tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-73733606140652792692024-03-19T08:47:15.100+00:00END SEATSpoiler free film reviews. For enquiries, please contact c_mcwilliam@hotmail.co.ukCarahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.comBlogger178125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-10378072591903329792023-10-12T17:20:00.000+01:002023-10-12T17:20:06.301+01:00The Miracle Club Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKtnijfLSRZxyROT292q3xsrNfaNpizFWzqr95hRccTt7EOvkbRpXUQPECnn6_mpDWStzvjVdRyyHcBi63HDULJkvoogjKKhD7Ij3GbooBaRiEaEHfrwUfkt9pPbkWIdg5n46s2_ss0CuO2Fc4-RugpMdrPfwxaajf5tNS_4_FeYk-AWjdiZr4DrS0OE/s922/0705364F-BEF4-4AFC-AF4D-3267518AF5F5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="922" data-original-width="616" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgKtnijfLSRZxyROT292q3xsrNfaNpizFWzqr95hRccTt7EOvkbRpXUQPECnn6_mpDWStzvjVdRyyHcBi63HDULJkvoogjKKhD7Ij3GbooBaRiEaEHfrwUfkt9pPbkWIdg5n46s2_ss0CuO2Fc4-RugpMdrPfwxaajf5tNS_4_FeYk-AWjdiZr4DrS0OE/s320/0705364F-BEF4-4AFC-AF4D-3267518AF5F5.jpeg" width="214" /></a></div><br /><p></p><p><b>The story:</b> Three friends from a small town in Ireland get the chance to visit the pilgrimage site of Lourdes.</p><p><b>The verdict: </b>The Miracle Club brings together an all star cast, fronted by powerhouse trio Maggie Smith, Kathy Bates and Laura Linney, in a 1967 period piece set in the heart of Ireland. Directed by Thaddeus O’Sullivan, the film was a potential project for years before it finally came to light. </p><p>Set in a working class suburb, The Miracle Club sees lifelong friends Lily (Smith) and Eileen (Bates), along with younger friend Dolly (Agnes O’Casey) decide to enter a talent contest at the local church. First prize is tickets to the famous pilgrimage site of Lourdes, a place that each of them has longed to visit for different reasons. Dolly has a young son who has never spoken a word and is searching for a cure, Lily has never been able to move past the death of her son Declan who drowned many years ago and Eileen has found a lump in her breast. </p><p>The Miracle Club exists in a small town world where gossip is rife, everyone knows everyone and grudges are decades long, which is demonstrated when Chrissie (Linney) returns to town after a long absence. Her return is treated with disdain by Lily and Eileen, though Dolly warms to her straight away. After only coming second in the talent contest, a twist of fate sees Lily, Eileen and Dolly suddenly able to join the trip to Lourdes and much to Eileen in particular’s dismay – Chrissie is along for the ride too. </p><p>The Miracle Club might be miraculous in name but it’s not quite so miraculous in nature. The twists and turns are easy to see and secrets which later act like revelations, are anything but. There are a number of serious themes and issues addressed but only ever at surface level, and it does feel like important conversations are missing. The Miracle Club glosses over the severity of the characters’ lives and wraps everything up a bit too neatly. </p><p>However, The Miracle Club has an ace up its sleeve and that is its cast. Whilst the story might feel a bit too neat and streamlined, the cast makes it engaging and interesting to watch. Smith in particular, as always, is a joy to watch and her delivery of certain lines is the emotional heart of the film. There is no doubt that in lesser hands, the film would lack the ability to successfully pull on the audiences’ heart strings. </p><p>The Miracle Club is not quite a hit nor is it a miss from O’Sullivan. If audiences are looking for a more meaty and substantial drama that treats the topics within with the solemnity they truly deserve then this is not that film. However, if a more diluted film with sweet moments of sentimentality is more your bag then this could be it. The Miracle Club will warm the cockles of your heart even if it doesn’t end up leaving a lasting impression.</p><p><b>The rating: </b>⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half</p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-16857061539210396842023-07-23T05:42:00.001+01:002023-07-23T05:42:35.076+01:00Oppenheimer Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrb4-WW1U6s-Kv79HP2xgSszL6NFKWa5PHnlyvcMtLOyjgewxR-cyro1_ZGOAWnA2rfkBTtXhlUJQga-QoWTgtljO5OIKLI0okvKG_4OavO5d32dVVdXC1_aneFYxWGg0tFwRpB2Rdq9YoJcnuMOrP388EBcpWyHSMibQqyLSYXSZkpllUQ_zyZJEhe6Y/s4028/D565B71F-320D-4887-8F2D-F3DBBE895C7A.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4028" data-original-width="2657" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrb4-WW1U6s-Kv79HP2xgSszL6NFKWa5PHnlyvcMtLOyjgewxR-cyro1_ZGOAWnA2rfkBTtXhlUJQga-QoWTgtljO5OIKLI0okvKG_4OavO5d32dVVdXC1_aneFYxWGg0tFwRpB2Rdq9YoJcnuMOrP388EBcpWyHSMibQqyLSYXSZkpllUQ_zyZJEhe6Y/s320/D565B71F-320D-4887-8F2D-F3DBBE895C7A.jpeg" width="211" /></a></div><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Certificate: </b>15</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time:</b> 180 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring: </b>Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Benny Safdie, Dane DeHaan</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> Christopher Nolan</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story:</b> Physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer is tasked with designing the ultimate weapon, but will this new weapon stop the war or bring about humankind’s demise?</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> It’s probably a reasonably safe bet to assume that any Christopher Nolan film is going to be big. Big star power, big visuals, big sound and big interest from cinema goers. Oppenheimer falls into all those categories and perhaps more. For many this will be the film that they declare as Nolan’s magnum opus and that’s not an outlandish statement by any means.</p><p style="text-align: left;">As biopics go, this is a fascinating one and that’s before you have even applied any of Nolan’s mastery to the story. Cillian Murphy is a fantastic choice as the titular character. Oppenheimer shows the man himself as both a scientist and in his personal life, and Murphy plays each of these sides with nuance and dedication. The same can be said for all the cast and certainly the cast list is long and impressive enough that to single out every great performance would take up this entire review. I wouldn’t be surprised to see several nominations come awards’ season. However my favourite two performances that do merit recognition were that of Emily Blunt and Florence Pugh - more on that later though.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Technically, Oppenheimer cannot be faulted. Assured and crisp cinematography as always from Hoyte van Hoytema - he makes Nolan’s films look beautiful. Confident and considered direction (again as always) from Nolan. And my personal favourite? The sound design of course. No film does sound design the way Nolan does - impactful, brash and perfect every time.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Technical aspects and performances aside, what I actually loved most about Oppenheimer was how incredibly thought provoking it was. Oppenheimer is a three hour long moral quandary - it is philosophy and ethics disguised as an epic biopic. It is about men playing god, the morality of war and impossible dilemmas. It is about the burden of responsibility, the burden of genius and the burden of patriotism. Oppenheimer is a film that left me stunned - not necessarily by its cinematic scope but rather by its cerebral scope. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that I left the screening disquieted by the very nature of man.</p><p style="text-align: left;">So with all the above in mind, it probably seems that Oppenheimer should be an easy five stars. However, I do have two comments that are preventing me from awarding Oppenheimer top marks.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The first observation is that, whilst I loved Oppenheimer, there are other Nolan films that I personally prefer. I love Nolan most when he’s in invented worlds and working with sci-fi and imagination. A perhaps pedantic point when Oppenheimer is so good but also salient when considering the work of an auteur like Nolan.</p><p style="text-align: left;">My second criticism was that I thought that Oppenheimer did its very few female characters a complete disservice. The only two female character with more than a few lines were played by Florence Pugh and Emily Blunt - two phenomenal actresses. And yet they were reduced to shallow caricatures. One has mental health issues and spends a reasonable amount of her screen time naked and the other is an alcoholic who neglects her children. There is never any proper exploration of these women who obviously played an important part in J. Robert Oppenheimer’s life and who were intelligent, fascinating people. These female characters exist merely on the periphery as demonstrations of J. Robert Oppenheimer’s prowess with women. That is why it is a credit to both Pugh and Blunt that they stood out and gave nuances to rather underwritten characters.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Overall, even with a few criticisms, it cannot be denied that Oppenheimer is another excellent piece of cinema from Nolan and undoubtedly one of the best films of the year thus far.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating:</b> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-85724722732274442852023-06-28T19:14:00.001+01:002023-06-28T19:14:46.223+01:00Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP6K-tEboVzY4Ceo56EF1LwUrIYvF_QAxzxYfyRysark2z31GPr7-y2KH1gzcif6QUDreO_ugHdIJSF4TBzv3y3SaOvTciqDt07T3EV5EvRIahN6UnL5CbEtGXPJzkm98hSC5xZHSVxeRw5oI3vMYXqcOZwCCMhJF7AIaTlMGKyZtXVimBRaROLzjpbYU/s4032/E72C77E1-6CFA-40A5-BE70-A899FD8CDA0E.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP6K-tEboVzY4Ceo56EF1LwUrIYvF_QAxzxYfyRysark2z31GPr7-y2KH1gzcif6QUDreO_ugHdIJSF4TBzv3y3SaOvTciqDt07T3EV5EvRIahN6UnL5CbEtGXPJzkm98hSC5xZHSVxeRw5oI3vMYXqcOZwCCMhJF7AIaTlMGKyZtXVimBRaROLzjpbYU/s320/E72C77E1-6CFA-40A5-BE70-A899FD8CDA0E.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate:</b> 12A</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time: </b>154 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring:</b> Harrison Ford, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, Mads Mikkelsen, Toby Jones, Boyd Holbrook, Ethann Isidore</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> James Mangold</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story:</b> Indiana Jones is all set to retire quietly, when he is pulled back into a race against time to retrieve a legendary artefact that could alter the very course of history.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict: </b>The Indiana Jones films definitely rank up there as amongst one of my favourite franchises of all time. The original trilogy were some of the films that ignited my passion for film in the first place, so suffice to say I had a vested interest in this final instalment.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The opening sequence throws the audience straight into the action. This definitely sets the tone for the entire film as The Dial of Destiny is jam packed with action, which mostly consists of a myriad of different chases. From a car to a plane, from a tuk tuk to a horse - there is nary a form of transport that Indy won’t utilise. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The film introduces us to a few new characters, as well as reintroducing us to some old faces. I particularly liked that Indy found himself with another young kid tagging along for the adventure which felt like an homage to Short Round. I also enjoyed Mads Mikkelsen’s villainous turn. However, it is Harrison Ford that steals the show and certainly for me, no one else mattered as much as the man himself. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I was thoroughly engaged throughout the film’s (reasonably hefty) running time and I enjoyed myself immensely. Dial of Destiny looks great on the big screen and the opening sequence is probably one of my favourite opening sequences of the year so far. </p><p style="text-align: left;">In spite of how much I enjoyed the film, I do think that it will prove pretty divisive - not only upon its release but in years to come too. Similarly to the Kingdom of Crystal Skull, there will be many that feel that this film is completely unnecessary and there will also be those who feel that Dial of Destiny goes a step too far in its final act. The franchise has always had a fantastical element to it, but this instalment takes that element and goes full steam ahead. Audiences will either embrace this as wonderfully barmy or roll their eyes in frustration. Thankfully, I found myself in the former category. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Another element of the film that will likely prove divisive is the emotional undercurrent that finds our hero at odds with his life. There are still some classic one liners and a few laughs to be had, but there has been tragedy in Indy’s life and thus there is an aspect of sobriety that audiences wouldn’t usually expect in an Indiana Jones’ film. I understood why this was done even if I’m not sure I completely agreed with it. It did seem a little cruel for the character.</p><p style="text-align: left;">But for me, my main issue with Dial of Destiny really just boiled down to one point - which was that it didn’t match up to the original trilogy. However, I think expecting James Mangold to emulate Steven Spielberg’s cinematic auteurism is probably a tad unfair and so whilst this is a complaint, it is one that can be taken with a grain of salt.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Going into this film, and especially as an Indiana Jones fan, I had certain hopes. I wanted Indy to face the Nazis again, I wanted action and adventure, and I wanted him to have a fitting ending. For me, all those hopes were met. And along with finding the film an overall great cinema trip, and grinning maniacally whenever I heard the theme music, I think that merits it a four star rating. Whether that rating increases or decreases with repeat viewings remains to be seen, but for now - Indy, it’s been a pleasure.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating:</b> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-48026513728673669682023-06-20T17:38:00.002+01:002023-06-20T17:38:43.223+01:00Beau is Afraid Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5swazRoRi4jq8FTuaG_CEtH7Qiryix_mQminqhw2QkQQgdKnXWo3NTkjK-7o-aQNv-Y9aEImxEtZiDMLUT5djWqSelVR6bGdrTZlqhQQAJdNp8Bqn5UDiM8zWF0WkR13kx3OlP_Fc4Pzjz_pjQlENSIK1VJCEbag0l7lmEFMYBQ9Prc0ET42MpUDT7yk/s716/80BC705E-39E5-4F7E-8D54-CE889307B011.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="587" data-original-width="716" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5swazRoRi4jq8FTuaG_CEtH7Qiryix_mQminqhw2QkQQgdKnXWo3NTkjK-7o-aQNv-Y9aEImxEtZiDMLUT5djWqSelVR6bGdrTZlqhQQAJdNp8Bqn5UDiM8zWF0WkR13kx3OlP_Fc4Pzjz_pjQlENSIK1VJCEbag0l7lmEFMYBQ9Prc0ET42MpUDT7yk/s320/80BC705E-39E5-4F7E-8D54-CE889307B011.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate: </b>15</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time:</b> 179 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring: </b>Joaquin Phoenix, Patti LuPone, Amy Ryan, Parker Posey, Nathan Lane, Stephen McKinley Henderson</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> Ari Aster</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story: </b>A paranoid man tries desperately to get home to his mother, but events keep conspiring against him.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> We all know that Ari Aster can do reasonably straightforward messed up (Hereditary, Midsommar) and now here he is proving that he can also do surrealist messed up. Anyway, deep breath and here we go…</p><p style="text-align: left;">The first act of Beau is Afraid is probably one of the most scarily apt depictions of what it is like to live with anxiety that I have ever seen on film. At this point the film is a bit surreal and a bit weird but in a clever and intriguing way and I had high hopes.</p><p style="text-align: left;">However as the film carries on, that measure of hope got smaller and smaller until it was all but gone. Now at this point I should probably point out three things. Firstly, I am an Ari Aster fan. I thought Hereditary and Midsommar were absolutely horrifying but also kind of brilliant and I even named Midsommar as my film of the year in 2019. I should also point out that I’m certainly not adverse to, for want of a better word, ‘weird’ films. And finally I loved the idea of an epic film inspired by The Odyssey. But Beau is Afraid is another kettle of fish entirely.</p><p style="text-align: left;">It wasn’t so much the oddity and surrealist aspects of the film that alienated me. Yes, Beau is Afraid is bizarre and at times even grotesque but the cinematic universe would be incredibly boring if all films were the same. After all, a little bit of “what the hell?!” muttered during a film never hurt anyone right? </p><p style="text-align: left;">Rather it was the absolute agglomeration of ideas and themes that started to turn me off the film. Beau is Afraid feels like every insane thought Aster has ever had shoved into one film with no filter and no forethought. The result is a film that goes from brilliantly absurd to frustratingly incoherent. Whereas the first part of the film felt like Aster had reached new heights as a director in an amazingly immersive and compelling world, subsequent scenes feel like a coin toss between whether they would be exciting and engaging or just eye rolling.</p><p style="text-align: left;">If Beau is Afraid had been ninety minutes or so then I could have forgiven some of the word vomit-esque nature of the film. But Beau is Afraid is a long film and I felt those three hours. I don’t believe in time checking during a film because I think it takes you out of the film, but I have to admit that there were several times during Beau is Afraid when I desperately wanted to see how much longer was left. I would say that I liked the first hour of the film but of course then I was still left with two hours to go.</p><p style="text-align: left;">As you can see by the above, I struggled with Beau is Afraid. However, it is important to highlight that, whilst I didn’t particularly enjoy the film, I did mightily respect it. Aster’s work in this case may not have appealed to me but I do find his auteurism impressive. I am glad that films like this, where directors are given carte blanche, are being made and finding an audience. I do like to be challenged by films, but in this case I was more frustrated than challenged. In spite of this, I will await Aster’s next film with baited breath.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating:</b> ⭐️⭐️ and a half stars.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-49516121055226655692023-06-08T18:50:00.000+01:002023-06-08T18:50:13.335+01:00Transformers: Rise of the Beasts Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYq-OeV5YXMX6uBYZvUBJeAMytRomGR9yqK89LKLIiwN2lJFzgoLLqYF1oIdVdk3twelZIbQOYIDs1Fe3tFQWWA1LOZLV1kYLV50Fg7ot1t1s2c_00tKNbiCHbPJ_I6RV2Riaa4mmTBEVrU5PZshgTx5XjTY92WDveLgLLyb7c7HuD3eLa5mShEB3/s4032/6BCDA79C-5ECE-4330-9D3A-6E816893E656.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3024" data-original-width="4032" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyYq-OeV5YXMX6uBYZvUBJeAMytRomGR9yqK89LKLIiwN2lJFzgoLLqYF1oIdVdk3twelZIbQOYIDs1Fe3tFQWWA1LOZLV1kYLV50Fg7ot1t1s2c_00tKNbiCHbPJ_I6RV2Riaa4mmTBEVrU5PZshgTx5XjTY92WDveLgLLyb7c7HuD3eLa5mShEB3/s320/6BCDA79C-5ECE-4330-9D3A-6E816893E656.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate:</b> 12A</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time:</b> 127 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring:</b> Anthony Ramos, Dominique Fishback, Dean Scott Vazquez, Peter Cullen, Ron Pearlman, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by: </b>Steven Caple Jr.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story:</b> A long lost and well protected artefact may hold the key to allowing the stranded Autobots to finally return home, but they’re not the only ones seeking it…</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> Rise of the Beasts marks the seventh instalment in the Transformers’ franchise and so it would be fair to say that at this point - you’re either a Transformers fan or you’re not. Whilst this instalment is definitely better than some of the previous films, if giant robot aliens aren’t your thing then they’re just not your thing. However if, like me, giant robot aliens are very much your thing then strap in because Rise of the Beasts is great! </p><p style="text-align: left;">As with Bumblebee (which coincidentally was also great) this film sees a different director take the reins from Michael Bay. Whilst Bay is still producing the Transformers’ films, this change in direction is a really positive one and I thought Caple Jr. did a good job of giving the film a bit more of an identity. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The characters are great. There are some old favourites and some fantastic new additions, and I really warmed to all of them. The omission of a romantic interest was a very welcome change and allowed the story to stay on track without diverting to lovey-dovey interludes.</p><p style="text-align: left;">One thing that the Transformers’ films have always excelled at are big action sequences and Rise of the Beasts is no different. Overall the film was really well paced and the running time flew by.</p><p style="text-align: left;">If I had to be really picky then my only real issue was that there was a reasonable amount of exposition. However, when said exposition involves words such as ‘Unicron’ and ‘Transwarp Key,’ and is about planet eating gods and beast-robots - well who can really fuss about that?</p><p style="text-align: left;">Rise of the Beasts was entertaining, engaging and funny. It had a great soundtrack and great characters and was bags of fun. It also ends with an exciting tease. It surpassed my expectations.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating: </b>⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-42836730208938071812023-06-02T23:20:00.001+01:002023-06-02T23:20:49.512+01:00Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCkamRAyhGL6nPYUDw-lvhZho6kVFJwlY3ZfTgxosYFUiGZvD0NRdCFmJDwqdUNHmOD-KXmfKbjKHXcdA0ApaYXQGuJAvhU_U1q08eeXxofvqxdhRhqYYKpIeJy5zL7_-3EhcPd-0JqF5vOVE6-K40rGPR4cCAstBThjd1tM206QMl3T6wkhTadXV/s3443/EAFEA86D-2622-4551-80B7-A66C94B2BB04.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3023" data-original-width="3443" height="281" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEikCkamRAyhGL6nPYUDw-lvhZho6kVFJwlY3ZfTgxosYFUiGZvD0NRdCFmJDwqdUNHmOD-KXmfKbjKHXcdA0ApaYXQGuJAvhU_U1q08eeXxofvqxdhRhqYYKpIeJy5zL7_-3EhcPd-0JqF5vOVE6-K40rGPR4cCAstBThjd1tM206QMl3T6wkhTadXV/s320/EAFEA86D-2622-4551-80B7-A66C94B2BB04.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate: </b>PG</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time: </b>140 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring:</b> Shameik Moore, Hailee Steinfeld, Jake Johnson, Oscar Issac, Issa Rae, Daniel Kaluuya, Karan Soni</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story: </b>Miles Morales returns for another adventure across the multiverse as a dangerous new villain emerges.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> You would think that the better a film is then the more there would be to say about it, but the complete opposite can be true. Sometimes a film is so stunningly great that trying to put into words exactly what it is that made it so amazing is almost impossible. Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is <i>that</i> film. This is a sequel that not only matches the original but tops it and does so with zest.</p><p style="text-align: left;">As both animated and comic book films go, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse must surely be one of the greatest of all time. Firstly, the animation is incredible. The artistry of this film is absolutely top notch and it’s bright, bold and highly creative. Visuals aside, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse has everything an audience could possibly want - it’s engaging, it’s funny and it’s poignant. The action sequences are also fantastic and it’s so much fun taking it all in. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Another element that is so great about this film is its wide appeal. My screening had a variety of different audience members from very young kids to older couples and everyone in between, and what was even better was that everyone was completely enthralled in the film.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I have absolutely no complaints about Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. I grinned throughout the whole film, loving every minute. I cannot wait for the next instalment. An easy five stars.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating: </b>⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-67102981804409026292023-05-04T18:21:00.000+01:002023-05-04T18:21:11.276+01:00Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 Review<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP7s-AZkqgQi8aTX3X_qXjAnRx2HlpwJamJWJiSFH_nskyvm6_haYNEmVKDuvFt61yvFK9F0hIJJ8IYaEog01ZXx4YGgrzMsD0QRHVgjQEq86_HSCVC9zmLq0QBwqpzjnNb6vh12P8cXkFuBATVMj78CUQPq5rK7Dzns2OOMeNc42fKcIj3yoqklps/s1074/22A60A84-6845-450C-AA53-82320E07DC1B.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1074" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgP7s-AZkqgQi8aTX3X_qXjAnRx2HlpwJamJWJiSFH_nskyvm6_haYNEmVKDuvFt61yvFK9F0hIJJ8IYaEog01ZXx4YGgrzMsD0QRHVgjQEq86_HSCVC9zmLq0QBwqpzjnNb6vh12P8cXkFuBATVMj78CUQPq5rK7Dzns2OOMeNc42fKcIj3yoqklps/s320/22A60A84-6845-450C-AA53-82320E07DC1B.jpeg" width="223" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate: </b>12A</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time:</b> 150 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring:</b> Chris Pratt, Zoe Saldana, Bradley Cooper, Dave Bautista, Vin Diesel, Pom Klementieff</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> James Gunn</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story:</b> The guardians must rally to defend the universe once more and this time one of their own is at stake, but could this be one mission too many?</p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-4VC9WVG-EOdkQbK7UY5FUaNpNRVqhW2dDOYf0Xt_G8yhF_CHok2rY781mikwADyFcmM-Lrt-XXjif0w15jTvzMSK4YlBp3t4i4GUZei5I28iXwf0jtlLG2k1YzQOyNmwA3ru-lMoX8v4XeV2fRTFXwGJQVgRttiieWD1etbTJIevukGY_3Y0vsV/s749/757AF204-0C95-4093-8722-DE5D5E89A910.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="613" data-original-width="749" height="262" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH-4VC9WVG-EOdkQbK7UY5FUaNpNRVqhW2dDOYf0Xt_G8yhF_CHok2rY781mikwADyFcmM-Lrt-XXjif0w15jTvzMSK4YlBp3t4i4GUZei5I28iXwf0jtlLG2k1YzQOyNmwA3ru-lMoX8v4XeV2fRTFXwGJQVgRttiieWD1etbTJIevukGY_3Y0vsV/s320/757AF204-0C95-4093-8722-DE5D5E89A910.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> To say I like the Guardians of the Galaxy would be akin to saying that Peter Quill kind of likes music. I love the Guardians of the Galaxy. I mean I <i>really</i> love them. These are characters that have captured my heart and my mind and I could go on adventures with them forever. So with that in mind, I went into this film with a heavy heart - I was not ready to say goodbye.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Like the previous two instalments before it, Volume 3 is bright, bold and packed full of action. Of course it’s CGI-tastic but that’s the MCU - if you don’t know that by now then I’m afraid you’re in the wrong place. I loved all the visuals and it was great to return to Knowhere in particular (pun sort of intended).</p><p style="text-align: left;">Speaking of Volume 1 and Volume 2, this instalment has all the Guardians’ quirks that audiences love. There are plenty of jokes, the camaraderie shines through and the soundtrack is killer. I can’t fault any performance or character and I even found myself loving certain characters that I’d only liked before - for example Nebula who is really great in this. Villain wise, this might feature my most hated MCU villain of all time. I don’t usually root for violence but I was urging the Guardians to make the kill shot!</p><p style="text-align: left;">One strong difference from the previous two films however is how emotional this instalment is. This film takes a look into one of the team’s past and oh boy! All I can say is bring tissues and plenty of them! Without saying too much, I also think this will be a particularly tough watch for animal lovers. Aside from that aspect, it is just so bittersweet that this is the final time audiences will see the Guardians. I know that I’ll really miss them.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Is this the best Guardians’ film? Maybe, maybe not. Is the film perfect? No, it isn’t. But the characters and what they mean to audiences cannot be denied. And this is a beautiful, poignant ending to their story even if it hurts. How could I give this anything but five stars?</p><p style="text-align: left;">*stay for two awesome post credit scenes*</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating:</b> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-52766926716347300452023-04-23T06:04:00.000+01:002023-04-23T06:04:29.889+01:00Evil Dead Rise Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPpZONAkQFrGJucC3NIpP0vr_JKjobqA5Xv0TF7M832XO42IgFB_fGMKOsg875nBSwy3kz3ik1pLI1SkpXLE3iPagNTsJFHNgjyoQNgUE5RtwpIFQFCzyHCmMnXLgnelHMRf4C5cjuR9KgKaR9Gyhwtd1mbP39Etn1Y_c6uiwyiW_A1nJp03FL9HA/s4032/6AA4D793-55B2-4B32-BB52-15257A8272CB.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhxPpZONAkQFrGJucC3NIpP0vr_JKjobqA5Xv0TF7M832XO42IgFB_fGMKOsg875nBSwy3kz3ik1pLI1SkpXLE3iPagNTsJFHNgjyoQNgUE5RtwpIFQFCzyHCmMnXLgnelHMRf4C5cjuR9KgKaR9Gyhwtd1mbP39Etn1Y_c6uiwyiW_A1nJp03FL9HA/s320/6AA4D793-55B2-4B32-BB52-15257A8272CB.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate: </b>18</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time:</b> 96 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring:</b> Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols, Nell Fisher</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> Lee Cronin</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story:</b> When a group of siblings discover a mysterious book, they have no idea of the hell that is about to be unleashed upon their unsuspecting family.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> For the majority of my life I have avoided horror films like the plague. The few I had the misfortune of watching growing up, did their job aptly by horrifying me. So if anyone had told me that one day I’d count horror as one of my favourite genres, I’d have laughed (albeit nervously).</p><p style="text-align: left;">I mention the above because when I first saw the trailer for Evil Dead Rise, I was transported back to my pre-horror self. The trailer was terrifying enough - <i>this might be a step too far </i>I thought. Who was I kidding though? Of course I found myself seated in a screening, ready to watch through my fingers if I had to. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Evil Dead Rise opens with one of my favourite title reveals of possibly all time. The film starts as it means to go on and those familiar with the franchise will know that this means blood, gore and violence.</p><p style="text-align: left;">With that in mind, if you are adverse to gore heavy horror then this might not be the one for you. There were definitely several times when I visibly winced and a few times when I averted my eyes. The practical effects and makeup are brilliant and the audience in my screening reacted audibly. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The cast is really great in this. There is a mix of more established actors along with a few newcomers and the dynamics between them all worked really well. I liked that the story focused on two sisters and a family rather than the typical group of mates at a cabin. The change of location from a cabin in the woods to an apartment building also worked really well. Overall, Evil Dead Rise gets it spot on both visually and tonally.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Whilst Evil Dead Rise is full on and bloody, and truthfully a bit gross - I had a great time watching it. I was engaged, enthralled and disgusted throughout. I think the film also works well in terms of having enough to appease long time fans but similarly being completely accessible for newcomers. I’m not really a fan of The Evil Dead but I really enjoyed this - if being slightly traumatised can be enjoyable!</p><p style="text-align: left;">Not one for the horror non-fans or indeed those weak of stomach, but for the hardcore then go and cringe and have fun! Best title card of the year so far and best gory horror of the year so far too!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating:</b> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-1614493662688643392023-04-06T03:44:00.000+01:002023-04-06T03:44:48.932+01:00Rye Lane Review <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJUXAWaoOJrWY12dvn-hGUJVbsz7liKlnmmrqXHOmPfRXcd6XS4OqtypeKHSk0BZQ8xtV0AuTAnfqRZhSvxm8AU-nhk8rdEzpUcB6X40mfj9qDPR5q6QKWivF3pz6AWR4tPcvuVaReNumjJwanVI0YfYJms1TgahUgHdgJHwSJ-H9QKAW_ZpQjluN/s915/D2856F32-2516-497F-A110-F0EA9D9877D9.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="915" data-original-width="608" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVJUXAWaoOJrWY12dvn-hGUJVbsz7liKlnmmrqXHOmPfRXcd6XS4OqtypeKHSk0BZQ8xtV0AuTAnfqRZhSvxm8AU-nhk8rdEzpUcB6X40mfj9qDPR5q6QKWivF3pz6AWR4tPcvuVaReNumjJwanVI0YfYJms1TgahUgHdgJHwSJ-H9QKAW_ZpQjluN/s320/D2856F32-2516-497F-A110-F0EA9D9877D9.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate: </b>15</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time:</b> 82 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring: </b>David Jonsson, Vivian Oparah, Karene Peter, Benjamin Sarpong-Broni</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> Raine Allen-Miller</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story:</b> Two twenty- somethings, both getting over breakups in their own way, find a connection over one fateful day in South London.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> Forget your multiverses and multiple timelines, set aside your blockbuster budgets and CGI - sometimes what an audience really needs is a simple story done really well. And Rye Lane is just that and a whole lot more. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Yas and Dom’s day begins with a meet-cute in some unisex toilets, of all places. Dom is crying and wants privacy, Yas points out that it isn’t the most private of places and just like that the audience is immediately on board with this likeable pair. </p><p style="text-align: left;">What follows is a day of getting to know each other as they navigate their newly broken hearts. With the crying and the pain of broken relationships, Rye Lane might sound like a melancholy affair but oh how it’s not. I grinned and laughed my way through the entire film. Rye Lane is funny, it’s sweet and it’s keenly observed so that it’s incredibly relatable.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Visually, the film is such a treat. Rye Lane is bursting with colour and vibrancy in every shot. The use of a fish eye lens is used effectively to create a feeling of intimacy and personality. I felt like I was along for the ride and throughout Rye Lane is fluid and well paced - the running time absolutely flew by.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Rye Lane boasts a great cast and David Jonsson and Vivian Oparah have great chemistry. They are two characters that you really root for and their romance feels authentic and believable. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Overall, an absolutely joyous film. Fun, tender, life affirming - this is what all rom-coms should be. A fabulous debut from Raine Allen-Miller.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating: </b>⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half </p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-68914422752296651522023-04-05T15:46:00.002+01:002023-04-05T15:46:16.809+01:00Winne the Pooh: Blood and Honey Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUGs3XC_bA6PvKbPCAYFHEqMw0y2P0Wp-RYaK1swx4rg1s5O-8ROg4XeXrPdAQrT5P531Dvr3XC5H9_18yv0B6vltaW_f_xeYQVqU0d0jPQwB-eRh-gu0Hw_8pdUg7qGOvqAo9kBGt-pzwFfAHLl09ykNRbg6wOwI1jBL2MlqtAZ0qMYAUHAmF5zy-/s924/F3E3AF06-B70C-4387-BE5C-59E7F1A14D7B.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="924" data-original-width="617" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUGs3XC_bA6PvKbPCAYFHEqMw0y2P0Wp-RYaK1swx4rg1s5O-8ROg4XeXrPdAQrT5P531Dvr3XC5H9_18yv0B6vltaW_f_xeYQVqU0d0jPQwB-eRh-gu0Hw_8pdUg7qGOvqAo9kBGt-pzwFfAHLl09ykNRbg6wOwI1jBL2MlqtAZ0qMYAUHAmF5zy-/s320/F3E3AF06-B70C-4387-BE5C-59E7F1A14D7B.jpeg" width="214" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate:</b> 18</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time:</b> 84 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring:</b> Nikolai Leon, Maria Taylor, Craig David Dowsett, Chris Cordell </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> Rhys Frake-Waterfield</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story: </b>Pooh and Piglet seek revenge after their friend Christopher Robin abandons then to go to college.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> Filmmaking is no easy business. You need lots of funds and lots of sandwiches, and all manner of other things. With that thought in mind, and knowing the independent roots of this project, I tried very hard throughout this to look for the positives.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey opens with an animated sequence which is actually really well done. A narrator sets the scene and everything has a very storybook like feel. We then switch to live action as we meet Christopher Robin returning to the One Hundred Acre Woods with his wife. There is an underlying feeling of foreboding and the audience eagerly awaits the moment Christopher Robin will be reunited with his childhood friends - so far, so good. </p><p style="text-align: left;">At this point, we are probably ten to fifteen minutes into the eighty-four minute film and that is also the point in which I ran out of positives. As soon as the titular character makes an appearance, Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey becomes a mess of a film. </p><p style="text-align: left;">To start with, the story itself is weak. The premise of childhood or imaginary friends being abandoned and that abandonment turning into something sinister is a great one but this angle is very quickly abandoned itself. Instead the film is predominantly focused on a group of girls who go to stay in the woods and become the target of the murderous Pooh and Piglet. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Maria, who is trying to move past a horrific incident with a stalker, rents a house with a group of her friends on the suggestion of her therapist (worse therapist in the world it turns out). There is little to know about these girls and I guess it doesn’t really matter as they begin to get gruesomely killed one by one. As the girls are murdered in increasingly horrible ways, the film devolves into torture porn and becomes just a terribly sexiest, derivative and painful watch.</p><p style="text-align: left;">There are baffling details as well such as a random “gas station” in the woods where the owner appears to be an American hillbilly - highly unlikely in East Sussex. Poor Maria is given a horrifying backstory (the only character who even gets the hint of one) and yet this backstory only serves as a reason for her to be in the woods. If you’re hoping for female empowerment, any semblance of justice or indeed for a female character to still be breathing come the credits then you’re in the wrong place. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Pooh and Piglet themselves are two men in masks. In all fairness, the masks are well made and certainly horror-esque. And of course it would be unfair to expect an independent, low budget film to have the resources to create actual monsters. However, there is not even much of an attempt to make them creature like. They move like humans and the masks are very static so very quickly the effect wears off. This isn’t Pooh and Piglet, it’s two blokes. This all might be slightly bearable if Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey was at least engaging - frankly it’s actually a bit boring.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Winnie the Pooh: Blood and Honey has been critically panned, however it has been a box office success so the very worse thing of all? It’s getting a sequel. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating: </b>⭐️</p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-49697280498557365242023-04-02T01:08:00.000+01:002023-04-02T01:08:19.638+01:00Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdB18olzzq5ySmupqOONxzZyD8Df2KFTDbxaeLNsSJMJinSmL_ET50AFIuz7-ivBshmzcuR1bvftXt_lcOyLb78GOM4V9xQIUrRn-uTv4MAd00pvT9lGg2zKWwTNi8DoCCRMf0yW1gqracx_RrjtbZyUowuzjHZH2pZoCIjiOfI4zHb-DJ_3dxmIe2/s749/9424F855-8DFB-4ACD-860A-320465850716.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="546" data-original-width="749" height="233" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdB18olzzq5ySmupqOONxzZyD8Df2KFTDbxaeLNsSJMJinSmL_ET50AFIuz7-ivBshmzcuR1bvftXt_lcOyLb78GOM4V9xQIUrRn-uTv4MAd00pvT9lGg2zKWwTNi8DoCCRMf0yW1gqracx_RrjtbZyUowuzjHZH2pZoCIjiOfI4zHb-DJ_3dxmIe2/s320/9424F855-8DFB-4ACD-860A-320465850716.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate:</b> 12A</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time: </b>134 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring: </b>Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez, Regé-Jean Page, Justice Smith, Sophia Lillis, Hugh all Grant</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> John Francis Daley, Jonathan M. Goldstein</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story:</b> A group of adventurers embark upon a quest to retrieve a lost relic. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> I am of the opinion that the world needs more fantasy films and so what could be better than a film based on the most quintessential of fantasy games - Dungeons and Dragons. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Chris Pine leads our story and he is in winsome mode as a bard along with Michelle Rodriguez as his no nonsense, Barbarian best friend. They are joined by Justice Smith as an insecure sorcerer and Sophia Lillis as a distrustful Druid. </p><p style="text-align: left;">As with the game, the film brings together a ragtag team of characters all with their own unique personalities, abilities and backstories. With this blend of characters, it is easy for everyone to have a favourite to root for and overall I really liked the chemistry between the intrepid adventurers.</p><p style="text-align: left;">With the game in mind, Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves has lots of recognisable elements and references for those familiar with the tabletop, role playing phenomenon. However, for those not so familiar, rest assured that it won’t ruin your experience and you don’t need to swot up on the game before seeing the film.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Dungeons and Dragons: Honor Among Thieves whips along at a great pace. It is a fun romp of a film, never taking itself too seriously and providing lots of laughs along the way. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Whilst the main characters are great, the supporting characters might arguably be even better and in particular Hugh Grant and Regé-Jean Page are the highlight of every scene they are in.</p><p style="text-align: left;">If I had any complaint with the film, it would probably be that the storytelling was slightly clunky at times and the CGI was perhaps a bit shonky. However, the film’s tone and overall lightheartedness meant that these criticisms were easy to overlook. </p><p style="text-align: left;">A fun, entertaining and family friendly fantasy franchise would not go amiss in cinema right now and Dungeons and Dragons could be just the ticket. I’d happily watch a sequel.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating:</b> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-63698205262848649652023-03-20T16:44:00.000+00:002023-03-20T16:44:12.077+00:00Shazam! Fury of the Gods Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-9x1Q0cIhdWA2SuJY-ToWtH2iswfs07AvgBXD03AoV80fNR5NWfPWVs5l8VnzG1VvY91Y_RFTGQRrWVhJMom--cN-DTfDe3mTrDbnzHlXBBf3PhFcgzoEP5pcl0CY5dQpC5hPV5rDm2Y0xog-VHytCptzbhuuE0ZzFXjBPsXAtTgZDSuzuVaYUJ4/s919/79A9A3FA-7A53-4BED-9FF9-26FE6860B2B3.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="919" data-original-width="617" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhK-9x1Q0cIhdWA2SuJY-ToWtH2iswfs07AvgBXD03AoV80fNR5NWfPWVs5l8VnzG1VvY91Y_RFTGQRrWVhJMom--cN-DTfDe3mTrDbnzHlXBBf3PhFcgzoEP5pcl0CY5dQpC5hPV5rDm2Y0xog-VHytCptzbhuuE0ZzFXjBPsXAtTgZDSuzuVaYUJ4/s320/79A9A3FA-7A53-4BED-9FF9-26FE6860B2B3.jpeg" width="215" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate: </b>12A</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time:</b> 130 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring:</b> Zachary Levy, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, Adam Brody, Rachel Zegler</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> David F. Sandberg</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story: </b>Billy Batson and his superhero siblings return to take on the vengeful sisters of Atlas.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict: </b>When reviewing a film, it can sometimes be tempting to follow the crowd. If the majority of other reviews dislike a film then you can begin to doubt yourself. Did I see the same film as everyone else? Am I missing something? Am I seeing something that’s not there? However, I have never let other reviews sway me and I have no intention of doing that now. I’m sure you can guess what this preamble is leading up to. And yes you’re correct - I loved Shazam! Fury of the Gods (hereafter Shazam 2).</p><p style="text-align: left;">The first film was a great surprise for me. I wasn’t expecting much and was won over by the comedic elements and fun characters. The second instalment follows suit and again this was a film in which I was smiling throughout. </p><p style="text-align: left;">One of the things I liked most about Shazam 2 was the addition of Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu. Firstly, their characters are drawn from Greek mythology which I absolutely love. Secondly, I really enjoyed seeing Mirren and Liu in roles like this. Make no mistake, these are cheesy, wink to the camera roles but that is exactly what Shazam 2 is all about. I think you either embrace it wholeheartedly and enjoy it or you let it annoy you - I was obviously the former.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Shazam 2 finds Billy at a bit of a crossroads. He has these amazing powers that he’s shared with his siblings but what exactly should they be doing with them? He’s also worried that they’re all growing apart as they grow up and their interests change. I liked that a large part of the film was about Billy’s fear of abandonment and how that might look if you also happened to be a superhero.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Shazam 2 is also about family. The superheroes are a family, the villains are a family and regardless of whether you’re a goodie or a baddie - family dynamics are hard. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Whilst Shazam 2 certainly has its issues and flaws. For example, at one point there was, for all intents and purposes, a Skittles commercial. I found so much more to like about it than to hate. I loved how a character coming out was handled, I loved the misdirection of a certain cameo and I loved the post credits scenes too.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Shazam 2 made me laugh and smile. It was a really engaging, easy and enjoyable watch and was great fun in the cinema. I vote for a sequel!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating: </b>⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-40737876758935761952023-02-25T23:47:00.000+00:002023-02-25T23:47:34.376+00:00Cocaine Bear Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzVGmBdGOOhON4qpTsLQDoquJwZL65EpGaa_yiGJs7WCJn8tjt6Ztp1D_lcG4PsYrWCtMLKIKprzglkcECJjcs8GP2HllLqFlesYG205TjerXFvgXTQqEEhvwyzJ1bL1UjJoez2GejSsIR78IE7xl8erlcEoond40HJ5drhaPzPAUlB3Xt2lmbXXpr/s3005/5DB32700-E7FA-4718-9E86-E95481DB5DA5.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="2575" data-original-width="3005" height="274" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzVGmBdGOOhON4qpTsLQDoquJwZL65EpGaa_yiGJs7WCJn8tjt6Ztp1D_lcG4PsYrWCtMLKIKprzglkcECJjcs8GP2HllLqFlesYG205TjerXFvgXTQqEEhvwyzJ1bL1UjJoez2GejSsIR78IE7xl8erlcEoond40HJ5drhaPzPAUlB3Xt2lmbXXpr/s320/5DB32700-E7FA-4718-9E86-E95481DB5DA5.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate: </b>15</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time:</b> 95 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring:</b> Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Alden Ehrenreich, Ray Liotta, Margo Martindale, Brooklyn Prince, Christian Convery</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> Elizabeth Banks</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story:</b> When a black bear ingests a whole load of cocaine, it goes on a murderous rampage through the forest.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> I have tried to start this review on a serious note several times and each time have ended up laughing. Whilst I could attempt to attribute some kind of poignancy and importance to this film or find some kind of metaphorical meaning within all the insanity of it all - truthfully that would be slightly disingenuous. Make no mistake, this film is exactly what it says on the tin. And guess what? It’s brilliant.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Before anyone jumps to any conclusions, when I say ‘brilliant,’ I don’t mean that it’s awards worthy. Rather, it’s arguably the most fun I’ve had at the cinema so far this year. Cocaine Bear is like an adrenaline shot of fun. Of course it’s silly and implausible and every other synonym you can think of for those words. But it’s also funny and entertaining and gloriously gory.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I really liked all the characters and the performances. Sometimes in these types of films, the characters are just as stupid as the scenarios and you end up rooting for them to get eaten by a shark/dinosaur/bear. However, this wasn’t the case in Cocaine Bear and the motley crew of forest dwellers all provided entertainment in different ways. I even enjoyed the bear’s performance!</p><p style="text-align: left;">Cocaine Bear’s ninety-five minutes running time also works in its favour and, much like the bear, it bounds along. This also means it doesn’t outstay its welcome.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Overall, this film was a great surprise for me. I went in expecting to spend more time rolling my eyes than anything else and came out with a massive grin on my face. I don’t endorse drugs but I do endorse Cocaine Bear!</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating: </b>⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-9726438435839870742023-02-17T21:54:00.002+00:002023-02-17T21:54:41.377+00:00Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7nQ5mz8H36orm8ljb5fL_0c5scnEMqTO2c0Fs4UHpQIRpNg1gGZ0Ys8sSAluFVtYSRli3oivQjzjg1t5whupX9ZNsREWw2kjc9U0fMWqd53BXS7z-QBiwlFNUXAgb7go734MVUiooI2_O2GiV3w-5NjGkA9u_rvNRyLVQqBvDpo7Z5C_V__-cC7li/s4032/0294D7AB-14C2-46F4-9A6B-92D92FA8A6CA.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7nQ5mz8H36orm8ljb5fL_0c5scnEMqTO2c0Fs4UHpQIRpNg1gGZ0Ys8sSAluFVtYSRli3oivQjzjg1t5whupX9ZNsREWw2kjc9U0fMWqd53BXS7z-QBiwlFNUXAgb7go734MVUiooI2_O2GiV3w-5NjGkA9u_rvNRyLVQqBvDpo7Z5C_V__-cC7li/s320/0294D7AB-14C2-46F4-9A6B-92D92FA8A6CA.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Certificate: </b>12A</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Running time: </b>124 minutes </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Starring:</b> Paul Rudd, Evangeline Lily, Michelle Pfeiffer, Michael Douglas, Kathryn Newton, Jonathan Majors</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> Peyton Reed</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The story:</b> Scott Lang and his newfound family find themselves flung into the quantum realm, where they must face a powerful new villain.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> There are two undeniable truths about the Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania (hereafter shortened to Quantumania). The first is that this is not a film that stands out as one of the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s finest’s. Quantumania is a filler film, designed as an interim to provide a little bit more backstory and a stopgap before the next really big battles kick off. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The next undeniable truth is that, in spite of the above, Quantumania is an entertaining and thoroughly enjoyable watch. Sure it’s unlikely to be a treasured MCU favourite for anyone and truthfully it probably won’t even prove particularly memorable come year’s end. However, that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t have its positives.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First of all, Quantumania is funny. There’s lots of jokes and laugh out loud moments. The cast of characters is also really likeable. Essentially the Langs and the Van Dynes/Pym have come together as a kind of dysfunctional but loving family, and the dynamic between them all is great to watch. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Unsurprisingly, as with most MCU instalments, Quantumania is CGI heavy. However, I really enjoyed the visuals of the Quantum realm and the shift towards a much more sci-fi feel. At times I felt like I was watching the type of characters, creatures and ships that would be seen in something more like Star Wars. As a massive Star Wars fan, I loved that.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Above all that, I just found Quantumania such an easygoing and stress free watch. Whilst there are MCU films that I would rate far, far higher than this one, strangely I can see Quantumania as an MCU instalment that I return to multiple times. It’s a couple of hours of good, easy fun - no more, no less.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><b>The rating:</b> ⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half </div><br /><p></p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-60929473300830863672023-02-06T09:36:00.001+00:002023-02-06T09:36:31.707+00:00Knock at the Cabin Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7DHc4K4r4FMBCJ8ZHTCYlu7JDTNOgObXK642Gfuzx_7AI3O2wxr3lKf4YRIM4yzM6f02wF1cWDdnnU2XG3DIxrJopAi0aBWYoTLNKDJf3pXGLsL10iFGJkgzhL4do6FgZMSgJW0ub1G791R-DXXTxdvQvGxO8G0BMABINIK4-qEeie-vHKDjqw8_/s701/3ABAAE10-0800-41F6-B807-FE67E41BDB06.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="701" height="256" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb7DHc4K4r4FMBCJ8ZHTCYlu7JDTNOgObXK642Gfuzx_7AI3O2wxr3lKf4YRIM4yzM6f02wF1cWDdnnU2XG3DIxrJopAi0aBWYoTLNKDJf3pXGLsL10iFGJkgzhL4do6FgZMSgJW0ub1G791R-DXXTxdvQvGxO8G0BMABINIK4-qEeie-vHKDjqw8_/s320/3ABAAE10-0800-41F6-B807-FE67E41BDB06.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate:</b> 15</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time: </b>100 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring: </b>Dave Bautista, Ben Aldridge, Jonathan Groff, Kristen Cui, Nikki Amuka-Bird, Abby Quinn, Rupert Grint</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> M. Night Shyamalan</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story: </b>A vacation at a remote cabin turns into a nightmare for one family when four strangers come knocking.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> <span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;">Could you kill the person you loved most in the world if it meant saving all of humanity? This</span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"> </span><span style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto; direction: ltr;">impossible question is just one of many in M. Night Shyamalan’s latest film, Knock at the <span style="direction: ltr;">Cabin. </span></span></p><div id="pc1" style="-webkit-text-size-adjust: auto;"><div id="p1" name="p1"><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;">Taking place in the confines of an idyllic looking cabin in the woods, Knock at the Cabin sees <span style="direction: ltr;">a family enjoying a peaceful retreat when they are interrupted by a knock at the door. Four <span style="direction: ltr;">strangers have emerged from within the trees and they need the family to help avert the <span style="direction: ltr;">apocalypse by making an unthinkable sacrifice. </span></span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;"><br /></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;">Whilst the film may appear at first to be rather streamlined and straightforward, Knock at the <span style="direction: ltr;">Cabin is not just your average apocalyptic thriller, presenting a series of destructive events <span style="direction: ltr;">and watching the characters try to stay alive. Instead this is a film which presents the idea of <span style="direction: ltr;">an apocalypse and instead the characters are tasked with preventing it. </span></span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><br /></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;"><span style="direction: ltr;">Those familiar with Shyamalan’s work will be well aware that appearances can be deceptive <span style="direction: ltr;">and that he is well known for his thought provoking and richly thematic films. Knock at the <span style="direction: ltr;">Cabin follows in much the same vein and the film is brimming with metaphors, moral <span style="direction: ltr;">dilemmas and theology. Throughout, the audience will constantly ask themselves - what <span style="direction: ltr;">would I do? Could I do what the characters before me are being asked to do? <br /></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><br /></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;"><span style="direction: ltr;">The audience is not alone in their pondering as the characters are also tested throughout. <span style="direction: ltr;">Each character is having some kind of crisis of faith and each of them is being tested in a <span style="direction: ltr;">different way - this all under the umbrella of the an impending apocalypse. One of the most <span style="direction: ltr;">interesting elements of Knock at the Cabin is that the family at the centre of it, couple Eric <span style="direction: ltr;">and Andrew and their adopted daughter Wen, are a family so unfortunately used to hate and <span style="direction: ltr;">prejudice but they are being asked to believe fully in humanity and their redemption. This <span style="direction: ltr;">evokes so many questions and ideas about how we treat others, forgiveness and the burden <span style="direction: ltr;">placed upon those who are kind and good versus the inculpability of those who do bad and <span style="direction: ltr;">are unkind. <br /></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><br /></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;"><span style="direction: ltr;">Meanwhile, amongst all this, both the characters’ and the audience’s minds are being <span style="direction: ltr;">constantly played with. What is real versus what is true? Whether that particular question is <span style="direction: ltr;">ever answered is open to debate. <br /></span></span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><br /></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;"><span style="direction: ltr;">Knock at the Cabin boasts some great performances. Jonathan Groff and Ben Aldridge are <span style="direction: ltr;">terrific as the couple caught up in an inconceivable nightmare, as is Kristen Cui as their <span style="direction: ltr;">daughter Wen. Elsewhere, Dave Bautista really stood out as softly spoken and deeply <span style="direction: ltr;">regretful Leonard. <br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><br /></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;"><span style="direction: ltr;">Technically, Knock at the Cabin is also really strong. Set primarily in one location, the film <span style="direction: ltr;">could have felt claustrophobic, but it never does. Shyamalan makes masterful use of framing <span style="direction: ltr;">and the use of techniques like Snorri-cam add fun. <br /></span></span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><br /></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;"><span style="direction: ltr;">As seems to be the case with most of Shyamalan’s work, Knock at the Cabin will likely prove <span style="direction: ltr;">divisive. However, naysayers should not be too quick to discount it. Knock at the Cabin is a <span style="direction: ltr;">tense, intriguing and provocative thriller. It is also a poignant and thoughtful story about <span style="direction: ltr;">family and the lengths we go to protect those we love. Could you make the ultimate sacrifice to prevent the apocalypse? Undoubtedly, a tricky question. Should you go and see Knock at the Cabin. Well, the answer to that one is much easier - yes you should.</span></span></span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><b>The rating:</b> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</span></span></span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><br /></span></span></span></span></div><div style="direction: ltr; margin-top: 5px;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><span style="direction: ltr;"><span style="direction: ltr;">*The above review was also published on The People’s Movies*</span></span></span></span></div></div></div>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-4831671511039695852023-02-01T07:54:00.003+00:002023-02-01T07:54:27.233+00:00The Fabelmans Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSkZLF9hBAMFxMgsLhhv1aVAERcDIoTZ3cMksGla7xFJQL7nfPkDAbT1CjJaVg0dVR9j3MiqZrbJGImCnRBZ45ILmasKx4jyLZiL1hozNPGTK_Mb7MNkdi6niZ2V5sS0z_s4rPQGiwHdSBqLKM-3LLrbeNWCfRim55FfBw89kHGdRgbvrziQPejqsx/s1002/63AA7EC6-4F65-41A0-8098-84860F4D9C38.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1002" data-original-width="750" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSkZLF9hBAMFxMgsLhhv1aVAERcDIoTZ3cMksGla7xFJQL7nfPkDAbT1CjJaVg0dVR9j3MiqZrbJGImCnRBZ45ILmasKx4jyLZiL1hozNPGTK_Mb7MNkdi6niZ2V5sS0z_s4rPQGiwHdSBqLKM-3LLrbeNWCfRim55FfBw89kHGdRgbvrziQPejqsx/s320/63AA7EC6-4F65-41A0-8098-84860F4D9C38.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate:</b> 12A</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time:</b> 151 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring:</b> Michelle Williams, Paul Dano, Seth Rogen, Gabriel LaBelle, Judd Hirsch</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by: </b>Steven Spielberg</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story: </b>Sammy Fabelman discovers his love of film just as a shattering family secret comes to light.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> Last year Kenneth Branagh impressed audiences with Belfast, a love letter to his childhood and cinema. Now comes Steven Spielberg’s own ode to the very same and just as Belfast did before it, The Fabelmans has earned several Oscar nominations including one for Best Picture.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The Fabelmans boasts a plethora of great performances. Michelle Williams’ performance has garnered the most award’s attention, however I enjoyed Gabriel LaBelle’s performance most. LaBelle plays Sammy and there is something incredibly endearing about him throughout. I also related to him the most as someone who sees cinema as something of great wonder and as a source of happiness.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The Fabelmans is a coming of age but it is also a drama about family dynamics. A lot has been made about The Fabelmans being a film about cinema, but I think that at its heart that this is really a film about the love a boy has for his mother. With that in mind, I found that The Fabelmans made me feel quite emotional as I thought about the love I have for my own mum.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Whilst I was enjoying The Fabelmans a lot whilst I was watching it, throughout I did wonder whether the film would have garnered anywhere near the same critical acclaim if it wasn’t made by Spielberg. This is a deeply personal film and it may have been considered slightly alienating if it had been made by an unknown director.</p><p style="text-align: left;">However, come its parting shots, I admit that my mind had been changed. Rather than seeing this film as a slightly indulgent project from Spielberg, I instead thought how wonderful it all was. How wonderful that Spielberg has had the career to be able to do this and how wonderful that a little boy’s love of film and of his family led to this. </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating: </b>⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-33799087445903238012023-01-16T19:25:00.000+00:002023-01-16T19:25:15.015+00:00Empire of Light Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBwDc28Hj-WWW8ZNWkJHdAmIxX--Jrj1oBVDqh8XfnwNBQjSNPlKpoMyLtRiQKk8RmyYlFZCwy2knbnJtVhh8OXbBC2ndss5f68Fd_MzwmOA7Kf4LK8hg1109Q2v_Vq83MNYa9oMJWcU0id_P1RW4xVqqGzayh6p4TO9sApTETcrTf7CGGflUp2pk/s895/2D3D818C-7D03-407D-844B-FBED097AFBEC.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="895" data-original-width="662" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbBwDc28Hj-WWW8ZNWkJHdAmIxX--Jrj1oBVDqh8XfnwNBQjSNPlKpoMyLtRiQKk8RmyYlFZCwy2knbnJtVhh8OXbBC2ndss5f68Fd_MzwmOA7Kf4LK8hg1109Q2v_Vq83MNYa9oMJWcU0id_P1RW4xVqqGzayh6p4TO9sApTETcrTf7CGGflUp2pk/s320/2D3D818C-7D03-407D-844B-FBED097AFBEC.jpeg" width="237" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate:</b> 15</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time:</b> 115 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring: </b>Olivia Colman, Michael Ward, Toby Jones, Colin Firth, Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodie, Hannah Onslow, Crystal Clarke</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> Sam Mendes</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story:</b> Against the backdrop of an old cinema on the South coast of England in the 1980’s, an unlikely romance begins.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> An explosion of colours against an inky black sky. Two characters silhouetted as they gaze skyward in awe and wonder at the spectacle of fireworks above them. Slowly their eyes meet and something passes between them - whatever problems face them, and in spite of all their differences, they have found something beautiful. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The latest offering from Sam Mendes has received mixed reviews and a fair amount of criticism. Whilst Empire of Light may not rank amongst the very best the director has to offer, I found so much to love about it.</p><p style="text-align: left;">For a start, it’s shot beautifully. Of course with Roger Deakins behind the camera, that’s no surprise. But gosh - there were certain scenes that were so perfectly framed and wonderfully lit that my heart felt like it might burst.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I went into Empire of Light not knowing much about the story and so I didn’t realise just quite how sombering the film would be. Make no mistake, it looks beautiful and there are moments of humour and camaraderie, however Empire of Light deals with incredibly serious issues and I left the cinema feeling thoughtful as well as slightly sad. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The cast is fantastic and in particular Olivia Colman and Michael Ward were brilliant. Empire of Light is about disconnected people finding a connection and both Colman and Ward were highly empathetic. </p><p style="text-align: left;">At the heart of the film is an underlying love of not only cinema but of the institution itself. The historic building in which our characters work is symbolic of so much and above all becomes the place which provides a kind of sanctuary and a place where magic happens. For as long as I can remember, this is how I have viewed the cinema and in one scene in which a character watches a film and is utterly transformed is exactly how I have so often felt whilst in the darkness of a screening.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Empire of Light is by no means a perfect film. It is at times depressing and some of the themes feel under explored. But it has enough small moments of excellence and is so well shot and performed that I could easily look past its flaws. In time I know will return to it and again be transported to that place and time where cinema brought together two lost souls.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating: </b>⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-55179276965244262402023-01-15T03:57:00.001+00:002023-01-15T03:57:45.043+00:00M3GAN Review <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1IeqMKuYPiXhNTNg0Zt7aJkJYOYGRyqWD2ZrR8nv3os8reytNv1v7jusLioEffcchhXoklmkigltjskolX_-81Y2Em-8LOCfoSk-tMbHwYu1ha4QPQkUcYM9Ja0S6GXJh3W0iBOXod-yhiiT2Vltjqs6OvqpfNbrs2B7R3-Tsmok3zCdcjP2VCIY/s928/5F9610FB-A704-43CB-8354-4A7776889861.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="928" data-original-width="608" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_1IeqMKuYPiXhNTNg0Zt7aJkJYOYGRyqWD2ZrR8nv3os8reytNv1v7jusLioEffcchhXoklmkigltjskolX_-81Y2Em-8LOCfoSk-tMbHwYu1ha4QPQkUcYM9Ja0S6GXJh3W0iBOXod-yhiiT2Vltjqs6OvqpfNbrs2B7R3-Tsmok3zCdcjP2VCIY/s320/5F9610FB-A704-43CB-8354-4A7776889861.jpeg" width="210" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate: </b>15</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time: </b>102 minutes</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring: </b>Allison Williams, Violet McGraw, Jenna Davis, Amie Donald, Jen Van Epps, Brian Jordan Alvarez, Ronny Chieng</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by: </b>Gerard Johnstone</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story:</b> When a talented roboticist uses AI to design the latest new toy, she has no idea just how advanced her invention will become.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> In recent months, I have purposely avoided watching as many film trailers as I used to. I love to be surprised by films and we’re all well aware of ‘trailer syndrome’ - an affliction in which trailers pretty much lay out the entire film in the trailer, making audiences feel like they’ve already seen the film and ruining reveals etc. The one place where I haven’t avoided trailers is of course the cinema itself and indeed I saw M3GAN’s trailer on a previous cinema outing. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The reason I mention the above is because M3GAN is a film in which the trailer pretty much lays out the film. M3GAN does exactly what it says on the tin and not a lot more. However, and this is a significant however - M3GAN may be one of the few films where none of that matters. Whilst M3GAN may not be the most original or shocking horror, it is a blooming fun time.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Bringing to mind a sort of Ex Machina for tweens or a Child’s Play for the iPad generation, M3GAN is much more akin to a horror comedy and those hoping for real scares won’t find them here. The film was re-cut relatively late to allow it to attract a teenage audience and I think you can tell. Apparently an uncut version is due to be released later, and I think it will be interesting to see just how gory it originally went. This is not to say that M3GAN doesn’t have effective horror elements, but these predominantly come from the inherent creepiness of M3GAN herself (which I’m a little nervous to write because you <i>don’t</i> want to upset M3GAN).</p><p style="text-align: left;">M3GAN engaged me from the very start and I was thoroughly entertained throughout. M3GAN does lean into several issues - our reliance on technology, technology as a replacement for human interaction, playing god, machines rising up etc. However, I felt that the main takeaway from the film was its entertainment value rather than anything more profound. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I’ve really struggled with a rating for this film. Whilst I don’t necessarily think it will prove particularly memorable, and I can’t imagine it will be a film I’ll single out come the end of the year. On the flip side to that, I had so much fun watching it and smiled throughout. I can also see myself returning to it as an easy watch horror comedy, and thus it has strong rewatchability for me. </p><p style="text-align: left;">With that being said, this rating is one that may very well change. M3GAN won’t be the best horror of the year but it’s a dang fun time at the cinema on a dreary January evening.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating: </b>⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half</p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-2202130183388344902023-01-08T04:45:00.005+00:002023-01-08T04:45:43.153+00:00A Man Called Otto Review <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZYLxDh35FRurhMZc2RIJO2cBHPUzHbX12RUylYeFkMuEaBBW5Ey6JyTHpVTwn-IulGuCielIwKbjj8nQ31hW1U9abX3rr5Rp6QxO4zUOD3Cgixx8M55izBkvSj6sYdv1MCh-wyAuz4vqhNDyMFpzuBcTr6Plin4vv3-NG8zbrUhEYKLJx-PjhDt5/s3486/FF0B4768-C2B7-4524-A58F-B9E62A59E005.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3023" data-original-width="3486" height="277" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLZYLxDh35FRurhMZc2RIJO2cBHPUzHbX12RUylYeFkMuEaBBW5Ey6JyTHpVTwn-IulGuCielIwKbjj8nQ31hW1U9abX3rr5Rp6QxO4zUOD3Cgixx8M55izBkvSj6sYdv1MCh-wyAuz4vqhNDyMFpzuBcTr6Plin4vv3-NG8zbrUhEYKLJx-PjhDt5/s320/FF0B4768-C2B7-4524-A58F-B9E62A59E005.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"> <b>Certificate: </b>15</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time: </b>126 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring: </b>Tom Hanks, Mariana Treviño, Rachel Keller, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, Truman Hanks</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> Marc Forster </p><p><b>The story:</b> Grumpy Otto Anderson is set in his ways and doesn’t like to get too involved with people - people are idiots. When a new family moves into his neighbourhood, Otto meets his match in Marisol and the unlikeliest of friendships begins. </p><p><b>The verdict:</b> There are two magic words which will immediately want to make me go and see any film, and those two magic words are Tom Hanks. No matter the project, Hanks’ involvement always piques my interest and A Man Called Otto was no different.</p><p>It seems almost pointless to say but Hanks was brilliant and it was good fun to watch him as such a bad tempered character. The supporting cast was also great and I particularly liked Mariana Treviño as Marisol.</p><p>A Man Called Otto is the second adaptation of the novel A Man Called Ove and a remake of the Swedish film of the same name. I have heard great things about both the novel and the Swedish adaptation, but must confess to having neither read the book nor seen the Swedish film. However, A Man Called Otto has definitely inspired me to remedy that.</p><p>There have been so many films that I have shed a tear to, but there have only been a handful of times in which I have sat in the cinema and completely broken down. A Man Called Otto didn’t just make me cry - it made me bawl. This was full on, shaking, tears streaming down my face crying.</p><p>On the surface of it, A Man Called Otto is arguably a reasonably formulaic film in which if I asked you what you think might happen based on the synopsis then you’d probably quite easily tell me. However, none of that mattered to me or affected my viewing in any way. I found the film to be incredibly poignant and significant.</p><p>A Man Called Otto is a film about life. It’s about the people we meet who push our lives in unexpected directions. It’s about the importance of friends and the effect of friendship. It’s about the passing of time and the realisation of time gone by, never to be returned. It’s about love, the loves of our lives and being in love. And perhaps most of all, it’s about loss, being lost and grief in all it’s overwhelming difficulty and how it can swallow us whole.</p><p>A Man Called Otto also recognises so many of the moments in life that may seem tiny but in fact are the moments that we look back on with the most happiness and longing. In one scene, a character reaches out to touch the hand of someone no longer there and it was in the moments like that where the tears flowed openly.</p><p>There was a profundity in this film that I find hard to put into words but became tangible as the film progressed. A Man Called Otto made me think about my own life and the people I love. And maybe this sounds excessive but it made me want to be a better person.</p><p>Sometimes there are films that you watch that just affect you greatly and it won’t be necessarily be the same for everyone. However, the greatest films are the ones in which you don’t feel quite the same as when you first walked into the cinema. A Man Called Otto spoke to me in a way that was incredibly personal and provoked so many emotions that I feel that I can only conclude that it was a pretty great film.</p><p><b>The rating: </b>⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half</p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-75884161633335084572022-12-20T15:27:00.001+00:002022-12-20T15:32:46.742+00:00Avatar: The Way of Water Review <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglYL2LqkMZbYGKXygVxDZQwSwjIoWj3eya_6r3N3NZzAm8-ld5VQ5dyU6QA3xs0yhJso2KAW6kZG19ED2BuYnNpkP1_xCZIjNXW9WrrQ2bKJF8pwdtowFjPSeJt_orC9QEfqa8rTM2TBz87JPHki9brRCXr32bnwPQOKuv5zbaR1Iy2wh6ve5TpvYe/s4032/9B4D69A7-37A5-484F-A0E8-6670251F4632.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEglYL2LqkMZbYGKXygVxDZQwSwjIoWj3eya_6r3N3NZzAm8-ld5VQ5dyU6QA3xs0yhJso2KAW6kZG19ED2BuYnNpkP1_xCZIjNXW9WrrQ2bKJF8pwdtowFjPSeJt_orC9QEfqa8rTM2TBz87JPHki9brRCXr32bnwPQOKuv5zbaR1Iy2wh6ve5TpvYe/s320/9B4D69A7-37A5-484F-A0E8-6670251F4632.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate: </b>12A</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time: </b>192 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring: </b>Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldaña, Sigourney Weaver, Stephen Lang, Kate Winslet, Jamie Flatters, Britain Dalton, Trinity Bliss, Jack Champion </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by: </b>James Cameron</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story: </b>Set many years after the events of Avatar, the sequel follows Jake and Neytiri’s family as they fight to keep each other safe.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict: </b>Full disclosure - I have never liked Avatar. I would even go so far as to say that I think it’s one of the most overhyped films of all time. So with that being said, I went into this film with zero expectations fully anticipating a long and frustrating watch with plenty of eye rolling. I could have not been more wrong.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Granted, in the first twenty minutes or so I wasn’t convinced and wondered if James Cameron might be the most self indulgent filmmaker of all time. But I’m more than happy to admit when I’m wrong and James I’m sorry - I was wrong. I realised quite quickly that I had gone from someone who had no interest in Pandora whatsoever to being completely invested in this fantastical world.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Of course the visuals help and as long as you’re not someone adverse to a lot of CGI and green screen, you will be utterly rapt by the spectacle before you. In particular the underwater scenes are really impressive and everything felt so rich and well imagined.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I think one of the elements that drew me in and helped change my feelings towards the Avatar universe was the way that the story had advanced from being predominantly centred on scientists and soldiers to being so focused on family and the lengths that family will go to to protect each other. Avatar: The Way of the Water is abundant in ecological issues and in the way that we are related to nature and everything around us. I admit I tried to fight against it and I certainly didn’t expect a blockbuster of this magnitude to evoke these feelings - but I found the film incredibly profound to the point of tears. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I also loved the new characters introduced. Perhaps it’s strange to find so much common ground with ten feet tall, blue aliens but the characters were empathetic and the family dynamics were so relatable and realistic. Human or Na’vi - we’re all the same and that’s an important lesson to remember.</p><p style="text-align: left;">It is probably fair to say that Avatar: The Way of Water could have been cut down slightly. However, I remained engaged throughout and not only engaged but utterly submerged and enthralled. </p><p style="text-align: left;">I have gone from someone who had no interest in returning to Pandora to now eagerly awaiting my next visit - now that’s the mark of a pretty great film.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating:</b> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half</p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-20483314083990935862022-12-16T14:40:00.000+00:002022-12-16T14:40:36.213+00:00Bones and All Review <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG70CEtcU9qUWBwSEEe1HQulumPrl_dwRJ2Uv8T4BNnzclubBHhWQHggI3_lgpVjyBMzLw2bewhgg9ifGZHusxJiG7RM0-XAw8fZSZPlCMzwkzxfluiaRwXTPaHrN23NyixcoAnEOOwQMAXUWLipCSWki-7JiWgXcrQ7TPGNYrO93I29INgp73squQ/s803/A5BB7868-09AE-48F8-9A0D-FCDC906D63DF.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="803" data-original-width="534" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhG70CEtcU9qUWBwSEEe1HQulumPrl_dwRJ2Uv8T4BNnzclubBHhWQHggI3_lgpVjyBMzLw2bewhgg9ifGZHusxJiG7RM0-XAw8fZSZPlCMzwkzxfluiaRwXTPaHrN23NyixcoAnEOOwQMAXUWLipCSWki-7JiWgXcrQ7TPGNYrO93I29INgp73squQ/s320/A5BB7868-09AE-48F8-9A0D-FCDC906D63DF.jpeg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate:</b> 18</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time:</b> 131 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring: </b>Taylor Russell, Timothée Chalamet, Mark Rylance, Anna Cobb, André Holland</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by: </b>Luca Guadagnino</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story: </b>Abandoned by her father, a young woman meets a drifter and together they embark on a journey together across the country to find her mother.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict: </b>Luca Guadagnino’s Call Me By Your Name is one of my favourite films of all time and so I went into this film with high expectations.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Happily, my expectations were more than met and possibly even exceeded. Bones and All is by no means the only film of its ilk and yet it felt incredibly unique. I came away with the feeling that I’d never seen a film quite like it before and even now it lingers.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Set in the eighties, Bones and All has a distinct look and feel. Shot on film in 35mm, the film looks timeless and beautiful. The location of the backroads of America adds to the tone and enhances the feeling of the characters’ isolation as the roads stretch out before them. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The performances are incredibly strong. Taylor Russell is great as a girl on the precipice of adulthood and Timothée Chalamet was brilliant as the drifter trying to show her the ways of the world. Mark Rylance managed to send shivers down my spine with his incredibly creepy performance and overall Bones and All had some of my favourite deliveries of lines in any release of this year.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Bones and All is definitely not a film for those weak of heart or of stomach. The film is pretty graphic and it is steeped in dark metaphors. Bones and All may have a romance at its centre but at its heart this is a film about the darker side of humankind and evil in it’s different forms. Bones and All explores morality, nature versus nurture, fate and the effect of trauma.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Bones and All is one of the most well put together and accomplished mishmashes of genres that I’ve ever seen. This film is a coming of age, a romance, a road trip movie, a horror and more besides. It is tragic, bloody, strange, evocative and it will make your skin crawl. Above that it is astoundingly good and I truly loved it.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating: </b>⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half</p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-36027944564105288512022-11-27T17:48:00.002+00:002022-11-27T17:48:37.727+00:00Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery Review <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdDn8-psKT2DWjzIe5Q6HE3brFENjqDmxSa5P15OPH31od8UtFl0sBg3s1qGP1tv8C1fIKpMRXw94adN56TePx_pOrnCLNrvv1fBdgNArv_zQrCf2H4ieAIK4S3xSkOitQ_YIknsq6phhDsj7LabPsn8DxR3jPeVn7GkiSIiZ4D3PgC-Bx8Sd_MAs/s750/D4DFF61F-6A94-4A41-B9D6-7A0F68B548F1.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="737" data-original-width="750" height="314" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiNdDn8-psKT2DWjzIe5Q6HE3brFENjqDmxSa5P15OPH31od8UtFl0sBg3s1qGP1tv8C1fIKpMRXw94adN56TePx_pOrnCLNrvv1fBdgNArv_zQrCf2H4ieAIK4S3xSkOitQ_YIknsq6phhDsj7LabPsn8DxR3jPeVn7GkiSIiZ4D3PgC-Bx8Sd_MAs/s320/D4DFF61F-6A94-4A41-B9D6-7A0F68B548F1.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate: </b>12A</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time: </b>139 minutes</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring: </b>Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr, Jessica Henwick</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> Rian Johnson</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story: </b>World class detective Benoit Blanc returns to solve another mystery, this time travelling to the Greek island of a billionaire tech mogul.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> I saw Knives Out in one of the most stony faced screenings I’d ever been in. I was the only person who laughed aloud and seemed engaged in the film, and as you can imagine it did rather affect my enjoyment of it. Subsequent rewatches proved to me that the film was just as great as I’d first thought. However, as I went into my screening of Glass Onion, I couldn’t help but be apprehensive that this might again turn out to be another impassive audience. In fact the complete opposite occurred and even in our small screening, laughter filled the theatre throughout.</p><p style="text-align: left;">This time the action brings Benoit Blanc to the sun-drenched climes of Greece. As with the autumnal tones of Knives Out, the setting plays a pivotal part in the film’s visuals. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The cast of characters was great and there were satirical elements to all of them which added to the fun. Daniel Craig was even better this time and I can really see Benoit Blanc in a whole slew of films and becoming a long term favourite detective. The rest of the cast was great too and overall this was a brilliant ensemble cast. There are also some excellent cameos and one in particular almost had me cheering.</p><p style="text-align: left;">As the title suggests, the mystery at the centre of the film has layers to it and whilst I found this mystery easier to solve than the previous film’s, it wasn’t to the film’s detriment and I still enjoyed watching it all unfold.</p><p style="text-align: left;">Glass Onion is a thoroughly enjoyable and engaging film throughout with sharp wit and cheekily observed satire. I think that, as with Knives Out, it will prove even better with subsequent rewatches and I’m really looking forward to seeing it again. Long live Benoit Blanc! </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating: </b>⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-86892384971956029392022-11-21T20:30:00.001+00:002022-11-21T20:30:41.841+00:00The Menu Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABaIXMX45fD-wBOys525P2aKtHQ8nJHosGDgDA0B4y9Bq358Mk5By915GmlyHD1BQFsjaHtXFVthn7TtSbMHW9RdhjrIprfIldvMH1OqrC14CmjYOzxLiwZeRjll9vZ0grMtoIXBiFlMjt8A8XHhuV8zYAgE9GQ7oXYG2JR5jUpEVkdcuhKaClndz/s4032/C7D14C93-402F-4B12-89F5-FA1C801F3B87.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="4032" data-original-width="3024" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgABaIXMX45fD-wBOys525P2aKtHQ8nJHosGDgDA0B4y9Bq358Mk5By915GmlyHD1BQFsjaHtXFVthn7TtSbMHW9RdhjrIprfIldvMH1OqrC14CmjYOzxLiwZeRjll9vZ0grMtoIXBiFlMjt8A8XHhuV8zYAgE9GQ7oXYG2JR5jUpEVkdcuhKaClndz/s320/C7D14C93-402F-4B12-89F5-FA1C801F3B87.jpeg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate: </b>15</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time: </b>107 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring: </b>Anya Taylor-Joy, Ralph Fiennes, Nicolas Hoult, Hong Chau, John Leguizamo</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by: </b>Mark Mylod </p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story:</b> A young couple travels to an isolated island to experience an exclusive menu created by a legendary chef.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> As soon as The Menu began, I knew I was really going to like it. Part of that was to do with how it started and I loved how there was absolutely no preamble or prologue - The Menu is like an event that the audience is invited to and as such we start as the event begins.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The Menu has a great cast and in spite of there being little time to get to know everyone, each character successfully inhabits a distinct personality. Very quickly the audience comes to know the characters and has a very good idea of who they are. This demonstrates very proficient writing and The Menu has a sharp and witty script. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The cast is great and in particular it was great to see Ralph Fiennes in another villainous role. Anya Taylor-Joy and Nicolas Hoult are also really good and overall I really enjoyed the performances.</p><p style="text-align: left;">The Menu has an underlying satirical thread throughout and it makes astute observations about society, however it never takes itself seriously and the result is a film that is infinitely watchable and really good fun.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I found that I was grinning throughout and though it would be understandable that there may be some who feel that it’s all a bit too streamlined - I loved that this film knows what it is, what it wants to say and just does it without veering off course (pun intended). A gloriously dark and delicious treat.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating: </b>⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half</p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-55351400752173958962022-11-12T20:44:00.001+00:002022-11-12T20:46:12.509+00:00Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Review <p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_upc6Sx1zBjQYzbURauy1BYmBjT9LzAw79hw8pss716TiVoikc_C8T09nekfF6GCBbxIJCNZHObVXDKQtpRU6aH2PfGmZWvk0d28aKXpgfRqXynMCZL_US_z9MdNw4ncLvH-MUfJW-dTovNOnvvkVMMYU3hOtbB8XwzsPPOvZ3LQgykfNw87r_6za/s3617/97049037-87BE-4082-89D5-EB2CACB5877A.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="3617" data-original-width="3022" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_upc6Sx1zBjQYzbURauy1BYmBjT9LzAw79hw8pss716TiVoikc_C8T09nekfF6GCBbxIJCNZHObVXDKQtpRU6aH2PfGmZWvk0d28aKXpgfRqXynMCZL_US_z9MdNw4ncLvH-MUfJW-dTovNOnvvkVMMYU3hOtbB8XwzsPPOvZ3LQgykfNw87r_6za/s320/97049037-87BE-4082-89D5-EB2CACB5877A.jpeg" width="267" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate: </b>12A</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time:</b> 162 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring:</b> Letitia Wright, Angela Bassett, Danai Gurira, Tenoch Huerta, Lupita Nyong’o, Winston Duke</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> Ryan Coogler</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story:</b> In the wake of King T’Challa’s death, Wakanda faces a mysterious new threat.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> The Marvel Cinematic Universe is well known for providing audiences with films that are world building and character driven. Along with those elements are impressive action packed sequences that often become the focal point of the films. Black Panther: Wakanda Forever is arguably one of the few MCU instalments where the character driven element overrides the action. It is important to note that certainly doesn’t mean that the action is not good or that the film lacks action, but this film is definitely more about the characters and how they deal with the aftermath of King T’Challa’s death. </p><p style="text-align: left;">With the above in mind, Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has a much more introspective and sombre tone. There is still some of the trademark humour and I did laugh aloud several times, however on the flip side, I also shed some tears. </p><p style="text-align: left;">One of the aspects I liked most about the film was that the female characters take centre stage here and they are all such strong and powerful characters that it was great to see. As well as a strong female identity, the film also has a strong cultural identity and I fell in love with Wakanda all over again. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Black Panther: Wakanda Forever sees the introduction of Namor. He is an intriguing character and I feel that rather than perhaps making him a completely rounded character, this film felt like it was setting him up as an even bigger player in the future. What the character of Namor does provide though is an introduction to an amazing underwater world. In film it is incredibly difficult to achieve realistic underwater effects and make the visuals look right and I was really impressed with how well this film did it. </p><p style="text-align: left;">Black Panther: Wakanda Forever has a pretty hefty running time at 162 minutes (which I was actually unaware of before going in) but the time absolutely flew by and I couldn’t believe that it had been that long. I felt that I could have watched more and I am excited to return to Wakanda again.</p><p style="text-align: left;">I cannot deny that I sorely missed Chadwick Boseman as Black Panther and I do think his absence is tangible throughout. However, I also felt that the film deals with his loss extremely well and as a result this is the most poignant and profoundly sad film in the franchise. In particular the how they did the Marvel Studios intro had me in tears. </p><p style="text-align: left;">“<i>For our friend Chadwick Boseman</i>.”</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating:</b> ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️</p><p style="text-align: left;"><br /></p><p><br /></p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7373360614065279269.post-28270517235328924122022-11-07T18:12:00.000+00:002022-11-07T18:12:05.370+00:00The Banshees of Inisherin Review<p> </p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAUdj0ihE1EZ43M6HygMMDRE-DyP8BimZsfu3VtYD8QXuULcsDrF7VRderwpODmW2iiRuVHBYm8OUwe4lmU8diwLmNKlq-FLQixPDqfGjG8UHBE0mGnAYneH6pAmFkxl2gons7fUJMxWIR69LBRuw9IYl_pl7eh1VGhbirb2u0HQyB_hx2vSfFYL-/s695/EDFA14A4-FC4F-4C29-B18A-44D7631FBFAF.jpeg" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="695" height="258" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqAUdj0ihE1EZ43M6HygMMDRE-DyP8BimZsfu3VtYD8QXuULcsDrF7VRderwpODmW2iiRuVHBYm8OUwe4lmU8diwLmNKlq-FLQixPDqfGjG8UHBE0mGnAYneH6pAmFkxl2gons7fUJMxWIR69LBRuw9IYl_pl7eh1VGhbirb2u0HQyB_hx2vSfFYL-/s320/EDFA14A4-FC4F-4C29-B18A-44D7631FBFAF.jpeg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>Certificate:</b> 15</div><p></p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Running time: </b>114 minutes </p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Starring: </b>Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleason, Kerry Condon, Barry Keoghan</p><p style="text-align: center;"><b>Directed by:</b> Martin McDonagh</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The story:</b> When his best friend suddenly and without reason ends their friendship, one man struggles to understand what went wrong.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The verdict:</b> The Banshees of Inisherin is a film that appears on its surface to be rather simple. Set on an isolated island in 1923, our characters have little to do other than tend to their animals and gather each afternoon in the pub. Yet there is no such thing as a simple existence and beneath appearances, the two men at the heart of this film are nursing a number of complex emotions. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The Banshees of Inisherin is a film about friendship and family. It is a film about longing and loneliness and despair and desire. It is a film about the different kinds of grief and how those kinds of grief are dealt with. It is also a film that looks in some part at masculinity and how men might quash their emotions in a way that leads to dire consequences. Whilst that may sound like an overload of themes, they are all dealt with in a way that is nuanced and well balanced. The result is a film that is not only incredibly relatable but also incredibly profound. </p><p style="text-align: left;">This is also a film that might feel especially poignant if you yourself have ever experienced a sudden loss of communication from a close friend. In modern times, we might call this ‘ghosting.’ However, the salient point is that whether it happens in 1923 or 2022 - it still really bloody hurts. With that in mind, the audience is really able to empathise with Pàdraic and understand his confusion and pain.</p><p style="text-align: left;">In terms of performances, The Banshees of Inisherin may be one of the strongest films of the year. This film boasts a great ensemble performance and in particular Colin Farrell and Kerry Condon really stood out, though Brendan Gleeson and Barry Keoghan weren’t far behind. </p><p style="text-align: left;">The setting of the film also adds so much, both visually and narratively. The island of Inisherin is both isolated and beautiful, both a home and a prison. It was so easy to be transported there.</p><p style="text-align: left;">A tragi-comedy which is as funny as it is profoundly sad, The Banshees of Inisherin is a triumph for McDonagh.</p><p style="text-align: left;"><b>The rating: </b>⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ and a half</p>Carahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06434333050836706190noreply@blogger.com0