Film Review: Dune Part Two: Which is hotter? The cast or desert setting in this sci-fi sequel

Hi Readers,

One of the most anticipated sequels of the year has finally hit the cinema screens: Dune Part Two. It carries on the story of Paul Atreides and his various comrades and enemies as they move towards the fight for Arrakis. With the writers and actors strikes delaying the release, fans have had to wait longer than planned. Those who have read the original books will have known what is coming but nothing compares to seeing it on the big screen.

I chose to wait to see this film in IMAX and it was definitely worth it. The sound and quality of the film were amazing and the vast scenes of the desert really emphasised that the action is set on another planet despite being filmed in real life deserts.

As the film has been out a while, I will be talking about spoilers so if you haven’t yet seen the film and do not want to hear any plot details, turn away now.

Dune: Part Two (2024)

The film begins with Paul and his mother Jessica learning the ways of the Fremen. Paul fairly defeated their champion in the last film so they have now been accepted into the clan. Zendaya who plays Chani is there as his friend and mentor with romance sizzling between herself and Paul played by Timothée Chalamet.

Paul is anxious for his mother and her unborn child as they wait for the Harkonnen to hunt them down. Paul must come to terms that he could be the Fremen’s messiah – Lisan al-Ghaib, the prophet that they have been waiting for who is said to help them reclaim the planet from the Empire.

After his mother drinks the Water of Life and becomes the new Reverend Mother of the Fremen, she has the ability to speak to her unborn daughter voiced by Anya Taylor-Joy in a surprise cameo. Paul learns the ways of the Fremen including their fighting techniques, how to ride a sandworm and their rituals. Together with the Fremen he destroys the spice harvesters that the Harkonnen send to their territory. He is reunited with his old friend Gurney (Josh Brolin) who was believed to have been killed in the first film.

Elsewhere, Princess Irulan (Florence Pugh) suspects that Paul Atreides is still alive despite the House of Atreides falling to the House of Harkonnen. She has a visit from another Reverend Mother (Charlotte Rampling) who tells her of the prophecy.

On Arrakis, the Baron’s nephews compete to win more territory from the Fremen and to be elected as the next Baron and leader of House Harkonnen. Feyd-Rautha (Austin Butler) is a fierce fighter and when his brother does not succeed is awarded an army to bring down the Fremen. Lady Margot Fenring is sent by the Emperor (Christopher Walken) to secure an heir with Feyd-Rautha so they can stake a claim to House Harkonnen and gain control of Arrakis.

The final act comes when Jessica is revealed as a daughter of the Baron meaning Paul is both an Atreides and Harkonnen. The battle to take back the palace proceeds and when finding the Harkonnens along with the Princess and Emperor, Paul challenges them to a duel for the throne; Feyd-Rautha is chosen as the champion. After a tough fight, Paul is the champion but to Chani’s dismay asks Princess Irulan for her hand in marriage. Chani goes back to Fremen territory in the north on a sandworm.

The main questions that we are left with are:

  • Now that Feyd-Rautha is dead, will the Emperor use his unborn child with Lady Margot to challenge Paul for the throne?
  • Will Paul reveal his Harkonnen blood to make a claim for the House of Harkonnen as well?
  • Does he still love Chani and this was all a political move? Will she forgive him?
  • Will Paul still be on the Fremen’s side as the Lisan al-Ghaib and work as an inside man to give the planet back to them?

I really enjoyed Dune Part Two, I liked the first film and this definitely lived up to expectations. With so many characters and the different names and lore of the Dune universe, it could be a film that is hard to understand, but the emotions and story felt very human.

The visuals were stunning with the vast open desert scenes and clean lines of the Harkonnen compound. The colours were very basic with the Harkonnens wearing black with a pale white skin tone and the Fremen with many skin colours and dark grey outfits. The contrast with the sand really made these stand out. The planet felt very futuristic yet there was no modern technology such as phones or cars. It was as if they had evolved beyond that.

The cast were very well chosen being some of the most talented and attractive young actors in Hollywood at the moment. I thought Timothée Chalamet did a great job as Paul as always. In this sci-fi world, he is the most relatable character having a very human experience and being a fish out of water in the Fremen culture. I thought that Austin Butler was a very convincing villain with his bald cap and intimidating demeanour. You didn’t often see cracks but his most vulnerable moment was when Lady Margot was seducing him and you could see he felt empowered to be sought after in that way.

The twist at the end about Paul being part of the House of Harkonnen and then asking Princess Irulan for her hand in marriage was not something I saw coming but I am sure all will be explained in a third installment. There have been many Dune books, with the story being continued after the original author’s death.

Due to the film’s delay it missed out on being eligible for Awards Season but I hope we get it see it win something next year. The sound and visual effects definitely deserve something but the acting was up there as well.

Overall, I give this film 5/5

Happy Watching,

Robyn

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

Film Review: Anyone But You: Theme Song and based on Shakespeare? The RomCom is back

Hi Readers,

If you are unfamiliar with the 2000s romcom then you may be confused by my title but those who know, will know. Popular romantic comedies of the time such as 10 Things I Hate About You (1999), She’s the Man (2006) were loosely based on Shakespeare plays and even cult hit, Clueless (1995) is based on Jane Austen’s Emma.

Many romcoms had their own iconic songs that served as a motif/title track for the film: I Love You Baby from the famous scene where Heath Ledger’s Patrick sings it with the marching band to Kat (Julia Stiles) in 10 Things I Hate About You; Emma Stone’s Olive in Easy A (2011, honorary 00s) singing I’ve Got A Pocketful of Sunshine while getting ready; Katherine Heigl and James Marsden singing Bennie and the Jets while dancing on the bar in 27 Dresses (2008); the montage in which Renée Zellweger decides to be an Independent Woman is to the song I’m Every Woman in Bridget Jones’ Diary (2001).

Anyone But You takes these two ingredients and adds in the dream wedding destination – Australia; an enemies to lovers arc and a group of well-meaning yet meddling family plus a fun cast and produces a hit romcom. It has exceeded $200m at the box office which with two leads who have not yet reached A list status is a real triumph.

Anyone But You (2023)

The story starts unusually for a film in this genre with an unsuccessful meet-cute. Bea (Sydney Sweeney) is helped by handsome stranger Ben (Glen Powell) at a cafe and, after a potentially disastrous bathroom trip, they spend the evening together. A misunderstanding leads them to thinking the other was not so keen. Fast forward six months and Ben’s childhood friend Claudia (Alexandra Shipp) is marrying Bea’s sister, Hallie (Hadley Robinson). So it’s off to Sydney, Aus to Claudia’s stepdad’s mansion for a close-knit wedding.

Ben and Bea quickly descend into petty bickering but when the family starts pushing them together, they play along to show their exes that they are a hot commodity. Of course along the way, real feelings start to reveal themselves and they may not be quite so hateful towards each other.

I liked the pacing and plot of the film. It had a few classic comedy moments such as falling into the Sydney Harbour, a spider in the underwear for Ben and some poor fake acting from well-meaning friends. I didn’t feel anything was too over the top or unbelievable as in some romcoms. The tone was sincere but as this was a 15 there was a bit of nudity and swearing but nothing gratuitous, just enough to say this is for older teenagers.

The chemistry between the leads Powell and Sweeney was electric and their bickering seemed to come from a place of genuine connection despite an age gap which was playfully referred to. In films of the past, this would not have been mentioned at all so it was good to see.

The film was based on the Shakespeare play, Much Ado About Nothing and apart from the main couples names: Ben and Bea (Benedick and Beatrice), Claudia and Hallie (Claudio and Hero), I don’t think there is as much similarity as other romcoms and their classic counterparts.

The iconic theme song for this film was Natasha Bedingfield’s Unwritten from 2004 which starts as Ben’s ‘serenity’ song that he listens to on the plane to the wedding. Bea overhears this when attempting to steal his cookie and when they are being airlifted out of Sydney Harbour she starts singing it to calm Ben down. It pops up again at the wedding and during the credits, the cast sing it in the various locations from the film. This is another popular comedy trope and can be seen in films such as Chalet Girl (2009); Paddington 2 (2017) and Slumdog Millionaire (2008).

I watched the film recently after it was re-released as a Valentine’s Encore with an extra intro and ending from Glen Powell and Sydney Sweeney as well as some behind the scenes. This was a lovely gesture and made the re-release more noteworthy as opposed to just putting the same thing into cinemas.

Many elements brought together made this film a great romcom and as many are calling it, the return to the classics of the past. I would happily go and watch this again and eagerly await its release onto streaming, even just to sing along to ‘Unwritten’ in the comfort of my own living room.

Overall I give this film 5/5.

Happy Watching,

Robyn 

Oscar Nominated Film Review: The Holdovers – stepping back in time to the 1970s

Hello Readers,

My review today is about the critically-acclaimed, Award Season darling with hit performances from Paul Giamatti, Da’Vine Joy Randolph and newcomer, Dominic Sessa, it is of course, The Holdovers. From the outside, this film may seem simple: set in the winter holidays of an elite boarding school in Massachusetts in 1970. Most of the students have homes to go to but for a select few they have to ‘hold over’ until the term starts again.

The film has a very Seventies feel with the clothes, props and even the overall look that makes it appear to have been shot on film given the texture and the aspect ratio. This was in fact a technique used by the director and cinematographer.

I chose to watch this film due to its acclaim with several nominations and wins for its cast and crew and also after watching the trailer I thought the concept sounded fun, maybe with Dead Poet’s Society connotations of the student/teacher bond.

The Holdovers (2023)

What helped the audience settle into the film was the fact that we picked up just as students are going home for Christmas. We see some of the life of the Barton Academy, where the privileged and largely white send their boys, before the school empties out. We are left with Angus Tully, a clever yet quiet boy who has a penchant for bending the rules, two younger lads, a rebel whose father has refused to pick him up unless he cuts his long hair and Teddy who is an antagonist of Angus. Left to look after them are the unpopular and unfortunately pungent Mr. Hunham, a Classics teacher and the school cook, Mary.

Over the course of the film, you discover the secrets and hidden parts of their personalities although the group shrinks smaller again when Angus becomes the last boy standing. With a Christmas party, meals at the local diner and a trip to Boston, Angus and Mr. Hunham along with Mary when she is not visiting her sister, form a unique bond that transcends genetics.

Angus begins to understand why Mr Hunham is so grouchy and Mr Hunham learns things about Angus that help him understand that everyone has their own problems going on under the surface.

The highlights of the film included the cinematography, capturing the beautiful countryside scenery surrounding the school campus and the bustling Boston complete with ice skating rink and street book fairs. I also enjoyed the acting of Paul Giamatti and Dominic Sessa as their characters were both in a place of needing a supportive bond. You could see the emotion behind their faces and even with them both being in a privileged position, it was clear that life had not treated them well with personal/family issues.

Even though Da’Vine Joy Randolph is a great actress and has been nominated (and won) awards for her role of Mary, I don’t think the material she was given did do her justice and I think with more scenes, her role would have felt more pivotal as the only featured female role. Her character was in grief over the death of her son in the Vietnam War but apart from a couple of moments, this was not immediately apparent.

Overall, I enjoyed the film and the story. It was a world that is unfamiliar to myself and I am sure many people. The setting of 1970 almost didn’t factor in apart from references to the Moon Landing or other cultural moments. It was definitely a character driven film but the backdrop of the snow and Northwestern USA in an almost forgotten decade lifted it up to award status. I would be surprised but not disappointed if this film won Best Picture at the Academy Awards

Happy Watching,

Robyn

Film Review: Mean Girls – a musical reboot of a cultural classic holds up

Hi Readers,

Last week I saw the reboot/revival of the cultural icon and successful musical now coming to the West End: Mean Girls. Many people online did not seem aware that the film was a musical in spite of the existence of the musical, the casting of Reneé Rapp (who starred as Regina George in the Broadway version) and the trailer.

The 2004 film starring the best of 2000s Hollywood – Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Amanda Seyfried, Tina Fey, Lizzy Caplan, Amy Poehler and Lacey Chabert (more of a 90s icon) – has generated endless chatter, memes, Halloween outfits, recreations and TikToks. This new version has updated some of the politically incorrect or offensive language – i.e Regina is now a fugly cow and Cady is not approached about muffins in the cafeteria.

The Broadway version adapted by Tina Fey only had a short life on stage due to the Covid 19 pandemic so its great to see it immortalised on the screen with its original star Reneé Rapp. Since her turn as Regina, Reneé has gone on to star in the popular HBO series, The Sex Lives of College Girls and released music – Tummy Hurts, Snow Angels and become a bi icon.

Mean Girls (2024)

The film starts with an upbeat opening number by Janis (Auli’i Cravalho) and Damien (Jacquel Spivey) the ones who guide Cady through North Shore High School and its teenage population. It only seems right that they guide the audience through the film. Some updates to their characters include changing their ethnicity and giving them more up to date interests. For example, Janis wears more popular but still hippy clothes, loves blue eye-shadow and her art involves string and sewing.

Cady (Angourie Rice) moves from Kenya with her mother (Jenna Fischer) to the Chicago area in the US and goes from a quiet home-schooled life to figuring out the cliques and social norms of the American high school. The character of Cady’s father has been erased along with the story of her first crush at four years old. What has stayed is Cady’s iconic blue checked shirt that she wears on the first day.

When Cady meets the Plastics they look more high school age than in the original and have a more up to date style. Regina (Reneé Rapp) is wearing a full black leather number with Gretchen (Bebé Woods) and Karen (Avantika) wearing preppy/colourful outfits.

After Cady learns her new calculus class crush, Aaron Samuels (Christoper Briney) is Regina’s ex-boyfriend and therefore strictly off-limits, she agrees to help Janis and Damien bring Regina down a peg or two.

Karen’s solo song ‘Sexy’ tells the audience the boundaries of Halloween costumes and that as long as your outfit is sexy than anything goes. Cady unfortunately does not get this memo and turns up as a Vampire Bride. Seeing Aaron with Cady alerts Regina to the potential threat that Cady poses she and quickly marks her territory by kissing Aaron.

Much like in the original film, Janis, Damien and Cady devise a plan to take away everything from Regina: her perfect skin, hot body, loyal sidekicks and reignited relationship with Aaron.

While Cady only hangs out with Janis and Damien in secret she is gradually turning more Plastic including writing about her teacher, Mrs Norbury (Tina Fey) in the Burn Book and pretending to be dumb so Aaron will tutor her.

Much of the film follows the original including the entire junior class gathering in the gym for a female bonding experience, Cady’s enrolment in the Mathletes and the famous Spring Fling scene with the tiara.

I think that this revival of the film based on the musical is a fresh take on the iconic tale keeping in many of the iconic lines – ‘That’s so fetch’; ‘It’s October 3rd’; ‘the limit does not exist’; ‘You can’t sit with us’ and ‘On Wednesdays we wear pink’. There were some important updates to incorporate the changes in culture and what is acceptable to say especially among teenagers.

I think that the original songs gave a great insight into the character’s thoughts especially Regina and Janis. Making Janis and Damien the narrator characters who introduce the show was clever as they are the ones that introduce Cady and the audience to the cliques in the canteen and the Plastics.

My favourite song from the soundtrack is Apex Predator as it has a good beat and really shows the power and influence that Regina has over the student population.

I’m glad that the musical made it to the big screens as it was cut short on Broadway due to pandemic and it is now coming to the West End.

The cast was well chosen and they all brought new aspects to the roles. I like that Reneé Rapp was not the skinniest girl so showing that all body types can be considered desirable. Rather than focusing on their appearances, it appeared that the Plastics popularity comes from power and knowing things about everyone as demonstrated with the Burn Book.

Overall, I thought the film was fun and for everyone that grew up with the original 2004 version, it was a blast to the past. Definitely worth a watch if you enjoy musicals or the original. I give it 5/5.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

Film Review: Ferrari – why a film about the founder of a successful luxury car brand and racing team was not about the cars

Hello Readers,

With Awards Season in full swing, you may be wondering why I chose to go the cinema and see a little mentioned film but my family have always been interested in racing films and Formula 1 in general so it seemed like the perfect watch. The synopsis on the cinema’s website stated essentially it was about the birth of Ferrari as a Formula 1 team as well as a luxury sports car brand.

This definitely lead me and a few others astray. The cinema screening was mainly filled with Formula 1’s main audience – men. Not to say that women are not interested as there were a fair few there – myself included. I think we were all expecting something about the Formula 1 sport and Ferrari’s role within it.

I will get into this in the main body of the review but I think a few people will have walked out of the film disappointed, depending on what they were expecting to see.

Ferrari (2023)

I was surprised on some fronts that the director of this film was not Italian as it had such a vibe of the Italian films of the 70s/80s that I remember watching at university. The long shots with beautiful countryside and quiet village life. Apart from a little black and white montage at the start of the film detailing Enzo Ferrari’s own history of racing, the first half an hour of the film described Enzo’s daily routine rather than his cars.

We see his trip to the barber, visit to the cemetery, driving around the beautiful 50s town of Modena, getting dressed in the morning and his country house with his apparent wife and young son. I thought that Shailene Woodley was an interesting choice for the wife of a well-known Italian but maybe he had met an American woman somewhere.

When we see him in a scene with Penélope Cruz, it becomes apparent that Lina (Woodley) is in fact his mistress and Italian. His wife, Laura handles the accounts for Ferrari and is clearly fed up with Enzo’s treatment of her, even aiming a gun at him and this is before she finds out about his secret son.

Their marriage has become particularly fraught after the death of their son, Dino the year before the film started from muscular dystrophy . It’s clear this took a toll on Laura as she looks haggard and tired, a great acting turn from Cruz who is regularly referred to as a goddess. She is in fact the only person from the film nominated for any major awards – Screen Actors Guild Awards.

The start of the racing begins after a scene that I am sure was influenced by Italian-American film, The Godfather where Ferrari and his fellow factory workers sit in church with their wives while the rival team at Maserati try and break the Ferrari held record for fastest lap round a race track. The cuts between these two tonally different scenes reminded me of the famous christening scene where Michael Corleone is renouncing Satan and it cuts to a murder.

We get to the heart of the action about midway with Ferrari choosing a new driver for the Mille Miglia, a 1000 mile race through Italy after his star driver suffers an unfortunate accident. A few other notable faces pop up as Ferrari drivers including Patrick Dempsey with his bleach blond hair which made headlines at last years awards, and Jack O’Connell of Skins, SAS: Rogue Heroes and Lady Chatterley’s Lover fame.

The newest driver, De Portago campaigns to be Ferrari’s new driver and causes quite a media stir with his Hollywood girlfriend, Linda Christian. As Ferrari knows, any press is good press and gladly welcomes the attention. At home, the drama escalates as Laura reveals that Ferrari is broke and insists on holding onto the control of her shares which Enzo needs to do a deal with Ford to save the company. His mistress, Lina is also pressuring him to publicly accept their son, Piero as a Ferrari ahead of his confirmation.

I thought that Adam Driver did a great job as Enzo Ferrari. He has previously played another notable Italian, Maurizio Gucci in the House of Gucci opposite Lady Gaga and with this portrayal in mind can definitely pull off playing Ferrari. It was maybe a strange period of Ferrari’s life to portray, showing more of his failures than his successes but any good filmmaker prefers to focus on the drama rather than the good parts of the person’s life.

The film sadly ends with what could have been the end of Ferrari, the famous crash during the Mille Miglia killing driver De Portago and nine onlookers. This scene was definitely where the film earned its 15 rating with minimal sex/injury being shown in the earlier scenes. It was obviously done with CGI but just imagining that happening to someone really showed the dangers of the sport even in a seemingly non-contact race through the countryside.

Overall, I really enjoyed this film, despite it not being what was advertised. After the film, I looked up a synopsis on IMDb and if that had been on the cinema website, I suspect the audience may have been smaller and a bit different. There were some great racing scenes but the focus of the film was definitely on Laura and Enzo’s marriage, the grief of losing his son and the potential collapse of the Ferrari brand.

I give this film 4/5.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

Film Review: Wonka – a phizz-whizzing, wondercump watch

Hello readers,

You may be wondering about the words in the title and that is because they are from the plethora of words that author Roald Dahl invented and used in his books, one of which was the original tale for Wonka. In Charlie and the Chocolate Factory we see the grown-up Willy Wonka with his factory and army of Oompa-Loompas entertain an unsuspecting group of children.

But, did you ever wonder how Wonka became the splendiferous inventor that Charlie and his Grandpa Joe encounter? This new film from the producers of Paddington and Harry Potter featuring an amazing cast can show you.

Wonka (2023)

The thing about doing another reboot/sequel or something based on known characters is that it has to be original and interesting. The small childhood flashback we see of Willy Wonka in the 2005 film which depicts him as a sad child stuck in a head brace with a chocolate-hating dentist for a father is not much of a back story.

This film has flipped that narrative on its head and provided Willy with a loving mother who taught him the chocolate basics and let him lick the spoon. At the beginning of the story he sets foot back in an unspecified European town after 7 years aboard finding weird and wonderful new ingredients for his chocolate.

His dream of opening a shop at the Galeries Gourmet is quickly met with uproar from the other three chocolatiers who hatch a plan to bring him down with the help of the Chief of Police and Mrs Scrubitt, the laundrette owner.

Things start off well with Willy showing the public his chocolates that can make you float but when he gets stuck paying his debts at the laundrette along with Noodle and other unfortunate souls, he hatches a plan to free them and take down the chocolate mafia.

At the heart of this film is a story about Willy Wonka missing his mother and seeing that same longing in Noodle who does not know her parents. He wants to make her proud and believes that she will return to him when he has achieved success.

Timothée Chalamet made a great Wonka, basing his performance on that of Gene Wilder in the 1971 adaptation, dressing in his iconic purple coat and hat. He demonstrated Wonka’s classic wacky humour but a little more subdued than it is when he meets Charlie Bucket. I was pleasantly surprised by the singing and dancing in the film but I thought that Timothée brought a great musicality to the role. He commanded the screen and had great chemistry with his on-screen pals.

The supporting cast features a range of British and American heavyweights with newcomer Calah Lane as Noodle alongside names such as Olivia Colman, Hugh Grant, Rowan Atkinson, Paterson Joseph, Jim Carter, Keegan-Michael Key and Matt Lucas.

Fans of Ghosts and Horrible Histories will be able to spot some favourites in there as well as Paddington alumni Tom Davis and Sally Hawkins. There was a large ensemble cast with a few cameos but I felt that everyone had their moment and no one was overlooked in their storyline. Even a character with a few lines got a happy ending on screen.

Of course, no film based around Willy Wonka would be complete without his marvellous inventions. We see his Mary Poppinsesque hat and never-ending suitcase with a delightful range of ingredients including giraffe milk and Oompa-Loompa cocoa beans for which Wonka is pursued. He creates a number of fun treats in the film including a chocolate that allows you to see a silver lining, edible shopping bags and candyfloss clouds.

I think this was a lovely, creative prequel to Willy Wonka with a cosy British feeling similar to Paddington and Matilda (another recent Roald Dahl musical) and I will happily be watching again when it comes to streaming.

I give this film 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