I think what made this film really special was the acknowledgements of the past. It’s not acting as a spinoff or reboot but as a continuation of the archaeology professor’s story. He’s aged but is still the same old guy with a thirst for action and hunger for discovery. He can’t resist getting the hat and whip out for one last ride. As Harrison Ford is now an octogenarian, the action scenes were altered to be entertaining yet believable. We see him riding various vehicles and even a horse. The other characters pick up the action slack but he is by no means side-lined.
Hello readers,
Last week I went to see the new Indiana Jones film and I was not disappointed. It was everything you wanted from an adventure film with Harrison Ford featuring up to date casting and plot. It echoed back to the original films but still was its own thing. Phoebe Waller-Bridge made a great sidekick and female protagonist having a well-developed back story but still making way for Indie’s last hurrah.
Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny (2023)
This summer blockbuster kicks off with a great action sequence set in the past where we get to see a digitally altered Harrison Ford fighting the Nazis. So far, pretty standard for this character. We’re introduced to a friend of his, Baz and a scientist that won’t quit despite the war coming to a close.
We jump back into present day, 1969 with knowledge of the Archimedes Dial. Indiana is not in a good place and the hubbub surrounding Moon Day in New York is not helping. Luckily, adventure comes knocking in the form of Helena (Waller-Bridge), his old friend Baz’ daughter and also his goddaughter. With the government and Nazis on their heels they flee to Morocco.
I think what made this film really special was the acknowledgements of the past. It’s not acting as a spinoff or reboot but as a continuation of the archaeology professor’s story. He’s aged but is still the same old guy with a thirst for action and hunger for discovery. He can’t resist getting the hat and whip out for one last ride. As Harrison Ford is now an octogenarian, the action scenes were altered to be entertaining yet believable. We see him riding various vehicles and even a horse. The other characters pick up the action slack but he is by no means side-lined.
The costumes and sets were not modernised too much and look as though they could have been cobbled together in the 1980s when the original films were produced. There were a lot of great actors: Toby Jones, Mads Mikkelsen, Antonio Banderas and a mention to Ethann Isidore starring as Teddy who really held his own against Harrison and Phoebe. They make a great trio and their personalities gel well together: the grumpy retiree, the money-making historian and the caring yet troublesome wannabe pilot.
The story does take some leaps into the unknown but in typical Indiana fashion, you find yourself rolling with it and taking it all in your stride. I think the plot flowed nicely with enough action to keep younger viewers satisfied and familiar faces for those who are fans of the first films. There was a lot of emotion tied to the film as it is Harrison’s last outing as the character. Paired with Han Solo’s death in Star Wars: The Force Awakens, his career is now coming to a close which feels sad. However, it’s not over yet as season 2 of Shrinking has been announced in which Harrison stars as fellow therapist and begrudging friend of Jason Segel and Jessica Williams.
I enjoyed this film immensely and while some may see if as dredging up the past for a cheque, I think this film perfectly fits in the pentalogy and is just as fun as the original ones with more up to date attitudes. Harrison gave a great performance and graciously shared the stage with Phoebe and Ethann. Everyone involved can be very proud in making a great ending to a much loved adventure and not just another sequel (or fourquel in this case). I give this film 5/5.
I think the colours, costumes, props and deadpan delivery are what make a Wes Anderson film so unique and distinctive and while it does not always pay off in my eyes, I think Asteroid City was a great addition to his filmography. The over saturation of characters does not always work but it did for this film, where a whole community is created.
Hello readers,
Today I will be talking through the new Wes Anderson film, Asteroid City. I saw this in a new cinema, closer to the edge than I normally sit but this did not take away from the experience.
Wes Anderson has been back in conversation because of this film but also because of AI. Many creators have been using AI software to create Wes Anderson style photos such as Harry Potter, Star Wars, Avengers and Batman. The director has said that he does not enjoy people using his unique filmmaking methods in this way but it has certainly created a hype for his colourful and symmetric settings.
Asteroid City (2023)
The film starts with a narrative device not revealed in the trailers, a play within a play. While the events at Asteroid City play out in a rich toned desert with picture perfect 50s amenities (gas station, motel, diner); the writer (Edward Norton) and cast are seen on sets while Bryan Cranston narrates their thoughts.
In the desert we are quickly introduced to a cast of characters: Augie Steenbeck (Jason Schwartzman) with son, Woodrow (Jake Ryan) and three ‘witchy’ celestial-named daughters; Midge Campbell (Scarlett Johansson) famous actress and her daughter Dinah; Montana (Rupert Friend) and his band of cowboys along with school teacher June (Maya Hawke) and her class.
The characters have all gathered at Asteroid City to attend the Junior Stargazer’s event in which Woodrow, Dinah and others including Shelley (Sophia Lillis) are participants. In the town, there is a wide and deep crater made by an asteroid after which the town was named.
There are many interesting citizens of the town including the motel owner (Steve Carell); scientist Dr Hickenlooper (Tilda Swinton); General Gibson (Jeffrey Wright) and the mechanic (Matt Dillon). We also get a few cameos by the likes of Margot Robbie, Tom Hanks, Adrien Brody, Jeff Goldblum and Willem Dafoe.
The story focuses mostly on Augie and his family along with Midge. They stay opposite each other in the motel and start up a scintillating friendship. Their children, Woodrow and Dinah also become close along with the other smart kids.
I won’t reveal the catalyst of the film but let’s say that they all end up getting to know each other well. I enjoyed the comedic tone of the film with some real heartbreak in there, tied in with the asides in black and white from the ‘real’ people. Wes Anderson has his favourites that have appeared in many of his films but he always makes room for new faces.
I think the colours, costumes, props and deadpan delivery are what make a Wes Anderson film so unique and distinctive and while it does not always pay off in my eyes, I think Asteroid City was a great addition to his filmography. The over saturation of characters does not always work but it did for this film, where a whole community is created.
The Royal Tenenbaums may still be my favourite but Asteroid City is certainly up there and one of the best films I have seen this year.
If you live in London there is also an exhibition on with the sets from Asteroid City running until 8th July. I will be going there tomorrow myself.
Overall, I think this film had a great structure, didn’t feel too long and kept me engaged from start to finish. I give it 5/5.
I thought this film was a great summer flick; it was cheesy, had heart and some immense action sequences. There were a lot of funny one liners and despite being set in the 1990s, it was more PC and relevant than past ventures. Elena was a strong female character who was not a love interest and we saw some of the hardships of being a poor POC in America.
Hello readers,
The summer is officially underway as is my 2023: Summer of Cinema series. Next on my list is the Transformers film, another sequel/prequel taking place in between Bumblebee and the original films. This one introduces another main character and some new robots – the Maximals.
I was always a big fan of the original films with Shia LaBeouf and Megan Fox and then the Mark Wahlberg reboots but in hindsight they were quite sexist and didn’t give the female characters enough of a voice. I think this new one has been served well by having a new director and writers and while it is not the best for female representation, there is a great female side kick and finally a female Transformer, if robots even have genders.
Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (2023)
The film begins by introducing us to the back story: The Maximals went to Earth 5000 years ago to escape Unicron and the Terrorcons using the Transwarp key. The Maximals are different from other Transformers we have seen as they look like animals. Their leader, Optimus Primal is a gorilla and there is also a rhino, a leopard and a hawk. I thought this was interesting especially as cars didn’t exist then so it would not have made sense for them to disguise as cars.
We flashforward to 1994 and meet Noah Diaz, he’s a Latino living in Brooklyn, trying to get a job and somehow pay for his younger brother’s medical bills. During a car-jacking, he accidentally breaks into Mirage, Transformer in disguise as a Porsche and hears the call from Optimus Prime that the Terrorcons have come to Earth.
He, along with Elena who works at a museum on Ellis Island that Noah ends up infiltrating, band together with the Transformers to save their planet as well as with Cybertron.
I thought this film was a great summer flick; it was cheesy, had heart and some immense action sequences. There were a lot of funny one liners and despite being set in the 1990s, it was more PC and relevant than past ventures. Elena was a strong female character who was not a love interest and we saw some of the hardships of being a poor POC in America.
I really liked the dynamic between Noah and Mirage, they had a bros type relationship with Mirage promising Noah’s brother to keep him safe. Mirage was a lesser character in other films so it was cool to see another Transformer other than Bumblebee and Optimus Prime take centre stage.
I know a few people who worked on the VFX for this film and I thought the effects were really good, all the transformations from car to robot looked very realistic and the battle at the end was the perfect high stakes ending to the film.
The friend I went to the cinema with had the following comments: “It’s a very fun watch if you don’t take it super seriously but even then the characters and funny moments make it enjoyable. The newer ‘Transformers’ do exceed my expectations, a worthy successor to Bumblebee.”
I agree with her comments, this film is not one to be taken at face value but if you roll with it, it’s a fun summer blockbuster with comedy and diversity that perhaps the originals were lacking.
Overall, I think this film is one to watch on the big screen with your friends and popcorn at the ready. Don’t go in expecting deep and meaningful plot but come out with a smile on your face. I give the film 4/5.
What makes this film unique is the colourful and flashy animation. The shots achieved would simply not be possible in a live-action version and the animation gives such a different perspective to the film. Scenes such as Miles’ fight with Spot or the fight in Mumbattan were particularly impressive. There was so much to look at on screen and whilst there was a lot of classic comic moments with the subtitles and recaps, there were also many new elements that I have not seen in an animation or Marvel film previously.
Hello readers,
This post is the start of my other new series 2023: Summer of Cinema. With so many exciting new films coming out, I wanted to give my spin on this year’s blockbusters. Highlights of the summer will be Barbie; Oppenheimer; Mission Impossible 7; Indiana Jones 5 and the new Wes Anderson.
Today I will be reviewing the latest Sony/Marvel venture: Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. This is the sequel to the well-received Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse that released back in 2018. It explored the possibilities of multi-verses and the existence of different Spider-Men other than Peter Parker. The film broached this theory before the MCU but with the appearance of Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield in the last Tom Holland film; the Spider-Verse is now truly alive and well in the Marvel franchise too.
I was a little late to the party on this one but thankfully did not get any spoilers. This will be a spoiler-free post for anyone else who has not had the chance to get to the cinema for this one.
Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse (2023)
For anyone like myself who was struggling to recall the finer points of the first film, it starts with a handy little recap. Miles found out that he is not the only Spider-Man out there and with the help of Gwen Stacy and Peter Parker, he saved the multi-verse.
This film picks up about a year later; Miles is living his best spider life, balancing that with homework and making sure his parents don’t find out. However, when Gwen comes back into his universe and a new villain emerges in town, Miles must join his fellow Spider-Men once again to save reality.
There were a lot of new Spider-Variants this film with the return of some familiar faces. Turns out just about anyone and anything can be a Spider-Man. Two of my favourite new characters were Hobie Brown aka Spider-Punk and Pavitr Prabhakar aka Spider-Man in Mumbattan (Mumbai and Manhattan hybrid). It was really interesting to see Spider-Men with different backgrounds, ethnicities and looks as it shows there is really no end to the variations.
What makes this film unique is the colourful and flashy animation. The shots achieved would simply not be possible in a live-action version and the animation gives such a different perspective to the film. Scenes such as Miles’ fight with Spot or the fight in Mumbattan were particularly impressive. There was so much to look at on screen and whilst there was a lot of classic comic moments with the subtitles and recaps, there were also many new elements that I have not seen in an animation or Marvel film previously.
I enjoyed all of the voice acting, each actor bringing their own spin to their characters. Some I recognised the voice right away but others I could only see the character that they were portraying. The script has a lot of humour, more so than the average Marvel film which also makes this something different.
Overall, I really enjoyed this film, maybe even more so than the first and I am definitely looking forward to the next installment being released in March 2024. I give this film 5/5.
This was initially going to just be a review of Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood but I decided to include a couple of others I saw in the cinema. A Rainy Day in New York was one I went to for the actors and even though the performances were good, Woody Allen’s direction and writing did not work. Animals, directed by Sophie Hyde, was a screening I attended on my shift at the small cinema I volunteer at. Bizarrely, no one turned up. Below, I’m going to examine why these films have not done so well. Plus what I think of the latest Tarantino.
Hello readers,
This was initially going to just be a review of Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood but I decided to include a couple of others I saw in the cinema this month. A Rainy Day in New York was one I went to for the actors and even though the performances were good, Woody Allen’s direction and writing did not work. Animals, directed by Sophie Hyde, was a screening I attended on my shift at the small cinema where I volunteer. Bizarrely, no-one turned up. Below, I’m going to examine why these films have not done so well. Plus what I think of the latest Tarantino.
Now on to the film. The basic premise involves college couple Gatsby (Chalamet) and Ashleigh (Elle Fanning) going to New York City for an interview Ashleigh has landed with a director. Gatsby wants to turn the weekend into showing her his favourite spots as a New York Native and meeting his family. They quickly get separated as Ashleigh gets involved in the dramas of the director (Liev Schreiber), his screenwriter (Jude Law)and hotshot actor Francisco Vega (Diego Luna). Gatsby connects with his ex-girlfriend’s younger sister, Chan (Selena Gomez) and ends up taking her to the activities.
The synopsis doesn’t sound so bad but the writing and many plot points turned this film into a sexist, unbelievable film. For starters, all the characters speak to each other as though they are doing a PhD in linguistics. The language is filled with metaphors and references that the target audience, 16-24, would not understand. I certainly did not understand it neither did the person I went with. As for the sexism, Ashleigh goes to do a one hour interview with a director and ends up having emotional and physical affairs with three different older men in one day. She is a smart young woman and seeing all these older men taking advantage of her is so remnant of the #MeToo movement that Allen is involved in its almost funny. Most people would not just abandon their boyfriends to go off with older men despite how clever or sexy they are. Ashleigh was also playing the part of the dumb blond. She could never remember which hotel she was staying in. She may never have been to New York except for once in her childhood but anyone can remember one name.
Ashleigh’s naivety and Gatsby’s pursuit of Chan despite once dating her sister and being in a relationship are some of the points of the film that really did not work for me. Also, the coincidences of people just happening to run into each other was too unbelievable. Once or twice for the rom com effect maybe but New York is not as small as it appeared to be in this film. The ending where Chan and Gatsby just know to meet in the same place was cute but too far-fetched. Another scene where Gatsby’s mother confesses to being an escort before she met his father didn’t add anything to the plot. This is practically the only scene we see them interact.
One other issue I had was that despite having smartphones, the film could have been set in the 80s/90s. The characters never went on social media which is an every day necessity of Generation Z or took any photos. They only used their phones for the occasional text or call. I think if you’re going to write a film in modern day New York you have to use the technology and environment of the present day. You could tell that it was written by someone who is not familiar with what the younger generation actually do or talk about.
Overall the actors did the best with what they had but it just felt like any other Woody Allen film from days gone by. I half expected Diane Keaton to pop up in a baggy suit. 2/5.
Once Upon a Time…In Hollywood
Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood Poster
I finally got around to seeing the new Quentin Tarantino film. It was definitely not what I expected but after reflecting for a few weeks was typical of Tarantino’s personal style, elevated by the talented cast. I am not a huge fan of Tarantino having seen about half of his filmography which is not hard as he has only made nine films. My favourite is Inglorious Basterds but Once Upon a Time… In Hollywood is definitely up there. I really enjoyed the setting and aesthetic of the Golden Age of Hollywood.
The film revolves around several characters, many stars from the time. Rick Dalton (Leonardo DiCaprio), an action star is becoming edged out of the business and feels like his glory days are over. His friend and stunt man, Cliff Booth (Brad Pitt) is struggling with his own life being over and how he’s going to survive in his trailer.
Rick lives next door to Hollywood director Roman Polanski (Rafal Zawierucha) and his wife, Sharon Tate (Margot Robbie). They are rarely seen together as Roman is always away filming. Sharon is often seen with her ex, Jay Sebring (Emile Hirsch). Rick is trying to get more roles as the leading man but ends up doing many guest TV episodes as the one off villain. His agent, Marvin Schwarz (Al Pacino) suggests he find more leading man roles otherwise the public will start to see him as the villain.
Meanwhile, Cliff has his own plot going on as he meets Pussycat (Margaret Qualley) from a nearby cult run by ‘Charlie’ who is actually Charles Manson. I was aware that the story evolved around Sharon Tate and Charles Manson and thought it would show the famous murder but it had a more spectacular, fictonal ending. Anyway, Cliff visits the ranch where the cult live to check on an old friend, George Spahn (Bruce Dern).
Other highlights include Sharon going to the cinema to see her new film and not being recognised; Rick being told by his young co-star ‘that was some of the best acting I’ve ever seen’; a fight between Cliff and Bruce Lee and Brad Pitt shirtless on a roof. The ending was in true Tarantino style, violent and over the top. It involved members of the cult breaking into Rick’s house and ends with mauling, stabbing and one of the intruders being torched by Rick’s flame gun. Although the violence was over the top for the film, it was true to Tarantino’s style.
Overall I really enjoyed the film and the Hollywood setting really made it for me. The calibre of acting was amazing and it was great to see Leo and Brad vibing off each other. The script was great and all the shop fronts, cars, costumes and props really helped you believe it was 1969. 4/5.
Animals
Animals Poster
I had not heard much about this film other than seeing in it on the programme but I think it was a shame that no one turned up to see it. It had a quality that really drew you to the characters and I certainly became invested in their story. It centres on two women, Laura and Tyler, roommates and best friends living in Ireland. They party most nights but when Laura finds a connection with musician Jim, she tries to pull away from her life with Tyler.
The raw honesty in this film, based on a book by Emma Jane Unsworth, was one of the best parts about it. Female friendships are often shown as rock solid and always loving and supportive but the rockiness and co-dependency of Laura (Holliday Grainger) and Tyler’s (Alia Shawkat) friendship was really refreshing to see. We can see the world through both of their eyes. Laura is fed up of being told how great she is by Tyler despite not doing any work. She claims to be a writer but has only done 10 pages in the last decade. Tyler constantly tells her how talented she is but when it comes to actually writing Laura draws a blank and goes back to drinking and partying with Tyler.
Tyler meanwhile doesn’t seem to have many ambitions other than having a brilliant night every night. Her outfits are outrageous and cool. Clothes we all wish we could pull off before throwing on jeans and a nice top. She is very insecure about Laura’s whirlwind relationship with Jim and their engagement seems to be the catalyst to set off the divide between them. Tyler turns 30 but doesn’t feel like she should clean up her act until Laura moves out.
Laura seeing her wild little sister have a baby and settled into family life drives her to want to marry Jim but the pair don’t actually have that much in common. The hopelessness and pressure to write something good was greatly shown by Laura. She had a fear of never being brilliant so didn’t really try.
I think that no one turned up as it had not been greatly advertised and most of the cast and crew aren’t widely known. Marketing is so important in today’s era when there is so much choice.
Overall I enjoyed the film and was an honest portrait of women with no male gaze thanks to the female director, Sophie Hyde. An enjoyable watch that will make you feel better about your own failures. 3/5.
This concludes my three films for this post. No 5/5s for this week but not every film you see is going to be amazing. They all had their own qualities though.
Other films I have enjoyed recently are Dead in a Week… Or Your Money Back; The Back-Up Plan and Tall Girl. Now that I am back at university, I hope to start going to the cinema more often.
Charlize Theron plays Charlotte Field, the Secretary of State of the United States. She has all the power, a team of advisers and not much down time. Her love interest, Fred Flarsky, played by Seth Rogen is a journalist who’s just been fired and dresses like he’s going to a 90s rave. Charlotte holds all the power between the two and it is her career on the line throughout the film.
Hello readers,
It’s been a while since I have done a post, just over six weeks but with university ending for this year and England suddenly becoming a warm country I haven’t found the time. I then saw a great film last night that I knew would make a great review. Long Shot starring Charlize Theron and Seth Rogen is a romantic comedy but one I had not seen before with the woman more powerful than her love interest. The way of Hollywood and other film industries is that the woman will have a job as a secretary/bakery owner/journalist/teacher or something else. These jobs are, of course all valid and necessary but her male love interest will be a banker/CEO/policeman/her boss or someone with more authority and power. In Long Shot, the roles are flipped.
Long Shot Poster
Charlize Theron plays Charlotte Field, the Secretary of State of the United States. She has all the power, a team of advisers and not much down time. Her love interest, Fred Flarsky, played by Seth Rogen is a junkie journalist who is forced to quit his job and dresses like he’s going to a 90s rave. Charlotte holds all the power between the two and it is her career on the line throughout the film.
Although of course, this is still the real world and the United States of America so even though Charlotte is successful, she is still treated as unequal to the male politicians in the film. She is talks about being asked what her skincare routine is, what designer she is wearing or being treated as just a pretty face. She has to work twice as hard as the men just to be taken seriously as a politician.
The film showed me that women in positions of power often have to fight harder for longer to gain the respect that men seem to gain more easily. The President of the United States in the film played by Bob Odenkirk and is a TV star who previously played the president on a TV show then decided to run for office. I thought that was a fun twist and The President decides he won’t be running for a second term to get into movie acting which he sees as more ambitious then being POTUS.
The main story of the film is that Fred leaves his job then goes to a benefit with his successful friend, Lance, played by O’Shea Jackson Jr. They run into Charlotte who used to be Fred’s babysitter when he was a teenager. Charlotte decides that to up her humour points, she has to hire Fred to write her speeches. The two go on a tour promoting Charlotte’s ‘bees, trees and seas’ environmental plan that she has been passionate about since she was 16.
While touring around the world, Fred and Charlotte reconnect and get to know each other better. Fred helps Charlotte to relax more and develop interests outside of her job. As this is a Seth Rogen film, he off course smokes weed and one hilarious scene involves Charlotte and Fred going clubbing in Paris after having taken drugs. Charlotte then has to deal with a hostage situation whilst still high.
The villain of the film, Parker Wembley played by Andy Serkis in some prosthetics, runs Wembley News that makes ridiculous claims and tries to discredit Charlotte. He continues trying to get a meeting with her after she persistently turns him down. It is his actions that almost ruin Charlotte’s career.
This film is laugh out loud funny which was not compromised despite the politics and feminism woven throughout the plot. There were no politically incorrect jokes or degrading comments made about women that were not self-aware or seen as bad within the film.
My friend Terry who I went to see the film with said that she liked the way that Charlotte “manages to achieve her goals without compromising her beliefs and still get the guy.” Terry also said that Charlotte “felt really real to me. She felt like a real person. You don’t often feel that in rom coms, especially with the female characters.” I agree with Terry and I think that a big part of the reason we both liked the film was that Charlotte was a smart successful woman but she could still be vulnerable and she still had feelings and hurdles to overcome in the film with her romantic life and her job.
I loved this film and Seth and Charlize had great chemistry that helped make their relationship seem believable. If you like rom coms but are tired of the man always being in power and the woman shown as weak, sexualised, ditsy or nerdy then this is the film for you. It is a 15 and there are some raunchy scenes but nothing too intense, it is a rom com after all.
Happy Watching,
Robyn
P.S. Other films I have enjoyed since last writing a blog post are Shazam!, Dumbo, Avengers: Endgame, Wild Rose, Wine Country, Ideal Home, Dog Days, The Perfect Date and The Last Summer.
TV series I have loved watching since my last post are The Society, Dead To Me, Now Apocalypse, Timeless, Z Nation, Crazy Ex-Girlfriend, The Durrells, Special and On My Block.
Felicity Jones was powerful as Ruth and even though small in stature, she had command and the authority that Ruth had and still has. The portrayal of Rut Bader Ginsburg really inspired me that even though she had been pushed aside, Ruth knew her place was to fight for equality. Her daughter also inspired her as she turned to feminist activism. This film is really one to watch, not just for Felicity Jones’ amazing outfits, inspiring performance but Ruth’s amazing life story.
Hi readers,
I will discussing films that I have seen last month with strong and inspiring female characters. In the past, actresses were there just to be rescued or as someone for the actor to talk to or monologue to. Almost like a plot device. There have been many films featuring women and I feel like society’s attitudes towards women has become more accepting and inclusive. We are getting biopics about amazing women such as the female NASA mathematicians in Hidden Figures that helped put a man in space; Wonder Woman, the first superhero film that I have seen starring a woman; films about female musicians, Amy and Whitney; films remade with a female cast, Ghostbusters, Ocean’s 8, What Men Want, The Hustle. I will be looking at some film’s I have seen last month with a strong female lead.
On the Basis of Sex
Ruth Bader Ginsburg is famous for work toward gender equality and her position as Supreme Court Justice. This origin story shows how she progressed from Harvard Housewife to the woman she is today. Ruth was one of the first women to attend Harvard Law school and when her husband Marty was diagnosed with a serious illness she took his classes for him. She graduates but no law firms in New York will employ a female lawyer in 1959. She becomes a lecturer but when one case opens her eyes to the injustice towards a man then all women, she must take a stand. Felicity Jones was powerful as Ruth and even though small in stature, she had command and the authority that Ruth had and still has. The portrayal of Rut Bader Ginsburg really inspired me that even though she had been pushed aside, Ruth knew her place was to fight for equality. Her daughter also inspired her as she turned to feminist activism. This film is really one to watch, not just for Felicity Jones’ amazing outfits, inspiring performance but Ruth’s amazing life story.
Captain Marvel
The first female lead Marvel film was always going to be good but Brie Larson as Carol Danvers just took it to a place beyond anything I thought it could go. The main message running through was that even though Carol had gained Kree powers and could blast people, she was powerful and strong when she was human. Her determination and strength was shown in a beautiful montage of Carol being knocked down at various ages but then standing up stronger and braver than before. Brie Larson’s comedic timing was on point and I believed that she really didn’t have an memories before waking up in Hala, the Kree city. Maria, Carol’s best friend and fellow pilot was also a great female character. Despite being a single mother and black, she became an Air Force pilot. When Carol came back with no memory, she helped her remember her life and their adventures together. Her daughter, Monica who admired Carol as her role model was also a great female character. Definitely one to take young girls who need self-belief and the confidence to achieve their dreams.
A Private War
This film was very powerful and more shocking and sad than the previous two but Rosamund Pike as the war journalist, Marie Colvin was striking. Marie goes to war zone after war zone reporting on the most horrific things she can find and does it with a bravery that most people don’t have in them. A male journalist in her situation might retire after the trauma and danger she went through but she kept going even after having a stint in a rehabilitation facility due to her PTSD. In each war zone: Iraq, Libya, Afghanistan and Syria, Marie felt compelled to share the horrors of war and what was happening to the civilians who had nothing to do with the conflict. Marie also struggles with her personal life, her husband leaves her, she drinks and smokes way way too much, she doesn’t leave enough time for friends and after losing an eye, she becomes depressed.
I loved this film for it’s honesty and showing what war is really like not for the soldiers or terrorists but for the people, the citizens. War really took a toll on Marie and her writing was so visual that she is regarded as one of the best journalists of her time. The ending shocked me as I didn’t know much of Marie’s story and I won’t spoil it here but throughout the film there is a countdown in years to Syria. Would be happy to watch this again.
The Princess Diaries
An older film than the others in this post but she a great film for women. Mia, a normal, socially awkward teenager is told that she is the heir to the Genovian throne, a fictional European country. She starts ‘Princess Lessons’ with her Grandmother, Clarisse, the Queen of Genovia. Mia realises that some people just want fame and not everyone will be as nice as her artistic supportive mum or best friend Lily. This film is full of laughs and I have seen it many a time. Mia is a role model to young girls everywhere as she chooses to use her position to change things in the world for the better. Her house is also really cool. I would encourage any woman, young, old or in-between to watch this uplifting female empowering film. The sequel is also worth a look.
Can You Ever Forgive Me?
Lee Israel’s motivations are relatable, she can’t sell her work and is living in a cockroach invested apartment in New York. Her actions are not well thought out as she starts forging letters from great literary figures like Dorothy Parker when her work as a celebrity biographer is no longer relevant. She starts selling her letters, claiming her cousin found them in his loft and then ropes in her friend and fellow writer, Jack Hock to help her pass off the letters as originals. It works until it doesn’t. Lee doesn’t have much luck in her personal life, her girlfriend left her and her new love interest at the book shop unravels when the letters are discovered as forged. The film itself is based on Lee’s book she wrote on the ordeal and why she did it. Melissa McCarthy as Lee was one of the best of her career and a real change from her usual comedy such as Bridesmaids, Tammy, Identity Thief and Life of the Party. This film showed Lee’s ingenuity and creativity when she had no other way of making money. Someone else may have accepted a job in a different field but Lee persevered in her chosen profession. A great film that showed the resilience of women.
Isn’t it Romantic
An anti-rom-com with Rebel Wilson in her first lead role that made fun of every troupe while simultaneously fulfilling them all. Rebel plays Natalie an architect who loves her job but wishes she did more than design parking garages and watch her friend Josh stare at the beautiful woman on the billboard outside her window. When Natalie bumps her head she ends up in a cliche rom-com with hot doctors, clean streets and handsome men falling in love with her. She doesn’t know how to leave but when Josh starts dating the woman from the billboard; yoga ambassador Isabella, Natalie thinks that breaking them up will get her out of this rosy, annoying world. This film was a feel-good romantic comedy while simultaneously making fun of all the cliches such as women fighting at work, Natalie’s friend/assistant, Whitney suddenly becomes her rival; random bursting into song; perfect flash mob dance sequences. Natalie realises at the end that to escape the ‘perfect’ world she needs to love herself not any man and I think that is a really female empowering message. I love Rebel Wilson in any role she does and this was no exception.
I Feel Pretty
Another film where a woman feels underappreciated then hits her head. This time Amy Schumer is Renee, an under-confident woman not happy with her size, her dating life or her dead end job in a basement in Chinatown working for Lilly Leclair as an IT specialist. After falling off a Soul Cycle bike and hitting her head, Renee wakes up believing that she is the most beautiful woman in the world. This gives her more confidence to pursue her dream job as a receptionist for Lilly Leclair, working in their Fifth Avenue office. Her friends who have always loved her are confused as it everyone else as Renee hasn’t changed at all, she just thinks she has. When Renee becomes close to Lilly Leclair head honcho, Avery Leclair, she starts leaving her friends and new boyfriend, Ethan behind. Being confident makes her self-centred and vain. I thought Amy Schumer was great in this role and the message that you are perfect just the way you are and can achieve your dreams with the right attitude and self-belief was really strong and moving for me.
20th Century Women
This film about 3 strong women raising a teenage boy in 1979 was a true to life look at what struggles women face such as teenage pregnancy, ovarian cancer, single motherhood, rebellious children. The atmosphere of the film and the women interacting with each other intellectually and taking Jamie under their wings while fighting stereotypes and discussing menstruation, sex and womanhood was one I haven’t seen in many films and made me feel seen as a woman. Setting the film in 1979 was important as periods and other female ‘issues’ were regarded as even more taboo at that time. The love that Dorothea felt for her son made you sad that he kept pushing her away but also you understood he just wanted to be free and live his life. A great story and look at life in California in the 1970s.
I really enjoyed this film. The bizarre alternate reality provided a satire view on corporate America and what it could be like if powerful companies had more influence. The film was clearly a protest against corporate greed with the CEO of WorryFree, a cost-free way of living, being a billionaire and the antagonist of the film.
Hello readers,
I’ve been watching more films recently and wanted to share some recommendations from the past week that I have seen either in the cinema or at home. There’s a mix of sci-fi, comedy, drama and alternate realities. I hope that something I have enjoyed this week sparks an interest for you.
Sorry to Bother You (2018)
Sorry to Bother You Poster
Set in an alternate reality Oakland, Sorry to Bother You shows what it can be like to climb the corporate ladder in Capitalist America. Cassius Green takes a job as a telemarketer at RegalView and quickly learns that using his ‘white voice’ will help him advance to power caller, a highly coveted position, available via the golden elevator. When Cassius starts earning more, he soon realises that being rich and successful, does not mean happy. His girlfriend, Detroit is a feminist activist determined to protest against the state of the world.
I really enjoyed this film. The bizarre alternate reality provided a satirical view on corporate America and what it could be like if powerful companies had more influence. The film was clearly a protest against corporate greed with the CEO of WorryFree, a cost-free way of living, being a billionaire and the antagonist of the film. There were many hilarious jokes, relatable moments, wacky incidents. The cast were amazing and the script was well-written. I would happily watch it again and recommend to anyone to go along to the cinema to take in this amazing film. I saw it in a sold out screening so it has been very popular. The ending took a weird direction but in an alternate reality, anything goes. 5/5.
Cast:
Lakeith Stanfield as Cassius Green
Tessa Thompson as Detroit
Jermaine Fowler as Salvador or Sal, Cassius’ best friend and fellow RegalView worker.
Omari Hardwick as Mr. ________, a nameless manager who takes Cassius under his wing when he becomes a power caller.
Terry Crews as Sergio, Cassius’ uncle. Cassius lives in Sergio’s basement and is motivated to become a power caller when Sergio learns he many lose his house.
Michael X. Sommers as Johnny, Cassius’ manager.
Steven Yeun as Squeeze, organiser of the worker’s union at RegalView.
Armie Hammer as Steve Lift, CEO of WorryFree and writer of best seller, I’m on Top.
Super 8 (2011)
Super 8 Poster
A sci-fi film with a strong element of family relationships. It’s 1979 and Joe and his friends are making a movie together. They are all around 13/14 years of age. While filming at a train station they witness a monumental train crash. Afterwards, many strange incidents occur, suddenly making real life way more interesting than the zombie film they envisioned. Joe is also struggling with the sudden death of his mother and his deputy police chief father is too busy to listen to him. Joe and his friends try and save their town from a mysterious creature.
I really loved this film for many reasons. The writer/ director, J.J. Abrams and producer, Steven Spielberg have made some of my favourite films and TV shows such as Star Trek (2009), Lost, Jurassic Park, ET, Ready Player One and so many more. It was also interesting from a film student point of view to see the sort of equipment the average kid would have access to while making a film. The technology was more advanced than I had realised for that time. The actors were all superb with Joel Courtney as Joe in his first role! and Elle Fanning as Alice really standing out. They both struggle with strict fathers but don’t let that stop them making the film. It was great to see a big Hollywood film put children as the main actors and most of them had little or no previous experience. I also enjoyed the 70s setting of the cars, clothes and general culture. Family played a big part of the film and I found myself shedding a few tears at the end which I haven’t done at a sci-fi film before. I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes sci-fi, family orientated or kid-centred films. 5/5.
Cast:
Joel Courtney as Joe, the makeup wizard who also makes models of trains.
Elle Fanning as Alice, a convincing actress who borrows his dad’s car.
Ryan Lee as Cary, a great zombie actor who always brings explosives.
Riley Griffiths as Charles, the writer/director of the film and Joe’s best friend. He has many siblings and his parents always look out for Joe.
Gabriel Basso as Martin, the lead of their film who isn’t as clever as the others but has plenty of talent.
Zach Mills as Preston, another actor and general helper. Often left behind to cover.
Kyle Chandler as Joe’s father, Deputy Jackson Lamb
Ron Eldard as Alice’s father, still angry over his wife leaving.
Noah Emmerich as Colonel Nelec, he leads the military presence that take over the town.
Glynn Turman as Dr. Woodward, the kid’s science teacher who is the key to the monster’s appearance.
The Girl with All the Gifts (2016)
The Girl with All the Gifts Poster
Based on the best-selling book, The Girl with All the Gifts tells the post-apocalypse story of Melanie who is kept in a military compound and spends her time in a classroom, buckled into a wheelchair. A zombie apocalypse has happened and the remaining survivors are living in military camps across the UK. Melanie loves her teacher, Miss Justineau as she tells the class wonderful stories of princesses, goddesses, Romans, Greeks and warriors. When the base is over run, Melanie realises that she too is a ‘hungry’ and with Miss Justineau, Sergeant Parks, Dr. Caldwell and a couple of soldiers, she travels through the dystopian wasteland of England to reach Beacon, the next place of hope.
I was really excited for this film as I read the book a couple of years ago and greatly enjoyed it. The film was good but did not deliver the same enjoyment as the book. A few big points were changed and the romance between Sergeant Parks and Miss Justineau was completely written out and the ethnicity of Miss Justineau and Melanie was swapped around. It was entertaining and the acting was okay but it did not live up to my expectations. I would not watch again in a hurry. 3/5.
Cast:
Sennia Nanua as Melanie, Miss Justineau’s best student and Dr. Caldwell’s last chance.
Gemma Arterton as Miss Justineau, Melanie’s teacher who feels great compassion for all the children in her class.
Paddy Considine as Sgt. Parks, the no-nonsense leader who grows to trust Melanie.
Glenn Close as Dr. Caldwell, the scientist who wants to use the children to make a cure.
Anthony Welsh as Dillon, a private who goes on the expedition to Beacon.
Fisayo Akinade as Kieran Gallagher, a private that Melanie trusts who also goes on the trip to Beacon.
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse Poster
This epic animation took four years to make and certainly delivered. It focuses on teenager, Miles Morales, he has just started at his new boarding school but still sneaks out to hang with his Uncle and paint graffiti. He is bitten by a radioactive spider and gets all sorts of powers. They get him into many embarrassing situations but after witnessing Peter Parker’s death, he takes on the responsibility to stop The Kingpin from destroying reality by trying to bring back his dead family. Miles gets help from many different Spider-People that have been brought to his reality. He struggles with believing in himself and it doesn’t help that his dad’s a cop.
I loved this film. It has received a lot of praise and is nominated for an Oscar so I was pleased when I eventually got around to seeing it. The animation was brilliant as unique, often going back to comic book lay out. The cast of voices is hugely talented and they helped bring life to some amazing characters. There were many hilarious parts but also some great messages about helping your friends and being brave. I would recommend to any superhero fans or anyone that is looking for something different from an animation. 5/5.
Voice cast:
Shameik Moore as Miles Morales
Jake Johnson as Peter B. Parker, an older Spider-Man who has let himself go in his reality.
Hailee Steinfeld as Gwen Stacy, who became Spider-Man instead of Peter Parker in her reality.
Mahershala Ali as Uncle Aaron, Miles’ cool uncle.
Brian Tyree Henry as Jefferson Davis, Miles’ police officer father.
John Mulaney as Peter Porker/ Spider-Ham, a pig who is also Spider-Man.
Kimiko Glenn as Peni Parker, from the future, she co-pilots her robot with a spider.
Nicolas Cage as Spider-Man Noir, from the 1930s, in a monochrome universe.
Lily Tomlin as Aunt May, Peter Parker’s guardian who helps the Spider gang in their mission.
Zoë Kravitz as Mary Jane, Peter Parker’s widow
Kathryn Hahn as Dr. Olivia Octavius, Wilson Fisk’s scientist with a superhero alter-ego
Liev Schreiber as The Kingpin, the evil owner of Alchemax.
Chris Pine as Peter Parker, the first Spider-Man who dies trying to stop the Kingpin.
Almost Famous (2000)
This cult classic from 2000 may be old but it tells a great rock and roll story. 15 year old William convinces Rolling Stone Magazine that he is a legitimate music journalist and goes on tour with upcoming rock band, StillWater. He is trying to write his piece but also has many experiences along the way. He makes friends with Band Aid, Penny Lane, who is romancing Russell, the guitarist of StillWater. William learns that rock stars are not all glitz and glamour and they aren’t always your friend. It is set in the early 1970s, the golden age of rock.
I really enjoyed the film. I love rock music especially from the 1970s and it was interesting to see the music industry through the eyes of a teenager. The acting was great, Kate Hudson stood out as Penny Lane and Frances McDormand as Elaine, William’s strict mother. It had many funny moments while not holding back on drama and entertainment. A classic for a reason. 5/5.
Cast:
Billy Crudup as Russell, leader of StillWater and the person William becomes closest to in the band.
Kate Hudson as Penny Lane, 16 year old Band Aid, who likes to runaway from life by touring with bands.
Frances McDormand as Elaine, William’s mother
Patrick Fugit as William, rock fan and wannabee journalist.
Jason Lee as Jeff Bebe, member of StillWater.
Zooey Deschanel as Anita, William’s sister. She leaves home when William is 11 to escape her oppressive mother and to become an air stewardess.
Anna Paquin as Polexia, Penny’s fellow Band Aid
Noah Taylor as Dick Roswell, the band’s manager
Philip Seymour Hoffman as Lester Bangs, editor of Cream magazine who gives advice to William.
Jimmy Fallon as StillWater’s new manager brought in to bring some order to the tour.
I have watched a diverse selection this week and I hope that you are inspired to watch something I enjoyed.
I know another post so soon is not characteristic for me but yesterday I saw ‘A Star is Born’ and it really moved me so I couldn’t not write about it. I will also give my thoughts on ‘A Simple Favour’ another great film that I saw last week.
A Star is Born
This film was one of the few films that has affected me in such a physical way. I have been known to cry at many films but this one elicited a different reaction. It’s beautiful story and combined with the original sounds and brilliant performances by Lady Gaga and Bradley Cooper, A Star is Born moved me. I felt strongly for the characters and their pain which stayed with me for several hours. It was as if the events had happened to me and not just on the screen.
As this film is the fifth version of this tale, you may think there was nothing left to do with the story but this film proved that this simply isn’t the case. Lady Gaga plays Ally, a waitress who sings in drag club. She isn’t pursuing a career successfully due to music industry executives telling her she has the right voice but the wrong face. When famous rock country singer Jackson Maine (Cooper) stumbles across her performing, he immediately recognises her talent. She is invited to sing on stage with him and they perform her original song. She quickly becomes successful while Jackson is struggling with alcoholism, drug addiction and tinnitus.
All the songs were written especially for the film and always express the character’s feelings at that point within the film. My personal favourite is Shallow which is the first song Jackson and Ally sing together.
There has been a lot of buzz around this film and for good reason. Even though this is Lady Gaga’s first film, I will be disappointed if she doesn’t receive award nominations. I give A Star is Born 5/5.
Cast:
Lady Gaga (American Horror Story) as Ally
Bradley Cooper (The Hangover) as Jackson Maine
Sam Elliott (Road House) as Bobby, Jackson’s manager/brother
Andrew Dice Clay (The Adventures of Ford Fairlane) as Lorenzo, Ally’s father
Rafi Gavron (Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist) as Rez, Ally’s manager
Anthony Ramos (Younger) as Ramon, Ally’s co-worker and friend
A Simple Favour
A Simple Favour really surprised me with it’s plot. The trailer gave me some ideas as to what the film would entail but I was truly surprised. The film follows mummy vlogger Stephanie played by Anna Kendrick becoming friends with Emily, a fellow mum at her son’s school. They drink martinis together and tell secrets. Emily is a very mysterious person and never reveals anything about her past. She also disappears for a while with no explanation. Even her husband Sean and son Nicky don’t know her secrets. She is always impeccably dressed in suits and works in the city as a PR manager.
After Emily goes missing, Stephanie tries to find her. I don’t want to say much more as it would spoil the film but what happened next was shocking and unexpected.
Anna Kendrick was amazing as always and excelled in a darker role. Her humorous tone and attitude really worked well with her character. Blake Lively was also very different and surprised me with her performance. Her whole body changed into her character, every movement or look was carefully executed. Her outfits and the decor of Emily and Sean’s house added to the rich glamour of their world.
I give A Simple Favour 5/5.
Cast
Anna Kendrick (Pitch Perfect) as Stephanie
Blake Lively (Gossip Girl) as Emily
Henry Golding (Crazy Rich Asians) as Sean
Ian Ho (Willa) as Nicky
Joshua Satine (Godless) as Miles, Stephanie’s son
Other films I have seen recently that I would recommend are Faces Places (2018), Fight Club (1999) and Superbad (2007).
I know that this is my first post in over a month but due to going back to university, I haven’t been to the cinema that much. A couple of weeks ago, I did however see the highly anticipated anti-hero film Venom and the third instalment of the Johnny English films. I remember seeing the second one in the cinema when I was 12 so I thought it would only be right to see this one in the cinema too.
Venom
This new anti-hero film has changed the game for the superhero genre. Eddie Brock a journalist whose life goes downhill after investigating a laboratory trying to harness the power of symbiotes. He accidentally joins with an alien called Venom and gains immense skills and strength.
Set in San Francisco made a refreshing change from the Avengers setting of New York. The humanisation of Venom talking through Eddie adds a comedy element to the film. Tom Hardy plays the ‘bad boy’ character very well as was evident in Legend (2015) but his resistance to Venom killing and hurting people shows that Eddie does have heart. He also tries working with Venom instead of rejecting him completely.
Many critics wrote off the film but as a fan of Marvel and comic book films, I really enjoyed it. It had the right amount of action, comedy, special effects, rebellion against evil corporations and romance. As the superhero genre had really taken off in the past few years, perhaps critics are getting annoyed at reviewing films that won’t win any high profile awards.
I liked the romance between Eddie and Anne, it added a softness to a pretty intense film. When she leaves Eddie, it truly breaks his heart and is motive for his revenge on Carlton Drake’s empire.
Overall I think this film is great for any Tom Hardy or superhero movie fans but not one to watch if you like something clever. 4/5.
Cast:
Tom Hardy (Inception) as Eddie Brock / Venom
Michelle Williams (Blue Valentine) as Anne Weying
Riz Ahmed (Rogue One) as Carlton Drake / Riot
Scott Haze (Child of God) as Security Chief Roland Treece
Jenny Slate (Zootropolis) as Dr. Dora Skirth
Peggy Lu (Awkward) as Mrs Chen
Johnny English Strikes Again
The third instalment of the Johnny English trilogy picks up years later when Johnny has retired from the world of espionage to become a geography teacher. He however has not taught his students much geography. The film starts with Mr English teaching all his young students how to be a spy.
When all the identities of all the MI7 agents are revealed to the public, the Prime Minister reluctantly recruits English to investigate. Reunited with his sidekick Bough, English travels to the South of France to find the source of the hackers.
Meanwhile, tech genius Jason is proposing an update for the British Government’s systems but is actually the bad guy and is trying to disable the country’s internet.
Johnny English of course would not be complete without laugh out loud gags and scenarios. Some of the best ones in this film include English setting a French restaurant on fire attempting to cook prawns, dancing for a whole night non stop, using virtual reality and accidentally throwing someone off an open top bus and wearing a full knight’s armour.
Rowan Atkinson is hilarious as always and the addition of Emma Thompson as the Prime Minister means their scenes together are comedy gold.
Overall a great family film with a laugh a minute. Comedy films don’t really include much slapstick and visual gags anymore so a reminder of the old days is welcome with Johnny English.
Cast:
Rowan Atkinson (Bean) as Johnny English
Olga Kurylenko (Quantum of Solace) as Ophelia
Emma Thompson (Sense and Sensibility) as Prime Minister
Jake Lacy (Carol) as Jason
Ben Miller (Paddington 2) as Bough
Adam James (Doctor Foster) as Pegasus
Other films I have enjoyed recently are American Animals (2018) starring Evan Peters, Heathers (1989) starring Winona Ryder, The Social Network (2010) starring Jesse Eisenberg and BlacKkKlansman (2018) starring John David Washington.
