Tag: comedy

Again, Again! Films I have Re-Watched in 2024

Hi Readers,

After using the app Letterboxd, I started adding up the films I have re-watched this year so I have had this post in the back of my mind to discuss. There are a wide range of genres listed here and many of these films I have not watched for years and wanted to revisit. There are a few, of course, such as Mamma Mia! that I watch at least once a year and Wicked which I re-watched again after a couple of weeks in the cinema as I loved it so much.

2012 (2009)

This film falls into my favourite sub-genre of film: natural disaster films. This one certainly is a disaster with practically the whole world ending and our heroes racing to find an escape. Through connections, John Cusack’s character discovers arcs designed to survive the extinction level events and with his family and ex-wife’s new partner, they journey to survive. It’s a race against time across America and the world as a whole. The group meet various characters along the way, both friends and foes.

I last watched this film a few years ago and enjoyed it at the time but there’s something about 2000s visual effects and plot lines that is so different to the films of the 2020s. The family themselves are likeable and even the characters that you are supposed to dislike, have redeemable qualities. The film itself is a wider commentary on the uber-rich in the US and further afield. Should only those who can afford it, deserve to survive?

Top Gun: Maverick (2022)

This was my first re-watch since seeing it at the cinema and it was on a projector so felt similar to the big cinema experience. I enjoyed the film as much as the first time but knowing what happens did take a little of the drama and jeopardy away. Still a fun film and I enjoyed the makeover of the genre to make it more up to date in terms of attitudes but also the technology and visual spectacle.

Are You There God, It’s Me Margaret? (2023)

This film is such a cosy watch and the dilemmas of the teenage protagonists feel very relatable despite the film being set in the 1970s. I first saw this film at an outdoor cinema so watching it at home was a different experience. I think this is a film that I could revisit every year or so as on the whole, its very re-watchable with a great cast and nostalgic themes in terms of the period setting and also reminding you of how it feels to be a pre-teen and all the issues that one worries about.

The Devil Wears Prada (2006)

I wanted to re-watch after hearing about the sequel (the musical on the West End is now playing too) and I loved the fashion and characters but of course, some of the dialogue and attitudes towards dieting culture are outdated.

I’ve seen people comment that Nate is the real villain of the story because he doesn’t like that Andy is more successful than him but I think the societal pressure on women to be high-flying career women while juggling a long-term relationship, motherhood, friendships and quality time with yourself is the real enemy.

Nate was very supportive of Andy but he thought her industry was not as important as his and therefore never saw her career as more important than their relationship or events with their friends. Andy began to see the importance of her industry and enjoyed working in the exciting, evolving world of fashion in NYC even if it was not her true passion.

Miranda was a stern character but to be successful as a woman even in a female-focused industry required more of her attention than she was prepared to give her husband. He also did not appreciate the benefits that her career and lifestyle in fashion offered.

It will be interesting to see how the magazine industry will be presented in the sequel with Emily being in a powerful role and Miranda’s legacy fading into an increasingly digital world.

Life (2017)

I watched most of this film on a plane years ago when it was new and I might have finished it at some point but this year was when I properly sat down and watched it all. I enjoyed it but I think it wasn’t anything too dissimilar to other space jeopardy films. The humour and alien foe added something but what I think made it enjoyable was the cast. Ryan Reynolds and Jake Gyllenhaal had good on-screen chemistry while Rebecca Ferguson and the other actors provided more of the dramatic acting. During press, Ryan Reynolds and Jake Gyllenhaal got along really well and that came through on screen. I would like to see them in a film together again.

I don’t think I would watch this one again but I am glad I was able to sit down and watch it all through.

Mamma Mia! (2008)

This was originally going to be an honourable mention but of course I ended up re-watching it as I tend to do every year. My family have seen it many times since it originally came out. We like the music of ABBA and the cast and story work really well together. The summer setting gives it a great warm feeling and brings some sun to the winter. I love all the songs and while there are a lot of older themes in the film, it doesn’t feel too intense or adult and everyone can enjoy it. I do also like the second film but nothing beats the original. I have heard a third film is in the works so it will be interesting to see how they do that film, especially as interest in ABBA has had a resurgence with their hologram show in London.

Ghostbusters: Afterlife (2021)

I re-watched this film so myself and my family could go and see the new one in cinemas. I saw the first in the cinema and enjoyed it. I have not actually seen the original Ghostbusters films so it was interesting to see it rebooted for a new generation. The cast were good and of course the visual effects and plot were updated so watching the originals may not be as impressive as they were in the 1980s. I liked the inclusion of a female Ghostbuster and that the girl character was the nerd and the older brother was trying to be popular as it is often the other way around.

Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour (2023)

I actually watched this over a couple of days simply because it is very long. I saw it first at the cinema and it was a great experience and I wanted to re-watch when it became available on streaming. There were some extra songs that were not included in the cinema release and it was cool to be able to relive the concert in my own living room. This tour has been widely talked about and I hope that a new version is released including the Tortured Poets Department section of the show. I did not get to see the concert in person but the quality and camera angles of the filmed version were so good that I think I would be disappointed in person especially if I had to sit far away.

Bros (2022)

I first saw this film at the BFI Film Festival and I enjoyed it but the story was a little more complex than the average rom-com with Billy Eichner wanting to make it more authentic to the gay experience. Watching it again helped to put it together in my head and I tried to focus more on the humour and the characters than the plot and the on and off nature of the relationship. The film is the first adult gay rom-com to have the big studio backing and it is surprising that it took so long. They did sanitise it a little to appeal to wider audiences but there were plenty of gay experiences and references shown if a little exaggerated. I liked that the lead characters were gay in real life as it gave more reality to the story.

Wicked (2024)

Of course this film has been talked about widely since it came out with many audience members going to see it multiple times. I am included in this and I wanted to see it again as I loved the film and the scenes and songs. It will definitely be great to re-watch once it hits streaming but the spectacle of the film is really felt on the big screen. The second time, I knew the plot so I tried to focus more on the backgrounds and the little details but there is so much visually and aurally to take in, I think it would take a few more re-watches to fully appreciate everything. This film has set a new boundary of what can be achieved in the industry and I am excited to see what arrives next to try and compete with this film. The second film has been announced as coming out in November 2025 and I am eager to see what happens next and how it is presented.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

Deadpool and Wolverine Review – Spoiler Special

Hello Readers,

As the grass gets browner and conkers start falling from the trees, I bring you a spoiler special of the film Deadpool and Wolverine. It has been in UK cinemas about a month now but if you haven’t managed to watch it yet please turn away now!

This film was highly anticipated, not only as the third (final?) film in the Deadpool franchise but also the first since the Fox and Disney merger bringing Deadpool, the X-Men and a whole host of other 20th Century Fox characters into the Marvel Universe. Seeing the typical Marvel credits before the film started was really exciting.

Now, the marketing for the film had a massive worldwide tour with the cast and crew heading from China and South Korea to Berlin, London, Rio de Janeiro and then New York, Toronto and finally San Diego Comic Con. The main attraction of the film is that it sees long-time friends and co-stars Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds go head to head as Wolverine and Deadpool.

Now you may be thinking that Wolverine sadly died in the film Logan (2017) and he did but with the MCU and the multiverse now in play, there are many Wolverines that mainly look like Hugh Jackman. He also now comes in yellow to Deadpool’s red by recreating the iconic superhero suit that Wolverine wore in the comics. Red and yellow has been a big theme on the tour with Blake Lively wearing red to the New York Premiere and her friend and model, Gigi Hadid wearing yellow.

Blake Lively is notably Ryan Reynolds’ wife but Gigi Hadid attending did give me a clue to a star of the film or so I thought.

Deadpool and Wolverine (2024)

I really enjoyed the film. I saw it on IMAX about a week after it came out and apart from a couple of things I avoided all the big spoilers. I used to rush to the cinema on opening night for Marvel films with the fear of being spoiled by social media but now it seems that people are less interested in posting everything at once or maybe my algorithms are different.

The film in summary is style over substance. All of the character building between Wade Wilson and his group has largely disappeared in this film but it has made way for some surprising and funny parts instead.

We find Wade trying to assimilate to ‘muggle’ life after being rejected from the Avengers by Happy Hogan. A keen fan online pointed out that the image of Peter Parker and Tony Stark in Happy’s office had been covered so only Tony was visible. At this point in time, Peter Parker has been forgotten by everyone so this was a clever Easter egg.

Wade has his friend Peter, pretty much the only one left from his version of the X-Men in Deadpool 2 that unfortunately ended in a lot of bloodshed. However, he still has his other friends who all gather for his birthday including Dopinder, Yukio and Negasonic Teenage Warhead. It appears that Wade and Vanessa have gone their separate ways but remain amicable.

Wade is then kidnapped by the TVA as seen in the series Loki and is basically forced on a mission to help them save the sacred timeline of the Marvel Cinematic Universe. They think he would be a worthy addition but don’t count on the fact that he doesn’t want his universe including his friends to blink out of existence.

A very fun title sequence with a fight/dance to Bye Bye Bye sees Deadpool defeating various TVA agents and making sure that Wolverine is quite dead. He then goes universe hopping to find a suitable Wolverine to help him stop the TVA from pruning his timeline.

He ended up with a Wolverine from a universe that is an alcoholic and led to the destruction of all the X-Men. He also wears the yellow suit from the comics. Together the pair end up banished into the void where they meet many other variants from pruned timelines.

This is where the cameos really begin. We see Chris Evans not as Captain America but as Johnny Storm from the Fantastic Four, Jennifer Garner as Elektra, Wesley Snipes as Blade and Dafne Keen as Laura from Logan.

We also get a few new characters with Channing Tatum as Gambit and Emma Corrin as Cassandra Nova, a twin of Charles Xavier who uses her mind reading powers by digging into people’s skulls. Cassandra was banished to the void for her world ending powers. There is also a giant smoky monster – Alioth as seen in Loki who manages to consume some characters in the void.

There are way more cameos and appearances from known items that I didn’t spot when watching it as I haven’t seen some of the earlier 20th Century Fox films or read the comics but there are fans who have probably spotted much more than I did. There were also a few actors from past X-Men films who I didn’t recognise but it was amazing that Ryan Reynolds and the team managed to bring so many people together and give all these characters a send off into the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

We also meet many other Deadpool variants including Ladypool played by Blake Lively and not by Gigi Hadid as I first thought. There was Nicepool played by a Canadian Ryan Reynolds complete with Dogpool/Mary Puppins and long flowing locks; Kidpool and Babypool played by Ryan and Blake’s kids; Headpool voiced by Nathan Fillion; Cowboy Deadpool voiced by Matthew McConaughey and Welshpool played by a member of Wrexham FC famously owned by Rob McElhenney and Ryan Reynolds.

There were so many references to the filmography of Hugh Jackman and Ryan Reynolds including Music Man, Les Miserables, The Proposal. I think the fourth wall jokes are part of what is appealing about Deadpool and not that I didn’t enjoy the first two but with a more Disney-ified approach; the violence and drugs part was toned down. Not that it wasn’t violent but the fight scenes were more comical with iconic songs and mostly between characters that regenerate.

The big finale where Wolverine sacrifices himself was quite emotional, taking in the history of the Wolverine character but in the end, Deadpool joins him and the two immortal heroes save the timelines together from the TVA. This sequence is sound-tracked to A Little Prayer by Madonna and makes for an epic end sequence.

I am sure that there are many story points I have missed out, such as the fight in the Honda Odyssey between Deadpool and Wolverine but I have hit on the main points. This film was definitely a blockbuster rather than anything poignant but that was part of the appeal. Not everything needs to be carrying the plot along all the time. Even the end credit scene didn’t add anything which is unusual for Marvel.

My favourite parts of the film were the chemistry between Hugh and Ryan and all the little asides from Deadpool hinting at different things. There was also an interesting scene where Deadpool is shown a clip of Thor crying from an upcoming film possibly but I have also seen it was from Thor: The Dark World so who knows if Thor and Deadpool will interact in the future.

It’s great to see these characters get the Disney treatment with upcoming films for the Fantastic Four and Blade as well as new Avengers films, Captain America and the Thunderbolts. Many films were made with lower budgets pre-Iron Man and while some have become cult classics, others were not as well received.

I thought that the MCU would taper with Avengers: Endgame but with the multiverse in play along with 20th Century Fox characters, anything is possible.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

Double Film Review: The Fall Guy and Challengers – What I have loved at the cinema in May

Hello Readers,

Today I am bringing you my thoughts of two of the most anticipated films of 2024 – The Fall Guy starring Ryan Gosling and Emily Blunt and Challengers – Luca Guadagnino’s erotic tennis drama starring Zendaya, Josh O’Connor and Mike Faist.

Both have been heavily advertised with premiere events around the world. Ryan Gosling made a statement by dressing up as one half of the cartoon duo Beavis and Butt-Head along with SNL actor Mikey Day, reprising their roles from the popular Saturday night sketch show. Another event saw a stunt performed where stuntmen broke through the film poster dressed in a similar suit to Gosling while riding motorcycles.

Challengers has gone for the more fashion-focused approach with the stars of the film being dressed in Jonathan Anderson looks who served as the costume designer for the film. He is also the creative director of luxury fashion house LOEWE. Zendaya never misses an opportunity to be on theme at red carpets and in every press event or premiere for her new film, she has been wearing tennis themed outfits all immaculately styled by her long time stylist Law Roach. LOEWE is one of the fashion houses that the pair have worked with at previous events. Law Roach revealed on a recent podcast the reluctance of other big fashion labels to dress Zendaya when she started out in her career. She has never publicly worn anything from the ‘Big Five’ – Yves Saint Laurent, Gucci, Chanel, Dior and Valentino (apart from Valentino that Zendaya has had a contract with since 2020) in her 13 years of fame.

While both films have been making headlines for different reasons, they definitely lived up to the hype in my opinion and seeing them on the big screen were very different experiences.

The Fall Guy (2024)

I saw the Fall Guy with my family at the cinema, the week after it opened. There was still a large crowd but we did go on a Monday evening so it was probably smaller than the weekend. Most people were in couples or groups, presumably their immediate family. As the film was a 12A, it did have a family feeling with little bad language and the action fit the parody vibe of a film within a film.

I really liked the story as the comedy comes from the main film being made ‘Metal Storm’ being an amalgamation of many recognisable films such as Dune, Star Wars, Star Trek, Indiana Jones and so on. The film itself was actually based on a television show starring Lee Majors from the 1980s and celebrates the role of the stunt team who are often invisible and unsung heroes of the film industry.

Ryan Gosling stars as Colt Seavers, a stunt double at the top of his game since doubling up for renowned actor Tom Ryder (Aaron Taylor-Johnson). While working on his latest film, he has been developing feelings for camera operator, Jody. A big stunt goes wrong and Colt retreats from the spotlight, believing himself to be at fault.

Cut to a few years later, Colt is working as a valet in Los Angeles and gets a call from demanding producer Gail (Hannah Waddingham) who insists that Jody, now a director, is requesting Colt as a stunt coordinator on her film, Metal Storm. Colt flies to Sydney hoping to rekindle their summer fling but when he gets there he realises that he’s been set up and that Gail has flown him there to use his likeness as unreliable Tom Ryder has gone missing.

Colt starts working on the film and at Gail’s request to save Jody’s film, goes looking for Tom who has been hanging out with a dangerous crowd. From there, it’s neon suits, fake samurai swords, truck car chases and AI being used for evil.

The stunts in this film were amazing as expected but all things that I have not seen before on screen. There were a few twists and turns in terms of the plot but fitted with the parody vibe. There was some violence but done through comedy so it was enjoyable. I thought Ryan Gosling did a great job and he balanced the comedy, action and romance really well. I think his comedy skills have been undervalued and I hope he takes on more comedy roles in the future.

Overall, I would say this film was the definition of a blockbuster, made to be seen with friends and family at the cinema. I’m sure I would re-watch when it appears on streaming but it won’t have the same effect as seeing it on the big screen.

Challengers (2024)

I saw this film by myself in the middle of the day so the screen was much emptier with most people sitting at the back of the theatre. This gave a much more concentrated view and during the last scene, I barely noticed what was happening around me. I am not sure if a 15 rating was entirely necessary as for all of the erotic tension between the actors, there was no on-screen sex and little bad language. I don’t think it was quite a film for 12-year-olds though.

We follow the stories of Tashi Duncan, Art Donaldson (Faist) and Patrick Zweig (O’Connor) from their meeting at 18 years old, on the cusp of their tennis careers to their early 30s when Art and Patrick meet at a small tournament, a challenger before the US Open. This tense match frames the whole film by starting and then ending it.

Art and Patrick were best friends at 18, having been roommates since they were 12 at the Tennis Academy. Art is headed to Stanford University while Patrick plans to go straight to the pros. At a competition where they compete as doubles they see rising star, Tashi Duncan compete and both fall for her. When they meet later at the mixer and then in their hotel room it becomes clear that Tashi is interested in both of them. Patrick wins her phone number in a match against Art and dates Tashi who joins Art at Stanford. We see their lives at college along with Tashi’s career-ending injury. When Patrick isn’t there for her she relies on Art and when they catch up a few years later, start dating.

By the time, Art and Patrick meet at the challenger, Art and Tashi are married with a young daughter and Tashi has become Art’s coach. He is at the top of his game in tennis having won various Grand Slams but is ready to retire. Tashi enters him into a New Jersey Challenger competition match to raise his confidence after an easy defeat.

Patrick has fallen on hard times and is living out of his car and motels. He enters the challenger for the money. He and Art have not spoken in about 10 years. He sees Tashi around the hotel during the tournament in the lead up to the final match against Art.

The erotic tension comes from the chemistry that all three of them have together. Since their rendez-vous at 18, there was always a possibility between Art and Patrick with Tashi eventually dating both of them at different times. There are a lot of long lingering looks between the three, with Tashi often placing ultimatums or deals on the outcome of tennis matches between Art and Patrick. It is clear that Art and Tashi are not happy in their marriage and are using each other to become successful.

I think Luca Guadagnino’s films often have a simmering eroticism between certain characters often turning into sexual relationships. The camera work along with the sweat and power all created an electric tension between Art and Patrick in their final match with Tashi sitting in the crowd watching.

Overall, I really enjoyed this film and I think the cast and director managed to create a very suspenseful film using mostly looks and interactions between the three stars. Tennis was where they channeled their frustrations so it became almost another presence on screen with every serve and movement being carefully framed.

Both films were enjoyable in different ways and I think Challengers was great to see at the cinema but would perhaps work better on a smaller screen than the Fall Guy as the suspense all comes from the tension between the screen and the audience.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

My Letterboxd Four Favourites

Hello Readers,

I am sure many fellow film fanatics will be well aware of the platform Letterboxd but as a recent convert, I want to share what my four favourites are as users list in their profile.

I see many celebrities listing highbrow films by directors such as Fellini, Hitchcock and even more obscure but as someone who enjoys films more from the 21st century, my favourites are not as revered. I have no issues with people appreciating older cinema but even after studying film, I have never quite connected with the classics. I chose films that I would happily watch over and over without getting bored and ones with strong themes or just something that makes me laugh.

Here is a link to my Letterboxd profile if you would like to check out what I have been watching the past couple of months: https://letterboxd.com/robynhirstallen/

The Day After Tomorrow (2004)

Even before Letterboxd, this film has been in my top 3 since I saw it about 15 years ago. One of my favourite sub genres of films are natural disasters and this definitely fits into that category. While far-fetched and exaggerated, it does show the dangers of climate change and what may happen if we don’t take it seriously.

What I think draws me into films like this as well as films that are post-apocalyptic or alternate futures, is that the people left in the world have to work together to survive and you get to see humanity more united that it is or has been for a long time. It also creates a certain jeopardy that is not caused by one person or a group of people but rather by something that cannot be controlled and is unavoidable.

The Day After Tomorrow has three main plot lines: the first is about Sam and his friends who have flown to New York City for a debate competition. Jake Gyllenhaal (Sam) and Emmy Rossum (Laura) and Arjay Smith (Brian) star as the trio of high schoolers. After the floods, they are helped by another debater, J.D. (Austin Nichols) and shelter in the New York Public Library.

The second group are Sam’s father, Jack, played by Dennis Quaid along with his friends Jason and Frank. They were recently in Antarctica studying cold fronts and set off from Washington DC to rescue Sam and his friends while the weather turns into a new Ice Age.

The third group work in a laboratory in Scotland studying the weather and quickly come to realise that they aren’t going to be going anywhere any time soon. We get snippets from events around the world such as tornadoes in Los Angeles, snow in India, floods, hurricanes, tsunamis and many other unbelievable weather events.

While the visual effects may not be as impressive and what we are used to seeing 20 years later, I think that they do hold up and the scenes when the floods invade Manhattan are quite realistic. The director, Roland Emmerich is known for films of this genre and scale such as 2012 and Independence Day so I think he got the tone right by including round the world events but also focusing on the relationships between the main characters.

Sam only joined the debate team to impress his crush, Laura while Brian and Laura are very academic. When J.D. joins their group, there is a bit of friction as Laura takes a shine to him but when she gets sick, everyone puts her health first. Jack and his colleagues have been trying to prove that climate change is real and that another Ice Age could happen but unfortunately the government don’t listen to him. His wife is a healthcare professional and we see her looking after sick children and waiting with them to be evacuated from Washington DC to the Southern States.

Overall, the film has jeopardy, adventure, action and drama along with characters you can relate to. One of the most heartbreaking scenes is when everyone sheltering in the library leaves and then you see them frozen to death outside after a cold front swept through.

Available on Disney+

Mamma Mia! (2008)

A smash hit musical and the subsequent films revived the music of ABBA in recent years. Since their success at Eurovision in 1974, the band’s popularity dwindled after their break up but Catherine Johnson put them back on everyone’s playlists.

I am a big fan of musicals, especially musical films as when watching at the cinema or at home you can always hear every lyric and see every dance routine without someone trying to record it in front of you. Mamma Mia! is the first musical film I remember watching around age 10 and even though the themes and the story were more for adults, I enjoyed the music, comedy and dance routines.

This film has been a family favourite since that first watch and has always been there when you need cheering up or are simply in the mood for sun and singing. The A list cast certainly adds to the fun with Meryl Streep making a star turn as Donna Sheridan along with Julie Walters and Christine Baranski, the trio make excellent Dynamos with their differences bringing them together. The three male leads, all Donna’s past lovers, Colin Firth, Pierce Brosnan and Stellan Skarsgård bring the comedy and while there have been notes about their lack of singing ability, I think that all adds to the fun and lightheartedness of the film.

The main plot centres around Donna’s daughter Sophie, played by Amanda Seyfried wanting to invite her father to her wedding to fiance Sky (Dominic Cooper). She sends out invitations to her three suspects as discovered in her mother’s old diaries. When Donna finds the three having turned up at her hotel on a remote Greek island, she panics and hilarity ensues. It’s clear that Sam (Brosnan) was the true love of her life but circumstances kept him away.

In the original musical, Bill is Australian but he was changed to Swedish to honour the band ABBA and the actor playing him in the film. There were a few other changes with some songs being cut for time but with the same person writing the screenplay for the film, it was a faithful adaption.

My personal favourite songs are Dancing Queen where all the women of the town follow Donna and her sidekicks through the town in a big group number; Mamma Mia, Donna’s solo number and the grande finale Take a Chance on Me where Rosie (Walters) makes her play for Bill that ends in everyone dancing and water bursting through the floor tiles.

For me this film never gets old and is so joyful, I had to include it in my Four Favourites. It has always been hanging around my top 5 films and I included it in a post a while ago about my Desert Island Films. There was a sequel in 2018 which I enjoyed but nothing beats the first film.

If you enjoy musicals and/or the music of ABBA, you will definitely enjoy this film. I have introduced many people to it and no one has ever come away with negative thoughts even if they are not the biggest musical fan. There are elements to enjoy such as the comedy, the summer island paradise and heartwarming story.

Available on Amazon Prime

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

This film has a lot of themes going on that would make it a great study in a film lecture or something similar and is quite dark but when I watched this for the first time at a similar age to Olive (Abigail Breslin), these were not the things that stayed with me. I wouldn’t say this film has made it to my top 5 until I joined Letterboxd but after a re-watch last year and truly appreciating the film with adult eyes, I couldn’t help but include it.

The film centres around the Hoover family and their various problems. Teenager Dwayne (Paul Dano) has committed to a vow of silence until he achieves his dream of becoming a fighter pilot. Olive’s father, Richard (Greg Kinnear) is trying to switch careers into becoming a life coach and influential speaker and is currently negotiating a contract to jump start his career. His father, Edwin (Alan Arkin) has a drug problem and has come to live with the family. He also starts coaching Olive in beauty pageanting after she entered and won a local contest.

A family road trip ensues for Olive to participate in the Little Miss Sunshine Pageant in Redondo Beach, California. The family go in their iconic yellow Volkswagen camper van that has many problems along the way. Also on the trip are Sheryl (Toni Collette) who is reluctant to let her daughter, Olive compete and Sheryl’s brother, Frank (Steve Carell) who is staying with the family after losing his professor position and attempting suicide due to a affair with a male student ending badly.

While many of the Hoover family’s problems seem quite dark, it is a light-hearted film with emotional moments. For example, the scene where they accidentally leave Olive at the gas station and the van cannot stop so she has to run alongside it and hop in is a memorable one.

The cast and the script really make this film into something outstanding and one that is talked about still almost 15 years later. The family deal with things together and even events or problems that could make them give up, help to bond them closer together.

The final scenes where Olive is performing in the pageant are very funny and the juxtaposition of all the other competitors being over-sexualised compared with the shock at Olive’s inappropriate dance shows how society picks and chooses what to be offended by.

It is hard to find another film that evokes that same emotions but one with more positive situations is The Way Way Back from 2013 which also stars Toni Collette and Steve Carell.

Overall I think this film is a light hearted drama with comedic moments featuring an elite cast and a great script. Would recommend to slightly older viewers to truly understand the themes.

Available on Disney+

This is Where I Leave You (2014)

Another comedy drama but this one has more laugh out loud moments. Another great cast with Jane Fonda as the matriarch of the Altman family. She brings her four grown up children back to their childhood home to sit shiva after their father’s death even though he was an atheist. Shiva is a Jewish tradition of a seven day mourning period where the first degree relatives welcome other mourners and share in their grief.

This situation forces the family back together each bringing their own problems. Our protagonist Judd (Jason Bateman) starts the film by finding his wife, Quinn (Abigail Spencer) in bed with her secret lover (Dax Shepard). He decides to divorce her but does not tell the family. Wendy (Tina Fey) has two young kids with her husband who is not very interested in being present with his family and finds any excuse to call work. She also experiences what could have been by reconnecting with Horry, a neighbour whom she dated in high school until he suffered a brain injury.

Paul (Corey Stoll) and his wife, Annie (Kathryn Hahn) are struggling to conceive and it is also revealed that Annie used to be Judd’s girlfriend when they were younger. Last is the baby of the family, Phillip (Adam Driver) who turns up to the house with his girlfriend who was his therapist and is quite a bit older than him.

Trapped together, the family start to unravel with many secrets coming forward. Judd finds out that his ex-wife Quinn is pregnant with no idea if he is the father. Annie tries seducing Judd after wondering if her husband is the issue with their fertility issues and Phillip’s girlfriend leaves him after he flirts with younger women.

What drew me to this film is the feeling of connection and family. While there are many hilarious moments, there are also lovely moments such as Wendy being comforted by her mother and Judd finding love again with Penny (Rose Byrne). One of the funniest moments is when the brothers sneak out of temple to smoke a joint that was found in their late father’s jacket.

The actors in the film are all known for comedy, an early role for Adam Driver who really keeps up with the other actors and I think again the script really helps. Other actors featured are Timothy Olyphant, Connie Britton and Ben Schwartz.

I have re-watched this film a few times but not for a while but I think the Four Favourites is about films you could come across playing on TV and happily sit there and watch. They are not necessarily films I revisit every year but I would always recommend them to people and they evoke feelings of comfort or humour when re-watching.

Not available for free but available to buy/rent on most streaming platforms

So these are my current Four Favourites on Letterboxd and while I am happy with my choices, they are not set in stone so if I do swap any then an updated version of this post could be on the cards.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

Awards Season Recap: Who actually won the Statues?

Hello Readers,

With Awards Season drawing to a close, I am looking back on this year’s most popular films in nominations to see what awards they actually walked away with from the big ceremonies. There were a few surprises this year including Emma Stone winning Best Actress for her role in Poor Things at the Academy Awards and I’m Just Ken from Barbie winning over Billie’s song at the Critics Choice Awards.

Unfortunately, many of the winners this season are from films featuring straight white characters in English. I have chosen the main American/British ceremonies as my markers but the films with POC/queer characters or not in English did not do as well in these categories. Napoleon is the exception, I believe it was widely panned due to its historical inaccuracies and confusing story line.

Oppenheimer (2023)

Oscars: 13 nominations and 7 wins

BAFTAs: 13 nominations and 7 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 13 nominations and 8 wins

Golden Globes: 8 nominations and 5 wins

SAG Awards: 4 nominations and 3 wins

Oppenheimer did about as well as expected winning over half its nominations at all the ceremonies. It is an America-centric film with the cast, crew and funding coming from the US featuring an important American event and invention. Christoper Nolan is a well-respected director in the film industry and along with his production team, has been responsible for some of the most visually interesting and complex films of recent years including Inception (2010), Interstellar (2014) and Tenet (2020). Robert Downey Jr won all of his nominations for the film along with the editing, score and director nominees sweeping their categories. Personally, I think there were other films that deserved some of these awards but I am pleased for the team particularly Emma Thomas winning the Oscar alongside Nolan for Best Picture.

Barbie (2023)

Oscars: 8 nominations and 1 win

BAFTAs: 5 nominations and 0 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 18 nominations and 6 wins

Golden Globes: 9 nominations and 2 wins

SAG Awards: 4 nominations and 0 wins

Unfortunately Barbie was largely panned at most of the awards. It managed to secure decent nominations and a whopping 18 at the Critics Choice Awards but did not deliver in terms of wins. I believe where Critics were concerned, it was a hit but with such a strong year, other films appealed to a wider range of voters. I believe this to be the case at the Oscars and Globes. Barbie was a well-produced film with so many details but with being marketed towards women and starring a toy doll that was mostly successful in the US, I don’t think this film quite had the reach. Ironically, Oppenheimer with an American plot, largely white cast and upsetting plot details did rather well. Take that as you will about the state of the country.

The Holdovers (2023)

Oscars: 5 nominations and 1 win

BAFTAs: 7 nominations and 2 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 8 nominations and 3 wins

Golden Globes: 3 nominations and 2 wins

SAG Awards: 2 nominations and 1 win

This film did well in chosen areas such as acting but was largely ignored in others. The core cast really brought the humour and raw emotion of the film to life. This film was also set in an elite part of American society on the East Coast with mainly white characters but perhaps the boarding school element was just not as much of a hit among the voters. The inclusion of Mary as a main character despite her lower status as the school cook was a well-meaning attempt to connect with other elements of society but I am not sure it 100% worked. I did enjoy the film and the story but I think it appealed more to my demographic. In another weaker year, I think this film could have taken home more. It certainly would have done well in a less diverse voting pool.

American Fiction (2023)

Oscars: 5 nominations and 1 win

BAFTAs: 1 nomination and 1 win

Critics Choice Awards: 5 nominations and 1 win

Golden Globes: 2 nominations and 0 wins

SAG Awards: 3 nominations and 0 wins

Many people have declared this film an important piece of cinema due to the themes of the plot. Perhaps white and non-black voters just could not relate to the concepts that this film was trying to portray. It was certainly punchier in its themes of blackness and racial divide than the Holdovers but brought humour to it. The film was very interesting and although the book/film featured was over the top it was trying to demonstrate how people want to hear black voices. It was maybe this metaphor that people did not pick up on and took the film at face value. To me, this film was one of the biggest snubs on the list due to its important ideas and complex characters. I am glad its wins were for the script as that is what made the film shine.

Poor Things (2023)

Oscars: 11 nominations and 4 wins

BAFTAs: 11 nominations and 5 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 13 nominations and 1 win

Golden Globes: 7 nominations and 2 wins

SAG Awards: 2 nominations and 0 wins

I still have yet to watch Poor Things despite it being available on streaming and its award record can possibly show why. It made a big splash in nominations but has lacked in terms of wins. Most awards have been for Emma Stone’s portrayal of Bella Baxter and the design teams (costumes, production, hair and makeup and VFX). The plot or film overall has not had much success. Without having seen it myself, I cannot judge too much but the strong and graphic sex scenes may have something to do with it. I believe Americans to still be prudish when it comes to sex on screen, never rewarding films with an R rating highly at awards shows. Brits maybe equally as so with the BAFTAs all being for the design teams. It had good reviews when it came out but only winning one award at the Critics Choice Awards demonstrates its reception among the experts.

Past Lives (2023)

Oscars: 2 nominations and 0 wins

BAFTAs: 3 nominations and 0 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 3 nominations and 0 wins

Golden Globes: 5 nominations and 0 wins

SAG Awards: 0 nominations/wins

This film did not manage to pick up an award in the award shows I have chosen to highlight but was successful at others. This film was very much about relationships and characters rather than visually stunning VFX or exciting action sequences. It was also told in a mix of Korean and English which may have put some people off. I personally liked the film but I wouldn’t be voting it over others in its categories. Again, being such a strong year especially for foreign language cinema was a downfall of this film. It was great to see female stories be told with Celine Song directing and Greta Lee starring.

Anatomy of a Fall (2023)

Oscars: 5 nominations and 1 win

BAFTAs: 7 nominations and 1 win

Critics Choice Awards: 3 nominations and 1 win

Golden Globes: 4 nominations and 2 wins

SAG Awards: 0 nominations/wins

I have recently watched this film and I did enjoy it. The plot was pacy with the court room scenes framing the relationship between Sandra and her husband. Being mostly in French and again with no big action scenes/VFX, the film was largely panned. It was awarded for its screenplay though and being written by a husband and wife duo was probably the reason. Sandra Hüller in the lead was a very strong choice but she did not show emotions in the traditional ways which was one of the arguments she had with her husband before his death. The film was left open ended in terms of whether he died by suicide or other means but it was right to show that this was not important at the end of the day.

The Zone of Interest (2023)

Oscars: 5 nominations and 2 wins

BAFTAs: 9 nominations and 3 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 1 nomination and 0 wins

Golden Globes: 3 nominations and 0 wins

SAG Awards: 0 nominations/wins

This film was also largely ignored at this years awards picking up awards for its sound and best foreign language film. The fact that it was filmed in Poland in German with the Nazis at the centre probably had a lot to do with it. There are a lot of Jewish Americans in Hollywood but whether the film was a painful reminder or simply didn’t appeal to other voters, I am not sure. With the Israel/Palestine conflict going on at the moment, a film showing the oppression of Jewish people maybe didn’t hit the mark. It has to be said that the director and producers of the film are Jewish and gave a very strong speech about war at the Oscars. I have not yet seen the film and I would not say that I am particularly excited to, given its content.

Napoleon (2023)

Oscars: 3 nominations and 0 wins

BAFTAs: 4 nominations and 0 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 1 nomination and 0 wins

Golden Globes: 0 nominations/wins

SAG Awards: 0 nominations/wins

As mentioned above, this was the most surprising pan of the awards given its director and historical story. Ridley Scott is not usually an awards director but many of his films have been critically acclaimed and hailed by audiences as great cinema. Napoleon did not manage to do this. It angered the French with its British/American cast and great historical inaccuracies. I also found the plot confusing, jumping around different dates like it had somewhere to be. The relationship between Napoleon and Josephine was meant to be a strong point but they spent most of the film hating each other and all the sex scenes were rough and abusive. I think Vanessa Kirby did what she could with the script but I did not feel any warmth from Napoleon towards her even when he hadn’t left her for a younger, fertile woman. The scant nominations were for the costumes, production and VFX all of which looked great but unfortunately the plot/acting could not support it.

Maestro (2023)

Oscars: 7 nominations and 0 wins

BAFTAs: 7 nominations and 0 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 8 nominations and 0 wins

Golden Globes: 4 nominations and 0 wins

SAG Awards: 2 nominations and 0 wins

In nominations, Maestro did respectably well but did not manage to pick up an award. It was a very strong year but I think that Leonard Bernstein being bisexual/into men and women was not well received with voters and particularly cheating on his wife in their later years. There was a controversy about the prosthetic used to give Bradley Cooper a more Jewish looking nose but it was approved by the family. Personally I think Bradley looked more like Leonard with his own nose. The film was a good watch, I saw it at the London Film Festival last year and while an enjoyable film, I have not reached to watch it again on streaming. Carey Mulligan was strong as always but she got drowned out by other stronger performances in her categories from Da’Vine Joy Randolph and America Ferrera. An enjoyable film but it couldn’t hold its own this year.

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Oscars: 10 nominations and 0 wins

BAFTAs: 9 nominations and 0 wins

Critics Choice Awards: 12 nominations and 0 wins

Golden Globes: 7 nominations and 1 win

SAG Awards: 3 nominations and 1 win

I am almost surprised at the panning that this film received given its powerhouse combo of Martin Scorsese, Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. In the past this trio would have swept prizes but with the topic of the murder of Native Americans, they couldn’t make the leap. The only awards came for Lily Gladstone as Best Actress. While she was good, I am not sure her performance in the film was actually enough to secure the win. There may have been white guilt at play for the treatment of Native Americans or just an inability to relate to the culture. The film itself could have been done better in my eyes with too many characters to keep track of and most of the focus being on the few white male characters. If this film had been directed by a female Native American with Scorsese producing, I think there could have been a different result. It would have also made more sense as a limited series.

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: 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 

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

2023: Summer of Cinema: Theater Camp

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

Hello readers,

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

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

Theater Camp (2023)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Watching,

Robyn

2023: Summer of Cinema: Asteroid City

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.

Happy Watching,
Robyn