BillSims28
Joined Feb 2014
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BillSims28's rating
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The biggest British band since The Beatles, with arguably the most iconic frontman of all time, Queen was always destined to have its story told in flamboyant fashion on the big screen. This depiction is clearly rooted in a deep affinity for its subject matter, though it suffers many filmmaking flaws. However, this does not stop 'Bohemian Rhapsody' from being a highly entertaining viewing experience, which most Queen fans will find spellbinding.
Perhaps the main draw of the film is Rami Malek's remarkable performance as Freddie Mercury. The singer's every quirk and physical tic is painstakingly portrayed in exhaustive detail by Malek, who gives his all to perfect Mercury's self-confident strut and irresistible charm. The rest of the cast is also committed for the most part, with Gwilym Lee and Joe Mazzello particularly enjoying themselves as Brian May and John Deacon.
The re-creation of Queen's hit songs also allows for some stupendous displays of musicality. The much-vaunted climactic Live Aid set is highly impressive, and goes full throttle on the band's seminal sound. It's a consistent way in which the film drives up its entertainment value, drawing on the universal language of music to craft an eye-popping celebration of the musicians.
However, on a less shallow level the film is mired in its historical inaccuracies and a half-baked approach to the actual chronicling of the band's story. Mercury's chequered life is sugar-coated for a wider appeal, and is simply falsified at times for the purposes of the story, which swiftly becomes bogged down in cliche. The closest people to him, at least according to the film's version of events, are his wife Mary and personal manager Paul, neither of whom are developed beyond the barest of stock character features.
This focus on Mercury also stops the rest of the band from ever being more than a footnote in their own story: there's still a Queen biopic begging to be made, which tracks their fascinating story in a more focused manner. This lack of focus is without a doubt due to the abrupt change of director after the controversial Bryan Singer was sacked halfway through production.
Ultimately 'Bohemian Rhapsody' never quite reaches the heights it aspires to, as underneath the fanfare it is the most formulaic and underdeveloped of biopics. If you can look past these flaws, however, there's a barnstorming presentation of highly entertaining musical talent anchored by an impressive leading performance. 67/100
Perhaps the main draw of the film is Rami Malek's remarkable performance as Freddie Mercury. The singer's every quirk and physical tic is painstakingly portrayed in exhaustive detail by Malek, who gives his all to perfect Mercury's self-confident strut and irresistible charm. The rest of the cast is also committed for the most part, with Gwilym Lee and Joe Mazzello particularly enjoying themselves as Brian May and John Deacon.
The re-creation of Queen's hit songs also allows for some stupendous displays of musicality. The much-vaunted climactic Live Aid set is highly impressive, and goes full throttle on the band's seminal sound. It's a consistent way in which the film drives up its entertainment value, drawing on the universal language of music to craft an eye-popping celebration of the musicians.
However, on a less shallow level the film is mired in its historical inaccuracies and a half-baked approach to the actual chronicling of the band's story. Mercury's chequered life is sugar-coated for a wider appeal, and is simply falsified at times for the purposes of the story, which swiftly becomes bogged down in cliche. The closest people to him, at least according to the film's version of events, are his wife Mary and personal manager Paul, neither of whom are developed beyond the barest of stock character features.
This focus on Mercury also stops the rest of the band from ever being more than a footnote in their own story: there's still a Queen biopic begging to be made, which tracks their fascinating story in a more focused manner. This lack of focus is without a doubt due to the abrupt change of director after the controversial Bryan Singer was sacked halfway through production.
Ultimately 'Bohemian Rhapsody' never quite reaches the heights it aspires to, as underneath the fanfare it is the most formulaic and underdeveloped of biopics. If you can look past these flaws, however, there's a barnstorming presentation of highly entertaining musical talent anchored by an impressive leading performance. 67/100
The Coen Brothers' distinctive inimitable style sets their work apart from their contemporaries, and this anthology is the perfect setting for them to flex their considerable creative muscles. The 6 disparate vignettes have little in common with each other, save for the inherently dark nature of all the stories and the beautifully drawn book chapters which introduce each story. It's difficult to rank the tales, as each have many positive qualities and make a good case for taking the top spot.
The titular first segment is a breezy slice of musical black comedy featuring a superb Tim Blake Nelson as a wildly entertaining, seemingly omnipotent and omniscient anachronistic hybrid between Bugs Bunny, Deadpool, and old Hollywood's classic singing cowboy. The chronicling of his violent exploits and catchy songs is the perfect way to start the anthology, and its material is ideal for a short film.
Similar in its darkly comedic tone is the surreal and somewhat nihilistic 'Near Algodones', which features James Franco as an unlucky thief who cannot seem to catch a break. The babbling bank teller with an unorthodox choice of weapon is one of the standout supporting characters of the whole anthology, but this segment is arguably the most underdeveloped of the 6. The fantastically dry ending is truly excellent, however, and this short gives the Coens another chance to showcase their ever-reliable comedic skills.
An abrupt change in tone then hits, paving the way for the dour gloom of 'Meal Ticket'. Starring almost no one apart from a grizzled, taciturn Liam Neeson and an impressive Harry Melling, this is an incredibly dark yet elegantly constructed tragedy. Heavy on the pathos, Melling imbues his character, a limbless actor used as a sideshow attraction, with heart-rending childlike innocence. The remarkable dramatic range conveyed in such a short period of time is indicative of the filmmakers' extensive talents and commitment to building a rich world replete with complex characters.
The most unique short is the pleasant 'All Gold Canyon', detailing the trials and tribulations of an intensely likeable gold prospector played by a perfectly cast Tom Waits. His humility and respect for nature make him antithetical to cinema's usual morally bankrupt prospectors such the wolfish Daniel Plainview in 'There Will Be Blood'. Its unassuming plot is gentle and endlessly engaging, and whilst it has dark moments it's by far the least bleak of the 6 stories, which is refreshing after the gut-punch of 'Meal Ticket'.
'The Gal Who Got Rattled' displays the Coens' penchant for dramatic irony, in an enjoyable yet bittersweet romantic adventure set amongst a wagon train, with more characters and plot elements than the other vignettes. This is probably the most complete-feeling story, and features a stellar central performance by Zoe Kazan. Another fantastic ending makes this another top-quality segment, and - without spoiling anything - should play suitable havoc with viewers' emotions. This was ultimately my least favourite part of the anthology if I had to pick one, but is still very well-made.
The film ends on an unsettling note with the claustrophobic, horror-tinged 'The Mortal Remains'. Set in an otherworldly horse-drawn carriage at an atmospheric sunset, it pits five mysterious strangers against each other. This is a finely-crafted story with multiple interpretations which is far more layered than it first appears, and should inspire the most theorising out of all the shorts. The characters are each fascinating, with Jonjo O'Neill and Brendan Gleeson delightfully menacing as a macabre pair of 'cargo ferriers'. Chelcie Ross's rambling trapper injects a surge of comedy into proceedings, but the tone remains decidedly dark, and completes the anthology in the Coens' classic fashion of seemingly unsatisfying endings.
Overall, 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs' is a strong effort by two directors who have stayed on the top of their game for thirty years now. The anthology style would probably have worked better for a TV show, as it makes for an inconsistent viewing experience as a film, but the Western setting is perfect for its creative tales. 88/100.
The titular first segment is a breezy slice of musical black comedy featuring a superb Tim Blake Nelson as a wildly entertaining, seemingly omnipotent and omniscient anachronistic hybrid between Bugs Bunny, Deadpool, and old Hollywood's classic singing cowboy. The chronicling of his violent exploits and catchy songs is the perfect way to start the anthology, and its material is ideal for a short film.
Similar in its darkly comedic tone is the surreal and somewhat nihilistic 'Near Algodones', which features James Franco as an unlucky thief who cannot seem to catch a break. The babbling bank teller with an unorthodox choice of weapon is one of the standout supporting characters of the whole anthology, but this segment is arguably the most underdeveloped of the 6. The fantastically dry ending is truly excellent, however, and this short gives the Coens another chance to showcase their ever-reliable comedic skills.
An abrupt change in tone then hits, paving the way for the dour gloom of 'Meal Ticket'. Starring almost no one apart from a grizzled, taciturn Liam Neeson and an impressive Harry Melling, this is an incredibly dark yet elegantly constructed tragedy. Heavy on the pathos, Melling imbues his character, a limbless actor used as a sideshow attraction, with heart-rending childlike innocence. The remarkable dramatic range conveyed in such a short period of time is indicative of the filmmakers' extensive talents and commitment to building a rich world replete with complex characters.
The most unique short is the pleasant 'All Gold Canyon', detailing the trials and tribulations of an intensely likeable gold prospector played by a perfectly cast Tom Waits. His humility and respect for nature make him antithetical to cinema's usual morally bankrupt prospectors such the wolfish Daniel Plainview in 'There Will Be Blood'. Its unassuming plot is gentle and endlessly engaging, and whilst it has dark moments it's by far the least bleak of the 6 stories, which is refreshing after the gut-punch of 'Meal Ticket'.
'The Gal Who Got Rattled' displays the Coens' penchant for dramatic irony, in an enjoyable yet bittersweet romantic adventure set amongst a wagon train, with more characters and plot elements than the other vignettes. This is probably the most complete-feeling story, and features a stellar central performance by Zoe Kazan. Another fantastic ending makes this another top-quality segment, and - without spoiling anything - should play suitable havoc with viewers' emotions. This was ultimately my least favourite part of the anthology if I had to pick one, but is still very well-made.
The film ends on an unsettling note with the claustrophobic, horror-tinged 'The Mortal Remains'. Set in an otherworldly horse-drawn carriage at an atmospheric sunset, it pits five mysterious strangers against each other. This is a finely-crafted story with multiple interpretations which is far more layered than it first appears, and should inspire the most theorising out of all the shorts. The characters are each fascinating, with Jonjo O'Neill and Brendan Gleeson delightfully menacing as a macabre pair of 'cargo ferriers'. Chelcie Ross's rambling trapper injects a surge of comedy into proceedings, but the tone remains decidedly dark, and completes the anthology in the Coens' classic fashion of seemingly unsatisfying endings.
Overall, 'The Ballad of Buster Scruggs' is a strong effort by two directors who have stayed on the top of their game for thirty years now. The anthology style would probably have worked better for a TV show, as it makes for an inconsistent viewing experience as a film, but the Western setting is perfect for its creative tales. 88/100.
90s classic 'Trainspotting' is easily the greatest film to star both Ewan McGregor and a dead baby. This solid homage picks up 20 years later, in an increasingly globalised Edinburgh, checking in with all the old favourite characters. It may not bring much new to the table, but it's certainly won't disappoint fans of the original and is often a riotously entertaining time.
Returning screenwriter John Hodge's script is brimming with wit and as sharp as ever, balancing some pitch black humour with moments of tender drama. There are genuinely hilarious sequences, including the standout Catholic song scene. The biting satire of its 1996 predecessor is also still evident, especially in the incisive updated 'choose life' monologue.
It's clear from the delicate intimacy with which he explores the central characters that Danny Boyle still has a lot of passion for this world. Jonny Lee Miller is a highlight amongst the cast and has a lot more to do this time, able to explore the 'Simon' side of his character as well as the 'Sick Boy'. McGregor is still wonderfully versatile and Robert Carlyle his same snarling deranged self, whilst Ewen Bremner is the film's primary source of pathos as the earnest Spud.
Aside from the iconic principal quartet, Anjela Nedyalkova has a large role but is not quite as developed as she could have been, nor are many of the other supporting characters. This is visible in other aspects of the film as well: it is heavily reliant on the original, and often derivative of it. In total though, it's an enjoyable time. 70/100.
Returning screenwriter John Hodge's script is brimming with wit and as sharp as ever, balancing some pitch black humour with moments of tender drama. There are genuinely hilarious sequences, including the standout Catholic song scene. The biting satire of its 1996 predecessor is also still evident, especially in the incisive updated 'choose life' monologue.
It's clear from the delicate intimacy with which he explores the central characters that Danny Boyle still has a lot of passion for this world. Jonny Lee Miller is a highlight amongst the cast and has a lot more to do this time, able to explore the 'Simon' side of his character as well as the 'Sick Boy'. McGregor is still wonderfully versatile and Robert Carlyle his same snarling deranged self, whilst Ewen Bremner is the film's primary source of pathos as the earnest Spud.
Aside from the iconic principal quartet, Anjela Nedyalkova has a large role but is not quite as developed as she could have been, nor are many of the other supporting characters. This is visible in other aspects of the film as well: it is heavily reliant on the original, and often derivative of it. In total though, it's an enjoyable time. 70/100.
