Reviews

Philosophically rewarding and hilarious in one wallop! Larry David is the PERFECT performer to deliver some of Allen's most scathingly pessimistic material.

It does demonstrate the weakest trait of Allen's work which is the problematically condescending attitude towards anyone with a perceived "lower IQ" or musical interests outside of classical/jazz. This never gets overwhelming here though thanks to fully-rounded character development that faces that issue head on.

Despite the cynicism and misanthropy of the main character (of whose existential panic alarmingly rings true) there is romance to be found throughout the narrative; a genuinely sweet and soft centre to the film with a really uplifting ending.

Genuinely spooky and expertly told, this adaptation of Stephen King's iconic novel is truly spectacular. This is my third time watching upon writing this review and I can safely say that it still shocks and entertains me to this day. Director Andy Muschietti (Mama) had a strong connection to King's story, in particular through the central group at the heart of the story; in his own words '... developing the film, I was retrieving my emotional experience reading the book. I wanted to communicate the feeling of intimacy and innocence of the Losers.' His goal was very much achieved and then some! The bullying the group encounter along their journey is severely repulsive, captured perfectly on screen and making us root even more for the already immensely likeable characters, played to utter brilliance by the terrific cast.

Then, there's the genius casting of Bill Skarsgard as Pennywise the Clown... the bodily and vocal contortions are creepy as sin and it's an extremely memorable performance. Considering there's only 4 minutes of actual dialogue from the character throughout the movie, his presence is astounding. The visuals effects used to project Pennywise's disturbing visions upon the children are masterful, contributing to a powerful cinematic experience. Taking inspiration from iconic movie psychopaths like The Joker, Jack Torrance and Alex DeLarge from A Clockwork Orange, Skarsgard has stated '... I have to scare a whole generation. My take was that Pennywise functions very simply... he's animalistic and instinctive.'

With absolutely beautiful character work, gorgeous cinematography by Chung-hoon Chung (Oldboy, Stoker), captivating music score by Benjamin Wallfisch (The Invisible Man) and just stunning work from the entire cast and crew, IT is a gem to be cherished and remembered.

Malignant is absolutely going to polarise its viewers which is part of what makes it such a fascinating one to talk about. I really want to give this a glowing review because of how admirably weird it gets in its second half. But I have to be honest, I came out underwhelmed. The two main reasons for this are firstly, that it changes tone very frequently between being goofy and having it's tongue firmly in its cheek to then going for the more predictable horror elements we're used to in a negatively disorientating way. Secondly, the central performance by Wallis; it's with a heavy heart to say that I found it shriekingly terrible to the point of being unwatchable which was a massive distraction from the enjoyment, even when keeping the campiness intended in mind.

On a technical level, it has really impressive aspects such as the great stuntwork (Troy James' contortion work as Gabriel is massively entertaining) the score by Joseph Bishara (The Conjuring, Insidious) featuring an incredible theme in the opening titles, great production design and fantastic practical gore effects. Mckenna Grace's performance as the young Madison is magnetic. A certain reveal is absolutely insane and makes for a riveting 15 minute sequence in the finale. Gabriel is also an awesome character and will definately be inspiration for this Halloween's fancy dress!

Despite the majority of his output not being my thing, I think James Wan is a great filmmaker and I can't wait to be as wowed by a movie he makes as I was with Death Sentence (2007) and Saw (2004). That 15 minute sequence is further proof of his exciting talent behind the camera.

Without spoiling too much, the opening sequence is quite beautifully done with the opening titles taking place alongside a sinister cover of Nirvana's Smells Like Teen Spirit by Think Up Anger & Malia J. The score by Lorne Balfe (Lego Batman Movie) is unexpectedly haunting as well as wonderfully Marvel-esque 😁 and the use of American Pie by Don McLean is put to great emotional use in the family storyline at the centre of the movie. This integral storyline spearheaded by Johannson, Pugh, David Harbour and Rachel Weisz is performed so sweetly and directed greatly by Cate Shortland (Berlin Syndrome).

The details of the Widows' indoctrination early in life are extremely dark but the film balances gritty realism and superhero adventure with mixed results. The antagonism is genuinely violent and menacing (led by Ray Winstone) making the threat to our titular hero all the more real and I was invested in the character we all know and love for the most part. However, the first half is pretty slow with too much uninteresting filler; the film could easily have had 30 minutes cut out which would've made it more impactful as a whole. But with emotional heft for all Marvel fans, an exciting last half and great performances all round, this is worth the watch 😊 stay seated for the awesome post credit scene too!

Marvel's latest feature introduces cinephiles to Shaun AKA Shang-Chi (Simu Liu) a martial arts master and a character created by Steve Englehart and Jim Starlin, first appearing in a Marvel publication back in 1973. Beginning in the first of many gorgeously choreographed and shot sequences, we're introduced to Shang-Chi's father Xu Wenwu (Tony Chiu-Wai Leung) and mother Li (Fala Chen) also entailing the awesome power of the Ten Rings which Xu currently has in his possession. What follows is a heart-pounding and ridiculously entertaining adventure movie with true heart.

Filled with beautiful performances not least from everyone already mentioned and including Awkwafina as Shaun's best friends Katy and Meng'er Zhang as sister Xialing, there's plenty here to adore on screen not even getting to the truly awe-inspiring action set pieces with the best fight scenes I've seen in recent memory. Cretton (Short Term 12, Just Mercy) is very quickly becoming one of my favourite directors having produced three incredible pieces of cinema in the last 8 years. It's great to see that his passion for storytelling and independent spirit still shines through his latest here while also staying true to the Marvel fan base (I really did not expect a certain character to show up but made for some really comical moments).

The visual effects are of course stunning but what makes them stand out here are how they're incorporated with the beautiful landscapes to enhance the feeling of authentically experiencing Shaun's heritage and getting wrapped up in the culture that the filmmakers so wonderfully explore. This is how origin stories should be made! The creature design is also incredible and is an integral element to making the final sequences all the more breathtaking.

Please do yourselves a favour and see this on the biggest screens possible, please support your local cinema and stay safe my friends.

Close the curtains, dim down the lights and immerse yourself in probably the most fully rounded, beautifully nuanced human drama of the year.

The happiness and sadness in the lives of the family are explored so magnificently that you feel the ecstatic highs and the heartbreaking lows very much in the moment. Director Gabriela Cowperthwaite portrays intimacy perfectly from sharing the struggles of everyday life to beauty in the seemingly small moments with your loved ones. The hard themes are explored with utmost integrity and understanding, not least with the help of Joe Anderson's sublime camerawork, expertly framing individual's turmoil.

The performances are all so natural; it's impossible not to be enthralled. Segal is great; conveying pure empathy for Matt and Nicole excellently as well as the pathos of his character peppered in being highly effectively. The love shared on screen when Dane announces good news to his friends and the stand up comedy routines he practices with Nicole are insanely feel good! Affleck is absolutely brilliant; from subtle comic moments including the stress ball phone scene towards the beginning to holding the weight of his wife's ailments on his shoulders, it's a phenomenal performance. As is Johnson's who is sensational here; her best performance yet and as always, I love the roles that she goes for! The supporting roles are all wonderful including Isabella Kai and Violet McGraw (the best laugh!) as daughters Milly and Evie.

From the gorgeous guitar and chello work in Rob Simonsen's composition (Foxcatcher, Age of Adaline) to Colin Patton's heartfelt editing crafting seamless non-linear narrative, it's a technical masterpiece as well as emotional. You can catch this on Amazon Prime now and I would whole heartedly recommend that you do my friends 😊

The film looks gorgeous and is shot pretty perfectly by John Guleserian (About Time, Love Simon) bringing a few shots in particular directed wonderfully by Nia DaCosta that linger in the mind. The sound department have a massive influence on this movie also and I would highly recommend seeing it on the best sound system possible for ultimate creeps; awesome creepy soundscape including the wonderfully spooky score by Robert Aiki Aubrey Lowe. The Candyman himself is also pretty entertaining whenever on screen (particularly enjoyable whenever you catch him in the corner of your eye... wait, was that him?!) and gives plenty of gory delights as well as satisfying Easter eggs to keep an eye out for.

The main problem with the film, and it's with great sadness to say, is that the writers felt the need to bitterly politicise everything and it feels extremely shoehorned in to the point of it being a massive distraction from the story. It's completely understandable and admirable for filmmakers to get their political viewpoints across and the attempted exploration on the Candyman being born out of violence and exacting his revenge. However, the well-handled subtlety of the original exploring the horrific act of discrimination has been lost and more focus should have been put on the tragic urban mythological aspect that made the original good (and this one comes frustratingly close to achieving!) Also, I felt the storyline became increasingly nonsensical in the last half.

Overall, I would still recommend this in cinemas for the audio/visual bliss and just to support your local cinema 😊👍 but it feels like a missed opportunity.

I was absolutely gripped throughout this and found the 'whodunnit' style mystery really captivating. You genuinely feel the sense of danger and sordid depravity round the corner at all times from our central protagonist; as he delves further into the case, the stakes get higher and his desperate pursuit of the truth is brilliantly portrayed with devastating effects.

Going straight into production after releasing Batman & Robin (1997), director Joel Schumacher created something altogether very different here and probably his darkest movie. The script by Andrew Kevin Walker (Se7en) was reported to be a much more brutal depiction of the nihilism entailed in the story and he had disowned the movie during production upon discovery that Schumacher changed slight details here and there. However, what was brought to the screen is still respectful of the script, not for the faint hearted and captures the uncomfortable intensity of the subject material alongside the themes of obsession, moral duty and humankind's capability of pure evil explored sensationally.

The dialogue might be quite heavy handed at times detracting from the drama towards the final scenes in particular but is made up for in the stellar acting (very underrated Cage performance!) and direction making this one to remember with brilliant supporting performances by Joaquin Phoenix, Catherine Keener, Amy Morton, James Gandolfini and Peter Stormare all on captivating form!

This is such a beautiful movie in every way! The Mitchell family are comprised of Katie (Abbi Jacobson), her dad Rick (Danny McBride) her mum Linda (Maya Rudolph), her brother Aaron (Michael Rianda who also directs here) and of course their incredible pug Monchi. In an effort to rekindle family spirit and stay close while Abbi is away for university, Rick enforces the idea of a long bonding road trip to the uni. During this time, they have to bond together more than ever when a robot apocalypse threatens to exterminate humanity!

From the very beginning to the end, it's a massive warm hug of a movie that is profoundly relatable with a genuinely investing family unit at the heart of the story. You're there with them through every heartfelt moment; the storytelling is so perfect that you instantly feel at home with these characters from the start. The humour is just... chef's kiss is all I can say! Monchi is an incredible animated creation!

The animation is quite unlike anything I've seen before; it's beautifully unique and really eye popping! Written and directed by Michael Rianda and Jeff Rowe, it's a story told with bursting passion for cinema and a labour of family love from each crew member (the end credits are so sweet!)

A mental Christmas film 😂 Kurt Russell is back as Santa Clause (reason enough to watch!) and this time Kate Pierce (Darby Camp) now a teenager and struggling with home life, is unexpectedly transported to the North Pole when a mysterious enemy named Belsnickel (Julian Dennison) threatens to destroy Christmas forever. Director Chris Columbus (Harry Potter 1 + 2, Home Alone) steps up behind the camera after a producers role in the original movie a couple of years back and it definately feels more epic than the last. Not necessarily as much of a laid back and relaxed watch as the previous one which is it's only downfall but replaced with crazy cheese balls of Christmas joy and turns Santa very much into an action hero at times 😂 I laughed out loud more than once! The inclusion of Goldie Hawn as Mrs Clause is really cool and she brings a lot of the soul into the character interactions here. Not an essential but a pretty good one to stick on during the festive season. Overall, it's really fun and I've gotta say the ending sing along almost brought a tear to my eye; so sweet!

An absolute 70s comedy classic that I've only just come across! Howard Bannister (Ryan O'Neal) is a contently engaged man going to a conference with his fiancée. Along the way, he meets Judy Maxwell (Barbra Streisand) who totally turns his world upside down and introduces the exciting spice of life to his existence! All the while, there's a massive mixup of four identical travel bags, one of which contains expensive diamonds, which sends our central characters and more through an increasingly crazy adventure. I absolutely love this film from beginning to end; it's consistently hilarious with fast paced, beautifully delivered dialogue and pitch perfect slapstick comedy that is fantastically timed and directed. Streisand is absolutely beautiful as always in the film; funny and wonderful in every way! Each performance is wonderful though, including Madeleine Kahn who has the most extraordinary vocal tones throughout 😂 there's a ridiculously amazing chase sequence in the final third of the movie that is simultaneously exciting, genuinely cinematic and knee slappingly hilarious all in one highly entertaining dose of adrenaline. It stills looks and feels great to this day; thank you so much to @kristen_rosencrantz for the recommendation 😀

Robert Zemeckis (Back To The Future, The Polar Express) directs this retelling of Roald Dahl's classic story. In the late 1960s, a young boy (Jahzir Bruno) goes to live with his grandma (Octavia Spencer) after the tragic death of his parents. Very quickly it appears he is the target of a group of evil sneaky witches led by the Grand High Witch (Anne Hathaway) so Grandma takes him away to a seaside hotel where they shouldn't be found. Unfortunately, they happen to choose the hotel where the Witches are gathering for a meeting to discuss hunting every last child 🎃💀 the children's book by Dahl is notoriously dark and deliciously twisted, leading to an adaptation by director Nicholas Roeg (Don't Look Now) back in 1990, starring the brilliant Angelica Huston. I'm going to try my best not to compare it to the original as I have a nostalgic fondness there. This remake is a very fun kids movie that will satisfy any pint sized person seeking a good scare 😀 the visual effects are lovely which is to be expected from the visual mastery behind Zemeckis' vision and from co-writer Guillermo Del Toro (The witches facial and limbic contortions are beautifully Del Toro influenced!) Hathaway is having so much fun here and she's incredible to watch, especially when she snarls and hisses her way across the room, sure to scar a new generation of kids interested in Dahl's stories 😀

Writer/director Clea Duvall (The Faculty) along with co-writer Mary Holland have created an often sweet but also purposefully uncomfortable romantic Christmas flick! Abby (Kristen Stewart) and Harper (Mackenzie Davis) are deeply in love. When invited to meet Harper's family for Christmas, Abby is over the moon and has plans to ask for her hand in marriage. Little does Abby know that Harper hasn't been able to come out to her family yet and so begins a very awkward tiptoe around the truth within a very conservative household. I really loved Stewart's central performance and she is without a doubt the character we all root for as an audience; what also makes the film hard to watch at times is the brutal put downs inflicted on her by the people around her and all of this leads to a finale that feels a little underwhelming despite all its good intentions. Nevertheless, there's still lots to like here as well as Stewart! Performance wise, Mary Steenburgen is delightfully uptight and finicky as Harper's mother Tipper, Aubrey Plaza is a welcome addition as Harper's ex Riley, Dan Levy is brilliant as always as Abby's best friend John and co-writer Holland is also really funny and sweet as Harper's sister, Jane. It has a beautiful message about being proud of who you are and standing up in the face of adversity. The cinematography by John Guleserian (About Time, Love, Simon) is also absolutely gorgeous and I loved certain camera moves and focus drawn to the characters. Overall, it's worth a watch and very well made but I can't help shake the feeling of unbearable awkwardness that I felt after seeing Abby go through such an unfair situation... but maybe that's the point!

Clint Eastwood's latest directorial work with a brilliant script by Billy Ray is a really beautifully performed masterpiece based on a fascinating true story. Richard Jewell (Paul Walter Hauser) is a paper man turned school guard turned security guard who has firm faith in law and order. On a security job at an outdoor concert in 1996, he discovers a bomb and saves multiple lives when it's discovered to be active. Praised by many as a hero but falsely claimed to be a suspect by the FBI and the media, he undergoes strenuous investigation which makes a huge impact on he and his mother's (Kathy Bates) lives. The performances are so important to the overwhelming impact of the already impressive story; Hauser is absolutely brilliant in the lead role and is one of the most sympathetic characters on the big screen in a long time. Bates is just beautiful as Bobi and this might've become my new favourite role of hers! Sam Rockwell has already been in Jojo Rabbit which is still my favourite film so far this year and he goes and provides another hugely memorable performance here as Richard's friend and lawyer Watson Bryant. What I loved is not just how technically well made the film is but how it's never afraid to spend time with its characters in the more intimate moments. For example, Watson's receptionist/girlfriend Nadya (played by Nina Arianda) has just as delightful playful scenes with Watson as Richard and his mother do. The more intense the story gets, the more infuriating it is to see the people we've grown warm to go through the wringer. Even better than suspected, this is a must see!

Norval Greenwood (Elijah Wood) is a young man who receives an out of the blue invitation from his estranged father to go and visit him out in his cabin in the woods. Hoping for a pleasant reconnection, Norval quickly discovers somethings not right and is about to embrace a weekend from hell. Uncompromisingly messed up and one of the most unique dark comedies I've seen, Come To Daddy is absolutely worth seeking out and is just another reason why Wood is one of the greatest actors out there 😁 I'd suggest going in knowing as little as possible; there's a particular twist a short amount of time in that was really effective and sets a fun precedent for the rest of the movie

Scott Carlin (Davidson) is in his mid 20s; since his father died when he was little, he's found it very hard to get motivated and spends his time smoking weed while dreaming of being a tattoo artist. A culmination of events that happen during the course of the story force him to get up and discover what makes him happy and is important in life. It's without a doubt Apatow's most dramatically powerful production with some really subtle moments being the most memorable. Scott's monologue at a baseball stadium is pretty well done and just the interactions between everyone throughout are completely believable and make the whole thing all the more enjoyable. All the performances are wonderful; Scott's girlfriend Kelsey played by Bel Powley, his sister Claire played by Maude Apatow, his mother Margie played by Marisa Tomei and Ray played by Bill Burr are all spectacular. Although it is anchored by Davidson's great central character who is equally frustrating as well as entertaining, it's very much an ensemble cast which is where the magic happens. The only personal dispute I have is that Moises Arias is sorely underused as Scott's friend Igorr; he is a fantastic actor and it feels like his character has great development in the first half and then doesn't feature much afterwards. Nevertheless, it's a really great watch, a must see watch at home right now and holds a really beautiful final shot 😊

Properly tongue-in-cheek and knows how to have fun 😁 Patchwork is written and directed by Tyler MacIntyre, along with writer Chris Lee Hill, and focuses on three women; Jennifer (Tory Stolper) Ellie (Tracey Fairaway) and Madeleine (Maria Blasucci). All three stop by at the same bar one night and get picked off one by one by a mad scientist who stitches them back together in a Frankenstein-esque form. After waking up, they first learn to get to know each other and work together to hunt down their killer and seek bloody revenge! It's a really cool concept and for the most part is done quite well. The horror-comedy has moments of perfection (the funniest sex scene I've seen in a long time and other scenes involving conversations about a chicken sandwich inbetween grisly acts are really good!) and it's acted pretty well with everyones passion leaping off the screen; in particular Stopler who has a lot of fun embodying the 'creature' that the ladies become. I also loved the performances from James Phelps as Garret, a young man working in medicine who meets our main character and straight away wants to help her, and Corey Sorenson as the surgeon who portrays the morbidly obsessed re-animator in hilariously fanboy fashion 😁 much like its Frankenstein theme, the film itself is a mishmash of ideas and does feel like it's going all over the place at times. Nevertheless, I found it pretty fun overall and whenever I think about it, the dark comedy brings a smile to my face

After the enormous success of the iconic Frankenstein (1931) director James Whale was not initially interested in making the now legendary sequel and wanted fresh material. It came in the form of an adaptation of HG Wells' 1897 novel, The Invisible Man. The story follows Dr. Jack Griffin who discovers how to become invisible, travels far in attempted seclusion to find a way to reverse the effect but in doing so becomes increasingly insane with murderous intent! I've always had a interest in the character since seeing the interpretation of his in the film version of The League Of Extraordinary Gentlemen (2003) in which the use of white make up cleverly reveal his appearance when needed. The practical effects used in this film back in the early 1930s are absolutely astonishing and the ingenuity is really inspiring! The musical score by Heinz Roemheld upholds the campy gothic quality throughout and I really enjoyed that aspect along with the unexpectedly funny moments. Overall, it's a must see for anyone interested in the original monster classic but I would say it doesn't take itself too seriously so would not expect anything that spooky especially in today's standards. For the time, I imagine the effects were quite disturbing! The star of the show other than the effects team is Claude Rains who plays the titular character; fantastically over the top maniacal cackling and great physicality!

Writer/Director Vincenzo Natali (Splice, Cube) has continued the line of impressive Stephen King films this year and it's not a bad addition at all! Based on King's and his son Joe's own novella, the story starts with a brother and sister Becky and Cal (Laysla De Oliveira and Avery Whitted) travelling cross country for a mysterious reason. Stopping for a break half way, they park up outside an isolated church with a huge cornfield directly opposite. A boy cries out for help among the tall grass and they go to investigate, only to discover that something else is with them in the field and their journey out will be harder than they thought... it's a great premise and for the most part executed really well here with the source material being respected as well as it being visually pretty powerful. It's certainly a treat for the eyes with the camera finding more playful ways to weave itself through the greenery. The performances are also good with Patrick Wilson putting in some wonderfully maniacal work. The theme of religion is prodded at and referenced in an interesting way although it never fully utilises its themes or subject well enough to transcend into anything truly scary. Nevertheless, it's an entertaining thriller with some good gory bits along the way

A look at the corruption and deceit entangled in money, in this case the insurance fraud amongst other injustices revealed in the world's financial system. Specifically here we follow Ellen Martin (Meryl Streep) who is swindled out of life earnings through a fake instance policy which she begins to investigate. What is thoroughly engaging about this is not only Streep's performance which grounds the film on a more emotional level, but also the interweaving of third wall breaking narration and thesis' on money given by Antonio Banderas and Gary Oldman portraying two law partners and clearly having a lot of fun and being on top form doing it! Directed by Steven Soderbergh (Oceans Eleven, Contagion) and written by his frequent collaborator Scott Z. Burns, they've created a visually and thematically interesting study here while also keeping it darkly funny. I personally struggle to follow intricate details of films that specialise in this type of subject matter (Adam McKay's The Big Short being a perfect example) but that doesn't dampen my enjoyment of the film itself. Although it does go off on tangents particularly when the narrative diverts and introduces new cases of fraud, as soon as Oldman, Banderas or Streep are back on screen, it captures my attention fully and the subject explored is cause for great concern. And the last 20 minutes are brilliant!

Mia (Michelle Ang) is a film student who is working on a thesis about Alzheimer's disease. She and two cameramen embark on a documentary about Deborah Logan (Jill Larson) a woman with all the worse symptoms of the disease and they stay in the house documenting her experience. The longer they study Deborah's downward spiral, the more it becomes apparent that there's something more sinister taking hold of the poor lady. It does suffer from relying on jump scares too much at times but when it's really creepy is in the silent intense moments. The slow shot of Deborah looking back into the lens while playing piano; like the devil itself staring into your soul.... Or a certain devouring scene which made my jaw drop. Scenes like this stayed in my mind for a while and makes it worth watching for any horror fan along with the disturbing lore in the reveal, pretty good performances including Anne Ramsay as Deborah's daughter Sarah and passionate direction from Adam Robitel (Insidious: The Last Key, Escape Room) When the characters around Deborah are pulling together to find a solution, you genuinely feel there and supportive of them as well which was a massive contribution to the interesting storyline

A fantastic biopic whose subject is someone who just wanted to try everything and be a star and you can't help but feel for him! Eddie Murphy plays Rudy Ray Moore mostly known for his stand up comedy and music in his public persona as 'Dolemite'. After learning stories and mannerisms from a homeless man he meets, he takes inspiration from him and it works a storm on the stage. The film mainly focuses on his time making the cult classic blaxploitation flick named after his alter ego and his desire to entertain. It's becoming more of a rare treat to see Murphy starring in a film nowadays and he is absolutely fantastic in the main role! The snappy comedy is spot on and even though the portrayed comedy is extremely crude at times it still manages to be funny due to the fun performances. It's also dramatically rewarding with very subtle moments such as a brilliant scene with Rudy getting into his outfit, reciting the script into the mirror and simultaneously expressing resentment to his uncaring father; powerful stuff. With fantastic supporting roles from Da'Vine Joy Randolph, Craig Robinson and a hilarious Wesley Snipes, I was entertained from start to finish and it's a genuinely great watch you can catch on Netflix right now