Author: Mark

tick, tick… Boom!

Post author By Mark
Post date November 26, 2021

You’d be forgiven for thinking that tick, tick… BOOM! – the directorial debut from Hamilton megastar Lin-Manuel Miranda about the life of Broadway playwright Johnathan Larson and his journey towards creating juggernaut musical Rent! – is autobiographical. If there was one person who more than qualifies to tell this specific story it is Miranda and his debut is an excellent portrayal of the struggles of the creative process and the idiosyncrasies that almost stopped Larson from changing Broadway history. A potentially career-defining performance from Andrew Garfield anchors it all and it is expectedly emotionally devastating when it needs to be, but unmemorable songs and a dragging middle prevent tick, tick… BOOM! from truly soaring.

Before he created the über popular Rent!, Jonathan Larson (Garfield) was a struggling playwright barely able to make ends meet, juggling a job as a waiter at the Moondance diner in New York’s Soho whilst creating his self-proclaimed masterpiece “Superbia” – a futuristic rock opera. With the pressure of an approaching deadline for the musical’s workshop (presenting it to potential producers) mounting, Jonathan finds himself having to give more and more of himself to his art than ever before, a dedication that forces him to push aside long-term girlfriend Susan (Alexandra Shipp) and best friend Michael (Robin de Jesus). But as the world around Jonathan begins to crumble and he reaches rock bottom, he learns that he may not have to separate his dedication to playwriting and personal life to create a truly special piece of art.

Based on the Off-Broadway production of Larson’s semi-autobiographical play of the same name, tick, tick… BOOM! is a story tailor made for Miranda to tell; uniquely suited to his experiences and similar career trajectory, catapulted into superstardom off the back of such a popular production (in Miranda’s case Hamilton). That experience makes for a fascinating insight into the mind of a playwright creative. Jonathan is a complicated character and not always a nice one, shunning the outside world and pushing those close to him away in pursuit of artistic perfection. Sometimes this seems to come from a place of arrogance but mostly it is just Jonathan’s intense desire to share his art with the world and affect people through it. Miranda clearly holds Larson in high regard and is able to effectively convey this obsession without ever alienating the audience; we understand his purpose even if we don’t always agree with the way Jonathan gets there.

Larson may have been a flamboyant, bubbly personality, but Miranda’s depiction of his life is far more subdued than other Miranda-penned productions. This largely comes down to the music itself – all pulled from Larson’s play – which doesn’t necessarily correlate to Miranda’s usual whip-smart wordplay and explosive pacing; in fact a lot of it is just plain unmemorable. Jonathan’s frustrations tend to follow a fairly cyclical nature – a significant event leads to an inability to write a song for his production about it before culminating in a big musical number – and it doesn’t take too many of these performances for them to become repetitive, our sympathy for Jonathan replaced by frustration with his entitled whining. There are a few standout numbers – “30/90” brilliantly visualises Jonathan’s fear of anonymity and “Boho Days” is an endlessly inventive a capella sequence panning throughout Jonathan’s apartment – but for the most part these songs distract from the immediacy of Jonathan’s problems; grinding the entire film to a halt until the plot can kick back in.

The constant throughout it all is Garfield. He is truly excellent as Larson – amongst the very best of his performances – and gives everything to his portrayal of a man so caught up in his own search for greatness and the desire to touch as many lives as possible that he looks past the people he is already affecting. Equally emotionally moving as he is frustratingly stubborn, Garfield never lets Larson’s mask of false confidence slip, at all times possessing an (some may argue) untested amount of belief in his own abilities. Miranda frames the character as inspirational in spite of his flaws and having such a likeable talent as Garfield goes a long way towards building that audience goodwill. Add to the fact that Garfield has a terrific voice and completely crushes every one of his musical performances and you have a surefire bet come Oscar nomination time.

tick, tick… BOOM! is a wonderful debut from Lin-Manuel Miranda held back by forces beyond his control – lacklustre songs that bomb the film’s pacing. The story of Jonathan Larson is ripe for a cinematic feature and Miranda is arguably the perfect choice, demonstrating a reverence for the man that has so clearly inspired his own career path. A sensational performance from Andrew Garfield is the glue that holds everything together, perfectly capturing the genius lurking behind the scatterbrained, conflicted figure threatening to burst from frustration with the inability to create the art he sees so clearly in his mind. It might not be as explosive as the title may suggest, but tick, tick… BOOM! is nevertheless an impressive move into directing from a man who has already conquered the entertainment world in so many different ways.

tick, tick… BOOM! stars Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Robin De Jesus, Vanessa Hudgens, Joshua Henry, Jonathan Marc Sherman, Judith Light & Bradley Whitford – Streaming on Netflix now.

7/10

Tags Alexandra Shipp, Andrew Garfield, Bradley Whitford, Joshua Henry, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Netflix, Robin de Jesus, tick tick... Boom!, Vanessa Hudgens

Movie Reviews

Last Night in Soho

Post author By Mark
Post date November 23, 2021

A throwback horror film is probably not the first thing you would expect Edgar Wright to make off the back of a box-office smash like Baby Driver, yet that is exactly what he has done with new film Last Night in Soho. A throwback to Soho during the 60’s and all that went on during that seemingly glitzy and glamorous time, Wright’s latest packs a walloping psychological punch; a slow burn mystery that oozes style and hums with energy on the way to a bloody conclusion. While the third act might devolve into some lacklustre genre tropes, a pair of towering performances from Thomasin McKenzie and Anya Taylor-Joy ensure that things never fly too far off the rails.

McKenzie plays Ellie, a young girl obsessed with the 60’s – the fashion, the music, you name it – and who dreams of travelling to the bright lights of London to make it as a fashion designer, accepting a place at the prestigious London College of Fashion. Once there, Ellie finds that the London lifestyle is harder than she thought, trading student housing for a top floor room owned by the cantankerous Ms Collins (Diana Rigg in her final performance) to escape her cruel peers. When Ellie heads to sleep in the room however, she finds that she has acquired more than she bargained for; transported back in time to the 60’s she longs for as she follows the mysterious yet captivating Sandie (Taylor-Joy), a wide-eyed girl with dreams of being a superstar singer. As Ellie follows Sandie further and further into the bright lights of Soho, she discovers a darker side to the town; one that may have captured Sandie and now threatens to destroy Ellie.

This being an Edgar Wright film, the story of Eloise and Sandy isn’t as straightforward as it might seem. Wright takes his time establishing the characters in both present day and 60’s London, letting the sights and sounds of the city wash over you until you feel comfortable before slowly unravelling his mystery. That mystery plays less like a conventional horror – largely eschewing jump scares (save for a couple of great ones) and an overly creepy tone – and more like a psychological thriller, as Eloise loses her grip on her sanity the further she wades into Sandie’s story. This is a story about women reclaiming their narrative and (without spoiling things) Wright largely lets the dark underbelly of the time period Eloise romanticises become the horror – no movie trickery necessary for the most part. It’s an experience that can be deeply unsettling at times as the grotty, gross reality of Sandie’s situation becomes apparent but one that is rarely very scary in its own right.

As Wright’s deeply original (so far) mystery waltzes towards its inevitable third act extravaganza it takes an unfortunate turn into genre trappings, relying on some fairly stock standard thriller tropes to wrap everything up with a neat little bow. It isn’t a huge issue, especially given the stellar filmmaking on display in the lead-up to this, but the fact that it doesn’t quite stick the landing in a way as unique as the rest of the film is somewhat disheartening. This is also where Wright’s message is at its muddiest; a commentary on women and the hardships they endure that strangely (again without spoiling things) seems to switch sides for a moment. It isn’t so much an expectation subversion as it is a device to strengthen Eloise’s character but in the moment this brief but confusing twist almost derails the entire story, with only the goodwill we have towards Thomasin McKenzie’s character pulling us back on-board for the final stretch.

Where Last Night in Soho shines brightest is undoubtedly in the careful consideration Wright has so obviously put into every frame. He clearly holds the time period in high regard and it shows in every facet, from the punchy, hit-filled soundtrack to the immaculate costuming that perfectly invokes what we all think of those “swinging sixties”. In fact it might just be the most beautiful looking film of the year; a visual delight that sparkles in every scene, from the carefully executed neon lighting which indicates transitioning between time periods to the intricate, old-school camera techniques perfectly prepared to allow you to appreciate every element of the pristine production design.

Helping to bring that visually lush world to life are knockout performances across the board: Matt Smith is at his smarmy best as despicable conman Jack, Terrence Stamp shows up to play a similarly despicable present-day pub regular and Diana Rigg is unsurprisingly excellent in her final on-screen role. But the main event here are McKenzie and Taylor-Joy, delivering a pair of performances that perfectly complement each other. Taylor-Joy’s Sandie is everything Eloise wants to be – effortlessly chic and confident – and through her experience following her, Eloise slowly develops her own confidence, never losing the rigid moral compass she journeyed to London with where Sandie’s may waver. The sheer physicality of the roles should also be mentioned, each actress perfectly mimicking each other through a variety of mirror shots and CG trickery to establish the illusion of living a shared experience.

Last Night in Soho is a fantastic tribute to a time period Edgar Wright clearly adores, wrapped up in a mostly compelling murder mystery. The horror elements may take a backseat to the dedication to perfectly encapsulating the 60’s, and the message is muddied in the need to wrap things up quickly but this is still an immensely enjoyable, if somewhat predictable entry in Edgar Wright’s filmography, not to mention the best looking. Whether you have an affinity for Soho or not, once you’ve visited the vibrant world Wright has created here once, it’s unlikely to be the last night you’ll want to spend there.

Last Night in Soho stars Thomasin McKenzie, Any Taylor-Joy, Matt Smith, Terence Stamp, Rita Tushingham, Michael Ajao, Synnove Karlsen & Diana Rigg – In Australian cinemas now and streaming on-demand in the US.

8/10

Tags Anya Taylor-Joy, Diana Rigg, Edgar Wright, Last Night in Soho, Matt Smith, Michael Ajao, Rita Tushingham, Terence Stamp, Thomasin McKenzie

Movie Reviews

The Beta Test

Post author By Mark
Post date November 18, 2021

Jim Cummings is fast becoming an unbridled force within indie cinema, thanks to his unique mix of sharp-tongued comedy and dramatic weight that seemingly comes out of nowhere. His latest, The Beta Test – co-written and directed with PJ McCabe – is yet another incendiary blend of the two styles, this time focused on the world of Hollywood agents and a very topical, risky look at their underhanded sexual exploits and the power they seek to gain from them. Razor sharp writing, an explosively paced script and a now frankly expectedly excellent performance from Cummings help make this one of the year’s best, if extremely uncomfortable, gems.

A smooth-talking, bullshit-spewing Hollywood talent agent by trade, Jordan Hines (Cummings) struggles to separate his work life from his personal life; the constant need for attention he feels constantly interfering in wedding preparations with fiancé Caroline (Virginia Newcomb). When Jordan receives a curious purple envelope in the mail inviting him to a no-strings attached sexual encounter, his interest is piqued and he accepts the invitation, knowing full well the consequences of his actions in a post-Weinstein Hollywood. As his guilt and the fear of repercussions begin to grow following the act, Jordan descends into a frantic search for the organisation behind the envelopes; a search that ultimately forces him to confront the veneer of a person he has built himself to be.

Jordan Hines is a terrible person, in the best way possible. This isn’t a man that the audience is supposed to deeply connect to or even like, but is fascinating to watch on a character level. People like this actually exist, and Cumming’s incredible performance makes it a treat to dig into that psyche and see what makes him, and others like him, tick. There constantly seems to be a war between two people happening inside Jordan’s head, threatening to spill out; has he truly committed himself to this life of falsity, of constantly selling himself, or does he yearn to leave this life behind, hating what it has made him?

Cummings’ false smile – carefully maintained to a pristine white so as to be appealing to potential clients – all too quickly turns to a sneer when he doesn’t deem the other person in the conversation worth his time. The constant stream of people-pleasing chatter he vomits out – “That’s excellent. Everything’s excellent” – hides the utter disdain he holds for the people whose business he is wooing. Jordan craves power, but can only find it through profiting off other people’s work, ultimately driving him to commit to an act that will potentially destroy the only real part of his life: his relationship with Caroline. When things hit rock bottom for Jordan, Cummings soars; an unhinged performance that is hilarious while deeply saddening as this man crumbles under the weight of all the pressure and problems he has brought on himself.

The careful balancing act of Jordan’s personal and professional life makes for a wildly intense script – think Uncut Gems but for Hollywood agents – that isn’t afraid to delve into the more taboo aspects of the giant scandal that led to the #MeToo movement, namedropping Harvey Weinstein on multiple occasions. The frenetic energy of the film keeps the audience from getting too bogged down in the obvious sadness and depression of that time, but it can still be incredibly uncomfortable. After all, these are people that at one time, potentially still, admired Weinstein and the power that he accumulated. Cummings and McCabe are having fun with the pomposity of these people’s egos but that darker edge isn’t ignored and the film is all the better for it; walking the line perfectly for a fun ride with some serious substance.

The Beta Test is further proof of Jim Cummings’ immense talent both in front of and behind the camera and a fantastic debut for PJ McCabe; an exploration of one man’s manic descent into a world of greed and power that is sadly relevant in today’s world. The character of Jordan might not be to everyone’s taste, but thanks to a whip smart, hilarious script and Cummings’ total commitment to the role, he and McCabe have crafted a deliciously dark satire of one of the worst times in Hollywood history. If this is merely a beta test, then I can’t wait to see whatever is next for Cummings and co.

The Beta Test stars Jim Cummings, Virginia Newcomb, PJ McCabe, Wilky Lau, Jacqueline Doke & Kevin Changaris – Available on Digital on Demand now.

8/10

Tags Jacqueline Doke, Jim Cummings, Kevin Changaris, PJ McCabe, The Beta Test, Virginia Newcomb, Wilky Lau

Ranked

RANKED – Daniel Craig Bond Films

Post author By Mark
Post date November 15, 2021

The seventh actor to play the iconic 007, Daniel Craig has cemented himself as one of the greatest over the course of 5 films. Borne of a post-Bourne era of action films, Craig’s contributions to the franchise feel completely different from what has come before; less focused on the gadgetry and gaudy cars and more so on no-holds-barred action and a deconstruction of what makes James Bond tick as a person, rather than the mythical, infallible spy of decades prior. With his final turn as the super spy No Time to Die hitting cinemas, we’ve assembled the definitive ranking of Craig’s Bond films, as well as a little something about each film’s theme song, arguably as important to the franchise as a shaken, not stirred martini. Let’s get into it.

5. Quantum of Solace (2008)

Quantum of Solace is a perfect example of why you don’t make a movie without a script. Notoriously rewritten as shooting was underway, Craig’s second outing as 007 is for the most part a confusing mess. Picking up straight after Casino Royale and following Bond as he attempts to unearth the organisation responsible for Vesper’s (Eva Green) death – Quantum – the film struggles to find a story worth telling; constantly referencing Vesper and Bond’s attachment to her but never furthering that exploration of character.

There’s a vaguely investing storyline involving Olga Kurylenko’s Camille exacting revenge on a corrupt colonel that wronged her family and the film sets the board effectively for Quantum to eventually morph into the iconic Bond organisation Spectre, but nothing that invests you in Craig’s portrayal of Bond any more than the phenomenal groundwork laid by Casino Royale. Still that opening fifteen minutes is something else; a visceral, pulse-pounding spectacle that the film never manages to top.

Theme Song: Another Way to Die – Jack White and Alicia Keys is a pairing almost as confusing as the film’s script, but somehow the warring sounds of White’s grungy guitar and Key’s silky piano come together to form a theme song that is incredibly rousing and energetic, even if it isn’t the most memorable.

4. Spectre (2015)

Sam Mendes’ second Bond outing, Spectre marked a shift in the Craig films, embracing the franchises storied history where it had previously been largely ignored in favour of a gritty realism. That meant more gadgets, a more cocksure, smarmier Bond than ever and the introduction of Christoph Waltz’ Blofeld, leader of Spectre. When it works it works well, but more often than not Spectre crumbles under the weight of everything it is trying to accomplish, unsure of the tone it is trying to establish and resulting in the rare Bond film that feels strangely anaemic and bereft of excitement, even during huge set-pieces.

The way Mendes ties Spectre into Bond’s history – all 3 previous film’s villains were on his payroll – is interesting and certainly adds instant weight to the threat of Blofeld, but doesn’t do much to change the fact that Bond is still carving his way through an endless supply of henchmen, none of whom feel particularly more dangerous thanks to the Spectre moniker. The exception here is Dave Bautista’s Hinx; a physically imposing mountain of a man that is easily the best right-hand man of any of Craig era villain and who makes for some downright brutal hand-to-hand fight scenes.

Theme: Writing’s on the Wall – The sweeping orchestral hook in Sam Smith’s Bond contribution is incredible, rightly forming a major backbone of the rest of the film’s score. The rest of the song is an appropriately smokey, hazy trip through elements of Bond’s character that hint at the spectre (see what I did there?) of death looming large in the form of Blofeld.

3. No Time to Die (2021)

Craig’s final outing as Bond might not send him out on as high a note as he deserves but it is nonetheless a thrilling, emotionally compelling ending to James’ story. After a failed attempt on his life leaves James questioning the loyalty of lover Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux), he retreats from the world for 5 years, only reentering for a chance at eradicate Spectre once and for all. The pivot from Spectre – the be all and end all of Bond foes and throughout Spectre very much built up as the end of the road – to an underwhelming new villain, Rami Malek’s Safin, doesn’t exactly feel organic, but given the (at one time) finality of Spectre, you can’t give director Cary Joji Fukunaga too much trouble for the attempt.

Other than that and a few hiccups in the humour department, everything else about the film is peak Bond. Chunky, hard-hitting fist fights bring the action back to the intimate level of Casino Royale and the relationship between Swann and Bond gives the film an unexpectedly emotional core; one that allows Fukunaga to reflect on the character of Bond and just how much he has changed from machismo cliché to a flawed, fully formed person craving an exit from his life of loneliness under Craig’s guidance.

Theme: No Time to Die – Like Adele before her, Billie Eilish’s skyrocketing career perfectly intersected with Bond, and her talents are put to good use here with an ominous, sombre piece that feels appropriate to wind down Craig’s tenure as 007. Like the film, it isn’t the best song to come out of Craig’s run but it is a solid addition to the playlist nevertheless.

2. Skyfall (2012)

Skyfall is neck and neck for the number one spot here, a beautifully shot deconstruction of the character of Bond and the loyalty he holds for his country and M (Judi Dench). After a mission goes awry and Bond is presumed dead, MI6 is thrust into chaos when the identities of all undercover agents are threatened to be leaked by Silva (Javier Bardem), a former agent himself with close ties to M. Forced to reenter the fray, Bond more than meets his match in Silva – a spy of the same vintage from a different time – forcing him to confront his own demons in order to come out on top.

Sam Mendes brings such a rollicking pace to proceedings – beginning with a white-knuckle chase that moves from foot to motorcycle to train – and doesn’t stop until the credits roll; always beautifully shot (the Shanghai fight) and laser focused on Bond in a way that Spectre isn’t, favouring spectacle over how the action affects the character. And that character is a far cry from his youthful, energetic debut. This is a beaten down, ageing Bond that struggles to get back into the swing of things. The charming taste for vodka martini’s has turned into an almost crippling alcohol addiction and the swagger and bravado has turned to world-weariness. This is where Skyfall truly earns its place; in going beyond those surface level Bond tropes and looking at the man beneath, what is important to him and why he does what he does. The result is a touching, breakneck rollercoaster only narrowly beaten out by…

Theme: Skyfall – The undisputed best theme of Craig’s Bond filmography, Skyfall is a throwback to classic Bond songs; a grand, foreboding opus that slowly builds to a catchy, instantly recognisable hook that has yet to be passed since. It says a lot that the song also ranks among Adele’s best, a superstar performer who has an extensive body of fantastic work behind her.

1. Casino Royale (2006)

It’s hard to imagine a time when Daniel Craig wasn’t universally praised as 007, but back in 2006 he was anything but the favourite choice to take on the role. That might be that little extra push that nudges Casino Royale past Skyfall into the number one position: how massively it overcomes the hurdle of audience expectations. Within minutes you’re sucked into this grounded, post-Bourne retelling of Bond’s rise to 00 status. Gone are the shiny trinkets and cheesy ice cap melting plots of Pierce Brosnan’s heyday, replaced with brutal bare-knuckle brawls and a not confident, but cocky Bond, eager to prove himself and earn respect. It’s a refreshing lens through which to view a cinematic hero as storied as Bond, especially the fresh take on his romantic relationship with Vesper Lynd (Eva Green), the result of which inches him that little bit further towards becoming the James Bond we know.

Chronicling his first mission with the infamous licence to kill, freshly instated 007 finds himself hot on the trail of Le Chiffre (Mads Mikkelsen) – a financier for terrorist cells around the world – leading him to a high-stakes poker game in Montenegro, where Bond must keep his wits sharp if he is to survive the game and its deadly outcome. Mikkelsen’s Le Chiffre is the series’ best villain, a conniving, unscrupulous weasel of a man who plays the part of arch-villain well, but is really on the hook to those more frightening men financing his lifestyle. A Bond villain doesn’t get more menacing than a man who cries blood, yet Le Chiffre isn’t defined by this scary idiosyncrasy; a snivelling, scared man who has bitten off more than he can chew but must act the part if he hopes to survive his predicament.

The action similarly feels layered, only there where it furthers the story of Bond. Luckily for audiences, Bond is a particularly violent man and that means the action flows steadily throughout; a flurry of close-quarters encounters that Bond scrapes through by the skin of his teeth more often than not. That inexperience creates for some fascinating interactions between Bond and series staples like M (Judi Dench); unusually terse and tense scoldings that perfectly stage the adoptive mother-son relationship so brilliantly built upon in Skyfall. The poker scenes drip with tension; full of long, drawn out shots that have the audience looking for tells in the same way as Bond, before director Martin Campbell whips us away to a brutal staircase fight-scene and back to the table; exhausted and overstimulated in the same way as Bond. This is all after Campbell and Craig had silenced the doubters with the most thrilling action sequence of all 25 films: a frantic scramble through construction yards and up cranes that firmly established Daniel Craig as a new kind of Bond. James Bond.

Theme: You Know My Name – What better way to signal a shift in direction for the franchise than with the deafening guitar riffs from Soundgarden and Audioslave frontman Chris Cornell. The veteran rocker goes all out, with a soaring orchestral support backing up an already exhilarating hook. The perfect introduction musically to a totally different kind of Bond.

Tags 007, Ben Whishaw, Casino Royale, Christoph Waltz, Daniel Craig, Eva Green, James Bond, Javier Bardem, Judi Dench, Léa Seydoux, Mads Mikkelsen, Naomie Harris, No Time to Die, Quantum of Solace, Ralph Fiennes, Rami Malek, Skyfall, Spectre

Movie Reviews

No Time to Die

Post author By Mark
Post date November 14, 2021

It’s hard to hear the name James Bond and not think of Daniel Craig at this point. The longest serving Bond at 15 years in the role, Craig’s entrance into the role ushered in a new era of gritty, post-Bourne action; less focused on gadgets and more focused on beating his target into submission. What really set his 007 apart from the rest was Craig’s willingness to play with the machismo of the role, creating a Bond that felt familiar in the ways he needed to while adding a vulnerability and emotional rawness that previous iterations of the character lacked. Bloated and convoluted at times, No Time to Die is nevertheless a worthy send-off to Craig’s Bond; a visceral, action filled romp that, despite a lacklustre villain, strikes a perfect balance between Bond old and new.

Following his capture of Blofeld (Christoph Waltz), Bond (Craig) has now left MI6 to start a life with psychiatrist Madeleine Swann (Léa Seydoux). When their travels lead them to Italy and an ambush laid by Spectre, Bond suspects Swann of a double cross, abandoning her and seeking out a life of isolation in Jamaica. After five years of this simple life, Bond is thrust back into the swing of things with the arrival of CIA operative and longtime friend Felix (Jeffrey Wright), who offers him a chance to take down Spectre once and for all. When things inevitably go awry, Bond and new 007 Nomi (Lashana Lynch) – along with usual allies Q (Ben Whishaw), M (Ralph Fiennes) and Moneypenny (Naomie Harris) – find themselves embroiled in the plot of a new villain; one with a particular link to Bond and Madeleine’s pasts: Lyutsifer Safin (Rami Malek).

Where the previous film Spectre struggled to maintain a serious tone while introducing classic Bond elements – the gadgets, the smarminess – into the grounded world of Craig, new director Cary Joji Fukunaga has better luck, albeit not without its problems. It is well known now that wunderkind writer Phoebe Waller-Bridge (of Fleabag fame) was brought in late in production to punch up series scribes Neal Purvis and Robert Wade’s (along with Fukunaga) script. While we can’t be sure what her contributions were specifically, there is a good amount of humour here that feels tonally jarring compared to previous entries, particularly in regards to David Dencik’s Russian scientist, who plays like every bad joke from a Marvel film roles into one character.

For the most part however, this humour works well to emphasise the “fish out of water” scenario Bond now finds himself in. Five years removed from his time in MI6, things have continued to move forward, even if he hasn’t, and nowhere is this more evident in the brilliant back and forth pissing match between Bond and newly instated 007 Nomi. Lashana Lynch is great as the sneering new 007 who does things by the books, ripping into James about his infamous charm with women and constant consumption of alcohol, but also delivering when it comes to the action; a legitimately strong candidate for Craig’s replacement should the series go that route. Ana de Armas also shines as Paloma, a CIA operative assisting Bond over the course of a mission. Despite only being present for one scene, she absolutely steals every frame; a wide-eyed, fresh-faced newbie who is more than capable of holding her own in an electric fight scene.

If Spectre was Sam Mendes pushing the franchise into bigger and bigger set-pieces, then No Time to Die is Fukunaga bringing it back to the basics that began with Casino Royale in 2006. That means a lot more close-quarters, bone-crunchingly violent fight scenes that shake the camera with the impact of each punch. Every fight feels life-or-death in stakes, and despite Bond’s pedigree as the action hero to end all action heroes, Fukunaga dials the intensity up so high that you forget this and become completely enthralled in the chaos unfolding, always on edge that one stray bullet or punch could bring Craig’s tenure as Bond to an abrupt end. When the action does stray into larger spectacle, the camera is always focused on Bond and his positioning within it and these sequences always serve to further the story rather than existing to justify blockbuster status.

In a film this massive (clocking in at close to a whopping 3 hours) there are bound to be weak links and unfortunately for No Time to Die that comes in the form of Rami Malek’s villain Safin. Fukunaga is given the unenviable task of wrapping up five film’s worth of story and in doing so finds little time to focus on the character of Safin; a facially scarred, creepy man with a shared history with a particular interest in Madeleine Swann and a clichéd plan for world domination. Malek gets by on his trademark blank stares and an uncomfortably softly spoken voice but lacks the quiet fury of Javier Bardem’s Silva or the cunning of Mads Mikkelsen’s Le Chiffre from previous films.

Thankfully Craig more than makes up for any of the film’s shortcomings in his final outing. After the notoriously difficult shoot of Spectre, he seems rejuvenated here, relishing the chance to flesh out Bond as a human rather than through his violent work. He comes to the action scenes with the intensity you would expect but it is the more humorous elements this time around that go a long way toward showing Bond’s development over the years. After all that time as the self-serious, suave spy he is finally softening into a man that wants more from his life and who is ready to tackle that with Madeleine.

No Time to Die is an appropriately epic end to Daniel Craig’s tenure as 007; a sprawling, globe-trotting adventure with the intense action and debonair charm that you would come to expect, but with a surprisingly emotional, reflective centre that wraps things up for Craig in a cathartic, impactful way. Rami Malek might get short-changed in his role as the villainous Safin and some narrative bloat slows things down at times but the good far outweighs the bad; not even to mention the terrifically moody theme song from Billie Eilish. A bittersweet end to a fantastic run as Bond, it’s understandably hard to swallow the fact that there will be no more time spent watching Craig cheat death as the super-spy.

No Time to Die stars Daniel Craig, Rami Malek, Léa Seydoux, Lashana Lynch, Ana de Armas, Ben Whishaw, Naomie Harris, Christoph Waltz, Jeffrey Wright, Rory Kinnear, Billy Magnussen, David Dencik, Dali Benssalah & Ralph Fiennes – In cinemas now.

8.5/10

Tags Ana de Armas, Ben Whishaw, Cary Joji Fukunaga, Christoph Waltz, Daniel Craig, James Bond, Jeffrey Wright, Lashana Lynch, Léa Seydoux, Naomie Harris, No Time to Die, Ralph Fiennes, Rami Malek, Rory Kinnear

Movie Reviews

Finch

Post author By Mark
Post date November 10, 2021

Why do audiences like to watch Tom Hanks suffer? Cast Away, Philadelphia, hell throw Forrest Gump in there, the man can play optimistic men broken and beaten down by life like no other. It comes as no surprise then that the man affectionately known as “America’s Dad” pulls it off again in Miguel Sapchnik’s Finch; the story of a man, his dog and his robot crossing a post-apocalyptic United States. It is only thanks to Hanks’ affability and some wonderful voice work from Caleb Landry Jones that Finch works as well as it does; an otherwise forgettable sci-fi adventure with more under the hood than meets the eye.

After a deadly solar flare has rendered the surface of Earth inhospitable, lone robotic engineer Finch (Hanks) roams the desert landscape by day – scavenging for what precious few supplies remain – and by night works on Jeff (Landry Jones), a robot designed to care for Finch’s dog Goodyear after he succumbs to the radiation-induced cancer ravaging his body. When an approaching superstorm threatens to wipe out the trio’s underground sanctuary, they set out for the (relative) safety of San Francisco, a cross-country journey that will test all of Finch’s will, patience and determination.

Finch’s odd-couple road trip story is nothing we haven’t seen before, but Hanks’ presence goes a long way toward helping you look past the familiar and care for Finch and the outcome of his journey. Unlike those other roles, we find Hanks’ character post-trauma; a shell of a man whose only joy in this hellscape America comes from the companionship he feels for Goodyear. Jeff’s arrival signals a change in the status quo and the start of Finch having to come to terms with saying goodbye to his canine pal. As such there is a constant undercurrent of sadness that is balanced out by the ridiculous antics and childlike excitement of Jeff who – unlike other famous film robots – has quite the personality; approaching every new teaching and location with a sense of childlike wonder (think C3-P0 before R2-D2 made him a cynical asshole).

Landry Jones brings that personality to life wonderfully through lively, deeply emotive voice work that perfectly encapsulates the giddy highs of a child learning something new before the adult (Finch) scolds them for it. The effects help a great deal here; clearly Apple has spent a small fortune on ensuring that Jeff feels realistic and reacts to the world around him – slumping his shoulders in sadness and cocking his head in interest – in a way that feels both foreign and familiar; you are able to look past Jeff’s looks and see the touching father/son relationship at the film’s core. Finch might seem like quite the cruisy, conflict-less film but Sapochnik does a great job creating tension out of very little, crafting a wonderfully tense moment wrought from little more than a car driving behind Finch; normally fine, but potentially doom-bringing in this apocalypse.

Finch accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do; presenting a touching story of a man, his robot and his dog bonding and learning some hard lessons about themselves and one another as they traverse an apocalyptic America. Sapochnik wisely never bites off more than he can chew (apart from a slightly bloated runtime), keeping the action contained and the stakes intimately low; one man gone in the apocalypse doesn’t mean much in the larger scheme of things but to Goodyear it means everything. Well played Hanks, you’ve done it again.

Finch stars Tom Hanks & Caleb Landry Jones – Streaming on Apple TV+ now.

7/10

Tags Apple TV+, Caleb Landry Jones, Finch, Miguel Sapochnik, Tom Hanks

Movie Reviews

Army of Thieves

Post author By Mark
Post date November 9, 2021

Shared cinematic universes are all the rage these days and now it seems Netflix wants in, spinning off this year’s successful Army of the Dead into future sequels, animated series and a prequel: Army of Thieves. Ditching the zombies for a heist film focused on Matthias Schweighöfer’s safecracking Ludwig Dieter, Army of Thieves is a fun if ultimately throwaway addition to the burgeoning franchise, kept afloat by a frenetic performance from Schweighöfer and not much else.

As the zombie outbreak begins to surge in Las Vegas, Ludwig Dieter (Schweighöfer) watches on from the television, far removed in his mundane life as a bank teller in Potsdam, Germany. When he receives a mysterious invitation to put his safecracking skills to the test, Dieter finds himself embroiled in an audition to join jewel thief Gwendoline (Nathalie Emmanuel) and her team – tech expert Korina (Ruby O. Fee), getaway driver Rolph (Guz Khan) and weapons specialist Brad (Stuart Martin) – on a series of bank heists. When Dieter begins to fall for Gwendoline, cracks begin to form in the team already embroiled in the most dangerous game of all: gaining access to and cracking legendary locksmith Hans Wagner’s most intricate safes.

Taking over the directing reigns from Zack Snyder is Schweighöfer himself, who fashions the film into another heavily stylised affair through Dieter’s narration and the use of classic heist film techniques; like showing the entire heist as it is explained via voiceover. It makes for some enjoyable, fast paced heist sequences that keep you engaged even if the narrative surrounding these them drags and meanders through clichéd romances and rivalries. What doesn’t work is the constant comparisons to other heist films; characters constantly discussing how these heists are different to the ones you see “in the movies”… except they aren’t. The heists themselves are fun, sure, but nothing audiences haven’t seen done better before in a myriad of other films and it makes this kind of meta grandstanding come off as pretentious rather than charming.

Where Snyder’s influence is felt the most is in the colour palette. Army of Thieves is a frustratingly dull film to look at; from the streets of Germany to Paris and St. Moritz it all looks exactly the same, a dark and dingy mix of greys and silver that mimic the concrete and steel of the safes Dieter is cracking. Even the names of locations superimposed over the scenery can be missed; a different shade of grey that blends into all the other greys on screen. Where are the vibrant oranges and blues of the poster? Hell, even the costumes are a monochromatic mess of boredom. Other than that, the film is only tangentially linked to Army of the Dead. The zombie apocalypse in Las Vegas is occurring, but it never affects the story outside of some foreboding dream sequences.

What keeps it all together is Schweighöfer himself. He gives a gleefully giddy performance – Dieter anxiously babbles away, reassuring himself that they will succeed – that expands on the charm of the character audiences know from Army of the Dead without overdoing it; no easy feat given the amount of times Schweighöfer squeals in terror at any tricky situation. Nathalie Emmanuel is perfectly fine as Gwendoline, not given anything more to do other than serving as Dieter’s guide to the criminal underworld and love interest, but there is a sweetness to their relationship; an intimacy that the rest of the film steers well clear of in favour of huge, bombastic set-pieces.

There’s some fun to be had with Army of Thieves, an inoffensive if unnecessary addition to the Army of the Dead shared universe that succeeds on the strength of Schweighöfer’s endearing lead performance. It would have been nice to see a more contained, less epic in scope film than Army, given the comparatively much lower stakes here, but this is a perfectly serviceable action film to throw on on a lazy afternoon. But can we ditch the drab colours for the next instalment please?

Army of Thieves stars Matthias Schweighöfer, Nathalie Emmanuel, Ruby O. Fee, Stuart Martin, Guz Khan, Noémie Nakai & Jonathan Cohen – Streaming on Netflix now.

5/10

Tags Army of Thieves, Guz Khan, Jonathan Cohen, Matthias Schweighöfer, Nathalie Emmanuel, Netflix, Ruby O. Fee, Stuart Martin

Movie Reviews

Eternals

Post author By Mark
Post date November 7, 2021

With 25 films under its belt, it feels like there is little left that the MCU has not yet explored. Their 26th effort Eternals, from Oscar winning director Chloé Zhao, aims to subvert expectations again with an epic, history-spanning cosmic adventure that introduces audiences to a new team of space-travelling, god-like heroes. But what should be the most vibrant and distinct Marvel film ends up one of the most bland – a cold, strangely emotionless slog that descends into CGI madness. When the most satisfying piece of an almost three hour long film is the post-credits scene, you know something is wrong, and Eternals is one of Marvel’s weakest efforts to date.

While the rest of Earth’s heroes were off fighting Thanos and any number of other threats, a team of 10 immortal space warriors – the Eternals – existed on the planet, tasked by their Celestial (giant space god) creator Arishem (David Kaye) with protecting the species against otherworldly abominations, the Deviants, but otherwise leaving the human race to fend for itself. With the Deviants all but defeated, the team disbanded to live out separate existences until the creatures’ return forces Sersi (Gemma Chan) and Sprite (Lia McHugh) to rally their family of heroes – the Superman-like Ikaris (Richard Madden), mind-controlling Druig (Barry Keoghan), warrior god Athena (Angelina Jolie), leader Ajak (Salma Hayek), Bollywood star Kingo (Kumail Nanjiani), speedster Makkari (Lauren Ridloff), super-strong Gilgamesh (Don Lee) and genius Phastos (Bryan Tyree Henry) – to uncover the cause of the Deviant resurgence and save Earth from certain destruction.

That’s an absolutely barebones summary of the giant film that is Eternals; which immediately struggles under the weight of juggling ten main characters, a world-ending, history-spanning storyline and connecting it all the to the biggest shared cinematic universe of all time. That MCU link means the army of writers that contributed to the script go into overdrive from the get-go to explain where the Eternals came from, why they didn’t fight against Thanos and where they’ve been for all this time, regardless of how uninteresting that all is. It’s the first sign that something is wrong, with Zhao’s film taking on a cold, business-like tone; giving the sense that boxes are simply being ticked rather than a meaningful examination of character or the fascinating found family dynamic.

A large portion of the film is devoted to assembling that family – as Sersi and Sprite travel the globe reconnecting with everyone – and this is easily the most enjoyable aspect, with snappy banter and a light tone (apart from Richard Madden’s permanently dour Ikaris) keeping things fun as you come to understand the dynamics of the team. Barry Keoghan and Bryan Tyree Henry are particular standouts, both layered characters with their own demons; with Keoghan’s Druig frustrated at being kept from using his powers of mind control to simply cease conflict. Henry’s Phastos has a much more sobering burden to carry – tasked with drip-feeding technological advances to humanity, including those of a negative persuasion – that forces the guilt ridden god to do some serious soul searching. Never in short supply are the usual quick fire Marvel jokes of course, but they rarely hit as intended, a shame considering the comedic talent in Nanjiani alone. He tries his heart out – Kingo’s other life as a Bollywood superstar makes for some great one liners and a standout side character in his valet Karun (Harish Patel) – but Madden and Chan bring things down by never seeming to know how to respond to his levity.

Despite being the lead characters of the piece, Ikarus and Sersi are woefully underwritten, with Zhao choosing to show their relationship through the ages as well as telling us. It’s a heavy-handed approach made especially worse when the two come together and couldn’t have less chemistry; opposite thematic mouthpieces constantly discussing huge, world-ending stakes rather than estranged lovers that were together for 5,000 years. That’s a problem that is rife almost everywhere you look: over-explanation. Eternals is cosmic sci-fi on a grand scale and the characters are constantly discussing it; throwing in new facts and reviewing assumed knowledge at every turn. Yet you never fully feel that you understand what is going on until the third act devolves into the tried and tested “big CGI battle”. It seems as if Zhao is constantly shooting for thematic examinations of how different experiences shape different responses to life only to be pulled back into familiar territory to reset the pieces for the next Marvel instalment. Sadly ironic that the only scene that seems to fully see out its vision is the post-credits scene teasing a future film.

Audiences have endured Marvel’s bad villain syndrome over the years in more than a few films but Eternals’ might be the worst yet. The Deviants are a thoroughly uninteresting race of dinosaur-like creatures – all tendrils and snapping teeth – that serve as nothing more than glorified CGI punching bags to put our heroes powers on full display. Unlike the endless streams of enemies in an Avengers or Guardians of the Galaxy, there is no charismatic leader behind them all. Discovering the origin of the Deviants doesn’t make them one bit more interesting as villains; they continue to crop up only to be thoroughly knocked back to where they came from: rinse and repeat throughout. What should be a bone-shatteringly vicious showdown at the halfway point is undermined by the hazy way Zhao chooses to shoot the action; a combination of a shaky camera and terrible lighting making things almost as incomprehensible as that infamous Game of Thrones episode.

Perhaps it’s Chloé Zhao at the helm fresh off her Best Director Oscar win or the promise of the next great superhero team that makes Eternals feel like such a disappointment. What should be another slam dunk hit from a studio that has made billions out of well characterised heroes and their action-filled exploits feels strangely hollow and devoid of life; a largely humourless affair that feels both universe expanding and inessential at the same time. The fantastic cast is largely wasted, the villains are only that in the most base sense and the plot alternates between an incomprehensible mess and the worst parts of the worst Marvel films. The heroes might live on but Eternals feels destined to fade from the Marvel memory.

Eternals stars Gemma Chan, Richard Madden, Angelina Jolie, Salma Hayek, Kumail Nanjiani, Lia McHugh, Brian Tyree Henry, Lauren Ridloff, Barry Keoghan, Don Lee, Harish Patel, Bill Skarsgård & Kit Harington – In cinemas now.

5/10

Tags Angelina Jolie, Barry Keoghan, Brian Tyree Henry, Chloé Zhao, Eternals, Gemma Chan, Kit Harington, Kumail Nanjiani, Lauren Ridloff, Lia McHugh, Ma Dong-seok, Marvel, Richard Madden, Salma Hayek

Movie Reviews

Antlers

Post author By Mark
Post date November 3, 2021

The creature feature doesn’t get nearly as much love as it should these days, reduced to a paltry entries every year or so. In a horror landscape where deeply psychological terrors and gory slasher films take centre stage, there is something to be said for the simple (some would say morbid) joy of seeing some wild monster completely unleashed and terrorising its prey. Kudos goes then to director Scott Cooper for making the unconventional leap from heady dramas (Crazy Heart, Out of the Furnace) to Antlers, a creature feature wrapped up in an exploration of trauma and abuse. Whilst that ferocious creature makes for a wild and bloody third act, Antlers crumbles under the weight of its own set-up, an incredibly dark and depressing film about trauma that doesn’t seem to have anything at all to actually say about it.

Set in a remote Oregon town plagued by a methamphetamine problem, we follow Lucas (Jeremy T. Thomas), a headstrong young boy left on his own after his father Frank (Scott Haze) and younger brother Aiden (Sawyer Jones) are attacked in a meth lab deep within a local mine. The frightened Lucas exhibits strange behaviours at school – telling stories of monsters, walking home alone every day and looking increasingly malnourished – that eventually draw the attention of new teacher Julia (Keri Russell), who has returned to her hometown after the death of her father to spend more time with brother and local sheriff Paul (Jesse Plemons). When she begins to investigate Lucas’ home situation, Julia discovers that his father and brother are very much alive, locked in the attic and fed raw meat by Lucas as they warp and transform into hideous monsters that could turn the small town on its head if let loose.

Cooper is certainly no stranger to drama, but with Antlers he seems unsure of how best to link the thematic examination of abuse that so clearly drives the film with the more abstract monster movie elements. Keri Russell’s character Julia, for instance, has a deep history of trauma – having been abused as a child by her father – and Cooper draws on this to further the plot by explaining Julia’s attraction to and eventual obsession with helping Lucas, but falls short when attempting to infer that the two share the same experience. We know he has been abused, but by all the evidence shown on-screen we know that this was not an intentional act by his father, possessed with violence by his affliction.

The suggestion that these two characters should gel into this team of survivors bonded by their shared experiences ignores the fact that Lucas’ father is acting against his will and that his son never gives up on saving him. Cooper keeps dropping these hints at a deeper examination of trauma – like the inference that Paul was conveniently spared the abuse aimed towards Julia – but never touches on them again; statements that seem to say more than they actually do. The finale, while fun, offers little resolution at all, ignoring hanging plot threads in favour of a hasty resolution and clichéd cliffhanger.

If you can accept and move beyond Cooper’s haphazard commentary however, you’ll be treated to an absolutely gnarly monster. This is where Antlers truly shines; in all the gory body horror and no holds barred murder caused by the gruesomely changed Frank. The moody little mountain town offers the perfect backdrop for such carnage, as the monster stalks the rainy forests leaving little more than mutilated corpses in its wake. When that third act kicks into high gear it does so in spectacular fashion, with some incredibly tense sequences and scares that will have you jumping out of your seat. Cooper might focus too much on the commentary at times but when it comes down to it he can deliver some truly nasty horror set-pieces.

Scott Cooper’s entrance into the horror genre definitely bites off more than it can chew at times, getting hung up on a surface level examination of trauma and abuse that seems much deeper than it actually is. Underneath all that you will find a surprisingly tense, albeit short horror film that showcases brutally effective set-pieces, a strong performance from Keri Russell and one of the most fascinating creatures in recent movie memory. Don’t be surprised if Antlers ends up a cult favourite in a few years.

Antlers stars Keri Russell, Jesse Plemons, Jeremy T. Thomas, Scott Haze, Sawyer Jones, Amy Madigan & Graham Greene – In cinemas now.

5/10

Tags Antlers, Graham Greene, Jeremy T. Thomas, Jesse Plemons, Keri Russell, Scott Cooper, Scott Haze

Movie Reviews

Halloween Kills

Post author By Mark
Post date November 1, 2021

For the latest instalment in Michael Myers’ parade of violence across Haddonfield, no one could accuse Halloween Kills of being a misleading title. Murder is the name of the game here, and there sure is a lot of it, in almost every conceivable form. But director David Gordon Green’s sequel loses focus when it comes to furthering its predecessor’s examination of trauma and how that has affected three generations of the Strode family, spending the bulk of its time on carnage instead of character. The few ways that the narrative does inch forward pushes the franchise in new directions, but there just isn’t enough here to justify not skipping this and heading straight to the end of the planned trilogy.

Things are kicked off with a flashback to the pivotal Halloween night of 1978, as a young Officer Hawkins (played as a young man by Thomas Mann and in the present day by Will Patton) confronts Michael at the end of his night of terror. Cut to present day and events resume immediately following the prior film, as Laurie (Jamie Lee Curtis), daughter Karen (Judy Greer) and granddaughter Allyson (Andi Matichak) flee Laurie’s burning home to seek shelter at the hospital, and first responder firemen race towards the blaze, unaware of the horror that awaits them.

Elsewhere in Haddonfield is original massacre survivor Tommy Doyle (Anthony Michael Hall), determined to remind the townspeople of their history and to ensure they remain vigilant. When he learns of Michael’s resurgence, Tommy gathers fellow survivors Lonnie (Robert Longstreet), his son Cameron (Dylan Arnold) and Lyndsey (Kyle Richards) and scours the streets, determined to capture the Boogeyman and riling the town into a murderous mob in the process.

Gordon’s script is ambitious, shifting the focus from the Strode family to the entirety of Haddonfield and the effect Michael has had on the town’s collective past. Matichack and Greer find their roles largely scaled back here, as Anthony Michael Hall’s Tommy takes centre stage; a figurehead for the mob he has rallied to take down Myers. It’s an interesting character to fixate on, and one that does show Green’s interest in exploring the effects of trauma on different people – rather than just Laurie – and Hall is great as the enraged yet frightened Tommy. Where his character falls short is in the ill thought-out plan to incite a mob against Myers; emboldening the town with chants of “Evil dies tonight”. It’s a hokey phrase that is repeated so often that it quickly becomes irritating; a heavy handed metaphor for Michael that hints at a supernatural element (the physical embodiment of evil), and one which creates a jarring sense of campiness that clashes with the otherwise serious tone.

As a direct continuation of the last film, the threat of Michael still feels palpable, but as we track the killer on his path through victim after victim – unopposed as the rest of the town deals with red herrings and in-fighting – the novelty of these murders soon wears off. There are some great gore effects and a few stand-out scenes amongst them to be sure, but the film soon begins to feel like filler; an overly long bridging piece which serves as an epilogue to the last film and prologue to the next without ever really necessitating the need to exist as a standalone film. The plot is furthered in some major ways, but only in how things are set up to be paid off in the future, rather than individual character motivations.

Speaking of characters, the most divisive decision Green and company have made in the sequel is to completely shelve Laurie, confining her to a hospital bed and never having her come face to face with her tormentor. It’s a colossal waste of Jamie Lee Curtis’ talent but she still manages to have some nice emotional interactions with Will Patton’s Officer Hawkins, whose significance to the franchise is greatly expanded here through flashbacks. These flashbacks are some of the best scenes the franchise has delivered in decades, faithfully replicating everything about the 1978 film right down to the slight graininess of the image and expanding on the story rather than changing it. Thomas Mann is terrific as the terrified, traumatised young Hawkins and Jim Cummings (indie superstar behind The Wolf of Snow Hollow, check it out) shines as a jaded mid-western police officer on the hunt for Myers: a fun nod to his other police-centric roles.

Halloween Kills biggest problem might just be how unfocused and unnecessary it feels; a stopgap on the way to a far more interesting conclusion that could have just as easily been a few scenes tacked onto the start of the next instalment. Shelving Laurie and shifting the focus to the rest of Haddonfield does allow for some interesting expansion of the lore but doesn’t greatly shift the board from where things ended in the 2018 film. If you can look past these problems, however, and focus on the quality filmmaking on display – with wonderfully macabre kills and another fantastic Carpenter score – then you will very likely walk away entertained. A stumble on the way to what will hopefully be a very bloody conclusion.

Halloween Kills stars Jamie Lee Curtis, Judy Greer, Andi Matichak, Anthony Michael Hall, Will Patton, Thomas Mann, Dylan Arnold, Robert Longstreet, James Jude Courtney, Kyle Richards & Jim Cummings – In cinemas and streaming in the US on Peacock now.

7/10

Tags Andi Matichak, Anthony Michael Hall, David Gordon Green, Dylan Arnold, Halloween Kills, Jamie Lee Curtis, Jim Cummings, Judy Greer, Thomas Mann, Will Patton