Among a host of veteran performers, Abela stands out quite a bit. This is a young Intelligence technician with a very sharp tongue, she is a fiery spirit and mischievous in equal measure. From the first scene she is introduced as the younger partner to an older man in the Intelligence field, she is seen as a new flame of sorts. But she is quick on her retorts and not one to really be trifled with. In the face of being mistreated, she is very retaliatory against her partner, shifting to a random and impressive display of violence. Abela crafts a wholly toxic individual, someone who seeks to cheat outside of her relationship and who doesn't play by the rules very well. Abela also plays to a more professional environment well, delivering a very believable scene in which she plays the technician component of her role. Watching Clarissa in the polygraph scene was one of the very best parts. Abela is a cut above in this film and I cannot wait to see her in another project.

I spent a lot of Black Bag thinking David Koepp probably heard the term 'Black Bag' for the first time and hounded for a loose concept in which to use it, any old way would do. The convoluted concept behind these interlocking relationships with such a gross abuse of position felt unrealistic, nothing about these character relationships really resembled anything real. It's a massive focus of the film but it's not something that represents our cast of characters very well. I found it very difficult to like this cast at first too, the characters are all very conceited and arrogant. Black Bag is a bit of a snobby film, not very well aided by the ridiculous dialogue at play. The way characters talk isn't really how people speak, resulting in this heightened narrative that I struggled to find a way into. The film also gets a bit cartoonish the moment you learn what the big conspiracy is all about and what MI6 is afraid of; a moment that really undercuts a lot of what is working up until then.

The editing on Black Bag really plods along, it feels tired and it can linger on a frame for far too long. The soundtrack is a nightmarish mish-mash of classical pieces and modern soft pop music, so scattered that it doesn't feel very considered.

Gustaf Skarsgård, who played Philip Meacham, is a very restrained performance; Skarsgård is quite on the periphery playing a role that really doesn't make a lot of sense in the grand scheme of the narrative. Cate Blanchett, who played Kathryn St. Jean, really surprised me by giving a pretty simple attempt at a sultry spy; Blanchett was someone I expected to bounce back after Borderlands but she seems to have lost her way. Regé-Jean Page, who played Col. James Stokes, used to be an actor of intrigue and can now barely play to a plot twist; Page really just jumps from monotony to exaggerated anger and little else. Pierce Brosnan, who played Arthur Stieglitz, is perhaps the most outlandish character and performance in the cast; Brosnan is a seasoned actor so it was hard to believe he could deliver dialogue so cartoonishly.

For masters of the craft, Soderbergh and Koepp deliver a presentable if not stale spy thriller. I would give Black Bag a 6/10.

Mickey 17

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Mickey 17 is the film adaptation of the novel 'Mickey 7' by Edward Ashton. In this dystopian sci-fi, Mickey Barnes seeks an escape from a failing Earth on a space colony ship. However, to get aboard, he must sign up to be an 'Expendable'. Mickey's job is to be placed into situations in which he can die, be reprinted and assigned a new life-threatening task. But in a system like this, how long can one man stand dying for a living?

This film has a fascinating approach to sci-fi, that off-kilter world design that made Bong Joon Ho's Snowpiercer so famous. The ship Mickey is a part of is a very interesting culture, where sex and food are closely monitored, the science team conducts random experiments at inappropriate times, drug dealers are trading oxygen from flamethrowers, and most of the community is following a cult-like religion. Within all of this you have the plight of Mickey Barnes, the guy who gets 'paid' to die over and over again. The work of this community falls behind a half-crazed senator who failed in his earthly political aspirations and desired to become a leader of a colony off-world. This political leader, Kenneth Marshall, is a wild fanatic leader who randomly staggers through speeches and has his wife and advisors feed him most of his ideas. The whole society spins around control and inequality, those who work have no power, and Marshall's will exerted over them. There is a scene in which Marshall reprimands Mickey for not dying, which is a clear commentary on the class divide that really sits at the heart of this film. There is also a very interesting storyline around the alien species on the colony planet: the Creepers. The Creepers prove to be a very empathetic and helpful race, but due to their appearance and inability to communicate, they are treated as hostiles. Which ignites probably the best theme of the film: a sharp critique of colonialism and the othering of native people. Marshall is intent on the eradication of the Creepers to appear strong, while the Creepers rise to retaliate against the injustices being done to their people. Mickey seems an inactive protagonist for much of the film, things happen to him, but he manages to secure himself 'a good life'. But when he is left for dead on a mission, an extra Mickey is printed out, resulting in two Mickey Barnes. This pair functions as two sides of Mickey; one who accepts grievances done to him but holds a sense of empathy for wrongdoing inflicted on others, while Mickey 18 is more reactionary and seeks to actively resist the wrongs that have been done to him. The end result is a human who tries to fix the situation between the human colonists and the Creepers, and the same human who is willing to oppose Marshall. This storyline is exceptionally creative, a bit of an oddball but immensely satisfying to watch.

Bong Joon Ho has a way of shooting sci-fi that leaves you feeling very engaged, I found the way a camera moved through sets or CGI landscapes to actually be quite immersive. The special effects are well-designed, the spaceship is nice, but the real star is the creature design of the Creepers. Those little alien slugs actually have so much going for their appearance and wind up becoming quite characteristic. I cannot even begin to describe how good the score presented by Jung Jae-il is, when the track 'Mayhem' plays, you really feel a strong sense of chaos unfolding.

Steven Yeun, who played Timo, is absolutely brilliant as this scoundrel who weasels out of every bad situation; watching Yeun ham up his role's pleading or emotional outbursts is very entertaining. Patsy Ferran, who played Dorothy, is a very sincere scientist role that I came to really enjoy; Ferran does little more than show a role learning to resist by being kind and that worked wonders. Tim Key, who played Pigeon Man, is a hilarious side character who really suffers at being an adoring fan of Ruffalo's Marshall; Key subjects himself to some ridiculous performative moments in conveying the character's sincerity to the cause. Naomi Ackie, who played Nasha, is a real powerhouse role that is step for step with Pattinson; Ackie can be wild and sexy in one moment or entirely driven and a bit of a fighter in the next. Toni Colette, who played Ylfa, seems to really understand the balance between the comedy and drama of her role; Colette presents a sensational and wild political leader who can also become very dangerous if the scene compels it.

However, the best performance came from Robert Pattinson, who played Mickey Barnes. I know Pattinson has had the shadow of Twilight over his career for some time now, but there have been several projects that have left me questioning his ability to lead a film. But along comes Mickey 17, along comes Mickey Barnes. Pattinson presents a few different versions of Mickey within this film, but the one we are most attached to is 17 and 18. The seventeenth Mickey is our protagonist and perspective from which the story is told. Across this Pattinson conveys this Mickey as someone who is very meek, he is the type who shelters himself inwards and has a nervous energy about him. He's very reflective, has a kind nature to him and sees things through a slightly romantic lens. Pattinson also does a great job of building him up to be a more honourable figure and someone who is motivated by empathy. Mickey 18 on the other hand is very reactionary, and prone to solving things via violence. Pattinson does a great job of presenting a new Mickey who feels wronged by everything that has been done to him and has this anger bubbling just below the surface. Watching Pattinson build a more noble streak to this Mickey means we got to see Pattinson take two leading roles on a very rewarding journey of character development. This is my current favourite performance by Robert Pattinson and I'm looking forward to what I see from him next.

The problem I had with this film is that I can see a really decent film, but the script struggles to be subtle at times. At others, it plain just doesn't hit the mark by awkwardly attempting commentary on a very broad theme. Bong Joon Ho often presents a film about social class, if there's anything consistent in his works, it is that. But there are whole moments here where the social commentary just feels a bit plain, the dramatic equivalent of low-hanging fruit. There is a clear intent here to do a big jab at the American political system as it stands right now, particularly how the lower class, poorly educated or religious members of society are easily led astray by a performative individual in a position of power. But in this film these moments are quite obvious to the point it feels more like parody than a well delivered theme. This film is funny, but it leans on this, and ultimately comprises the story. Marshall as an antagonist could have been something really worth talking about, but it's a bit of an obvious Donald Trump joke instead of a more biting reflection on that political situation. I mean the crew are all wearing red caps when he gives an address, it just needed to try a little more. Mickey 17 also shoots to have a bit of a church and state commentary, in which the main political leader uses a religion to indoctrinate his crew. But it feels like this theme was slapped in without much thought. It has so much potential and winds up saying a lot of nothing at all.

Mark Ruffalo, who played Kenneth Marshall, gives one of the worst performances I have seen from him in a while; Ruffalo presents this fanatical and over the top political leader with all the range and skill of an SNL performance. Anamaria Vartolomei, who played Kai Katz, plays a very odd romance subplot within this film; Vartolomei doesn't serve very well as this romantic prop for Pattinson and Ackie to rival against. Steve Park, who played Zeke, had so much potential to be an interesting performance but he doesn't get enough opportunity to shine; Park's storyline around resisting the Marshall's deserved more air time than other aspects of the film.

Bong Joon Ho's latest foray into sci-fi is yet another intriguing commentary on social class and capitalism. I would give Mickey 17 a 7.5/10

Tinā

 This review may contain spoilers!

Tinā follows Mareta Percival, a choir teacher who loses her daughter in the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes. Jumping forward three years, Mareta has fallen on tougher times and inadvertently finds herself confronted with a new career opportunity: teaching at a private school. Through her compassion and dedication to the students, a choir is formed that helps heal those involved with it.

I'm so used to a very detached quality when I sit back and watch a movie, a movie often has to invite me into the world it is crafting or impress me with a complete escape from reality. The thing about Tinā is that it really sits so close to home, this is a story set not only in my very country but in my home city. It becomes very easy to form bonds with aspects of it, while measuring it up against tremendous expectations elsewhere. This is a drama that is strongly motivated to tell an inspirational narrative, something that will leave you smiling despite the tears when the credits roll. I think the character of Mareta was a wonderful point of inspiration, she is strongly motivated by a duty of care that uplifts her students and in doing so, allows them to share in her passion. She becomes this force of change, not only in coaching choir, but in setting an example for life that improved the lives of her students in turn. Mareta is also faced with incredible tragedy throughout this film, her story starts by forever being altered by tragedy. Watching her endure while carrying that tragedy is something quite special. She doesn't just lose the grief, she learns to be strong alongside the grief. An element of this tragedy stems from the 2011 Christchurch earthquakes, and despite some personal mixed feelings I have about fictionalising a death in the collapse of the CTV building, I felt this film really captured the emotion held by the city from this event in a way no other fictional content has achieved. The film also does a great job at analysing Christchurch private schools, not holding back from saying they are governed by success over wellbeing or a duty of care. I really loved seeing traditional private school values challenged without ever tarring the students themselves as being overtly problematic. The film does a good job of remembering these are teenagers, still shaping their identities and capable of growth. I saw so much of my city in Tinā and I was very proud of what Miki Magasiva accomplished.

There is a very real sense of beauty to this film. You would struggle to see a scene in which there isn't a piece of artistic camerawork, or in which something is beautifully framed. Even in that bare wooden choir room you have these gorgeous ensemble shots of rehearsal, the breathing scene is a particular triumph. Music is at the core of this film and it stands as one of the greatest strengths. Speaking to the elements that were more 'soundtrack', the choir recordings are majestic, these incredible tracks that draw strong emotion from the audience. The score for this movie holds great beauty too, but it often denotes the struggle Mareta and other characters are wrestling with beneath the surface.

Dalip Sondhi, who played Alan Hubbard, was fascinating as the gentle mannered but ill-advised principal on the cusp of retirement; I enjoyed Sondhi developing his role to learn what Mareta's teachings meant to his students. Nicole Whippy, who played Rona, is a force to be reckoned with in this; Whippy's fierce care for Mareta that often brought the two to conflict as well was a beautiful portrayal of genuine friendship. Jamie Irvine, who played Peter Wadsworth, was fantastic as the primary antagonist; he had a cruel bend towards difference in his school that I felt was an interesting force to see Mareta oppose. Zac O'Meagher, who played Anthony Bull, presents a young man forced to give everything to the reputation of his school; seeing his love for the choir and rejection of harmful expectations was a very worthy subplot.

However, the best performance came from Anapela Polataivao, who played Mareta. This was a career high character performance from Polataivao, a role that she could really inhabit and make her own. When first we meet Mareta Percival, she seems a little restrained and I wondered how this role was going to occupy my attention for two hours. Then Polataivao showcased how deeply she could show grief, that raw scene in which she weeps floored me. Across this movie, Mareta is a woman deeply depressed, her world has been obliterated. Polataivao steadily develops her character on a new path, where she demonstrates care for a new group of students and imparts the passion she has for choir to them. I also really loved how good Polataivao's comedic timing and delivery were, the film really was funniest when she had a funny line or moment. Polataivao finds Mareta a broken woman and takes her on a journey of healing, one in which she uplifts others. This might be a character performance leading a film but it really is such a well-realised one, in no small part due to Polataivao.

Tinā is a movie that is pretty comfortable sitting in the realm of predictability, and that's not the end of the world. You start watching Tinā and it's pretty reasonable to expect that going back to teaching will heal Mareta and that she will in turn raise her students up. Throw in a couple of easy antagonistic private school deputy principal/board members and this film does come off as a bit safe at times. I felt it still performed extremely well, but it isn't really too much more than what it says on the box. I also found the subplot of Mareta investing so much in a student due to the loss of her daughter to be a bit strange. It felt like it made that relationship more complex and emotionally charged than it had any business being. When the film tries to be funny it really struggles to draw forth a laugh from the audience, sometimes the movie needed to recognise that its strength sat with drama. One major nitpick I had was the city really looks nothing like it did in 2014, we still looked quite broken even then. That's the issue of being a local watching, I guess.

This film is one of my all-time favourites from this year, but it does have some of the worst editing I have seen, with abrupt cuts or transitions that can be jarring at times. Poor linear editing also caused continuity to break in some moments, which was a glaring fault and the one I struggled to look past.

Antonia Robinson, who played Sophie, is a young performer that this film probably showed a bit too much faith in; Robinson gives a very generic portrayal of teen angst and mental health struggle. Beulah Koale, who played Sio, was a character whose bond with Polataivao just didn't really feel that engaging; Koale's moments of comedy also fell extremely flat for me. Matthew Chamberlain, who played Father McAfee, was an odd side character to get the screen time that he did; was there something so impressive in watching a Palagi priest speak Samoan in such a performative way?

A piece of cinema from home that will stand apart all year long. I would give Tinā an 8.5/10.

The Monkey

 

This review may contain spoilers!

The Monkey is an adaptation of Stephen King's short story of the same name. It centres on a toy monkey that can randomly kill an individual every time it plays its drum. The film follows twin brothers Hal and Bill, who inherit the monkey and explore how they use it.

I enjoyed the concept behind The Monkey, which explored the theme of intergenerational trauma. It is interesting to explore something that hovers over a family, can't be gotten rid of, persists no matter how ignored, and ultimately must be acknowledged and embraced.

The one thing I have to praise about an Osgood Perkins film is how visually well-designed they are. The shots in this one all have a real emphasis on framing, pulling you to the centre so you cannot look away from the horror of it all. It also toys with the fringes really well, sometimes holding something malicious just on the edge. The soundtrack is admittedly quite lively and places us neatly in the earlier time period at the beginning of the feature.

Theo James, who played Hal and Bill, is not in his best role here but manages to competently lead the feature; James' work as the more meek and misguided Hal is what really leaves a strong impression watching this work. Zia Newton, who played Dwayne, is a surprisingly good bit of comedy; his part as the stoned out Gen Z store manager having an awkward emotional conversation with James really lands.

However, the best performance came from Elijah Wood, who played Ted. I enjoy some of the absolutely bananas roles Wood has found himself in since his time as Frodo Baggins. Nothing could have equipped me for the semi-macho, semi-fatherhood guru role that Wood embodies here. We get this caricature of a parenthood celebrity, the type of author or speaker who advises other poor parents exactly how to do it. Wood commands the screen and the other actors, lording himself as the father supreme of young Petey. As conflict starts to erupt between Wood and James's characters Wood starts leaning into the macho, domineering father role. His attempts to convince James to arm wrestle him are quite hilarious. The only complaint I have about the performance is that there wasn't more of it.

The Monkey feels like an absurd work of horror from the very first scene. At all turns it wants to be scary, but struggles to be more than cruel and gory, and at others, it wants to be darkly comedic but fails to elicit a laugh. The movie seems very confused about what it wants to be, often dabbling into different genres at extremely offbeat and ill-considered moments. The main storyline around one twin accidentally killing his mother leaving the other brother to desire years for many years could have worked, if everyone involved wasn't so darn deplorable. You would be hard-pressed to find a character worth the audience getting invested in amongst the main cast. I also found the core conflict to be relatively shaky as a premise, there's a clear resolution and it cartoonishly struggles to get there. As a film, the struggle seems to stem from adaptation, how to stretch a light work into a feature film. Osgood Perkins answers that question by delivering a film that feels more like a montage of death sequences rather than a narrative vehicle.

The editing is very inconsistent, it almost seems to liven for a big death scene and then move to a sluggish pace in terms of cutting outside of that. I felt very little about the score, it seemed barely present and struggled to set a unique tone or put me on edge. 

Tatiana Maslany, who played Lois, feels like a really warped and impossible-to-pin-down depiction of a mother role; there was no character here but rather a blunt instrument. Christian Convery, who played Young Hal and Young Bill, has the opposite problem of James; Convery's Hal is hard to buy into while his Bill is decent if not unfocused. Colin O'Brien, who played Petey, is pretty insufferable as James' onscreen son; O'Brien constantly seems capable of portraying this one disappointed and mildly depressed state of being. Rohan Campbell, who played Thrasher, is an odd side character in all this; at best an unusual lackey and at worst a ridiculous death scene. Sarah Levy and Osgood Perkins, who played Aunt Ida and Uncle Chip respectively, just feel entirely separate and awkwardly included as more of the Shelborn family; Perkins is only really here to do a hash job as a comedic presence. Tess Degenstein, who played Barbara, holds a lot of potential here but isn't really allowed to grow out of being a caricature; Degenstein's role being a parody of an overly exuberant real estate agent is transparent and limiting. Danica Dreyer, who played Babysitter Annie, isn't here for much more than a visual kill; her significance to the young boys is often expressed but never really shown within the performance. Nicco Del Rio, who played Rookie Priest, feels like a stand up comedian bombing; Del Rio is clearly here to be funny but he tries to hard and loses any chance the scene has of succeeding. Laura Mennell, who played Petey's Mum, feels like someone who should be more active in her scene but isn't; Mennell is more used as an important background prop than a mother character. Adam Scott, who played Captain Petey Shelborn, really goes over the top for the films opening scene; Scott makes it clear this project is one of buffoonery and nonsense. 

Osgood Perkins is one of the most overhyped directors in the horror film genre right now. I would give The Monkey a 3/10.

Bridget Jones: Mad About The Boy

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy is the fourth film in the Bridget Jones series and explores Bridget Jones's life one year after the loss of Mark Darcy. Here she faces the challenges of being a single parent, of grief, of returning to work and of course, learning how to find love again.

The quality that has always worked for the Bridget Jones films is still present here in abundance, and that is just how relatable Bridget is as a character. Watching Bridget feel awkward about how she dresses, stumble through dating apps, feel the pain of being ghosted, and judge her parenting based on the 'successful' parents around her really resonates with the viewing audience. It's nice to see a character with similar experiences to our own, even if it is still through the heightened view of a Hollywood romantic comedy.

The score is usually light and whimsical, yet it plucks gently at the heartstrings during the more morose moments. I was entirely thrilled by the soundtrack, which either batted for the 9s to match a scene's comedy or greeted us with a real empowerment ballad that lifted Bridget up alongside the viewer.

Mila Jankovic, who played Mabel, is such a hilarious young performer; Jankovic is a bit more wild and spontaneous than her on-screen sibling which results in some fun scenes. Hugh Grant, who played Daniel Cleaver, is out here running circles around this cast; Grant has a dry wit that is effortless and he plays his role's feelings of regret around his own son superbly. Colin Firth, who played Mark Darcy, might not be very present in this film but he does a lot with a little; gently reminding us he is the soul of the beautiful family at the centre of the story. Emma Thompson, who played Dr. Rawlings, does nothing but give herself over fully to comedy this time and it is gold; Thompson's deprecating remarks are often hilarious and always land. Neil Pearson, who played Richard Finch, is a welcome return of a classic cast member; Pearson's nonchalant and blunt TV producer role is the perfect way to introduce Bridget Jones back into the world of TV. Jim Broadbent, who played Colin Jones, really showed up for his big scene; it's quite an emotional one in which we see a father give his last thoughts to his daughter before passing. Leo Woodall, who played Roxster, is very charming and more than a little aloof; Woodall and Zellweger had decent chemistry and the moment of hesitancy he played to worked extremely well. Nico Parker, who played Chloe, was quite a bit of fun as the overly perfect nanny; Parker's over-earnest and detailed manner made her a fun quality of this film.

However, the best performance came from Chiwetel Ejiofor, who played Mr. Wallaker. This is the first time in a long time I've really seen Ejiofor cut loose and have some fun in a role. Just last year he was in one of my least favourite theatrical releases with the third Venom and didn't lend a lot to that production. But he has found something genuinely wonderful here. When first we meet Ejiofor as the high-strung Mr. Wallaker, he seems this by-the-book, overly strict teacher. Ejiofor dashes about on school duty reprimanding the kids and blowing his whistle, really commanding the little school set. As we come to know this role we see him as very matter-of-fact and reasoned, but brimming with empathy. Watching him emotionally connect with Bridget and her son, Billy, over the subject of loss is one of the greater emotional beats of the film. Though his third-act romantic chemistry with Zellweger comes so late, it is still so very charming and marks Ejiofor as a fine successor to Firth.

I might not have loved Bridget Jones's Baby but it was a fine end to a trilogy at the time and put a neat bow on things. After watching the movie that made all this a quadrilogy, I'm still scratching my head over the why. This film shatters a neat ending with Darcy to once again frame Bridget as being alone, needing someone else to fill the void left behind, and wedging in every cameo possible from the past three films (shy of Patrick Dempsey). The whole way Darcy is exited feels sad but is quickly played off for either humour or to advance Bridget's quest for romance. It's a strange choice to erase a nice moment of closure for another spin of the wheel. It also results in Bridget Jones weirdly talking about God and Heaven and the afterlife more than a movie of this calibre really warrants. It becomes a serious conversation point these writers aren't equipped for and is very jarring in a romantic comedy. This film is stuffed to the brim with subplots and extra characters, it gets far too busy at the best of times and the scenes are poorly shared unless you're the two biggest names in a given scene. The movie watches like something where a lot has been hacked and slashed out of it, to pull focus all the way back to Bridget. But, the result is a very disjointed film at times. The romantic storyline is the most one of these movies has felt like unrealistic wish fulfilment, like picking up and reading a $7 Mills & Boons novel. The final romantic interest is pretty predictable from his first scene, yet the film takes forever to even make him much of a contender. In fact, a lot of the final romantic plotline doesn't happen until all at once in the third act. It feels like they knew they weren't making another after this and overcrowded the film with as much content as they could, completely losing the main storyline somewhere in the middle.

The way this film is shot is very messy, but that's not too surprising. The nature of the Bridget Jones series has never been to be the flashiest-looking theatrical release and it doesn't hold that here either. The shots don't capitalise when they are on-location, cameras barely move within a set and the lens loves a nice, safe mid-shot. The editing is also quite slow at times, this is a long film and the pacing really lurches about.

Renée Zellweger, who played Bridget Jones, used to lead these films brilliantly and now she can barely show range in her facial expressions; Zellweger's high-pitched narration just grates on me at this point and I feel she has passed her time as Bridget. Casper Knopf, who played Billy Darcy, loses a lot of emotion in trying to present a similar serious edge to Firth; Knopf really struggles being given a more dramatic storyline to work through. Sally Phillips, James Callis and Shirley Henderson, who played Shazzer, Tom and Jude respectively, just feel like they've been pushed further and further to the back with each film; this group is supposed to be Bridget's closest friends and yet they are barely present. Gemma Jones, who played Pamela Jones, seems a bit confused and out of place in her scenes; she barely even engages with Bridget in a mother/daughter dynamic. Sarah Solemani, who played Miranda, was thrilling and fun as a new friend to Bridget but seems to have the spotlight off her this time; Solemani is given barely anything to work with making her role easier to disregard. Leila Farzad, who played Nicolette, is quite a tacked-on minor antagonist for Bridget; the uppity PTA Mum who rules the school role doesn't exactly break new ground here. Josette Simon, who played Talitha, is quite a relaxed and non-descript figure for a TV show talk host; Simon comes across as lazing her way through scenes which doesn't leave much of an impression.

Real evidence that there was never a need for a fourth Bridget Jones film. I would give Bridget Jones: Mad About the Boy a 4/10.

Captain America: Brave New World

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Captain America: Brave New World is the 35th film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the fourth Captain America movie. In this feature, political tensions boil over the 'Celestial Island' in the Indian Ocean, the source of a rare element known as 'adamantium'. A figure in the shadows pits Captain America and President Ross against one another as the world races towards a potential war.

I actually really admired the ambition of this film to lean into the political thriller genre style, it's a complex thing to weave into a major blockbuster. In the past, Marvel has successfully woven political thriller elements into other Captain America films, notably Winter Soldier and aspects of Civil War. Yet this feels like Black Widow's more contained nature despite the scale at play. I also really liked the mounting mystery at play here, there is an antagonist at work who pulls the strings and I enjoyed seeing the film steadily bring his machinations to the forefront. The mystery fuels the conflict brewing between the two American pillars in the film: Cap and President Ross. Watching this film really dig into Ross and analysing his character flaws, redemption and hubris is a substantially satisfying sub-plot.

The style of this movie is quite impressive, assaulting with dark colours, sudden flashes and harsh beiges to link into the genre work. Yet the way this film shoots action is entirely impressive, particularly the effects shot of the Indian Ocean aerial fight sequence and the Red Hulk final fight. The special effects are absolutely fantastic; I look again to the Indian Ocean fight sequence in which protagonists hurtled through the skies in bodysuits, fighter jets careened and aircraft carriers fired anti-missiles. I also loved the design for Red Hulk, it really rivalled what the MCU has been doing with the Hulk characters for years. The score here has the inspirational tones of a Captain America epic but with discordant tracks woven in to uplift the moments in which we steer focus to the antagonist's plan. The soundtrack has a few solid tracks too, the "Mr Blue" song weaves a good callback to a past film while the chosen Kendrick Lamar tracks really transition us to the new Cap nicely.

Anthony Mackie, who played Sam Wilson, is a phenomenal lead and a great new Captain America; the scenes in which Mackie has to reason against those he stands against are surprisingly some of his very best moments. Danny Ramirez, who played Joaquin Torres, was a sidekick figure I wasn't sure of at first but who really came to grow on me; Ramirez is extremely earnest and exuberant in this which makes him a rising hero worth watching. Carl Lumbly, who played Isaiah Bradley, is stoic and gruff which befits a super soldier whose country wronged him; where Lumbly really captures your heart is the misery he portrays when his character is faced with prison once again. Tim Blake Nelson, who played Samuel Sterns, is a delight to see back in this role after so many years; Nelson really pours the venom into his hatred for Ross while simultaneously crafting a character who feels like the smartest in a room. Sebastian Stan, who played Bucky Barnes, has incredible chemistry with Mackie that results in one of the better scenes in the film; Stan gives a very cool and steady pep talk while also allowing for friendly humour that fits the Barnes/Wilson dynamic nicely.

However, the best performance came from Harrison Ford, who played President Thaddeus Ross. There is something really respectful done by Ford in taking the role of Ross onwards from the late William Hurt. I found his deep regret and sorrow over his estrangement from his daughter, Betty, to be one of the more emotionally impactful moments of his performance. Ford's Ross is a man who has developed into a diplomatic politician, someone who seeks desperately to unify the world and his internal American allies. Yet, there is something immensely satisfying in watching Ford's natural gruff demeanour feed into Ross' mounting fits of anger. Seeing Ross spiral out of control as Sterns's manipulations become clear shows Ford's incredible range. The seeds are perfectly sown by Ford to Ross' transition into the Red Hulk; the character is so well realised that Ross' character journey is the fuel of success for the feature.

Captain America: Brave New World is a new venture for audiences; introducing a new Captain America, Adamantium and the political landscape post-Avengers: Endgame. I sat back and felt that this movie asked a lot from the viewing audience. This is the first time I have watched a Marvel movie and felt like I was watching something that expected a lot of prior knowledge. This movie is a sequel to three notable projects; Falcon and the Winter Soldier, The Incredible Hulk and Eternals. All of these blended together is quite an unusual and unexpected combo on paper and it is a jarring first act at times. This should be quite a grand-scale narrative due to the nature of the Celestial Island and the global resource war but it's often quite contained. The film keeps throttling itself into a more personal skirmish which inadvertently lowers the stakes. While there is a good mystery to be had here, the characters often feed information or are fed information relatively easily one scene after the other - this is a particular issue in the first half. Characters don't have to work hard to advance their understanding of the mystery which softens how engaging the introduction to the film is.

I'm used to the MCU movies being of a high calibre across the production, but this had one glaring point that was lacking for me. The fight sequences, lifted up by visual effects, are immensely satisfying, but the first half of this film has some disappointing fight choreography. Once the fights get hand-to-hand, they are paced extremely slowly, and the reliance on more regular slow-motion material to break up the sequence tells the audience the fights aren't going to be as slick as past instalments.

Shira Haas, who played Ruth Bat-Seraph, is about as unconvincing as you can get when it comes to depicting a former Black Widow; Haas' has a nasally delivery that makes her quite an annoying addition to the main cast. Giancarlo Esposito, who played Sidewinder, is an actor I usually love but he is absolutely wasted in this glorified henchman role; Esposito dashing about like a mercenary with a gun is quite underwhelming and poorly realised. Xosha Roquemore, who played Leila Taylor, feels like a presidential aide who isn't strictly needed to push the film forward; if she and Ford had held some chemistry there might have been something interesting but this wasn't the case. William Mark McCullough, who played Commander Dennis Dunphy, is a soldier-type role that's really just around to feed exposition; he was oddly placed to be accessible only to Captain America and otherwise, he served no purpose. Liv Tyler, who played Betty Ross, isn't really missed nor needed to fulfil the end of the film; Tyler seems to give an airy delivery that doesn't leave you wanting more of the Ross family dynamic.

A really decent blockbuster to kick 2025 off with, but perhaps not the best start for a new Captain America. I would give Captain America: Brave New World a 7/10.

September 5

 

This review may contain spoilers!

September 5 is a biopic that documents the 1972 Munich Olympic Games and the hostage situation that transpired through the eyes of the ABC network team that broadcast it all. 

I really admired the way this biopic presented itself in terms of storytelling. This is a very matter-of-fact feature in how it presents the historical event, there is an almost clinical and methodical approach to conveying the audience information. By taking us through the perspective of the ABC journalists on the ground attempting to capture the event, we gained and developed the knowledge ourselves. The urgency of the unfolding situation came from wanting to know more, to stay ahead of the story or move with the story. It felt surreal because this is a sports news team previously not equipped to deal with 'breaking news' but entirely pivoting and committing to the situation within the moment. I greatly admired the reflection upon the actions of the news team here, it showed the resourcefulness on hand alongside the moments of error. It was a narrative presentation style that worked to keep information delivery engaging and gripping.

Peter Sarsgaard, who played Roone Arledge, really grabs the focus of an entire scene if he so needs it; Sarsgaard crafts a leader here who is entirely passionate about what they are trying to achieve and keeping the story with his team. John Magaro, who played Geoffrey Mason, is a surprisingly solid lead in this; Magaro commands with a frantic but sure-handed energy which fits his newsroom lead perfectly. Leonie Benesch, who played Marianne Gebhardt, is definitely the emotional weight of the feature; Benesch portraying the struggle of a woman in the industry trying to be taken seriously while also being the sole translator for the team is fascinating.

However, the best performance came from Ben Chaplin, who played Marvin Bader. This is a role that often feels like the conscience of the feature, Chaplin's tirades are all caught up in journalistic integrity and what the moral onus is in the situation. Bader really runs close to the top here and Chaplin marks this through a very commanding presence, someone who can be very curt and direct. The scene in which Chaplin really goes to task over whether they have confirmation around the status of the hostages is an inspired moment of acting. This is a very fast-paced role, the delivery is quick and it is often biting. I really enjoyed Chaplin here, he was in good form.

This film presents the story well, but that doesn't mean it isn't missing elements that would have improved it. I wasn't very emotionally stimulated by this feature, in fact, emotional stakes leave this movie feeling a bit dry at times. The film could have implemented a perspective closer to the action of the Olympic Village hostage situation or even taken us inside the hostage room itself, just to find an easy empathetic link. However, this film is more focused on the press, but it's foolish to think we couldn't have allowed for some more emotionally charged scenes to really ramp matters up. I also found there seemed to be a slight bias towards a more modern theme and conflict with this film and how it was told that I didn't really appreciate as a viewer.

The way this film is shot feels like it was starved for an aesthetic angle. Most of the movie covers a newsroom full of monitors and hallway conversations, making the entire feature look very plain. It is also quite dark and devoid of anything interesting in terms of colour palette. The editing moves at a sluggish pace, which is really surprising given just how short this film runs. The score is really barely a player in the movie, with no great musical accompaniment to set the tone. The fact the soundtrack awkwardly shoved 'Fortunate Son' in there feels insane given the wider context of the film.

Zinedine Soualem, who played Jacques Lesgards, is quite a quiet player in the main ensemble; Soualem's character has a unique perspective like Benesch's but there's no room really given to play with that here. Daniel Adeosun, who played Gary Slaughter, is an ensemble player who moves very swiftly into the background; Adeosun is here in a physical presence capacity and less an acting one.

This is an extremely well-detailed and thorough depiction of the ABC network team that captured the hostage situation at the 1972 Olympic Games. I would give September 5 a 6/10.

Companion

This review may contain spoilers!

Companion is a sci-fi thriller about a Companion Android called Iris, and how her owner/boyfriend, Josh, sets her up for murder.

I really liked the dark humourous side of Companion, it does this dark comedy quality about what a world with Companion Androids would look like well. One of the better scenes in the film is when Josh first receives Iris. At first glance, the scene packages a lot of exposition at you, but it's really very funny. The transactional nature of this figure who is basically being bought to fill a sexual desire and an emotional hole is both alarming and hysterical. Pair that with the salesperson talking through the 'set-up' process, and the user agreement and speculating on the ways Josh might use Iris is quite fun. I think this quality of the Iris/Josh relationship is the most interesting, how he both owns Iris and relies on her to fulfil him. It is a strange, selfish and narcissistic cycle that builds Josh into an antagonist well. While the film doesn't put a massive lens to it, I was really impressed by the Eli and Patrick romantic subplot. I was so onboard with seeing a true love story genuinely shine through in all of this, and the tragic bend it takes only enhances the greater film.

I really enjoyed the style of this, the very bold and beautiful contemporary style of the piece made it all feel so real while heightening the luxury of the setting. This is a film that captures the violence and gore neatly with these very aesthetic shots you would expect from a domestic thriller. the score is a blend of light and boppy to downright panic-inducing at times, yet the soundtrack really came through that cut to 'Emotion' by Samantha Sang and the Beegees at the end hit home smoothly. 

Jack Quaid, who played Josh, does a steady push into narcissistic antagonist quite well over this; Quaid leans into the nice guy meet cute at first but really drags up this horrible nightmare boyfriend by the very end. Rupert Friend, who played Sergey, is quite an oddball character but a very fun caricature of a Russian business mogul; Friend also lends a quality to Sergey that makes you and the characters wonder if you should fear him.

However, the best performance came from Lukas Gage and Harvey Guillén, who played Patrick and Eli respectively. This film starts with our classic 'band of friends' at the trusty lakeside house. But there are numerous hints this isn't the typical gathering we might expect. Yet, while that drama plays out in the foreground my eyes kept getting diverted to subjects held more in the back. Guillén and Gage craft this immediate chemistry, their roles are quite cute together and I was pulled in by their bond steadily. It is clear Guillén is here as a comedic tour de force. His strong reaction to the murder plot is really funny and he just seems to dance circles around the rest of the cast when it comes to delivering the funniest line. Yet, he is evidently more than this. The scene in which Guillén and Gage declare their love for one another and Gage's role declares that he knows he is an android is just the single best moment of the film. It felt true, there was so much passion in it and it suddenly drove some very real stakes into the film that the audience cared about. As the film goes along Gage really showcases he can bounce between being the loving and affectionate boyfriend and the cold android. Gage's final scene in which he realises his grief hits you like a punch and marks this duo performance as the reason to watch.

 In a world post M3gan we have had a few of these AI/android horror stories now. These repetitive movies about the idea of a family member being replaced by a machine, or an AI house or whatever other technological nefarious plot cranks out a script. This is just another one of many girlfriend/wife is actually an android type films and all the same notes are hit. That is ultimately what is so disappointing about Companion. It's just another tech scare film paired with the obvious abusive relationship theme, which might have done well as a subtle vehicle. But the main plot around Josh being a bad boyfriend who mistreats Iris gets simpler and simpler until they're shouting simplistic dialogue while punching one another in the climactic scene. It's really hard to stand apart in a crowd, but in a film that has a 'make your robot girlfriend smarter or dumber' slider I just don't think that happens. The first act I found to be a very hard sell, having all of these people congregate at a Russian business mogul's lake house because he is sleeping with one of the party is threadbare. The fact this threadbare connection pushed us into the kookiest murder/robbery story makes the whole film feel like it's pulling at straws to stay together at times. This film is riddled with exposition about how to stop the androids and how they work, it's even exposition delivered to nearly every character in the film. The fact there are multiple times where this movie could end if it coloured within its own lines made this a hard film to suspend belief within. Iris could have been reset and destroyed a couple of times and the fact this doesn't happen feels like a flaw in how the script was considered.

The editing in this film is atrocious. As a thriller, it should have an excellent sense of timing, but it does gravitate towards slowness. I never felt any urgency because scenes were quite happy to unfold at a snail's pace. 

Sophie Thatcher, who played Iris, really lets the film down in a big way for me; Thatcher just plays her part like a human portraying a machine and it becomes hard to actually buy into the core concept of the film. Megan Suri, who played Kat, is content being little more than the token 'mean' character; Suri tosses out a couple of brutal lines but seems bored often.

An uninspired leading performance and a plot riddled with holes make for a scary artificial intelligence misstep. I would give Companion a 5.5/10.

We Live In Time

 

This review may contain spoilers!

We Live In Time is a romantic drama that follows Almut and Tobias' relationship through different points in their lives. We journey in a non-linear manner through their meeting, discussions around having children and Almut's struggles with ovarian cancer.

There's a lot that defines a great romance, and it all rarely hinges on familiar elements of style like other genres. Here it's all on the chemistry. Almut and Tobias are two characters gravimetrically pulled into one another's orbit, they make so much sense. The little moments of tenderness, seeing them fall in love, the hard conversations, how their personal lives intersect with their lives as a couple, their move towards parenthood and even facing the finality of death. It all makes sense through how these characters share in one another's existence; in this way, We Live In Time is one of the more grounded romance films I have seen in a long time. The film revels in the levity of life with moments like how Tobias and Almut meet or the birth scene in the gas station (my favourite scene). It pairs beautifully with moments of tragedy dealt with in a familiar manner: parents struggling to explain cancer to a child in a family restaurant or talking about getting a dog to offset the grief explaining cancer might involve. I was sincerely moved by the hard moments of the film too; watching the battles with sickness was very hard, or the grief Tobias and Almut shared when they had to cancel their wedding or even the argument held over Tobias talking about kids too soon. This film is so raw in how it impacts you because it only knows how to be completely sincere in the narrative it wants to weave.

Director John Crowley has reached a new visual threshold with the style of this film, it feels very lively and picturesque all at once. I loved how the film blended gentle, vibrant colours with contrasting moments of greys and blues, showing the see-saw of emotion this story presents. The editing sets a neat pace and makes the non-linear storytelling easy to follow. I was a big fan of the heart held within the film score, the music within this reads the emotional tapestry and paints colour to it. The soundtrack is a real treat, some gentle ballads give this more of an indie romance vibe I enjoy.

Florence Pugh, who played Almut, is a phenomenal lead who has to present a woman at one point going through pregnancy and another ovarian cancer; it is a raw physical performance that is so resilient and will leave you feeling hollowed out by the end. Grace Delaney, who played Ella, is such an adorable child actress; she really quietly resides in scenes and lifts them up with positivity. Lee Braithwaite, who played Jade, is clearly a bit amateur but does well in their role; there's a portrayal of fierce loyalty and camaraderie with Pugh which I admired. Douglas Hodge, who played Reginald, is quite a neat fit as Garfield's on-screen Dad; he shares this beautiful story of love at one point that really moved me and speaks to Hodge as a character actor. Nikhil Parmar and Kerry Godliman, who played Sanjaya and Jane, are the finishing touches on the ensemble of the gas station scene; without these two that scene wouldn't be my favourite part of the film.

However, the best performance came from Andrew Garfield, who played Tobias. This is a gentle character, a man who seems very earnest and reserved all at once. Garfield's portrayal of him as a man struggling with the imminence of divorce in a comedic yet sad way was brilliant. Through this moment we see the truth of Tobias, he grapples with big points of conflict in his life but really quietly or awkwardly navigates them. His initial nervousness and charming approach to a relationship with Almut (Pugh) is very sweet. In fact, across the whole thing, their chemistry is what this film lives or dies on. And wow, does it live. Even how he argues changes from abrupt moments of confrontation to gentle anger boiling below the surface; all of which he manages without ever feeling aggressive. I also treasured his portrayal of grief, his grief for the wedding they would never have and his grief for Almut. More than anything, I gotta applaud every single second of the gas station scene it was a real win for me that Garfield dominated.

This film almost flirts with being a slice-of-life film at times. Showcasing the lives of two very likeable, almost healthy individuals can make it hard to find tension. The film feels downright sluggish in sections of the second act because there's no bite to be had here. This is a film content showing the mundane, which can lead to some mundane scenes, which can lead to a bored audience. Then in the final act, it really pivots a bit too harshly, by making Almut the one sparking the conflict. Almut hides she has been competing in her culinary field, she has decided they will cancel the wedding and the parallels to Tobias' first wife and how she left him are all there too. It's all a bit harsh and makes the audience question whether Almut is selfish in a way that feels a bit too cruel in terms of tone.

Adam James, who played Simon Maxson, feels like the piece that doesn't fit in this; the whole celebrity chef pushing ambition thing real was an odd flavour in this mix.

It's an intertwined snapshot of life that equally fills you with love and a warm kind of sorrow. I would give We Live In Time an 8/10.

Wolf Man

This review may contain spoilers!

Wolf Man is the latest remake of the 1941 film of the same name. In this iteration, Blake and his family return to his father's homestead after news that Blake's father has legally been declared dead. However, en route, they are attacked by a creature that wounds Blake; and before his family's very eyes...he begins to change.

This movie builds tension well, in those scenes where it wants to build us up to a point of fear it excels. The film opens with a father and son hunting in the woods; the father is volatile and the kid is distracted and likes to run off. But they become hunted by something much more powerful than them. That build as these two have to run for shelter, as the boy cowers in his father's arms and the father raises his gun, hoping, praying that he makes the shot...It doesn't get much better than that. The film is filled with these neat little moments that build to a fine reveal; one of my favourites is the late film reveal of Blake's final form as he stalks through the entirely darkened house. I also point to a strong opening act, it introduces us to the main threat and our leading family pretty well. What I most liked is that we come to understand that Blake and Charlotte are feeling distant from one another, and Charlotte from her daughter. This is a family struggling, which is a great set-up for a horror feature.

Leigh Whannell's Wolf Man has crisp visuals, with beautiful Midwestern forest settings turning into powerful backdrops. The colour palette or descent into darkness within a scene is a sign that the cinematography is one of the film's real strengths. Benjamin Wallfisch is becoming something of a creative legend for the horror film score scene; the way he has several tracks here blend in the inspiration of wolf howls and the stomping of wolves is quite powerful.

The best performance came from Benedict Hardie, who played Derek. This is a pretty classic character performance needed to enhance the environment of the horror. Hardie's job is to present a figure who has been living in werewolf country, a haunted expert who knows it's not quite safe 'in these parts'. I really enjoyed how off-kilter and shell-shocked Hardie played his role, you couldn't really tell if he had been so mentally traumatised by where he lived or was just rattled by new people showing up out of the blue. The character renting with an old friend in Blake (Abbott) is a strange but fascinating dynamic. There's familiarity there but the distance of time and place too. Hardie made a character that you didn't know you were safe with, but who seemed sincere and genuine for the most part. He brought us into the inciting moment for the film nicely and I only wish we could have had more of him.

Leigh Whannell is no stranger to remaking horror/monster movie classics. He made a perfectly fine but not especially memorable take on The Invisible Man back in 2020, and has decided to play even more supernatural here. The issue fast becomes the script we have on offer here is one of the worst I've seen from Whannell, second only to Insidious: Chapter 3. By and large, this film is about a family, a family who is on the rocks at the moment. There's some interesting stuff here like Blake being a Dad who gentle parents but struggles to be assertive, or Charlotte who feels she's a bad Mum because she's so much better at tying herself to her work. Now we know Blake is going to go werewolf, and the hope is his bond with his daughter might be a plot thread that sees things through or that this experience might bring Charlotte closer to her daughter. However the film offers no room for character development or growth, and these character relationships are barely explored again after they are introduced in the first act. There's a plot thread about Blake's relationship with his father, Grady, but it keeps getting forgotten about in the detritus of a poorly paced creature feature. The film tosses out some very jarring body horror without prepping you much for that sort of content. The real meat of the movie, of course, is the werewolves and Blake's transformation. But the transformation happens extremely fast that it's difficult to call the supernatural elements anything but disappointing. The way the creatures look like humans lumbering with prosthetics is a bit embarrassing too, the film struggles to immerse the viewer at every turn. The final conclusion to the film and the werewolf adversaries is a real letdown and won't satisfy audiences that stuck around to the end.

The special effects used throughout this film look cheap. The transformation effects are pretty simplistic in design and result in an ugly and underwhelming werewolf. The 'werewolf vision' effect looked like an expensive Snapchat filter and should have been better considered.

Julia Garner, who played Charlotte, couldn't have shown less emotional range; Garner barely lends herself to a scene and has no chemistry with Abbott or Firth. Christopher Abbott, who played Blake, is a wilting and ineffectual lead for the titular character; Abbott really struggles with dialogue delivery and some of his big lines are delivered laughably. Sam Jaeger, who played Grady, gives a pretty generic angry Dad performance; he said lines like he had memorised them but hadn't found meaning in them. Matilda Firth, who played Ginger, couldn't really escape the limits of her age but showed some potential; Firth was promising but lost her footing in the final act hysterics.

One of the worst casts I've seen for a horror film in a while paired with a script that lacks character. I would give Wolf Man a 4.5/10.

Conclave

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Conclave is an adaptation of the Robert Harris novel of the same name and follows the conclave that transpires after the death of a Pope. This is framed as a political/religious thriller with the cardinals vying for what is a position of power, while Cardinal Lawrence attempts to solve the skeletons that are starting to tumble out of closets.

I love a good thriller script that leaves you guessing. There are significant points in this film where I wondered if it might turn into a murder mystery. However, the tale being told here is far more complex and engaging than the mystery of a dead man. Rather, this is a collection of cardinals who hold great ambition for the papacy, but many of them are trying to hold back secrets that would prevent them from getting voted in. The deceased Pope had a selected head of the Conclave, which falls to Cardinal Lawrence. Lawrence is a very steady and calm man, not outspoken but with a clear moral code and as an audience, we learn to trust him early on. It's really interesting to see Lawrence take it upon himself to ensure the best possible man to be Pope is selected, even compromising some of his values as the film forges on to do so. It's a film that raises the moral question of who deserves to be Pope and how can we be assured political ambition isn't the driving motivation behind this seat. Conclave handles a flow of narrative twists and turns extremely well, offering some great surprises and suspenseful scenes. I even reached a point where I lost trust in Lawrence, which shows the layers this thing brought to the screen. This is a whirling thriller that leaves you unsure who is right, and hoping that Lawrence is a man we can put our trust in. The pursuit of that outcome was great, the runtime of this feature just flew by.

Edward Berger really is one of those grand directors, he is becoming the sort of name I would be looking out for in a cinematic release. The visual style of Conclave is so reverent of the majesty of these deep-seated religious spaces, while also capturing the mundanity of them. That human element that permeates it with cigarette smoke, the latest iPads and designer suitcases. The intense close-ups and mid-shots peppered throughout to drum up the suspense and mystery are very effective. the score used throughout is swift and flitters through, it evokes grandeur in the right moments and inner anxieties in others.

Lucian Msamati, who played Adeyemi, is a real powerhouse in this; Msamati is one of the charismatic greats but has an enormous scene in which he has to capture loss so beautifully. Stanley Tucci, who played Bellini, is a very resolute figure who consistently sticks by his principles; I like that Tucci is so outspoken in this while also simultaneously proving to not be the fighter everyone wishes him to be. John Lithgow, who played Tremblay, is quite a gentle figure for someone so suspicious; I loved how Lithgow played his whole world dropping out from under him later in the film. Thomas Loibl, who played Mandorff, is a more quiet and restrained role but he stood out to me; an aide figure to Fiennes who is at the centre of delivering information that incites the mystery. Isabella Rossellini, who played Sister Agnes, is a very mysterious and distrusting character; her big scene of support for Fiennes in front of the other cardinals is a favourite of mine. Sergio Castellitto, who played Tedesco, is quite an amusing character for such a despicable figure; Castellitto balances moments of charisma with moments of belligerent narcissism. Carlos Diehz, who played Benitez, is a very goodly character that stands for principles many of the other roles fail to employ; Diehz really makes a role that feels humble and sincerely likeable.

However, the best performance came from Ralph Fiennes, who played Lawrence. This is one of those great awards-worthy leading roles. It is a masterclass in what an actor brings to a film when they understand the script and know how to enrich it. Fiennes has always been a master of the craft and this demonstrates that more than most. Lawrence is a calm and balanced figure at first, fraught with his grief over the death of the Pope. Yet Fiennes lends duty to him well, crafting a stalwart figure determined to oversee a worthy conclave. There are scenes of passion where he allows Lawrence to speak from his heart, to earnestly pursue his morals that I adored. Yet what I most found interesting was his frantic descent into achieving what is 'right'; discovering the right man for the papacy. Fiennes takes Lawrence down a wild, and stressful investigation that leaves the viewer questioning his place in all this. There were even times I questioned Lawrence and his ambitions. To evoke a character with that level of complexity is unparalleled, and I sincerely applaud Ralph Fiennes for achieving it.

I do wonder if the last twist delivered in the final act was necessary. It is an important topic that almost trivialises the ending more than it needed to. I would have loved a film that discussed this issue but to give discussion to a small scene at the end with only a little set-up felt undeserving and clouded the conclusion for the film. Conclave just wanted to point out one last time that all these characters carried secrets, but I am not convinced evoking this big of a topic right as the curtain was closing was the appropriate move. I also felt this film lost its grounding in the religious setting at times, even pushing the boundaries of realism around what this Catholic space might look like. It held the aesthetic in places, but I often found myself wondering if it lost sight of the Catholic bearing the film was rooted in.

The editing for this film could really have been tighter, it often lingered a bit too long on a shot and while the script moved at a captivating pace the cutting didn't always match up.

Jacek Koman, who played Wozniak, portrays a very simple and over-the-top form of grief; Koman's role is a desperate figure of intrigue but he fails to excite or engage the audience.

This film really had so many engaging twists and turns, all led by the incomparable Ralph Fiennes. I would give Conclave an 8/10.