My Oscars Predictions 2024

Hi Readers,

I am going to talk through my 2024 Academy Awards Predictions for every category. I have tried my best to watch as many films that are available to me and at least one from each category. Unfortunately most of the short animated films and documentary features I have not been able to watch so I will have to use previous award ceremonies/critics voices to make my prediction.

Blue highlight means I have seen the film that the nominee worked on.

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

BRADLEY COOPER – Maestro
COLMAN DOMINGO – Rustin
PAUL GIAMATTI – The Holdovers
CILLIAN MURPHY – Oppenheimer
JEFFREY WRIGHT – American Fiction

I think this category is a tie between Paul Giamatti and Cillian Murphy looking at the BAFTA and Golden Globes wins. Colman Domingo has made history with his nomination as the first Afro-Latino in the category but unfortunately has not managed to secure a win yet for his outstanding performance in Rustin. Bradley Cooper was good as Leonard Bernstein but I think his directing made the film what it was. Personally I think either Domingo or Giamatti deserve it the most for their performances.

My prediction is Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

STERLING K. BROWN – American Fiction
ROBERT DE NIRO – Killers of the Flower Moon
ROBERT DOWNEY JR. – Oppenheimer
RYAN GOSLING – Barbie
MARK RUFFALO – Poor Things

There is a strong contrast in this category between the serious historical tales of Killers of the Flower Moon, Oppenheimer and then Barbie. Both Robert De Niro and Robert Downey Jr. gave dramatic performances but with no room in the plot for comedy. On the other hand, Ryan Gosling’s Ken in Barbie was a comedy character used to portray male ideals about patriarchy and so on. From how Awards Season has been unfolding, this award is looking like a shoe-in for Robert Downey Jr. but you never know what can happen.

My prediction is Robert Downey Jr. for Oppenheimer

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

ANNETTE BENING – Nyad
LILY GLADSTONE – Killers of the Flower Moon
SANDRA HÜLLER – Anatomy of a Fall
CAREY MULLIGAN – Maestro
EMMA STONE – Poor Things

In my own opinion, I think Annette Bening had a very strong performance in Nyad. The award has been a hand-off between Emma Stone and Lily Gladstone so far. I personally wasn’t sure Lily gave an Oscar winning performance. Carey Mulligan also gave a very strong performance but she is in a very strong year.

My prediction is Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

EMILY BLUNT – Oppenheimer
DANIELLE BROOKS – The Color Purple
AMERICA FERRERA – Barbie
JODIE FOSTER – Nyad
DA’VINE JOY RANDOLPH – The Holdovers

I would love America to win for Barbie but with other strong performances in this category I am not sure she can secure it. Jodie Foster gave a very strong performance while Emily’s was nothing noteworthy to me. Da’Vine Joy Randolph has been sweeping the awards but after seeing the Holdovers, I am not sure what she did was more award-worthy than her fellow nominees.

My prediction is Da’Vine Joy Randolph for the Holdovers.

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

THE BOY AND THE HERON – Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki
ELEMENTAL – Peter Sohn and Denise Ream
NIMONA – Nick Bruno, Troy Quane, Karen Ryan and Julie Zackary
ROBOT DREAMS – Pablo Berger, Ibon Cormenzana, Ignasi Estapé and Sandra Tapia Díaz
SPIDER-MAN: ACROSS THE SPIDER-VERSE – Kemp Powers, Justin K. Thompson, Phil Lord, Christopher Miller and Amy Pascal

I think animation is an often underappreciated category because every shot in the film has to be crafted by people and can take weeks if not months of back and forth. Out of the films I saw, each had a very different animation style so it is hard to compare them with each other. All of them had shots full of detail. I did love Spider-Man but if we’re going off original stories that do not already have a fan base, then I think Nimona and Elemental did well to create whole new worlds. Of course Elemental has had the budget and backing from Disney and their film is an allegory about immigration to the United States which I am sure many people voting in the Academy can relate. Nimona took a leap from the classic medieval tales we know and brought it into a new era with a diverse range of characters. This was based on a graphic novel but is not as well known as Marvel/Disney.

From what I have heard, the Boy and the Heron is a great film. Studio Ghibli always produce high quality work and it is thought this is to be Director Hayao Miyazaki’s last film so I think this one is a very strong contender for best animated feature film.

My prediction is The Boy and the Heron -Hayao Miyazaki and Toshio Suzuki

CINEMATOGRAPHY

EL CONDE – Edward Lachman
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Rodrigo Prieto
MAESTRO – Matthew Libatique
OPPENHEIMER – Hoyte van Hoytema
POOR THINGS – Robbie Ryan

I must say when watching the films in this category, the cinematography was not my main focus. Looking back I think the cinematography from Maestro and Oppenheimer stood out from the others. El Conde, the plot was very confusing so even though there were some interesting shots, I couldn’t fully appreciate them. For me, Killers of the Flower Moon was more about the actors and the story line. It was a very long film so my main focus became the plot towards the end. The nominations also match those of the American Society of Cinematography where Oppenheimer prevailed this year.

My prediction is Hoyte van Hoytema for Oppenheimer.

COSTUME DESIGN

BARBIE – Jacqueline Durran
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Jacqueline West
NAPOLEON – Janty Yates and Dave Crossman
OPPENHEIMER – Ellen Mirojnick
POOR THINGS – Holly Waddington

I personally thought that the costumes in Barbie were amazing and for such a large cast with a huge number of outfits, the costume team made everyone look impeccable. All of the other films are period pieces so the costumes differ from the bright colours of Barbie. I don’t think Oppenheimer’s costumes were very imaginative or impressive bar Florence Pugh’s looks but nothing had to be made for purpose. The outfits in Napoleon were very intricate and there were a lot of extras that had to be fitted in period dress as well as the many outfits for Josephine. Both Barbie and Poor Things won big at their industry awards but with Poor Things being awarded the BAFTA, they might have closed the deal.

My prediction is Poor Things – Holly Waddington

DIRECTING

ANATOMY OF A FALL – Justine Triet
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Martin Scorsese
OPPENHEIMER – Christopher Nolan
POOR THINGS – Yorgos Lanthimos
THE ZONE OF INTEREST – Jonathan Glazer

I’ve only seen two of the nominees from this category. It’s great to see a woman and two films in foreign languages nominated. Martin Scorsese and Christopher Nolan are both very accomplished and Academy praised directors so I think the award is well within their reaches.

My prediction is Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM

BOBI WINE: THE PEOPLE’S PRESIDENT – Moses Bwayo, Christopher Sharp and John Battsek
THE ETERNAL MEMORY
FOUR DAUGHTERS-Kaouther Ben Hania and Nadim Cheikhrouha
TO KILL A TIGER-Nisha Pahuja, Cornelia Principe and David Oppenheim
20 DAYS IN MARIUPOL- Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner and Raney Aronson-Rath

I have only been able to watch one of the nominees in this category as many have not yet been released in the UK. I am pleased that all the films are non-American this year as there are so many events/topics around the world that do not get the promotion or airtime that they need. From chatter online and watching the BAFTA awards, 20 Days in Mariupol is the favourite this year. I did enjoy the Bobi Wine documentary as much as one could given the topic but with the stance that he has taken on gay rights in the past, I don’t think this film is a strong contender in this climate. I don’t support his or Uganda’s views in general but seeing the way the population are treated, I think he has been brave to go against the regime.

My prediction is 20 Days in Mariupol – Mstyslav Chernov, Michelle Mizner and Raney Aronson-Rath

DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM

THE ABCS OF BOOK BANNING – Sheila Nevins and Trish Adlesic
THE BARBER OF LITTLE ROCK – John Hoffman and Christine Turner
ISLAND IN BETWEEN – S. Leo Chiang and Jean Tsien
THE LAST REPAIR SHOP – Ben Proudfoot and Kris Bowers
NǍI NAI & WÀI PÓ – Sean Wang and Sam Davis

There are surprisingly two films made in Taiwan in this category: Island in Between about Taiwan and China’s relationship and Kinmen Islands caught in the middle and Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó about the filmmaker’s two grandmothers and their feelings about life. I thought Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó was very sweet filled with joy about dancing but also discussing the hardships of life and death. Island in Between took on a more serious tone but was still interesting and the footage captured really painted a picture. The Barber of Little Rock showed one man’s effort towards helping his community and how it really made a difference but ultimately my favourite out of the ones I saw was the Last Repair Shop. It was very emotional showing the group of people fixing the instruments for over 80,000 children and helping to provide them with a better life away from crime and their personal obstacles. The pacing and interviews with the employees were very well done and brilliantly tapped into human emotion. The buzz online is talking about The Last Repair Shop and Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó due to the directors’ other works being the front-runners in this category.

My prediction is Nǎi Nai & Wài Pó – Sean Wang and Sam Davis

FILM EDITING

ANATOMY OF A FALL – Laurent Sénéchal
THE HOLDOVERS – Kevin Tent
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Thelma Schoonmaker
OPPENHEIMER – Jennifer Lame
POOR THINGS – Yorgos Mavropsaridis

Editing is often an unsung hero of the film world with a good cut often making or breaking the reception of a film. From the films I have seen, The Holdovers had good pacing and was also more digestible at just over 2 hours as opposed to 3 hours plus for the other two. It had great scenery shots cut with the actors and the look and feel of the film including the colour made it feel of the times. I know Nolan likes to shoot on film but the quality of Oppenheimer and Killers of the Flower Moon was sharp but did not blend with the story in the same way as the Holdovers.

My prediction is Jennifer Lame for Oppenheimer

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

IO CAPITANO – Italy
PERFECT DAYS – Japan
SOCIETY OF THE SNOW – Spain
THE TEACHERS’ LOUNGE – Germany
THE ZONE OF INTEREST – United Kingdom

I have not seen as much discourse for this category online with many award shows not even having a best International Film category. Given its nomination for Best Picture, The Zone of Interest is a high contender for the win but I really enjoyed Society of the Snow and have written a blog post on it. It was an incredible true story about humanity and survival and I barely noticed it was in Spanish as the emotions and subtitles linked together in my mind. This film has the benefit of being the only one available on streaming so that could help secure it the win.

My prediction is The Zone of Interest

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

GOLDA – Karen Hartley Thomas, Suzi Battersby and Ashra Kelly-Blue
MAESTRO – Kazu Hiro, Kay Georgiou and Lori McCoy-Bell
OPPENHEIMER – Luisa Abel
POOR THINGS – Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston
SOCIETY OF THE SNOW – Ana López-Puigcerver, David Martí and Montse Ribé

Again Society of the Snow did a great job in this category, transforming the actors into survivalists with sunburn and wild hair growth. There are stronger contenders in this category and while Maestro has some great prosthetics on Bradley Cooper and won in its industry awards, I think Poor Things winning the BAFTA is more influential.

My prediction is Poor Things – Nadia Stacey, Mark Coulier and Josh Weston

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

AMERICAN FICTION – Laura Karpman
INDIANA JONES AND THE DIAL OF DESTINY – John Williams
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Robbie Robertson
OPPENHEIMER – Ludwig Göransson
POOR THINGS – Jerskin Fendrix

It is great to see 92 year old John Williams nominated for the final Indiana Jones film which is one of the franchises that he is most known for. Ludwig Göransson has won the BAFTA and Golden Globe and is generally well known in the music and film score circles. He has had previous nominations in the music categories at the Oscars as well.

My prediction is Ludwig Göransson for Oppenheimer

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

THE FIRE INSIDE – from Flamin’ Hot; Music and Lyric by Diane Warren
I’M JUST KEN – from Barbie; Music and Lyric by Mark Ronson and Andrew Wyatt
IT NEVER WENT AWAY – from American Symphony; Music and Lyric by Jon Batiste and Dan Wilson
WAHZHAZHE (A SONG FOR MY PEOPLE) – from Killers of the Flower Moon; Music and Lyric by Scott George
WHAT WAS I MADE FOR? – from Barbie; Music and Lyric by Billie Eilish and Finneas O’Connell

I am not a big music person but I just re-listened to all the songs and they all have their own strengths. Dianne Warren who composed The Fire Inside is a seasoned nominee in this category having been nominated the last 8 years in a row. Jon Batiste’s song was very emotionally powerful; after watching the documentary, I can understand what he has been going through. Both the songs from Barbie have different tones, I’m Just Ken is playful and a metaphor for the reverse sexism in Barbieland. Billie Eilish’s song has so much heart and when you listen the lyrics it relates to how Barbie feels but also how everyone can feel non-existent and without a purpose. The song from Killers of the Flower Moon is important to the story but as its in a different language it personally didn’t impact me as much as the others. It has a steady rhythm but nothing stands out.

My prediction is Billie Eilish & Finneas O’Connell with What Was I Made For? from Barbie

BEST PICTURE

AMERICAN FICTION – Ben LeClair, Nikos Karamigios, Cord Jefferson and Jermaine Johnson, Producers
ANATOMY OF A FALL – Marie-Ange Luciani and David Thion, Producers
BARBIE – David Heyman, Margot Robbie, Tom Ackerley and Robbie Brenner, Producers
THE HOLDOVERS – Mark Johnson, Producer
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Dan Friedkin, Bradley Thomas, Martin Scorsese and Daniel Lupi, Producers
MAESTRO – Bradley Cooper, Steven Spielberg, Fred Berner, Amy Durning and Kristie Macosko Krieger, Producers
OPPENHEIMER – Emma Thomas, Charles Roven and Christopher Nolan, Producers
PAST LIVES – David Hinojosa, Christine Vachon and Pamela Koffler, Producers
POOR THINGS – Ed Guiney, Andrew Lowe, Yorgos Lanthimos and Emma Stone, Producers
THE ZONE OF INTEREST – James Wilson, Producer

This is the most sought after prize in Hollywood. With Asian led films winning in the last few years (Parasite, Everything Everywhere All At Once) along with Chloe Zhao’s Nomadland and then a deaf cast leading CODA last year, it seems this category is awarding diversity and ambition. American Fiction and Past Lives fit this mould with diverse casts along with Anatomy of a Fall and The Zone of Interest being non-English. This category is not really represented in the same way at other award shows. The BAFTAs have best British/International film, the Globes split by genre so there is always a lot of discourse around who will receive the prize this year. Personally I think Barbie, The Holdovers and Maestro were produced very well creating a real world for the characters and telling interesting stories. These films did all have white protagonists and were in English so it would be great to see something more diverse lead the way.

My prediction is Oppenheimer as it has been a well-loved film this year and Christopher Nolan is a very well-respected director.

PRODUCTION DESIGN

BARBIE – Production Design: Sarah Greenwood; Set Decoration: Katie Spencer
KILLERS OF THE FLOWER MOON – Production Design: Jack Fisk; Set Decoration: Adam Willis
NAPOLEON – Production Design: Arthur Max; Set Decoration: Elli Griff
OPPENHEIMER – Production Design: Ruth De Jong; Set Decoration: Claire Kaufman
POOR THINGS – Production Design: James Price and Shona Heath; Set Decoration: Zsuzsa Mihalek

With the same nominees for Production Design as Costume, its clear that these films made an impact visually on audiences. Barbie famously created a giant Barbieland set, causing a global pink paint shortage along the way. I think the scale and locations of Napoleon have been underestimated as its currently predicted last to win. Poor Things once again won the BAFTA and is the top prediction. Oppenheimer built a lot of its sets including a quickly put together Oval Office and a desert town.

My prediction is Poor Things – Production Design: James Price and Shona Heath; Set Decoration: Zsuzsa Mihalek

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

LETTER TO A PIG – Tal Kantor and Amit R. Gicelter
NINETY-FIVE SENSES – Jerusha Hess and Jared Hess
OUR UNIFORM – Yegane Moghaddam
PACHYDERME – Stéphanie Clément and Marc Rius
WAR IS OVER! INSPIRED BY THE MUSIC OF JOHN & YOKO – Dave Mullins and Brad Booker

Unfortunately I was only able to find one of these films to watch so I can’t use my own thoughts too much here. From what I have read online War is Over! has the biggest backing being produced by Yoko and Sean Ono Lennon and the animation being done by Weta FX, known for Avatar. Many people, myself included still mourn John Lennon and he was especially well loved in America so I think this has a good chance. The theme of the film I saw, Ninety-Five Senses was powerful but it was not a relatable story with the main character having committed a crime out of frustration.

My prediction is War is Over! Inspired by the music of John & Yoko – Dave Mullins and Brad Booker

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

THE AFTER – Misan Harriman and Nicky Bentham
INVINCIBLE – Vincent René-Lortie and Samuel Caron
KNIGHT OF FORTUNE – Lasse Lyskjær Noer and Christian Norlyk
RED, WHITE AND BLUE – Nazrin Choudhury and Sara McFarlane
THE WONDERFUL STORY OF HENRY SUGAR – Wes Anderson and Steven Rales

I have seen most of these short films and all have interesting stories. I thought The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar was entertaining and Wes Anderson is certainly a great storyteller but its message was not as powerful or emotive as the other films. I think The After was very well-produced and has the power of Netflix behind it; Red White and Blue had the most evocative story I think and was a topic that is being hotly debated in America right now. Invincible wasn’t in English and seemed like a personal story rather than one that will appeal to everyone.

My prediction is The After – Misan Harriman and Nicky Bentham

SOUND

THE CREATOR – Ian Voigt, Erik Aadahl, Ethan Van der Ryn, Tom Ozanich and Dean Zupancic
MAESTRO – Steven A. Morrow, Richard King, Jason Ruder, Tom Ozanich and Dean Zupancic
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE – Chris Munro, James H. Mather, Chris Burdon and Mark Taylor
OPPENHEIMER – Willie Burton, Richard King, Gary A. Rizzo and Kevin O’Connell
THE ZONE OF INTEREST – Tarn Willers and Johnnie Burn

From what I have read Oppenheimer is leading the charge for the Sound category. It has won awards at its own industry ceremonies and the people involved have all been highly commended in past projects. I personally thought The Creator had great sound in the film and combined with the VFX and other elements it truly expressed the vastness yet familial intimacy of the film. Top Gun featuring Tom Cruise was a winner last year so his involvement in Mission Impossible could secure another win.

My prediction is Oppenheimer – Willie Burton, Richard King, Gary A. Rizzo and Kevin O’Connell

VISUAL EFFECTS

THE CREATOR – Jay Cooper, Ian Comley, Andrew Roberts and Neil Corbould
GODZILLA MINUS ONE – Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima
GUARDIANS OF THE GALAXY VOL. 3 – Stephane Ceretti, Alexis Wajsbrot, Guy Williams and Theo Bialek
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – DEAD RECKONING PART ONE – Alex Wuttke, Simone Coco, Jeff Sutherland and Neil Corbould
NAPOLEON – Charley Henley, Luc-Ewen Martin-Fenouillet, Simone Coco and Neil Corbould

From what I have read online, the award could go to either The Creator or Godzilla Minus One. The Creator won big at the VES Awards taking home five prizes but Godzilla Minus One with just a team of 35 artists (allegedly) and the director acting as VFX Supervisor managed to make the most popular box office hit of the Godzilla franchise and the third-highest grossing foreign language film in the US. Poor Things won the BAFTA but with no Oscar nomination, anything could happen. Mission: Impossible had some great Visual Effects combined with the stunts to create some never before seen shots – memorably the motorbike-parachuting off the cliff. Guardians of the Galaxy had a lot of CGI characters including Rocket the Raccoon who had a bigger role this film in addition with all the green screens to create outer space.

I personally think The Creator deserves the award as after learning what their budget was, the film was such high quality and it featured some very exceptional futuristic technology that blended seamlessly with the Asian scenery.

My prediction is Godzilla Minus One – Takashi Yamazaki, Kiyoko Shibuya, Masaki Takahashi and Tatsuji Nojima

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)

AMERICAN FICTION – Written for the screen by Cord Jefferson
BARBIE – Written by Greta Gerwig & Noah Baumbach
OPPENHEIMER – Written for the screen by Christopher Nolan
POOR THINGS – Screenplay by Tony McNamara
THE ZONE OF INTEREST – Written by Jonathan Glazer

Personally I am not sure what existing story the Barbie screenplay was nominated for is but it looks like the two butting heads are American Fiction and Oppenheimer. American Fiction has won at the BAFTAs and Critics Choice Awards so far with Oppenheimer winning at lesser ceremonies but sweeping the board in other categories. With the Oscars splitting into two categories, Globe winner Anatomy of a Fall has been taken out of the running here. Personally I think the Barbie script was great and encompassed all the different parts of being a woman whilst also funny and serious.

My prediction is American Fiction – Cord Jefferson

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)

ANATOMY OF A FALL – Screenplay – Justine Triet and Arthur Harari
THE HOLDOVERS – Written by David Hemingson
MAESTRO – Written by Bradley Cooper & Josh Singer
MAY DECEMBER – Screenplay by Samy Burch; Story by Samy Burch & Alex Mechanik
PAST LIVES – Written by Celine Song

I was only able to watch three of the films this year but the chatter I have seen and based on previous awards, the top contenders are Anatomy of a Fall and May December. Anatomy of a Fall has won big at the BAFTAs and the Golden Globes, both shows big indicators for who will take home the Academy Award. Whilst watching The Holdovers, I think the words were chosen carefully to curate the tone and emotion that the film wanted to portray whereas in Past Lives, the words were almost secondary to the emotions and were more regular. Maestro was a good script with many phrases referring to life but to me this film was brought alive by the acting and the music.

My prediction is Anatomy of a Fall – Justine Triet and Arthur Harari

That concludes my predictions for the Academy Awards 2024. I am planning to do a round up of which films were honoured this Awards Season so I will talk through the winners there.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

Film Review: The Society of the Snow: Don’t sleep on this survival story about the strength of humanity

Hi Readers,

I would normally save this post for next week but after seeing this film a few days ago on Netflix I felt compelled to write a review especially ahead of its Oscar nominations. I don’t think it has received as much recognition as it should, given the quality of the acting and production.

I didn’t really know anything about the story before the film came out as it hasn’t really entered popular culture in the same way as other events from the 70s have previously. I loved that even though the film has American backing from Netflix, the director is Spanish and a lot of the cast are from Uruguay where the characters in the film are from. The film is also in Spanish but don’t let that put you off as even though I know basic Spanish, I used the subtitles and that didn’t detract from the film. It was interesting to hear some phrases spoken differently in South America as opposed to the Spanish spoken in Spain that I have learnt at school and from Spanish friends.

The Society of the Snow (2023)

The film shows the incredible, unbelievable true story of a rugby team crashing over the Andes in their aeroplane in 1972 on their way to a match in Chile from their home nation of Uruguay. Many people died in the crash and in the first few days but 16 people managed to survive in the mountain valley surrounded by snow for 71 days before rescue.

One of the controversial elements that had people at the time turning against them was that they had to eat the flesh of their fellow dead passengers to survive. If you’re squeamish or anything, don’t worry, this is not shown in any detail and what you see them eating is not identifiable. One of the first hurdles they overcome is the decision whether to wait for rescue or to do this. There were a lot of moral/religious arguments with many characters holding out for 10 days with no food but in the end, there was no other choice.

For using all unknown actors, some of whom had never been on screen or acted much before, the quality of the drama was amazing. I knew exactly what they were thinking even though we only got the thoughts of Numa (Enzo Vogrincic) during the film. After watching the behind the scenes documentary, also available on Netflix, you gain a greater understanding of how they managed to film the scenes, even going back to the original crash site.

I thought the Academy Award nomination for Best Makeup and Hairstyling was well deserved as over the course of the film, the facial hair grew and their faces became more sunburned and it looked very realistic. It should be noted as well that the actors followed a diet plan to lose weight safely to portray the characters.

I thought the actor playing Roberto Canessa – Matías Recalt, one of the main characters and a medical student was a standout. He was a great leader for the team, volunteering to go up the side of the mountain several times and I could see on his face, the way every decision weighed on him. He was not as beefy as some of the guys but had a strong presence and was apparently one of the strongest players on the team.

It’s hard to describe the effect that this film has on the viewer but I think its the fact that the situation could have easily been met with defeat or turned into a Lord of the Flies scenario but the survivors all banded together and did their best to help one another survive even thought some of them didn’t know each other very well.

One of the frustrating points in the plot is that you hear rescue planes going over the valley on day 2 when 27 of them were still alive but because of the geological features even flying directly overhead, the plane crash site couldn’t be seen.

When the decision to finally try and get help was made, it seems like civilisation was so near to them but it took them a long time to build up strength to even climb the side of the valley to the tail of the plane, let alone hike for 10 days in the freezing temperatures.

I think that this was a great film and definitely deserves to win Best International Feature at the Oscars. The director J.A Bayona is known for such films as The Impossible and A Monster Calls but during the documentary you could tell the passion he has for this project even directing from a booth when he had Covid during shooting.

I can’t wait to see the cast act in more projects and I would watch this film again. I give it 5/5.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

Guest Review: Cinderella – How this princess went from Cinders to Ella in a modern musical manifestation

Hello readers,

This week’s post is brought to you by guest writer, Terry who you may remember earlier in the year from her review on Are You There God? It’s Me Margaret.

Her chosen film is from a couple of years ago and can be found on Amazon Prime. I have not seen the film myself but after her review and passionate breakdown, I have added it to my list and a modern fairy tale is always a great watch this time of year.

Cinderella (2021)

If the star-studded poster above doesn’t narrow down which version of the legendary chronicle this review will focus on, it is the jukebox musical rom-com adaption written and directed by the one and only Kay Cannon (of Pitch Perfect, New Girl, Girlboss etc. fame!). Before we begin…

Truthfully, it took me time to finally give this Cinderella a chance. Unfortunately, I was put off watching after hearing various negative opinions. However, as many people (including good friend/film fanatic Robyn) rightly say, ‘you have to watch and see for yourself’. Now that I have, my only regret is… Not watching sooner! Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion of course, but I feel most of the negative remarks I heard came from people who weren’t the target audience i.e., non-musical lovers, or those who believe there’s been enough revamped fairy-tale adaptations. While there’s something to be said about the latter, it’s hard to argue against wanting to recapture the magic of certain stories. Especially if they have something new to say.

Camila Cabello, Billy Porter and Idina Menzel promoting Cinderella with James Corden for a feature on his talk show, Crosswalk Musical

Thanks to social media I had actually seen a lot of Cinderella’s promotional material, by the time I eventually watched, I thought I’d already seen the film’s most imperative parts. Something I found especially frustrating as I hate when previews incorporate spoilers, something that too many do now as a form of enticement. To that end I assumed I knew what to expect, especially since I’m familiar with the fairy-tale. How wrong I was! This version of Cinderella is still an orphan with mice friends in the unenviable position of being forced to be a maid by a stepfamily who treat her with contempt (when they aren’t ignoring her). Nevertheless, despite being another retelling of an already quite frequently adapted, centuries old fable – and having the daunting task of trying to stand apart from extensively popular Disney versions – Cannon’s Cinderella managed to surprise me being unapologetically unique in a myriad of enjoyable ways. Some of which included having genuine laugh-out-loud comedic moments (especially when the mice take on their human/celebrity personas), as well as clever pokes at traditional fairy-tale tropes. Such as, despite being set in a conventional medieval-esque fairy-tale kingdom, the film has modern elements. This is evident in several ways. The soundtrack is an obvious example, additionally the dialogue is ‘with-the-times’. On this note, many of the characters have American accents. Save for the Royal family, other members of nobility and most of their closest allies/companions, who are of course English, Scottish or from another UK region. Although it’s worth noting that, for the most part, it seems that the majority of the characters speak their portrayers’ real accent. There is so much else to say about the film it is easier to split my thoughts into categories.

Soundtrack

Cinderella’s jukebox status is deserved given its impressive roster featuring an extensive compilation of songs. With iconic covers such as, but not limited to: Madonna’s ‘Material Girl’, Queen’s ‘Somebody to Love’, Ed Sheeran’s ‘Perfect’, including fun mashups, and even one or two original pieces. Whether they’re accompanied by fun choreographed dances or not, all result in memorably entertaining and/or moving performances.

If I wanted to convince a non-musical aficionado who finds singing about feelings ‘cheesy and unrealistic’ to give Cinderella, and other musicals, a chance I’d say two things (and if they’re cynical enough not to take a chance on my recommendation, their loss). One: as far as realism goes, escapism is far more fun. Two: much like dramatic plays or films employ intense monologues; musicals instead use songs as a medium to communicate innermost thoughts and emotions of their characters, and they shouldn’t be snubbed. Music is a powerful tool for expression. Cinderella has a lot to say, and each song was very carefully chosen, taking into account which character(s) would perform it and why. You’ll be listening to the album of this iconic masterpiece on a loop after your very first watch, I know I still am!

Themes

Having the courage to never abandon your dreams and goals no matter the obstacles in your path is definitely one of Cinderella’s main messages. Wanting more for yourself no matter your circumstances doesn’t make you selfish, everyone is entitled to happiness and fulfilment. Speaking your mind and standing up for yourself and what you believe in is another point Cannon wants to drive home, evident in the way most of the characters refuse to stand down. Another message, without revealing spoilers, is that love is worth fighting for and you don’t ultimately have to make a choice between your achieving dreams or getting to be with your one true love (e.g. Mia and Seb in La La Land). You can enjoy both and more.

Correspondingly, feminism is an important theme. From the moment we hear from Billy Porter’s narration as fairy godparent (or ‘Fab G’) in the opening, we’re made to understand the kingdom is old-fashioned and traditional. In other words, patriarchy is rampant. Men are leaders and breadwinners; women expected to be compliant mothers, wives, and daughters. No room for interests outside the house, definitely not careers. Furthermore, they’re scrutinised and mocked for wanting more. This is especially investigated with Ella’s journey through the film as she challenges sexism and gender conventions.

In my opinion something that works in Cinderella’s favour is it’s deliberation in how patriarchy harms men as well as women. While women are oppressed and belittled, men are taught to uphold toxic masculinity and reject weakness no matter personal feelings or toll. Exploring how patriarchy negatively affects them too is refreshing, especially since it seems more films are taking note i.e., Barbie. Additionally, while feminism is the credence that men and women are and should be equals, it’s often grossly and damagingly misunderstood. Firstly, that being a feminist means hating men. Secondly, that it is about female domination, as opposed to liberation from unfair gendered expectations and limitations that affect women and men. Equity would perhaps be a more accurate label than feminism, however the term itself was coined at a time when women were more heavily subjugated while men exclusively had rights. Thus, fighting for female empowerment was a first step towards equality. Throughout Cinderella, traditional gender roles are constantly challenged – women have ambitions unrelated to marriage, and men are dared and encouraged to show emotion.

Cast

The film is composed of a diverse roster of characters, and everyone understood their assignments.

First and foremost, our leading lady. To nobody’s surprise Camilla Cabello can beautifully pull off this role’s musicality. Additionally, she gives an earnestly impassioned portrayal of a beloved character (I couldn’t believe it was her acting debut), and effectively makes Ella her own. In my opinion, Cabello’s interpretation is a more modern and three-dimensional take. For instance, this Ella has more agency as well as more of a personality, and attributes outside of being beautiful inside and out. She has dreams and goals other than finding true love, which at the beginning couldn’t be a concept further away from her mind. No, Ella is far more preoccupied in finding a way of escaping her current circumstances. But she’s not looking to accomplish this feat simply by marrying above her station like her stepmother is teaching her stepsisters. Ella is resolute in becoming independent and earning her own freedom, namely by fulfilling her dream of running a successful dress-making line and making a name for herself. So much so that Ella isn’t initially interested in attending the ball at all, given that not only does she have no interest in meeting or winning the Prince’s favour, but she also finds the notion of holding a ball to find a bride weird and antiquated. Additionally, Ella believes that even if she were interested someone like the Prince could never notice someone like her; one way she feels imposter syndrome. In the end, Ella only changes her mind about attending after learning that in attendance at the ball will be people from all over the world that might be interested in investing in her business. Ella surprises herself more than anyone else when she finds herself falling for Robert, she’d never planned for love but welcomes the possibility when it appears. But despite falling in love with a Prince, Ella has no intention of disrupting any chance of achieving a lifelong dream.

Ella is resolute in her ambitions and often takes fate into her own hands despite all the obstacles in her path, and only really having (initially at least) three mice as friends and moral support. I find this to be a much more inspiring, interesting and realistic exploration of the character. Not to mention in awarding Ella such agency she becomes a refreshingly better role model for younger children watching the film, especially girls. While this Ella is just as beautiful and incredibly kind as her predecessors, these admirable and desirable attributes are often treated as the default, and for some reason exclusive, characteristics for female characters. Especially in the past. Only focusing on two characteristics leaves little room for other traits and interests, resulting in imbalanced and fanciful portrayals, as well as unfortunate criticisms of vapidity. Which is unfaithful to life as women are multifaceted individuals, their many layers coming together and making them who they are. To our benefit this is being reflected more and more each day. Ella’s ambition, resilience and refusal to abandon or compromise her dreams are powerful messages for audience members of all ages watching the film.

Next, we have Nicholas Galitzine depicting another charming royal, though Cinderella was prior to his turn as Prince Henry in Red, White and Royal Blue. Having seen the latter first, the former confirmed my theory Galitzine was born to play royalty. Both share similarities, though I’d argue Robert is slightly edgier than Henry in a few ways, perhaps most superficially evident through his earring and almost exclusively black wardrobe. Despite facing slightly different challenges, one of their parallels is they recognise the flaws and issues that come with unwaveringly obeying a traditional monarchical structure. However, they’ve been raised to believe they’re powerless to change the status quo despite their position. In that vein, Robert has a turbulent relationship with his father. Strict and prickly King Rowan (Pierce Brosnan) is pressuring him to stop being frivolous and marry advantageously. Nonetheless, Robert has made a sport of dodging engagement offers. At first glance this seems like rebellion and so that he can continue palling around with his loyal merry bros instead of settling down and accepting royal responsibilities. Nevertheless, we discover Robert’s reluctance to wed stems from fear of marrying a stranger he’s unsuited to. Especially since Rowan drills into him that princes and kings marry for power, not love. For all his bravado, Robert has moments of genuine emotional vulnerability not always awarded to male characters. Unfortunately, Rowan’s not easily deterred, giving his son one last chance to find a bride at the kingdom’s upcoming ball, where prospective princesses will be attending. Otherwise Rowan will choose. Robert acquiesces after convincing him to invite all the kingdom’s maidens, regardless of station. Robert thought of this after Ella catches his eye, notably during a love ballad. He becomes enchanted, especially since she boldly talks back to his father. He immediately takes action opening up the ball, then sets out to find the mysterious maiden to invite her. His desire to feel a genuine connection with Ella is so profound he takes the precaution of a disguise so whatever feelings she could have aren’t influenced by his title. Planning to reveal the truth at the ball. In a refreshing change of pace from convention, the male protagonist dreams of love and finding his soulmate.

Much like Ella, this character was granted much-deserved updates. Prince Robert is not only charming, handsome and benevolent, but is also allowed to have flaws, quirks and character development. Which Galitzine is more than capable of bringing to life. Initially Robert exists in his own world, both literally and figuratively. No doubt a consequence being sheltered a lifetime in a literal castle. I wouldn’t call Robert selfish, but he begins more attuned to his own needs and desires, unconsciously oblivious to his privilege. Meeting and falling for Ella is the catalyst to his journey and growth. Such additions make this version of the Prince more relatable, allowing him to stand out from previous portrayals of superficial perfection.

Idina Menzel personifies a different sort of melodic ice-queen when she steps into the stepmother’s shoes. Vivian treats Ella dreadfully and is emotionally abusive, however their relationship is much more complex. For example, as opposed to previous portrayals Vivian actually does have some maternal feelings towards her stepdaughter, and the film concludes hinting at potential reconciliation between the two. A more moving and realistically layered depiction. Menzel is masterful is providing depth to a cynical social-climbing character that’s only ever been portrayed as being cruel and evil for the sake of it and succeeds in making Vivian somewhat sympathetic. Especially when we discover her hard-headed coldness comes from real places of hurt after having her own dreams and ambitions broken by family and the world. While it doesn’t absolve earlier treatment of Ella, it gives audiences a chance to understand her perspective and what made her that way. Vivian had dreams and desires like Ella, before becoming twisted by societal expectations.

As previously mentioned, Robert and Rowan don’t start with the best relationship. The latter an obstinate no-nonsense sovereign (both as ruler and family patriarch) and the former wanting to be nothing like him. Rowan intensely scrutinises and criticises Robert’s every move, constantly pressuring him to be a worthy heir who’ll relentlessly follow tradition no matter what. This pursuit leads to him frequently dismissing his wife and their daughter, Princess Gwen (Tallulah Grieve). An original character who demonstrates interest and capacity for state affairs but isn’t considered an option for heir like Robert is just from her gender. While Rowan puts up a convincing front as merciless patriarch, deep down he does care for his family. But due to toxic masculinity and his status as King not only does he find it inappropriate to express vulnerable feelings, he doesn’t know how. While this isn’t discussed I think that Rowan is merely continuing a cycle that his own father and King would have instilled into him. Possibly through even stricter and crueller means than he implements towards Robert. Like his son, Rowan goes through his own emotional journey and character development across the film.

Minnie Driver steps into a well-deserved crown as strong and regal Queen Beatrice. While father and son are strained, it’s repeatedly stated that mother and son are the exact opposite. Beatrice is fiercely protective of Robert and supports his wish to marry for love. Yes, the Queen’s scenes tend to be in relation to her husband, but this is far from a disservice. Beatrice has talents and interests beyond being the Queen, such as painting and fencing. Furthermore, she speaks her mind to Rowan and calls him out often. This leads to a powerful scene when she confronts Rowan about the way he’s been acting not only as King, but his treatment of her and their family. Rowan may be the authority of their Kingdom, but Beatrice refuses to blindly submit to him. The Queen knows her worth and what she, her family and the kingdom deserve. My only complaint about Beatrice is we didn’t get more insight into her relationship with Gwen, especially as two proficient women who are expected to be ornamental at best. However, there is only so much a film can explore in its run time, and as Robert and Rowan explore a paternal relationship, the maternal one is examined with Ella and Vivian.

Additionally, I feel that Robert’s younger sister Gwen merited more screen time, and not just to further explore her individual relationships within her family. Gwen’s an interesting original character, who desires being Rowan’s heir as much as Robert does. Though she is debatably better suited and more passionate. The Princess’ tenacity shines every time she speaks her mind and challenges sexism. Her sidelining could have been a clever tongue-in-cheek nod at how most other characters overlook and dismiss her opinions, but once again it’s more likely we didn’t get more Gwen because there’s only much that can be included and explored in 113 minutes. Still, it would have been nice to see even a little bit more of her since as far as we can see Ella, Gwen and Beatrice are the only women actually challenging men and traditional status quo. But I do appreciate that Gwen’s arc has nothing to do with avoiding an unwanted arranged marriage, and I love a scene where Ella (who hadn’t met her yet at this point) states the real brains of the family is Princess Gwen. Despite being stuck on the sidelines Gwen still manages to inspire her people by being the type of character that makes an impact despite limited scenes. We clearly understand what drives and motivates her.

It’s worth noting that despite parallel interest in the throne, Gwen and Robert aren’t presented as enemies or bitter rivals. Which is relieving as it would’ve felt like an obvious route to take. While Robert, like other characters, is guilty of overlooking his sister, he never stoops low to taunt her by rubbing his title and position as heir in her face. Simultaneously, while Gwen constantly questions her father’s pronouncements, she never resorts to take cruel shots at Robert or his own suitability as heir in an attempt of presenting herself as a better option. So, while their sibling relationship unfortunately isn’t explored greatly, I feel like this still says a lot about the type of bond and rapport they have between the scenes. This is further implied in a much clearer manner when Robert gives Gwen a special gift that she unmistakeably appreciates. Additionally, Grieve’s performance in a scene where Rowan is cruelly admonishing Robert and dismissing Beatrice displays Gwen’s distress at how her father treats her family. This is significant since whenever Gwen herself is treated unfairly she remains stoic and poised. This consequently insinuates she’s more hurt by a loved one’s pain than her own, inferring even more about the type of person she is. All in all, Tallulah Grieve’s portrayal shouldn’t be overlooked the same way her character is. I would very happily watch Princess Gwen in a spin-off film or series featuring her at the centre!

Billy Porter absolutely nails the role of Ella’s magical fairy godparent, who has traditionally been portrayed exclusively by women. Gender flipping a legendary character is always a risk, but as long as the actor and script do them justice (which is the case here) it’s worth it. Much like Ella, Fab G fits into no one’s pre-existing mould and has no intention of ever trying to. Additionally, having a man so effortlessly put his own unapologetic spin on a character audiences traditionally associate with women and overly feminine iconography very blatantly challenges toxic masculinity. While Porter only appears onscreen to be iconic in dishing out magic and advice alike for one scene, he makes every second as Fab G count. He may leave you wanting more, but fortunately we are blessed and treated with Fab G’s witty remarks thanks to Porter’s narration in the film.  

Cinderella managed to truly move and astonish me with its emotional beats while still being genuinely entertaining and funny. What’s more as an avid lover of film, great performances and representations are not something that I could ever overlook. In other words, what a great time!

Having said that, I’d recommend more to people who are more partial to Barbie and Mamma Mia than to exclusively hardcore Oppenheimer or The Dark Knight enthusiasts. Moreover, we must be wary of harmful statements that circulate as there has been an unfortunate trend in films that feature more diverse casts and updated takes on stories/genres. They get review-bombed by trolls that don’t want to give them a real chance for being boring and woke (such as Captain Marvel and The Eternals) when they just feature more inclusive representation and storytelling that better embodies the real world and cultural zeitgeist.

Film Review: Saltburn – Emerald Fennell’s second outing certainly leaves an impression on you

Hello readers,

Last night I saw Saltburn, the sophomore film directed by Emerald Fennell (Promising Young Woman) who has also been seen lately in the Barbie film as Midge, the pregnant doll.

Saltburn has had a lot of buzz from its debut at TFF in Colorado, US before making its European premiere at the BFI London Film Festival and a final appearance at SXSW Sydney. It has now been released worldwide in cinemas. This is unusual for a film that starts its life in the festival circuit but with such a star-studded cast and the company LuckyChap Entertainment behind it (Margot Robbie and husband Tom’s venture), there was no doubt that this film would not put bums on seats.

I had heard of most of the main cast for various other films: veterans of the industry Richard E. Grant and Rosamund Pike have graced British screens many a time; Aussie favourite Jacob Elordi has been making a splash in Euphoria and recent release, Priscilla; I saw Archie Madekwe’s big break in Gran Turismo earlier this year and Irish actors Alison Oliver and Barry Keoghan have been featured on both the small and big screens, respectively.

I will be discussing the ending so spoiler warning if you have not yet had the chance to see the film.

Saltburn (2023)

The films opens on a famous Oxford landmark, the Radcliffe Camera. Having studied at Oxford Brookes University, the streets of the city are always a welcome site on the big screen. In the frenzy of the first day at school, we are introduced to Oliver Quick (Keoghan), a shy bespectacled student from Merseyside who has a habit of watching from afar rather than joining in. Through the first term, we see Felix Catton and Farley Start (Elordi and Madekwe), cousins and in the popular group at the college. Farley has a tutorial with Oliver and becomes the teacher’s favourite after revealing the name of his mother.

While Oliver only has a fellow outsider, Michael, for company, he appears longing to be in Felix’s orbit. A chance meeting and lending of a bicycle cement the start of a friendship. The two become gradually closer as Oliver reveals his troubled home life and addict parents. Farley does not warm to Oliver as he reminds him of himself – an outsider. Farley is living with his family due to his mother not having enough to support them both.

When the year ends and Oliver has told Felix about his father passing away, Oliver is invited to the Catton family home for the summer: Saltburn. The house or mansion is a fictional estate based in Northamptonshire. With its sprawling gardens, labyrinthian maze, wild swimming pond and endless rooms, Saltburn is the perfect escape for Oliver.

Elspeth and James Catton (Pike and Grant) are the welcoming parents if a little cattish, gossiping about Oliver’s family situation and “Poor Dear” Pamela, a family friend staying with them played by Carey Mulligan. Pamela is almost the Oliver of Saltburn, the person that has fallen on hard times that they feel sorry for and are only friends with out of pity.

Oliver also meets Venetia Catton, Felix’ sister (Alison Oliver). Initially disinterested, he finds her hanging around outside his bedroom window at night and tries to control her with sex. This is when the audience begins to realise that Oliver is not the poor, innocent, vulnerable person he appears to portray.

While the summer is whiled away with reading the last Harry Potter book, the film is set in 2006/2007; the family and Farley begin to discover the cracks in Oliver’s persona. Elsbeth cares for him as another son but Felix starts to find him clingy.

A lavish party is planned for Oliver’s birthday towards the end of summer and after a surprise road trip to his hometown of Prescot, Oliver is forced to face the reality that his parents are actually middle-class and normal. This drives a wedge between Oliver and Felix that culminates in an argument at the centre of the maze during the party.

In the morning when Felix is found dead, presumably of a drug overdose, the family grieves. They try and eat breakfast as if nothing has ever happened while drawing the curtains to block out the coroner going past and into the maze. While Venetia and Farley can barely hold in their tears, Oliver makes conversation with James and Elspeth. Farley is also banished for good after an email is discovered from him trying to sell off one of the family’s antiques to cover his mother’s expenses.

Oliver stays for Felix’ funeral and is the only non-family member present when they carry out their tradition of writing the deceased’s name on a stone and throwing it into a river. Venetia struggles with her brother’s death and after a conversation with Oliver she is found dead in the bath, having killed herself.

James finally realises that his wife will now not let Oliver out of her clutches as the only pseudo child left. He pays him to leave them alone in their grief.

Jump forward to Covid times, presumably 2021, Oliver meets Elspeth in a London café. She has just moved to the area after her husband’s death. They share in their grief for the Catton family and when Elspeth falls ill, Oliver becomes her caretaker, wheeling her around Saltburn.

While she lies hooked up to a ventilator and barely conscious, Oliver finally reveals his grand plan. He orchestrated the friendship with Felix and got an invite to Saltburn. He put cocaine in Felix’s champagne, causing his death; gave razor blades to Venetia when she was at her rock bottom and then proceeds to take Elspeth off the machine keeping her alive.

While Elspeth was able to consent, he got written into her will and the last scene shows Oliver dancing through Saltburn, naked having managed to inherit the sprawling estate and family fortune. We see each of the four family member’s stones perched on top of a puppet toy depicting them.

The film had a lot to say about class and wealth. While the Catton’s don’t pretend to be less than they are, they open their home and hearts to practical strangers on whom they take pity. Their trust in Oliver and underestimation of him, is what leads to their downfall. At Oxford, Felix joins in with his friends making fun of Oliver but is quick to fold him into the group when he thinks he would make a good sidekick and doesn’t see him as a threat.

Farley is the first one who suspects Oliver and tries to distance himself and Felix from him but after being threatened by Oliver, he realises that he is not going to be able to beat him.

Personally, I did not see this twist coming and thought that Oliver would end up being the victim of the rich people as is the typical trope in thriller’s set in the world of the wealthy (for example, Ready or Not starring Samara Weaving). While Oliver is a villain for killing three, possibly four people, he represents the average person who is desperate to be part of the in crowd. He had ulterior motives but I think he also wanted to be accepted by Felix and the Cattons’ to prove that he is worthy of being in that world.

I thought that all the performances were brilliant particularly Jacob Elordi and Barry Keoghan. Without knowing Elordi was Australian, I would have thought that he was a typical British posh boy as he nailed the accent, dialect and mannerisms. Keoghan really showed Oliver’s emotions as clearly as reading a book and I sympathised with him when he longed to be in the cool kids gang. Being friends with the Cattons’ despite their strange habits, traditions and pity of him was better than not being friends with them. Oliver did some pretty odd things that gave clues to him being unhinged and Keoghan made them look very real.

I also thought Alison Oliver as Venetia was great and for someone who only started in the industry last year, I think there are big things to come for her. The scenes of just her and Oliver and after Felix’ death showed her ability to be vulnerable without being a total emotional mess.

Overall, I enjoyed the film despite the last act going in an odd direction. It was weird in a way that you can’t look away and have a desire to know how the story ends. The innocent scenes of 2000s Oxford leading into the heady summer at Saltburn gave the film an ethereal setting that you would certainly want to visit unless Oliver Quick is lurking in the shadows or underneath your window.

I give the film 4/5.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

Book to Screen Adaptations: How Loyal Should They Be?

Hello Readers,

Many great stories portrayed on screen, big or small start their journey as a previously published written work. Most of the time this is a book or graphic novel but could also be an interview for a biopic or an article in a newspaper/magazine.

Many people whose favourite work of fiction is about to be adapted visually want it to remain as true to the story as possible. This is not always practical due to the production company’s budget, the length of the tale, the nature of the story or trying to adapt something to fit with today’s society – more diverse and inclusive of different people’s characteristics.

Other times, the owner/author of the base for the project will work on the script and make changes that they approve and feel fit with the theme of their story. These changes are more likely to be accepted as they have still come from the imagination where the work was created.

I think that a project will always benefit from the original author being involved whether as an executive producer/consult or as the writer/showrunner. Things being changed to be less boring/more dramatic for the viewer is not always a bad thing but when that starts to erase the heart of the work and change the fundamental message, it can upset those who were looking forward to watching something they loved on the page be brought to life on screen.

I am going to cover a few examples and their different approaches to adapting for the screen. All of these are projects that I enjoyed first as a book/graphic novel which made it into cinemas or onto streaming services.

Red, White and Royal Blue (2023)

This book was very popular when it hit the shelves as Casey McQuiston’s debut novel in 2019. The story was their alternate reality to give themselves and readers hope after the 2016 Presidential Election. It is told from Alex’s POV, he is the son of the female POTUS with a Mexican father in congress and has a journalist sister. In the lead up to his mother’s re-election, he helps to uncover a plot to bring his mother down and works to flip his home state of Texas to blue. The heart of the book centres around his enemies to lovers relationship with Henry, the Prince of England. The two collide in a PR disaster at Henry’s brother’s wedding but when the two are forced to be best friends, a real friendship starts.

Henry and Alex carry out a secret friends with benefits arrangement whenever they happen to be in the same city with only their closest friends and sisters in the know.

The book was adapted as a film produced by Amazon Prime and released on streaming in 2023. Many fans loved the adaption as the director also a queer Latino man, focused mostly on Alex and Henry’s love story, a part that is often repressed in films. I did enjoy the adaptation and have re-watched it again but I felt there were a lot of changes to Alex and Henry’s story that altered their motivations and characters.

With so many characters and interweaving plot lines, I think this adaptation would have been better as a series. While the romance is a large part of the story, Alex figuring out his bisexuality and having the bravery to admit his feelings to someone not allowed to be gay in the public eye; the politics and his passion for helping Texas to become a blue state was an important part too. We still see Alex helping with the campaign and even having a working summer in Texas but the political story was diminished with characters being erased and bundled into one.

Fundamental changes to Alex’s persona include not having his parents divorce. In the novel, they broke up when Alex was 11 and his father moved to California to become a senator there. His mother lives with his stepfather, Leo in the White House who worked in tech but became a house husband so she could focus on becoming President. Alex’s sister, June is also not a character in the film and has been folded into the characters of Zahra, the President’s chief of staff and Alex’s handler and Nora, the Vice President’s daughter. Without June, there is no White House Trio and no Super Six when they party in LA.

Another fundamental change was the character of Miguel. He and Alex had hooked up in the film at a conference and Miguel was the one to leak Henry and Alex’s romance, partially out of jealousy. He may have been bribed by the President, Ellen’s rival but it’s not as clear. He does not exist in the book and while Alex did hook up with his high school friend who in the book has a boyfriend, there is no adult encounter for Alex until Henry. The character of Rafael Luna has also been erased. He was a mentor and role model of Alex who was gay and was an example that Alex could be himself and go into politics. Rafael was part of the plot to bring down Ellen but only under duress and in the end, he came to his senses.

As for Henry, his siblings, Philip and Bea are both present but their characters have been shrunk. In the book, Bea is presented as a wild musician who snuck out of the palace to play secret gigs and unfortunately had to go to rehab for cocaine addiction. This led to her being labelled the ‘Powder Princess’ and more of a recluse. The Bea of the film did not have this back story and is merely used as a plot point for Henry to be able to voice his feelings for Alex aloud. Henry’s mother is merely mentioned in the film but in the book is suffering from depression after her husband’s death. She is a key player in getting the Queen to agree to letting Henry and Alex be out and proud.

I do understand the change from Queen to King given the recent death of Queen Elizabeth and the way that Queen Mary is portrayed unfavourably in the book but I think Stephen Fry was not the right age for the King and as a well-known gay figure, I couldn’t imagine him objecting to Henry and Alex’s relationship.

Henry’s mental health challenges were also written out in the film. In the book, they are subtle until he confesses to Alex about suffering with anxiety and depression since his father’s passing. With his mother falling into depression and Bea going into rehab, he lost all his support system so when first meeting Alex in 2016, his self-esteem is at an all time low.

There were other smaller scenes taken out of the story for the film such as meeting at Wimbledon, going to LA, Alex’s graduation from university and Alex working in the campaign office in Washington but these did not affect the story as much as the above points. I still enjoyed the film as its own entity but in comparison to the book, the book takes it every time.

Heartstopper (2022-)

Based on a much loved web comic, Heartstopper has since graced the shelves in print form with the fifth volume of the graphic novel coming out this December. The author and artist, Alice Oseman has had a lot of creative control over the television series that debuted on Netflix in 2022. She has written all the episodes, served as creator and executive producer on the show and even done some of the art seen in the background.

This involvement has delighted fans and even with some changes, as Alice has made them herself for story or plot reasons, the fans trust her writing enough that the series has been very well received and was quickly renewed for a second and third. The third is currently in production now with all the cast still on board despite having become very successful in the last 2 years.

Heartstopper started as a spin-off project from Alice’s debut novel, Solitaire about Tory Spring and her dealing with undiagnosed depression all while starting a new school and tracking down a mystery blogger. Charlie, Tory’s younger brother and his boyfriend Nick are side characters in the novel who Alice decided needed their own story.

Now 10 years on there are 4 published volumes, 2 novellas, 2 companion books and 2 series of a Netflix show about the couple. The story starts with Charlie aged 14 meeting Nick, 16 at school. Charlie has a secret boyfriend, Ben and 3 best friends, Tao, Aled and Elle. Elle has just moved to the girls school as a trans woman and Tao is missing her. Charlie is then seated next to Nick, a typical rugby lad in his form group and falls head over heels for him. The problem is that everyone thinks Nick is straight. The two quickly become thick as thieves and after a kiss at a party begin another secret relationship. After Ben’s treatment of Charlie, Nick and Tao fight over Charlie’s wellbeing especially after he was bullied the previous year when he came out as gay.

The graphic novels and show deal with heavy themes such as trans/homophobia, assault, mental health issues, bullying and self-harm but overall they have a lovely warm tone and have really helped many LGBTQ+ teens and young adults realise that life is not all bad and that they are worthy.

The main changes in the show are Charlie and Tory’s younger brother being written out and the character of Aled changed for Isaac. The addition of Imogen as a barrier between Nick and Charlie was also a change but she was added for some drama. The characters of Ben and James in Series 2 were also expanded along with Isaac’s asexual storyline. More trans characters were added as Elle’s friends along with the possibility of her moving away to art school.

I think all the changes to the show have been well crafted and nothing has taken away from Nick and Charlie’s personalities. Charlie is still a geek who is good at maths, running and playing the drums. He still has mental health issues and struggles with telling people his worries. Nick is still a rugby lad with a love of Marvel films, hoodies and dogs. They move the conflict with Nick’s father to the second series but I think it works and I love that they kept the fact that Nick can speak French as a surprise for Charlie and the gang to discover.

Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief (2010)

One franchise that the fans and author both didn’t like is Percy Jackson. The first two books: Percy Jackson and the Lightning Thief and Percy Jackson and the Sea of Monsters were adapted into big Hollywood blockbusters but with the author not being involved and major changes, it left the fans upset.

As a action-adventure film by itself it works: the actors are charismatic, there is some funny dialogue and the main plot points still exist with the presence of the Greek Gods. However, the age of the main trio was changed along with the ending of the first film. The second one had many, many changes that dumbed down the film.

In the books, Percy Jackson, a 12-year-old from New York discovers that his absent father was actually the Greek God Poseidon and the gods have been living in America for a few centuries. His mother sends him to Camp Half-Blood for protection where he meets Annabeth and learns that his best friend Grover is actually a satyr and his teacher is really a centaur. He learns sword skills and how to fight strategically but when fate comes calling he has to complete a quest to save society.

One of the major plot points changed was that Percy has a big fight on the Empire State building with Hades who wants to overthrow his godly family on Mount Olympus. The ending originally entailed Percy being betrayed by fellow camper Luke and bitten by a deadly spider and that is how the audience learns that the Son of Hermes has been lured to the dark side.

Another change was the chemistry between Annabeth and Percy. They are not meant to get together until the fifth book when they are 16 but in the film they have many flirty moments which totally negates their strong dynamic as friends first.

Luckily for fans, another adaption is happening as a Disney Plus series with the author, Rick Riordan now heavily involved. There have been a few changes to the ethnicities of characters which updates the series and helps the audience to see that people of all races can be heroes. Percy’s hair is also dark blonde, the actor’s hair but I don’t mind that so much as after seeing Walker Scobell in another film, I think he will make a great Percy. The actors are all also young and playing the ages of the characters in the books.

I was a big fan of the books and eagerly await the new series that is coming around Christmas time this year.

Good Omens (2019-)

This television series is based on an older book from 1990 by Neil Gaiman and Terry Pratchett. As Terry Pratchett is no longer with us, Neil Gaiman took on creative control and became the showrunner/writer/executive producer.

Series 1 follows the book with Angel Aziraphale and Demon Crowley uncovering a plot between Heaven and Hell to cause the Apocalypse and wipe out life on Earth. This series was very faithful to the original book with barely any changes to the characters other than perhaps diversifying a little.

For the second series, the show has gone beyond the books but Neil Gaiman assured fans that it was very much based on the ideas that himself and Terry had when discussing a sequel to the book.

I think Series 2 was great and without the Apocalypse storyline we got to see much more of Aziraphale and Crowley and their lives together on Earth for the last six thousand years. There is also the development of the love story that many fans had hoped for and based on the chemistry between the actors in the first series, fan art had already appeared.

With such a cliffhanger at the end of Series 2, the future of the series hung in the balance but the producers and Neil himself have pretty much confirmed its looking good for a third and final series of the show.

With a show going beyond its source material, there is not much to compare it to but as it has been written by and based on ideas by the original authors, I think one can consider it as faithful to the book.

There are many adaptions happening all over the world virtually every day, good and bad but remember if your favourite book gets an unfavourable one, then the book is always there to be re-read.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

What I Have Enjoyed at the Cinema This Month

Hello readers,

In the last few weeks, I have seen a few interesting and entertaining films at the cinema including at the London Film Festival so here is my review. While summer blockbusters are over, the rest of the year promises interesting releases both at the cinema and on streaming. So when the autumn weather finally does appear, there will be lots to watch on the big screen or curled up on the sofa at home.

The Creator (2023)

If you’re looking for a film that covers current world issues, then The Creator hits right on the mark. Hollywood writers and actors are just coming to a close on a historic union strike over the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and what it means for their industries. Studios have already been using AI to create title sequences and there were talks of using it to generate written content and scanning an actor’s likeness for unlimited use.

The Creator looks at a world where AI was invented and integrated into society much earlier than it was in reality. Mankind begin to rely on AI for many household tasks, driving them around, factory work and running the digital space. A devastating nuclear bomb hits Los Angeles killing over one million people and sparking a war between AI and humans.

There are two types of AI, those who fully look like robots and those with human likeness’ having been given the faces of real humans. They are more complex and can do many jobs that humans do not want to do.

In the film we see Josh (John David Washington) with his wife, Maya (Gemma Chan) in an unspecified East Asian country. America has outlawed AI and forced it into hiding on New Asia where AI is still used for the police, farming and the robots are accepted by the people as citizens.

American soldiers attack and while escaping, a pregnant Maya’s boat is blown apart. Josh was actually sent undercover to get close to Maya and her father, Nirmata (The Creator) who made the advanced version – simulants and is rumoured to have made a weapon designed to kill all enemies of AI. Torn with grief for his wife and unborn child, Josh goes back to America to live a quiet life.

Five years later, the American army come knocking. Their new weapon, NOMAD has been launched and flies over the world, scanning and destroying any AI robots it finds. They know Josh is the best connection to Nirmata’s location and filled with hope that Maya is alive after some convincing footage, Josh joins them.

What happens next is an all out war between the Americans, New Asia and its AI friends. Josh finds out that Nirmata’s weapon is a powerful simulant in the form of a child. Together they journey New Asia seeking Maya.

I loved the universe that was created for this film and it really showed what could happen if AI was integrated into society. It was interesting to see the Americans as the enemies, particularly as this is an American made film but after reactions to other attacks on national soil, I am not surprised by their retaliation. I thought the bond between Josh and the child was emotional and this connection only deepens as the film’s plot develops. There was such a mix of technology and old traditions, especially in the small villages that made the film feel realistic and also hopeful that if AI ever becomes sentient in that way, society could integrate.

Watching this film in IMAX made it much more intense and I felt that I couldn’t look away. There was plenty of action scenes but the quieter scenes were poignant and added a lot of heart to the characters. I would definitely recommend watching this one in the cinema and it was a great start to the autumn cinema season. I give it 5/5.

Maestro (2023) – Netflix in December

Bradley Cooper directs and stars as Leonard Bernstein, a New York City conductor and composer from the 1950s, 60s and so on who is known for West Side Story and conducting the New York Philharmonic Orchestra.

We see his rise to fame from age 25 as a wannabe musician to a global success with many bows to his string in a lovely sprawling New York Estate. Leonard is eccentric with wild hair and an untameable energy that he pours into his compositions. He also has a variety of male and female lovers with no strong direction until he meets Felicia.

He falls madly in love as they both rise to success, her as a Broadway star. In the later years, with three adult children, Leonard’s discreetness about his relationships with men starts slipping and Felicia is diagnosed with an illness.

The use of black and white and musical elements in the first act of the film helped to demonstrate to the audience how playful Leonard was and never took life too seriously. He saw it as a musical where he could act in any way he wanted with no real consequences. As soon as he gets his taste of fame, conducting the Philharmonic, he realises that to reach a certain level of notoriety, he must keep up appearances.

His later years are in full colour with some very impressive prosthetics showing himself and Felicia (Carey Mulligan) age into New York arts royalty. Bradley Cooper played the character with a lot of depth that is uncovered as the film goes on. His whimsical and spontaneous nature is paired down in public and that is reflected as we only see his public persona as husband and father, rather than his gay affairs.

They come back on screen when he grows to be around 60, turning grey and having had such a successful career that he starts to not care as much as to who knows about his proclivities. Felicia is worried about the children finding out, particularly Jamie (Maya Hawke) who is particularly perceptive.

Carey Mulligan always plays a good role and rather than choosing to see her as the victim here – a wife whose husband would rather play for the other team – I think she has chosen her life and only starts to become intolerant of Leonard’s lifestyle when it endangers the family image and how their children would view their father. She focuses on her own career on stage and screen and keeps close bonds with Jamie and Shirley, Leonard’s sister (Sarah Silverman).

The tone of the film often felt frenetic with Leonard’s intense energy and dramatic conducting scenes, leaving him looking as though he had just taken a bath. One of the best scenes for me was when he is conducting a large orchestra and choir in a church. You can really see his passion for music and tell how his directions make the piece better.

There were many laugh out loud moments, for example when Leonard runs into David (Matt Bomer), ex-lover and now new father in the street with his wife and child and joyfully tells the baby, ‘I’ve slept with both your parents’ and then runs away in glee. The film does take on a sadder tone at the end but Leonard’s gift for music and lust for life pulls you through.

I thought this film was excellent and really captured the spirit of the New York Arts scene at the time and painted a full and varied picture of Leonard’s life. Though brilliant, he had flaws and those are not shied away from. There were some industry heavyweights producing the project including Martin Scorsese and Steven Spielberg so there shouldn’t be any doubts in the quality of this film. It was amazing to see it on the big screen in the Royal Festival Hall at Southbank but if you haven’t managed to get tickets this year then the film will be coming to Netflix this Christmas along with a limited cinema release.

I give the film 5/5.

Priscilla (2023) – Mubi

While many people will have seen Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis that debuted last year to great reviews and Oscar nominations, we did not really see much of Priscilla Presley’s story in there. Sofia Coppola’s new film changes that.

Priscilla focuses on Priscilla’s relationship with Elvis and his treatment of her for the duration of their marriage. We don’t see anything of Elvis that Priscilla doesn’t see and most of the film is set at Graceland where Priscilla spends the majority of their relationship.

The story starts when Priscilla (Cailee Spaeny) is 14 years old. Her father has just been shipped out to West Germany in the late 1950s and she is bored. She goes to the diner and does her homework but hasn’t made any friends. Another soldier, Terry and his wife invite Priscilla to a party at Elvis’ house as he likes to meet people from back home. Despite the 10 year age gap, the two hit it off.

Priscilla is thrilled that a star such as Elvis would pay attention to her and manages to convince her parents to let her go to another party at his house. They start a sweet courtship and share a kiss before Elvis goes back to America. Priscilla thinks of him for the next two years. When she is 17, Elvis rings her up and sends for her. She goes to Graceland but after taking a pill, passes out for two days.

Unable to be apart from her rekindled love, she manages to convince her parents to let her permanently move there as long as she enrols in a good Catholic school. Elvis treats her like a queen with gifts and trips to Vegas but begins to control how she dresses and her appearance.

Priscilla then hears rumours of Elvis being involved with his various co-stars in Hollywood. He denies it but also gets angry at Priscilla and sometimes violent with her when she questions his commitment.

To a modern and educated audience, the relationship looks basically like grooming. Priscilla falls deeply in love with a man that is a different generation to herself and also absent for two years but she does start to gain more control when Elvis falls down an alley of drugs and performing.

From what I have seen, Priscilla Presley though she left Elvis, still holds him in great contempt, recently celebrating the 45th anniversary of his death at Graceland, their former home. This film was based on her own book and she was a producer on the film so even if she does not hate him for what he did, she wanted to tell her side of the story and explain why she stayed so long.

The casting of the film was excellent, particularly as Cailee Spaeny looked so young and small next to Jacob Elordi as Elvis and his various friends/cousins that they hung around with at Graceland.

While Jacob Elordi may not receive the praise that Austin Butler did for his portrayal, I think he did a brilliant job with showing the side of Elvis that Priscilla experienced. Even with her, we see his charming persona that many women went crazy for. I think with the hair and the voice, he had more of a look of Elvis than Butler did but this film was not about him.

It was great to see Priscilla find her own life in LA towards the end of her marriage but with the time jump between the situations, it was hard to imagine how a young isolated woman would have found the courage to make new friends and flirt with her karate instructor, all with a young baby and married to the biggest icon on the planet.

Overall, I enjoyed the film but it did leave me feeling quite sad for the life that Priscilla wanted and could have had if Elvis had not been cheating on her and taking all the drugs. It was interesting to only hear mentions of the Colonel in this film whereas in Elvis (2022), he is the narrator and basically the main character of the story. Perhaps this was to show that Priscilla didn’t really know the influence that the Colonel had or the control he wielded over Elvis. There was one time when the Colonel suggested that Elvis take some time for himself and Priscilla stayed at Graceland waiting for him without questioning it.

Looking into the story, some parts were concertinaed for the film so events weren’t quite as shocking as depicted in the film but as Priscilla was involved, the film was very accurate and you could feel her feelings in every scene as they played across Spaeny’s face. It is clear why she won Best Actor at Venice Film Festival. I saw the Special Presentation at the London Film Festival and Cailee Spaeny was there and read a great message from Coppola. The film will be hitting cinemas on Boxing Day and streaming on Mubi sometime in the future. I give it 4/5.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

2023: Summer of Cinema: Theater Camp

The theatre world has always been an inclusive place for outsiders and people that don’t feel that they fit into society or at least at school to find a home. Making the teachers the focus of the film was something I have not really seen before but it really honed in on the phrase ‘those that can’t do, teach’.

Hello readers,

Despite the sun coming back again for another heatwave, the summer cinema offerings are starting to wind down. Today’s post is the last one in my 2023: Summer of Cinema series and I will be looking at different topics including television and streaming shows together with some larger scale analysis.

For today, I turn my attention to Theater Camp, a funny, dry mockumentary celebrating the theatre camps of America particularly around New York. The camp in this film is run by the much loved Joan and a collection of other eccentric teachers that have not been able to find permanent roles in the theatre world.

Theater Camp (2023)

The film opens with Joan (Amy Sedaris) and Rita (Caroline Aaron) recruiting potential kids for the camp. In true mockumentary style, we get talking heads from the cast telling us their feelings and just giving extra details that they haven’t said in the scene.

When Joan unfortunately is stunned into a coma by a child’s performance in Bye Bye Birdie; her son Troy (Jimmy Tatro) with no experience and little appreciation for the theatre is replaced as camp leader. He quickly starts to make some changes but the teachers and students barrel on with their usual mayhem regardless.

The most closely followed teachers are Rebecca-Diane (Molly Gordon – also co-director) and Amos (Ben Platt) and their co-dependent dynamic. They were students at the camp and with no success in the business, they have committed their lives to being theatre camp counsellors and nurturing the next generation.

Among the other teachers there is Glenn (Noah Galvin) who covers all things stage management but maybe wants a chance at the spotlight; Clive, a traditionalist with a passion for dance; Gigi with the fashion know-how and Janet (Ayo Edebiri), a new hire with a forged CV trying to bluff her way through stage combat and mask work.

A complication to this little society comes when Troy finds out the financial issues that the camp is facing. He tries several methods of raising money, all more outlandish than the next. There is also the rivalry with another local camp and tension between long-time best friends and co-producers, Rebecca-Diane and Amos as they attempt to write Joan, Still: an original play celebrating the colourful life of their comatose camp director.

I have dabbled myself in musical theatre but the theatre camps of America really take the drama to the next level. This film highlights the great things about camp: making friends for life, learning great skills for future careers, gaining confidence and the delightful chaos of being part of something bigger than yourself. The film also has the ability to poke fun at the sort of personalities that this environment attracts and not just with the teachers.

The child actors were all great, effortlessly playing up to the stereotype that their character was given: the reluctant male star; the one with actual experience; the unexpected talent and the larger than life presence.

This film made me laugh out loud many times. The way they play scenes as serious whilst being highly unusual really made the humour funnier and the improvisational nature of the script meant that you never really knew what someone would say and do.

The theatre world has always been an inclusive place for outsiders and people that don’t feel that they fit into society or at least at school to find a home. Making the teachers the focus of the film was something I have not really seen before but it really honed in on the phrase ‘those that can’t do, teach’.

I thought this film was a fun venture into the land of the theatre camp and it would be great to see more films with this production team as they managed to make the humour look effortless and clearly cultivated a great safe space for the actors to try new things. I give it 4.5/5.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

2023: New Perspectives: Prehistoric Planet 2

I thought the series overall was fantastic and I am not a big fan of documentaries but I really enjoyed the episodes. I think David Attenborough’s narration really added to the action. There were a few shots that didn’t look quite right but I know from working with the team that this would only be due to running out of time as everyone put in so much hard work for over a year in most cases.

Hello readers,

Today’s post is the second in my New Perspectives series. This week, I will be looking at Prehistoric Planet 2 and share how my perspective changed watching the show after having worked on it. I worked on Series 1 as well but more extensively on Series 2.

This was such a lovely show to work on with a great crew and I am glad that it has been so well received. When I joined the project in 2021, I had no idea really what it was but after hearing the names David Attenborough and Jon Favreau, I knew it would be good.

Each series has 5 episodes with the storylines split into environments. In Series 2 they are: Islands; Badlands; Swamps; Oceans and North America. Each episode contains a few interweaving stories about the creatures that lived in those conditions during the Cretaceous period – 66 million years ago.

Prehistoric Planet 2 (2023)

The first episode Islands included a few sequences that I worked on but not in depth so the story lines were a little more of a surprise. The way we worked on it, we got the vague storyline but not specifics and each sequence was strictly separated so I never saw how they all flowed together until watching the episodes. Seeing the creatures fully comped with look grades on top made them appear very life-like and I could really see the expressions on their faces, particularly with the Zalmoxes on the raft. I remember the Hatzegopteryx sequence where the male tries to woo a female and has to fight off a love rival was one of the first I saw for this episode.

Badlands was overall my favourite episode of Prehistoric Planet 2. I got to work on most of the sequences so I knew it well and I loved the plotlines with the babies having to migrate to safer grounds with the lava and black rocks in the background. I never knew that dinosaurs existed in those areas so it was interesting to learn about. The sequence where they move through the canyon was a tricky one to do and I remember lots of discussions of how to make it look cinematic and interesting but I think all the camera angles and hopping from creature to creature worked well and the end result was visually stunning and interesting.

Swamps again was not an episode I worked on much but I do remember the sequence with the Edmontosaur in the dark fighting the T-Rex being particularly tricky. There was also a fun sequence featuring a Beelzebufo, a returning toad-like creature from Series 1. While Swamps is just one environment, I feel like the episode covered a lot of different sub areas with a lot of different creatures.

The ammonites were a popular creature in Series 1 so they are back in the Oceans episode where we get to see their life cycle and a few varieties – Nostoceras; Baculites and Diplomoceras. We also see the hunting cycles of Hesporornis and the Phosphorosaurus hunting the lanternfish using their bioluminescence against them. The crowd team really pulled off something amazing making the shoals of fish and I think the end result was really great. Making something look realistic in water is an added challenge in VFX but I think the team really pulled it off.

The North America episode was the first one I worked on in Series 2 and I became well versed in the animation process of the Tyrannosaurus and Quetzalcoatlus sequence where they find the carcass of an old Alamosaurus. There were a lot of different beats featuring 4 different creatures and showing them eating was particularly tricky. The Triceratops fight and mating sequence was another interesting one to work on as there were a lot of individuals gathered making a spectacular scene. Triceratops have always been a favourite of mine, I think as they look so unique . I used to think they were gentle creatures but certainly not after this episode.

I thought the series overall was fantastic and I am not a big fan of documentaries but I really enjoyed the episodes. I think David Attenborough’s narration really added to the action. There were a few shots that didn’t look quite right but I know from working with the team that this would only be due to running out of time as everyone put in so much hard work for over a year in most cases.

This project was my first in the industry and was such a joy to work on. it was also my first on-screen credit which was exciting. If you haven’t yet caught the show, both series are on Apple TV+.

Happy Watching,
Robyn

2023: Summer of Cinema: Oppenheimer

In some of his films that are set in reality, Nolan claims to use no CGI. VFX is used to touch up the shots and are not always used to create computer generated elements but in this case, over 100 visual effects artists (about 80%) were not credited for working on Oppenheimer. As someone working in VFX, I see this often enough but to not credit people is to not support fellow workers in the industry.

Hello readers,

The day has come and gone for ‘Barbenheimer’ to hit the screens and according to Rotten Tomatoes, Oppenheimer is currently pulling ahead in terms of reviews, however Barbie is winning in terms of box office. This could be because Barbie is a 12A meaning children under 12 can attend with an adult and Oppenheimer is a 15 but there are also huge differences in runtimes, directorial style and plot.

I chose to see Oppenheimer second on the Monday and I did see it at an IMAX screening as the director Christopher Nolan intended it. I didn’t quite stretch to a 70mm screening as to tell the truth, it was sold out. I am glad that I did not see both Barbie and Oppenheimer on one day as the 3 hour long film did send me to sleep a little.

Oppenheimer (2023)

I will start off the review by saying that the film was objectively good. The story was something not many people know in depth; the cast were Hollywood A-List: Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh and even the supporting cast of lesser knowns were great. The overall look with the costumes, production design and the inclusion of physics really helped set the stage and the use of lighting, composition and colour made the film look visually appealing.

As a former film student, these facts are all clear to me but personally I did not enjoy the film as much as I had hoped. I found it too long and it did not keep my interest after about one and a half hours. The female characters were only there to serve the male plotlines and even Oppenheimer’s wife, Kitty (Emily Blunt) who was featured in a lot of scenes did not really say or do much apart from seem mentally unstable or supportive of her husband. Along with Jean (Florence Pugh) having a mental breakdown and Oppenheimer’s sister-in-law, Jackie (Emma Dumont) being blacklisted as a communist, there were not any positive depictions of the women in the story.

For a female audience or even a younger audience who have grown up with men and women being more equally represented on screen to enjoy the film, there should have been more depth to the only two leading female characters: Kitty and Jean. Florence was severely underused and every scene she appeared in involved sex. The sex scenes themselves were weirdly portrayed as a conversation and sex was a secondary element which to me shows that no one needed to be naked for the scene to happen. There was a lot of pointless female nudity that was not replicated for the male counterpart.

There was also a lack of female scientists. The only speaking woman who was involved in the Manhattan Project was relegated to secretary and only got that position as a biologist. In real life, there were more women assisting Oppenheimer and his team with creating the Atomic Bomb and that just wasn’t shown in the film which was a shame. Similar stories such as the space race in Hidden Figures (2016) or the building of the Enigma machine in The Imitation Game (2014) did not shy away from including the stories of real women that helped with these scientific/mathematic projects.

In some of his films that are set in reality, Nolan claims to use no CGI. VFX is used to touch up the shots and are not always used to create computer generated elements but in this case, over 100 visual effects artists (about 80%) were not credited for working on Oppenheimer. As someone working in VFX, I see this often enough but to not credit people is to not support fellow workers in the industry.

I will say that for me, Robert Downey Jr was the standout performance of the film and for his first big role since Iron Man’s story ended, he really embodied his character: Admiral Strauss. I liked the beginning of the film where we saw Oppenheimer’s background and how he got selected for the Manhattan Project but I think the film loosened after the actual explosion happened. Moving backwards and forwards through time was also a little confusing as black and white was used for present day and colour used for flashbacks.

The general tone of the film, particularly after the bomb was not of regret for making the bomb and using it on innocent civilians but rather Americans trying to excuse themselves for making and using the bomb. Oppenheimer himself was barely affected with two weak aftermath images and no one else seemed that bothered. There was a whole scene of people cheering after hearing of the bombing which felt like patriotic propaganda. Many American people would not have agreed with its use or war in general; when the Vietnam War started there were a lot of protests.

Part of what held my interest was the appearance of many actors in small cameo roles such as Gary Oldman as President Truman; Casey Affleck; Rami Malek; Jack Quaid; Josh Peck; Devon Bostick and Alex Wolff.

Overall, I think I was not the right audience of the film but I have seen other film critics agree with my thoughts so not everyone enjoyed it. I think Nolan is a good director, I have enjoyed other films of his: Interstellar, Inception, The Prestige, Dunkirk and Memento but on this occasion, the film just didn’t grab me. As always these are just my opinions and I would encourage everyone to see the film for themselves and form their own opinions. I give the film 3/5.

Happy Watching,
Robyn

2023: Summer of Cinema: Barbie

The film uses all of these controversies in their plot and makes sure that we know that they do not condone Barbie’s unrealistic body but rather celebrate her achievements. We start with the 2001: Space Odyssey opener that has been teased, letting us know that Barbie was the first adult doll manufactured for girls that did not just teach them to be mothers. We see stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) wake up in her dream house and have the perfect day. All her fellow Barbie’s have success in their careers, winning Nobel Prizes, being the President, driving an ambulance and generally having a great time.

Hello readers,

The most anticipated film of the year has finally arrived: Barbie! There has been a lot of hype around this film thanks to the amazing marketing team and the enormous cast featured in the film, not forgetting legendary director Greta Gerwig. I myself have been eagerly awaiting this film and to sum it up, it did not disappoint.

I was able to see some of the Barbie European Premiere in London as they erected a giant screen for those who did not manage to get in. I will be posting some images on my instagram @film_fanatic00

While many clips of the film were released, little was known about the overall plot and I was pleasantly surprised when I sat down to watch. I thought I knew everything about the film due to the sheer volume of content on social media but they really kept the main story hidden. This will be spoiler free as I know some people have not yet had the chance to see the film.

Barbie (2023)

Barbie’s have always been a controversial topic: on one hand they promote feminism as Barbie has her own car, house, career without the help of a man. Her boyfriend Ken is a background character with no job/house/car of his own. The dolls were released at a time when women in America couldn’t even have their own bank accounts and most had the job of housewife so little girls seeing Barbie as a lawyer, doctor, author, scientist or homeowner, empowered generations.

On the other hand, Barbie’s have always kept a very slim, totally unrealistic body type. They have feet always ready to wear high heels, waists smaller than their heads and lipstick and mascara on their faces. While Barbie has been released as different ethnicities, she has not had a realistic figure and it wasn’t until 2019 that a Barbie in a wheelchair was put on the market permanently.

The film uses all of these controversies in their plot and makes sure that we know that they do not condone Barbie’s unrealistic body but rather celebrate her achievements. We start with the 2001: Space Odyssey opener that has been teased, letting us know that Barbie was the first adult doll manufactured for girls that did not just teach them to be mothers. We see stereotypical Barbie (Margot Robbie) wake up in her dream house and have the perfect day. All her fellow Barbie’s have success in their careers, winning Nobel Prizes, being the President, driving an ambulance and generally having a great time.

Barbie starts having some troubling thoughts and her feet lose their natural heel so she is sent to Weird Barbie (Kate McKinnon) for help. She tells her to go to the Real World to find the girl playing with her as she must be passing on her depressing thoughts. Ken, who up until this point has been side-lined by Barbie in favour of hanging with the girls and sleepovers, decides to join her on the trip.

The chaos ensues from there and we meet the humans Gloria and Sasha who assist Barbie in her quest towards the end of the film. I thought it was a great idea to incorporate Mattel into the film and shows maturity that they allowed Greta and Noah Baumbach (co-writer) to poke fun at them. Barbie also discovers that the Real World is not as perfect as Barbieland and that women are not in charge. Ken discovers the patriarchy and things start unravelling when he brings this revelation to the other Kens and Barbies (and Allan).

This film was a lovely celebration of female power and how women are always expected to be two things at once, for example they have to be decisive but not bossy, dress nicely but not too sexy and so on.

Barbieland itself was a wonderful playground filled with all the accessories one could want but I am glad we got to see the Real World too as that grounded the story for me. All of the costumes were amazing and there were so many details nodding to discontinued Barbie’s such as her sister Skipper and Midge, the pregnant doll.

Margot Robbie was amazing as Barbie, balancing human emotions perfectly but Ryan Gosling as Ken was a real standout. His comic timing and facial expressions were right on point and I would like to see him do more comedy.

Overall the film was a joyful over-the-top celebration of humanity, especially women and made you think about what makes us human. Beneath the pink and the costumes and excellent soundtrack, the film had real heart and emotion that Greta always injects into her films. I will most certainly be watching the film again ad I encourage everyone to go along to the cinema to see Barbie in action. As the film campaign has said: ‘It’s a film for everyone who likes Barbie and everyone who hates Barbie’. I give the film 5/5.

Happy Watching,
Robyn