Change Your Image
wellthatswhatithinkanyway
Ratings
Most Recently Rated
Reviews
Gladiator II (2024)
Unsurprisingly not up to the standard of the original, but still a great ride
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
In the years since the passing of Maximus Orillius, the Empire of Rome has descended into a vile tyranny, at the helm of the cruel Emperors Geta (Joseph Quinn) and Caracalla (Fred Hechinger.) General Acasius (Pedro Pascal), returning victorious against an invading army, secretly hatches a plot to bring the emperors down. Meanwhile, Macrinus (Denzel Washington), a slave trader, has his eyes on power, and sees his way through Julius (Paul Mascal), an enslaved fighter with prowess, who has his own date with destiny with Acasius and his wife, Lucilla (Connie Nielsen.)
Nearly twenty five years ago, Ridley Scott's epic historical action epic Gladiator blasted onto the screen, and left a lasting impression on the cultural zeitgeist, still popularly referenced today. Obviously there was a great demand for a sequel, and so it feels surprising that there was such a large gap between it and the original. Nevertheless, it has arrived, with the original director back at the helm, and breaking box office records. And, after all the battles and blood letting, there is at least a satisfactory resolution to explain the gap.
Scott seems keen to draw on what made his original film so appealing, and so attempts to recreate the visual aesthetic of the original battle sequences, delivering some crowd pleasing sword and sandals action, with one especially rewarding opening battle that sets the tone for what's to follow. Performances wise, Mascal has a pleasing intensity in the lead role, even if he lacks the raw masculinity and machismo of Russell Crowe in the original. In the villainous role, Washington naturally chews the scenery, recreating his Training Day dark streak. Quinn and Hechinger are effectively cold as the emperors, although their roles do feel underwritten. Pascal and Nielsen create an immersive power couple.
It's (almost naturally) not on the scale and grandiosity of the original film, but for fans of that iconic film, the original director answers their wishes and delivers something that worthily attempts to do it justice. ****
Blitz (2024)
Demands investment, but ultimately worthwhile
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
October, 1940. Hitler begins his relentless bombing campaign against Britain, in retaliation for standing firm against his invasion of Poland. George (Elliott Hefferman) is a young boy who is being evacuated to the country, along with many others his age, but faces additional persecution on account of his mixed race heritage, but always stands up for himself, on the advice of his grandad. On his journey to a safe location, he becomes separated from his route, and is instead set on a perilous journey to be reunited with his beloved mother, Rita (Sairose Roman.)
Following on from his serial TV series Small Axe several years ago, writer/director Steve McQueen returns with another, feature length historical account of the black experience in Britain, told through the prism of a child, already having to adjust to a terrifying and unfamiliar world experience whilst also enduring the societal racism that was more openly expressed at the time. As such, the racial themes explored feel fairly inevitable, not that they don't have any place in the proceedings.
Given the big name talent at the helm (which I only learned about at the end), it's surprising how low grade the opening segment is. It has the feel of a drama school production, with some amateur dramatics performances, resulting in some flat, lifeless characters it's hard to feel much in the way of emotional investment in. But then there's a compelling third act shift in proceedings, and Stephen Graham has got involved as a street gang leader, and the dramatic impact of the Blitz backdrop takes hold, and suddenly it's all a little more affecting. A supporting cast including Kathy Burke, Paul Weller and Hayley Squires further elevate things along with the main cast.
It's not ultimately as dramatic and impactful as it could be, and it requires a great deal of patience to get through the sluggish, lifeless opening, but it's ultimately a worthwhile and relevant effort. ***
Firebrand (2023)
An inspired idea, without enough oompth
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Henry VIII (Jude Law) returns from battle, ailing and injured. His present wife, Katherine Parr (Alicia Vikander) has an alliance with Anne Askew (Erin Doherty), a radical who still preaches the Protestant faith with a group of fellow followers. After executing a friend of Katherine's, she is forced to maintain a solid show of unity with her monarch husband, as he cracks down on the Protestant rebels, and all who support them.
While I did have a brief fixated interest in the Tudors and Stuarts as a young boy, it gradually faded over time. But one that remained ingrained in my, and probably many others who studied the topic, was King Henry VIII, a figure as large in figure as he was in life, the rock and roll king, who played by his own rules and lived his life in full blown bombastic fashion, in a manner that would make Donald Trump and Boris Johnson blush. Director Karim Anouz's historical drama delves into his being with unreserved zeal, portraying him as the tyrannical monster he truly was.
In the lead role, what must be a heavily made up Jude Law portrays said king, completely unrecognisable as a result of his transformation, but still able to deliver quite a compelling performance. In the other central roles, Vikander and Doherty are two powerful, commanding female leads, in roles as vital to the accuracy of the tale as the main character, complimented by a supporting cast including Sam Riley and Eddie Marsan. Anouz certainly doesn't hold back visually either, with some full on sex and violence. Despite all of this, however, there is never enough spark and energy in the script to really give it the power it needs.
In the present turbulent times with 'strongmen' leading everywhere, this is an even more prescient and inspiring idea for a film. The performances are strong and the era recreation is convincing, but they're sadly let down by a script that doesn't match them. ***
Heretic (2024)
Unnerving, uncomfortable supernatural thriller
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Sister Barnes (Sophie Thatcher) and Sister Paxton (Chloe East) are two representatives of The Mormon Church of Latter Day Saints, who have been summoned by the mysterious Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant) to his remote home in a wind and rain battered location. Initially jovial and welcoming, Reed is curious about the contradictions and red herrings inherent in religious doctrine, and forces the sisters into a deadly and deceptive game of faith, and willingness to invest in their beliefs.
I've been thinking about religion a bit lately. I don't know whether it's that I'm reaching middle age, and wondering what's awaiting at the end of this life, or just the turbulent and uncertain times we live in, it's just something that's been preying at the back of my mind. And so, it's refreshing to see an attempt by joint directing duo, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods, to craft an intelligent and interesting take on this theme, of the sort seen in the 1970's, such as The Exorcist and The Wicker Man.
As the main star of the show, and the most well known of the cast line up, Grant ultimately carries the film. He's essentially doing his trademark act that endeared him to everyone in the British romantic comedies he made his name in, the affable, bumbling and eccentric oddball, but given a subverted and unsettling twist, that gradually and eerily dawns on you, but with a wacky, slightly tongue in cheek edge to balance things (like highlighting the correlation between The Hollies and Radiohead.) He and the young female leads make up the entirety of the screen time, and in support, Thatcher and East are suitably innocent and, by turns, resilient and resourceful as their plight dawns on them.
This is an intriguing and original psychological horror, that still doesn't take itself too seriously, and brings the centuries old notion of faith and religion back into the realm of the horror film with effective results. ****
The Menendez Brothers (2024)
Insightful, compelling true crime documentary
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Jose Menendez fled revolutionary Cuba with his family, and rebuilt his fortune in the USA with his wife Kitty, setting up in Beverley Hills, and raising two sons, Erik and Lyle. However, things came to a shattering halt one night in 1989, when Jose and Kitty were brutally shot to death, in a seeming home invasion. But then the brothers themselves were arrested and sent to trial. After a first trial collapsed, they were eventually found guilty in 1996, but then the sinister truth about the parents relationship with their kids came to light, causing people to reconsider their plight over the years.
The Menendez Brothers case had been something I was unfamiliar with, but as well as this in depth documentary from director Alejandro Hartmann, Netflix also has its own serial drama series Monsters: The Erik and Lyle Story, which I'm currently watching, so anyone with a subscription has plenty of meat to chew on, in terms of learning more about the case. But Hartmann's film, presenting only the facts, is ultimately a more absorbing, less sensationalist effort.
With the working title of the drama series exploring their crimes called Monsters, Hartmann is definitely aiming to give a more human voice to his central protagonists, which we get through a series of audio recorded interviews taken in prison, which succeed in making them more natural and relatable as people. With the focus falling on the crimes of Jose Menendez, and what he threatened to do, it is well observed that at the time, a successful, 'respectable' businessman like him could not be perceived as an abuser, and with time and attitudes changing, the brothers case can be looked at in a different way.
This is definitely a thought provoking, insightful documentary into a dark case that has shot back into the public consciousness in light of new developments, and definitely fills in anyone not well versed in the case. ****
Sweet Bobby: My Catfish Nightmare (2024)
Enthralling true life documentary
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Kirat was a successful presenter on a local broadcasting station, who had reached her thirties without having settled down and getting married. Feeling pressure from her friends and relatives, she becomes fixated with an online personality she corresponds with named Bobby, who has a partner he tells her about, but with whom she nevertheless develops an infatuation with. As his demands become more excessive, Kirat's physical and mental health deteriorates, but the truth is more shattering than anyone can imagine.
The modern phenomenon of 'catfishing' is something that has had some exposure, but has few real life accounts of. Director Lyttanya Shannon lays the bare bones out with this highly intriguing true life documentary, set within the UK Indian-Sikh community. While technology is in abundance nowadays, with the rise of social media, loneliness and atomisation has never felt more prevalent, and the need for love and companionship can drive people to some pretty desperate lengths.
It is pretty horrifying how quickly the situation conveyed in this documentary unravels, and the desperate, degraded state this poor woman was reduced to feels very uncomfortable. Some other reviewers have commented how gullible she appears, and why the 'red flags' didn't start ringing when the situation seemed pretty apparent, a prime example of the 'victim blaming' mentality that has persisted over time, in spite of how vulnerable and needy any of us could be at any time. It would be worthy if this could at least spark some debate on this matter.
Shannon has crafted a succinct, worthwhile documentary, a true life tale with a genuine air of mystery, and a truly shattering final revelation no one could see coming. Casts a fine light on a modern social trend, too, which ain't so bad. ****
Strike: An Uncivil War (2024)
Thorough, in-depth examination of a historical conflict
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
TW: References to suicide.
Britain, the early 1980's. In the face of redundancies and pit closures, the National Union of Mineworkers comes into conflict with the National Coal Board, and strike action is declared from a national level, but faces resistance from individual pits, most notably Nottingham. Before long, the strike had become the longest and most protracted such event in history, leading to the infamous showdown between the miners and the police at the Battle of Orgreave, which some key figures involved give their version of events on here.
The miners strike of 1984/85 happened around the time I was born, but has retained a place in the British cultural consciousness, as one of the longest and most drawn out strikes in living memory. Arthur Scargill was at the forefront of the action, spurred on by his success at the Saltley Coke plant in the early 70's, but it was the striking miners and their families who were truly on the frontline, and this lengthy, thorough documentary by director Daniel Gordon certainly leaves no stone unturned getting into the nitty gritty of it all.
Living as I do in a time when trade unions have next to no power (apart from the train drivers), it's strange for me to see a time when there was so much solidarity and togetherness, but these 'pit communities' were a real example of that. These tiny little villages, where the local mine really was the main source of employment. Gordon's documentary presents the human cost of the strike, as key players recount the poverty they were forced to endure, even losing fellow strikers to suicide. Aside from this, it's reflected in the once thriving community itself, which now looks sadly derelict and deprived.
Forty years after it happened, this event is still deeply embedded in the cultural consciousness, and has left unhealed scars till this day in the communities it affected. This documentary gives a voice to those closest to the action most effectively. ****
Mr. McMahon (2024)
Eye opening, in depth examination of a wrestling mogul
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
In 2024, Vince McMahon stepped down as chairman of WF wrestling federation, in light of ongoing allegations of sexual misconduct during his reign at the organisation. In a series of interviews filmed in 2021, he charts his rise to the top, from humble beginnings growing up in poverty, before his dad, who'd made a name for himself promoting wrestling, came back into his life, and he took over after his death. From there, a series of scandals emerged, involving steroid abuse, sexual assault, and McMahon's own turning point into the 'Mr. McMahon' character that everyone loved to hate, after his treatment of Bret Hart after his match against Shawn Michaels.
The whole wrestling phenomenon, with its overblown grandiosity, and the obviously staged nature of the stunts, with their scripted dialogue, is something that has never appealed to me. But that doesn't mean I can deny its massive appeal and the huge success it has generated among many loyal fans, and the man most responsible for that would appear to be one Vincent McMahon, "the P. T. Barnum of wrestling", as he's referred to at one point.
Sat in front of a camera with the lights on him, McMahon seems relatively reserved and mild mannered, but he's clearly capable of being a driving force and spurring things into action, as it's documented how he took wrestling from something watched by some drunk, older guys in a beer hall, to a big time event watched by millions in stadiums. As he's rumoured to have said, "...the WF isn't about wrestling, it's about entertainment." This was all before his rival, in the form of WCW, came along modernising things, and forming a level playing field with competition.
With such a dark cloud hanging over his head, inevitably you feel uneasy recognising McMahon's legendary status, but this six part documentary is in itself an interesting and illuminating account of his role in making wrestling what it is today. ****
Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)
Misfiring, misdirected follow up to 2019's Joker
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
After inciting a public uprising, and going on a killing spree, Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix) has been held at Arkham Asylum. After being deemed fit to stand trial, Public Prosecutor Harvey Dent (Harry Lawley) announces he will be seeking the death penalty. But Arthur seems more preoccupied with Lee Quinzel (Lady Gaga), a fellow inmate at the asylum, who seems to share his anarchic take on the world. As events roll on, their dark attraction takes on a deadlier edge.
2019's original Joker, from the same director Todd Phillips, retained the original DC comics logo to put a subversive spin on the iconic character, framing him as a man on a descent into mental decline in a world that didn't care about him. It was a successful venture, but did it need a follow up film? The title's suffix, Folie a Deux, is a recognised mental condition involving a shared madness, believed to have existed in real life cases including Ian Brady and Myra Hindley, as well as Fred and Rose West. So, pretty dark stuff indeed.
Having already put a different spin on the Joker character, Phillips here seems to be putting a new spin on his original concept, applying a musical touch to this follow up film, possibly to give it some kind of story ark, with Fleck out of action on account of being locked up. But while Phoenix has some proven singing chops having portrayed Johnny Cash in 2005's Walk the Line, and Gaga having had a career in singing, neither seem to be on their finest musical form here. And so without a suitable distraction, we're left to tangle with a threadbare plot that can't sustain an over two hour runtime.
It's hard to know whether the original film really needed a follow up, or whether it really needed to exist at all, but the stars end up overshadowing the film, which isn't equal to its predecessor by any means. **
Knox Goes Away (2023)
An inspired, original actor-director debut
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Seasoned killer John 'Aristotle' Knox (Michael Keaton) messes up on his latest assignment, accidentally taking the life of his partner, Muncie (Ray McKinnon.) Upon speaking to his doctor, he is told that he has a particularly aggressive form of dementia. But then, another humdinger is thrown his way, when his estranged son, Miles (James Marsden) comes back into his life, after having inflicted some rough justice on a man who wronged his daughter. With his loyal boss (Al Pacino) keeping his back, and a determined detective (Suzy Nakamura) closing in on him, Knox must race against time to come out on top.
In the midst of his belated sequel Beetlejuice Beetlejuice breaking box office records, Michael Keaton's less grandiose actor/directorial debut has snuck out on to Amazon Prime, with about a third of the fanfare. An interesting, but darker and less marketable piece, it's one to savour with less anticipation, a darker piece exploring an original idea about a dark character who you are forced to observe as a human being.
In the lead role, and the guy at the helm, Keaton portrays a guy with an encroaching vulnerability, who retains the tough instincts he needs to survive, as the vultures around him start to encircle. In the supporting role, Marsden creates a convincing and appealing father-son repertoire with Keaton, all messed up because of his absence and neglect, and so creating a sense of delayed paternal responsibility that compels him to help him in his predicament. Pacino is naturally commanding in his support role, rounded off with Nakamura's determined detective.
The directorial debut of one of the most established actors of their generation should have arrived with a bit more fanfare, but this has arrived pretty much out of nowhere. Nevertheless, it will leave a highly satisfactory impression on anyone it crosses. ****
Speak No Evil (2024)
Rewarding, genuinely suspenseful thriller
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
While holidaying in Italy, expat American couple Ben (Scot McNairy) and Louise (Mackenzie Davies) strike up a friendship with Paddy (James McAvoy) and his partner, Ciara (Aisling Franciosi.) When they return to London, they accept an invitation to join Paddy and Ciara, along with their daughter Agnes (Alix West Lefler) at their remote house in the Devon countryside. While the atmosphere is jovial and easygoing to begin with, Ben and Louise gradually begin to notice a shift in Paddy's personality and behaviour, especially towards their mute son, Ant (Dan Hough) that points towards a darker truth.
Modern horror does, quite often, feel like a pretty hopeless venture, a seemingly endless stream of long running franchises, more concerned with cheap jump scares than anything that really gets under your skin. But occasionally, things like this well received claustrophobic thriller, from Eden Lake director James Watkins (which I didn't know was a remake of a Danish horror flick from 2022), comes along, and, if it doesn't hit the classic heights of the 'golden age' of the genre, it does at least show you that all hope is not lost.
In the lead role, McAvoy is uncomfortably convincing as an affable, warm everyman, whose mask slips in the form of some uneasy, inappropriate remarks and behaviour that gradually reveal a more sinister underbelly. In the supporting role, McNairy is wonderfully contrasting as the more dominated, less assertive yin to McAvoy's yang. The younger cast, including West Lefler and Hough, also play a crucial role in the proceedings, and add to the overall effect of things. But crucially, the film works thanks to a genuinely intriguing, suspenseful story, that pays off with a genuinely clever twist.
It's off-putting to know that there's an original, foreign language effort out there that probably does things better, but this is a worthwhile effort in itself, with a great soundtrack to boot (you'll never hear Rednex's Cotton Eyed Joe or The Bangles's Eternal Flame in the same way again.) ****
El hoyo 2 (2024)
Largely pointless follow up film
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
A new group of captives find themselves entrapped within the revolving floors of the diabolical contraption known as The Platform, with each of them forced to try and come to a logical means of escaping. As banquet loads of food makes its way down, the group must overcome their individual human flaws and selfish desires so all can survive, but some are more willing to comply than others.
The original Platform film was released in 2020, on Netflix. A foreign language offering, it was a subversive horror film that became a 'lockdown' hit, and was well received among critics and was something of a hit on Netflix. This sequel, arriving four years later, from director Galder Gaztelu-Virrita, hasn't been adapted by Hollywood and retains its foreign language origins, so it retains the original vibe and feel, but has arrived without any publicity, which might have been saying something.
Even if I struggle to remember much about the original four years on, I can at least remember the professionalism and care with which it was put together, while this feels like a cheap, cobbled together student production, with less impressive set design and more confined location setting. But the main problem is the ill developed central characters, who are just thrust in front of us with no backstory, and no reason to care about them or their outcome, and so even the brief one hour forty minutes runtime feels very arduous.
Based on the strength, and in turn the reputation of the original, this has done well for Netflix at least, going to number one. But fans of the original should at least see how shallow, pale and pointless it is in comparison. **
A Very Royal Scandal (2024)
Dynamic, roundly well made account of TV scandal
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Prince Andrew (Martin Sheen) is photographed, striding through Central Park with prominent financier Jeffrey Epstein, weeks before he is arrested on sex trafficking charges, and then found dead in his prison cell. When an accusation is made against The Duke of York himself, he goes into damage limitation mode, and agrees to a live TV interview with high profile presenter Emily Maitlis (Ruth Wilson), against the traditional royal protocol of keeping silent, only for the interview to have unimaginable results.
Following on from the success of Netflix's film dramatisation, Scoop, back in April, the dramatic saga of Prince Andrew's notorious interview with Emily Maitlis is further explored in this three part drama from Amazon Prime, getting their shot in on the tale. With a TV format, there's more room to examine the tale with more scope and depth, with both sides of the televisual duel examined on a more human and intimate level, as the enveloping aftermath plays out.
Lead actor Sheen hasn't been shy expressing his personal socialist politics, and you wonder if there may be a touch of his personal convictions shining through with his portrayal of the Duke, showcasing a man prone to explosive outbursts, which increase in consistency as his situation worsens. That said, his performance is no less convincing and committed than it ever is. In the supporting role, Wilson also convinces as the fiery, determined Maitlis.
Some may question the necessity of such an undertaking after there so recently being a big hit regarding the same subject, but director Julian Jarrold has crafted something perfectly worthy in its own right, a succinct and affecting piece with reliably strong performances and thorough exploration of its main characters. ****
Wolfs (2024)
Imperfect but still engaging dark comedy thriller
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Margaret (Amy Ryan) awakes in a New York hotel during the festive season, covered in blood and with a young man (Austin Abrams) lying on the floor around a smashed glass table. With a secret mystery number she's been given, a mysterious man (George Clooney) arrives to try and take care of everything, with clear instructions to follow so everything works out. But then another mysterious man (Brad Pitt) working on behalf of the hotel shows up, the young man regains consciousness and a sizeable chunk of heroin is discovered, plunging everyone into a chaotic chain of events.
After first appearing together in Steven Soderbergh's well received Ocean's Eleven, Brad Pitt and George Clooney are reunited in this curious crime caper from writer/director Jon Watts. Now both middle aged men in their fifties, they still retain the smooth charisma and charm that allows them to carry through this awkward mix of dark, broody drama and wise-cracking comedy, which while never as clever as it thinks it is, is somehow still intriguing and watchable.
While there are other players who keep the pot stewing, it's undeniably the lead stars who are holding the steering wheel, and the chemistry between Pitt and Clooney is the main name of the game here, and they play off each other quite amiably, Clooney the no nonsense professional and Pitt the cool, calm slacker with less to lose (in one scene calmly sipping a Coca Cola while Clooney tries to move a *dead* body.) It's never as funny as it thinks it is, but they still have a decent repertoire. In support, Ryan strikes a fair balance between traumatised victim of circumstance and commanding force, whilst Abrams is edgy and energetic as the hyped up kid.
The dark comedy element is matched with a darker lighting scheme throughout, and you can feel the icy on screen chill as the snowflakes fall in the dimly lit New York City streets. It's an awkward but still affecting mix, with an even more curious soundtrack featuring Sade, Culture Beat and Bill Withers. Make of that what you will. ***
The Substance (2024)
Has impressed many with its outrageousness, but not much 'substance' underneath
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Elisabeth Sparkle (Demi Moore) is an early morning fitness instructor on a national TV station, who's reached an age where she no longer fits the image of what the network chief, Harvey (Dennis Quaid) thinks the public want to see. When she learns of a mysterious serum called The Substance, she is given a number to phone and a place to go. After getting hold of the serum and injecting it, Elisabeth endures a supernatural transition into Sue (Margaret Qualley), a younger version of herself who takes over her spot on the morning fitness programme. Gradually, Sue takes over Elisabeth's life in a way she can't control.
There was a time, in the 90's, where Demi Moore and her willingness to bare herself on camera caused quite a stir. Comedian Paul Kaye, in the form of his comic persona Denis Penis, once memorably cornered her on the red carpet with the question: "Under any circumstances, if it wasn't gratuitous and was tastefully done, would you consider keeping your clothes on in a movie?" And now, after many years, she bares herself considerably again, in this wildly outlandish piece from writer/director Coralie Fargeat, that has gained some rave reviews for its wild outrageousness. But I have a feeling it's going to divide opinion.
The overriding theme seems to be of ageism in the world of the TV industry, and how women especially are made to suffer at the whim of always appearing young and appealing. The film also delves into the issue of the 'male gaze', with the key male characters appearing in close up through the lens of Moore's lead character. As the central character of the film, you just wish there was more depth to her beyond her surface level of 'wanting to look young again.' In his supporting role, Quaid (in a role intended for Ray Liotta before his passing) is a cartoonish obnoxious chauvinist, at times reminiscent of J. K. Simmons in Spider-Man. Qualley as her younger off-spawn feels the most natural, even in a fairly typical vacuous airhead role.
When the end (eventually) comes, it's all become a big far fetched mess, overlong and over-indulgent, with nods in set design and effects to horror classics like Hellraiser and The Shining, with arthouse pretensions to the likes of David Cronenberg. Its sheer outrageousness seems to have endeared it to many, but I think I need something with a little more 'substance.' **
Rebel Ridge (2024)
Starts with promise, but veers off course slightly
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Former soldier Terry Richmond (Aaron Pierre) arrives in a small town to pay his imprisoned cousin's bail, only to find himself stopped and arrested by the local police, headed by sh!tkicker Chief Sandy Burne (Don Johnson), and his cash seized under civil forfeiture, on trumped up charges. He finds a mutual ally in secretary Summer McBride (AnnaSophia Robb), who has her own personal demons to fight, and together they fight to bring down the corrupt local cops.
The theme of young black men and their contentious relations with law enforcement has been explored many times, and here writer/director Jeremy Saulnier rehashes the well worn set up of the traffic stop to kickstart the story. Initially, it gives off the vibe of being a sort of First Blood for the social justice age, and there's definitely an intriguing angle to how the plot will develop, and while it's not a complete failure, the payoff isn't quite as satisfying as it could have been.
It all works out fairly well until the third act, when the pace starts to sag, not helped much by the overlong two hour runtime, that allows the plot to veer off course and develop into more than it needs to be. Performances wise, in the lead role, Pierre has an imposing presence as the leading action man, with a relieving air of vulnerability to balance it all out, while Johnson is decently slimy and unscrupulous as the villain. Robb is also enthusiastic in a significant supporting role.
Saulnier's film is possibly overindulgent, when if it had just been a little more restrained it could have been a truly superior, suspenseful thriller. But it's still a decent, encouraging effort worthy of a watch. ***
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)
Enjoyable but clearly flawed belated sequel
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
After her colourful childhood, Lydia Deetz (Winona Ryder) now presents her own paranormal themed TV show centred around the existence of ghosts. However, things are put in a spin when her mother, Delia (Catherine O'Hara) returns on the scene, with the sad news of her father's passing in a plane crash. This throws Lydia's own angsty daughter, Astrid (Jenny Ortega) back into her life, as well as her mother's untrustworthy new partner, Rory (Justin Theroux.) After a bust up with her mother, Astrid comes on a collision course with Jeremy (Arthur Conti), who introduces her to the sinister titular ghost (Michael Keaton), who has his own battles to contend with.
To be honest, the original Beetlejuice was a film that never left much of a lasting impression on me either way, pretty much a film I could give or take. And so, the thought of a sequel was one that never really appealed much to me, much less one that has arrived no less than thirty six years after the original film, before which many this new film is aimed at would even have been born. However, obviously my sentiments are not shared among the majority, with Beetlejuice Beetlejuice breaking box office records on its opening weekend. And, while it's not entirely unjustified, the flaws are clear to see.
Not only has this sequel arrived belatedly, but the original lead star and director have also returned, and so the original style (not that I would remember that much) has been fairly retained. But a Tim Burton film is always a pretty distinctive experience, and his trademark style is stamped all over this. The problem is too much stuff has been crammed into the plot line, and so it all becomes jumbled and incoherent, with even the titular lead character not appearing until two thirds of the way in, along with all the wacky effects he brings along with him.
Performances wise, Keaton still has presence as the wisecracking ghoul, even though he's a little older and creakier now, while the eternally youthful Ryder is hard to accept as a mother to a teenage child, even if her performance is committed. The most curious appearance is from Monica Belluci as Beetlejuice's vengeance fuelled former wife, who plays an integral role in BJ's segment, but disappears for a long stretch, reducing her relevance in proceedings. Supporting roles from the likes of Willem Dafoe and cameos from the likes of Danny DeVito further add to the overstuffed pie. Ultimately, my review has become as overstuffed as the film, so that should tell you everything. It's still quite fun, though. ***
The Deliverance (2024)
Misfiring urban horror thriller
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Ebony Jackson (Andra Day) is a recovering drug addict single mother, living with her children and her cancer ridden mother, Alberta (Glenn Close), in a run down, inner city neighbourhood. Constantly at the mercy of social worker, Cynthia (Monique), there is a constantly tense vibe in the household that is always felt. Then, suddenly, mysterious forces start to emerge around the house that cause Ebony's children to behave in a disturbing manner, and draw them all into a terrifying final battle.
With the success of black horror films of recent times, with the likes of Jordan Peele establishing their own brand of horror staples, Netflix have now added their own offering, in the shape of this claustrophobic chiller from director Lee Daniels. Once again choosing to focus affairs in an urban setting, themes of poverty and isolation are present, but hardly explored, in this misfiring, unaffecting effort.
We have a fairly unlikeable lead character, with a foul mouth and abusive personality, who is also a recovering alcoholic, so it's possible the intention may not have been to like her, but at least understand her as a human with flaws, but the story on its own isn't strong enough to support it. There is an intriguing and unsettling story here, but it never manages to be truly scary in any way, and by the end has become unintentionally hilarious, ironically when it was trying to be scary.
In the final reveal, we learn it's actually based on a true story, and that various similar events have occurred at the same house over a number of years. Maybe another story of what went on could be done with a more successful result. **
The Union (2024)
Absolutely nothing you haven't seen before and better
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Construction worker Mike McKenna (Mark Wahlberg) suddenly finds his old high school girlfriend, Roxanne Hall (Halle Berry) back in his life, and before he knows it, he's woken up in London. He is asked to go undercover with Roxanne's team, called The Union, including her boss, Tom (J. K. Simmons) and Nick (Mike Colter), to stop a briefcase containing the identities of federal agents around the world, from being auctioned to the highest bidder. Along the way, numerous old conflicts and dormant issues arise.
And so we have yet another entry from former rap star turned actor Mark Wahlberg, after the recent canine drama Arthur the King, this time an action comedy effort from feature length debut director Julian Farino. With a lead performance from the lead star that is as fittingly bland as the source material, Wahlberg grunts and grimaces his way through yet another action comedy that does nothing you haven't seen many times before.
Wahlberg is one of a whole all star cast that are wasted, most notably co star Berry, doing her usual tough, no nonsense action chick supporting role, but there's also the likes of Simmons, Colter, as well as the likes of Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje and Jackie Earle Haley, all not used like anything close to their full potential. Billed as an action comedy, the humour is the least successful component as it's simply never funny, whilst there are some exhilarating action sequences (especially towards the end), all building up to a predictable twist you'll see coming a mile away.
At best, it'll do if you need something to dose off to, or if you're in an especially undemanding mood, even with all the slick cinematography and alluring filming locations. **
Arthur the King (2024)
Largely movie of the week stuff, but stirring enough
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Michael Light (Mark Wahlberg) is a failed former sports star, who's determined to assemble a team of fellow athletes, including model Liam (Simu Liu), Chik (Ali Suliman) and Helen (Juliet Rylance), to compete in the Adventure Racing World Championship in the Dominican Republic. As they brave the elements, an indefatigable dog named Arthur makes his presence known, and inspires Michael and his team to make it to the end.
The relationship between man and beast is a common theme that's been the driving force of many a Hollywood drama, including the likes of Marley and Me and numerous others, but as director Simon Cellan Jones portrays in this drama, it's even the basis for real life stories, which Arthur the King falls right into the category of. While it ultimately feels as perfunctory as real life, it ultimately inspires you through to the end.
For the first half, it's a pretty uninvolving, by the numbers affair, with a standard huffy, grunting lead performance from lead star Wahlberg, propped up by a supporting cast including Liu, Suliman, and Rylance, who fade into the ether. Arthur the dog (or king, if you go by the title) takes his time to make his presence felt, and feels underdeveloped in the early stages. Yet when the race is finished, and the aftermath comes in effect, it is emotionally stirring and you do care for Arthur's outcome, proving that the script has hit some of the right nerves.
In addition, there's some thrilling outdoor adventure sequences, which fit in with the theme of the Racing Championship plot. It just about succeeds in spite of its weaknesses, even if it doesn't completely overcome them, so take it for what it is. ***
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)
Noisy, flashy but ultimately empty wartime romp
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Britain, 1941. At the height of World War 2, Hitler's armies are advancing towards Britain, determined to attack her critical infrastructure. Sensing the desperation, Prime Minister Winston Churchill (Rory Kinnear), assembles a group of ragtag, unconventional soldiers, led by Admiral Phillips (Henry Cavill) to infiltrate a key Nazi stronghold, and sink two U boats critical to the assault. But things, naturally, don't go to plan.
Having made his name putting his unique spin on the British crime caper, director Guy Ritchie has since branched out, and moved into more mainstream fare, which may have escaped the fan base he'd established with the genre he became famous for. Having put his spin on the Sherlock Holmes staple, we now have this chaotic, flashy wartime thriller, that at least maintains the frenetic style that became his signature trademark.
An all star cast, headed by Cavill, and including the likes of Alan Ritschson, Alex Pettyfer, Eliza Gonzalez and Cary Elwes, are all overshadowed by a script that doesn't give you any time or space to care about them, moving as frenetically and haphazardly as it does. As Churchill, Kinnear has a natural presence and commanding authority, but is underutilised in the role. In amongst all the noise and chaos, there are niggling anachronisms that get under your skin, most uncomfortably that Eton at the time would have such a distinguished black alumni, that seems to be the film's woke point card.
It's engaging enough, with a fairly worthwhile plot line, but it's too much style over substance, an intricate wartime plot, designed for those with a short attention span. I don't think there'll be a sequel, though (but you never know these days.) **
Trap (2024)
An inspired idea that ends up hammering your intelligence
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Cooper (Josh Hartnett), an anonymous man who works as a fire fighter, takes his daughter, Riley (Ariel Donaghue), to a pop concert by flavour-of-the-month superstar Lady Raven (Saleka Shyamalan) as a reward for good grades at school. However, unbeknownst to him, the entire show is a ruse to trap him, because he leads a double life as a serial killer. As a team of SWAT commandos patrol the arena trying to catch him, he tries to evade their clutches, while a man he has captive is at the mercy of deadly toxic gas.
However underwhelming his output becomes, M Night Shyamalan always manages to come up with one more inspired, original idea that intrigues you enough to see what's behind it. Following on from 2021's disappointing Old, with Trap we hone in on a singular character, and move in a fairly real time pace. This is definitely an individual idea, with a different central protagonist with a perversely unique point of view, but while it's an interesting watch, the end result ends up a bit of a preposterous mess.
Performances wise, in the lead role, Hartnett is effectively unsettling as a man trying to keep a lid on things as the pressure mounts, while creating an uneasy effect on Donaghue as his daughter. I only just found out on IMDb that none other than Shyamalan's own daughter, Saleeka, plays the pop star, which leaves a not indiscernible taste of nepotism in the mouth. Jonathan Langdon co stars as a friendly, trusting merchandise seller, who ends up providing some out of place comic relief over the end credits that feels out of place with all the intense drama that preceded it.
But the central driving force is the story, which while initially intriguing, in the third act descends into a far fetched, outlandish and completely nonsensical mess that hammers your intelligence into submission, with an overstretched ending that should have wrapped things up much sooner instead of letting everything drag into a muddy abyss. ** and a half.
Abigail (2024)
Convoluted, uneven horror film with an interesting premise
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
A group of criminals, led by the cynical, calculating Frank (Dan Stevens), orchestrate a plan to kidnap Abigail (Alisha Weir), the nine year old daughter of a powerful criminal underworld figure, who not all of them seem aware of. She is attended to by Joey (Mellissa Barrera), a former soldier who developed a drug addiction, who is the most empathetic of the group. But as events progress, it becomes clear that Abigail is a supernatural force to be reckoned with, ready to take down her captors one by one.
In the age of Blumhouse horror and various other franchises, a series of similarly themed offerings have spring up here and there, such as this fairly lengthy yarn, an uneven balancing act of dark horror and trashy comedy, that at least opens with an interesting premise. Kids have always been an effective tool in establishing a sense of creepiness, from films such as Village of the Damned to Children of the Corn, and luckily it's not a premise that has been 'done to death', as it were, and so there's still potential for it to work again, but Abigail doesn't quite get the best result.
It appears to be a foreign import of sorts, with some iffy production values, and characters who appear to be dubbed, though it doesn't significantly detract from the overall experience in any way. It has a decent opening, that establishes a foundation for something meatier, but it emerges as a slow moving piece, that uncomfortably shifts from straight horror flick to outrageous comedy, about two thirds of the way in, where it's already started to overstay its welcome a bit.
It's still a fairly fun experience, increasingly excessive and outrageous as it goes along, that will certainly please gore hounds in the audience, but it's ultimately too lengthy and disjointed to work. I can't even see a sequel coming. ** and a half.
Douglas Is Cancelled (2024)
Inspired, topical four part drama
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Douglas Bellowes (Hugh Bonneville) is a high flying, primetime TV presenter, presenting opposite Madeleine (Karen Gillan), his striking new co presenter, whose star also seems to be on the rise. Suddenly, his career is thrown into turmoil, when a physical recording of him telling an off the cuff joke about Madeleine goes viral. Instead of understanding and support from his former colleague, he finds himself plunged into a spiralling into a whirlwind of condemnation and disposability, that turns out to have deeper connection than he could have imagined.
Living, as we are, in the age of so called 'cancel culture', which has more or less of an actual grounding in reality depending on how people react to what you say, director Ben Palmer delivers a relevant, worthwhile drama for our times, that has more going on beneath the surface than it seems. All rolling in at a succinct, manageable four episodes, it's genuinely inspired and original, and genuinely leaves you wondering how it will play out.
It's all played out in a surprisingly campy, theatrical manner, with some witty, whimsical dialogue, played for laughs as much as drama, but never straying away from its central theme, before building up to a shattering end reveal that touches on deeper issues of male domination and complicity. Performances wise, Bonneville is ideally suited in the lead role, firm and commanding and firmly convincing, as a Piers Morgan alike, caught up in a situation spiralling out of control. He is complimented by Gillan in the supporting role, as an apparently spiteful and manipulative figure, who has a deeper motive than it seems. A fuller supporting cast, including Alex Kingston and Ben Miles, add to the mixing pot.
It's not preachy or condescending in any way, indeed it's quite a light hearted romp, that gets its message across in just the right way while remembering to entertain, bringing the issue of gender politics to the forefront. ****
Deadpool & Wolverine (2024)
A fun, fulfilling romp that should entertain more than the masses
STAR RATING: ***** Brilliant **** Very Good *** Okay ** Poor * Awful
Wade Wilson (Ryan Reynolds) has put his alter-ego Deadpool behind him, and has now settled into a quiet life working at a home convenience superstore, along with the rest of his 'X Force' crew. However, one night, at a raucous house party, he finds himself rounded up by soldiers working on behalf of the zany Mr. Paradox (Matthew MacFadyan), who wants to create a time shift that will wipe out Wade's universe. His only hope is to locate his old adversary, Wolverine (Hugh Jackman) whose universe suffered the same fate, and form an unstoppable fighting team.
In the world of the Marvel Comics Universe, and DC Comics, which have an unstoppable grip on the box office which shows no sign of abatement, it's easy to get burnt out with the lack of distinction between them all, a mass churning out of the same thing, as long as it all pleases the fanboys. And so, Deadpool is an all the more refreshing character, an anti-hero who doesn't play by the rules, and with all the character flaws not present in traditional action heroes. And Wolverine, of the X-Men, serves as a perfect foil, and they now have a long awaited collaboration that should please those who've been waiting for it.
What could have been a self indulgent, self congratulating borefest is instead quite evenly balanced, and successfully pulls off what it wants to do very well. Reynolds occupies the first half, with Deadpool's story told in reverse, and delivers the goods, with Deadpool as his wise-cracking, pop culture referencing best. Wolverine doesn't enter the proceedings until about two thirds of the way in, but when he does, they form a snappy dynamic, with Jackman injecting his grunting, volatile take on Wolverine. Support wise, MacFadyan hams it up as the mysterious villain, while there are surprise cameos from Jennifer Garner (Elektra), Wesley Snipes (Blade) and Chris Evans (Captain America), in their respective superhero roles, as well as appearances from Channing Tatum, Henry Cavill and Wunmi Mosaku.
In what appears to be a farewell to the characters, director Shawn Levy has crafted a loud, fun, riotous romp that pays a more than respectful homage to its two central characters, and leaves fans, either casual or obsessive. ****