The Invite

This review may contain spoilers! 

This is an American adaptation of the Spanish film Sentimental (2020), directed by Olivia Wilde. In this feature, Angela and Joe are a long-married, unhappy couple who find themselves exploring the boundaries of modern erotic culture when their upstairs neighbours come over to visit.

I was entirely prepared to write this film off. I expected The Invite to be a failed foreign language film remake, or a lewd American comedy. The Invite is neither of these things, thankfully. This film feels like genuine lightning in a bottle, one of those hot pieces of cinema that just flows perfectly. Whether those dialogue exchanges are scripted, improvised or scattered with ad-libs, the way these characters speak to one another impressed me so much. The line work here is just unreal; there is verbal sparring that moves organically with a raw intensity I expect more from theatre than film. I believe in Angela and Joe; I believe they are a deeply unhappy married couple. But gosh, is it so much richer than that. This is a pair with their own secret desires, deep-seated grudges and conflicts that span a gaping divide between one another. Introducing Piña and Hawk lights a fuse that doesn't burn fast; it burns steadily. There is an intensity that awakens and incites tensions. Fresh characters who draw forth buried feelings, who jolt the core relationship right to its very core. There was something so precisely built in how real these characters are that the moments of absurdity as we dance around the erotic throughline play like clever moments of contrast. A new step to shake things up and carry our protagonists forward.

This is another go of Olivia Wilde in the director's chair, and she is sitting much more comfortably than her recent Don't Worry Darling outing. This film moves like a well-conducted piece of live performance. All of the elements tangle into one another and become a tapestry of human connection. The way this thing is shot is so intimate, an incredibly tight, closed frame that holds everything for the viewer. We are captured alongside the characters, who feel very much like they're being held under a microscope. The score for this film is hilarious in its drama; this is a fully explosive piece of music that really signposts the moments of tension and lends strong emotion to any given scene. There are a few lovely pieces within the soundtrack too; Sade's 'By Your Side' really brought out that playful, cosy side of The Invite. I loved how this feature is stitched together; every cut and transition feels so timely and deliberate.

There is a core group of four actors here who are working extremely hard and wind up giving a masterful set of performances almost entirely. Olivia Wilde might be giving her career best in this. Angela is such a repressed figure who desires so much more than she is receiving from life. Wilde portrays her as this tightly wound mother, who is so perpetually anxious and frustrated that she is racing towards an explosive release. While Rogen continues to surprise and impress. His turn as Joe, a comedic husband who often fails to meet the bare minimum, is a nice blend of Rogen's dramatic and comedic talents. When he's allowed to just riff and ad lib, he can really run away with a scene. I also loved Edward Norton as a smarmy, sexually liberated ex-firefighter called Hawk. His calming tone and measured approach to the situation border on condescension, but often land in introspective placation.

I was less impressed with Penélope Cruz as Piña. This is a role that felt a bit more far-fetched than Norton's. She would gravitate between partner, sexual matriarch and a sort of therapist figure that made her rather difficult to pin down. I didn't feel Cruz could seamlessly differentiate between these moments either. Sometimes The Invite itself faltered because it didn't know when it had gone on for too long, or a comedic moment kept carrying forward. I suppose that's the sacrifice for letting such a raw expression of passion and talent run rampant. When it's working (which is most of the time), it plays to perfection, but these moments aren't always constant.

This is a film that is razor sharp and constructed with incredible quality in mind. I would give The Invite a 9/10.

Moana

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Moana is the live-action adaptation of the film Moana (2016). In this feature, Moana sets out to restore the heart of Te Fiti and save her people with the help of a reluctant demigod, Maui.

I remember when the live-action adaptation of How to Train Your Dragon came out, and it was a complete replication of what had come before. Moana is much like this; only where HtTYD showed an incredible amount of love for the original material at every step, Moana feels like a desire to make something the same for the pure purpose of commercial success. There are whole strokes of this film where the effects in the background slip, or you start noticing how empty the feature is, or the way this film has to compromise adapting from animation comes across as a downgrade. It's a movie that feels a bit rushed, like there was a hurry to get it out, and the visual effects team required more money or time. None of this should completely condemn the film; it just means the film doesn't capture the same creative spark the original feature had. But this wouldn't be the first live-action Disney adaptation to deliver a hollow reprise; Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Mulan, Pinocchio and Snow White immediately spring to mind.

Yet, it's not a film with a dearth of love for the original. The joy of Moana is that it brings a strong sense of storytelling to it. As Moana opens, we're given this powerful introduction by Rena Owen's Gramma Tala, a piece of spoken myth. The film holds this same sense of wonder throughout. Moana is this underdog, with a good heart, who wants to fight to save her people. At every turn, Moana is faced with barriers and hardship, yet she is never defeated by these. The emotion of the characters is lively; you connect with it on a different level because of the live-action quality. Maui feels like more of a cocky jerk, Gramma Tala's passion comes to life, and Moana's fight has a bolder edge as you watch this young protagonist throw herself against the odds. Watching Catherine Laga'aia dive beneath the waves to reclaim the heart and seek out her quest once again makes your heart swell in the same manner the original did.

In fact, Catherine Laga'aia really makes for quite a powerful live-action Moana. She really works to capture the character, bringing a true sense of courage to the role. I also really loved how she builds a character who believes in her quest and her purpose; she wants to save those she cares for. Laga'aia is still very fresh in her career, yet she's the heart of this film and perhaps my favourite performance. In saying that, Dwayne Johnson really gives his all to Maui here. He is effortlessly comedic, quite arrogant and entirely committed to delivering this story the best he can. I felt the real sleeper hit in the cast was Rena Owen as Gramma Tala, a performance that really rivals Rachel House's voice performance. She really makes those character eccentricities her own. John Tui and Frankie Adams try their best as Chief Tui and Sina, but it falls flat. Adams just doesn't have the screen time, while Tui really struggles to find his way in such a large blockbuster ensemble.

The thing with this film is that it's not capable of achieving what animation did. It really does work hard, but those moments where it fails are there. There is a visual style that often sets up the next visual effects shot or confines us to the limits of the sound stage. When those visual effects work? The film feels like magic. But when those shots fail to keep the art style consistent, you are jettisoned back to your seat. The music, however, is a saving grace. They really let the lyrics be heard; the sound is more acoustic. When those voices soar and hit every note, you really feel the power behind that.

This is a perfectly fine film, but like many Disney live-action adaptations, fails to justify its own existence. I would give Moana a 6.5/10.

Enola Holmes 3

 

This review may contain spoilers!

Enola Holmes 3 reunites us with the titular character as she finally looks to be marrying Lord Tewkesbury, upon the island of Malta no less. However, when Sherlock goes missing upon her wedding day, the game is once again afoot. Enola must hurry to unravel this mystery, save her brother's life and make her decision about exchanging vows.

I love Enola Holmes; this whole series has been remarkably well-crafted and good-humoured mysteries. These are films that thrive as character pieces, where you actually care about the characters and find yourself immersed in their relationships to one another. Yet it is the way we walk hand-in-hand with Enola that really makes these movies tick. The protagonist who talks to us, or plays directly to the camera. The fourth wall? It doesn't do anything but break constantly. This is an element that this series has continued to hone and use brilliantly. The audience becomes tethered to Enola; we know her better than the characters onscreen, and it makes you empathise with the story as it plays out. There is an understanding as she combats with her brother, Sherlock, and despairs over his disappearance. Those quiet moments of playful intimacy and genuine connection between her and Tewkesbury mean more. It's these glints of raw human emotion that make Enola Holmes as a series so remarkably wondrous. Millie Bobby Brown is at the centre of this and continues to carry Enola forward as one of, if not her best, roles to date. She understands the intelligence of the role, pairs it with such heart and then tumbles headfirst into the adventure.

The mysteries in an Enola Holmes film are often lighthearted, with reveals that rarely rock the boat too much. Enola Holmes 2 did a great job of heightening the stakes by weaving Cavill's Sherlock with Bobby Brown's Enola to make a parallel mystery at the heart of the story. This film takes quite an interesting turn with its story. There's quite a confused moral message about colonialism that a simple YA adventure flick like Enola Holmes doesn't seem up to the task of conveying. It's a period piece that seems to have a post-colonial viewpoint, one that isn't particularly earned by the characters at the centre of this piece. The history of Malta and its status as a colonised island nation runs roughshod over the mystery around the stolen Afghan gold. There are almost as many scenes of Moriarty espousing anti-colonial rhetoric as protagonists are doing so, which results in a pretty tangled position on where the audience is expected to feel about the theme. Alongside this, Enola wrestles between giving up her name and becoming a titled Lady, while also playing to a very traditional romance narrative. The story does have a tendency to trip over itself many times.

It's a really impressive film in appearance, with incredible vistas, set pieces and intimate moments captured artistically. The camera does struggle to hide the worst fight choreography this series has had; it gets positively amateurish in places. The editing across this sets a fun pace and cuts through memories and character-defining points in a way that feels emblematic of the Enola Holmes series. There is some really blunt use of ADR, though, which I found disruptive. It was quite clear that certain lines had been thought of post-production. However, the musical score accompanying Enola Holmes 3 absolutely soars; it is full of energy and mystery and joy just like the film's protagonist.

There are some constants across this film in the cast. It's wonderful to have Helena Bonham Carter back in her absentee mother role, always ready with a word of wisdom. Susan Wokoma even returns for a couple of laughs and for the big wedding. Himesh Patel was teased as Dr John Watson at the end of the second film, and he is one of the very best parts of this one. He has such a quiet sensibility that can be played for awkward comedy at times, but it can also be used as a mirror. Patel really gets to be that noble moral figure at the centre of this, which felt really appropriate. Partridge's Tewkesbury is at his best when he is fawning over Enola and embroiled in the case. They try to let him have a bit of a brooding thing, and it just tarnishes the character. By contrast, they let Cavill's Sherlock be a little meaner and have a darker heart in this at really lights him up. I absolutely love Henry Cavill as Sherlock and can only wish for more.

Not every performance wins out. There's a whole cast of British finery that really falls into the backdrop of this; performers like Hattie Morahan, Jason Watkins and Paul Cawley. There are also characters that just don't really fit the film and border on being annoying, such as Joe Azzopardi as the most obnoxious freedom fighter you'll ever see. Sharon Duncan-Brewster reprises Moriarty in this, and it's quite the departure from the infamous role. There are so many moments from the character that feel illogical or spiteful for the sake of it. Even her scheme fails to be that impressive, and the views her role holds aren't especially disagreeable. She just happens to work in a nefarious way. This is a Moriarty that just has a mean streak, and Duncan-Brewster only knows how to play it up, never ground it.

The Enola Holmes series has never risen to greatness, but it will always be a guilty pleasure watch for me. I would give Enola Holmes 3 a 6.5/10.