Amelie: Too French For It’s Own Good

Summary a fantasist decided to meddle in other people’s lives.

There was a horribly uncanny experience to this film, wherein things seemed just a bit too off kilter. This was contrasted by the social realist elements which were equally as distressing.

At times you thought the film might be trying to be quirky, in the same way say the films of Wes Anderson are but there was just too much oddness for that.

Moreover, if you have been reading our review for a while you’ll know our views on sexualising the disabled. Most of the people in this film could be classed as learning disabled based on how they act, yet the film constantly puts them in sexual situations. For example Amelie herself who seems to be child like in many ways, is shown having sex and just mindlessly smiling off to the side vacantly at the start of the film, she then visits a sex shop looking for someone and seems uncomfortable. Follow that up with how a random man in a skeleton costume blows on her neck and fondles her and this is supposed to be fine, again she didn’t ask for it, but she later says she liked it. It’s uncomfortable viewing.

Overall, a film best forgotten about in the past

1/5

Pros

A few funny moments

Cons.

Sexualising the mentally disabled

The uncanny elements

The social realism

It’s uncomfortable viewing

If you enjoyed this film review, then please head over to Patreon to support the blog. All reviews, articles and interviews are free, with no early access, sponsorships, or content locked behind paywalls. If you value independent coverage of the entertainment industry, your support over there helps to keep it going. Become a member on Patreon below

patreon.com/AnotherMillennialReviewer

Or if you would rather send a donation if Patreon isn’t for you then please find a link to the Ko-Fi donation page below

http://ko-fi.com/anothermillennialreviewer

California Schemin: James McAvoy’s Most Depressing Film?

Remember McAvoy has a great film called Filth wherein he kills himself right as he has a chance for happiness and it’s too late to save him. Remember that when I tell you this is more depressing.

It is harrowing to see how much these people are disregarded for being from Scotland and how much they hate their lives in Scotland. As the duo gain fame whilst pretending to be American the film does the standard biopic trend of having them lose their way due to drink and drugs. We then see the band breakup and one of the two boys try and kill themselves. Like I said a positive and happy times this is not.

McAvoy steals the scenes he’s in and is a force of nature giving off a Scottish Vinnie Jones type of vibe. As a director he does a component job and manages the pace of the film well, you can see shades of Boyle and later Loach in his style.

Overall, whilst not an enjoyable film due to the subject matter, it is a well made film.

2.5/5

Pros.

The camera work and overall style of the film

The pace

It shines a life on non glamorised Scotland

Cons.

It is depressing

It recycles musical biopic tropes

James Corden

The Drama: A Film That Shouldn’t Have Been Made

Summary, a couples wedding plans are thrown into disaary after a horrific secret from the bride’s past comes out.

So we are going to spoil this as it is important to talk about the twist and how it ruins the film massively, if you don’t want it spoiled then stop here and come back.

So when asked what the worst thing that Zendaya’s character had even done was, she replies she once planned a school shooting. Why did anyone think this was a good idea, this isn’t a drama film it’s being portrayed as a quirky rom-com, this was such a tasteless decision.

When the trailers came out we thought it was just going to be more modern Hollywood slop, as noted by the fact that almost all character are in an interracial relationship, however the reality is all together darker.

What’s more it feels like it was done to be shocking rather than for a good reason, and with the fact it seems like school shootings are happening more and more in the real world this seems incredibly in poor taste.

The film almost makes light of it at times.

Zendaya when asked directly about the tastelessness of the twist tried to play it off as comedy, it’s not comedy to make light of dead kids it’s just a bad look.

If Zendaya was a better actress maybe they could have done something to make the performance more rounded rather than just feeling like Zendaya playing herself as she always does.

If this is a foray into dark humour then it is one that goes too far.

Overall, a horrible film that never should have been made.

0/5

Pros.

None

Cons.

The twist

It makes light of real tragedies

It uses the subject matter for shock value

It’s depressing

It’s vapid

If you enjoyed this film review, then please head over to my Patreon to support me. All reviews, articles and interviews are free, with no early access, sponsorships, or content locked behind paywalls. If you value independent coverage of the entertainment industry, your support over there helps to keep it going. Become a member on Patreon below

patreon.com/AnotherMillennialReviewer

Or if you would rather send me a donation if Patreon isn’t for you then please find a link to my Ko-Fi donation page below

http://ko-fi.com/anothermillennialreviewer

The Testament Of Ann Lee: Shaking Your Way To The Lord

Summary, Ann Lee, Amanda Seyfried, believes herself to be the female reincarnation of the Messiah during the period of the Great Awakening.

This film will be divisive, it was an art film in the truest sense, it is pretentious and it likes symbolism. That will put people off. It is a musical about a very depressing subject matter, and has uncomfortable sexual moments throughout, this will put off people. Then there is the fact that it’s about the Shakers, a Christian sect, and other types of Christians might find some of the things in this film to be heretical, which will put people off. If you make it through all that you’ll find an interesting and original film.

Yes the accents were God awful, but the film tried to do something a bit different, and take what could have been a very heavy and depressing story and make it more engaging and compelling.

The music also oddly works.

Overall, this is a win for Ms Seyfried.

3.5/5

Pros.

It does something different

The music

It is an interesting story

The sheer art-cinemaness of it

Cons.

The pacing

There are a lot of things that can put you off the film

patreon.com/AnotherMillennialReviewer

Or if you would rather send me a donation if Patreon isn’t for you then please find a link to my Ko-Fi donation page below

http://ko-fi.com/anothermillennialreviewer

How To Get To Heaven From Belfast Season Overview: Like Derry Girls But Older

Summary: A trio of women are brought together over the death of their friend and decide to investigate it.

The only reason many people will watch this show is because it is from the woman who created Derry Girls, which was one of the better comedy/sitcom shows of the last decade. Anyway, this is the follow up.

In many ways the lineage is both a pro and a con, it is a pro in that the show is funny, it mimics Derry Girls’ sensibilities and the banter between the women is strong. However, it also feels like a rehash and feels overly familiar to Derry Girls’ at the same time. It feels as though they are trying to replicate Derry Girls just with older characters and one self contained storyline.

The storyline around what happened to their friend, and then as the series progresses is the friend alive, and where is she etc, feels like a very generic sort of detective drama plot line that has been done before. The more the series tries to lean into the mystery aspect the more generic it feels.

There is also an incredibly needless will they won’t they romance sub-plot which takes time away from the bond between the women which is really the key focus of the show.

Overall, watchable if generic.

3/5

Pros

It’s funny

Some good performances

It is well paced

Cons.

It feels too familiar

The mystery is generic

If you enjoyed this TV review, then please head over to my Patreon to support me. All reviews, articles and interviews are free, with no early access, sponsorships, or content locked behind paywalls. If you value independent coverage of the entertainment industry, your support over there helps to keep it going. Become a member on Patreon below

patreon.com/AnotherMillennialReviewer

Or if you would rather send me a donation if Patreon isn’t for you then please find a link to my Ko-Fi donation page below

http://ko-fi.com/anothermillennialreviewer

The Trip 1-4 Overview: Life On Earth

Summary: Rob Brydon and Steve Coogan play fictionalised versions of themselves and go on holiday together.

So we are trying something a little different here, this is the first time a writer on Another Millennial Reviewer has tried to review multiple films at the same time in one piece. It is not the first time a TV series has had multiple seasons reviewed in one piece with that rubicon being crossed last year with the Strangers Things 1-4 retrospective.

In some places the Trip came out as a series in others it was a series of films.

That said on with the show.

The Trip is a strange mix, it is a dramedy that thinks of itself as a comedy. There are funny moments in it and the two men are clearly trying to be funny doing impressions and being silly, however there is also a layered sadness to the show. This is there right from the first episode and hangs over the show. This sadness comes from loneliness and increasingly the personal circumstances of both men it makes for uncomfortable viewing at times.

One questions the appeal of this show/film outside of the UK market as if you do not have familiarity with the two men there is a number of jokes and bits that would go right over your head. For example the a-has’ that follow around Coogan due to his time as Alan Partridge may be met with glassy stairs from the American audience.

A thing to note about the series/films is that unlike other films/TV shows that revolve around the action of travel this does not show you much of the world and the locales do feel similar as the Trips go by. The only one with a real difference is the first season that travels around the north of England that has more of a gothic feel that the others really don’t. That is a key difference between something like this and say something like The Long Way Home, which does feature more travel related content and where the locations feel different, although the latter is presented as real whereas the Trip has Brydon and Coogan playing versions of themselves.

Overall, if you enjoy Coogan and Brydon then you may get something out of this, however if you’re looking for a travel show or even something that is consistently funny then this might not be the show/film for you..

3/5

Pros.

Funny references to Coogan and Brydon’s past work

Good chemistry

Easy viewing

Cons.

Depressing at times

The locations aren’t explored much

If you enjoyed this review , then please head over to my Patreon to support me. All film reviews are free, with no early access, sponsorships, or content locked behind paywalls. If you value independent coverage of the entertainment industry, your support over there helps to keep it going. Become a member on Patreon below

patreon.com/AnotherMillennialReviewer

Or if you would rather send me a donation if Patreon isn’t for you then please find a link to my Ko-Fi donation page below

http://ko-fi.com/anothermillennialreviewer

Wuthering Heights: Hollywierd

Summary where to start with this

So before we get into it, let’s point out two things this film does firstly, it normalizes and fetishizes abusive relationships, and secondly it decided to promote itself by implying an affair between the two leads despite Robbie having a husband and small child. Already deeply toxic.

The first scene of the film, which was not in the book, is a man being hung with an erection and Robbie’s character and her friends being noticeably turned on by it. So in the first scene we are seeing men being objectified even in death and a nod to necrophilia.

Not to be outdone Cathy then watches a BDSM party in the barn and then masturbates. Do you remember that being in the books? No because it wasn’t. It is more of this Fifty Shades depravity, yes women are sexual, yes women masturbate but this is just crude smut. It reads as a fan fiction porn version of the original book.

In the book Heathcliff psychologically abuses Isabella and rapes her, here that is normalised saying that they are in a BDSM relationship. Which again shows you the twisted morality at the core of this film.

Honestly there is nothing wrong with sex in films, there is nothing wrong with films being erotic but when they are encouraging necrophilia, watching people have sex without their consent, and normalising abuse through BDSM, you have to have a series of questions about have things gone too far.

Very much a film for the female gaze, but remember if a film was released where a man was turned on by the dying body of a woman and masturbated watching people have sex, folks would call it sick and demand it’s removal. It is not okay just because it is a woman.

Overall, this is depraved smut for the over 40s bored housewife who needs extremes to feel anything anymore.

0/5

Pros.

None

Cons.

This isn’t a book adaption

It encourages and normalises deeply problematic behaviour such as watching people have sex without their consent and necrophilia

It normalises abusive relationships

It uses sex for shock value

It has pacing issues

patreon.com/AnotherMillennialReviewer

Or if you would rather send me a donation if Patreon isn’t for you then please find a link to my Ko-Fi donation page below

http://ko-fi.com/anothermillennialreviewer

My Submission: The Quest For Fame

Summary: A young woman spends her evening sending out self tapes in the hopes of getting work in the industry.

In many senses this is an industry film, that is not to say you wouldn’t like it if you don’t have industry experience, but it is to say that you would gleam more from it by having been part of the machine. The relatability of the protagonist her struggle, her wanting to be part of it, her persistence all rings more true if you have experienced it yourself.

I thought the film was one of the rare sort of films that work as a comedy and as a drama, as there were moments of comedy that land in a real human way, but also the struggles and the self doubt come across as earnest. It would have been very easy for these struggles to just feel generic or cookie cutter but there is enough personalisation to it that it comes across as genuine and again relatable.

Relatable is the key word I would use to describe this film above all others.

I think the found footage style helped add a little flair of the different to this film and helped set it apart as a framing device and that it was used to great effect. I would say there are a couple of moments where the use of found footage is slightly limiting in terms of storytelling, but that is a formatting trade off ultimately.

Overall, a painfully earnest film that also has some sparkling comedic moments.

4/5

The earnest elements

The found footage angle

The comedy

The relatability

Cons.

Slightly format constraints

patreon.com/AnotherMillennialReviewer

Or if you would rather send me a donation if Patreon isn’t for you then please find a link to my Ko-Fi donation page below

http://ko-fi.com/anothermillennialreviewer

Hamnet: Upstart Crow Did It First.

Summary: the death of Shakespeare’s son.

Whilst the title implies that Upstart Crow, a British TV show did it first, I would argue that where the difference comes is in the framing. Within Upstart Crow the focus is very much on Shakespeare’s point of view this is more so from the point of view of his wife Agnes/Anne.

This is Jessie Buckley’s film, she should win best actress for it, her performance is likely a career high, though the Bride is coming soon. Her performance is not only the emotional core of the film but also the life force for everything else that happens.

The subject matter is handled in a way that is depressing yes, a child dies, but you would argue that there is a more optimistic feeling by the end of the film. If you cannot handle depictions of grief or child mortality this might not be the film for you as it goes go to some dark places.

I appreciated the hyper real aspects to the film such as the stuff with the cave and the hawk and think that it provided a nice respite from being too depressing.

Overall, a strong emotional film.

4/5

Pros.

The performances

The emotion

The ending

The impact

Cons.

Pacing issues

If you enjoyed this Cinema Issues article , then please head over to my Patreon to support me. All film reviews are free, with no early access, sponsorships, or content locked behind paywalls. If you value independent coverage of the entertainment industry, your support over there helps to keep it going. Become a member on Patreon below

patreon.com/AnotherMillennialReviewer

Or if you would rather send me a donation if Patreon isn’t for you then please find a link to my Ko-Fi donation page below

http://ko-fi.com/anothermillennialreviewer

Nuremberg: Russell Crow Still Has It

Summary

This was a surprise.

I enjoyed the film and the serious approach it took not just to the subject matter but also to assuming that audiences could understand a more dense and intelligent script.

I thought the performances across the board were good but I thought Russell Crow was the clear standout for his role here. He managed to be both evil and terrifying whilst also being somewhat sympathetic at times. You could believe him as a master manipulator.

My central issue with the film would be that it had too many characters and tried to do too much, it did have some side plots it handled well, but others it didn’t give proper time to.

Overall, an impactful and well acted film.

3.5/5

Pros.

The acting

The scope

The seriousness

The cat and mouse plot line

Cons.

It took on too much

It had pacing issues

If you enjoyed this review, then please head over to my Patreon to support me, I offer personalized shoutouts, customised film recommendations to suit your personality and tastes, the ability for you to pick what I review next and full access to my Patreon exclusive game reviews. Check it out!

patreon.com/AnotherMillennialReviewer

Or if you would rather send me a donation if Patreon isn’t for you then please find a link to my donations page below

Help Support My Reviews