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Category: Film reviews (2017) (Page 1 of 6)

A Monster Calls review “A visual and storytelling masterpiece”

J.A. Bayona is one of the most exciting directors working today, a bold statement that maybe, but in this review, I’ll tell you why. His knack for creating superbly shot, engaging films like The Orphanage and The Impossible has meant many in Hollywood have been keeping an intrigued eye on him.

His hard work paid off in 2018 when it was announced he would be taking over directorial duties on the Jurassic World sequel, Fallen Kingdom, and despite a less than stellar critical response, no-one could argue that it was the most beautiful film in the Jurassic saga. Before he took on that behemoth of a movie however, Bayona was busy working on A Monster Calls, based on the book of the same name by Patrick Ness. But how does it stack up when compared with the rest of the director’s resume?

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Home Again review “Shallow and contrived”

Home Again posterWatching Home Again is an experience akin to drinking an entire bottle of a Muscat-Blanc. It’s deliciously sweet and gets you all giddy to begin with but ultimately you’re going to wake up  with a head-ache. The debut feature from Hallie Meyers-Shyer, daughter of the genre empress Nancy Meyers and Charles Shyer, continues the family tradition of the perky female rom-com with a keen eye for soft furnishings and pristine kitchen-ware.

Alice (Reese Witherspoon) plays a recently separated mother of two going through a bit of a rough patch. By rough patch I mean that she is unable to truly express herself in her work as an interior designer, whilst living in a plush LA mansion she inherited (along with a comfortable bank account) from her deceased millionaire father, who was once the darling of old Hollywood gentry. Because you know, money isn’t everything. Continue reading

Mother! review “A new fear”

Mother! posterThey say fear is the most powerful emotion. Whether it be political fear mongering or that high school English instructor, fear can be a great motivator to preserve one’s self. Fear is powerful but painstakingly difficult to sustain without a deep dedication. Perhaps this is why many horror movies today struggle to elicit a fear that lingers after the credits have rolled.

Enter 2017s horror-drama Mother! With works like Requiem for a Dream, The Wrestler and Black Swan under his belt, Director Darren Aronofsky tackles fear in Mother! Received with mix reactions, Mother! unarguably did something… different. Continue reading

You Were Never Really Here review “Unforgivingly artful”

You Were Never Really Here posterArt house cinema. The mere mention of this genre will spark endless discussions from its profound role in film to its disassociation in the collective consciousness of movie goers. But what is art house? For me what makes a movie “art house” is its unwavering devotion to its particular vision. This is why many art house films of today strive in the indie scene, as they are not bound by huge studio return on investments.

Enter indie director Lynne Ramsay’s retelling of the novella of the same name, You Were Never Really Here. In classic art house fashion, the reception to You Were Never Really Here has divided many viewers. My goal here is to contextualize the movie in hopes of getting someone off that perpetual fence. Continue reading

Star Wars: The Last Jedi review “The galaxy like you’ve never seen it before”

The Last Jedi PosterCrafting sequels is never easy, but creating a fitting sequel to 2015’s biggest movie and one of the world’s biggest franchises is no easy feat. Not only do you have to make a film that moves the game on from The Force Awakens, but one that also meets the incredibly high expectations of fans across the globe.

Who took on this ridiculous job I hear you cry? Well Looper’s Rian Johnson takes over directorial duties from J.J. Abrams and the result is The Last Jedi. But is this a fitting sequel or a lacklustre affair? Continue reading

The Disaster Artist review “Meticulously crafted”

The Disaster Artist posterThe experience of watching Tommy Wiseau’s ‘The Room’ should always be a shared one; that is, after you wade your way through the nonsensical plot lines and outlandishly bad yet perennially quotable dialogue, you may need someone there with whom to voice, what did I just watch?

Watching ‘The Room’ is a thought-provoking experience and one that leaves you full of questions like; How do bad movies get made? Who pays for them? Who made this bad movie and why am I enjoying it so much? And who is that guy with a face like Churchill’s left nut sack? Continue reading

Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle review “I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here”

Jumanji Welcome to the Jungle PosterIt’s been 22 years since Joe Johnston thrilled cinemagoers with a little film called Jumanji. Starring the late, great Robin Williams, it has amassed a huge following over the years and has become nearly as loved as its leading star.

What’s surprising given the film’s success is the lack of a sequel. For over 20 years the non-franchise stayed completely dormant until now. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle sees Columbia Pictures resurrect this classic property for a high-action, CGI-filled blockbuster. But is it actually any good? Continue reading

Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool review “A smorgasbord of talent”

Film Stars Don't Die in Liverpool posterIn the late 70s, Peter Turner was living in a boarding house in Primrose Hill.  Among his fellow lodgers was Gloria Grahame, a once revered but now fading Hollywood siren, who happened to be playing Sadie in a production of Somerset Maugham’s ‘Rain’ at the Watford Place. This is how they met.

What followed was a two year whirlwind romance that ultimately ended in tragedy. Based on Turner’s memoir of the same name, ‘Film Stars Don’t Die in Liverpool’ is a poignant and intimate portrayal of Gloria’s final days from director Paul McGuigan. Continue reading

Justice League review “Hoorah, it’s not a total dud”

Justice League posterThe entire production of Justice League has been enveloped in the tragedy surrounding director Zack Snyder’s sudden departure from the project in March this year.

After losing his daughter, Autumn, to suicide, the DC regular decided to hand over the reins of his passion project to Avengers director Joss Whedon so that he could spend time with his family. Whedon came on board and decided to undertake costly reshoots in order to get the film finished on time.

In that respect, it’s a miracle we’ve even got a Justice League movie in the first place. What’s even more of a miracle is that it turns out to be not rubbish – unfortunately that’s probably the biggest compliment I can give this frequently entertaining but messy outing for our favourite selection of DC Comic superheroes. Continue reading

Only the Brave review “One of the year’s best films”

Only the Brave posterFilms based on true events are ten-a-penny these days. From 2015s stunning American Sniper and 2016s breath-taking Deepwater Horizon to the critically acclaimed Patriots Day, there seems to be no stopping the ‘true to life’ variety of movies that has suddenly become very popular.

The trouble is, getting the films right is trickier than for any other genre. Not only do you have to please the audience with bombastic spectacle, you have to respect the events that caused them to exist in the first place. The new kid on the block is Only the Brave. But does this tale of the Granite Mountain Hotshots do their incredibly tragic story justice? Continue reading

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