All Souls

Low budget independent films are very interesting. They're always able to show more style and do a lot with very less through the right creative vision. That's the case with Emmanuelle Pickett and her tense direction.

The edgy framing of certain shots, gorgeous, slick lighting and the effective paranoia of a confined environment in its plot make this a prime experience in why independent films deserve theatrical support and discovery. A new lead actress in Mikey Madison, of Manson family recognition, and the suprise acting turn of G-Eazy make the viewing "Some Kind of Drug". Most definitely one of the adrenaline type. Go give it a watch.

A forgettable movie that is semi-entertaining in its core, but failing in its execution, not-credible characters (besides the daughter and to some extents the mum), cheesy, semi-cliched, done-a-hundred-times sub-plots, underused or useless supporting cast, a weak writing that makes the movie having 1h12min of runtime and if it meant to show a mother-daughter relationship, it could have as well been made as a humorous comedy and would have been a lot more successful.

• Screenplay/storyline/plots: 3.5
• Development: 6
• Realism: 5.5
• Entertainment: 4.5
• Acting: 5.5
• Filming/photography/cinematography: 6
• VFX: 6
• Music/score/sound: 5
• Depth: 5
• Logic: 4.5
• Flow: 4.5
• Crime/thriller: 4
• Ending: 4.

All Souls, the latest crime thriller from director Emmanuelle Pickett, had the potential to be a captivating exploration of the morally gray world of undercover informants and drug cartels. Unfortunately, it falls flat with its predictable plot, underdeveloped characters, and lackluster execution.

Clichéd and predictable: The film follows a tired formula, relying heavily on well-worn tropes and recycled plot points. All Souls does little to differentiate itself. The predictable twists and turns fail to surprise or engage the audience, leaving them feeling uninspired and bored.

Unconvincing characters: The characters in All Souls are shallow and underdeveloped. We never truly connect with them on an emotional level, making it difficult to care about their fates. The dialogue is often stilted and unnatural, further highlighting the lack of depth and authenticity in the characters.

Lackluster execution: The film's pacing is uneven, with stretches of slow exposition followed by abrupt bursts of action. The editing is choppy and jarring, disrupting the flow of the film and making it feel disjointed. Following the characters when the action breaks out becomes difficult because of the editing.

The cinematography is uninspired, failing to capture the gritty atmosphere the film aims for.

Overall, All Souls is a disappointing and forgettable addition to the crime thriller genre. It offers nothing new or original, and its flaws outweigh any positives. If you're looking for a captivating and suspenseful film, look elsewhere.

If I had to say something positive, I feel that the actress, Mikey Madison, gave a good performance. But none of the other characters could match her acting skills. The little girl is adorable and I am sure she will have many future roles.

Here are some of the specific issues I found with the film:

The plot is predictable and unoriginal.

The characters are shallow and underdeveloped.

The dialogue is stilted and unnatural.

The pacing is uneven and the editing is choppy.

The cinematography is uninspired.

Its watchable, but not memerable.

Rating: 2 out of 5 stars.

Or Anora on the run - well no pun intended. And you may wonder what summary headline I'd have chosen if Anora did not exist - or I had watched this chronologically (so before her role in that Oscar movie came along) ... I can't tell you to be honest. Because let's be honest, while this is more than decent, it is also overall run by the mill .. or by Anora (Madison to use her real name).

So our main character has quite a lot to go through. Being a mother (having a kid) does not make things easier ... on the other hand it gives her reason to fight ... to stay strong and to never back down ... even when things seem hopeless. Good thriller ... but nothing that you will get too crazy about!

"All Souls" is an amazing movie that will keep you engaged from the beginning till the end. I was thrilled to see Gerald "G-Eazy" Gillum back on the big screen and he is getting better with each role he takes on. This time, he played the role of a villain drug trafficker named "Silas". He was also the father of 5-year-old "Mia Love Disnard" whom he had with his baby mother. "Mikey Madison" played the role of "River", a single mother in Los Angeles who was also the lead star of the movie. She did a wonderful job and there were a couple of crying and emotional scenes that she knocked out of the park. "Mia Love Disnard" played the role of the 5-year-old daughter and was lovely to watch in this film.