Watch List: October & November

 

The Other Lamb

 Full review HERE. 4/5

Alien Addiction

 Full review HERE.  3/5

Cordelia

 Full review HERE.  3/5

Saint Maud

 Full review HERE.  4/5 

Lucky Grandma

 Full review HERE.  3/5 

On the Rocks

Sofia Coppola heads back towards familiar ground with a low-key drama about a daughter and father who bond over the investigation into whether her husband has cheated on her. The story would be quite bland if it wasn't for the excellent pairing of Bill Murray and Rashida Jones who play so well off of each other through the comedic and tragic exchanges. Having them scurry around New York and at one-point Mexico just adds to the screwball essence. 3/5

Rebecca

 

As a thriller, this was delightful and ominous accordingly but as an adaptation, I’m not too sure. Ben Wheatly is a very odd choice to direct such restraint story with minimal violence on screen and lots of things implied. Kristen Scott Thomas steals the film with her pitch perfect deranged Mrs Danvers and Lily James is her usual blinking breathy naïve newcomer. Armie Hammer really does deserve better in the thankless role of Maxim DeWinter and the end court drama scenes are all over the place. Still, in the end, an enjoyable film but we all know Hitchcock’s version is better. 3/5

Holidate

 

From the poster I was worried that Emma Roberts was repeating her act again. For someone who made a great impression in Scream Queens and American Horror Story, her film choices had been lacking. But thankfully this was not the same old bit of fluff that Netflix churns out. At least not completely. The central characters, Sloane, 30-year-old, can't get over an ex constantly hounded by her family about finding a boyfriend and Jackson, Australian golf coach who doesn't want the commitment of a girlfriend. They team up to be each other's dates for various holidays and these are American holidays so there’s a few random ones in there. But of course, they end up liking each other and blah blah blah, its good Netflix fluff after all but, Sloane's attitude towards most things, apart from the ex, is refreshing and funny. So at least there’s that. 3/5

Under the Silver Lake

 

With a promising premise, slacker meets new pretty neighbour who then disappears the next day so he sets out to find out what happened, has a great hook. But as this is set in Hollywood where the rich use the poor and desperate, you just know there will be a load of weird scenes and characters that aren't exactly important. The many many derailments are the reason why the film is so damn long. It wants to be Hitchcock and De Palmer rolled into one but it just turns into the most bizarre conclusion that is satisfying as it is ridiculous. But you'll never get that time back. 2/5

 

Watch List: August & September

Apartment 1BR

Full review can be read HERE. 3/5 

 

The Boondock Saints 2: All Saints Day 

The first film is a cult classic and is just such a brilliant film, how do you top that? Well, you make a sequel that makes nearly no sense whatsoever and you bring back familiar faces and replace Willem Dafoe because he was most likely busy. This time, a hitman is hired by the mafia to murder a priest to bring the Saints back to Boston so they can have revenge BUT of course when The Saints arrive, with new pal Romeo as their sidekick, things do not go according to plan. There are moments of hilarity and ridiculous scenarios as well as amsuing details such as the emphasis on the hitman's height but this is the world of The Saints here so you have to expect the weird stuff. 3/5

 

Room

The harrowing story of a woman kept captive for years in a shed with the only positive part of her life, her young son is a film I didn't run to see at the cinema. Mainly because of the story and the real-life story that inspired it. Brie Larson is brilliant in the film as is the breakout star Jacob Tremblay as Jack, their bond and chemistry is the obviously the heart and soul of the film. Seeing the story unfold through Jack's eyes brings a new perspective on this type of story and I can see why there was so much hype around the film when it was first released. Waiting all this time to see it, I don't think took anything away, but the kidnapping and the strain everything put upon Larson's Ma is so painful to watch. Jack has his life ahead of him but Ma will be forever scarred and forever in pain and fear, even with time and I can't let that go. 4/5

 

12 Monkeys

 After years of this film sitting in my ‘to watch’ pile (in my mind) I finally got the film I had heard so much about. A science fiction thriller from Terry Gilliam, when he was making great films, is hard to resist. Of course, this is a film that resonates now more than ever, revolving round a disease that was spread in 1996 driving what remained of the human race underground. Future man Bruce Willis is time travelled back in time to find out who is responsible for the virus getting out and, in that time, makes friends with crazy Brad Pitt and scientist Madelaine Stowe with fixed effects. It’s a pretty damn good film despite making me feel uneasy in the state we all find ourselves in. 3/5

Tenet

I went to support the film that was meant to welcome people back to cinemas and I still stand by this, but, this film, was not a masterpiece. Nolan has some great ideas but how executes them is with varying success. Inception was about dreams and our perception of reality, here he cross the time travel line but it isn’t really a time travel story, it’s about time inverted….WHAT?! Starting with a fantastic opening scene pumped full of adrenalin but then quickly morphed into a sequence of fast dialogue heavy scenes that do not set up the story and does not explain anything. Literally, nothing. The only hint, a drawing but that is actually pointless too. There were too many scenes you can’t hear dialogue whether that was part of it all or not. Granted, there are some fantastic visuals but the overall reason for why things are happening is just, weak. There were also quite a few plot holes which I felt were set up in a film set before this one which we will never get to see. 2/5

Beanpole

 Full review can be read HERE. 4/5

 

Schemers

 Full review can be read HERE. 2/5

 

Night School

 I usually avoid Kevin Hart vehicles but this has Tiffany Haddish in it so I needed to see it. A fun silly comedy about a guy who struggled with school loses his job and can’t get another without a GED so he goes to night school to get one, meets group of kooky characters each with their own personalities and stories, hides his schooling from his successful girlfriend, is taught by the brilliant Haddish and has to overcome an old rivalry with a guy who knew in and now is the principle of their old high school. It’s all fun and games and dramatically plays down the fact that his character has learning difficulties that had gone unnoticed by his teachers when he was at school, but I suppose that would have been a whole other film with less laughs. 3/5

The Babysitter: Killer Queen

I have a habit of seeing sequels first but with this Netflix film, I didn’t think I needed to see the first film, but now I’ve seen this, I will go back to the start. As far as horror comedies go, this was very fun, ridiculous and I could immediately get into it despite everything that was going on. Picking up a few years later and Cole, still traumatised and trying to move on from the last film’s events decides it’s a great idea to go with his ‘best friend’ knock off blonde from next door and her friends to a lake. Of course, things go very wrong when the ghosts of the cult rise up and try and kill him again. There are flashbacks to how and why everyone joined the cult that are very amusing and silly as well as a very excellent dance scene in place of a sex scene that is better left watched and unspoiled. Cole also has a buddy along for the night of terrors, the equally mysterious and traumatised Phoebe which means our troubled boy has someone to share his story with. 3/5

 

Scottish Mussel

A wholesome British rom-com that is both impossibly sweet, slightly predictable and something rare all at the same time. Directed (and starring) Talulah Riley, her debut as the former is what you’d expect from the genre but just feels like a new voice that barely got heard. I don’t think this gem enjoyed enough if any attention at the cinema beyond the UK borders (please correct me if I’m wrong). When Ritchie and his friends end up mistaken for pearl thieves, the small-time criminal decides stealing rare Scottish pearls might be a way to make money. But after volunteering at the wild life centre to gain access prime mussel spots, he starts spending more time with Beth, the very passionate conservationist and he begins to change his mind. Unlucky for him, local gangsters have also taken an interest in the pearls too. 4/5

Watch List: July

EuroVision

In all honesty, I am not the biggest Will Ferrell fan but I do love Eurovision so I thought, what's to lose watching a comedy written by an American who doesn't really understand the European singing contest as, yes, it is, very European. Despite Australia literally buying its way into a contest it has no place in. Euro, it’s in the title of the contest. For a Netflix original, the quality is very good as those originals tend you have a certain aesthetic now. Icelandic singing duo, Fire Saga have big dreams of representing Iceland at Eurovison and despite their home town not being the biggest fans and through a series of strange events, they make it to the promised land, Scotland as that is where the contest is being held. On their way to stardom, humiliation and triumph they both realise that they had the wrong priorities. The music is amazing, the costumes and supporting cast are also very entertaining and amusing, even Pierce Brosnan’s very dodgy accent is entertaining. If you love Euroviosn, you’ll love this and if you don’t, you will be the end. Even though there are some liberties taken such as, Iceland being bankrupt, that is very untrue and the contest would never be held in Scotland as they are part of the UK and its VERY unlikely that the UK will ever win again AND the semi-finals are not televised. I had to get that out as that bothered me.  4/5

Paradise Hills

A fantastical science fiction story about classes, beauty, oppression and deception all wrapped up in a very extravagantly visual film. Everything about this film is visually intriguing or disturbing, in particular the carousel horse ‘therapy’ sessions and the opening wedding scene. There is so much detail that it was actually quite difficult to hone in on one genre this film could be and on ways prepares you for the knife twist even though you may suspect it. Set in a futuristic society where the upper classes send their disobedient young women to be taught how to act. However, there is something more sinister on the island, ruled over by a striking and again, disturbing being played by Milla Jovovich. The style is so bizarre and, in some ways, misleading in terms of narrative, it reminds me of Tarsem’s films (which I loved). As director Alice Waddington’s previous work is a short film, I’m hoping we see more of her work. 3/5

The Beach House

Full review can be read HERE. 3/5

The Old Guard

My post about the film can be read HERE. 3/5

Mission Impossible: Fallout

Ethan Hunt is at it again and ‘it’ I mean taking on another impossible mission and going against his boss again too. Seeing how brilliantly executed Rogue Nation was, I was eagerly awaiting to see what happening next. But I was very disappointed. The plot is only created when Ethan makes a mistake that could have been avoided and then from there, the story, along with new and old characters, very weak and only as entertaining as it is to watch Henry Cavill in fight scenes, which is usually entertaining but this time, even Cavill couldn’t save the MI crew. 2/5

Desperados

Just when you needed a fun ridiculous rom-com, Netflix provides. This time round, the story is the same old same old. Down on her luck Westly (best name for a girl) is without a job, behind on bills and all she really wants is a boyfriend. She meets a ‘perfect guy’ but instead of being herself, she holds back her personality, don’t try this at home girls and believes she’s happy. But the real story begins when she thinks she’s been ghosted by the perfect guy so sends him a horrible email (don’t know why email – that’s just odd) but it turns out he didn’t ghost her, he was in an accident, in Mexico. So she drags her two friends to Mexico to delete the email. That’s it, that’s the premise. The two friends get a fair share of story but its dull, one wants a kid, the other wants sex, the end. It is funny and silly and you can get carried away with it but it’s nothing ground-breaking. The script is not worthy of the cast’s talent either. 2/5

Come As You Are

My full review is over at Vulturehound and can be read HERE. 4/5

Black Rainbow

A gem from the cusp of the 90s about a spiritual medium who can communicate with the dead but things take a disturbing turn when she starts predicting deaths. Having worked as a medium for years, a gift inherited by her mother, Martha travels the country with her alcoholic father from town to town connecting people with loved ones. She spends her nights at engagements and days hooking up with random strangers, including the very eager sceptic journalist looking for a story. Not quite a murder mystery or crime thriller but a spiritual thriller where ghosts don’t appear but their presence is felt. Sounds more like buzz words but the character of Martha is fascinating, a true dark horse that never really reveals how she does what she does, her powers go beyond speaking to the dead and maybe even time. 3/5

How to Build a Girl

My post about the film can be read HERE. 3/5

The Truth

Hirokazu Kore-eda’s first non-Japanese language film is not quite a story about living in the shadow of a successful parent but more about coming to terms with the emotions that one builds up over time. The bitterness and painful memories cloud over the true intentions someone is trying to convey. Screenwriter Lumir arrives back in France with her daughter and husband to visit her very famous actress mother, Fabienne. They are distant yet close with each other, the daughter still not able to forgive her mother for neglecting her all those years and her mother not caring about being a bad mother only being a good actress. All set against the release of a Fabienne’s memoir which is full of lies and the set of her latest role. Its wonderful mother daughter relationship story that flows with anger and resentment as well as an emotional bond that won’t break. With two fantastic leads, Catherine Deneuve and Juilette Binoche, the film is a delight. 3/5

Watch List December

The leftovers from 2019...

Hail Satan?

 Who'd have thought that a documentart about a religion would grab my attention and even make me think twice about religion on the whole? I was surprised at how straight forward the story of the Satanic Temple was. On the surface it looks like its a group of satan worshipers who to put a statue representing their beliefs next to the 10 Commandments statue outside a courthouse BUT in fact is actually a fantastic positive group of people who came together to form the temple. They stand for all the things that those Bible bashers claim to be but aren't. As someone who was brought up Catholic, now not, I know exactly what those 'Christians' are like, maybe not to the extreme that the Americans are but I know them. Thought provoking and brilliantly told story. Hopefully the separation of Church and State will be realised, soon. 4/5

Little Women

SPOILERS

Honestly, I was very disappointed when I heard that this was to be Greta Gerwig's next feature. I haven't enjoyed the previous adaptations I've seen, I don't really like the story but I do love the characters. My main problem is that I can't understand why Jo and Laurie don't get together, not married, just not to together. His 'romance' with Amy is literally just filling the void and in any version I've seen, its always going to be like that. Anyway....I loved this film. It was full of passion, creativity, Laura Dern and four brilliant sisters. Each were given a story, each was given a personality and each were fierce and brave in their own way. I was most pleased that Beth was given the heart of the story with just a few simple exchanges and her piano playing. A fantastic film that changed my mind about the story on the whole BUT still think Jo and Laurie would have been better suited, but thats just me. 4/5

Uncut Gems

Lots of screaming, lots of yelling, lots of money, not that many gems. My full review is over at Vulturehound HERE. 3/5

Frozen 2

Unlike the truly terrible (apart from Olaf) Frozen from yesteryear, this is a rare occurance. This Disney sequel is far better, still flawed, than the first. Great songs (can't remember them really) and finally Jonathan Groff stops talking like his reindeer and is given a song and its hilarious. There's an amazing water horse spirit thing and an enchanted forest, plus the cutest little fire lizard. The highlights come from Olaf who recaps the entire first film which is, again, hilarious as well as dropping inspirational and terrifying instagram quotes all over the place. It really was so much better and there's even barely any rock troll moments!! But the entire story is flawed and alot of what Elsa has to do it a bit obvious. But who cares! There's a cute fire demon thing in it! 3/5

6 Underground

I'm not a Michael Bay fan, at all but this cast was too good to ignore. And that is exactly what it is, a fantastic cast who deserved a whole better. The concept is borrowed and twisted and not in a good way. But the characters really do save this piece of high budget trash. Ryan Reynolds wants a franchise but the only way it could work is if he took the reins and made it better, like he did with Deadpool. 3/5

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

For the full experience, please read HERE.  3/5

Watch List 2019

This year, I keep saying it, has been an odd one for films, especially at the festivals. There has been notable ends to massive franchises, Avengers and now Star Wars, as well as some fantastic stories with women front and centre as well as films by women getting the praise they deserve. These are my films of the year, usually picked from what I've written about each month, but we all know I lapsed towards the end. I have included films from festivals as they were brilliant and I think count as a release in the UK. If you're wondering where Jojo Rabbit and Portrait of a Woman on Fire is, they come out next year so I'm afraid won't be included in this year.

This one crept up and made a huge impact on all comic book fans. Its the best comic book film I've seen, maybe even better than my beloved Guardians of the Galaxy. This Spider-Man film not only manages to side step some of the terrible films that came out, it even pokes fun at them. The fact that there are multiple universes and each one there is a Spider-Person must mean that there are multiple versions of all the Marvel characters. In this film, this is Miles' time to shine. The film introduces a new Spider-Man, passes the baton, gives him a worthy story to work with, gives him THE best mentor a would be hero could ask (Peter B. Parker perfectly cast/voiced by Jake Johnson) for AND even has time to introduce 4 other great Spider characters from multiple universes AND bring villain King Pin back to his original place, fighting Spidey as well make Dr Oct a woman voiced by the amazing Kathryn Hahn, literally all my dreams came true with this film. Story and characters aside, the film is brilliantly animated, making it look like a comic literally came to life, with the voiceover, speech bubbles, the black lines of the panels. This film is so brilliantly constructed, it shows up all the previous efforts, this film is pure comic book heart.
 
I first saw the trailer late at night while clicking through various posts and immediately regretted and was excited by it. Using a classic hip hop song to lure you in to the hellscape that await you - genius. A simple story at the core of the film, a family goes on vacation to the beach and are then terrorised by their distorted doubles, leaves so much room for the bigger issues being explored. Appreciating every aspect of the film and how much actual detail in the film is actually enjoyable, inbetween stuffing my mouth with my jacket to stop me yelling out in fear of course. The fact that Jordan Peele's horror film(s) are grounded in the horrific nature of human beings mkaes the horror feel much closer to home, even if a little bit of sci-fi is used to enhance the premise. With creepy twists and turns throughout as well as forehsadowing galore, its much more than I expected.

 So much has been said about Claire Denis' science fiction slightly horror toned drama where Robert Pattinson looks after a baby, at least that's putting it lightly. Death row inmates are given the chance to serve science by journeying into space to extract energy from a black hole. Aboard this particular ship is Dr Dibs, who is obsessed with making babies. She collectes sperm from the willing male inmates and tries to impregnate the female inmates. There is also the terrifyingly shot 'fuck box' which the crew uses to masturbate, all except Monte, nicknamed, the monk. Existence on the ship shifts from sedative induced nights to bleak days, some of the crew finds solace in the ship's garden, others stare into the vast space around them. The mystery unfolds of how Monte comes to be the only crew member left, plus a baby to care for but the true myteries are left unanswered. Such as why were they sent there, what crimes brought them to the ship (only two inmates' backgrounds are revealed) and are there more ships apart from the one with stray dogs? It's a science fiction peice of art that you can dwell on for days. Horror, is other people and the feeling that you're not in control seeps into the cracks of the ship and story and never really leaves you, as well as that damn 'fuck box'.

 An ode to being in the 8th Grade or in the UK, I think this is first year of secondary school. Captures exactly how it feels to be this age. I wrote all about how much I loved this film and everything its about HERE. 

Is it an origin story or is a slow burn thriller into the dark and dirty depressing side of comedy? Well maybe both. Its the film that caused the biggest discourse of the year. I wrote a long post on this one, so brace yourself, especially if you didn't like the film. Read it HERE. 

A brilliantly scripted story about two best friends and one night where they want to prove they are fun as well as smart. My post about the film is HERE.

This was my favourite film from EIFF and its about a woman who really can't be bothered to 'grow up', its superb. Really hoping this still gets a release in the UK. My review is over at VultureHound HERE.

Pedro Almodovar is back and he's back not with a vengence or comedy or thriller but a story very close to his heart, or at least it feels that way. Full review is over at Vulturehound HERE.

Jean Dujardin is Georges. He is obessesed with his deerskin jacket. What if his jacket was the only one in the world? Armed with a video camera, a plastic poncho and a ceiling fan blade, he can make that dream come true. The full review is over at Vulturehound and can be read HERE.

Two best friends, one writer, one party connoisseur, live in Dublin drinking their way through life, until one starts to look at their live without the ‘fun’ filter. I wrote more about the film HERE.

Based the novel 'The Sopranos' taking us back to the 90s, a group of friends are let loose on the streets of Edinburgh before a school choir competition, all with similar things in mind, booze, boys and having fun. My full review can be read HERE on Zavvi.