The Young Woman And The Sea: Hemingway Turns Over In His Grave

Summary

Daisy Riddley needs something to do between filming commitments for more Star Wars content no one wants, so she made this film.

If I were the family of the person this is based on I would sue, that is how bad this is.

So the film details the first ever time a woman swam the English Channel, based on real events. In another timeline this could have been an inspirational tale of rising to the occasion, perseverance and never giving up on your dreams, but Disney has their hands on this. Due to Disney’s influence this film is full of the message that Bob Iger said they were walking away from, rather than focus on this heroic woman and her journey, which in and of itself is uplifting, progressive and inspiring, they have to force in a bunch of current year feminist theory that makes no sense in that time period. Some of the things they are talking about are so deeply out of place it makes you think did they just not even bother doing research for this film.

Daisy Riddley is fine, she cannot act and is mostly just looking slightly angry for most of the film, she is another student of the Alaqua Cox school of acting, but that is okay as for the scenes when she is swimming you cannot really see her face. For the sake of ease just think of her as a block of wood in the film that goes from point a to b.

As I said before, this tale deserved to be good, but Disney being Disney they had to run it into the ground and make it not only boring but also needlessly chocked full of identity politics.

Overall, there is a reason Disney say they are not bothered about the box office of this film and that is because they know no one will see it.

1/5

Pros.

It is almost too bad to be believed

Cons.

It is sanctimonious

It is boring

Ridley struggles

It is far too long

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Renegade Nell Series Overview: The Most Tame Supposedly Edgy Show You Will Ever Watch

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A young woman, Louisa Harland, is accused of a murder she didn’t commit so becomes a highwaywoman for some reason.

When you see headlines about Disney + still being far behind their subscriber targets, and still miles away from Netflix, this is why.

A series that is based around one thing, people being shocked that a highwayman is in fact a woman. There is a very memeable scene in the trailer where people audibly gasp because of the fact that she is a woman and they can’t handle it. Even in the more gender norm times of the past I cannot believe that this was that shocking, it is well documented that there were female pirates and female warriors throughout history, so the idea that people would be shocked at a female highwayman is ridiculous. It is all based out of this idea of oh these progressive shows are being edgy and challenging the patriarchy and all this, yet the fact of the matter is that the moment for these sort of shows was about 5-10 years ago, they have now both outstayed their welcome and are also behind the times. Most people would accept a show about a highwaywoman and not question it these days, you do not need to keep reminding the audience that she is a woman we are past that.

Moreover, much like with Disney’s other recent YA fare such as Percy Jackson and Spiderwick, this just feels like generic historical fantasy dross to try and get teens in the door. I would argue it is a bit too tame for that, if they wanted to get the teen audience in they need more sex, look at the CW that brought in teens, supposedly, and that was chocked full of it.

The narrative is just another boring girlboss story and Harland cannot bring the same charm to bear she did in Derry Girls, on a creative level this is a failure. The worst thing about this show is just how dated it feels, if it had come out in the era of Batwoman then it would have fit right in, but that age has past.

Overall, more wasted Disney money.

Pros.

It is unintentionally hilarious

Cons.

The girlboss narrative

It is not shocking or novel

The joke of but she is a woman and people fall over in disbelief doesn’t make sense and it is dumb

The acting isn’t good

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Back To Black: A Life Cut Short

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A biopic about Amy Winehouse

These musical biopics are all the same at this point, if things have gone as intended then this will be coming out the day after my Bob Marley review and as such I can really hammer home that point.

Much like the Bob Marley review said again this follows the same formula as all the rest, the rise, the reign and then the fall. I find that it is not until the end of the film that I begin to see any real difference beyond, nationality and music style. The difference being that with Marley the film ended on a notion of hope, he was a unifier, despite his pending death it is still a nice ending. Whereas with Winehouse the film ends on a rather black note, in a sense it becomes a tragedy and I think it is this respect that the film ends out on top of Bob Marley for the sheer fact it was able to make me feel something.

I would say that the acting was also a lot stronger here, across the board. Marisa Abela was terrific in the lead, she was both warm and likeable but could also reflect the tragic nature of Winehouse, the damaged side of her soul. I also think Jack O’Connell was very strong in his supporting role of a lad about town who ultimately proved toxic for Winehouse in the end.

This film certainly aims to be more than Marley and tries to have deeper themes and emotions, which is fine but in doing that it loses the crowd pleasing charm of Marley and makes it more of a selective experience.

Overall, an interesting biopic but one that makes for grim viewing

3/5

Pros.

The tragic nature of it

The cast

The songs

Cons.

It is depressing

The pace is off

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Bob Marley One Love: Music Conquers All

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A biopic about Bob Marley.

These musical biopics are all the same at this point, sure they are based on real life so they can’t do much to jazz it up, but it is always the same the rise, the stardom and then the fall. There is nothing to mix it up and the only difference is the songs that litter the films sound track, honestly I think we need to have a period of time without any more musical biopics to make this repetition sit better, but hey we are getting a Michael Jackson biopic next year that hopefully will address why he slept in bed with children. Hollywood doesn’t listen to its customers any more and that is why box office returns are only getting worse.

Kingsley Ben-Adir does a good job in the lead role and you buy the character. I would say he was the best actor in the piece by quite a wide margin. Lashana Lynch was fine, but mostly forgettable, one could argue that was not her fault as they didn’t give her much of anything to do.

Perhaps if I was a bigger Marley fan I would have gotten more out of it, I don’t know I just think that at this point we have seen similar narratives so many times over that it loses anything special it ever had.

The songs were good but you would expect them to be.

Overall, fine but easily forgettable.

2.5/5

Pros.

It is watchable

The songs are good

It is reasonably well paced

Cons.

It is the same the story you have heard before

Nothing is beyond average about it

They waste most of the cast

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Killers Of The Flower Moon: Hours Of Your Life You Aren’t Getting Back

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A long and pretentious trip to the cinema that leaves you with cramps.

I know a lot of people will disagree with me on this one, hell its up for best picture as I write this, but I just thought that this was a Scorsese film that just didn’t hit the way you would want it to. Maybe it is because I just found it quite hard to connect to I don’t know but I found this film to be a slog.

I think my main issue with this and the Irishman is that they feel so indulgent and yes you can make the argument he has been making masterpieces for a long time doesn’t he deserve a victory lap but I think if anything he is risking his legacy by making these projects. There was a lot of stuff in this film that could easily have been cut and it would have been just as good if not better, I think this film is done a disservice being as long as it is.

The performances are all fine, they aren’t bad it is just it feels like it is awards bait the whole film suffers from that and as such just isn’t fun to watch.

Overall, overly long and damaging to the legacy of a great director

2/5

Pros.

It has an interesting premise

Robert De Niro is good

Cons.

A lot of the performances and the film itself feels like awards bait

It is pretentious and self-indulgent

It is far too long

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Napoleon: Ridley Scott Gets His History From The History Channel

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

An origin story for Napoleon, Joaquin Phoenix.

So first off this film has nothing at all to do with history, literally nothing. It may take a few events and dates that actually happened but that is all, for the most part it is badly researched toss that never happened, so if you are considering this film for its historical merits go elsewhere.

Outside of that this film is a decidedly mixed bag. The battle scenes are visually impressive and the scale feels right, it feels like an epic. However, these sequences aren’t as long as you would like them to be and they don’t really show off Napoleon as the tactical genius he was really quite the opposite.

In terms of the rest of this film it is fixated on Napoleon’s relationship with his wife Josephine, Vanessa Kirby, at times you will forget you are watching a historical epic and think you are watching a period drama film instead. Both actors play their parts well perhaps Kirby even one ups Phoenix, but it is a weird choice to have Napoleon so emasculated in his own film, in many ways this film seems to go out of its way to make Napoleon look as weak as possible. Take this sequence for example, Napoleon has been away in Egypt fighting, and whilst gone Josephine has taken a lover, now when Napoleon hears of this he is furious as one would be but then when he gets back to France he is angry with her but still immediately takes her back and everything is fine, it is an odd choice for sure.

The questionable historical accuracy within this then makes the film almost come across as a historical hit piece on Napoleon and with that in mind you can see why the French don’t like this film, or some don’t, as this film takes one of their biggest historical figures and turns him into kind of a joke.

Overall, Ridley Scott misses again, maybe instead of taking so many interviews where he swears at those that don’t like his film he should crack a book it will save embarrassment like this.

2/5

Pros.

The battle scenes were good

Phoenix and Kirby both try their best

Cons.

The history is shot

It makes Napoleon look weak and pathetic

It is far, far too long

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Oppenheimer: The Man Behind The Bomb

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

The life of Robert Oppenheimer played by Cillian Murphy, and the people who destroyed him.

This film is not one for the faint of heart, it is long and very exposition heavy. However, if historical epics are your kind of thing you will find more than enough to like here.

The film did a very good job at making you invested in Oppenheimer’s life and connecting to and understanding his stresses and his shortcomings, the film didn’t sugar coat any aspects of his life and rather showed the good with the bad which is always nice to see from an epic/biopic.

The cast across the board were strong, Murphy anchored the film well but I think the supporting cast really brought this film to life with terrific turns from Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh as the loves of Oppenheimer’s life and very much highlighted the personal destruction of the man himself.

It was an interesting choice to give more focus and screen time to the quasi legal battle between Oppenheimer and Robert Downey Jr’s character, then the journey to the bomb, but I think it is one that pays off.

4/5

Pros.

Murphy, Blunt and Pugh

The emotions

The man himself and the focus on his inner demons

It is excellently paced

Cons.

It has too many characters

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Air: Born In The USA

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

A film about the making of the Air Jordan

If this film proves nothing else it proves that Ben Affleck is a hell of a director. Whilst I wouldn’t say this is perhaps to the same level as Argo I would say it was a very fun film that worked on pretty much every level.

I found more than enough to like about the plot to keep me engaged even though I am not interested in Basketball. The business aspects of the film felt almost like classic Sorkin, and I thought that the scenes between Damon’s character and Davis’ character wherein they discussed Jordan’s future with Nike were easily the best of the film.

In a lot of the more dialogue heavy scenes the terrific performances that Affleck is able to get out of his cast really come through. Not only were the previously mentioned Affleck, Damon and Davis great, but I also really liked Chris Tucker and Jason Bateman. Bateman in particular had a number of really strong dramatic scenes that connected with me emotionally, in particular his scene about how his daughter only wants to see him because he can give her shoes.

However, the feather in this film’s cap is its soundtrack. All of the Eighties hits that you could possibly want are featured here at every turn and it is glorious and helps the film to feel lively and keep you engaged.

My one complaint of the film would be that, as is so often the case, the pacing isn’t good. Like with many modern films this out stays its welcome and would have been a better film if it was shortened.

Overall, bar the pacing issues a great film and a directorial comeback for Affleck, though I personally liked Live By Night.

4/5

Pros.

The business scenes are really sharp

Everyone is bringing their A game

The soundtrack

The unexpected emotion

Cons.

The pacing issues

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Pinball The Man Who Saved The Game: An Unexpected Delight

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

Telling the story of the man who overturned New York City’s ban on pinball.

I thought this was a tremendously fun film. I personally don’t really care at all about pinball, but this film had me rooting for the ban to be overturned. It is hard to put it into words but there is something special and winning about this film, it managed to play with my heart in a way I wasn’t expecting it to whilst also making me laugh every step of the way.

On the subject of comedy, I particularly enjoyed the meta jokes wherein the walls of the film where broken down and the narrator of the tale came in and addressed us directly. There was a good number of funny lines delivered by Mr Sharp, played by Dennis Boutsikaris, as he clashed with the wider team behind the scenes.

However, what I will say was the films strongest element was the story of Roger, played by Mike Faist [and playing within the narrative of the film a young version of Mr Sharp], and his relationship with Ellen, played by Crystal Reed, and her son, played by Christopher Convery. I think this is one of the best romantic pairings in a film I have seen in a long time and that both Faist and Reed have great chemistry together and that this is what anchors the film.

Overall, an unexpected treat which does what Tetris tried to do but bettered it.

4/5

Pros.

Faist

Boutsikaris

Reed

The humour and the heart

Cons.

It was a little rushed in places

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A Field In England: Taking Drugs In A Field

Written by Luke Barnes

Summary

An alchemist’s assistant, played by Reece Shearsmith , and a group of deserters try and navigate the battlefields of the English Civil War.

I like the films of Ben Wheatley for the most part even though sometimes they miss the mark. However, this film I think may be his worst and misses the mark by a large degree boiling down into pretentious nonsense that feels like the sort of thing a first year film student might make if they couldn’t decide on a narrative direction for their film and instead decided to throw everything at the wall.

This is clearly most experimental work but that isn’t a good thing as it makes the film feel far too art house for its own good, coming across as an effort in pretention. Additionally, this decision to be experimental means there are big sections of the narrative that make little to no sense and don’t really fit with the tone of the rest of the film, this doesn’t come across as some brave stylistic decision but rather a lack of ability to write narrative and an attempt to disguise lazy writing by being pretentious.

The only thing that really gripped me about this film is the occult focus which I enjoyed and which did deliver some good scares, we could have done with more of this and less silly art house nonsense.

Overall, Wheatley pushes the boundary into how art house he can be and still maintain audience interest and arguably goes too far.

2/5

Pros.

A few good scares

The occult stuff later into the film

Cons.

It is pretentious

Some sections of the film don’t fit

It has awful pacing

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