Finding Dory: A Journey Of Remembrance

Finding Dory is an animated comedy family film directed by Andrew Stanton and Angus MacLane. The film serves as a sequel to Finding Nemo, with the premise being that Dory (Ellen DeGeneres), needs to go on a journey to find her family that she has forgotten about; this journey is of course both literal and mental as her past is explored through a series of flashbacks.

Man, this film is a downer. Right from the off it is depressing, baby Dory lost and all alone is heart-breaking and it only gets worse from there. I don’t know if I just have a low tolerance when it comes to sad childhood stuff in films, but this one was a hard watch. There were times I actively wanted to turn it off because it was making me sad.

This is by no means a bad film though however; it is very watchable and entertaining. I found it was able to hold my attention which is usually a good sign. The issue with this film though is that it never does enough to justify its existence, for all the plot and Dory back story we get could have made for a great thirty to forty minute short, it does not however, feel as though it needs an hour and a half runtime.

I think the supporting cast definitely add a lot to this film and help pull the heavy weight. The two supporting characters I would point to are Destiny (Kaitlin Olsen), and Hank (Ed O’ Neil). Olsen’s character has a surprisingly warmth to her that makes her easy to root for from the moment we are introduced to her and O’ Neil’s character pulls expertly on our heart strings and makes us feel a lot while revealing very little.

Overall, a needless Pixar sequel that while emotionally weighty doesn’t do enough to justify its existence. Also this one might not be good family viewing as like I said before it is madly depressing.

Pros.

The emotion.

The supporting characters.

Dory herself.

Cons.

It does not justify its own existence.

It is thoroughly depressing.

3/5

Reviewed by Luke

Slumdog Millionaire: Love Finds A Way

Slumdog Millionaire is a drama romance film directed by Danny Boyle and Loveleen Tandan, it is based on the book Q & A. The plot follows Jamal (Dev Patel) and his brother Salim (Madhur Mittal), throughout their lives. Starting off with them as young orphans on the streets and showing them grow into men.

This film is a gut-punch. A lot of sad thing happen across its runtime that might be a lot for some people, the scene when the kid gets his eyes scooped out is particularly hard to watch, but it makes sense as it is reflective of life. The struggles we see our characters go through only makes us the audience root for them more, which is rewarded in the third act when Jamal wins twenty million rupees.

The central romance between Jamal and Latika (Freida Pinto), is one for the ages. We almost see them get together so many times, but it always seems as though a romance for the two is just out of reach. Jamal, however, never gives up as he keeps trying and trying until eventually a world exists where they can be together; if that doesn’t bring a tear to your eye, I don’t know what will.

Overall, this is a triumph for Danny Boyle in so many ways he manages to create a film that makes you feel a wide array of emotions very deeply all while being completely engaged by a tight, well written story. Also we get a lovely dance number at the end. What more could you ask for!

Pros.

The love story.

The performances from the main three actors.

It is tight and compelling.

You care about the characters.

The dance scene at the end.

Cons.

None.

5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Pocahontas: The Colours Of The Wind

Pocahontas is an animated musical romance film directed by Eric Goldberg and Mike Gabriel; it is loosely based on the American folk tale of Pocahontas. The plot sees John Smith (Mel Gibson), lead an expedition to the New World (present day North America), where he meet a native girl called Pocahontas (Irene Bedard). The two falls in love, but their worlds soon clash, testing loyalties and friendships.

I think of all of Disney’s Animated offerings this is the one with the most soul and personality, it is so brimming with interesting Native American inspired design choices. I feel like more films about Native Americans are a must, albeit we should probably give creative control to someone of this ethnicity. The depiction of the Natives in this isn’t offensive, though the cliché of the noble savage haunts this film.

I loved the hand drawn animation of this film and thought every scene looked beautiful. I think Pocahontas surrounded by creatures is a very Snow-White inspired kind of thing, but I thought these scenes were especially pretty.

I also thought the songs were great and added a lot to the movie. I think the main song is beautiful and haunting and stays with you after the film ends, I also think all of the songs are incredibly catchy.

Moreover I applaud this film for having the balls to end the film in a sad way, I think it is a gutsy move that pays off. In addition to that the message of Pocahontas staying with her people and not abandoning them and giving up everything about her personality is a good thing that other Disney animated films could learn something from; Little Mermaid.

Overall, I admire this film’s sense of identity, I enjoy the historical period and I think the ending and the songs really benefit the film. My only issues with it are the reliance on worn out stereotypes and the fact that she doesn’t have a talking animal sidekick; these characters are normally my favourite in Disney films.

Pros.

The defined sense of personality.

The songs.

The setting.

The ballsy end.

Cons.

The noble savage is a tired worn out trope, stop it.

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

Personal Shopper: Texts From A Ghost?

Personal Shopper is a drama thriller film directed by Oliver Assayas. The plot sees personal shopper/ medium Maureen (Kristen Stewart), become stalked by an unseen mysterious presence after a ghostly run in. She hopes the otherworldly presences might be her recently dead brother, but it turns out to be far more malicious than that.

This film had me up until the last five minutes. The last five minutes put me off the film. Said minutes beg the question was this presence actually real at all or was it all in Maureen’s head. This to me is like saying it was all a dream and none of it matters because all of the drama all of the tension is taken out and rendered pointless.

I did enjoy the text conversations between Maureen, and I guess either her bosses’ killer boyfriend or this ‘ghost’, I liked how they built in tension over the course of the film, treading the line between menacing and friendly at times. It would have been nice if the film could have made clearer who was texting her, but I guess that is all part of the mystery the film ruins at the end.

I think Stewart is actually alright in this, she has moments of greatness where I buy her as a serious actor and think hey maybe she has something. However, she doesn’t seem to be able to maintain this throughout and it is definitely here and there rather than being consistent. I don’t think this will be enough to convince her detractors that she can act.

Overall, if we could ignore those last five to ten minutes, I would score this film highly, but because we can’t I have to give it a middling to positive score. I think this film does some really cool stuff and poses some interesting ideas, Stewart has her moments and there is some great tension to be enjoyed, it is just a real shame about that last scene.

Pros.

The mystery.

The tension.

Stewart to a degree.

Cons.

The mystery should be clearer.

The ending basically tell you that you have wasted your time.

Stewart is not consistent.

3.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Made In Dagenham: Fight For What’s Right!

Made In Dagenham is a British biopic drama film directed by Nigel Cole. It tells the real-life story of the 1968 strike at the Ford Dagenham Car Plant and the fight for equal pay.

I think this film is riveting, I can’t say how close it keeps to reality, but I would assume quite close as the real people were involved. Watching it I learnt about events that I had no idea about, I feel like this part of British history doesn’t get much attention when it comes to films, so I am glad this got made. I think this film raises a lot of key questions about our society and the petty arbitrary divisions within it; with the takeaway being if you want change you need to fight for it.

I think from a characterization position the only character that is done well is Rita (Sally Hawkins), not only do we root for her to win, we get to see through her eyes just how unfair and plain wrong the world was, and to some extent still is. However, the other characters aren’t so rounded and that would be my major criticism of the film. Rosamund Pike’s character Lisa only really exists to give Rita a pep talk when things seem their darkest, outside of that she is not developed at all; she might not a played a vital role in the real events so that might be why she has so little development, but then why include her at all? The same can be said for a number of other characters as well.

Overall, I think the lack of character development doesn’t hold this film back as the main character feels rounded and it is through her eyes that we see this world. I think this is a must watch as it highlights parts of history we might be unaware of and exposes issues that we need to face. I think Hawkins is at her best here and I really recommend you check this one out!

Pros.

Highlight maybe forgotten history.

Hawkins.

Gripping to watch.

You care about the struggle.

Cons.

A lot of the characters other than Rita exist souly to push the story along.

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Lodge: Effective Birth Control

The Lodge is a horror thriller film directed by the due behind Goodnight Mommy Severin Fiala and Veronika Franz. The plot follows a father (Richard Armitage), and his two children who go on a camping retreat with their father’s new girlfriend Grace (Riley Keough), after the death of their mother. Spooky stuff related to Grace’s past in a cult keeps happening which makes her question her sanity.

This film is unpleasant, I had to do something else while I was watching it to even finish it. I expect a lot of people will have a very strong reaction to this film either positively or negatively; it is very polarizing like that. Personally, I hated it. I will give the film one thing though, it shows the effects of gaslighting perfectly and I applaud them for taking that risk, simply it wasn’t for me.

The spooky things I mentioned earlier include the oldest boy hanging himself, or at least so we think. It turns out that the kids hate Grace so much, for no reason they hate her from the off, that they have faked everything including the hanging to get her to kill herself. This twist is what put me off the film because it unravels it in two ways.

Firstly, the idea that we are supposed to believe two kids concocted and executed this incredibly elaborate plan is beyond ridiculous. Then when you start to think about the implications this causes for the rest of the film it falls apart even more.

Secondly, after all this is revealed we are supposed to still care about the kids. Why? Why should we care about them after this. Frankly I don’t sympathise with them, they get what they deserve for trying to make a woman kill herself for no reason.

Overall, it was certainly trying to provoke a reason, sadly it wasn’t a good one it got out of me.

Pros.

It has guts to pull that twist.

Cons.

It makes no sense.

The kids are detestable.

It all feel pointless and done without reason.

It was off putting, but maybe that was the point.

1.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Look Of Love: Coogan Takes On The King Of Soho Sleaze

The Look Of Love is a British biopic about the life of pornography/ real estate mogul Paul Raymond (Steve Coogan), directed by Michael Winterbottom. The film charts his life, the highs and the lows, the trials and tribulations. It is a cautionary tale.

This film is a testament to having it all, but also being fundamentally empty. Raymond might be rich, but he isn’t happy, he is never happy. I think this film plays out almost like a tragedy because it shows us how this incredibly wealthy man is just trying to make himself feel something and he just can’t. I think this biopic could easily have just been showy and it is to an extent, I will get back to that, but more so it dives deep it analyse the mind of this man, that is what it sets out to do.

When I say this film is showy it is a critique. This film can be gratuitous at points, I understand the nature of Raymond’s work, but the nudity is constant and not really done in a tasteful way. It almost feels a bit creepy and voyeuristic at points, almost as though it is fantasy fulfilment. I understand that it was probably done to show how the character has everything, however, I thought it could have been done better.

Coogan is on top form here. He is trying to play the character in far more of a dramatic way than he normally does, there are a few comedic moments, but Coogan mostly plays the character straight and it works. Crucially the centrepiece of this film is Raymond’s relationship with his daughter (played by Imogen Poots), and I am glad to say that is strong. Both nails the drama and craft characters we end up caring about; even though they’re terrible people.

Overall, this is more thoughtful drama than comedy it is helped by great performances from Coogan and Poots but let down by over the top nudity.

Pros

Steve Coogan.

Nails the drama.

It makes you care about the characters.

The relationship between father and daughter.

Cons.

The nudity is too much.

3.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Royal Tenenbaums: Family stands together

The Royal Tenenbaums is a quirky comedy film directed by Wes Anderson. The film follows the Tenenbaum family and their associates as their often-absent father appears back in their lives claiming to be dying, but actually wanting to reconnect.

This is the best film I have seen in a while; it rivals The Darjeeling Limited for my favourite Wes Anderson film. There is just something so warm about it even in its sadder moments, we the audience can relate to the Tenenbaums, they’re not perfect and there are issues a plenty, yet they try and be better people and I think there is something heart-warming about that. As cliché as it might be to say, this film has a lot of heart.

The comedy of this film was also spot on for me. It made me laugh a good few time and smile throughout. I particularly liked Gwyneth Paltrow’s character, I thought she was the funniest and had the best scenes overall.

The best thing about this film are the performances. This film managed to do the impossible and make me like Gwyneth Paltrow even if it was just for a few hours, it also boasts fantastic performances from everyone else involved; particularly the Wilson Brothers and a short but sweet turn from Bill Murray.

My one issue with the film, was Ben Stiller. I like Stiller and I think this character grew on me overtime, but he and his performance are in nowhere near the same league as everyone else; he is completely blown out of the water, but then again he always was going to be.

Overall, I can’t recommend this one highly enough, just terrific from start to finish.

Pros.

The heart.

The comedy.

Making me like the snake oil saleswoman that is Gwyneth Paltrow.

The Wilson Brothers.

Cons.

Ben Stiller.

5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Take Shelter: Are The End Times Nigh?

Take Shelter is a psychological thriller drama film directed by Jeff Nichols. The story revolves around family man Curtis (Michael Shannon), who starts having nightmares about the end of the world as the film progresses these nightmares get worse and start to bleed over into his real world and Curtis becomes convinced that something bad is going to happen.

I appreciate Jeff Nichols; he is one of the most consistent but also incredibly underrated filmmakers working today: check out his whole filmography to see what I mean. What I think Nichols does so well is deal with complexity, in his films nothing is ever clear cut, nothing is ever as it appears. In relation to this film, we are never given an answer one way or the other whether Curtis is getting visons of the end of the world if he is suffering a mental break. The film ends and then it is up to us to draw our own conclusions.

Normally, I would hate that kind of ending I would say it is pretensions and a sign of someone who can’t write an ending. However, here it works, the ending fits nicely with the overall feel of the movie; it is natural. Something that again helps to get rid of any notions of pretentiousness is how down to earth this film feels, everything about it seems set in our world with characters that could easily exist. This is very true of Shannon’s Curtis as well as Jessica Chastain’s Samantha, both feel very real and fleshed out and both actors give magnificent performances.

Overall, this is a terrific film, it is genuinely tense and surprising throughout. My one issue with it is that it does feel a little drawn out and could probably do with a much tighter edit to trim it down. A lot of fun all the same.

Pros.

Chastain and Shannon.

The ambiguous ending.

The tension.

Cons.

It is too long.

A lot of the supporting cast is very forgettable.

3.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

How To Build A Girl: The Teenage Condition

How To Build A Girl is a comedy film directed by Coky Giedroyc; based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Catlin Moran. The plot sees Nerdy shy girl Johanna Morrigan (Beanie Feldstein), transform herself into a badass rock reviewer in an effort to escape her hometown and have it all.

I have to say I enjoyed this one more than I thought I was going to; I went in with pretty average expectations as I didn’t know what it was about, Feldstein drew me to it. I recently rewatched Book Smart and thought Feldstein was the highlight of that film. I also enjoyed her small part on the What We Do In The Shadows TV series, so I decided to give his ago and it was a surprisingly sweet, charming film.

Firstly, I want to say Feldstein was terrific I completely bought her performance and I thought she captured the idea of a girl wanting to escape her circumstance, but then not knowing what to do once she had very well. She sold the inner conflict. Also I thought for an American her accent was quite good, quite convincing. Yes, it might have been a bit broad and there might have been times when she sounded as though she was from Liverpool rather than Wolverhampton, but I still thought it was a valiant effort.

Secondly, I thought Alfie Allen was a triumph as John Kite Johanna’s significantly older love interest. The character is supposed to be a deeply tragic one and I think Allen portrays that really well, I think he really shines in the films dramatic scenes. I thought the relationship between them was done just right, with them ending as friends; no icky age troubling romance.

Overall, I thought this film felt very human, it felt very real. By that I mean nothing outlandish happened, you bought that these characters could easily be real people, maybe you could even relate. I think this film is very good and something you should defiantly check out as it proves what a talent on the rise Beanie Feldstein is.

Pros.

Beanie Feldstein.

Alfie Allen.

It was very relatable.

The side characters particularly Paddy Constantine were superb.

Cons.

A little cliché at times.

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke