Tag: movie

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

If You Feel It, Chase It: Tornado time for the revival of classic 90s disaster film

Hi Readers,

If, like me you love a disaster film, then I would recommend Twisters. It’s a stand-alone reboot of a classic film from 1996 – Twister and this time we’ve got Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones and some dodgy politics. When visual effects and CGI started becoming more widely used in films, audiences were able to see never-seen-before events. In 2024, visual effects have to be almost invisible for the every man to be impressed.

Having worked in visual effects, I enjoyed the weather effects that were created and they looked very realistic. With advances in technology, we saw the use of drones and 3D mapping software as well as the social media effect on storm chasing.

Twisters (2024)

The opening scenes establish the character of Kate and her friends as they go on a storm chase as part of a research project. Javi (Anthony Ramos) is the grumpy one of the group who appears to be not as enthusiastic as the rest of the gang. When an EF 5 tornado hits the area, the group rush to collect data in the hope of testing Kate’s invention to stop tornadoes in their tracks. Unfortunately, it was much bigger than expected and Kate’s (Daisy Edgar-Jones) three closest friends including her boyfriend, Jeb (Daryl McCormack) are dragged into the wind tunnel.

Cut to five years later, Kate is living a sensible yet boring life in New York City, working at the weather centre, sending alerts to those in Tornado Valley. Her old friend Javi comes back into her life and persuades her to join his military backed storm chasing squad complete with state-of-the-art technology and pristine vehicles. They are funded by a mysterious Marshall Riggs, a real-estate tycoon in the Midwest.

Kate goes back to her native Oklahoma and comes across Tyler Owens (Glen Powell) and his team of rambunctious amateurs, filming their escapes for their popular YouTube channel and with a British journalist in tow who clearly doesn’t know what he has gotten himself into. At first Kate is on Javi’s side and sees Tyler and his friends as show-offs who like to ride danger and are just making money from their devoted fans. She has a few flash backs from the deaths of her friends and Javi’s co-worker, Scott (David Corenswet) is not pleased.

Kate was brought along for her apparent psychic gift of predicting which tornadoes will hold and which will disappear into the clouds. Her and Tyler compete for the best storms with her misdirecting him a few times until she sees the work that he and his group do to help those affected by the tornadoes. They sell merchandise to be able to give free meals to people who have just lost everything. They also stay and help clear up which is more than Storm Par and Javi’s team do.

Through Tyler and Javi and a visit to her mother, Kate finds her passion for storm chasing again.

The film has some big names behind the scenes with Steven Spielberg credited as Executive Producer as well as writers, producers of films such as Jurassic World and Top Gun: Maverick. The production design was great and I loved that the scenes were filmed in Oklahoma rather than a giant lot in Atlanta or London. It gave a very authentic vibe and made it seem more natural.

I loved the story arc and the action scenes as both contributed to making the film an exciting watch. Daisy Edgar-Jones was great as her character with her accent and manner and you could see in her movements and facial expressions that the anguish of losing her boyfriend and friends still weighed on her as she believed it was her fault.

Glen Powell was also great in his role. As a native Texan, he was a good pick for Tyler and while he just seems to be the naive jock of the storm chasing world, you gradually find out there is more to him than meets the eye. His looks and confident persona can make you think that he is a surface level character but everyone has layers to them.

Overall, I really enjoyed the film and even though I have not seen the original, the two were not linked so you can enjoy the sequel without prior knowledge. Disaster films are one of my favourite genres and this was a great addition. I give it 5/5.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

A Quiet Place: Day One – Does the prequel hold up to the first two parts?

Hi Readers,

I have been a fan of the A Quiet Place franchise since watching the first film at the cinema in 2018. It was a familiar concept – family living in a post-apocalyptic world, surviving on scarce resources and trying to make the best of it. Except the film has a unique twist where the creatures that invaded Earth have super hearing and poor vision so any sounds made – talking, footsteps, eating could alert them to your presence.

I remember at the time there was a lot of discussion around people being too afraid to eat their popcorn in the screenings due to the use of sound. It created a new type of horror/thriller where you could evade death by living a silent existence.

A Quiet Place: Day One (2024)

Six years on and two films later we have joined a different group of people in New York on the first day that the creatures – ‘Death Angels’ fall to Earth. The story focuses on Sam (Lupita Nyong’o), a young woman living in a hospice outside the city, presumably with a type of cancer. A group takes a trip to a puppet show in Manhattan with the nurse (Alex Wolff) and this is when disaster strikes. Sam manages to get back to the theatre where many people are sheltering including her friend Reuben (Wolff) and a young family that they met earlier in the film including Henri (Djimon Hounsou) when his son was interested in Sam’s cat, Frodo that accompanies her.

With buildings collapsing around them and subways being flooded, people start migrating. You gradually see the realisation that the creatures attack you if you make noise through a long shot of National Guards, ambulances and police using loud speakers and radios. Helicopters start flying over the city saying to head south with caution as the creatures cannot swim and they will evacuate by boat.

Sam is not as interested in heading there but instead plans to head to Harlem where she was raised to grab possibly the last Patsy’s pizza that will exist. This was her plan before the attacks and she continues in her quest knowing that without hospitals/medicine she doesn’t have long to live.

About a quarter/half way into the film we meet our second lead, Eric (Joseph Quinn) when he bursts out of the water of a flooded subway in business attire. He is British and in NYC for law school. While Sam and Frodo are more blase about the world falling apart, Eric has a will to keep going and a gentle caring nature. When the pair shelter in Sam’s old apartment, he learns more about her former life as a poet and her proclivity to carry a notebook is one of the things that elongates their survival.

I thought the film was very intense with some great jump scares and thrilling sequences but I would not say it was particularly scary. The grumpy/sunshine dynamic of Sam and Eric was interesting with Frodo acting as kitty in the middle. The cat actors were very good and I think with only three main characters, there were a lot of reactions and scenes based around Frodo which enhanced the film. As the cat does not speak, it is not as much of a liability as the people and can weave among the creatures with more ease.

I thought the late introduction of Eric was strange at first but in real life, you don’t find friends right away after a big life event so this seemed more realistic. Eric came in at a time when Sam was ready to give up on her quest and life in general but he gave her reason to keep going and security for Frodo.

The film was entirely shot in the UK with the actors and I suspect aerial shots of New York added in but the set decoration and extras were very convincing. The choice of a character with a terminal condition may be an odd one for a protagonist as the audience does not know whether she will make it to the end even without the creatures attacking but it definitely gave an interesting perspective to the film.

Personally, I would have liked to see some of her life before her diagnosis in more than just stories/photos and more of her reluctant friendship with the nurse, Reuben. I would have liked Eric to be introduced earlier but I understand why he wasn’t.

The action and sequences were great and really kept you on the edge of your seat. This was definitely a film to watch on the big screen and I almost regret not seeing it in IMAX. I won’t spoil the ending but I thought the last sequence was particularly moving.

If the creators choose to follow on with the characters it would be great to see the family from the first two films meet up with the characters from New York for an epic conclusion perhaps where the creatures are defeated.

Overall, I really enjoyed the film and it would be interesting to watch the first two films again to see the evolution of the franchise and which parts of the lore were taken from the first films.

Happy Watching,

Robyn

The Bikeriders: Violence and leather jackets meets 1960s Chicago in critically divisive drama

Hello Readers,

If you’re anything like me and have been monitoring what’s coming up in the film world, then you will have heard of the Bikeriders. It has been highly anticipated for quite a while with an A-List cast and based on true events, it generated a buzz.

Now that that film has been on general release at the cinemas, the reviews have come in and not all are favourable. Speaking to different friends who have seen the film, some loved it and some not so much. I have heard descriptions such as “too violent” and “lacked any plot”. Others have described it as capturing a moment in time and showcasing the best of the leads (Tom Hardy, Jodie Comer and Austin Butler).

Now that I have seen the film myself, I want to give my opinions.

The Bikeriders (2024)

This film explores a point in history that has been largely brushed aside for the shining lights of Hollywood or the grit and protests of New York City. The Midwest was a time for outlaws and Danny Lyon captured that in his book of photographs and transcribed interviews. Danny has been incorporated into the film being played by Mike Faist where all the characters acknowledge him and talk freely with him. We see the characters through the eyes of Kathy (Jodie Comer) who becomes involved with Benny (Austin Butler), a key member of the Chicago Vandals, a motorcycle club.

The club is led by Johnny (Tom Hardy) and originally started as a social organisation with a clubhouse/bar and picnics for family and friends. Over time, it becomes more violent with turf wars and young upstarts creating drama for the club and its members. Michael Shannon (Zipco); Norman Reedus (Funny Sonny); Boyd Holbrook (Cal) and Damon Herriman (Brucie) play other notable members of the Vandals. Kathy initially likes being noticed by Benny and when her boyfriend leaves her after his pursuit, she marries him. Benny has a strong temper and often gets into fights which people who hate the gang, want to join the gang or annoy him in general.

We see Danny in his time with the gang and then again when he comes back in 1973 to interview Kathy about what happened to the gang. One change is the introduction of The Kid played by Toby Wallace, who is desperate to join the gang but is told he is too young.

I thought the acting in the film was all amazing especially Jodie and Austin. Jodie has always been great at accents and her Chicago accent threw me at first at it was so different but the more the film went on, I realised the effort she put in to sound authentic. Austin Butler’s character also seemed very unlike his real self, very violent and quick-tempered. You could see in his face how much the club and sense of belonging mattered to him. Tom Hardy’s performance I felt was very much in his wheelhouse and he did not do much to differentiate from other American tough guys that he has played in the past. He mumbled quite a lot which did fit with the character but it felt to me as though it was a cover for the accent.

The setting, production design and costumes was all great and really showed the amount of research that had been done. As the book that this was based on was more a photographers guide rather than a real narrative, the film didn’t have much of a strong narrative arc and you often felt lost in time at points other than Kathy’s interviews.

The writer and director, Jeff Nichols is from the Midwest himself and is known for period Midwest/Western films so it was definitely a great project for him. Personally, I did not think the film was too violent and could have been worse but there were a few moments where I had to look away or cringed.

In my opinion, I thought the film was a worthy venture with an excellent cast and setting but would have worked a little better for the average viewer with more structure and Tom Hardy could have put more into his portrayal of Johnny. Overall, the film was enjoyable especially at the cinema with surround sound but I am not going to rush to re-watch it when it comes on streaming.

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

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

Hi Readers,

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

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

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

Dune: Part Two (2024)

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

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

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

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

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

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

The main questions that we are left with are:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Overall, I give this film 5/5

Happy Watching,

Robyn

My Oscars Predictions 2024

Hi Readers,

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

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

ACTOR IN A LEADING ROLE

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

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

My prediction is Paul Giamatti for The Holdovers

ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

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

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

My prediction is Robert Downey Jr. for Oppenheimer

ACTRESS IN A LEADING ROLE

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

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

My prediction is Lily Gladstone for Killers of the Flower Moon

ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE

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

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

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

ANIMATED FEATURE FILM

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

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

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

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

CINEMATOGRAPHY

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

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

My prediction is Hoyte van Hoytema for Oppenheimer.

COSTUME DESIGN

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

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

My prediction is Poor Things – Holly Waddington

DIRECTING

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

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

My prediction is Christopher Nolan for Oppenheimer

DOCUMENTARY FEATURE FILM

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

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

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

DOCUMENTARY SHORT FILM

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

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

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

FILM EDITING

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

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

My prediction is Jennifer Lame for Oppenheimer

INTERNATIONAL FEATURE FILM

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

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

My prediction is The Zone of Interest

MAKEUP AND HAIRSTYLING

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

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

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

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SCORE)

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

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

My prediction is Ludwig Göransson for Oppenheimer

MUSIC (ORIGINAL SONG)

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

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

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

BEST PICTURE

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

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

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

PRODUCTION DESIGN

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

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

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

ANIMATED SHORT FILM

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

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

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

LIVE ACTION SHORT FILM

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

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

My prediction is The After – Misan Harriman and Nicky Bentham

SOUND

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

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

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

VISUAL EFFECTS

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

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

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

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

WRITING (ADAPTED SCREENPLAY)

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

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

My prediction is American Fiction – Cord Jefferson

WRITING (ORIGINAL SCREENPLAY)

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

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

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

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

Happy Watching,

Robyn

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

Hi Readers,

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

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

The Society of the Snow (2023)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Happy Watching,

Robyn

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

Hi Readers,

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

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

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

Anyone But You (2023)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Overall I give this film 5/5.

Happy Watching,

Robyn