Bird Box: You Have To Be Blind To Enjoy This

‘Bird Box’ is a post-apocalyptic thriller film directed by Susanne Bier. The plot follows Malorie (Sandra Bullock), as she tires, to protect her children from strange supernatural entities that have taken over the world, said creatures drive people to madness if they see them. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Josh Malerman.

I remember when this film came out a lot of people were talking about it and it had more than a few moments in the sun. However, upon seeing it now I really don’t see what is so impressive about it, I know the novel came out years ago, but a lot of the film’s elements had been done before and better in other films like ‘A Quiet Place’ and ‘Children Of Men’. These elements are things like creatures that prey on a certain sense in this case sight as well as a family having to survive in this new world.

There is nothing new about this film at all. It is a collection of end of the world clichés and character stereotypes. Not only that, but the film puts a lot of it’s focus on the humans that have not been driven to suicide by the creatures: because they were already mad, they take up the role of the antagonists in the film and the creatures themselves almost become a secondary villain. I think this is an annoying trend that a lot of these type of films do and is also a huge missed opportunity. There are hundreds of films about humans doing horrific things to each other most of them better than this, so why does this film not choose to focus on the one thing that makes it unique it’s monsters.

What’s more, the human characters are boring, really really boring. They are really hard to care about as they just seem like a collection of characters that you have seen before, this film even wastes John Malkovich. The one character that is interesting and feels like you want to get to know her is Sarah Paulson’s Jessica, but she is killed off within the first 10 minutes of the film.

Overall this is an incredibly generic film and in this the year 2020 that just isn’t passable anymore, as we have so much choice that things like this should fail to send a message that we want better, we want characters that actually feel like characters, we want a story that hasn’t been done so many times before, and we want to see the monsters in a form other than wind!

Pros.

Sarah Paulson For The 10 Minutes We Get Her.

Cons.

It’s Been Done Better Before.

It’s Generic.

The Story Is Boring.

We Don’t See The Monsters We Are Just Told About Them.

1/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Favourite: Gaining The Queen’s Favor

‘The Favourite’ is a period black comedy film directed by Yorgos Lanthimos. It revolves around two cousins Sarah (Rachel Weisz), and Abigail (Emma Stone), who are both vying to be the court favourite of Queen Anne (Olivia Colman), there is no extreme these cousins/ rivals will not go to in their quest to oust the other.

This is a pitch-black comedy film and it knows it, if you have that sort of comedy sensibilities then you will think that this film is hilarious. Both Weisz and Stone are hilarious proving that they both have great comedy chops. The film takes how bleak and depressing life was in this period and makes a joke out of it at every turn. Everything in this film is played up to an almost manic degree, an example of this would be the two rival factions that run the government that both want the Queen’s attention. One of these factions is lead by Harley (Nicholas Hoult), who is a delightfully over the top hammy sub-antagonist.

There are some moments in this film where the comedy ends and there are some moments that really tug on the heartstrings, an example of this would be when Queen Anne tells Abigail about all the children she has lost. This shows how ‘The Favourite’ can shoot on both fronts and do well, both in comedy as well as in drama. A lot of this drama is done to perfection by Colman, but more on here later.

My one issue with this film is that the ending isn’t very strong. The ending is quite introspective and almost trippy in a way which doesn’t quite fit with the rest of the film, but this didn’t really affect my overall enjoyment of the film.

Finally, I just want to say about the phenomenal job that Olivia Colman does, this is after all the film that won her an Oscar. Colman plays Anne as a broken soul, a person that has lost a lot and just wants to be loved, she has almost has a childlike innocence to her performance that makes it so tragic.

Overall, this film is a masterclass in dark comedy and if you like things like ‘The Death Of Stalin’ or ‘The Thick Of It’ you will find something to like here, the film is let down by it’s ending, but is fantastic in every other respect.

Pros.

Genuinely Funny.

Also Has Great Emotional Stakes.

Weisz And Stone Are Both Fantastic.

So Is Colman.

Cons.

The Ending Is Disappointing.

3.5/5

Reviewed By Luke

The Nightingale: The Heart Of Darkness

‘The Nightingale’ is a period drama film directed by Jennifer Kent, her second film after the critically acclaimed ‘The Babadook’. The plot of the film revolves around Irish convict Clare (Aisling Franciosi), who suffers a horrific tragedy that result in her losing everything, the events that follow show her as she treks across the Tasmania bush in search of the men that wronged her; So she can enact a brutal act of retribution upon them.

Before I get into this review, I just want to say this is a grueling film to watch, deeply uncomfortable and unpleasant at times, but that seems to be by design. There are disturbing acts of violence and sexual violence depicted in this film that set up Claire’s character motivation and show the horrific place that the Tasmanian Bush was at this point in time.

If that doesn’t put you off there is a lot to appreciate about this film. Firstly, is the attention to detail payed in the setting and how the events of the story play out, the 1825 Van Diemen’s Land that Kent brings to life is unlike anything I had previously seen. The world this film presents is harsh and incredibly unforgiving and it makes you aware of horrors of history that you might not have been aware of.

The performances are excellent as well. Franciosi is a marvel to behold the emotions that her character conveys are both striking and affecting. She is entirely believable as a woman who has lost everything and is now a ghost of the person she was before, driven only by revenge. Furthermore, the gradual friendship she forms with Aboriginal tracker Billy (Baykail Ganambarr), she sweet and brings a bit of levity to an otherwise deeply oppressive, depressing film.

Ganambarr is excellent especially when you consider that this is this first feature film performance. His character of Billy not only brings some humour to the film, but also provides a door into the Aboriginal world which we don’t often see represented in cinema. Billy does at times outshine Claire, but both are fantastic.

Sam Claflin is also in this film he plays the sadistic antagonist Hawkins. Claflin is quickly making a name for himself as a skilled actor especially for playing villains, he plays a loathsome bastard better than anyone else. He completely loses himself in the role and delivers yet another magnificent performance.

Overall, this film can be hard to watch at times, you will feel the urge to turn it off, but if you can stick with it there is something special here. ‘The Nightingale’ is far more of a nuanced take on the Rape-Revenge subgenre and has a lot to say and has some great performances to back it up.

Pros.

Powerful.

Excellent Performances.

A Great Follow Up.

Bringing Attention To Issues.

Cons.

Very Very Very Hard To Watch At Times.

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

Bombshell: Modern Times Need Modern Heroes

‘Bombshell’ is an autobiographical drama film directed by Jay Roach. The film is based upon several women who set out to expose the CEO of Fox News for sexual harassment after he behaved inappropriately towards them.

When I was looking this film up to write my review, I was 100% sure that this film was an Adam McKay film, the director of Vice, as it has a very similar style to it; with similar hallmarks such as fourth-wall-breaking. If this film had been an Adam McKay feature it would have been one of his weaker films, there are bits of ‘Bombshell’ that are phenomenal but there are also bits that are lacking and underdeveloped.

One such phenomenal bit is the makeup on Charlize Theron. Theron plays Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, who serves as the main character of the film, but you wouldn’t know it was Theron the makeup and facial prosthetics she is wearing make her virtually unrecognisable making her look almost identical to the character she is playing. The performance Theron delivers is also fantastic she gives off power and courage and makes for a wise if unlikely hero.

Nicole Kidman plays Gretchen Carlson, the woman who starts it all, and though she is only on screen for a limited amount of time she is fantastic. There is a scene where it looks like Carlson is going to lose the case as no one is coming forward and she breaks down in tears and then immediately pulls herself together when her kids come in the door, there is something powerful about this scene that can’t help but elicit an emotional response from the audience.

Margot Robbie is also in this film and unlike Theron does not deserve the Oscar nomination she has received for it. Robbie is terribly underused she makes do with the little she is given, but she deserves a meatier role: this isn’t her fault and it is more of a script-writing issue, but it did bug me. Moreover, Robbie is completely upstaged by the most unlikely of sources Kate McKinnon. Usually, I find McKinnon annoying as she overdoes her performances, but I liked her here playing a more serious role. I think the fear her character has for being a lesbian at Fox News is heart-breaking and I really emoted with her in this film; I would love to see her take on more dramatic roles in the future.

Overall this is a very important film that should be seen, it shows the lows we can reach as a society, but that as long as we have brave people who are willing to stand up and speak out, we can always escape these and reach a better society. I wish Robbie was given more to work with, but that is my only issue here.

Pros.

A Much-Needed Story.

Timely.

Great Make Up And Performances.

Cons.

Weak In Parts.

Robbie’s Talents Are Wasted.

3.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Lost In Translation: Wandering The Streets Of Tokyo

‘Lost In Translation’ is a comedy-drama film. The plot revolves around washed-up actor Bob Harris (Bill Murray), who befriends a young college graduate called Charlotte (Scarlett Johansson), the film details their growing friendship; with possible romantic undertones.

This film explores a lot of very heavy themes such as ideas about loneliness, and the lack of a clear direction in one’s life. As a result of exploring these themes, this film feels like an exercise in self-reflection. Despite dissecting these strong themes, the film never goes into being depressing as there is a good amount of humour to balance out the more contemplative moments.

Though Bill Murray mostly plays it straight here there is still an element of awkward comedy in his performance, as he finds it hard to adapt to certain situations. The humour of this film is often very quirky and off the wall, I don’t think it will make you laugh out loud very often, but there are quite a few chuckles to be had.

The performances are the high point of the film as both Johansson and Murray give it their all. We can see that both of these characters are unhappy in their lives and are waiting on the next big change to make sense of it all. Both characters are unhappy in their marriages, but still decide to stay in them. This is what this film does so well, there is a great sense of not knowing what to do and being lost, which can be found throughout the film.

A lot of the cinematography, editing and sound choices give this film almost a dream-like feel to it or, maybe a distant memory. These choices help the film to feel unique and give it a strong sense of identity.

Anna Faris is in this film as Kelly, someone who is positioned to be a love rival to Charlotte, but she is mostly wasted. With Charlotte’s Husband this film goes for the whole he is never there angel, suggesting that they are growing apart and maybe that he is cheating on her. I think this plotline could have been achieved just as well through mentions of another woman, they didn’t need to create this largely pointless character.

Also, my major complaint is that the relationship, or supposed relationship, between Bob and Charlotte by the end of the film feels a bit icky. Throughout the film, I liked the two as friends and I wanted it to stay that way. Charlotte is so young, far too young for Bob and I know the heart wants what it wants, but in this modern climate, it feels a bit off to me.

Overall a very nice film to watch it has a lot of very interesting things to say and the way it is filmed deserves praise as it is a clear example of a director having a beautiful vision and sticking to it.

Pros.

The Themes.

The Performances.

The Film-making Process.

Cons.

Anna Faris Wasted Character.

Icky Romance.

3.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Fighting With My Family: Florence Pugh’s Rise To Fame

‘Fighting With My Family’ is a biographical, sports, comedy-drama film. The film chronicles the rise of WWE superstar and the youngest Diva’s Champion, Paige (Florence Pugh). It shows her origins wrestling with her family in Norwich, the hard NXT training process in America and finally her finest moment when she won the title.

Now before I get into all the things I love about this film; I want to mention a few things I felt held it back. For me I found the Paige misjudging the other female wrestlers and then feeling left out because she isn’t like them, storyline to be a little played out; the reveal that the other wrestlers are actually good people once Paige opened up to them is painfully obvious- it has been done in 1000 sports movies before. However, I do understand that when adapting a true story, the filmmakers are limited in where they can take the plot without it becoming untrue.

The main thing I liked about this film is the development Paige’s family got. It would have been easy to have her family as background characters and not focus on them, but rather than do that, the film flushes each one of them out nicely. They all have their individual motivations and you understand them, her brother (Jack Lowden), for example has dreamed of being in the WWE since he was a boy and over the course of the film, he gets that dream crushed, but then learns that there is more to life than fame.

Though this isn’t a fresh arc as it has been done time and again before it is nice to see the supporting characters in Paige’s life get some attention and development.

Florence Pugh as Paige is fantastic, she perfectly captures that underdog spirit as well as the idea of being an outsider that is looking for somewhere to belong; you can see the emotional journey of this film play out on Pugh’s face over its runtime and it is very satisfying. She emotes well. She also has a believable physicality that makes all of her wrestling scenes look real and authentic.

The two scene stealers of this film for me are Vince Vaughn and Dwayne Johnson. Vaughn’s Hutch Morgan has a real sense of vulnerability to him and he comes across as a protective figure to Paige as well as an antagonist at times, giving him a nice duality. Johnson on the other hand is great comedic support he brings a lot of laughs and entertainment value to any scene he is in.

Overall, this film is a delightfully charming sports film about the love of wrestling the cost of fame and the rise of a very talented young woman- in two senses.

Pros.

Vaughn and The Rock.

The Development of Paige’s Family.

The Emotion.

Pugh Is Paige.

Cons.

Cliched At Times.

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Farewell: An Emotional Goodbye

‘The Farewell’ is a comedy-drama film. The plot follows Billie (Awkwafina), a young woman who has to go to China for her cousin’s wedding. However, before she goes, she finds out that her Grandmother (Zhao Shuzhen), has stage 4 lung cancer, but her family don’t want anyone to tell her Gran about it as there is nothing to be done. The film is based on a real-life true story.

This film raises a lot of good ethical questions about what you should and shouldn’t do when you find out one of your relatives is dying. It also shows the difference between East and West in our societal views and our views on family.

Before seeing this film, I was not a huge fan of Awkwafina I thought she was fine, but she had never done anything to blow me away. However, this film and her performance in it completely blew me away with how powerful it is: she sells the emotion so well. You can see how much Billie loves her Grandmother and, the fact that not being able to tell her is tearing her apart.

The relationship between these two women is strong and deeply emotional though they are different people and, are symbolic of different ways of life, East Vs, West again, you can see the bond they share, and it is very affecting. This is furthered by the fact that the relationship between Billie and, the rest of her family seems strained. When Billie and her mum and dad moved to the States, it seems to have pushed them further away from their family. Not only is there this distance in the wider family unit but, also within the close immediate family. Part of what makes Billies relationship with her Grandmother so special is the fact that she and her mother seem at odds throughout much of the film; this highlights how her Grandmother might be her main female role model possibly.

My one issue with what is otherwise a very beautiful film is that the rest of Billie’s family are given very little to do, the story mainly focuses on Billie and her reaction to the fact her Grandmother is dying; the story is essentially the tale of these two women. However, as a result of this, the rest of her family come off as bit players they’re there and, might have the odd line or two, but they serve no real purpose.

The final sequence of the film Billie and her Grandmother having an emotional goodbye, followed then by us seeing how her Grandmother has impacted her life, and the reveal that the Grandmother is still alive is not only heartwarming, but it packs an emotional punch; I challenge you not to cry.

Pros.
Awkwafina.
The Ethical Questions It Raises.
The Relationship Between Billie And Her Grandmother.
The Emotion.

Cons.
The Family Are Wasted.

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

Little Women: Oscar Bait In Its Most Obvious Form

‘Little Women’ is a coming-of-age, drama, period film based on the book of the same name. The plot follows the lives of the March’s a family of young women who live with their mother while their dad is fighting in the Civil War. We see it all from sisterly pranks and hijinks to death and, mourning.

As someone who has read the seminal novel, I had an idea where the film was going and, a lot of the surprise reveals were not all that surprising to me. However, the two things I will give this film and Greta Gerwig props for are that they nailed a lot of the key scenes from the novel: they capture the emotion perfectly, this is in no small part thanks to the performances but, I will come back to those later. The second thing I will give this film credit for is that the new additions to the narrative help to make the film feel more rounded and, whole.

The performances for me were a mixed bag Saoirse Ronan was terrific as Jo, proving once again that she is an aspiring actress to watch out for. Likewise, Florence Pugh was equally as good as Amy, the often overlooked sister, I found that her character captured the love-hate relationship sometimes found between sister really well. The rest of the cast didn’t do much for me, Emma Watson was fine, but I believe any actress could have played her role and, the rest of the cast including Laura Dern and, Meryl Streep is mostly wasted. Timothy Chalamet is also in this film and, I still don’t understand why people like him or, think he is a good actor.

I had several issues with the film, the most egregious of which is how in love with itself this film seems to be. ‘Little Women’ has a very smug sense of self about it, it seems to think that it is high art and, is worthy of all the awards simply for being I found this off-putting. This is reflected in how this film is paced, often scenes will feel drawn out, trying to play up their importance, when nothing has actually happened. The third act of this film is definitely too long in the tooth as there are multiple times you will find yourself saying, “is it over yet”.

A final thing I find odd and, distracting about this film is the non-linear way it chooses to tell its story, the scenes don’t follow any kind of pattern and, will generally be out of sync. An example of what I mean is in the second act a character dies and, there will be a scene of the family mourning the loss and, then another scene of this character alive and well. There is nothing wrong with telling a story like this, but the film doesn’t make clear what is a flash-forward, what is a flashback and, this makes for a jarring viewing experience.

Overall this is a solid effort from Gerwig however, it pails in comparison to her debut effort, with some of the stylistic and, editing choices in the film really ruin vast sections of it for me.

Pros.
Captures The Emotion.
The New Stuff.
The Performances.

Cons.
The Editing.
The Pacing Issues.
How Smug It Is.

2/5

Reviewed by Luke

It’s A Wonderful Life: Everyone Needs A Guardian Angle

‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ is a Christmas fantasy drama film, the plot follows George Bailey, (James Stewart), throughout his life as he endeavors to do good and, keep Bailey Savings and Loan afloat. The drama of the film comes when 8000 dollars goes missing and, George looks to be arrested, at this point George is on the edge of committing suicide, but when things seem bleakest he meets an Angel called Clarence, (Henry Travers), who shows George what the world would be like if he was never born.

This film very much like ‘A Miracle On 34th Street’ is widely regarded as a Christmas classic and, that is for a good reason.
The feel-good message that everyone, no matter your circumstance, can have a huge impact on the world by showing kindness to others is incredibly seasonally appropriate. It is a message that reminds us that we should always be happy with what we have and, that though cliche the greatest joys in life don’t come from wealth or things, but rather the people around us.

The acting in the film is all well done Stewart and, Travers are excellent as the two main characters, but there are also a lot of fantastic side and, background characters that have moments to shine. My one issue with this is that though they have their moments to shine these side characters often feel very one note, very much an afterthought.

The dramatic elements are strong in this film as George’s life is very up and, down and, he is put through the wringer. At no point do these dramatic moments feel manipulative or, melodramatic rather they hit the nail on the head and feel genuine and earnest; striking an emotional chord with us the audience.

My other and, more significant issue with this film is that it has quite severe pacing issues. The part of the film wherein George wishes he was never born and, meets Clarence and, goes to the alternative world doesn’t happen until about 50 minutes into the film. Therein for me lies the problem, I understand the need to set the scene and, introduce the characters, but 50 minutes seems like a bit much and, it really makes this opening section of the film feel too dragged out and, too long; feeling almost overindulgent at times.

Overall despite some minor faults, its too long and, the side characters aren’t developed enough, this still captures the real meaning of the season better than any other film and, is worthy of the title of a Christmas classic.

Pros.
Meaning For The Season.
Impactful Drama.
Good Leads.

Cons.
Underdeveloped Characters.
Pacing Issues.

3.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Two Popes: A Look Behind The Curtain

‘The Two Popes’ is a biographical drama film detailing the end of Pope Benedict XVI time as Pope and the rise of Pope Francis. The film looks at the relationship and, to an extent friendship between these two men, showing how even though they had strong disagreements, Benedict was far more conservative in his approach than Pope Francis; they found common ground and, a common respect for one another.

I was worried when I watched this film that it might be preachy or, have a message or, agenda that it tried to force down the viewer’s throat, I am pleased to report that this film can be enjoyed by anyone no matter your religion. As it is an acting masterclass and, each piece of dialogue is delivered with such relish that you can’t help but love it. Extensively this film is made by the performances of Anthony Hopkins as Pope Benedict and, Jonathan Price as Pope Francis, it is a joy to see these two veterans acting on screen they are both giving it their all and, it is a marvellous thing to watch.

This film is not afraid to get dark, at times it covers some very serious subject matter such as the child sex abuse within the Church as well as Pope Francis’ past in Argentina. These sections are brief but incredibly powerful they leave an impact on you and, make you think; I applaud this approach as it gives the film a heft to it that helps to define it beyond simply a film about the Papacy.

My one issue with the film is that it feels as though it could have been made shorter and, that it could have benefited from a harsher edit. By this, I mean that some sequences in the film do end up overstaying their welcome, the flashbacks to Pope Francis’ past are a prime example, as a result of this they lose some of their impact as instead of feeling thoughtfully considered they instead feel as though the filmmakers are trying to pad out the films’ runtime. This a shame as most of the film feels very tight and, most scenes have meaning.

Overall this is very interesting and, I learnt things I wasn’t previously aware of, Hopkins and Price both do a fantastic job in their respective roles and, I think it was a brave move for the film to have darker subject matter but, I am really glad they did. This could have been great if the pacing was a bit better and, every scene felt necessary.

Pros.
Interesting.
Informative.
Sharp Dialogue.
Great Performances.
Darker Themes.

Cons.
Pacing Issues.

3.5/5

Reviewed by Luke