Jumanji, The Next Level: Level Up!

‘Jumanji: The Next Level’ is a fantasy adventure comedy film and, sequel to the 2017 film ‘Jumanji: Welcome To The Jungle; also serving as the fourth film in the franchise. The plot follows on from the last entry, the core group have drifted apart and, Spencer, (Alex Wolff), decides to go back into Jumanji once again, to try and recapture the Bravestone feeling; the others discover this and, then go into to rescue him. The twist this time around is that Spencer’s uncle Eddie, (Danny Devito), and his former business partner Milo, (Danny Glover), get sucked into the game too.

Director Jake Kasdan achieves something very special with ‘The Next Level’ a sequel that is far better than the films in the series before it. In almost every aspect this film succeeds the previous film, in terms of comedy, in terms of character development, in terms of world-building; all-round ‘The Next Level’ is a treat.

This time around Bravestone, (Dwayne Johnson), is the in-game avatar of Danny Devito’s Eddie, and Moose Finbar, (Kevin Hart), is the avatar of Danny Glover’s Milo. Both actors do a great impression of their older counterparts: but it is Kevin Hart that really shines in this style of comedy, his impression of Danny Glover is hilarious and he easily has the best jokes of the film.

The rest of the in-game avatars are also a welcome return, Professor Oberon, (Jack Black), played by Ser’ Darius Blain’s Fridge this time around is equally as hilarious as he was in the first film; it is nice to see Jack Black back in a big-budget film. Ruby Roundhouse, (Karen Gillian), and Seaplane, (Joe Jonas), are featured and, they do have some great moments but, they are very much pushed to the sidelines and, underused. Awkwafina is also in this film for all of 15 minutes, so she is not really given any time to shine.

The world of Jumanji is nicely explored this time around, we get to see some new locations that helped to set this film apart from the previous entry this is also done by their being new rules brought in which allow characters to do a variety of different things, including switching bodies. The one issue with all of this is that ‘The Next Level’ feels less like a videogame adaption/homage, which is one of the things that makes the first film so good.

Overall ‘The Next Level’ is a step up from ‘Welcome To The Jungle’ which was already a great film. Devito, Black, Hart and Johnson are all on terrific form here and, make this one of the best films of the year. The romantic development between Spencer and, Martha, (Morgan Turner) is also incredibly endearing and, the end stinger is definitely one to stick around for. I can’t wait for the next film in this fantastic franchise.

5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Gremlins 2: Gizmo Is Back For Blood, First Blood.

‘Gremlins 2: The New Batch’ is a horror-comedy film and, follow up to the 1984 Gremlins film. The story continues the journey of Gizmo, (Howie Mandel), who this time gets wet and, multiplies inside a skyscraper in New York City; can you guess who works in the same skyscraper?

That’s right it’s Billy, (Zach Galligan), the main character from the first film, he is now working in a soul-crushing job at the Clamp Centre, dreaming of being able to draw the things he wants to. Gizmo is captured and, brought to the Clamp centre following the death of his owner Mr Wing, (Keye Luke), meeting back up with Billy in the process.

‘The New Batch’ seems to believe strongly in the concept of more is better, the wackiness of the original film is turned up to 100, with the evil gremlins this time around getting superpowers, as they’re effectively the result of genetic experimentation. These superpowers include the ability to talk and, for one very memorable character wings. The effects of the flight sequence are horrific and, really stand out when compared to today however, it really helps to add to the campy charm of the film.

The campy charm is another thing that this sequel greatly plays up, there are multiple meta jokes and, jabs at other films which serve this purpose. ‘The New Batch’ almost plays like a charming B movie in many ways, this is one of the things I really like about the sequel. Tony Randall as the Brain Gremlin is inspired, he is constantly hilarious and, every moment he is on the screen is a treat; the best lines of the film are all his.

To go back to this idea of meta-commentary this time around Gizmo has seen Rambo and, he uses these skills once again to save Billy; also seeing Gizmo in a little red headband is something I never knew I needed. Gizmo is just as charming and, endearing this time around and, there are real moments of peril for Gizmo wherein you’re genuinely scared for him.

My only real criticism for this film is that in terms of filmmaking and, narrative things aren’t as tight this time around, they feel messy to an extent: as though the creatives and director Joe Dante were just throwing ideas at the wall and seeing what sticks; which to an extent they were as this film had far less time in production than the previous film.

Overall, despite being a little rushed this is still more of the same fantastic gremlins action. This is a gloriously campy, B movie esque, horror-comedy and is definitely worth the watch. It will make you smile and, it will solidify Gizmo as one of cinemas all-time best, and most adorable icons.

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Gremlins: Gizmo The Christmas Icon

‘Gremlins’ is a horror comedy film, written by Chris Columbus and, directed by Joe Dante, two legends of the 1980’s film industry. The plot follows Billy, (Zach Gilligan), a young man who gets a Christmas present of his father, a little furry creature called Gizmo. Gizmo is a gremlin a mystical creature that comes with a very specific set of rules, don’t expose it to sunlight, don’t get it wet and, finally and most importantly don’t feed it after midnight. Obviously, all these rules are broken throughout the course of the film, leading to the creation of new gremlins, who unlike Gizmo aren’t cute and cuddly, rather menacing and evil.

Many people have a soft spot in their hearts for ‘Gremlins’ and, many view it as a Christmas classic. This down to, in no small part, Gizmo himself, not only is he memorable but, he is also cute and, endearing and, whenever there is a moment where things look bad for him you almost say out loud, “No not Gizmo”, or maybe that’s just me. What the puppetry team accomplished with him is outstanding and, the choice to give him a voice, (Howie Mandel), is inspired, as it really helps to sell the emotion of the character.

Steven Spielberg’s fingerprints are all over this film and, it shows; it perfectly toes the line between goofy Christmas film and actually good horror. The horror elements are surprisingly strong with the design of the evil gremlins being really quite scary and, unpleasant. Also, there is a lot of fantastic gore in the film, mainly during a scene when Billy’s mum, (Frances Lee McCain), kills three of the evil gremlins, putting one in the microwave and, one in a blender. At the time it came out this level of gore in what was extensively a children’s film, was shocking. This combined with the release of Spielberg’s Temple of Doom lead to the creation of the R rating in America.

‘Gremlins’ is dripping in 80’s goodness it does feel very of that era however, that is not to say that it doesn’t age well; ‘ Gremlins’ is just as perfect now as it was then. The relationship between Billy and Gizmo is a thing of beauty and, the scene in the final act where Gizmo drives a little toy car to save Billy is the most heartwarming, life-affirming thing you might see all year. This film is guaranteed to make you smile.

One last thing to mention is that the final shot of this film, the original owner of Gizmo walking away with him, is one of the most beautifully shot and, most iconic shots not just in horror films but, in cinema in general.

‘Gremlins’ is one of those films that everyone should see at least once, I can promise you it is worthy of your time, and that it will make you smile.

5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Operation Finale: The Harshness of a 122 minute runtime, done badly

Operation Finale is a historical drama about the hunt for and, eventual capture of infamous Nazi Adolf Eichmann by Israeli Mossad agents; based somewhat on the memoir of Peter Malkin.

The premise for this film is intriguing there aren’t that many films detailing the fallout of World War 2 or, the hunt to capture the remaining Nazi officers who fled. So this one feels unique. However, despite the novelty of the film feeling like something I hadn’t seen before, it still came across as uninspired.

Once the film gets going and, we see the agents in Argentina hunting down and, capturing Eichmann there is a fantastic sense of dread and, tension as if you know something bad is going to happen; with every second before they get on the plane feeling tense.

This is greatly helped by Kingsley’s performance as Eichmann, Kingsley perfectly captures the role flirting with both desperation and, intense malice at times. There is something about Kingsley’s performance that makes your skin crawl.

However, the rest of the cast are so bland and, forgettable, you can’t remember a single one of their names after the credits roll, dragging down the film as a whole. Oscar Issac as Peter Malkin is serviceable, but not in any way good, anyone could have played that role and captured the same lifeless performance that Issac gives and, we know he is capable of giving a good performance. On top of this, we have Nick Kroll, of Uncle Drew and Big Mouth fame, as Rafi Eitan, in this film he plays it straight; he is not the comedic relief. This serious turn from Kroll is in a word jarring: because a lot of the time his performance doesn’t match that of the other actors as he can’t quite land the serious delivery.

The most offensive thing about Operation Finale is its runtime of 122 minutes; which feels oppressively long. The main story of the film might take up about an hour and a half at most; the rest of the film consists of subplots, that I suppose are intended to develop the characters and, their motivations, but instead just drag on and on. Ultimately that is the crux of the issue with this film, it can’t make the audience care about its characters, they remain tepid and, non-substantial throughout the film.

Despite my issues with the film, I am glad it got made as it is an important film and it is nice to see these brave men and women get their moment in the light, however they deserved better than this bland cookie-cutter historical drama treatment.
2.5/5

Home Alone: And So Christmas Begins

Home Alone is a comedy film and world-renown Christmas classic. The plot follows a young boy Kevin McCallister, (Macaulay Culkin), who is left Home Alone by his parents when they go away on a Christmas holiday; while being on his own Kevin is terrorised by a pair of burglars called the Wet Bandits. The film deals with themes of family and societal judgments.

For me, Home Alone one and two have become somewhat of a Christmas institution; every year I will gather around the television and, watch them. This is because the films are so heartwarming and sweet they are feel-good films in the truest sense; holiday junk food.

Culkin gives one of the best performances, for a child actor, ever, not only is he likeable and charismatic, but he is also funny. These first two Home Alone films wouldn’t be half as good as they are without Culkin in the lead; he brings so much youthful energy and, heart to these films and his role can not be understated.

Furthermore, the behind the scenes duo of two of the best 1980s directors, Chris Columbus and John Hughes, the director and producer respectively; really add to the film being what it is, memorable and quotable long after it was released, as well as add to the timeless nature of this film.

The villains of the piece the Wet Bandits are also a treat, Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern do a fantastic job, being able to be both menacing at times while also being funny and comical. In this regard, the final showdown between Kevin and the Bandits is a thing of beauty, yes this is where I am going to talk about the traps.
Once the Bandits break into Kevin’s house, they soon find out that he is far from a frightened little kid and, in a rather Jigsaw like way, has in fact designed a series of traps for them. The traps become a hallmark of the Home Alone series, with each entry using them as the centrepiece of the film. The traps are all incredibly entertaining to watch, and this is helped in no small part by Pesci and Stern’s great comedic timing and delivery.

My one issue with the first two films is that they include subplots whereby Kevin makes friends with someone he at first judges but, then by the third act realises that they are in fact alright. Both films do this and, to me, it comes across as a little repetitive and a little bit forced; I understand what the films were trying to do, but I personally could have done without it.

Overall A Christmas classic that holds up and is a must-see this time of year!

5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Mid90s: Back in the 90’s I Was In A Skateboard Gang

Mid90s is a coming of age comedy-drama film; the plot follows a young teenager as he starts hanging out with an older group of Skate Boarders.

Mid90s is the directional debut of funnyman Jonah Hill, of Superbad fame, and what a promising first outing this is. Mid90s manages to capture so excellently not just the ’90’s feel, but also the need to belong and, the need to find others like you and, be expected by them.

To this end, we see Stevie, (Sunny Suljic), a 13-year-old with an incredibly troubled home-life, a lot of things are implied but, nothing is out-rightly said, as he tries to befriend a group of skater boys that he admires. In service of this aim, we see Stevie do all kinds of things like smoke and drink underage, have sex underage, and do incredibly dangerous skateboarding tricks. A lot of these scenes are extremely uncomfortable to watch, the intimate scene especially made my skin crawl, but it is all done to be as realistic as possible. In many ways, this film reminded me a lot of the Larry Clarke 90’s film Kids, both showed the struggle of these kids who were poor and, disenfranchised by society; who just wanted a way out.

Another thing the film does well it show how appearances can be deceiving and, you never really know what is going on in a person’s head. It does this masterfully in the final act, throughout the film we learn very little about the skater boys that Stevie befriends this leads us to form our own opinions about them, then during a very touching conversation in the final moments of the film Ray, (Na-Kel Smith), the leader of the boys tells Stevie of the suffering each member of the gang has had to live with and, it really hits home the message of the film.

This is also shown by Lucas Hedges’ character Ian, Ian is Stevie’s older brother, throughout the film Ian is mean and unpleasant towards Stevie, in some ways he is almost the antagonist of the film. However, as the film progresses we learn bit by bit that Ian has had a very hard life and, is indeed very troubled; we also learn that deep down he does have a lot of care for his brother in the touching orange juice scene at the end.

The comedy of the film mostly lands, however, it is used incredibly sparingly and, this film is far more of a drama film than a straight comedy; you won’t come away from his laughing.

To conclude this is a very promising debut for Jonah Hill, he delivers an impactful slice of life, a more gritty coming of age tale, and, most of all he makes us question how we view people. In many ways despite a lot of it’s bleaker and, uncomfortable moments, Mid90s is truly beautiful.

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

Brave: Pixar’s Forgotten Masterpiece

Brave is an animated fantasy film by genre giants Pixar. The plot follows Merida a Scottish princess, who doesn’t like that she has no control in her own life; being expected to marry and keep alive old alliances.

When looking back at Pixar’s history and filmography, Brave falls solidly in the middle, in the average category. However, I genuinely believe that this film is criminally overlooked and, is, in fact, one of Pixar’s best.

The crux of the story is a relationship between a mum and her daughter, Princess Merida, (Kelly Macdonald), wants to have her own life and, follow her heart, whereas her Mum Queen Elinor, (Emma Thompson), wants her to marry and, become the next queen; crucially they don’t understand each other and won’t listen to what the other has to say. Merida makes a deal with a Witch, (Julie Walters), to give her a potion that will ‘change’ her mum, thinking it will change her mum’s mind; instead it turns her into a bear.

Despite her mum not being able to talk from this point forward, until the very end of the film, the emotional relationship between these two characters is a thing of beauty. As the two go on a journey to get Queen Elinor turned back, they bond and learn to see things from each others point of view. Despite this being done before, it perfectly captures the mother-daughter relationship in an incredibly honest way, that only Lady Bird has done before, it is incredibly affecting; and is a fantastic example of the soul Pixar films are known for.

The voice cast is fantastic, Kelly Macdonald is a great leading lady and, the role of Queen Elinor seems as though it was written for Thompson as she captures the regal, wise Queen in a way only she can. However, the standout performance of the voice cast is Billy Connolly as King Fergus, he is effortlessly hilarious and, perfectly captures the loving if misguided father.

It is nice to see a Scottish Princess and to see a film inspired by the folklore of the Highlands, it gives the film a very unique sense of identity, that I for one greatly appreciate. I would love to see more films set in this universe and, see the mythology further explored; as there is a deep well of folklore waiting to be tapped.

Ultimately it is a crying shame how this great film has faded into obscurity, forgotten under the weight of Toy Story and Coco. This film is beautiful and, has more soul than any other animated film I’ve seen this year. If you didn’t see this film when it came out or, just love Pixar films than this is a must-watch. This is miles better than the likes of Frozen and has a message we should all take notice of.

5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Current Star Wars Climate

Today I thought I would write about the current state of Star Wars and, my thoughts on it; what better time than with the Rise of Skywalker mere weeks away. I will try and, keep politics out of it.

So before I talk about current Star Wars, I will talk about my history with the franchise I was born into the prequel era, I was 3 when The Phantom Menace hit cinemas, the first Star Wars film I saw in the cinema was Revenge of the Sith. So I grew up watching the prequels, and anyone who knows my thoughts on Star Wars knows I have a soft spot for them. I, of course, watched the Original trilogy religiously, it was revered in my house; so of course when it was announced that we would be getting a new trilogy, a sequel trilogy I was excited.

At the current moment in time, I strongly dislike the sequel trilogy and, I will now explain why.

It all began with the Force Awakens, I like many others was incredibly hyped for it, the trailers and the teaser had captured my imagination. However, when I went to see it I was left with one thought, that was incredibly average, incredibly safe.

That is my key issue with the new trilogy, it has potential but, instead it seems to be content to be average. The characters are all likeable but, they aren’t characters not really a lot of them are just there to carry the plot along; glorified macguffins. The Last Jedi that believe me I will get to in a minute, rather than deepen any of these characters just stuffs more characters into the mix, as though that will fix anything, you’re not able to care about the characters because they’re so flat. The other major issue with how the new trilogy treats characters is with the preexisting veterans. The new trilogy does two things with these characters milk them for nostalgia and, then kill them off to force an emotional reaction out of the audience; in the cheapest kind of way.

Now the second film in the trilogy The Last Jedi does take risks, I can’t criticise them for that, but what it also does far more than The Force Awakens is force in a political message; which yes Star Wars has always been political but, this is blatant and off-putting.
Whatsmore, while I do genuinely like Rian Johnson and think he is a talented filmmaker, I don’t think he was the right pick for this film as he disrupted the flow of the trilogy; through subverting expectations, this could have been done well but, here it just comes across as alienating and jarring. If Johnson was given his own trilogy set in a completely new part of the universe it could be outstanding but, this just wasn’t the film for him.

At the time of writing The Rise of Skywalker is weeks away and, I feel nothing. These films no longer feel like Star Wars to me they just feel like generic science fiction with bland forgettable characters. It is a shame to see a series that I once looked up to fall this low, I think the only way to save it is to move past everything that has gone before and, start afresh in a new part of the galaxy with new characters.

But hey Rogue One, Solo and the Mandalorian are all pretty good.

Written by Luke

Jumanji Welcome To The Jungle: The Perfect Videogame Adaption

Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle is a fantasy, adventure comedy film acting in many ways like a sequel/ soft reboot of the Robin Williams classic. The plot follows a group of mismatch teenagers, a la the Breakfast Club, that all find themselves in detention together; having to clean out a room in the High School. While there they run into a mystical game Jumanji, this time around it takes the form of a videogame, because who plays board games, as they start playing they soon realise that Jumanji is so much more than just a game.

The characters themselves are the usual collection of stereotypes, the shy quirky boy, the shy quirky girl, who end up together, of course, the vapid self-obsessed girl, and the jock. Naturally while inside the videogame each character gets an avatar, these are the big Hollywood stars, Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Karen Gillan. The shy quiet nerds, Spencer, (Alex Wolff), and Martha, (Morgan Turner), get the avatars of the cool badass confident, Dr Smolder Bravestone, (Dwayne Johnson) and Ruby Roundhouse, (Karen Gillan), respectively. The character development couldn’t be more obvious they both learn to be more confident and to love themselves; however, despite being cliche, these character arcs are well done and, the character transformation does feel rewarding at the end of the film.

Likewise making the popular girl, Bethany, (Madison Iseman), have the ingame avatar of Professor Shelly Oberon, (Jack Black), is equally as expected, but also equally hilarious; Black has the best lines in the film and, the humour of having a teenage girl in the body of a grown man provides some great laughs. Finally, you have the traditional jock Fridge, (Ser’Darius Blain), having the avatar of Moose Finbar, (Kevin Hart), the joke here is that Fridge goes from being big and muscular to small and weak, these jokes don’t land as well and, Hart often comes off as whiny and annoying.

Jumanji itself works almost perfectly as a videogame adaptation despite not actually being one, capturing the feeling of playing a game and the rules of them really well. Furthermore, the surprise reveal of Nick Jonas’ Seaplane being Alex Vreeke a kid who went missing 20 years ago gives the story a real emotional weight; especially when he realises how long he has actually been in Jumanji. There is a kind of jokey romance between Alex and Madison in the film, which in context feels quite icky, but at least this is mostly kept on the sidelines.

Ultimately Jumanji works perfectly for what it is, a dumb popcorn movie, it is not going to give you something you haven’t seen before, it doesn’t have anything new to say, but it is incredibly amusing and entertaining. The awkward nerd romance is nice to see, and Alex Wolff is a good leading man. However, this is Jack Black and Jo Jonas’ film, they’re both equally hilarious and, if the soon to be released sequel can give them and Gillan’s character more attention and, Johnson and Hart less, then it could be something really special.

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

Knives Out: It’s All About The Doughnut Hole

Knives Out is a murder mystery film, which positions itself as a fresh take on the WhoDunit genre. The plot follows a family gathering that goes off the rails when the Grandfather is found dead; was it foul play? That is what we need to find out.

Rian Johnson, of The Last Jedi and Lopper fame, writes and directs this film and, he does both well. Johnson’s signature subversion of expectation is in full effect here, however unlike in the Last Jedi where it feels out of place and almost deliberately antagonistic, in Knives Out Johnson uses this technique to enrich and enhance the mystery to great effect.

Nothing is straight forward in this film, which makes it a good mystery film, the trailers paint a very different film to the one you get. Furthermore, throughout the film, you will think the story is going one way only to have it veer off drastically in another direction. Most of the times this works really well, keeping you guessing, bringing more and more tension; however, some of these twists seem a little far fetched and seem like just an effort pad out the plot, which doesn’t help pacing.

The wider cast is not as involved as the trailer suggests them to be, with Knives Out instead really focusing on Ana de Armas’ Martha, Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc and to an extent Chris Evan’s as the Grandson Ransom. The rest of the cast each get their moment to shine, but other than that all have very little screen time. Knives Out is extensively a film about Martha, a character who is forced to go through a lot and do a lot, the film explores whether a change in financial standing can change a person, or if they will still be the same good person.

The master detective Blanc is Craig’s finest performance to date, he fully loses himself in the role, elevating it to an unforeseeable level. Craig goes fully manic towards the end of the film and, it is one of the best scenes I’ve seen all year; when you see it you will know which scene I mean.

Evans’ doesn’t have the biggest part, and the only reason I bring him up is that this is his first performance outside of the MCU in recent years and, it does very little for me; this does not make me think that Evans’ has any real acting talent, as his role could be played by anyone.

My only strong negative of the film is that there is a scene where all the characters gather together and discuss politics, this scene serves to show where on the political spectrum each character falls. To me there was no need for this scene as it felt preachy, it took me out of the film and felt like I was having headlines read to me; plus as someone who is not from the USA, I have very little interest or, care in American Political matters and, this scene left a sour taste in my mouth.

Overall 90% of this film is good if it wasn’t for some poorly written weak characters and, some needlessly forced politics, then I would give it full marks, but alas I can’t change what it is.

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke