calummacleod-51310
Joined Jan 2023
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calummacleod-51310's rating
Since Avengers: Endgame, Marvel has been on a downward spiral. There have been a few magical moments along the way. Blade's appearance in Deadpool & Wolverine and Andrew Garfield's Spiderman saving MJ in No Way Home spring to mind. But for every flash of light there has been a sobering flop, with the utterly bizarre Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and the distinctly awful The Marvels, topping the pile.
With a bit of a lull in the frequency of Marvel films, it felt like a reset had been on the cards. Rather than churning out film after film, they would take their time and ensure that quality over quantity was once again the order of the day.
With this in mind, the prospect of Captain America: Brave New World brought an air of excitement back. Was this the film that was going to re-energise the franchise and catapult it in to a new era in time for the next set of Avengers films in phase six?
Sadly, the answer to that question is a resounding no!!!
It's hard to know where to begin but, to put it mildly, here we have a film that has no idea what it wants to do. The plotline is incredibly weak and revolves around Sam Wilson trying to stop a character that nobody really remembers from playing a song that nobody has heard of, that gets in to the heads of a bunch of soldiers who then try and kill each other and essentially start a new global war.
Now this isn't the first Marvel film to suffer from a weak synopsis but where it has always redeemed itself in the past (The Marvels aside) is the excellent and stylishly choreographed action sequences. Unfortunately, again in this area Brave New World lets itself down with messy and uninspiring action that may leave you shrugging your shoulders and asking if that was it.
The cast in the main is top drawer but even Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford can't save what is a lacklustre script with more cheese than a fondue. Even one of the best villainous actors of recent times in Giancarlo Esposito is barely used and Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns just adds to an ever-growing list of weak antagonists. Some of the lines spoken simply sound like a rehash of something we have heard before and adds more proof that Marvel may be running out of ideas.
After ninety minutes of messy confusion, the moment most will be waiting for finally arrives as President Ross becomes so angry as to the direction that the film is going, that he morphs in to the red hulk. The next five minutes (which is all he is on screen for) is the best part of the film and the action takes a slight upturn as Sam fights against an enemy so much more powerful than him. However, even this sequences ends in disappointment and as the film wraps up, it looks like it was merely there to bump up the fan ratings.
As a real advocate for Marvel in the past, I have realised that it is getting much harder to justify some of the work that has come out of the studio in recent times and the debate will begin to rage that we are seeing the beginning of the end to a franchise that created so much innovation in its earlier days.
The next Marvel adventure will be Thunderbolts as phase six comes to a close, and there looks to be promise and hope in the idea of newer and fresher characters revitalising something that is becoming increasingly tired. On the evidence of Brave New World, that hope needs to be realised or all the goodwill that Marvel built up will soon be lost.
With a bit of a lull in the frequency of Marvel films, it felt like a reset had been on the cards. Rather than churning out film after film, they would take their time and ensure that quality over quantity was once again the order of the day.
With this in mind, the prospect of Captain America: Brave New World brought an air of excitement back. Was this the film that was going to re-energise the franchise and catapult it in to a new era in time for the next set of Avengers films in phase six?
Sadly, the answer to that question is a resounding no!!!
It's hard to know where to begin but, to put it mildly, here we have a film that has no idea what it wants to do. The plotline is incredibly weak and revolves around Sam Wilson trying to stop a character that nobody really remembers from playing a song that nobody has heard of, that gets in to the heads of a bunch of soldiers who then try and kill each other and essentially start a new global war.
Now this isn't the first Marvel film to suffer from a weak synopsis but where it has always redeemed itself in the past (The Marvels aside) is the excellent and stylishly choreographed action sequences. Unfortunately, again in this area Brave New World lets itself down with messy and uninspiring action that may leave you shrugging your shoulders and asking if that was it.
The cast in the main is top drawer but even Anthony Mackie and Harrison Ford can't save what is a lacklustre script with more cheese than a fondue. Even one of the best villainous actors of recent times in Giancarlo Esposito is barely used and Tim Blake Nelson as Samuel Sterns just adds to an ever-growing list of weak antagonists. Some of the lines spoken simply sound like a rehash of something we have heard before and adds more proof that Marvel may be running out of ideas.
After ninety minutes of messy confusion, the moment most will be waiting for finally arrives as President Ross becomes so angry as to the direction that the film is going, that he morphs in to the red hulk. The next five minutes (which is all he is on screen for) is the best part of the film and the action takes a slight upturn as Sam fights against an enemy so much more powerful than him. However, even this sequences ends in disappointment and as the film wraps up, it looks like it was merely there to bump up the fan ratings.
As a real advocate for Marvel in the past, I have realised that it is getting much harder to justify some of the work that has come out of the studio in recent times and the debate will begin to rage that we are seeing the beginning of the end to a franchise that created so much innovation in its earlier days.
The next Marvel adventure will be Thunderbolts as phase six comes to a close, and there looks to be promise and hope in the idea of newer and fresher characters revitalising something that is becoming increasingly tired. On the evidence of Brave New World, that hope needs to be realised or all the goodwill that Marvel built up will soon be lost.
I love a musical as much as the next person. The Greatest Showman is a great film, Mary Poppins is a classic and Moulin Rouge changed the game.
Wicked is a different beast. Here we have what can only be described as a musical epic!
Having gone in to this not knowing the stage show at all, it was hard to know what I wanted from this film. There was no real expectation but the stunning film that greeted me was something I will remember for a long time to come.
The visuals were very special, giving the audience a spectacle that could rival any cinematography seen in modern day cinema.
However, in the modern era, visuals are not everything. Audiences are no longer wowed by effects that can be seen in many mainstream films and so story and character is much more important. The characterisation in Wicked does not disappoint and the 160 minute running time allows us to get to know the personalities and objectives of everyone involved. The biggest mention must go to Cynthia Erivo who brings the vulnerability of Elphaba beautifully. Ariana Grande is also fantastic as Galinda and creates someone who goes from easily loathed to easily loved without it ever feeling contrived. The support cast of Jeff Goldblum (always happy to see him in anything), Michelle Yeoh and Jonathan Bailey add ever more weight to the ensemble.
Of course, the music in a musical is all-important and the strength of the songs and those singing them make Wicked an even more compelling watch. Songs from musicals can often be forgettable but you will be streaming the soundtrack from the moment you leave the cinema.
The only element preventing me from giving Wicked a perfect five, is some elements of the story. There will be no spoilers here but despite the length of the film, there are important moments that seem quite rushed, while other scenes are perhaps unjustifiably lengthy.
This, however is a small gripe and Wicked is purely there to be enjoyed by audiences young and old. If you are a lover of film (and if you're reading this then I assume you are) then just embrace the fun and escapism of the land of Oz.
Wicked is a different beast. Here we have what can only be described as a musical epic!
Having gone in to this not knowing the stage show at all, it was hard to know what I wanted from this film. There was no real expectation but the stunning film that greeted me was something I will remember for a long time to come.
The visuals were very special, giving the audience a spectacle that could rival any cinematography seen in modern day cinema.
However, in the modern era, visuals are not everything. Audiences are no longer wowed by effects that can be seen in many mainstream films and so story and character is much more important. The characterisation in Wicked does not disappoint and the 160 minute running time allows us to get to know the personalities and objectives of everyone involved. The biggest mention must go to Cynthia Erivo who brings the vulnerability of Elphaba beautifully. Ariana Grande is also fantastic as Galinda and creates someone who goes from easily loathed to easily loved without it ever feeling contrived. The support cast of Jeff Goldblum (always happy to see him in anything), Michelle Yeoh and Jonathan Bailey add ever more weight to the ensemble.
Of course, the music in a musical is all-important and the strength of the songs and those singing them make Wicked an even more compelling watch. Songs from musicals can often be forgettable but you will be streaming the soundtrack from the moment you leave the cinema.
The only element preventing me from giving Wicked a perfect five, is some elements of the story. There will be no spoilers here but despite the length of the film, there are important moments that seem quite rushed, while other scenes are perhaps unjustifiably lengthy.
This, however is a small gripe and Wicked is purely there to be enjoyed by audiences young and old. If you are a lover of film (and if you're reading this then I assume you are) then just embrace the fun and escapism of the land of Oz.
Horror is a genre unlike any other. The feeling it evokes can be the most powerful in film if done right. However, in this era of shock horror where we are subjected to anything and everything, classic horror has become a rare breed.
Nosferatu has shown the world that horror needn't be all about jump scares and gore and gives us a character that holds power over his victims just from being in his presence.
There is a classiness about the film and director Robert Eggers has clearly thought about every element. This isn't just about scaring the audience but more about the atmosphere that is created. On this point the look of the film is stunning, with such detailed cinematography that allows the audience to immerse themselves in to a fantastical story while being a wholly believable setting.
The cast is top drawer with pitch perfect turns from Nicholas Hoult and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, while Willem Dafoe is his eccentric best as Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz.
Bill Skarsgard is at his most devilish as Count Orlok, showing he really has become the go-to as the most monstrous characters in Hollywood. Nosferatu, however, would be nothing without it's beating heart, Lily-Rose Depp who steals the show with her portrayal of Ellen, a woman consumed by darkness from the awakening of the creature in her earlier life. The way she shows herself to be forever troubled by this demon while trying to keep her love alive for her husband, is mesmerising and thoroughly engaging. Depp shows the vulnerability and strength of Ellen with clarity and ease and it is clear that she is a star in the making.
When looking at flaws in Nosferatu, it is easy to focus on the storyline itself which at times is quite thin while the obsession that Orlok has with Ellen is never quite explained. Despite its 135 minute running time, there are moments that feel rushed and more of the backstory that has brought us to this moment, would be a grateful addition.
However, these elements never deter from the enormity of the setting and the world that Eggers has created, with a suffocating air that never lets up and doesn't allow its audience to lose focus. In an era where franchise horror has taken root, here we have a refreshing change in the genre, that takes us back to what the true conventions of horror should be.
Nosferatu has shown the world that horror needn't be all about jump scares and gore and gives us a character that holds power over his victims just from being in his presence.
There is a classiness about the film and director Robert Eggers has clearly thought about every element. This isn't just about scaring the audience but more about the atmosphere that is created. On this point the look of the film is stunning, with such detailed cinematography that allows the audience to immerse themselves in to a fantastical story while being a wholly believable setting.
The cast is top drawer with pitch perfect turns from Nicholas Hoult and Aaron Taylor-Johnson, while Willem Dafoe is his eccentric best as Professor Albin Eberhart Von Franz.
Bill Skarsgard is at his most devilish as Count Orlok, showing he really has become the go-to as the most monstrous characters in Hollywood. Nosferatu, however, would be nothing without it's beating heart, Lily-Rose Depp who steals the show with her portrayal of Ellen, a woman consumed by darkness from the awakening of the creature in her earlier life. The way she shows herself to be forever troubled by this demon while trying to keep her love alive for her husband, is mesmerising and thoroughly engaging. Depp shows the vulnerability and strength of Ellen with clarity and ease and it is clear that she is a star in the making.
When looking at flaws in Nosferatu, it is easy to focus on the storyline itself which at times is quite thin while the obsession that Orlok has with Ellen is never quite explained. Despite its 135 minute running time, there are moments that feel rushed and more of the backstory that has brought us to this moment, would be a grateful addition.
However, these elements never deter from the enormity of the setting and the world that Eggers has created, with a suffocating air that never lets up and doesn't allow its audience to lose focus. In an era where franchise horror has taken root, here we have a refreshing change in the genre, that takes us back to what the true conventions of horror should be.