The Moviegoer: A Youth Spent At The Cinema

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

One man’s personal cinema coming of age story reminds us all why we care about this medium so much.

They say catching lightning in a bottle is hard to do once let alone twice, well folks I would dare say Ross Munro has pulled off this very feat.

There is something so intimate and personal about the directors love affair with cinema, but also one that can reflect any of our own experiences. Though we lived and grew up in different times and places I could find a lot of my own journey into cinema reflected within the context of this film.

Moreover, I believe that truly good filmmaking is a personal and authentic affair, far from the trendy politics of contemporary Hollywood, and stuffed with the biggest stars there just to have their name sell tickets. In my mind a solid piece of filmmaking reflects one’s passion and their love for the craft and this film has that in spades.

Whether it is the main narrative itself or one of the many asides, including a fake trailer, this film is a lot of fun to watch and frequently has you laughing as it serves up in-jokes that only those who spent their youths in cinemas could ever understand. I appreciate the films scope and everything it tried to do, it has instantly become one of my best of the year.

Overall, a deeply personal connection between you, the filmmakers and the cinematic medium. Every cinema fan will love this film.

Pros.

It is sweet

It strikes a very personal connection

It is ambitious

It is funny

It gets the pacing just right

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Only Murders In The Building:The Tell

3.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The trio continue on their hunt for the murderer, which leads to a very tense game of Son of Sam.

I think this episode continued to build on the positive momentum of the last and actually does go to some interesting places. I am not saying that this is a perfect episode or anywhere near the same level as the first series, but it is a hell of a lot better than the earlier episode of this current season.

In large part the improvement here can be placed on two keys scenes and performances. Firstly, the Son of Sam scene is very good as it transports everyone back in time and gives them period attire, moreover, Charles, played by Steve Martin, and Oliver, played by Martin Short, go after Alice, played by Cara Delevingne, suspecting her to be the murderer not just for the game but for the wider mystery of the series. Delevingne gives her best performance yet during this scene, possibly the best of her career, and she really falls into the character. Secondly, the other strong scene here is the one in which Charles talks to Jan, played by Amy Ryan, on the phone. During this conversation the two have such strong chemistry that it becomes palpably hard to look away from. Hopefully we will get more Charles and Jan throughout the remainder of this season.

My major issue of this episode is the final twist in which Oliver learns he might not actually be his son’s biological father. To me this just feels like more needless drama that doesn’t really serve the story but instead acts as filler to pad for time, In addition as far as twists go this one feels quite cheap and manipulative.

Overall, the second season seems to be trending upwards after a shaky start.

Pros.

Charles and Jan

Delevingne

The mystery is getting better

Good costume work

Cons.

The ending

The pacing is still far too slow

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Saving Christmas: This Is Why America Is In Decline

0.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Kirk Cameron is trying to tell you how those non-believing woke lefties are ruining Christmas.

Oh no dear reader I have done it again, I have fallen back into the burning pit of desperation that is faith cinema.

This time around the film is far more desperate than God’s Not Dead and has the central character take breaks from the film to address the audience directly, through a series of monologues, during which time he tries to lay out a dire case for how the non-believers and those who dare to have other faiths or say ‘happy holidays’ are somehow ruining the season itself.

Moreover, the central plot follows Cameron’s character who spends the runtime trying to convince his brother in law, played by the film’s director Darren Doane, that Christmas is still a Christian holiday. My word, the thinly vailed racism is so hard to pick up on it is crazy, but if you look beneath the incredibly shallow and obvious surface there it is. Clearly the writers of this must be ardently anti-Capitalist as it is not non-believers and those of other faiths who have ruined the season but America’s rampant and sickening consumerism.

It is films like that which indoctrinate people into believing all sorts of nonsense, and into believing that repealing abortion and birth control is a good idea and one that God would approve of. The very definition of American entitlement, screaming their religious views at you whilst telling you that you are the problem. This is why America as a country is sinking further into the abyss.

Overall, the only good thing about this film is that it has some good laughs in stall for anyone foolhardy enough to watch it.

Pros.

It is laughably bad

Cons.

It highlights some of the very worst aspects of American society

It is smug, entitled and insufferable in equal measure

It loses its own point

Kirk Cameron needs to get a new hobby

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South Park Streaming Wars Part 2

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Randy, voiced by Trey Parker, must find the duality within himself in order to save the world from Manbearpig and to finally end the streaming wars.

I think this was better than the last special but still not great. I liked that they acknowledge that the character of Randy has become one note, and frankly annoying, and I was even pleased to see that they were going to change him back to how he used to be before he became the weed guy and was an actual character. However, then the ending comes along as seems to dump all over that idea suggesting that more weed Randy is to come, oh joy.

Moreover, though I liked the meta commentary on streaming wars and Matt Stone and Trey Parker using the special as a means to complain about their own experiences, I think that the formatting of the whole thing was off and that it illustrates perfectly how South Park works far better as a disconnected series, rather than interconnected specials. I would really like them to go back to how the show used to be before they forced in serialisation.

The comedy this time around was also marginally better than in the last special and I found I was laughing more throughout. I am also glad they greatly reduced Cartman’s role down as he was really quite annoying in the previous part of this event, verging on loathsome.

Overall, better than the last Streaming Wars but maybe they should stop with the specials soon as they are becoming long in the tooth.

Pros.

It is funnier

It acknowledges what went wrong with Randy

The characters feel more likeable then they did in the first part

Cons.

The ending and Randy’s future

It would have worked better a one off episode of the series rather than as a big flashy special

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How To Please A Woman: Sally Phillips Breaks Bad

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

After losing both her marriage, in an emotional sense, and her job, in a literal sense, Gina, played by Sally Phillips, embarks on a new chapter in her life: one centred around topless men and sex for hire.

I feel like I have seen this film before, a woman sick of her life and her husband breaks bad. Once upon a time that would be a new and novel idea but now it feels fairly tame and by the numbers. Moreover, the female gaze angel around the woman using men for sex, rather than it being the other way around, does feel a little bit more revolutionary, but even that feels like well-worn ground these days.

However, I do think that Sally Phillip does manage to save this film and gives and earnest performance. If an actor of a lesser talent tried to do the same role no doubt the film would have felt incredibly generic and average, but Phillips manages to elevate the material.

In terms of the film’s comedy it made me smile a few times and chuckle here and there but for the most part I didn’t find it that funny, certainly it was not laugh out loud.

Overall, Philips elevates what is otherwise a very familiar film.

Pros.

Phillips

It is watchable

A few laughs here and there

Cons.

It feels a bit too familiar

Pacing issues

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Only Murders In The Building: Here’s Looking At You

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Charles’ sort of step daughter, played by Zoe Colletti, arrives and adds some further layers to the mystery.

I will give this episode props it was certainly better than the last and it did, to a small degree, get me interested in the murder mystery again. I think adding in Colletti’s character helped to give the episode a new perspective and helped things to feel a little bit fresher than they had previously been. It will be a huge shame if the character doesn’t return.

Likewise I thought the return of Teddy Dimas, played by Nathan Lane, was also quite welcome as it presented the group both with a threat, something they have been sorely lacking this season, as well as with the consequences of their actions. I thought both brought new dimensions to what in my mind is a struggling second season.

Despite my praise so far it is by no means a perfect episode and there is a lot of filler on display here to pad out the runtime. Moreover, I remain resolute in my belief that the central trio seem to have lost most of, if not all, of the charm they had last season and come across more as angry passive aggressive jerks a lot of the time.

Overall, better than last week’s episode but still far from the previous season.

Pros.

Returning faces

New characters

It livens up the mystery a bit more

Cons.

The central trio still feel unlikeable

Filler

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God’s Not Dead: Opium For The Masses

1/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Evangelical propaganda, which highlights the absurdities of extreme faith and belief albeit it not on purpose.

As I was strolling through the internet I heard some talk of this film, and despite being deeply negative, decided to check it out for myself to see if it was indeed as bad as people were saying. Well, it turns out the bad reputation this film has is well deserved, as it is an incredibly weak film that feels like religious propaganda belonging in another century.

I will admit my experience with faith films is relatively small, so I cant say if they are all as bad as this, but if they are I question who turns up for them. The plot was not only incredibly ham-fisted but also ridiculous in the extreme, with the way it portrays the atheist characters being especially out of touch and baffling. It is a strawman argument trying to convince the good Christian viewers of how the modern world is a personified devil that needs to be fought at all costs, with only a return to goof old fashion Christian values capable of saving the day.

The film seems to think of itself as a way to convince the agnostics and the atheists out there and get them on board, however, it fails in this aim so spectacularly that it will have the opposite effect, making the version of Christianity this film preaches seem even more fundamentalist.

The only good thing about this picture is that it crosses a line wherein it becomes laughably bad.

Overall, a mess that highlights some of the key problems at the root of US identity.

Pros.

Its laughably bad

Cons.

It is evangelical propaganda

It is stupid

It is so heavy handed with its message that it destroys it

All the characters are loathsome

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The Simpsons Movie: The Ending We Deserved?

4/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The Simpson family are forced out of Springfield after seemingly dooming it, however they of course come together to try and save the town.

I remember watching this in the cinema when it first came out and it was a huge deal. I enjoyed it a lot then, but my question was would it hold up now after all these years. In short it does, there are one or two lazy elements here and there but for the most part a lot of what made and makes, yes I like modern Simpsons, so great is fully on display here.

I think the best thing about this film is how far they push the concept. They go all out in a way that they simply couldn’t do on an episode of the show or even in a two-parter, and show us things we have never seen before in the show. When you compare this to other series that have also translated to the big screen like the Bob’s Burgers movie you see the difference between what is theatrical and what isn’t.

Moreover, the Simpson family and their various dynamics are kept at the heart of this film and I truly think that is why it is as good as it is. Rather than try and spread its focus amongst a bunch of supporting character, as newer episodes do, this film keeps the focus on the family and that really helps it to thrive. I particularly think the Homer, voiced by Dan Castellaneta, and Bart, voiced by Nancy Cartwright, storyline is quite interesting as it advances the relationship between the two characters into an area we haven’t seen them before where Bart seemingly truly abandons Homer.

My only real criticism of this film is that the writing is a little obvious and crucially convenient. Whereas early seasons of the show would go out of there way to be clever and even subversive, everything that happens here is incredibly signposted and obvious and as such the surprise is lacking.

Overall, a strong ending for a show that would go on for many more seasons after it.

Pros.

The Homer/Bart storyline

The scope

The comedy

It is very quotable

Cons.

The writing is a little predictable and dumb

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Brian And Charles: Build Your Friends

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A lonely but gifted man, played by David Earl, builds a robot, voiced by Chris Hayward, and a friendship between the two blossoms.

I think this film really strikes a chord with those of us out there who have known loneliness, isolation or torment by our peers, in many ways it is a beautiful tale about friendship and standing up for yourself. It truly is hard to not feel something whilst watching this film.

However, therein lies the problem with it for me. Perhaps somewhat paradoxically this film made me care about Brian and Charles so much that during the third act where it looked like Charles was going to be burnt alive I could barely get through it. The film bonds you to these characters in such a way that when they face harm it almost feels traumatic.

I wouldn’t view this film as a comedy, so in that respect I would say temper your expectations, but it does have feel good elements and an ending that makes you want to cheer. Ultimately this film takes you on an emotional rollercoaster, but laughter isn’t on the track.

Overall, a touching film that at times succeeds a little bit too much.

Pros.

You really care about the characters

It has a great ending

The performances are all top notch

Cons.

Seeing bad things befall Charles almost feels a little traumatic and that can be hard to watch

It has pacing issues

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Only Murders In The Building: The Last Day Of Bunny Folger

2.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The last day in the life of Bunny, played by Jayne Houdyshell.

Honestly I am not really digging this season of Only Murders In The Building, and I think that it is just being stretched out for the sake of stuff to put on Disney +. As I have said in earlier reviews the mystery this time around is not particularly interesting and unlike with the first season you don’t care about what is going on. To be frank I could stop watching this show right here and not miss it at all.

However, something that I will give this episode credit for is that it at least takes a chance and tries to do something new. Rather than focus on the central trio we get to see a day in the life of a fairly important side character, and not many shows would dedicate a whole episode to a supporting character in this way so that was pretty cool as it helped to flesh out the wider world of the show.

Although through this focus on another character this episode highlights our central trio in a less than stellar light. I do understand that the point of this episode’s shifted perspective is to reframe things, but it does this a little too well and clearly illustrates all the worst traits of our lead characters and makes them unlikeable. The charm of the show is really gone after this episode.

Overall, I might stop watching as I don’t want to continue watching a once promising show continue to drag itself through the mud.

Pros.

Be brave enough to focus on a smaller character

It is watchable

It makes you care more about Bunny

Cons.

It is fairly dull

The mystery doesn’t seem to be leading anywhere

The leads are unlikeable

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