Author: Mark

The Gentlemen

Post author By Mark
Post date January 9, 2020

Guy Ritchie burst onto the scene with his trademark frenetic, violent, cleverly interwoven stories of gangsters and crime-lords in Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. In the years since, Ritchie has moved further and further from his roots, handling bigger budgets and properties – such as the recent Aladdin remake – to somewhat mixed results. The Gentlemen is a triumphant return to form for the director, a rip-roaring, sharp-tongued journey through the inner-workings of rival marijuana criminal syndicates and gangsters set against the familiar backdrop of London. While the story can get a little too crazy at times, the all-star cast, led by Matthew McConaughey, hold it all together and make this one of Ritchie’s most enjoyable and best films in a long time, and a hell of a way to start off the 2020 year of movies.

Like those other earlier films, The Gentlemen is told through stories within stories, which ultimately all collide together in spectacular fashion. The large portion of the narrative is told by cocksure, flamboyant private investigator Fletcher (Hugh Grant) – who has been tasked with tailing marijuana empire kingpin Mickey Pearson (Matthew McConaughey) and gathering information for a newspaper exposé – as he attempts to blackmail Pearson through his right hand man Raymond (Charlie Hunnam) to the tune of 20 million pounds. This comes at a particularly tenuous time for Mickey, who is in the process of leaving the business he helped create; negotiating to sell the business to rival drug lord Matthew (Jeremy Strong), whilst newcomer on the scene Dry Eye (Henry Golding) makes his own desperate play for Michael’s crown. Add to this a host of supporting characters from outside the mobs such as Colin Farrell’s gym owner Coach and you have an explosive clash of forces vying for supremacy, which brings with it an abundance of backstabbing, scheming and violence.

What holds the films increasingly off-kilter story together and gives it its flair is the dialogue. It’s clearly evident that Ritchie understands this world and sub-culture of British life as if he’d lived it all himself – from the constant banter and local slang to the downright menacing threats made by these despicable characters – it works to give the film its own character and charm; you feel like you’ve stepped into this modern British underworld yourself (complete with fight scenes that also double as Grime music videos). As things continue to go in all directions, it’s the kooky cast of characters that Ritchie has assembled and the way in which they interact that holds you as an audience – which somewhat surprisingly gives everyone a chance to show off their comedy chops. Make no mistake, in addition to the violence audiences know Ritchie for, The Gentlemen is hilarious.

This is due to the simply stellar cast Ritchie has gathered, all of whom have their own individual quirks or affectations that make them endlessly watchable. Take McConaughey’s Mickey for example; we find out very early on that he is an extremely dangerous man and has got his position through less than reputable means. What McConaughey gives us after we learn this though, is a calmly measured, almost too relaxed leader – a ticking time bomb. It’s a masterful technique to get you invested in the characters and have you wanting to learn more about them. Despite it being McConaughey’s movie, the show is undeniably stolen by Hugh Grant. The iconic British actor goes about as far from his usual roles as possible as the conniving, wily journalist Fletcher, complete with a strong Cockney accent and a taste for Charlie Hunnam’s Raymond. The verbal sparring matches between Hunnam and Grant are some of the best scenes Ritchie has put to film; funny as well as intriguing, with both men on their toes trying to outwit the other: Fletcher attempting to throw Raymond off through sly advances and Raymond responding in kind with a calm, cocky confidence in his boss and their combined power. Hunnam more than holds his own against Grant in a more restrained, understated role than he usually plays, delivering some of his best work since Sons of Anarchy.

The Gentlemen is a burst of fresh air for the start of the new year. A magnificent, guns blazing, fists swinging return to form for Guy Ritchie who goes back to his roots to give audiences all the hallmarks of his greatest work and the world he understands so well. If you’re not a fan of Ritchie’s earlier work, then this isn’t going to bring you over anytime soon, but for those that are along for the ride, the combination of a stellar cast, non-stop violence and more banter and NSFW jokes than you could ever ask for should be more than enough to keep you satisfied and have you leaving with a smile. If you haven’t seen a Guy Ritchie film before, then this is a damn good place to start.

The Gentlemen stars Matthew McConaughey, Hugh Grant, Charlie Hunnam, Colin Farrell, Michelle Dockery, Jeremy Strong & Henry Golding – In cinemas now.

Tags Charlie Hunnam, Colin Farrell, Guy Ritchie, Henry Golding, Hugh Grant, Jeremy Strong, Matthew McConaughey, Michelle Dockery, The Gentlemen

Movie Reviews

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker

Post author By Mark
Post date December 23, 2019

Since Disney’s acquisition of Lucasfilm back in 2012, the Star Wars films released by the Mouse House have always been an interesting thing to watch from a cultural and business perspective. They’ve all been wildly financially successful (with the exception of Ron Howard’s Solo: A Star Wars Story – a fun, little romp which gets a bad rap) and none of them can be considered bad, but creatively there has been a distinct lack of consistency and cohesion. 2015’s The Force Awakens absolutely blasted the new saga out of the gate and the standalone adventure released the year after, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, continued the momentum and helped prove that Disney could experiment with the storied franchise and get away with it – to the tune of billions. Rian Johnson’s second entry in the trilogy, The Last Jedi, seemingly broke the movie world: causing a rift through a fandom never seen before and sparking endless claims that Johnson had “ruined the franchise” and petitions to erase the film from canon. Enter The Rise of Skywalker, the final film in the trilogy, once again helmed by JJ Abrams, who is given the unenviable task of unifying the two film’s visions and crafting a cohesive and satisfying conclusion to the story of Rey (Daisy Ridley), Finn (John Boyega), Poe (Oscar Isaac) and Kylo Ren (Adam Driver). Does he succeed? In a way yes, but also not really.

The Rise of Skywalker is a big, loud, ambitious mess of a movie. It’s as simple (and as complex) as that. Abrams throws everything and the kitchen sink on the screen here in an attempt to give the audience something cohesive as well as conclusive. It’s a fine balancing act between the familiarity of The Force Awakens (which fans complained about) and the left-field, out-with-the-old, in-with-the-new approach of The Last Jedi (which fans also complained about) – and, unlike the Force, it really doesn’t balance. Abrams sticks to the same formula he did with The Force Awakens here, placing a heavy focus on fan service and nostalgia to win over the audience. There are moments of brilliance here, fist-pumping moments of pure ecstasy that will make most fans break out in a grin as they experience a flash of the same giddy high the original trilogy left them with, but these are very few and far between. No, most of what we get is a severe overcompensation for The Last Jedi; all but erasing the events of that film from existence and utilising only the very bones of the plot – Kylo Ren is still the Supreme Leader of the First Order and Rey is still carrying on her Jedi training while the Resistance scrambles to regroup after the defeat at the Battle of Crait. It’s been no secret that Abrams has said he had a very specific plan in place for the trilogy and Johnson’s film all but threw that out the window, but Abrams seems determined to finish what he started, even if the setup isn’t there.

This is where the problems start to arise. From the get-go we are thrust into a story that feels strangely separate from the two entries that have come before. It continues the style of Abrams, sure, with a healthy dash of Return of the Jedi to boot, but the connective tissue that should have linked these two films is not what we got in Episode 8. Without this context it’s hard to invest in the story, even if it includes the characters we know and love. A new, yet familiar, antagonist seemingly appears out of nowhere with no explanation provided and the audience is just expected to go with it. It’s a lot to ask of such a devoted fanbase especially before you proceed to fill your film with bizarre character choices and some nonsensical twists and turns. Without spoiling things too much, we follow the usual gang; Rey, Finn, Poe, Chewbacca (Joonas Suotamo), C-3PO (Anthony Daniels), R2-D2 and BB-8 as they search for a way to rebuild the ranks of the dwindling Resistance, led by General Leia Organa (Carrie Fisher), and defeat the villainous First Order. Meanwhile newly promoted Supreme Leader Kylo Ren consolidates his position of power by teaming with an old enemy as he searches for both the remaining Resistance forces and Rey herself in an effort to destroy the Jedi and build his own new Empire.

Despite the story falling short of expectations, what we do get is still a fun, if ultimately forgettable ride and all the hallmarks of Star Wars are here. The effects and visuals are spectacular and genuinely jaw-dropping in spots, with the story moving through a plethora of new planets and locales from arid desserts to bustling cities and dank worlds beset by constant lightning storms. The effects-work extends to the creatures that inhabit the planets as well, a lot of which are brought to life using practical effects – something that Abrams has thankfully been extremely vocal about since The Force Awakens – and it all looks amazing and works to recreate that feel of classic Star Wars. Then there’s the action: more than maybe any Star Wars film; be it the starship fights – some of the best in this sequel trilogy – or the lightsaber duels, almost every scene ends with some sort of action set-piece and they consistently wow and keep you on the edge of your seat, with the exception of one scene which can’t be discussed for spoilers (you’ll know the anticlimactic scene when you see it). John Williams returns to see out his musical contributions to the trilogy, once again delivering an amazing score which perfectly compliments the visuals and serves as a reminder that he is perhaps the greatest composer to ever live, each piece of music drawing the emotions from the audience that he wants. All these things done right are what makes The Rise of Skywalker so frustrating. They had it, they almost had it; the perfect ending for these characters if it weren’t for the inconsistent story. All the pieces are there but it’s the connective tissue that is simply lacking and which doesn’t allow them to come together in the ideal way: you’re left knowing you’ve seen a Star Wars film, but one that is confusing and upsetting rather than joyful and a fitting send off to the characters we all love so much.

The one consistency throughout the entire trilogy, however, is the acting talents of all involved. Every member of the cast gives their all, no matter the size or importance of the role. Adam Driver continues to deliver the best performance of the Disney produced sequels as Kylo Ren, showing Ren as a deeply flawed and conflicted individual whose struggle to choose the dark over the light is constantly causing him pain. Driver’s story might not be as nuanced as his performance in the film but he lifts the material significantly, adding some depth to the unsure newly crowned Supreme Leader. Next to Driver the person that gets the most material to work with is Daisy Ridley as Rey, who doesn’t have much to really work with in terms of an arc but does her best to show the confusion and longing for purpose that Rey feels. This tends to be a common theme for almost all the characters in the film, as a result of trying to cram this story together and course-correct for The Last Jedi, there seems to be a distinct lack of character arcs for most parties involved. John Boyega and Oscar Isaac are both great actors but their roles allow for them to make minimal contributions to the plot other than being along for Rey’s adventure. It’s a shame given the promise hinted at in The Force Awakens and is a waste of their talents. Carrie Fisher’s role as Leia is a particularly interesting one, given her extremely sad passing before filming began and Abrams is in the unenviable position of crafting a performance from unused footage from the past two films. Thankfully it works and although Fisher’s role was conceived to be much larger before her death, it is a respectful tribute and send-off to the actress who will forever be our princess.

More than anything The Rise of Skywalker is disappointing. There were such high hopes riding on this closing chapter of perhaps the most beloved film franchise of all time and it just doesn’t finish out the stories of the characters we love very well. The action, music, characters and general feel of Star Wars are all there and it’s a movie that you can still enjoy and get some enjoyment out of certain set-pieces; but the story is so haphazardly put together and sloppy that it taints this entire sequel trilogy and highlights Disney’s lack of an overarching plan for the direction of Star Wars. The only thing to do now is hope that future films learn from this mistake and it leads to some great new instalments in the franchise but the Skywalker saga is now complete, and as a lifelong fan of the galaxy far, far away, this one hurts like a lightsaber to the heart.

Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker stars Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, Adam Driver, John Boyega, Oscar Isaac, Mark Hamill, Anthony Daniels, Joonas Suotamo, Kelly Marie Train, Domhnall Gleeson, Richard E. Grant & Ian McDiarmid – In cinemas now.

Tags Adam Driver, Carrie Fisher, Daisy Ridley, Episode 9, Ian McDiarmid, JJ Abrams, John Boyega, Mark Hamill, Oscar Isaac, Star Wars, Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker, The Rise of Skywalker

Movie Reviews

Ford v Ferrari

Post author By Mark
Post date November 21, 2019

Like the racers at Le Mans, director James Mangold can’t be stopped. Following up one of the most well received superhero films of all time in Logan was never going to be an easy task, but he’s done it with his latest racing feature Ford v Ferrari. A thrilling tale of two men and the lengths they will go to to achieve their dreams, this is engrossing, engaging cinema at its finest and undoubtedly one of the best films of the year. Every aspect of the film blends together perfectly: the performances of Matt Damon and Christian Bale and the entire cast, the score by Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders, the tension filled race scenes and the airtight story all coalescing to create one pure adrenaline shot of a movie that should not be missed.

Don’t be fooled by the title, this is first and foremost a character study of two men: former racer turned car salesman (and the first American to win the 24 hours endurance race at Le Mans in France) Carroll Shelby (Damon) and down-on-his-luck British racer Ken Miles (Bale), who Carroll has his eyes set on to drive in the 1966 Le Mans championship. The racing comes second to the deep dive we take into these two men’s psyche’s; both damaged from their past and from different worlds but who share a unified passion and goal in their love for racing and desire to be the best and chase that perfect lap. Damon and Bale are pitch perfect in their respective roles and their chemistry is electric. Their friendship is the heart of the film and they sell it wonderfully, coming to understand and value each other more and more as the race looms closer. Each party is tested in their own way, whilst the other witnesses the lengths their friend will go to in order to chase this dream. This slow reveal of just how important this race is to both men in turn influences the audience, as you find yourself becoming more and more engrossed in the story as each new obstacle on the way to Le Mans is overcome. It’s an extremely effective and subtle way of making you care and by the end of the film you’ll likely find yourself on tenterhooks as the race unfolds, as you know full well what is at stake for Shelby and Miles.

As complex as these two characters are they are also a ton of fun, with both men getting to chew the scenery in different ways. Damon gives his best Texan accent here as the loud, proud Shelby, who succeeds as a car salesman by charming clients with stories of his racing heydays, which he longs to return to after being forced to retire due to heart issues. He plays these loud, braggadocios beats of Shelby with supreme confidence but it’s the quieter moments with Shelby that really allow Damon to explore the character, and he does this extremely well, whether it be through a simple facial expression or the tone in his voice on a quiet telephone call. He’s constantly forced to make hard decisions and is torn between his own self-preservation and putting it all on the line to win and it’s hard to imagine anyone other than Damon doing justice to the role. Bale as Ken Miles alternates between a quiet, reserved man – the opposite of Shelby – and a powder-keg, ready to explode at a moment’s notice at whoever draws his ire and insults his skills with a car. It’s a more obvious range than Damon’s and while he may seem like the more predictable, easy to read character, Miles harbours some real trauma and self-doubt – struggling with the choice to chase his dream or give it up to provide for his family – which Bale portrays in a variety of subtle ways. It’s rare that a movie these days allows you to learn about the character in real time with the other people in the film and it’s a welcome choice, helping you to invest yourself more in the plot and in Miles.

The supporting cast is all excellent and every character’s involvement in the plot is specifically tied to Miles and Shelby (whether serving as obstacles or inspirations), never distracting from the task at hand and further narrowing the film’s laser focus to these two men and the race to come, tightening the tension as we come to realise how many other people’s fates are tied to Miles and Shelby’s mission to win Le Mans. Caitriona Balfe excels as Mollie, the tough-as-nails wife of of Ken and the only one able to really keep him in line, whilst running the household in his absence. Balfe makes her presence known when she’s on screen, commanding the scene as she does all she can do to ensure her husband fulfils his destiny. Similarly, the character of Ken is further fleshed out through his relationship with son Peter, played by Noah Jupe. Jupe is fine in the role, playing a boy who completely idolises his dad, but who also recognises the extreme risks associated with the race and is torn between his desire to see his father win and to keep him safe. The scenes between Peter and Ken are some of the most heartfelt and help to flesh out the character of Ken, giving him something to lose but also a reason to succeed. Rounding out the cast is a bevy of Ford employees who both help and hinder the two men as they approach the race, including Jon Bernthal, Josh Lucas and Tracy Letts. Lucas is at his dastardly best here as Leo Beebe, a Ford executive who is vehemently opposed to the decision to have Miles race the first Ford race car and who goes out of his way to make sure it doesn’t happen. It’s a character that you love to hate and Lucas hams it up in all the best ways, creating someone who audiences purely loathe, but who also has understandable motives.

On a technical level Ford v Ferrari is a masterclass in filmmaking; with Mangold utilising every trick and technique up his sleeves to ensure that every element of the film is there to enhance the story being told. This is perhaps no better demonstrated than in the racing scenes, with quick cuts between shots of the cars , point of view shots from the driver’s seat and reaction shots of the people outside the car helping to sell the speed and intensity of the races. The quieter moments are equally well assembled; shot gorgeously and with purpose – a particular scene between Ken and his son is shot against a gorgeous sunset, setting the tone for the emotional exchange to come. It’s this kind of attention to detail that goes that extra mile (sorry) to envelope you in these two men’s story and it makes the whole affair an absolute joy to watch. Marco Beltrami and Buck Sanders’ score elevates the film to another level, adding to the quieter moments and capturing the electric intensity of the races, which Mangold makes even more impactful by fading the score in and out so that when it comes in booming you feel it and the music almost feels earned after the heart-stopping scenes preceding it.

Ford v Ferrari is a special film. A near perfect blend of classic moviemaking skills that perfectly captures the spirit of 60’s Americana and racing; the inherently simple premise disguises so much more, at the centre of which is a wonderfully deep and realised friendship between these two men and a story of chasing your dreams no matter what. This is a film that will stick with you long after you leave the cinema: it’s blend of heart, action and humour never disappointing and keeping you glued to the screen. The best film of the year so far in every way, a Skywalker is going to have to rise pretty high to clear the bar Mangold has set in order to overtake Ford v Ferrari.

Ford v Ferrari stars Matt Damon, Christian Bale, Caitriona Balfe, Jon Bernthal, Noah Jupe, Josh Lucas & Tracy Letts – In cinemas now.

Tags Caitriona Balfe, Christian Bale, Ford v Ferrari, James Mangold, Jon Bernthal, Josh Lucas, Matt Damon, Noah Jupe, Tracy Letts

Movie Reviews

Charlie’s Angels (2019)

Post author By Mark
Post date November 18, 2019

Of all the franchises begging to be brought back to the silver screen, Charlie’s Angels was not one that was high on too many people’s wish list. The early 2000’s films featuring Drew Barrymore, Lucy Liu and Cameron Diaz were fine enough action films, if somewhat disposable, but the chemistry of the core cast was enough to leave most with fond memories of the franchise. Enter the 2019 reboot/sequel starring Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott and newcomer Ella Balinska; a surprisingly fun, upbeat action film that ultimately succeeds thanks to solid performances from its core trio and by never taking itself too seriously. Whilst its message of “girl power” is a little ham-fisted and unsubtle in its delivery, and the plot is about as cookie cutter as it gets – straight out of 2000’s action cinema – there is never a dull moment and for a Charlie’s Angel movie released in 2019, that’s far better than what was to be expected.

The “angels” are a team of female super spies from around the world coordinated into one cohesive task force called the Townsend Agency, led by the ever present, yet never seen “Charlie”. Beneath Charlie are his lieutenants – all codenamed “Bosley”,- just to be intentionally confusing – men and women from intelligence operations around the world who act as direct liaisons to the agents in the field and mentor them through their rigorous training process. When the agency receives a call from Elena (Naomi Scott) about the potential weaponising of Callisto, the renewal power source she has created for boss Alexander Brock (Sam Claflin), it sets off a chain reaction of mayhem as multiple parties vie for control of the device. Bosley (Elizabeth Banks) sends in two of her top agents to protect Elena and prevent anyone else from getting their hands on the device; Sabina (Kristen Stewart) and Jane (Ella Balinska), and what follows is a series of twists and turns, all fairly predictable, as the three girls learn to work together and become a sisterhood in order to save the day.

Charlie’s Angels really shouldn’t work as well as it does and that success all comes down to the script, written by Banks (pulling triple duty by also starring and directing). She mixes the early 2000 tropes with a 2019 view on women – confident, self-assured spies who can do anything and get the job done – to great effect. You understand that these women are trained killers and the world is at stake yet it’s all just so ridiculous and fun, as the whole team slings one-liners at each other whilst they escape numerous close encounters with evil henchmen. Whilst the script is solid in the way it handles the tropes of the genre and its humour, it falls down in the story, which is simply plot development after plot development to put the spies in a variety of fun locations or situations. It doesn’t make sense and is full of loop holes and leaps in reality which just aren’t justifiable. It’s the kind of film that would rather hit you with a montage of random girls doing activities like riding horses or surfing to portray the message that girls can do anything, rather than spending the time to build up a story that makes a bit of sense and shows that these girls are actually in danger of not making it out alive. It doesn’t derail the show as it’s clear from the opening scene that this is not in any way going to be a serious film, but it just would go that extra mile to raise the stakes and allow for some investment in the characters beyond their surface level personalities.

Banter is the name of the game here and while the interplay between the cast makes the film, the characters are surprisingly one note, barely going beyond surface level or digging into anybody’s motives or psyche. Having said that, there are no weak links in the cast and everybody plays their characters competently enough. Kristen Stewart shows a new side of herself that audiences may be taken aback by, as the spunky spy Sabina, easily the most energetic member of the cast, showcasing a mix of deadpan and wisecracking comedy that will no doubt surprise. She’s come a long way since her Twilight days, appearing in a host of indie dramas over the years since the monster franchise wrapped up and her re-entry to mainstream blockbuster cinema is a breath of fresh air. There’s still that same brooding somewhat closed-off energy that remains from Twilight but the role is perfect to show off her other talents, both action and comedy, and this should go a long way to boosting her prominence in more blockbuster work, should she choose to go that route.

Naomi Scott gets the most traditional story arc of anyone in the film as Elena, going from timid whistleblower to reasonably competent super spy, but it all feels so rushed, with the transition happening in less time than the film takes to bust out an Ariana Grande song (of which there are many). Scott is the audience surrogate here, showing us the mysterious Townsend Agency from an outsider’s perspective, but there’s only so long you can watch her open mouthed look of surprise before it gets stale. She’s fine in the role and won’t be going anywhere, coming off a solid year between this and the recent Aladdin reboot. Ella Balinska rounds out the core trio as the emotionally shut-off lone wolf Jane, a former MI6 operative turned angel who must learn to trust her teammates if they have any hope of succeeding. She’s surprisingly the strongest of the trio, really selling herself as the emotionally damaged spy who has clearly suffered in her former job. Her arc feels the most earned and while it is not as central as Elena’s it is surprisingly emotional and cathartic and Balinska hits all the beats surprisingly well, considering this is one of her first big roles.

At a time when theatres have been mostly dominated by drama and horror, Charlie’s Angels provides a high-octane shot of adrenaline: full of big, bombastic, explosion-filled set pieces and zingers a-plenty. Whilst the story won’t set the world on fire and the characters are all a bit one-note, the cast playing them is clearly having so much fun that it becomes infectious. The jokes land when they need to and the pace moves at a clip, making this an easy, breezy enjoyable time at the movies or a shot of fun at home on a boring Sunday afternoon.

Charlie’s Angels stars Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, Ella Balinska, Elizabeth Banks, Patrick Stewart & Sam Claflin – In cinemas now.

Tags Charlie's Angels, Elizabeth Banks, Ella Balinska, Kristen Stewart, Naomi Scott, Patrick Stewart, Sam Claflin

Movie Reviews

Last Christmas

Post author By Mark
Post date November 12, 2019

Good Christmas movies are a rarity these days. It seems like every year we’re hit with one or two big studio Christmas films that fail to make much of an impact (last year’s The Grinch remake anyone?) and the only movies that really seem to do well with the holidays are ones that use it as a framing device for other raunchy antics (The Night Before) or horrifying events (Krampus). Enter Last Christmas, the latest from renowned comedy director Paul Fieg and featuring Hollywood heavy hitters both new and old in Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Emma Thompson and Michelle Yeoh. Named after the title of one of the greatest Christmas songs ever made and featuring a soundtrack composed entirely of George Michael and Wham! music, it has all the indicators of the next holiday classic. Except it really isn’t. Last Christmas is almost a complete mess from the get-go; full of bland, uninteresting characters, a virtually non-existent story and plenty of jokes that land with a thud rather than a roar. The only redeeming qualities that save it from being a complete disaster are the natural charm of its two leads, Emma Thompson’s hilarious performance and its killer soundtrack.

Kate’s (Emilia Clarke) life is a mess. Having recently undergone serious heart surgery she has decided to live her life independently from her overbearing mother Petra (Emma Thompson), who she believes used Kate’s illness as a way of receiving more attention from the local community. This hasn’t exactly worked out all too well for her as Kate spends her nights hopping between friend’s places and one-night stands in the hopes of having a bed to sleep in. Her singing career, which took a hit following her diagnosis, is also a non-starter, and she splits her time during the day between unsuccessfully auditioning for musicals and working as an “elf” for Christmas store owner Santa (Michelle Yeoh). Enter Tom (Henry Golding), the handsome, charming local man who spends his nights volunteering at homeless shelters and just happens to wander by Kate one fateful day. Their “relationship” (if you can call it that), blossoms from there as Kate gradually begins to drop her guard and open up her life to more meaningful connections and pursuits. Throw in your standard romantic comedy tropes and some not so expected plot twists, which don’t make a lick of sense, and you’ve got yourself a movie, albeit not a very good one.

The chief culprit here is the story, or lack thereof one. Last Christmas just doesn’t know what it wants to be and the narrative shifts constantly, picking up sub-plots and dropping some immediately whilst turning others into the main plot. It doesn’t work at all which is a shame given the potential on offer here. Emilia Clarke has spoken often in interviews about her connection to the project given her real life battle with a serious illness and you would think that this would be a gold mine and easy option for the dramatic heart of the movie. Alas it’s never really mentioned other than in passing and the film never seems to take a deep dive into any particular theme; there’s no attempt to examine the difficulties that can be imposed on relationships by illness or a commentary about the current state of Christmas and consumerism, which seems a likely avenue given Santa’s ridiculously overstuffed store full of gaudy Christmas ornaments. There’s even an attempt at a subplot about a character coming out to her strict, traditional parents which could have been a timely commentary on today’s society, and which is made out early to be a central conflict going forward, but instead is just never mentioned again. The film never rises above a surface level sheen of Christmas cheer and inoffensive humour, and instead of something resembling a story we’re given a full minute’s worth of bird poo jokes and an almost fully realized character in Kate, albeit not a very likeable one.

The selling point for the film is clearly Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding, both fresh off star turns in the final season of Game of Thrones and Crazy Rich Asians respectively. Clarke is clearly relishing the chance to play someone other than the dour, overcast Khaleesi that she is known for, beaming at least once in every single scene – not what you would expect from someone in as dire straits as her but we’ve already established that the film has no interest in exploring anything under the surface. She plays the character well, selling the fun loving and quirky girl who just wants to find her independence but is stopped at every turn, but it’s the more somber moments (few as they may be) where Clarke really gets to show a different side to Kate. Beneath the cheery exterior is a woman who has suffered some severe trauma and has clearly not healed properly by cutting off her family as she recovers. Clarke sells these scenes perfectly, clearly drawing on her own personal struggle and imbuing the character with them. Golding, in comparison, gets significantly less to work with and is all but relegated to playing the “handsome guy”, never really doing much other than shooting understanding looks while he listens to Kate’s stories or imploring her to reconcile with her family. It’s a somewhat thankless role but Golding makes it much more than it is through his natural charisma and the film takes on a new energy whenever he arrives.

Emma Thompson rounds out the core cast here and manages to outshine both leads, hamming it up as the mother of Kate: a loud, affectionate Yugoslavian woman who wants nothing except for her family to succeed, but who constantly causes trouble in her pursuit of this. Thompson is also credited as one of the writers of the film and has clearly written herself all the best jokes. She steals every scene and in a film filled with fake over-the-top cheer her character is a breath of fresh air, doling out biting criticisms disguised as tough love that offend everyone around her. A key selling point for Last Christmas was its use of the music of George Michael and Wham!; a trend which is becoming increasingly popular in today’s films. It works here better than in most of its contemporaries by not overpowering the story. These iconic songs are relegated to a soundtrack, with only the title track playing any sort of relevance to the story. It was the right choice to make and spotting one of your favourite tracks in the background is a joy and a welcome distraction from some of the nonsense it may be accompanying. A few of the bigger songs playing more of a significant role wouldn’t have gone astray to inject some life in proceedings at times but overall the blend of story and music works and is a win for the film.

Last Christmas had so much going for it: an A-list leading duo in Emilia Clarke and Henry Golding, the comedic forces of Emma Thompson and Paul Fieg both in front of and behind the camera and the catalogue of George Michael and Wham! to round out the whole package and make this a Christmas movie to remember. Whilst Emma Thompson and the music work, sadly almost everything else goes wrong and what we’re left with is a plodding, confusing, unfunny mess which will surely be forgotten long before Christmas rolls around.

Last Christmas stars Emilia Clarke, Henry Golding, Emma Thompson & Michelle Yeoh – In cinemas now.

Tags Emilia Clarke, Emma Thompson, Henry Golding, Last Christmas, Michelle Yeoh, Paul Feig

Movie Reviews

Doctor Sleep

Post author By Mark
Post date November 11, 2019

Director Mike Flanagan has been steadily building his resume as one of the horror genre’s premier talents, with projects like Hush, the Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House and another Stephen King adaptation in 2017’s Gerald’s Game. His latest film, Doctor Sleep represents his biggest step-up and challenge to date: a sequel to arguably one of the greatest horror films of all time, and the one adaptation of his work that Stephen King despises: The Shining. So does Flanagan fold under the pressure? Absolutely not. Doctor Sleep is a wonderfully deep, endlessly engaging horror-drama that manages to deliver a worthy sequel to The Shining some 40 years later, pleasing both fans of the books and the film alike – including King himself. What it lacks in scares it makes up for with an engrossing story, killer performances from the cast all around and technical prowess of a level rarely seen in the horror genre.

Dan Torrance (Ewan McGregor) has not had an easy life since the events of the Overlook Hotel in 1980, carrying the memories and trauma from that event with him as he moves from town to town, looking to put the past behind him through whatever means necessary (mostly whiskey). When he arrives in the small American town of Frazier, Dan begins to feel that this is a place he can settle down in, and some unexpected hospitality from local do-gooder Billy Freeman (Cliff Curtis) goes a long way towards helping Dan kick his addiction and find a purpose in life. Dan takes on a job as an orderly at the local nursing home, using his Shining ability to comfort the dying patients as they leave this world, netting himself the name “Doctor Sleep” around the hospice. Elsewhere young Abra Stone (Kyliegh Curran) is discovering her own Shining abilities, making herself known to Dan as well as the villainous Rose the Hat (Rebecca Ferguson) and her gang The True Knot – a group of individuals who use their abilities to travel the country and prey on children with the Shining, consuming their energy in order to stay young and cheat death. Dan and Abra must work together in order to keep her safe and end Rose’ relentless chase, even if it means confronting demons from Dan’s past.

That might sound like a lot going on, and it is, but Flanagan does such a good job of gradually building this story; using the familiar elements of The Shining to introduce us to the world and then adding one new element at a time. We’re instantly locked into Dan’s story, and completely understand how the childhood trauma he has suffered has followed him, leading him towards this life of substance abuse and never belonging anywhere. It’s a powerful message about confronting your past to influence your future and the substance abuse themes are handled delicately, never beating you over the head or preaching at you, yet still carrying tremendous weight, as we genuinely care about Dan’s struggle and want him to finally beat his demons. It helps a great deal having one of the most inherently likeable actor’s working today in your film and Ewan McGregor is the perfect actor to deliver Dan’s story. He’s a quiet, measured man – much like he was as a child – who has experienced so much and is simply looking to live out his days in peace and while there might not be much in the way of dialogue for McGregor, he has a much harder job in making you care about this character mostly through body language and facial expressions. The connections that Dan forges with Abra and Billy are genuine and clearly some of the first meaningful connections he has made in his life, which only adds to the stakes when he his confronted by Rose the Hat and the possibility of losing it all. It’s a truly impressive, understated performance which acts to anchor the film and it is hard to think of somebody better suited to the role than McGregor.

If McGregor’s character is a quiet, introspective man looking for the simple life, then Rebecca Ferguson’s character Rose the Hat is his polar opposite. An explosive force endlessly hungry for “steam” (the essence given off by children with Shining abilities that provides long life) Ferguson chews the scenery every time she is on-screen, imbuing the character with a vicious nature who is quietly creepy, a powder keg ready to go off at any moment. When she does it is ferocious and Ferguson adds to the effect with her facial movements and wide hungry eyes as she stalks her prey. She shows tremendous range here, switching between these calm, luring phases into the more straightforward villain role but there is more to Rose than just her evil intentions. She has created an unconventional family in the True Knot gang, having turned these individuals into steam chasing monsters herself, and that bond is tested multiple times throughout the film, with Ferguson switching between a mix of tough love and overbearing leader. It’s impossible to take your eyes off her when she’s onscreen as each moment feels like it could erupt. Rounding out the impressive core cast is relative newcomer Kyliegh Curran, who delivers extremely good work for only her second feature, playing the social outcast Abra with equal hints of sadness at being excluded because of her gifts and excitement at the prospects of developing them with Dan. She commands the screen remarkably well for someone so young and more than holds her own when interacting with McGregor and Ferguson in particular, and is clearly a force to be reckoned with who will go on to have much success in Hollywood.

If there was one horror film that nobody ever expected a sequel for, it would undoubtedly be The Shining. Regardless of Stephen King’s thoughts on the film it is a cultural touchstone and a masterclass in filmmaking from the legendary Stanley Kubrick. Doctor Sleep understands this and, perhaps unexpectedly, makes the decision not to beat you over the head with references. Sure, there is a portion of the film set in the iconic Overlook hotel, but it’s inclusion serves the story and isn’t inserted simply because it has to be in the sequel. The film itself is not inherently scary or nearly as unnerving as The Shining, and majority of the scares in the film are influenced in some way by the original film and are repeated often, robbing them of their impact after a while. Like most of Flanagan’s work, the horror is built around the characters and them confronting their own demons. It’s the groundwork and connections that Flanagan builds that invest you in the characters and the lack of scares did nothing to diminish my intrigue and attachment to Dan Torrance’s story. Where Flanagan chooses to pay homage to The Shining is in the technical aspects of the film. Certain establishing shots and sets are recreated perfectly, right down to the carpet of the hotel or the wallpaper of an office, and it works incredibly well to subconsciously make you feel like you are living in The Shining universe. The way the shot’s blend into each other at certain points of the film is another homage to Kubrick’s classic, pulling you into the story in a familiar yet not overbearing way.

Mike Flanagan remains on top of his game with Doctor Sleep: a phenomenal achievement in paying homage to one of the greatest horror films of all time while at the same time expanding the story of Dan Torrance and the world of The Shining in new and exciting ways. Featuring star performances from the entire cast, an intriguing narrative and innovative technical skills (as well as borrowing a few of Kubrick’s best) this is an unmissable cinematic event and one of the year’s best.

Doctor Sleep stars Ewan McGregor, Rebecca Ferguson, Kyliegh Curran & Cliff Curtis – In cinemas now.

Tags Cliff Curtis, Doctor Sleep, Ewan McGregor, Kyliegh Curran, Mike Flanagan, Rebecca Ferguson, Stephen King

Movie Reviews

Ready or Not

Post author By Mark
Post date October 28, 2019

It’s been a while since audiences have seen a decent horror comedy, with modern horror opting for a more serious tone recently to deliver their spooks. The industry seems to have noticed this trend, delivering two in the space of two weeks with Zombieland: Double Tap and now the excellent Ready or Not. Directed by the relatively unknown duo of Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, this small budget thriller arrived seemingly out of nowhere and has made waves in the horror community. Combining an inventive story with visceral gore, dark humour and a career-defining performance from Samara Weaving, Ready or Not is one of the most tense, edge of your seat films of the year – and also one of the funniest.

We follow Grace (Samara Weaving) on the eve of her wedding to Alex (Mark O’Brien), the eldest son and heir to the fortune of the Le Domas gaming family. It’s everything Grace ever dreamed of, joining a large, close-knit family after spending her childhood moving between foster families and orphanages, but something about the Le Domas’ doesn’t feel right and there is an underlying air of hostility. Once the wedding is over however, the family’s patriarch Tony (Henry Czerny) reveals that there is one more hoop to jump through before Grace can join the family: she must play a game of hide and seek at midnight. Grace dismisses this as some stupid family tradition until she realises the game is all too real and the entire Le Domas clan is out to kill her before sunrise, fearing their own demise if she is not caught and sacrificed before dawn.

Let’s get the obvious out of the way first; this is an absolutely bonkers plot that doesn’t exactly ground itself in reality, and that’s what makes Ready or Not so great. The tone is unashamedly light hearted and joke-heavy, with the family constantly cracking wise and generally bumbling around as they attempt to take out Grace. The scenes featuring the family are a light, easygoing watch because of this dynamic, but at the same time there is something so sinister and jarring about the family’s casual approach to murdering this girl. You laugh at their mishaps but are well and truly on the side of Grace, who has wandered into this as an unsuspecting victim. The tone shifts when we’re with her as she fights to outwit her in-laws and escape their eerie Victorian-era mansion that has become a hunting ground. Rather than falling back on horror tropes and depicting Grace as a damsel in distress or a killing machine, the film takes its time setting up the character as this innocent girl from a hard life who simply wants a family, and then proceeds to show us this dream being torn apart over one night. When she finally decides to fight back, it’s immensely satisfying and understandable given what she’s been through and the audience is right there with her. Much like the tone, the violence on display alternates between the gritty and hard to watch, as nails are driven through hands and faces are smashed in, and at other times darkly comedic – a recurring joke about all the maids slowly being picked off and murdered in accidental ways is a particular highlight. Whilst this setup works to ultimately make Grace a relatable character and for audiences to forge a connection with her, it does sometimes feel a bit clunky and slow, with Grace delivering several exposition dumps that feel unnatural. The film works by toeing the line between darkly funny and sadistic, but may be too much either way for certain audiences.

As you could probably guess, the characters in Ready or Not are just as zany and over-the-top as the tone suggests. Samara Weaving gives an amazing performance as Grace, showcasing the transformation from helpless bride to capable survivor – taking matters into her own hands in an engaging, mostly believable way. The gradual breakdown in her psyche is riveting to watch and when things go completely crazy it’s both fun and a little unsettling to see Grace completely unhinged and out for revenge. Adam Brody, of The OC fame, gets the most to work with from the family. His character, Daniel, is conflicted about his role in the hunt and is the most understanding towards Grace – leading to his loyalty constantly being called into question. Brody handles the complexities of the character wonderfully, portraying Daniel as someone with a deep seated moral dilemma caught between doing the right thing and staying loyal to his family. Playing the parents of Daniel and Adam are Andie MacDowell as Becky and Henry Czerny as Tony who play off each other so well you would think they were a real married couple, albeit a particularly dysfunctional one. Czerny is wonderfully over-the-top as the increasingly exasperated Tony, who makes increasingly desperate decisions in order to capture Grace as his patience grows thin. Balancing him out is MacDowell who brings a quiet fury to the role. What begins as a distaste for the task at hand quickly changes once the reality of the situation sets in and MacDowell always exerts a commanding presence on the screen as she confidently hunts down her new daughter-in-law. It really is a stacked cast and Nicky Guadagni as Aunt Helene and Kristian Bruun as son-in-law Fitch in particular deserve praise for their chilling and hilarious performances respectively.

At a time when the horror genre is seemingly split between mainstream or independent arthouse horror, Ready or Not is a refreshing mix between the two: combining a strange, off-beat story with hilarious dark humour, harsh violence and a stellar cast clearly having the time of their lives. While the story may take a few unnecessary twists and turns and starts out a little slow, what the film lacks in jump scares or evil clowns it makes up for in inventive kills and a strong lead performance from Samara Weaving. If interesting, exciting new horror like this is going to get made it requires people to see it in the cinema, and with Ready or Not you’re almost certain to get your money’s worth and leave with a smile on your face.

Ready or Not stars Samara Weaving, Adam Brody, Andie MacDowell, Henry Czerny, Mark O’Brien, Nicky Guadagni & Kristian Bruun – In cinemas now.

Tags 20th Century Fox, Adam Brody, Andie MacDowell, Henry Czerny, Ready or Not, Samara Weaving

Movie Reviews

Zombieland: Double Tap

Post author By Mark
Post date October 24, 2019

It’s a rare occurrence when a sequel to a beloved film arrives years later and actually lives up to expectations. For every Toy Story 3 or Blade Runner 2049 we’re usually hit with an onslaught of awful sequels like Dumb and Dumber To, Independence Day: Resurgence or the unwatchable mess that is Zoolander 2 (I dare you to try and make it through that one). Fortunately for everyone, Ruben Fleischer’s follow-up to his 2009 cult hit Zombieland is worth the wait; delivering more of the zany, over-the-top adventures of the A-List zombie killing cast with all the jokes and gore that fans would come to expect. The film doesn’t attempt to re-invent the wheel – although the limited world-building does spice some things up – and people that didn’t appreciate the first film’s crude humour won’t be converted here, but if you’re in the market for some genuinely hilarious zombie killing shenanigans, then look no further, you’ve come to the right place.

Zombieland: Double Tap picks up 10 years after we left our heroes; with the crew of Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg), Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) and sisters Wichita (Emma Stone) and Little Rock (Abigail Breslin) traversing the apocalyptic ruins of America in the hopes of finding a place to call home and beginning a semi-normal life. Naturally this leads them to the most opulent of homes in America: the White House, where the crew settle into something of a rut, adjusting to life in their new surroundings and forgetting the worries of the chaos outside. Little Rock, however, is unable to shake the feeling that there is more out there and strikes out on her own in a search for people her own age to connect with, setting the wheels in motion for another road trip for Columbus, Tallahassee and Wichita as they attempt to track her and her newly found hippy boyfriend, Berkeley (Avan Jogia), down.

The plot of the original Zombieland was never exactly groundbreaking, with its basic “search for shelter” storyline a staple of the genre. What made it special was the approach it took to that formula, opting to focus on the personalities and interplay of its core cast of characters as opposed to the zombie apocalypse, which serves as a means of both bringing everyone together as well as making for some solid laughs. Double Tap continues this trend, thankfully, again pushing the zombies to the background and opting to focus on the characters we know and love, introducing new struggles for them to overcome and new zany personalities for them to interact with. The story is nearly identical to its predecessor, with our heroes heading towards a new safe haven in order to find Little Rock serving as the substitute for the first film’s journey to the Pacific Playland theme park. It might be easy to dismiss this as lazy writing if it weren’t for the myriad of jokes woven into the adventure and the numerous easter eggs calling back to the first film. This really is a comedy first and foremost and the pacing is swift enough to get you to the next plot beat before the jokes run out and things become stale. The jokes come so fast that it’s almost impossible to get through any scene without a smile on your face, with several recurring jokes that will have you in stitches – a gag to do with the gang’s mode of transportation in particular is pure gold.

Of course none of these jokes work as well as they do without a stellar cast delivering them and Double Tap is absolutely stacked with talent, both new and returning. Woody Harrelson has the most to do here, carrying a large amount of the comedy on his back as well as his own subplot as he struggles to understand the dynamic between him and Little Rock, who he believes he has become something of a father figure to. Harrelson was made for this role – his delivery of the crass, over the top jokes are always on point, and there isn’t a dull moment when he is on screen. The writers of the film have paid particular mind to Tallahassee when considering the time jump, as many of his jokes that would be considered a little out of line by today’s standard are addressed and poked fun at, such as his catchphrase “Nut up or shut up”. It’s a fun way to update the material for a more modern audience without diminishing or losing any of the humour from the original film. Eisenberg is solid again as the rule making hypochondriac Columbus, providing more of his signature voiceover to both entertain and introduce the audience to the new aspects of this Zombie infested world. Despite his obvious chemistry with the original cast, Eisenberg is at his best when interacting with the newer cast members, bouncing off of Thomas Middleditch’s character (more on him later) in particular extremely well. Emma Stone continues to deliver great work here, peppering in sarcastic barbs wherever she can, often providing some of the films funnier moments. The weakest link of the original cast is Abigail Breslin, who isn’t bad in her role by a long shot, but who simply just isn’t given much to do. Her character serves primarily as a plot point to spur the adventure on and her screen time is limited as a result. It’s a shame given the solid work she did in the original film, but having her out of the picture does allow for some new talent to shine.

Zoey Deutch is a revelation here as the absolutely clueless millennial Madison, a young woman who has somehow survived the zombie apocalypse living in a frozen yoghurt store freezer. The character of Madison is a clear indictment of the self-obsessed social media generation of today and it couldn’t be more relevant, as she continues to get herself into and out of hot water through sheer obliviousness to the world around her. Deutch displays an amazing comedic talent, imbuing the character with heart and knowing when to pull back on the stupidity so as to create a character that is ridiculously annoying yet always engaging to watch. In a film full of Hollywood heavyweights this relative newcomer more than holds her own and she is easily one of the best parts of the entire film. Rosario Dawson’s character Nevada also plays a key role in the proceedings, presented as a love interest for Harrelson’s character she proves that she can more than hold her own in the chaos around her. Dawson plays her character as a hardened warrior with a soft spot for Tallahassee, who she bonds with over a mutual love of Elvis Presley. Don’t expect to see a whole lot of Nevada however, as she falls prey to the same injustices as Little Rock, in that she is largely present to propel the story forward. It’s unfortunate given the skills of Dawson, but she makes the most of her screen-time and leaves a lasting impression. Rounding out the cast is the duo of Luke Wilson’s Albuquerque and Thomas Middleditch’s bumbling Flagstaff. The pair are positioned as the doppelgängers of Columbus and Tallahassee, each playing off their counterpart to delightful effect. While it might not be the most highbrow of comedy concepts it is infinitely enjoyable to watch Wilson and Harrelson sling insults at each other in almost identical Texan drawls or Eisenberg and Middleditch compare and insult each other’s rules and commandments for surviving the zombie apocalypse.

It’s fair to say that no one was really expecting too much from a Zombieland sequel 10 years after the original. All the key actors had moved onto other projects and even more successful careers and the original was seemingly destined to be lightning in a bottle; an impressive feat just to have this cast in the same movie. Double Tap not only delivers on the promise of getting this cast back together on their A-game, but throws in several new incredible actors, a seemingly endless stream of quality jokes and the right amount of heart to make this one of the most purely fun experiences at the movies this year. While the plot might not be the most creative, the characters are what you come for and they deliver in spades. If you’re complaining that there’s nothing good to watch at the movies this week and haven’t checked out Zombieland: Double Tap, then it’s time to nut up or shut up.

Zombieland: Double Tap stars Woody Harrelson, Jesse Eisenberg, Emma Stone, Abigail Breslin, Rosario Dawson, Zoey Deutch, Thomas Middleditch, Luke Wilson & Avan Jogia – in cinemas now.

Tags Abigail Breslin, Double Tap, Emma Stone, Jesse Eisenberg, Rosario Dawson, Woody Harrelson, Zoey Deutch, Zombieland, Zombieland: Double Tap

Movie Reviews

IT: Chapter Two

Post author By Mark
Post date September 12, 2019

Andy Muschietti knocked it out of the park in 2017 with his sophomore feature It. A smash hit in every sense of the word, the film took the world by storm and enraptured audiences in the world of Stephen King’s epic novel about a group of children forging lifelong bonds and rallying together in their fight to stop the evil clown demon Pennywise (Bill Skarsgård). So how exactly do you follow up the highest grossing horror film of all time? You go bigger. It: Chapter Two is bigger than its predecessor in almost every aspect, be it the run-time, the amount of plot covered, the big name actors filling the roles of the children from the first film or the sheer number of scares – most of which feature Pennywise in some menacing way or another. Whilst it doesn’t necessarily improve upon the faults of the first film, opting for an “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” approach, there is enough here for fans of the first film to love, even if they might find their interests waning in some sections.

Set 27 years after the first film, the Losers Club is all grown up and with the exception of Mike (Isaiah Mustafa), have all left the town of Derry firmly in the rear-view mirror. When attacks start to happen again and people start to disappear, Mike makes the call to his friends to honour the blood pact they made and return to Derry to stop Pennywise from finishing what he started. Thus begins our parade through the all-star cast Muschietti has assembled to play the adult versions of the kids we grew to love: Bill (James McAvoy), Beverly (Jessica Chastain), Richie (Bill Hader), Ben (Jay Ryan) and Eddie (James Ransone). This ensemble is truly one of the highlights of the film and they all understand their roles and the dynamic enough to make each scene an authentic interactions between friends. Each character is introduced in such a way that the audience can instantly link each child actor to their adult counterpart, through their personality and character design, and the transitional shots that serve to point out who everyone was in the last film almost feel heavy handed. Much like the first film, the character of Richie is definitely the standout here, thanks to a scene stealing Bill Hader. It’s not just that he has some of the most laugh out loud hilarious and memorable lines in the film, but the delivery and timing from Hader is spot on, putting those years of featuring on Saturday Night Live to good use. There is also an unexpected amount of heart and depth to Hader’s performance as Pennywise forces Richie to uncover things about himself and embrace who he is as a person in order to overcome his fear.

Richie is not the only one who must confront his fears, however, as Mike’s plan to stop Pennywise forces each member of the Losers Club to confront their own inner demons, often bumping into the clown himself along the way. Bill’s journey forces him to finally come to terms with his little brother Georgie’s death, an event that has instilled in him a deep desire to protect those around him at all costs, even if it means never truly relaxing and experiencing life. McAvoy gives a solid performance as always while we follow Bill’s increasingly desperate journey to protect the children Pennywise has set his sights on, seeing them as surrogates for his deceased brother. It’s not as rounded a performance as Hader’s but that is owed to the script, which seems to boil down each key friend to one defining characteristic. Eddie, for example, has always been something of a germaphobe, a fear instilled in him by his mother with whom he had a deeply unhealthy relationship with, and as such his fears revolve around – you guessed it: dirty things and mommy issues. While it’s a nice bit of catharsis to see each of these characters confront the things which Pennywise uses against them, it’s exactly what the climactic battle of the first film showed and the excuse that the further away everyone moves from Derry the more they forget about Pennywise’s last appearance comes across as a bit of a cop-out. This distilling of each character into one key trait creates a predictable pattern for the scares in the middle portion of the film, robbing them of impact the more they crop up.

Speaking of the scares, they function here much the same as they did in the first film – one of that film’s biggest weaknesses – resulting in little more than a momentary pause before a ridiculously loud noise jolts you out of your seat as something attacks our heroes. It’s an annoying choice given that the scares are effective and creative enough to stand on their own without the jump scare clichés. This is where the runtime also factors in in a big way. It’s certainly warranted given the huge amount of source material to cover, but the film simultaneously feels like there’s not enough time to really delve into each member of the Losers Club’s whilst also going long stretches without a scare. The intercutting between present days and 27 years ago helps to cut away from some of the more mundane subplots and remind audiences just why they fell in love with these characters in the first place. The character of Ben in particular gets a nice flashback that really fleshes out his character rather than some of the unbearably cringe inducing dialogue opted for in the 1990 miniseries version.

What most audience members (including myself) will flock to this movie for is Pennywise the Dancing Clown. Bill Skarsgård once again delivers a stellar performance, cementing his interpretation of the killer clown as one of, if not the most seminal movie monster of the decade. There’s so much he brings to the role, particularly in the physicality. The way Pennywise moves is unnerving, taunting his prey and going from docile and inviting to completely ravenous within seconds. Skarsgård never misses a beat with the chilling delivery of his lines and facial movements – the lip curling that creates a stream of drool and the lazy eye as Pennywise gets an insatiable lust to feed all act to build one completely terrifying performance that will have you checking under your bed at night. The only real downside to Pennywise in the film is that there’s simply not enough of him. The movie kicks into another gear when he’s onscreen as he takes the scares to another level, and it’s safe to say that the Losers Club’s best scenes are when they are face to face with the clown, forced to confront this supreme evil who wishes to feed on their fear. There’s been some early talks about the potential for prequels to It, which would delve into Pennywise’s time in Derry before the Loser’s Club. While it certainly may seem like a cash grab, Skarsgård has shown that he is more than capable of carrying these films and I for one would be in the cinema day one to see more of his powerhouse performance.

IT: Chapter Two is a largely satisfying end to the Stephen King written saga. Bold and ambitious in scope, the film simply tries to cram too much story into the proceedings, attempting to hit as much of the novel’s story as possible whilst not giving enough time to the characters and relationships that audiences care about. When it comes down to it however, the time we do spend with those characters is truly special – always engaging as every actor brings their A-game to deliver some top notch scares and touching moments. At the end of the day though the main draw is Pennywise and – thanks to Bill Skarsgård – he once again steals the show, keeping the audience on their toes and inducing nightmares that will last long after the film ends. Do yourself a favour and get out to the cinema: it’s time to float.

IT: Chapter Two stars Bill Skarsgård, James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Bill Hader, Isaiah Mustafa, Jay Ryan and James Ransone – In cinemas now.

Tags Andy Muschietti, Bill Hader, Bill Skarsgård, IT, IT: Chapter Two, James McAvoy, Jessica Chastain, Stephen King

Movie Reviews

Midsommar

Post author By Mark
Post date August 13, 2019

Ari Aster made waves with his 2018 debut feature Hereditary – a horror film which expertly mixed together a raw look at one family’s struggle to hold together following tragedy with a mystery involving a strange cult with closer ties to the family and their history than they think. Featuring a criminally underrated performance from Toni Collette (one of the best of the year) and with a distinct visual style, Hereditary brought new meaning to the term creepy; a slow burn build that ratcheted up the tension to breaking point before a chaotic and violent third act. It’s fair to say that expectations were high for the director’s follow-up Midsommar and it doesn’t disappoint for the most part; with another powerhouse performance from a female lead in Florence Pugh, an engrossing central mystery and somehow more tension than his previous film at times. At a beefy two and a half hours, the film sometimes gets lost on its way to the lackluster conclusion, made all the more frustrating by the excellent, inventive cinema which precede it.

Midsommar finds Aster in familiar territory, with Dani (Florence Pugh) recently learning of a great tragedy in her life, leaving her with no one to lean on other than her boyfriend Christian (Jack Reynor); a well meaning but pretty unlikeable guy who complains to his friends about the lengths he goes to keep Dani happy whilst subsequently forgetting her birthday, you know: good boyfriend problems. Dani’s current predicament leaves Christian with little choice other than to invite her on an upcoming boys trip to Sweden to visit his exchange student friend Pelle’s (Vilhelm Blomgren) secluded farm commune, along with their friends Mark (Will Poulter) and Josh (William Jackson Harper), who is writing his thesis on the Midsummer celebrations across Europe. The group are welcomed with open arms into the tight knit community, offered drugs, food and music, and things seem completely idyllic until the midsummer festivities begin, a series of bizarre and deadly rituals which threaten to tear the bonds of the group apart and perhaps the odd face or two. Think The Sound of Music meets The Hills have Eyes.

Much was made of the decision to stage almost the entire film during the day, a time generally reserved in horror films for easing audiences into the scares and setting up events that will pay off in the terrifying night. Aster once again employs the tension and atmosphere that he used so brilliantly on Hereditary to equally effective results: Midsommar is a film which breaks you down on a mental level. You never feel completely comfortable watching the events unfolding on screen, even when it’s something as innocuous as dancing, and there’s always a sense that something is off about this seemingly perfect community – which of course there is. Ultimately, however, the daylight setting is something of a double edged sword, instilling that sense of constant dread whilst also robbing the proceedings of much of their horror without the cover of night. Nothing is ever really scary and even when things start to truly go south it’s all just extremely uncomfortable to watch more than anything. Where Hereditary thrived on its use of darkness, hiding things in the black space until your eyes adjusted and your brain registered what it was seeing, Midsommar shows you everything, relying on the unsettling friendliness of the locals and the audiences knowledge that something has to go wrong at some point to keep you on your toes. It works well enough to keep you guessing about the central mystery, but it means that when all the secrets are exposed there isn’t much room to scare or surprise you anymore – you’re simply seeing the ride through to the end.

That’s not to say that Midsommar is lacking in the visual department; it’s all shot stunningly, with the rolling fields and hills of Sweden serving as a gorgeous backdrop for the horrors that unfold, giving the film an almost other worldly feel. Combine that with Aster’s bag of impressive camera tricks – from a spinning, vertigo inducing shot of the road foreshadowing the madness to come to a wave effect that plays on the environment surrounding the village when our characters are under the influence of drugs – and it all serves to immerse you in the confined environment, testing your stamina for just how much of the craziness you can endure before you break. That craziness is amplified by the epic runtime of the film, a somewhat necessary side effect to truly break the audience, there are nevertheless some plot elements that feel almost shoehorned in to create more conflict where it isn’t necessary. An argument later on in the film which acts to further divide the main group feels trivial when you take into account the events that they have seen and at a certain point the argument of “let’s embrace the local culture” should go out the window when the body count starts rising. These issues fall away though because of how good a job Aster does in getting you invested in the central mystery, and regardless of how you feel about the ending, the ride to it is engrossing and tense.

Without a doubt the strongest part of Midsommar lies in the lead performance of Florence Pugh as the damaged Dani. From the outset she’s put up against terrible circumstances and her mental state is fragile before she even arrives in Sweden. Pugh plays the character’s struggle to find support brilliantly, with a desperate desire to keep hold of Christian regardless of the way he treats her morphing into realisation and a search for acceptance elsewhere. Pugh is always up to the tasks given to her by the script – whether it’s shock at the events happening around her or exhaustion from the mental strain of resisting the cult she finds herself encircled by and the haunting events from her past constantly creeping their way into her brain. Surrounding her is a solid supporting cast, made up of both American and Swedish actors who all work brilliantly to assist Dani’s descent into madness. Jack Reynor plays the boyfriend archetype on multiple levels; Christian is acutely aware the way he is treating Dani is wrong and yet he persists, and the interactions with his friends highlight just how self-centered the character is, ultimately leading to some pretty shocking events in the final act. Reynor is tasked with quite a bit of physical acting towards the conclusion – things that would be difficult for a veteran actor to deal with – and he pulls it off wonderfully, really selling the fall of Christian. Rounding out the group is Will Poulter who brings a surprising amount of comedy to the proceedings, serving to defuse some of the ever building tension, and Vilhelm Blomgren as Pelle, a character who’s motives you’re never quite sure about, who acts almost as the narrator, guiding our characters through the festivities and the horrors they face.

Midsommar is another triumph for Ari Aster, who continues to prove himself a master of tense, atmospheric horror. Whilst falling slightly short of Hereditary in terms of its story and scares, it is nevertheless a creepy, intriguing mystery anchored by a haunting lead performance from Florence Pugh. The depth to the story and the sheer number of small details and easter eggs warrant many repeat viewings, made all the more easier by the level of craftsmanship on display visually. If Aster wants to keep making cult horror films for years to come you’ll be hard pressed to find someone with a single complaint, but with talent like this it won’t be long before he’s swinging in the majors and I can’t wait to see what kind of spine tingling carnage the man can deliver with a studio budget behind him.

Midsommarstars Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, Will Poulter, William Jackson Harper and Vilhelm Blomgren – In cinemas now.

Tags A24, Ari Aster, Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, Midsommar, Will Poulter, William Jackson Harper