Raymond And Ray: Burying A Body In Multiple Senses

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Two brothers, played by Ethan Hawke and Ewan McGregor, go on a road trip to bury their abusive father.

I enjoyed this film quite a bit, the nuance of the narrative and the idea of complicated father son relationships spoke to me and I liked how the film handled it and how each brother found closure in their own way.

In terms of a sentiment side of things I thought the film didn’t really have anything new to say, none of its philosophies haven’t already been explored in full. However, despite the plot of the film being quite humdrum I think the performances from both leading men more than make up for it. Hawke and McGregor both go on long journeys with their characters that feel both natural and by the end earned, I would be hard pressed to pick a better performance out of the two of them.

Another thing I think the film does well is balance out its comedy with its drama, making sure to keep the tone just right and never venturing into one or the other too completely.

Overall, thought it is nothing new the performances and character journeys keep this film engaging and enjoyable.

Pros.

Hawke

McGregor

The tone

The character work

Cons.

It is nothing new

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Andor: Nobody’s Listening

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Cassian, played by Diego Luna, continues to plan his escape from prison, meanwhile his friend Bix, played by Adria Arjona, is tortured by the Empire for information.

I am starting to find these three episode arcs to be quite tiring at this point. The Cassian prison storyline is for the most part dull and uninteresting, and to make matters worse it just feels like it keeps getting stretched out, the escape could have at least started in this episode but no they had to push it till next week.

I found the wider Empire stuff more interesting, I am enjoying seeing how they are dealing with this early form of the Rebellion and are starting to realise more and more that this is a serious threat that needs to be dealt with.

The Mon Mothma, played by Genevieve O’Reilly scenes are also quite dull, but I won’t spend too much time talking about this as I have covered it in previous reviews. We can only watch her chat to people secretly at dinner parties so many times before it gets dull, and we have already reached that point.

Overall, quite a dull episode.

Pros.

Vel’s back

Andy Serkis is having fun

It sets up the prison escape for next week

Cons.

It is too slow and the three episode arc structure is starting to harm the show

Mon Mothma needs to do something other than just be constantly chatting to people at dinner parties

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American Horror Story NYC: Smoke Signals

4/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The aids epidemic looms large, and the killer picks up steam.

I really do find it interesting how this season of AHS is handling aids and the aids epidemic of the eighties, clearly a lot of horror is being drawn from that real world tragedy but the show is trying to put its own spin on it as well. I thought fully going into conspiracy theory territory and saying that aids was developed as a biological weapon for use in the cold war was certainly very out there, but I like that the show went into this larger than life frame with it.

Moreover, I like that we are seeing more and more of the killer and the net seems to be closing in. I think both sides of this season are working well together to create strong scares and unsettling themes.

My one issue with this episode, though I think it is actually more aptly for the season as a whole, is the fact that there are far too many characters at times. Each of these are given their own mini stories and quite often it can be hard to remember who is who and what they have to do with the wider narrative of the season.

Overall, another strong episode.

Pros.

The new origins of aids

Seeing more of the killer

The tension and scares

The ending

Cons.

A few too many characters

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Hocus Pocus 2: This Time With More Alexas

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The Sanderson Sisters return again.

I found this film to be mostly charming, I liked the updated humour and thought that the Sisters interacting with modern technology was a lot of fun. The film definitely benefits a lot from making the Sisters front and centre for this new instalment as it gives them a lot of time to shine. This is doubly good as the new lead of the film Becca, played by Whitney Peak, is incredibly dull and forgettable and the originals are needed to step in and save the film from her.

I think the stand out stars of this film were Sarah Jessica Parker’s Sarah, Sam Richardson’s Gilbert and Doug Jones’ Billy. Sarah Jessica Parker brings such a warmth and child like sense of wonder to her role that really helps to separate her character from the other Sanderson Sisters and makes it hard to root against her. Richardson is always very easy to warm to and that is no less true here, he has great chemistry with Jones and the two should get their own spin-off. The return of Billy could have felt in many ways just a nostalgia grab, but Doug Jones really does add a sense of agency to Billy and gives him an arc that adds weight to his return which really does work well.

My main issue with the film is the ending wherein the Sisters are basically redeemed and then killed off, seemingly setting the stage for Becca and her pals to become the new witches going forward. Now this sucks on multiple levels, firstly they shouldn’t have been redeemed the enjoyable thing about these characters was in how cartoonishly evil they were at times, secondly the seeming replacement characters are dull and have no soul or personality, and finally these films are about the Sanderson Sisters so to get rid of them from the franchise would be hugely folly.

Overall, still a good time but the ending spoils it to an extent.

Pros.

The humour

Jessica Parker, Richardson and Jones

It does justify its existence

Cons.

The ending

The new trio of leads are just awful

Tales Of The Jedi: Life And Death

1/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

We follow Ashoka’s baby years.

Star Wars really is starting to get desperate, the content mine is well and truly running dry. Who thought a show about a baby Ashoka was what was needed to get people into this universe, worse yet it is the flagship opening episode for a new animated Star Wars series and honestly after watching this it makes you want to turn off from the series.

Honestly this is just a bad twenty ish minutes of TV as nothing of note happens and then at the end of it all they say that Ashoka is a Jedi for taming an animal which just feels forced in to try and get a reaction from the audience. The animated side of Star Wars has long been obsessed with Ashoka as a character but this is really starting to take the biscuit.

Overall, who wanted this?

Pros.

It is short

Cons.

It is boring

It feels needless

It is a weak opener for the series

It is a slog to get through

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American Horror Story NYC: Thank You For Your Service

3.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Gino, played by, Joe Mantello is abducted by the killer and Dr. Wells, played by Billie Lourd, further explores the origins of her mystery virus.

I am still quite enjoying this season of AHS I think that the mystery is interesting and that both strands of it are coming together nicely. I am keen to keep watching as I want to know where it is all heading.

Moreover, I liked that this season is really hitting on how hard life was for LGBTQ+ people in this time and place and showing how the cops not only don’t want to know but actively at times hate them. I think the scenes wherein Adam, played by Charlie Carver, was detained by the police simply for speaking out about his experience and held without merit were both infuriating and also moving.

Where this season is losing me is like all Ryan Murphy series the fact that many scenes just boil down to softcore porn. Now, I don’t mind this when these scene service the plot in some way, but more often than not it just feels stuffed in to both pad for runtime as well as to titillate Murphy and Co.

Overall, the second episode continues to further the mystery in interesting ways, but the constant forced sex scenes are holding it back.

Pros.

The mystery

The performances of Lourd, Tovey and Mantello

A degree of unpredictability in what might happen next

The ending of the episode

Cons.

The needless sex scenes

Pacing issues

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The Storied Life Of AJ Fikery: To Live And Love In Small Town America

4/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The story of a man, played by Kunal Nayyar, from small town America whose life begins anew when he adopts a child.

I thought in many ways this film was beautiful, it told a story of life and love and renewed hope when things seem bleakest, in these current times we can all do to be reminded of this. I would say it was happy throughout but that would be a lie as it is a sad ending, however, in that way it is reminiscent of real life, good times and bad.

Moreover, Nayyar was fantastic. Admittedly this is the first role I have seen him in outside of The Big Bang Theory but if this is anything to go by that show was heinously wasting his talents as a dramatic actor, in addition he also had great chemistry with his on screen love interest played by Lucy Hale. Hale for her part here managed to be charming and warm throughout, which as many of you who are long time readers of mine will know is high praise indeed as I think Hale’s career so far has painted her as a bad actor through and through.

My main criticism of this film would be that it tries to add in a lot of needless drama and mystery towards the end by pitting Christina Hendrick’s character against Nayyar as she wanted the child he adopted. Not only does Hendrick not really need to be in this film, as it would work well without her character at all, but also this subplot doesn’t fit the rest of her characters established personality within the film and feels shoehorned in for the sake of petty drama.

Overall, a sweet film.

Pros.

Nayyar

Hale

It is sweet and effecting

It tries to reflect the duality of life and death

Cons.

The needless drama towards the end

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House Of The Dragon: The Lord Of The Tides

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Families are brought round the dinner table to try and mend fences

I thought this was a slower episode for sure but I did like the fact that it highlighted Rhaenyra, played by Emma D’Arcy and Alicent, played by Oliva Cooke used to be friends. There are moments in the episode where you almost think maybe this is all going to work out okay, maybe they can put their difference aside and be friends again, but then you realise the show that you are watching.

I thought Ser Vaemond felt very villain of the week like and it was clear from the offset that something bad would happen to him. However, I can’t complain too much as this storyline did give us an immensely satisfying Daemon, played by Matt Smith, moment in which he cuts Vaemond head in two and also allows for Viserys, played by Paddy Considine, to have one last strong moment and go out on top.

Overall, a fun episode but certainly not the best of the series.

Pros.

Daemon splitting heads

Viserys going out on top

Reminding us of the friendship between Rhaenyra and Alicent

Cons.

It is a bit slow

Sir Vaemond felt like a villain of the week

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Barbarian: Stay Out Of Basements, Learn A Lesson

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A rental house with a mysterious woman, played by Matthew Patrick Davis, living underneath it turns into a life or death struggle for several of its occupants.

I thought this was quite a smart art house horror film. Clearly there was more to it than a lot of the generic genre fare that comes out in the multiplexes these days, in many ways it reminded me of the films of Jordan Peele, smart horror wherein the themes and broader societal comments become almost more important than the horror itself.

However, I also did think this film had a number of good scary scenes, particularly the death of Bill Skarsgard’s character, as well as the flashbacks with Richard Brake. I think this film can be quite scary when it wants to be and the monster of The Mother is easily a new one for genre diehards to latch onto. I enjoyed that they never fully explained how the Mother was the way she was, because whilst they do say she is the product of copious inbreeding, that doesn’t explain her ability to withstand so much violence done to her by the main characters and then just carry on again in the next scene, there has to be more to it.

The one thing I didn’t much care for was the mid movie twist wherein after the seeming death of our two main characters we then meet AJ, played by Justin Long, an actor turned predator. During our time with him the film goes to great lengths to talk about career ending allegations and guilt, but I feel like all of this has been done better and said in a more timely manner. Not to say that this is no longer and important conversation, it is, but it has really missed the fever pitch when these sort of debates were happening all the time. In addition the way the film handles these topics and conversations lacks any kind of grace or nuance and sometimes feels a little in bad taste.

Overall, a good film for the most part with a few baffling choices made that drag it down somewhat.

Pros.

The monster

The mystery

The ending

Cons.

The MeToo stuff

It doesn’t fully make the most of its premise

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Andor: Narkina 5

2.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Andor, played by Diego Luna, goes to prison.

I think this was probably the worst episode of the season so far, mainly this was because nothing really happened. At least in last week’s episode, which I also didn’t hugely like, they set up fun stuff for down the line in this episode we get precious little. On the one hand we get Andor serving his prison sentence, which other than meeting Andy Serkis’s character who does have a few good moments, is fairly dull we know it is just a matter of time until he breaks out, but it doesn’t happen in this episode. On the other hand we have yet another dinner party scene with Mon Mothma, played by Genevieve O’Reilly, which is just more of the same that we have seen before.

We do get some interesting scenes even if they are far between such as the Empire cracking down on Cassian’s friends, which the episode ends on, as well as Vel, played by Faye Marsay, returning on the hunt for Cassian. Plus added Saw Gerrera, played by Forest Whittaker.

Overall, a fairly boring episode with a few brief moments of excitement here and there.

Pros.

The Empire finally coming after Cassian

The return of Vel

Saw Gerrera is back

Cons.

Cassian’s storyline is boring

So is Mon Mothma’s

It feels like killing time

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