Redemption/Hummingbird: Jason Statham The Sensitive Soul

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Ex-special forces soldier Joey, Jason Statham, is on the run from a dishonourable discharge and has become a homeless drug addict wondering the streets of London. This all changes when he finds his way into an apartment where the tenant is away for several months, so Joey stays and assumes this other person’s identity and begins to recover himself.

Let it be said to anyone, who like I has ever doubted Jason Statham’s ability as a dramatic actor that this film proves he has chops. Yes, there are some punchy punchy scenes but for the most part this film is about addiction, recover and the ability to return from the darkness. Rather surprisingly Statham really shines here and gives quite a well emoted, resonating performance that actually has you feeling things for the character.

Steven Knight continues to prove his fantastic dramatic sensibilities here and crafts an incredibly effecting film. This film is at times hard to watch, I did find myself becoming depressed whilst watching it, however if you stick with it you find an enriching experience that makes you question what is really important to you and provides a very nuanced take on a return from war.

Overall, a surprising turn from Statham makes this one to watch, however it won’t be to everyone’s tastes and can be incredibly depressing.

Pros.

Statham

The conversation it starts about returning from war

The message and the themes

Cons.

It is hard to watch

The ending becomes a brawl at times, and I don’t feel like this fit the film

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Rick and Morty: Rickmurai Jack

4/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Rick and Morty reunite after Rick learns empathy and the two form a partnership, finally.

To all those who were hoping for big cannon reveals this season you got exactly what you wished for, and then some. This finale answered a lot of fan questions such as Rick’s origins, Evil Morty’s plans and why Ricks always rule there Morty’s. The answers we get blow the series into a whole new direction.

I enjoyed the ending wherein Rick and Morty become partners after years of Morty taking Rick’s abuse. This character development feels earned, and I hope it is paid off next season in a big way. I think it is important for the show to move past its status quo and finally pay off the character development.

I thought the return of Evil Morty was a nice touch as he has become a fan favourite. They have nearly endless possibilities for what they can do with that character going forward now as the ending of the episode brought everything to the table.

I would say of all the Rick and Morty finales so far this was the most impactful.

Overall, the threshold for this series has now been expanded to crazy new heights.

Pros.

The ending

Evil Morty

Rick and Morty finally becoming equal partners

Where the series can go from here

Cons.

The reunion of the duo seems a bit rushed

Pacing issues

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Rick and Morty: Forgetting Sarick Mortshall

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Rick and Morty finally break up. Rick replaces Morty with two crows and Morty replaces Rick with a man called Nick. Both new partnerships teach each of our titular duo a lesson.

I thought the finale was going to be one big feature length episode. No? Did I imagine that? I thought that was why it was being delayed.

The days of Rick and Morty where the show was a comedy seem to be over, and now the show almost plays like an animated science fiction drama series. I think the uncoupling of Rick and Morty needed to happen, the relationship was so toxic, and something needed to be done to shift the status quo and to teach Rick a lesson- if nothing else this episode does that.

The Rick story line about him learning empathy from the crows seemed a bit too random for me and simply like they were trying to be different and out there with it but not for any reason other than because they could. The Morty storyline is slightly better, I enjoyed seeing the devolution of Nick and see the mask slowly start to slip.

I thought the ending of the episode was heart-breaking but needed, I thought it was done perfectly with the music during this scene being pitch perfect, pardon the pun, and I like that things ended on somewhat of a healthy amicable note.

Overall, an important episode of the show but not one that will make people laugh or enjoy themselves.

Pros.

Nick

The ending

The duo breaking up

Cons.

Rick’s story with the two crows seems pointlessly random

It is sad and depressing

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The Nest: If Someone Who Lives In The American Suburbs Can Suddenly Afford An English Manor House They Are A Con Man

2.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

An entrepreneur, Jude Law, and his American family have their lives drift off course when they move into an English manner house.

This film is a mixed bag.

On the positive side the film is helped along greatly by strong performances from its two leads, Jude Law and Carrie Coon. Both give strong emotional layered performances that are effecting on multiple levels. I would say Coon is the real star of the show but not by much, her scene with the dug up remains of her horse is incredibly powerful.

However, on the other side of things the plot is incredibly predictable and deeply overly familiar. Truly you have seen this film before, I accurately guessed several key elements of the film early on as it was blindingly clear. What threw me however was the odd mentions to the supernatural here and there, that lead you to believe that this might be more of a classic British manner ghost mystery: it is not, and these lines are just throw away.

If you simply want a character drama about a family’s life falling apart set of a decaying English manner house then you will be happy enough with this.

Overall, the acting helps to push this film forward, but the incredibly familiar narrative holds it back.

Pros.

Jude Law

Carrie Coon

A strong emotional resonance

Cons.

It is overly familiar

You can easily predict what is going to happen next

The character journey’s don’t seem to lead anywhere

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Respect: Musical Biopics Have Been Done To Death

2.5/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

We follow the life of Aretha Franklin, Jennifer Hudson, and see the highs and lows of parts of her career.

Since release this film has been much maligned, and my review is decidedly in the middle.

Do I think this is a good film? No not really, average but certainly not good. There are positive aspects to this film, the story is interesting, and it keeps you hooked for about two thirds of the film. Moreover, Hudson and Forest Whitaker both grace us with terrific performances, that really help to bring these characters to life and elevate the film.

However, that is where my list of pros runs out. There are many issues with this film, the most glaring of which is the run time. There is no reason for this film to pass the two hour mark, none. Earlier I said, the film keeps you entertained for two thirds and that is very true as by the final third you have already lost interest and are ready to leave or turn it off if you are watching it at home.

Moreover, try as it might this film can’t escape the fact that at its core it is just a very average biopic film. There have been many, many musical biopics over the last few years, but truly this one feels the most soulless and lifeless. There is so much more the film could have done with it’s subject matter, but instead decides to settle for mediocrity.

Additionally, for as good as Hudson and Whitaker are Marlon Wayans is bad. Seeing Wayans appear as a serious actor is always a gamble, more often than not a bad one. That is proven thoroughly by his performance here where he stands out for all the wrong reasons.

Overall, Franklin deserved better than this.

Pros.

It is interesting at times

The songs are still powerful

Hudson and Whitaker

Cons.

Wayans

It is generic

It has huge pacing issues

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Annette: The Strangest Musical You Will Ever Watch

2/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The film charts the life of a stand up comedian, Adam Driver, and an opera singer, Marion Cotillard, after the birth of their first child.

I will say this for the film, I take my hat off to it for committing to being strange, quirky and unique.

Personally, this film wasn’t to my taste. Though I enjoy Sparks I thought the music in this film was a bit overdone. I understand that the film views itself as a rock opera type musical, and that really isn’t my problem with it, my problem is that nearly every line is sung. This reaches such a point where you just want it to stop, and then the film just keeps going.

This film is on for far, far too long.

Moreover, though I admire the quirky elements of the film I find some of them to be clashing, and sometimes off-putting. Maybe it is my sensibilities, but there were certain more interpretive scenes where I had no idea what was going on or how it fit into the story in any real way, yes they were singing about how it fit in no doubt, but by that point my mind had found a way to drown out the singing.

The performances were all fine, though I would say they didn’t feel like real people or characters rather they felt like some sort of twisted, warped idea of what humans are like as viewed by aliens. However, I am sure that was a deliberate choice.

Overall, it was not to my taste.

Pros.

I enjoyed the strangeness

You have got to love Sparks

Cons.

Too much singing, that often isn’t very good

Some of the elements clash

The characters didn’t feel like real people

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Heels: Kayfabe

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Two wrestler brothers spar over the future of their father’s wrestling promotion.

I will open this review by saying when it comes to wrestling I am pretty clueless, I have watched parts of odd matches here and there but when it comes to understanding and appreciating the finer parts of the art and the craftsmanship I am not the one to call.

This was far more family drama driven then I was expecting, sure the premise of the show does imply that their will be some drama, but this show is packing Nashville levels of drama, which is to say a lot.

I thought in this first episode both Stephen Amell and Alexander Ludwig did a good job. Both were able to appear as the hero and as the villain at different points in the episode’s narrative, and you never quite decide which of the two brothers you want to root for. I thought the supporting cast was decidedly weaker, but it is only the first episode so maybe they will get better flushed out in the coming weeks.

I found the episode to be quite depressing especially the ending, I understand the moment is supposed to be a low point for the character and be dramatic, but it ended up really bumming me out for the rest of the afternoon.

Moreover, I struggled with the episode’s runtime and pacing, both need a lot of work in the coming weeks to make the series more digestible. Clocking in at just over an hour, this episode feels twice that, and I understand they have to get everything set up in the pilot episode but even still they should have paced it better.

Overall, I am interested in the Brothers’ struggles but I am not yet invested.

Pros.

Ludwig

Amell

The drama

Cons.

It is depressing

It is too long and poorly paced

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Stillwater: Intro To How To Ruin Character Drama

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Bill Baker, Matt Damon, goes to inner city France to try and get his daughter, Abigail Breslin, released from prison after she is accused of a crime she did not commit.

So, I hated the twist ending, I hated what the film did to the Bill character- I thought it ruined the character for the sake of more drama.

Against the real life basis, which this film throws out the window, this film has Bill kidnap and torture the real murderer so that he can get his daughter off, only for it to turn out she was actually guilty all along simply she had hired someone to kill the person rather than do it herself.

The reason why I hate this was because up until that point I was enjoying the film. It was a personal drama about a man trying to reconnect with his daughter and finding his place in a new land. I thought all the scenes were Damon’s character got to be a family man were sweet and I really wish the film had not had him throw it all away in the end.

Honestly, the twist ending made me feel like my emotions had been played with by the filmmakers and not in a good way.

I think Breslin is never given enough screen time to make a big impact, though she does shine in her limited number of scenes. Damon is also on strong form here and has a lot of good strong emotional moments, sadly his turn towards action at the end of the film ruins it though.

Overall, what could have been a strong drama film is instead ruined by unnecessary action.

Pros.

The character drama

Damon

Breslin

Cons.

The twist

Everything about the ending

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Physical: Series Overview

4/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Sheila Rubin, Rose Byrne, is a deeply unhappy house wife in a terrible marriage. However, through the power of Eighties aerobics she reclaims control over her life.

This one is hard to get through at times, the personal tension and the cringe can get to such a point where you will want to turn it off, and though that seems like a natural response to what you see stick with it. Trust me its good.

There is something oddly satisfying about watching Sheila both win and lose in near equal measure on a weekly basis. There is no denying that she is not a likeable character, but was she ever meant to be? I viewed this as a dark comedy going in, so when Sheila does something bad to her friends or how she uses people I view it in almost an anti-hero way. Even though she is arguably a bad person you still want her to win in the end.

The series runs the gambit from darkly hilarious to heart-breaking, it is not afraid to get dark and often does. I enjoyed seeing the series trying to tackle issues of body dysmorphia, and unhappy marriages, I thought the series made a lot of good points and I would like to see where these issues move to in season two.

Overall, though some moments may be hard to watch it is well worth sticking with.

Pros.

The soundtrack

Byrne

Sheila’s arc

The ending

Cons.

It can be hard to watch at times

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Black Bear: Hollywood Is Not Good For Lovers

3/5

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A husband and wife’s relationship falls apart during the filming of a film about a marriage falling apart.

This film could easily be viewed as pretentious. It is a film about a film, but that only get revealed at the midway point. Personally, I liked the twist and thought he helped to keep the film interesting after the domestic crisis was starting to get a little stale, but I do think it could have been done in a less smug and showing off how clever it is sort of way.

I have to disagree with some other reviewers who say this is Aubrey Plaza’s finest work to date, though she is good here the honour of that title belongs to, and likely always will, Ingrid Goes West. I think Plaza play’s the mysterious disrupter here very well, but I would say her performance is over shadowed by that of Christopher Abbot.

Abbot has quickly become something of a darling to me, I am finding myself appreciating a lot of his work recently be it Piercing, Possessor, or this. There is something about his acting style that is so expressive, without feeling over the top. That is perfectly captured here, and he approaches a character who is gaslighting his girlfriend into believing there is an affair happening in order to elicit a better performance from her, with such ease it is chilling. What makes the performance further layered is that it acts as a comment on society and how men often to just use women for their own ends, sparing no regard for them as people, and feeling nothing about it. I think there is a lot of subtext to this film, that marinates better with a second viewing.

Overall, a strong written film only let down by an overly inflated sense of ego and smugness.

Pros

Plaza

Abbot

The writing/ twist

Cons.

The smugness

The ending

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