Miracle on 34th Street: The Reason For The Season?

‘Miracle on 34th Street’ is a Christmas comedy drama about the time when Santa Claus himself started working in a department store all goes well until the Macy’s psychologist Granville Sawyer, (Porter Hall), takes old Kris Kringle to court, believing him to be delusional and, wanting to see him locked away.

A ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ is a Christmas classic it is in known throughout the world for being the embodiment of the Christmas spirit with it being almost synonymous with the season itself. It has been remade and reimagined but, nothing is as good as the 1947 original.

The reason why this film is so well regarded at least by me is its excellent performances. This is perfectly captured by Edmund Gwenn as Father Christmas himself, he is so lovable and warm and, his performance reflects this even down to the last detail. The moment when he converses with the little Dutch girl in her own language is touching. There is such a good nature to this film it is almost palpable.

The courtroom scene in the films third act is a fantastic sequence, as Kris has become so ingrained in our hearts by this point in the film the idea of him becoming institutionalised devastates us. Each development in the case has us more and, more on edge as we want to see him a freeman. Also, Hall does a great job as the villainous Sawyer, he is a villain you love to hate and, he epitomises everything wrong with the season.

The best thing with this film is its message it shows the reason for the season and, just how far a little bit of Christmas magic can go.
This is shown through the transformation of the leading lady Doris Walker, (Maureen O’ Hara), who goes from a Christmas cynic to fully believing Kris is who we says he is, even going so far as to tell her daughter to believe in him.

Another key component of this film is its romance the love story between Doris and, Fred, (John Payne), is sweet and well done. Their journey from strangers to friends to a couple is perfect and, you really see how much they care for each other which is endearing. The romance as well as the film as a whole can’t help but make you smile.

Overall ‘Miracle on 34th Street’ is a rare kind of film the kind of film that perfectly captures a season or a holiday in this case. This film is the definition of the reason for the season and, is by far a must watch this holiday season. Does this film show that we need to return to an old sort of Christmas before it became so commercialised? You watch and, decide for yourself.

4/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Knight Before Christmas: The Knight We Deserve!

‘The Knight Before Christmas’ is a Christmas comedy film the plot follows Sir Cole, (Josh Whitehouse), a 14th-century knight who arrives in modern times to fulfill his life’s quest, what that is he doesn’t know. In present-day Cole meets Brooke, (Vanessa Hudgens), a woman who has given up on the chance of ever finding her happily ever after, she takes him in after accidentally hitting him with her car and, sparks fly.

I had heard nothing good about Netflix’s holiday rom-coms and, after seeing ‘Let it Snow’, which was awful, I was expecting the worst. However, I was pleasantly surprised by ‘The Knight Before Christmas’, it was sweet and, lovable, and yes it might not reinvent the wheel or, be something that hasn’t been done 100 times before, but it leaves you with a pure smile on your face at the end of the film, and that is more than I can say for a lot of other films.

The plot is the standard ‘fish out of water’ story line, all the beats are there, the ending is Cole having to choose between returning to his own time, or staying in 2019 with Brooke; there are quite a few good laughs thrown in across the runtime that make the characters warm and, it makes you as the audience care about them. By the end of the film, you want Cole and Brooke to get together. There are moments that are laughably ridiculous, like a scene where Cole saves a young girl from falling into a frozen lake; these scenes are good goofy fun though and, help to sell this as a larger than life popcorn movie: because ultimately this film knows what it is, it is very aware of it and, it revels in it.

It is nice to see Vanessa Hudgens back on- screen the last thing I think I saw her in was ‘Spring Breakers’, in that regard this is a return to form. She plays the sweet innocent characters, basically the Disney esque characters really well and, she is fantastic here.
After watching this film, I can see why Netflix spent a lot of money to sign her to a multi-picture deal, she is a very good audience surrogate and, it is almost impossible not to root for her.
Whitehouse has some good moments and, he is believable as a 14th-century knight in 2019 however, he is greatly upstaged by his female co-star but, both do a great job anyway.

I hope very much like the ‘A Christmas Prince’ films, that ‘The Knight Before Christmas’ can become a yearly Netflix Christmas tradition, this film is far better than it has any right to be, and I would say it is a Christmas must-watch. Turn your brain off, settle down on the sofa with a nice cup of something warm and, enjoy this festive treat!

4.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Destination Wedding: Keanu Goes To A Wedding

‘Destination Wedding’ is a romantic comedy-drama film about two very messed up people, who find out they’re attending the same wedding. The premise may seem simple and, cliche enough but, there is something about this film, a charm, a heart, that kept me smiling throughout and, made me laugh out loud several times; this film is far better than it had any right to be.

First off it is nice to see Winona Ryder, (Lindsey) and Keanu Reeves, (Frank) on-screen together, it has been too long, they have always had great on-screen chemistry together and, this film proves that it is still here all these years later. Both give utterly fantastic performances Reeves made me laugh out loud multiple times, this film shows just how well he does comedy. While, Ryder is also fantastic she is so relatable and, very endearing, you understand that her character and Reeves have been through a lot and, both want to be happy however, they’re too afraid or, stubborn to take a chance, both actors give wonderfully vulnerable performances.

The best thing about ‘Destination Wedding’ is that it doesn’t feel like a rom-com would normally feel; there are times where it feels like the opposite. I love romantic comedies a lot, but I am glad to see this film try and, have its own spin on the genre to do something new, the originality of this film is refreshing. This film gave me notes of The Favourite I think it was something to do with the style and, the comedy of the film, both seemed familiar to me.

The romance of the film is heartwarming as you can see these two very inwardly protective people slowly start to open up, bit by bit, to each other. There is something about the way both actors play it that makes it seem almost real in a sense, needless to say by the end of the film, you will be clamouring, just as I was, to see these two embrace the love they have for each other and, become a couple. Another thing I will tip my hat to is that this film doesn’t show them become a couple, it is not straightforward like that, the way the film chooses to end is filled with ambiguity and, you are left thinking after the credits roll; will they stay together, will they be happy.

Overall I think this film is a gem, I think it was incredibly overlooked when it came out in 2018 and, that it deserves far far more love than it got, there is something special about this film and, if you give it a chance I promise you won’t be disappointed, in every aspect this film is superb.

5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Always Be My Maybe: Maybe more like Mediocrity

Always Be My Maybe is a romantic comedy film. The plot follows two people Sasha Tran, (Ali Wong), and Marcus Kim, (Randall Park), who were best friends when they were kids, but after a romantic mishap haven’t spoken in years; fate brings them into each other’s lives again but, will the romance return?

The romance the film portrays is very realistic, there is nothing fanciful about it; both the leads act very much like how normal people would in that situation, adding a nice sense of realism.

Both leads are likeable, Randall Park especially, who is basically just playing a younger version of his character from Fresh Off The Boat. Wong has a few good lines but, is often upstaged by Park’s charisma and charm. In terms of comedy, the film isn’t very strong, there were a few lines that made me smile, but nothing that made me laugh out loud.

The realistic drama of the film works far better than it’s comedy, with the reason that Marcus finds it hard to commit being masterfully done; you don’t see it coming, but when it is revealed it makes complete sense.

The plot is nothing new or, novel, it follows a standard will they won’t they rom-com plotline, the twists and turns are mostly standard and completely what you would expect, so it is very average in that respect. However, the charm of the leads makes up for the complete predictability.

There is one great surprise/reveal, which I wasn’t aware of as I hadn’t seen any of the trailers or, promotional materials. This surprise genuinely shocked me and instantly became my favourite moment of the film, this is, of course, the Keanu Reeves reveal. For those of you, that like me didn’t know, Reeves plays a fictionalised version of himself, the love rival of Marcus. Ali and all the other characters, except for Marcus, are completely smitten with him; which only serves to aggravate Marcus further.

Reeves is the highlight of the film, his presence makes the film, but also it takes overpowers everything else so in many ways it is a double-edged sword.

Overall Always Be My Maybe is a sweet if incredibly by the numbers affair. The leads have just enough charm and charisma to keep you watching, but only just. Reeves is spectacular as always but is barely used. The thing that hamstrings this film is its predictability, outside of Reeves’s cameo and Marcus’s later character development, everything else is easily guessable. In a sentence, the thing that stops this film from rising above mediocrity is that it’s scared to take chances.

3/5

Reviewed by Luke

Last Christmas: Who Will You Give Your Heart To This Year?

Last Christmas is a Christmas set romantic comedy featuring Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding. Emilia Clarke plays Kate a women whose life is falling apart, following a heart problem the Christmas before, she is working a dead-end job, running out of friends and about to have to go and live back at home. Yes, this character has been done 100 times before, but there is something so wholesome and relatable about the way Clarke plays the character, that you instantly root for her.

The same can be said of Kate’s love interest Tom, he is mysterious and enigmatic, keeping the world at an arms length. Once again there is nothing new about this character type, but Golding’s portrayal is so charming and, endearing that you can’t wait to see him; just like Kate.

The love story between them feel relatable and, the audience really wants them to get together by the end of the film; especially after one heartfelt scene when Kate tells Tom about her heart problems.

However, it is not meant to be. Spoilers here if you haven’t seen it.

Just when it seems as though Kate and Tom are going to get together, it is revealed Tom’s dead. He died last Christmas and, his heart was given to Kate through an organ transplant. When the twist hits you, you will feel one of two ways about it: either you will think it is a bittersweet masterstroke or, it will break your heart. I fell into the latter camp.

My other complaint about the film is there is a needless Brexit plotline in it that feels forced in, Last Christmas would function perfectly well without it, it doesn’t really come up much and, I do wonder why it was included. I feel as though it was to be current and political, but I feel it dated the film and made me groan.

The performances were all also fantastic, Golding and Clarke especially, in fact, I think this might be Emilia Clarke’s best performance yet, she is the heart and soul of the film. The direction is also strong by Paul Feig, it is very clearly a Paul Feig film with all the trimmings, which I personally love but, he is an acquired taste; if you like his other films you will like this.

I think the ending is heartwarming and sweet, as it puts the focus more on Kate’s character development rather than her getting the guy and having the happily ever after ending; that most films like this do. To some, this could become a Christmas classic, however, for those who are comparing this film to the likes of Love Actually then it won’t come off favorably.

A nice turn your brain off, happy Christmas film, Clarke and Golding are great. Watch it and be merry.

4/5
Reviewed by Luke

Let It Snow: This Film Belongs on the Naughty List

Let It Snow is a Christmas themed romantic comedy, focusing on the trials and tribulations of a group of teens in Illinois. If you’re looking for a feel-good, switch your brain off Christmas film then you will like Let It Snow.

However, if you’re looking for a good film, then this is the furthest you could get. I thought there was something almost offensively bad about this film, with its depiction of teenagers/ teenage life and love.

For a start, the characters feel with everything they say and do, like they have been written been adults, who have never met a teenager in their whole life and can’t seem to remember their own experience. By this I mean the characters are a collection of stereotypes and cliches of Gen Z people. What makes this even worse is that other than Kiernan Shipka’s The Duke, yes that is the character name, all of the other characters are intensely unlikeable. They’re a collection of the most self-indulgent, self-obsessed, narcissistic characters ever put to film. They whine and have fits of anger randomly, just seemingly to add some drama to the plot.

Whatsmore the love stories feel like a collection of reused plots from other more successful Rom Coms, with everything feeling more than a little derivative. However, all of these classic plots have been given a current 2019 coat of paint, so social media and the internet have to be included to the point of it becoming tedious.

The acting is understandably bad, and I mean bottom of the barrel Blumhouse bad; Lucy Hale bad. Netflix has seemingly gathered together as many teenage actors as they could get, regardless of talent, and stuffed them into this film; in a futile attempt to seem current. Also, something I was thinking of watching this is that it seems as though anyone who has ever been in a Netlfix series appears here, The Santa Clarita Diet check, The Good Place check, The Chilling Adventures of Sabrina check, the list goes on. It almost feels like this film was made to promote those other shows in away.

The only likeable performance is Kiernan Shipka as The Duke, she is charming throughout and the only thing the film has going for it, however, the bar for a performance in this film to appear as good by comparison is incredibly low.

Ultimately Let It Snow feels like a cynical, teenage crash grab. The heavy pandering to a teenage audience means a lot of other people will find it hard to enjoy, I am genuinely surprised that an actor from Riverdale didn’t show up at some point, this is why people say Netlfix will greenlight anything.

1/5

Reviewed by Luke

Yesterday: The Best Film of Summer 2019

Summer 2019 has, in terms of film, been one of the most disappointing in recent memory. We’ve seen unwanted remakes and reimaginings; beloved series shoot themselves in the head, looking at you Men In Black International and, your genius decision to not bring Will Smith back. Overall Summer 2019 has been in a word- meh.

The highlights would probably include, Brightburn for sheer originality, Toy Story 4 for not being a blatant cash grab and, Spider-man Far From Home, which let’s face it is only really cared about now because it might be the last one in the MCU.

Horror was in pretty good form over the summer though, with Scary Stories to Tell in the Dark and Midsommar both being fantastic films, sadly the horror front was let down by the lacklustre Annabelle Comes Home from the Conjuring Universe, but at least 2 out of 3 isn’t bad.

However, one film stood above all as the best film of the summer, at least to me, that film was Yesterday. Yesterday is a British ‘Feel Good’ Romantic Comedy, focusing on talented but, overlooked musician Jack Malik, (Himesh Patel), as he, after a bike crash, wakes up in a world where no one remembers the Beatles, except him and two others. What follows is Jack’s rise to fame as he takes credit for writing and singing all of the Beatles most famous songs, along the way he learns what’s important to him, and that fame isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Though the premise, Beatle-less world aside, has been done a million and one times before, there is something about Yesterday, so endearing and undeniably positive, that you can’t help but smile. It hits on a lot of different emotional cores and leaves you happier than when you went in; there is no doubt about that.

The film is well-executed and planned out, with each musical sequences feeling needed and relevant to the plot of the film, rather than just feeling like it’s there to be “remember this song”, as so many other musicals do. This goes to show that Director Danny Boyle hasn’t lost his streak for making great films, said streak brought us the likes of Trainspotting 1 and 2 and is still very present here.

A significant plot point of the film focuses on the will they won’t they, relationship between Jack and his childhood best friend Ellie, (Lilly James). The chemistry between James and Patel is palpable, which makes the eventual relationship not only believable but, also one you can’t help to root for and, become invested in. The interesting twist on the standard unrequited or, overlook love angle here is that it’s James’ Ellie who is madly in love with Jack, but he can’t see it and, thinks they are just friends. This twist on the standard gender roles this story angle usually has is fascinating and, something more films should do.

Finally, the film’s music is infectious, even if you don’t like or, for some reason don’t know the Beatles, their music is used in such a heartfelt and touching way here; that you can’t help but, sing along. Yesterday is a love letter to the Beatles and to music in general and, that fact shines brightly in every scene.

If you haven’t already, you should see this film, as I can guarantee it will put a smile on your face and, make just a little bit happier.

5/5

Review by Luke

The Darkest Minds

The Darkest Minds is a young adult film, taking place in a world where a disease has killed most of the child population; those who have survived have it the worst of all they gain superhuman powers- at the cost of their freedom. So far so standard YA dystopia.

I want to say that the YA genre is dead, to me Maze Runner Death Cure was the genre’s last gasp, The Darkest Minds proves me right at every turn. What this film amounts to is a collection of YA tropes, all the worst ones at that, seemingly lacking anything original. What this film strikes me as is a cynical attempt to resurrect a dead genre, probably because: some executive still thought there was money to be made.

Everything about this film feels forced, from its needless romance subplot to the even more unnecessary love triangle. The most egregious example of this: being how this film is trying to set up a franchise, that no one wanted.

The similarities between this film and 21st Century Fox’s other property X-Men are more than a little obvious. However, where X-men mostly get social commentary and feelings of isolation correct, Darkest Minds does it in the most hollow, cheap way possible. In many ways, this film is a second-rate X-men.

The acting and the script are also both incredibly weak. Having not read the source material, I don’t know to what extent the poor writing is the fault of the film, I also can’t say, if this is a faithful adaptation. The dialogue feels overly teenage angsty, with it often resulting in cringey, or offensively terrible scenes. The “acting” doesn’t ever amount to more than brooding.

Perhaps worst of all is Amandla Stenberg’s Ruby. Stenberg’s character doesn’t have a lot to work with script wise, but what she does get often feels annoying- to be blunt she may be the worst character in the film.

I’m not even going to go into how a lot of the decisions the characters make are bafflingly stupid, or how they waste a great supporting cast.

Overall, don’t go and see this film, don’t waste your time, money or effort- let the YA genre die in peace.

0.5/5

Reviewed by Luke

Adrift

Adrift tells the true story of the disastrous voyage of Tami Oldham, (Shailene Woodley) and Richard Sharp, (Sam Claflin). The main plot is split into two narrative threats, the first is the story of how they met all the way up to the disaster itself. The second is everything thereafter. With the former plot thread always being an annoyance. The survival element is arguably the film’s strongest, being helped by a phenomenal performance from Woodley; who really sells the hopelessness of the situation. Claflin, on the other hand, is strongest in the pre-disaster storyline, with him barely being used thereafter. However, his lack of real usage is all to set up a third act plot twist. This the films greatest flaw. The romance and the survival plots feel like they are building towards something, the twist ruins all of that. All the setup is dashed, all the audience investment is washed away. It is the kind of twist that makes you say, “wait, what”, and not in a good way. It does strike an emotional blow, but at a cost to the film itself. The film outstays it’s welcome during the pre-disaster plotline. However, the post-disaster storyline is tense and keeps you guessing as to whether they are going to die or be saved. Due to the fantastic character work, you care deeply about the outcome; that is why the third act bait and switch is so disappointing. On a more positive note, the cinematography is stunning with the views of the ocean and the waves being in equal measure both beautiful and terrifying.

To conclude the film has moments of greatness, however, the end twist seems determined to spit on all those positives and serves to cheapen the overall experience.

3/5

Reviewed by Luke

The Shape of Water

The Shape of Water is a dark fantasy romance film, by legendary film veteran Guillermo del Toro. To vastly simplify this is a very strange film but in the best way possible. The uniqueness and overall sense of originality set it apart not only from most other films; but from a lot of del Toro’s other works. The score for this film is excellent exquisitely capturing the 1960’s time period and creating the feeling that you are really in it. I found myself completely immersed in this film and that says a lot about the overall quality of the experience. The cinematography by Dan Laustsen is exceptional, with a lot of beautiful shots, in particular, a low angle shot during the gunfight scene later in the film. The film is built around the relationship between Sally Hawkin’s character of Elisa Esposito, and the man-fish God-like being, simply known as the Amphibian man. As silly as this central premise sounds, it truly is the heart and soul of the film and works surprisingly well. Even the sex scene between the two characters doesn’t come off as just being there for the shock value, but instead as tender and in a way even romantic. The director’s passion for monsters shines through every scene of the film, thus making the romance not only believable but also in a very strange way relatable. The script written by del Toro and Vanessa Taylor, is outstanding, with each character being fully flushed out and developed into a true whole. Unlike a lot of other films, no characters here feel wasted or underdeveloped. With a prime example of this being the mainly comedic support character of Zelda Delilah Fuller, played by Octavia Spencer, her character is developed and has an interesting backstory. The film like a lot of del Toro’s other works deals with a lot of heavy themes, in this particular case homophobia. Like a true master del Toro shows these themes through his character of Giles played by Richard Jenkins; who we see being the victim of homophobia. Though the scene is only brief, you still get a strong emotional response, and it helps to add context to the time period. Sally Hawkins performance is inspired despite being mute, (except for one fantastic musical number), her character is still wonderfully complex. Hawkins manages to convey nearly every emotion in this film in a sincere and believable way and her performance is a master class. Whats more del Toro features a subplot about the 1960’s space race, which manages to be both a wonderful capturing of the cold war rhetoric of the time, whilst also adding another level of depth to the narrative. Whilst lesser directors might let all these themes and subplots distract from the main narrative, del Toro weaves them together so that each subplot and theme, compliments the main story in a spectacular way. Also, Michael Shannon’s performance as Colonel Richard Strickland manages to be menacing and unpredictable, with his character most likely being a comment on the unhappiness of the idyllic suburban American dream. To conclude this film is a love letter to the weird and the strange, and celebrates everything about it, managing to create real emotions and stakes as well as being funny and charming. This is a must-see for everyone, especially fans of del Toro, I can’t recommend it enough. This is now my number one pick for best picture, it really does deserve to win.

5/5
Reviewed by Luke.