I know its late but March was a hell of busy month. This will be a quick fire round of the films I watched this month...although I think I watched more but can't seem to place the dates.
Hidden Figures
Fantastic and hell yes inspiring story about three amazing women overlooked at NASA. But they made things happen for themselves which is far better than having it handed to them. Dorothy Vaughan, Mary Jackson and Katherine Goble Johnson were all exceptional women and played to perfection by the amazing cast. 4/5
Equals
Released with little fanfare which is a shame as this futuristic highly organised dystopian so called utopia world is fascinating. Everyone in The Collective has no emotions. Everything is dealt with in a logical clinical way, but as people start to wake up from this coma and discover feelings, it is seen as an illness, even by the people who have it. The story is really about Nia and Silas who have the 'Switched on Syndrome' and fall in love and then have to hide it (not very well) from everyone. What I would have liked to know is how the Collective was created and more info on what happened before. 3/5
Moonlight
Argued with my aun about this beautifully made film, she said it was an arthouse film and I said that part of the beauty of this film is that it wasn't. It is about three stages in Chiron's life and the moments and people that influence his being. At first I was worried it was a run od the mill story but underneath there is so much more. So much is said in glances and expressions which makes the story and characters more heartbreaking. A well deserved win at the Oscars. 5/5
Swallows and Amazons
A little twee from the outside but its actually a perfectly well structured story with adventure, 50s nostalgia and amazing views of the Lake District. Four children, brothers and sisters, with their own skills and talents go on holiday and sail in Swallow to the island in the middle of a lake, from their they meet two sisters, locals and theor boat Amazon. There is light story about spies and cakes and growing up and all that lark. It reminds me of The Famous Five so I loved it even if it was a tad predictable. 3/5
Beauty and the Beast
I was a skeptic from the announcement and I remain one. First off, the classic Disney is honoured as well as spat upon with this film. Emma Watson was and is a terrible choice for Belle. She has a cutting face and ruins the songs, very disappointing. The Beast CGI was beyond irritating, the original mask would have been so much better. The added story about Belle and Beast's mothers was pointless and rather ruined the story flow. Gaston and LaFou were the best part of the film. I did watch this film through rose tinited eyes or rather, I was sitting an amazing old cinema in Florence with one of my best friends who is Disney obsessed so it made the experience a whole lot better. 3/5
Kong: Skull Island
This was a by the book 'how to make a blockbuster' and an excellent distraction from the line of serious films I had been seeing. A crazy guy and his scientist pal convince the goverment to let them tage along on a geographical mapping trip so he can prove monsters exist. On Skull Island they find more than they bargained for, Kong basically. With an array of interesting paper thin characters to guide us and playing 'who is going to die next' as well as some truely awful monsters joining Kong. I think a favourite scene of mine is Kong casually drinking some water and then wrestles a HUGE squid. Great stuff. 3/5
Neruda
Saw this way back in either December or January I can't remember, but it was amazing. Review for VultureHound can be found
HERE. 4/5
Edge of Seveteen
This was also a review for VultureHound which be read
HERE. 3/5
The Accountant
A terrible movie with Affleck in it. He was on a role but now seems to be diving again. I blame Batman. My review for VultureHound can be read
HERE. 2/5
Ghost in the Shell
Better than I expected, still with a few major issues BUT can be overlooked if taken as a sci-fi film rather than a remake. Note, I've not seen the original film nor read the manga. Review for VultureHound is
HERE. 3/5
Free Fire
I have literally been dying to see this film ever since I read it mentioned when High-Rise came out. Ben Whaetly looks like he is going from great to awesome with each film. Some Irish guys want to buy guns so they travel to a warehouse to meet the dealer, but with all shady deals, things don't quite go according to plan. The whole film is a shootout but its so very entertaining. Each character bring something awful, amsuing, dangerous or just charming to the table is so gad damn good. 4/5
Logan
Said to be the best X-Men movie. Its good, its very good but I wouldn't go that far. Wolverine redeems himself from the other terrible singular adventures he's had and is now an old man. Not healing as fast as he should, drives a limo for money and hides out in the desert with Xaiver who is in a far worse condition than him. With no new mutants born in the last 25 years, the landscape is very different. The fate of our other favourites is hinted at by never confirmed, which is painful but it also doesn't shift focus. Children have been experimented on and given mutant DNA which is where X23 comes in. She is part of the 'new batch' science has given us and the hope mutants will live on and where theres trouble or struggle for survival, there is Wolverine driving or clawing people. Its a violent film but its not glorifying it. Its a violent new world the story is set in and brings the realities of powerful people and how they suffer to the surface. Part road trip, part bonding, part sci-fi/comicbook tale, its a hybrid, just its lead character. But does this spell the end of the X-Men movies? What with hints of 'New Mutants' and 'Legion' TV series, the hope is still there. 4/5
