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Reviews
Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)
4/10 Surreal, Uncomfortable, Disappointing
I have a massive problem with this film, I understand the project was reformulated from a police-procedural into a story centred around a romantic relationship and I think I understand what Scorsese was doing and how powerful this could have been, he has experience in telling these kind of stories and there are some impressive moments of genius but I just don't believe the central romance, to me it feels improperly demonstrated and surreal, which makes the whole thing surreal. As the story looses plausibility the focus shifts back to the investigation, and is elevated significantly by the good work of Jesse Plemons but this remains only a third act in what is clearly an incredibly over-long edit and it's not enough to hold it together. Add in some questionable-quality CGI for an estimated $200 million production, and some inexcusably bad ADR, and a piece of set design/lighting that looked like it was out of a small-theatre low-budget play...I can see a lot of the budget was spent on the big period outdoor sets and props and costume, although a lot of this looked far too new and shiny and was in need of dressing down. And the no-doubt meticulously researched Native American cultural detail seemed both well-placed and justified but it is unfortunately mostly wasted if the story doesn't work.
I think this is why a lot of people find this film unpleasant, they are experiencing being stretched between a romance you're told pulls two people together and seeing something that doesn't make any/much sense on a human level, all surrounded by shiny realism and an emotive soundtrack, and that's uncomfortable. I'm not disputing the facts of historical record this story is based on, but there was clearly more going on, more coercion probably, or just downright unapologetic entitled exploitation...maybe that is why the film ends the way it does, almost as an apology. It seems this was yet another troubled Apple-financed (possibly over-financed) production, tinkered with to leverage their platform, it also seems the US is even now still struggling to be objective about its trouble-filled past. This film takes itself so seriously and yet Avatar (in the broadest sense) tells this story better!
The Fall Guy (2024)
4/10 Frustratingly Underdeveloped
I'd love to get behind this as a thrilling stunt showcase and worthy campaign for stunt-performance film-awards recognition, all tied together with a witty and self-aware central rom-com performance from two top quality actors with top on-screen chemistry, I did love the trailer, I did find the concept appealing. However for a project like this to work satisfactorily, regardless of the talent involved, it must be written well, it must be directed well. This is written badly and it doesn't hold together, and the direction is poor, it's a stupid story that doesn't work.
That accepted I enjoyed many elements, the stunts, some of the jokes, the sometimes ridiculous neon hair-shimmering slow-motion cinematography, the ultimate man-cave sequence, Ryan's jackets, Emily's catsuit-belt-combo (with invisible holster), the on-set movie-making exposition-demonstration-magic similar to HBO's Irma Vep...the behind-the-scenes stunt-reel over the end credits...until that last bit.
Look, I'm glad everyone is enjoying themselves, I just think it is also possible to make a good story out of a fun concept, so we can all enjoy it, and somehow that's not what happened here.
Civil War (2024)
9/10 Shot-By-Shot Realism
A shockingly intense experience I can feel the gunshots even now, one sequence with a low-level Apache helicopter in an 'urban warfare' situation was thrilling and horrifying in equal measure, and I think that is exactly the point. Also new cameras used by director Alex Garland and his DP Rob Hardy deliver some spectacular cinematography that asks us to question everything we are seeing, this experience does not feel passive. As we journey with a group of journalists we are left to try and figure out what is going on for ourselves and as an exploration of photo-journalism (and PTS) this film is also powerful, with dynamic central performances that mostly hold together, as does the impressive CGI...$50m well-spent I say.
On examination the perceived realism of the scenario depicted is probably as much affected by personal outlook as it is by plausibility (many recent events were difficult to imagine not that long ago) and I think the message of the film is clear, powerful and very necessary, a warning not just on the dangers of fascism but on the dangers of dehumanisation in general, as well as perhaps the risk of pursuing a shot at the expense of all else..! I think it's important to really feel this stuff via a cultural channel so that we can be appropriately wary, and that this production is up there with The Last Of Us and maybe Andor in achieving something contemporary and outstanding that can hopefully wash polarised perspectives aside...or maybe it is time to build that bunker.
Napoleon (2023)
9/10 Napoleonic Revolutionary Love
A slow-paced visionary masterpiece stitched together by the genius of Joaquin Phoenix and a wide-ranging package of stunning practical sequences and realist effects, the dialogue is excellent and so is the delivery, this is not a historical drama it is a love story set in history and I think those taking it literally are missing the point (I'm not even sure it is about Napoleon). And the (I assume accurate) casualty figures listed before the closing credits should remind any literalists that perhaps all the details of what happened in the early 1800s are best forgotten, as the carnage is staggering. I agree however that the 2:38-long-runtime is a bit much, it is a bit too long, and, well, I'm already looking forward to the 4-hour director's cut...but I won't be watching without an interval.
Emily (2022)
7/10 Emily Brontë Gets Emo
A semi-Brontë-biopic mostly concerned with raw emotional drama tinged with gothic horror is it seems appropriate, written and directed by Frances O'Connor with plenty to say it's also a refreshing perspective, if a little clunky in moments. It is not fun to watch but nor was Emily's life fun to live by all accounts, especially her own..! That subject is expertly dealt with, and viewers with no knowledge of her novel will I think be left in little doubt of the likely themes and content, what a cinematic achievement. It's at times such a painful story that clearly an actor with power in reserve is needed and while I struggled a little with Emma Mackey as cast I was quickly absorbed by her performance and left devastated by the realisation of her character's trauma. A reminder maybe to be kind to all even and especially those with a prickly persona, as we are all shaped by our experiences and life is sometimes brutal, naive personal relationships among the sensitive can be a disaster waiting to happen, especially poignant in this story as the tragic missed opportunities for redemption resonate around the rolling and occasionally-quite-damp landscapes of Yorkshire, with individual moments referenced in reflective vignette. Nanu Segal's cinematography is excellent.
I think this kind of artistic interpretation, built from personal perspectives and reflecting great literature, is fantastic and much-needed, and I hope to see more of it from people who really know and care about their subject, in this case Brontë is understood and then laid out for all to see and feel and I think it will really affect people.
No Time to Die (2021)
7/10 Ultimate Bond
I think James Bond as a concept is clearly outdated, and the way production of this last cycle has been tackled, especially in this last film, is impressive at times, and sometimes a lot of fun, but also all-too-serious, still behind, inconsistent, frustrating, badly funded (until it appears recently) and occasionally very confusing...the end seems shocking, but ultimately it feels right to me, yes it has all come a long way since the ridiculous era of GoldenEye but after Sam Mendes reminded us what a proper film should look and feel like I think the rest is just old ideas dusted off and given new life one last time. This is the one, it's pretty good, it's a proper action film with only minor problems, well-directed, cinematic, it feels modern, clever even, witty, satisfying, well refined and well-edited (with a similar release delay to Top Gun Maverick also allowing time for reflection and editorial fine-tuning to great effect). It's oh-so-close-to-an-8 from me, it can't be done better can it? And so much of the time it has been done a lot worse... So let's leave on a high, a good story, I have enjoyed this cinematic reflection, 60-Y-O-B, a toast to James (and to Daniel Craig who has delivered a masterclass in character development under difficult conditions in this cycle) and let's all take on what we have learned, and move on to new and more progressive thinking.
Spectre (2015)
3/10 Spectacle Chills
Oh I give up this film is just ridiculous! A worthy attempt maybe at a classic Bond film, but that concept is now completely outdated and within apparent production constraints the creative direction that offered such possibility here is also lost and the film becomes an exercise in bolt-together-cliché that no amount of amusing mood-music or unexpected table-smashing can save, this is rubbish!
I think at times the conflicting surrealism of this story, as presented with intense and gritty action-sequences that can leave you out of breath, it becomes anxiety-inducing in an almost unconscious way, like a cinematic panic attack.
Skyfall (2012)
7/10 An Exciting Glimpse Of Mendes Brilliance
Skyfall has a second movement that is so fantastic, with gritty realism and exceptional cinematography elevating an emotive and clear narrative into such highs that I think we all sat upright and realised what was, clearly, possible. Unfortunately a lot of us got so excited we forgot about the first half, which was not as good, and we talked it up like the whole thing is a masterpiece...it's clearly not! Our introduction to Javier Bardem's character is particularly excellent, but problematic moments constantly frustrate the first half and it seems evident that a lot of production tinkering is at play, all-the-more frustrating with a director like Sam Mendes at the helm but apparently denied full creative control (an issue that later emerged as a red line for director and co-writer Danny Boyle during NTtD preproduction). At one point in this film it feels like there is active creative directorial rebellion afoot, with a no-doubt contractual reference to 'VW Beetles' suitably questioned, before the cars themselves are ceremoniously crushed, an extended shot of an expensive watch on the wrist of the hand on the throttle leaving us in no doubt that this is all an annoyance, though still apparently necessary for financial reasons? As for Q and his 'obfuscated code' well you definitely need plenty of cups of Earl Grey to make that plausible. Heineken maybe. Why are the writers resorting to such ridiculous technical gimmickry? At least we were spared the glaring Ford car advert this time. And the tone has improved significantly. And Sam is in the chair for the next film. It does all feel like exciting progress is being made...
Quantum of Solace (2008)
3/10 Quantum of Sillyness
The ridiculous name aside, and the forgettable title sequence, and the baffling plot and blurry 'shakey-cam' action and another flipping Ford car advert, oh and that unbelievably silly MI6 table, and the inexplicable exploding hotel in the desert, and the silly female characterisation, and the silly male characterisation, and the mostly-silly story, and the Virgin Atlantic flight with a sophisticatedly stocked and quietly manned cocktail bar, this is not a bad development and maybe it is after all a half-decent action film...oh and yes the multiple uncomfortable references to state-sanctioned torture, not so keen on that in NTtD eh? Oh and yes that dodgy-VFX skydiving sequence at barely 1000' into the deepest 'sink hole' ever discovered. Hmmm. Well I enjoyed some of the location work and the well-done boat and plane action sequences. And ground is laid for what follows, undoubtedly a bit of an education from Sam Mendes!
Casino Royale (2006)
5/10 Bond Upshifted
The 2022 60-Years-Of-Bond Anniversary rescreenings were an opportunity for me to revisit the last generation of films, helmed and redefined superbly by the excellent Daniel Craig, and this beginning was a shock! Even with the iconic yet tortuous and unbelievably-sexually-aggressive GoldenEye firmly behind us this production struggles with tone and is occasionally quite uncomfortable to watch, it also doesn't make sense on a fundamental level, the product-placement is awfully jarring (oh a mediocre Ford car advert how thrilling) and even with all that action and all those clever jokes it feels far too long...
Attempting to update and subvert the genre while also remaining within it is of course part of the ongoing challenge with James Bond, and later films manage it better I think. Financing is also clearly a challenge! This is a bold start and much is achieved, the thrilling and gently humourous freerunning sequence up an unfinished skyscraper is maybe analogous, interesting backstory reinterpretation/exploration is interesting, and the hard work involved in making a poker game exciting to watch pays off BUT this is a problematic film to watch. Luckily next it is QoS, which reminds us to make the most of things..!
Fall (2022)
5/10 YOLO That Rusting Desert Antenna
Ok so what have we learned?
1. When freeclimbing anything over 1000' always wear your base-rig
2. Never trust an influencer-friend
3. Always listen to your father
4. Pay attention to a good life-hack (even if from an influencer-friend)
5. The undeniable attraction of veganism is sometimes clearly offset by necessity/possible-wondrous-rejuvenation
6. Read a sign and UNDERSTAND IT
7. Apparently being 'pole-fit' is a useful life-skill these days
This is, I think, an impressive and powerful lead-acting job propping up a project that, while original and interesting in concept is not realised cohesively, unfortunately, and yes I'm aware of the budget, but while sometimes feeling clever and definitely having fun cinematically it, especially towards the end, seems to have no idea what it wants to be or say, tries to do everything and ends up falling apart. Unlike the tower which holds together remarkably well...as long as you don't examine the electronics too closely, a low-voltage household lightbulb you say? Bayonet?
David Attenborough: A Life on Our Planet (2020)
9/10 A Life-Long Message
Sir David Attenborough summarises his work and understanding here in this empathetic and well-produced appeal to humanity. For once no understatement from him, stop abusing the planet and it's ecosystems or risk system-collapse and the beginning of a mass extinction event that maybe we will not survive (the planet will carry on regardless).
Seaspiracy (2021)
7/10 PREPARE TO BOYCOTT THE ENTIRE FISHING INDUSTRY
Following the facts in this problematic horror-doc leads to the frighting conclusion that the only viable option left for anyone concerned about our collapsing ocean ecosystems is to stop eating seafood, everything, even farmed fish, seaweed is the only option... If this seems a bit dramatic well strap in, because it's looking like the shock horror of The Cove (the documented rounding-up of wild dolphins in Japan for sale into the captive dolphin entertainment industry) is only the beginning, it gets A LOT worse, this is perspective-changing filmmaking on a global scale.
Yes there are significant problems with the film, familiar presentation issues that are pushing me away from Netflix productions and indeed the whole platform, a dishonest discovery-narrative, crude and manipulating expository animations and a vegan seafood advert wedged in at the end that will only enhance the calls of 'vegan propaganda'. But this is clearly an important story, filmed by young and bold filmmakers. The cinematography is excellent and the interviews well-executed. And I don't want to let production problems and a few directional missteps get in the way, they got it made and released despite the challenges, it's a flawed but still-effective package and it will be difficult for critics to dispute the testimony of interviewees such as the marine biologist and esteemed life-long oceanographer Sylvia Earle.
Much as this story is an amalgamation of several agendas and narratives it also makes a clear accusation, that the global fishing and non-plant-based-aquaculture industry is committing a short-sighted economically driven ecocide, destroying the ocean ecosystems and destabilising the planet, endangering all our lives, and filling the ocean with plastic waste. And that even if you don't buy or eat fish you are supporting this activity as a taxpayer through generous government subsidies. As this film joins the dots and that accusation begins to hold water I guarantee that you will sit up in your chair and begin to look for a bucket.
Moxie (2021)
4/10 Surreal Punk Fantasy Trivialises Punk!!
As good as the female-led punk soundtrack is the film itself seems totally un-punk in it's reality, and as fun as it was I am disappointed with what Poehler achieved with this project IT'S JUST ALL TOO EASY TO SHOOT THIS FILM DOWN! And while I can see it resonating with a young audience the knowing self-aware humour will be the only thing, along with the music, that adults will take away from this, it's not good. It paints a picture of a surreal and slightly messed-up world where characters you don't like are so obviously two-dimensional you question what they are doing, not to mention all the teenagers marching around confidently like young adults, while the adults behave like children and a convincing allegation of rape is trivialised as a spring-board to the next exciting moment in the story...I'm sorry, what? The lead actor holds the story together but this film is a fantasy and I'm not really sure what we're supposed to draw from it, and what is just supposed to be a joke, and that can be a problem.
News of the World (2020)
6/10 Satisfactory Western Escapism
Unfortunately I found gritty realism, for which Greengrass is of course notorious (and I am a huge fan), impacted the nostalgic Western fable here and caused problems, the sum of it's parts cuts both parts short. The story is slow and quite often uncomfortable, the brutal realities of that period harder to bear when examined through an honest lens. Necessary tropes became difficult to believe too, as I was asking how on earth they survived and where all that ammunition was coming from? Dramatic moments felt somewhat contrived indeed the language-barrier between the two main characters seemed to be too-easily overcome, they just wouldn't have understood each other. As the story developed I became increasingly unsympathetic with most of the characters...in the end it was an uplifting story with the occasional haunting and brilliant moment but as a piece of art it fell far-short. However, considering the challenges faced and the well-culturally-timed and mostly-enjoyable story that was produced, not to mention Hanks finally in a classic and gritty Western role (and I cannot really fault his work here), I am grateful.
This film also screamed out for projection and I for one am more than willing to pay to see it again on a big screen, I really hope they consider it, some cinema just needs that space to be fully appreciated.
The Way I See It (2020)
7/10 A Powerful Personal Perspective
Pete Souza's perspective is showcased here in this grounded and mostly-well-executed documentary on his political photography that becomes an examination of the role of a US President, and of Souza's move into activism as he is left shocked by what he is seeing post-Obama. I had some problems with what seemed to me inappropriate and painfully-literal musical choices to accompany some of the montages, but his photography is excellent and is well-presented and I am thoroughly glad to have seen it.
Kiss the Ground (2020)
9/10 CLIMATE CHANGE SOLVED?
Despite occasionally drifting into over-sentimental gush the thrust of this eco-doc is powerfully convincing and, I think, bang on the money. If only it was as simple as rapidly implementing it's asserted action-plan to reverse climate change across the world...a call to arms maybe for all concerned humans looking for positive and possible solutions to the big GHG problem.
Miss Bala (2019)
2/10 Over-Ambition Upturns Bala
In a bold attempt to do many modern things this film falls way-short, and in loosing touch with an important modern story becomes toxic...maybe it's totally appropriate for it to end with an apparently accepted offer of employment from the CIA! A strong central performance does hold everything together, just, but even that is not enough; Spanish-speaking characters in Mexican settings speaking American English might be easier to market in the US but it doesn't work narratively, and unsubtitled Spanish slipped in and around the main script at best is somewhat confusing and at worst feels like a bizarre and often in the context inappropriate language lesson, as do some attempts to show off on-location landmarks. Two-dimensional characters and simplified scenarios clash with the main more sophisticated emotional story and become offensive, the severe loss of complexity becoming comical at times. This story is not supposed to be funny, and in trying to turn Miss Bala into a teen-movie you subvert the whole story and end up glorifying the brutal violent and victim-filled tragic reality of drug-gang-warfare and state-corruption. The original Spanish-language film did not do this, and reimagined reproductions of some of the iconic scenes from that film don't work in the context. I would have encouraged Gina Rodriguez to stay hiding under that bed, until the producers and director all left, and she could get out without having to shoot anyone with an assault-rifle in the name of female empowerment. There is a point where equality doesn't mean repeating all the stupid mistakes men make and in a female-lead female-directed production like this there is an opportunity to do something better and maybe more sophisticated. And to all the teenagers watching I say stop, you are better than this.
The Dig (2021)
5/10 A Worthy But Misguided Dig Ends Up Shallow
The potential here for an educational and worthy tribute to the key players of the 1939 excavation of Sutton Hoo has been somewhat squandered by mid-production rejigging and the addition of parallel romantic storylines and refocus away from the central story. A landowner and her hired assistants digging for treasure, and finding it, against the clock, partially in battle with the archeological establishment and with her young son looking on with fascination, all set under the wide and beautifully shot Suffolk skies...why was that not enough?
Buffini's script is sharp and the acting of high quality, especially Fiennes who plays his character with significant depth, intrigue and an apparent impeccable accent, and as the cinematography and gentle score gained momentum I was even almost able to forgive a moment of difficult-to-believe drama early on. I settled in to learn more about these characters and what they were about to unearth, only to have them sidelined by a number of other narrative threads that began to dominate the second half, leaving the original focus of the film neglected. It's conclusion is rushed and much detail lost (or possibly even cut, as I suspect studio interference in an attempt to make the film more mainstream/easily-marketed).
The result is, to some extent, an unsatisfactory narrative mess which, along with other production problems, goes some way towards ruining a project that still manages to achieve significant merit, interest and delight. I'm sure it will be enjoyed by a wide audience, and hopefully eventually in a proper cinematic release (and possibly with, as I argue for here, a writer-and-director-led recut)..?
Les météorites (2018)
8/10 Flashes of Brilliance
There's something otherworldly about this well-directed soft French coming-of-age story on a somewhat-hard background. It meanders along, focused in it's study, sometimes lingering unnecessarily on what may or may not be important, surprising, with time left to ponder and the occasional moment of exquisite cinematography, scored gently, moving things forward to an ultimate ambiguous conclusion. I was drawn in and left in wonder../wondering.
I Am Greta (2020)
10/10 A Subtle Masterclass
This deep-perspective intimate documentary on Greta's journey is almost philosophical in it's delicate portrayal of the complexity that surrounds a bold attempt to help people hear and see sense with regards to climate change.