Category: Reviews

Raya and the Last Dragon

Post author By Mark
Post date March 14, 2021

Disney films are like comfort food. Those classic tales like Aladdin or The Jungle Book that instantly take you back to childhood with epic, sweeping adventures that transport you into a fairytale world. 84 years on and Walt Disney Animation Studios shows no signs of slowing down, constantly innovating and changing with the times to deliver new stories to generation after generation. Their latest film Raya and the Last Dragon is a delightful throw-back to the lauded classics of Mulan and Hercules, a traditionally structured, if somewhat predictable story of a young woman destined to bring together the warring clans of her heavily South-East Asian influenced homeland Kumandra. With a swift pace aided by constant additions to Raya’s band of loveable brigands and an emotional centre that will warm and break your hearts multiple times, Raya is a film that respects the studio’s past and evolves it, with an authentic representation of Asian culture.

Set in the ancient land of Kumandra, we follow Raya (Kelly Marie-Tran) who, 6 years after a catastrophic mistake, has set out on a mission to unite the 5 pieces of the ancient Dragon Gem, created by Sisu (Awkwafina) – the last of the dragons – in a last-ditch attempt to thwart the ancient evil of the Druun. The locations of these pieces are all known to Raya thanks to her extensive knowledge of the history of the dragons and the once united land. What stands in her way are the different tribes – each named after a section of the dragon – that lay claim to a piece: Fang, Heart, Spine, Talon and Tail. Teaming up with a recently resurrected Sisu, Raya journeys through the vastly different areas, encountering myriads of enemies and traps, and collecting more than a few friends along the way including faithful Armadillo-like steed Tuk Tuk (Alan Tudyk), kid shrimp salesman Boun (Izaac Wong), the hulking but friendly warrior Tong (Benedict Wong) and Noi (Thalia Tran), a seemingly helpless baby who moonlights as a con artist with her three monkey companions, the Ongis. The already dangerous journey is hampered further by Namaari (Gemma Chan), a fearsome warrior and childhood rival to Raya from Fang, who is in constant pursuit of the group as they try to unite the pieces and vanquish the Druun once and for all.

What is instantly striking about Raya is the vibrancy of the world of Kumandra. The standard of animation on display is nothing short of stunning, filling each land with their own vivid colour palettes and distinct detailing. Tail is a vast wasteland of desert, an arid climate reminiscent of an Indiana Jones style adventure with ancient stone temples filled with booby traps. Talon is the complete opposite; a bustling, water bound marketplace – inspired by the floating markets of Thailand – lit by vibrant hues of orange and red from lamps that line the busy streets. Spine is a more traditional wooden village within a sprawling snowy forest of towering trees and bright crimson leaves, befitting the old-school warrior types that inhabit it. Everywhere you look is seeped in Asian culture, from the design of buildings and structures to the tiniest markings on swords and tapestries. Objects and traditions are pulled from Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Vietnam and more to create a unique melting pot and celebration of Asian heritage, giving Raya a fully realised world that feels both familiar and foreign.

While the story within that world will feel familiar to anyone who has seen a Disney animated classic before, the updates that Raya makes bring it into a modern climate without losing any of that sense of fun and adventure. Raya herself is the ideal Disney heroine, strong and in command of herself and the situations around her, but without the need for any romantic entanglement to fill in the blanks. She has flaws, as does any character, but overcomes them and the challenges presented to her through perseverance, trust and sheer force of will. You don’t need to give Raya a man to pine over when you establish an emotional bond as strong as the one she has with her father. This acts as all the motivation needed to propel you through two hours of movie, and her father Benja’s (Daniel Dae Kim) teachings of trust and accountability are a wonderful message that is accessible for younger audiences to grasp onto. If we trust one another and work together, as Raya does with her varied compatriots from wildly different areas of Kumandra, then you can achieve the impossible. It’s a simple but important message that isn’t thrust in your face but rather woven into the fabric of the narrative, naturally presenting itself as the only option for success.

Terrific voice acting round out the package, with a stellar lineup of Asian and Asian-American talent lending their vocals to the animated spectacle. Kelly Marie Tran is phenomenal as Raya, imbuing her with a fierce determination to overcome all obstacles in her way. In the quieter moments when this veneer of confidence drops and we see the young girl who has turned her back on the prospect of unity is when the emotion shines through, as we see the toll her past mistakes have had on Raya and the pain she carries with her. Awkafina proves a perfect pairing to Tran, as Sisu possesses the exact opposite qualities to Raya. Bright and bumblingly confident at the prospect of uniting Kumandra and working together in harmony, Sisu shies away from the thought that she herself possesses an innate power, similar to her siblings, whose sacrifice led to the creation of the Dragon Gem. The pair’s chemistry instantly hits, forging a leading duo that has the audience onside right up to the very end, making those emotional gut punches the Mouse House likes to pull all the more potent. Benedict Wong, Izaac Wang and Gemma Chan all bring something different and unique to their characters, rounding out a diverse and endlessly fun central group of heroes and villains.

Applying a fresh coat of paint to a classic formula proves to be Raya and the Last Dragon’s biggest strength, combining the tried and tested Disney story of a heroine overcoming all of the formidable odds laid before her with a rich and deeply layered South East Asian inspired world, in a narrative that places character and its messages of trust and unity over male pining or other old tropes. With sumptuous animation and excellent voice-work, Raya is filled with delightful characters and a world that you will want to return to again and again. Unlike the dragon, let’s hope this isn’t the last time we see Raya.

Raya and the Last Dragon stars Kelly Marie Tran, Awkwafina, Gemma Chan, Izaac Wang, Daniel Dae Kim, Sandra Oh, Alan Tudyk, Lucille Soong & Benedict Wong – In cinemas and streaming on Disney+ with Premier Access now.

Tags Alan Tudyk, Awkwafina, Benedict Wong, Daniel Dae Kim, Disney, Gemma Chan, Kelly Marie Tran, Raya and the Last Dragon, Sandra Oh

Movie Reviews

Chaos Walking

Post author By Mark
Post date March 12, 2021

Some films have a rough time getting to the screen. Those notorious productions that were so troubled that just seeing the light of day seems like a win in itself. Chaos Walking is one of those films. With a script which underwent rewrites as far back as 2011 to initial filming taking place in 2017 and reshoots in 2019, it has taken a whopping 10 years for this adaptation of Patrick Ness’ young adult novel to see the light of day. Enter brilliant director Doug Liman of the supremely underrated Tom Cruise flick Edge of Tomorrow, and a phenomenal cast of Mads Mikkelsen and then-unknown, now household names Daisy Ridley and Tom Holland. Surely nothing can go wrong now? Unfortunately for Chaos Walking, almost nothing outside of its leads’ star power seems to work, with poor editing, downright annoying plot devices and shallow character development resigning it to the long list of failed young adult franchise starters based on popular books.

In a dystopian future on a far off planet cleverly named “New Earth”, Todd Hewitt (Holland) dreams of more from life than the small farm he shares with adoptive fathers Ben (Demián Bichir) and Cillian (Kurt Sutter) in the town of Prentiss, a curious place inhabited only by men who share a unique affliction: Noise. All the inner-most thoughts of the males on the planet are broadcast visually and audibly in a hazy, mist-like speech bubble directly above their heads, making it difficult for anyone to have even the smallest of secrets. Life is made even tougher for Todd when he discovers Viola (Ridley) on his property, last survivor of a crashed spacecraft on a mission to survey the planet for her colony of Earth survivors. When the town’s mayor Prentiss (Mikkelsen) gets wind of Viola’s existence, he sees it as an opportunity to finally leave the barren planet and hatches a plan to sabotage her message and hijack the spacecraft, pursuing the two young teens across the planet as Todd struggles to hide his innermost – and awkwardly projected – feelings for Viola.

Let’s take a look at the gimmick here that sets Chaos Walking slightly apart from the myriad of other YA novel adaptations these days: the Noise. The concept sounds interesting on paper, playing with the thoughts of its protagonist in a way that makes it inherently difficult to hide the one, huge secret in his life. It may work in the medium of a novel, with different streams of text separately identifiable as dialogue and the jumble of thoughts involuntarily projected. However when translated film, it comes off as extremely annoying and disorientating as you are met with a deluge of Tom Holland’s voice spouting dialogue as bad as automated side-character speech in a video-game. As annoying as this constant commentary is for Viola, it is doubly so for the viewer and Liman seems to realise this, ignoring the rules of his own world as Todd seems to be the only character whose thoughts are interminably broadcast. There is a big song and dance made about Mayor Prentiss being the only being powerful enough to have full control over his Noise yet almost everyone else in the town seems to be able to stop theirs from blurting out secrets at every turn, indeed some don’t ever seem to experience it at all.

There are attempts to give the film some shallow commentary on what it means to be a man, with Todd’s Noise constantly berating him to bottle up his feelings and thoughts and “be a man” but it never really goes beyond that. It’s nice to see a more non-traditional family structure in Todd and his two adoptive fathers but again the script never seems concerned to address this either. Instead it breezes through the traditional hero’s journey stereotype without ever trying to give the audience more. Holland and Ridley are both more than capable actors but fail to ignite with their chemistry. Ridley’s Viola is literally the only woman on the planet to this group of men but you wouldn’t know how she feels about that from her responses to the situations she is put in, and for a film so clearly interested in defining and breaking down gender stereotypes, it has infuriatingly little to offer. Holland’s character seems more attached to his dog than to the woman he is supposedly infatuated with, but at least that relationship offers some kind of an emotional kick, even if it does tug at the heartstrings with the cardinal sin of almost every action film involving a canine companion. Even the great Mads Mikkelsen can’t do much to save the film, playing the stereotypical villainous Mayor to menacingly cold effect. There simply isn’t much he can do with the role outside of what he does, with some third act character development so obvious from the get-go that it seems crass to make it into the big reveal that it is.

The troubled history of Chaos Walking may just be the most telling indicator of its faults, with poor Doug Liman and a talented cast forced to bear this undercooked, middling adaptation on their resumés. It may not be at the bottom of the pile of YA novels-turned-films but its boilerplate hero’s arc storyline and lack of character depth make it a generic, instantly forgettable affair. Thankfully we’ve seen Ridley, Holland and Mikkelsen go on to bigger and better things since filming what will hopefully never make any Noise again.

Chaos Walking stars Tom Holland, Daisy Ridley, Demián Bichir, Kurt Sutter, David Oyelowo, Cynthia Erivo, Nick Jonas & Mads Mikkelsen – In cinemas now.

Tags Chaos Walking, Daisy Ridley, Demián Bichir, Doug Liman, Mads Mikkelsen, Nick Jonas, Tom Holland

TV & Streaming Reviews

WandaVision

Post author By Mark
Post date March 7, 2021

Standing out is hard to do in the superhero genre, leading the ever-churning Marvel machine to try increasingly experimental ways of delivering their patented brand of superhero shenanigans to audiences post Endgame. The first attempt at that new normal comes in the form of the first Marvel television show to hit Disney+: WandaVision. Doing what most other Marvel projects don’t proves to be the series’ greatest strength here, placing the focus on character rather than action in its exploration of two of the lesser developed Avengers; Elizabeth Olsen’s Wanda Maximoff and Paul Bettany’s robotic Vision. That development goes a long way to increasing the viability of this behemoth of a franchise without franchise stars Robert Downey Jr. and Chris Evans but it isn’t without its flaws, namely a lack of spectacle in its eventual action, a poorly fleshed out villain and enough filler to give the Netflix Marvel shows a run for their money.

Of all the Avengers not in the core cast of heroes, Wanda may just be the most interesting, as well as the most powerful. Her story is one of the most tragic in all of the MCU and her previous appearances have all been as part of a larger story, with key moments central to her character serving as lynchpins for bigger stories, never zeroing in on her own experiences. This is a character who has survived a bombing as a child, been turned into a mystical being with a magic wand, helped a killer robot lift her home country out of the sky and drop it like a meteor, accidentally killed thousands mismanaging a bomb and watched her robotic boyfriend die at the hands of an alien being. That takes a toll on anyone and yet we know next to nothing about Wanda. WandaVision’s biggest strength is the fleshing out of her character, something Elizabeth Olsen is clearly relishing exploring as she imbues the character with a fun, witty charm that belies the dark effects of the mental trauma brought about by Vision’s death in Infinity War. It’s her best work to date as the Sokovian native, clearly priming her for a bigger role going forward and proving that she has the chops required to bear that weight.

We find the magical Avenger inexplicably living in some sort of a sitcom reality, with earlier episodes shot in black and white and costumed to perfection to emulate the styles and humour of shows such as The Dick Van Dyke Show and Bewitched. With Vison somehow by her side, all seems well for Wanda living out her days in suburbia with the occasional unannounced drop-in from nosy neighbour Agnes (Kathryn Hahn) to spice up an episode. These first two episodes of the show are by far the most impressive visually, with sets borne out of the look and feel of sitcom houses of the past, evolving and changing to suit the era of television being parodied whilst always feeling like an evolution of the one house. Similarly, that black and white look requires a great deal of technical wizardry, covering everything from the lighting to the colour of paint Bettany was covered in as Vision to best bring his elaborate costume into the golden age of television. It all combines to showcase a deep reverence for television that goes beyond a cheap gag in Marvel’s first foray into the small screen.

As the story goes on, the style of the show begins to evolve into a more modern television setting, and as Wanda starts to notice strange occurrences in her idyllic home of Westview the action begins to shift to a team of operatives and scientists attempting to gain access to this “world” Wanda has created, seemingly unbeknownst to her. This team consists of previous MCU side-characters; FBI agent Jimmy Woo (Randall Park) from Ant-Man and the Wasp, theoretical physicist Darcy Lewis (Kat Dennings) from the first two Thor films and the adult version of Monica Rambeau (Teyonnah Parris) from Captain Marvel on a mission to prevent Tyler Hayward (Josh Stamberg) – director of SHIELD replacement organisation SWORD – from launching an all out attack on the out-of-control Avenger, imploring him to appeal to her better nature rather than seek violence. For fans of the more traditional MCU plot threads, this storyline will be more to your liking, even if it is light on meaningful characterisation or impact in the grander scheme of things. These characters are like comfort food, taken from the more lighthearted MCU instalments and constantly cracking jokes as they explore the world of Wanda’s self-imposed television show.

You see, the way we perceive Wanda’s world as an old-school television show, so too do those living outside of her field of influence, with Darcy and Jimmy quite literally watching the same “episodes” of her show as us on high-tech computers. When we move to a new era of television, more cracks begin to show in both Wanda’s world and the story of WandaVision itself. Twists, in the form of cliffhanger endings, plague the middle run of episodes, constantly introducing new storylines and characters to the point where there simply aren’t enough remaining episodes to address it all. One cliffhanger in particular introduces a character with potentially enormous ramifications for the greater MCU (no spoilers here), which hangs over multiple episodes as we believe this person is being controlled by Wanda and thus not their true self. The reality of this person’s presence is far less interesting than what could have been, with the rushed conclusion to their storyline coming across as cheap and manipulative of the die-hard Marvel fanbase rather than witty and clever as likely intended; retreading the divisive twist of Iron Man 3 to poor effect once again. Seriously Marvel, stop doing that.

Once the ultimate villain of the piece reveals themselves, we’re treated to an admittedly delightful piece of music taking us through this person’s manipulations that raises more questions than it answers; the “big reveal” fooling absolutely no one and making what had come before feel like filler rather than a slow burn given there was something off about the villainous character from day one. Despite their visual proficiency, the first two episodes can really be skipped in their entirety, adding nothing to the overall story other than setting the scene, something which can be gleaned from a quick “previously on…” segment without losing anything of the experience of WandaVision. There is a sense that the creators of the show may have foreseen a response like this, retroactively detailing all the villains nefarious machinations throughout these episodes to middling effect, as we know from watching that nothing of consequence came from these episodes. All that remains is a hollow villain – the hallmark of far too many Marvel projects – whose paper-thin motivations never go beyond attaining inexplicable power and destroying Wanda. It’s a tired, rote tradition that goes against the very ethos of WandaVision’s originality, causing the rushed final episode to lose a lot of the momentum and goodwill it had built up with a generic shoot-a-thon of a final conflict. Even the television spoofing tradition of earlier episodes is turned into a hollow gimmick after a few episodes, with a later attempt to give the show a Modern Family-esque mockumentary style falling short as it clashes against the more traditional Marvel movie feel.

Despite all that, the characterisation of Wanda and Vision shines through – with Olsen and Bettany’s chemistry holding it all together. The reborn Vision may exist largely as a physical manifestation of Wanda’s grief rather than his own fully fledged character, but Bettany still comes to play, spouting some truly profound and emotional one-liners that cut the confused Wanda to her core, prompting some desperate soul-searching that will be compounded in future films. In a somewhat minor spoiler (consider this your warning), the show introduces Tommy (Jett Klyne) and Billy Maximoff (Julian Hilliard), Wanda and Vision’s twin sons borne from her magic. Their presence adds yet another emotional layer to Olsen’s performance, with the role of motherhood now thrust on the already mentally unravelling Avenger amidst a sea of other troubles. Olsen takes all these new aspects of her character introduced throughout the season and folds them into Wanda with ease; paranoid and uneasy as life as she knows it begins to crumble around her. The twins’ appearance also sets up some intriguing storyline’s for Wanda going forward, with that deep maternal connection providing a replacement for the deceased Vision that feels like a natural evolution of the character.

WandaVision is a fascinating gamble from Marvel; one that alternates between feeling wholly original and frustratingly familiar. The decision for Marvel’s introduction to television to play with the concept and history of the medium is a stroke of genius that sets it apart from what has come before in more ways than the size of the screen. Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany prove to have the best chemistry in the franchise since Downey Jr. and Gwyneth Paltrow, selling the absurdity of an android and witch living in suburbia with ease and leaving you with an uneasy sadness in the back of your mind at the thought of Vision’s temporary revival ending. The uniqueness of its television spoofing format does feel like a gimmick at times – one which leaves many questions unanswered and storylines half-baked – and the villain fails to live up to the standard of a Loki or Thanos but at the end of the day WandaVision is about its namesake characters and Wanda and Vision have never felt as fully formed and interesting as they do now. If this is what the future of Marvel looks like, then bring it on.

WandaVision stars Elizabeth Olsen, Paul Bettany, Kathryn Hahn, Teyonah Parris, Kat Dennings, Randall Park, Josh Stamberg, Julian Hilliard, Jett Klyne & Evan Peters – Streaming on Disney+ now.

Tags Disney+, Elizabeth Olsen, Evan Peters, Jac Schaeffer, Kat Dennings, Kathryn Hahn, Marvel Studios, Paul Bettany, Randall Park, Teyonah parris, WandaVision

Movie Reviews

Judas and the Black Messiah

Post author By Mark
Post date March 4, 2021

With the current state of world politics, there may have never been a better time to release director Shaka King’s incendiary account of Black Panther leader Fred Hampton’s rise to power and the loss of that power at the hand of FBI informant William O’Neil. King’s film is as much a fascinating look into one pivotal moment in the history of the African-American movement for liberation as it is a powerful statement about the current plight of the Black community, highlighting some horrifying similarities between the 1960’s and 2021. Anchored by monumental performances from Daniel Kaluuya and LaKeith Stanfield, Judas and the Black Messiah is an intense and harrowing look at a man whose importance to the Black struggle in America cannot be understated; one that will leave you furious and hungry for reform.

When small-time criminal O’Neil (Stanfield) is caught by police attempting to steal a car while posing as a federal officer, he finds himself face-to-face with FBI agent Roy Mitchell (Jesse Plemons), who offers a choice between prison or working as an informant within the civil-rights activism group ‘The Black Panthers’. O’Neil takes the obvious option and soon finds himself indoctrinated by the Panthers in their revolutionary beliefs; inserting himself within the inner circle of the group’s young leader Fred Hampton (Kaluuya). As time goes on and O’Neil becomes an integral part of the Chicago chapter of the group – all the while feeding the FBI intel – he discovers that Hampton may just be the best man to lead his people to equality; the previously undecided bystander forced to pick a side in the war for representation. The screws begin to tighten when this newfound radicalism begins to threaten the FBI’s plans, and Bill is forced to make a difficult choice between the larger movement and his own self-preservation.

That inner conflict in O’Neil also offers a question to viewers that is as relevant in today’s politically contentious climate as it was in the 1960’s: are you content to sit back and watch oppression occur or will you get involved and be a force for good to solve it? It’s a big picture kind of question to ask and Shaka King and co. spend the two hour runtime making a very compelling case for liberation, showcasing the vile and underhanded inner-workings of the FBI at the time. The film itself may be beautifully shot but make no mistake this is a film that deals with ugly topics; namely one of the darkest, depraved chapters of American law enforcement history. The calculated stifling of the Black voice was and remains a horrible tragedy in American history, and King makes the eventual climax of that tragedy hit all the harder with the characterisation he gives O’Neil and Hampton.

Bill is far removed from the civil rights movement of his people when he is first apprehended by the police, content to make a living for himself doing whatever he needs to do to survive; a sad reality that was and is an all too common part of the Black story. Indeed Bill actually enjoys the duping of the Black Panthers for a time, viewing the entire ordeal as some sort of light-hearted game with Stanfield flashing sly smiles behind the backs of his Panther comrades when he bluffs through a sticky situation or escapes a shootout with police. Seeing the unjust arrest of Hampton and the FBI’s violent response changes something in O’Neil, forcing him to commit one way or the other, a prospect made all the more precarious with the FBI breathing down his neck. Stanfield is truly brilliant in these scenes, all nervous tics and sweaty, paranoid glances as he fears apprehension from both sides. A truly gripping scene involving O’Neill at the height of his paranoia is impossible to turn away from, with his terrified facial expression and jittering body making the outcome of a pivotal choice terrifying and unknowable, as King milks every last drop of tension out of the scene.

If Stanfield is our guide into the world of the Black Panther then Daniel Kaluuya’s Fred Hampton is the shadow that looms over every scene, at once as charismatic and arresting a performance as Denzel in Malcolm X. From the way he carries himself to the noticeable drop in the cadence of his voice before a tense discussion or speech Kaluuya is simply phenomenal, imbuing Hampton with a confidence and assuredness that bely his young age. The speeches in particular are the highlight of the film, with the iconic “I am a revolutionary” message striking a particular contemporary nerve given the recent bouts of white supremacy across the United States. The focus and energy Kaluuya carries in his eyes alone in these scenes – throwing it all out on the line as he makes his impassioned argument for peace – is incredibly representative of the fury and desperation seen today in Black Lives Matter protests across the country. A sobering realisation for audiences that not much has changed in the intervening years.

That’s not to say King’s film wallows in pessimism – it doesn’t. There is a flair to his direction; a stylisation to the informant storyline of O’Neill reminiscent of Spike Lee’s recent Blackkklansman but no less arresting. The camera swirls through the streets as we follow Bill bluffing his way to the top of the Black Panthers, capturing the side of him that no one else does through careful editing and musical cues. When things begin to go awry for Bill the menacing staccato Jazz notes that shriek against the stillness of the scene chill your blood; putting you on edge as you anticipate his next, potentially fatal move. Authentic costuming puts the viewer right into that late 60’s/early 70’s time period without being overly flashy and taking attention away from the performances of its stars, a rare skill that many period pieces could take a lesson from.

Judas and the Black Messiah is a triumph of filmmaking that explores one of the most influential figures in the African American civil rights movement in a way that ensures his message lives on in these troubling times. With Shaka King’s sure hand at the helm and career best performances from Kaluuya and Stanfield, this is a film that seeks to educate and entertain, achieving both through an intense story of betrayal, subterfuge and the moral divide between two people in the same marginalised group with wildly different outlooks on the world. There couldn’t be a more pertinent time for a film like this to be released, striking that raw nerve of society in a way that makes everyone look at themselves that little bit harder.

Judas and the Black Messiah stars Daniel Kaluuya, LaKeith Stanfield, Jesse Plemons, Dominique Fishback, Ashton Sanders, Algee Smith, Dominique Thorne, Lil Rel Howery & Martin Sheen – In Australian cinemas March 11th and streaming on HBO Max and in US cinemas now.

Tags Daniel Kaluuya, Dominique Fishback, Jesse Plemons, Judas and the Black Messiah, LaKeith Stanfield, Shaka King

Movie Reviews

News of the World

Post author By Mark
Post date March 1, 2021

Of his numerous on-screen credits there is one that America’s dad Tom Hanks has yet to venture into, and with his latest film News of the World, he takes the leap into the most dad-ish of genres: the Western. Re-teaming with Captain Phillips director Paul Greengrass, the duo manage to create a classically structured Western that feels perfectly placed within the genre, whilst also packing in the action and an emotionally aware lead that eluded many Western’s of old. As with all Greengrass films, the social commentary is ever-present and hits hard when it needs to, with real-life parallels almost too easy to draw after a certain President’s recently (and thankfully) ended term. The odd-couple dynamic between Hanks and newcomer Helena Zengel anchors the well paced story and brings an optimistic outlook to an otherwise desolate, divided America, with a surprising amount of emotion and tension drawn from Hanks’ commitment to his journey and the dangers of the wild west.

In what is a role fitting of his über nice guy reputation, Hanks plays Captain Jefferson Kyle Kidd, a reformed member of the Confederate army who travels the country delivering news to the local townspeople from newspapers spanning the local area to international crises. Think a kind of old-school personal Twitter, complete with outrageous reactions from the crowds albeit with less racist tirades from a certain leader of the country. When he happens upon a destroyed wagon on the way to his next stop, Kidd discovers Johanna (Zengel), a young German girl raised by the Native Americans of the Kiowa tribe after a terrible tragedy befell her parents. After his attempts to offload the girl to local authorities prove futile, Kidd takes it upon himself to transport Johanna to her last remaining relatives – an aunt and uncle living hundreds of miles away. As he and Johanna travel the country, spreading the news and bonding as he attempts to teach her English, they are confronted by multiple dangers; from giant sandstorms to radicalised towns of soldiers that wish the pair ill fortune.

What differentiates News of the World from other films of its ilk is just how fleshed out and multi-layered Hanks’ Captain Kidd is. This is not your typical lone gunman journeying across the wild west on a quest for revenge, but rather a deeply damaged man whose vocation and journey are borne from personal tragedy and the sins of his past. Unlike a John Wayne character, Kidd feels remorse for his actions, using violence as a last resort in his mission to transport Johanna to her family and mulling over his decisions for days after the encounters. It isn’t a particular stretch for Hanks to hit these high emotional notes. We’ve seen it before in the devastating finales of Captain Phillips and Philadelphia, but that doesn’t make it any less impressive to watch one of the greatest actor’s of all time do his thing. A more subdued role this go around maybe – in a time where men shared their feelings privately and not often – but Hanks manages to maintain that gruff, weathered exterior while still breaking the audience’s heart and forcing the tissues to come out.

His performance wouldn’t be as effective if it weren’t for the other half of this odd couple pairing: Helena Zengel. As the Kiowa-raised, non-English speaking Johanna, she is forced to communicate mainly through facial expressions and exasperated tantrums, a character trait that might start out as mildly annoying but becomes increasingly understandable as you learn more about the young girl’s tragic past. For any actor to hold their own with such a formidable talent as Hanks is impressive in its own right, but for a child with the experience that Zengel possesses is revelatory, a true talent whose star shines bright; comparable to Hailee Steinfeld’s breakout role in the Coen Brothers’ True Grit. While News of the World doesn’t attempt to follow the violent storyline of that particular remake, it does pack its fair (and admittedly surprising) share of action. Audiences who don’t consider themselves fans of the sometimes slow pacing of classic Westerns will likely be surprised here by the tumultuous journey Kidd and Johanna endure; barrelling between battles with bandits in tense shootouts to the aforementioned sandstorm as well as some lighter moments. The effects might fall short of the standards audiences have become used to in 202, but the heart of the film remains: Kidd lives his life spreading the news to others, but in committing himself to Johanna’s fate learns more about the world and himself than he ever could from newspapers.

News of the World is a departure from the norm for both Tom Hanks and Paul Greengrass and the journey into the different proves fruitful for everyone involved, especially the audience. Full of heart with a genuinely enthralling relationship between Hanks’ Captain Kidd and Helena Zengel’s fierce Johanna this is a Western that bucks the trends of the genre to deliver action, social commentary and emotion in spades, all the way to its heartstring-pulling conclusion. If you need a break from the constant barrage of terrible news in the real world at the moment, why not invest in News of the World?

News of the World stars Tom Hanks, Helena Zengel, Ray McKinnon & Bill Camp – Streaming on Netflix now.

Tags Helena Zengel, Netflix, News of the World, Paul Greengrass, Tom Hanks

Movie Reviews

Minari

Post author By Mark
Post date February 22, 2021

You probably know him as Glen from the undead juggernaut The Walking Dead but Steven Yeun has been on a mission to show his talent and range since his grisly exit from the apocalyptic wasteland (not that today’s landscape is much better), with brilliant turns in Chang-dong Lee’s Burning and now director Lee Isaac Chung’s semi-autobiographical Minari. Chung surrounds Yeun with a bevy of Korean-American talent who bring his intensely personal story of a young family moving to Arkansas to start a farm to the screen with empathy and honesty, as each family member struggles with the changes in their own ways. While it may not hit the dizzying heights of last year’s smash South Korean hit Parasite, Minari is still an incredibly powerful and intimate portrayal of perseverance and one family’s struggle to achieve the American Dream.

Yeun plays Jacob, patriarch of the Yi family, who have recently relocated to rural Arkansas, committing their life savings to the dream of working for themselves as a Korean vegetable farm and setting an example for children Anne (Noel Cho) and David (Alan Kim) of what hard work can achieve. Optimism and hope for what lies ahead soon fades as tensions rise between Jacob and wife Monica (Yeri Han), prompting the arrival of Monica’s mother Soonja (Yuh-jung Youn) from Korea to assist in raising the children while Monica works long hours in town and Jacob toils in the farm, determined to prove himself a success to his children. As their parents struggle, David and Anne are distracted by Soonja’s wild, un-grandmotherly antics – gambling, watching pro wrestling and drinking unhealthy amounts of Mountain Dew – forcing them to question her behaviour and uncover their Korean heritage and its place alongside their American upbringing.

Chung’s script doesn’t fall into the typical tropes of stories of immigrants acclimatising to life in America; encountering systemic racism and eventually good fortune at the end of their long struggle. Instead he draws from his own experiences, creating a world that feels much more lived in and real than most films of its ilk. There is no clear-cut antagonist; the children of the local church group are not inherently mean-spirited and racist towards the Yi children, they simply lack understanding of the Korean culture. Chung does not seek to place blame but to educate in these scenes, demonstrating the impact that just a little patience and tolerance can have on a person’s growth. One scene in particular involving Anne and a local girl initially shocks with its casual, flippant racism but shocks even further with its even-handed approach to Anne’s response to this racism. In her childlike innocence she does not see the girl’s queries about her language as offensive, nor does the girl asking see the issue with her query, but through this innocence and a desire to both learn and be taught the pair part ways richer for the experience, having both benefitted through education and burgeoning friendship.

Where Minari may divide viewers is in this lack of convention. The film moves at a measured pace – some might say meandering – through the daily life of the Yi’s and their struggles. Jacob’s inability to get the farm into profitable shape weighs heavily on the young father and his marriage to Monica. David struggles with a heart murmur that inhibits his ability to do what most children would take for granted. Soonja helps as much with the children as she can but feels that her presence is contributing to the tensions in Jacob and Monica’s marriage. There are certain defining moments that pivot the story into new directions but largely this is a life-like portrayal of a family coming to terms with their new life. Small hurdles are overcome, mistakes are made but at the end of the day love will prevail. The heart and charm of the somewhat uneventful story comes from Chung’s obviously personal touches, like the affectionate labelling of Mountain Dew as “Mountain Water” or the delightfully childish pranks David plays on his grandmother. Young Alan Kim is a star here, carrying the audience through large chunks of the film with equal parts comedic talent and by being ridiculously cute. When the story returns to the heavier struggle of Jacob, Yeun shifts to a higher gear than ever before, with an emotional performance that will have you crying at the lows and pumping your fists in the air at the highs.

To compare Minari to last year’s award winning Parasite just because of its Korean dialogue and similar critical praise is to do the film and yourself a disservice. Significantly smaller in its scope, Lee Issac Chung’s is an emotional, heartfelt portrayal of one family’s struggle to strive for more and achieve the elusive American Dream, rather than the ruthless upheaval of classism by Bong Joon-Ho. With excellent performances from the whole cast -particularly a phenomenal Steven Yeun and David Kim – gorgeous cinematography and a stellar score, Minari is a beautifully told journey that will leave you cheerful and inspired and hopefully, like Parasite, open to the idea of exploring a whole new world of Korean cinema.

Minari stars Steven Yeun, Yeri Han, Alan Kim, Noel Cho & Yuh-jung Youn – In cinemas now.

Tags Alan Kim, Lee Isaac Chung, Minari, Noel Cho, Steven Yeun, Yeri Han, Yu-jung Youn

Movie Reviews

The Little Things

Post author By Mark
Post date February 16, 2021

Three academy award winning actors in a prestige crime drama directed by the man behind The Blind Side and Saving Mr Banks should be one of the best films of the year. Especially when one of those actors is the great Denzel Washington, one of the finest working in Hollywood today. Yet John Lee Hancock’s meandering serial killer investigation The Little Things never hits the potential afforded to it by its cast (Rami Malek and Jared Leto round out the key trio), stumbling through the glacially-paced case without any sense of urgency; its intriguing central mystery constantly overshadowed by the uninteresting, boring inter-personal problems of the police uncovering it. The calibre of talent keep you on-board even throughout the most sleep-inducing stretches, but not even Washington can redeem the unfulfilling ending, which relies on shock value to mask unfinished story threads.

The film immediately evokes comparisons to David Fincher’s Se7en – perhaps the greatest serial killer film of all time – through its central relationship between grizzled veteran cop Joe Deacon (Washington) and rising star detective Jim Baxter (Malek), who has taken over Joe’s position in his old LA precinct. Assigned by his commanding officer to retrieve key evidence from his old digs, Deacon is swept up in Baxter’s investigation into a recent string of murders of young women, all of whom have had been mutilated in ways similar to a case from Deacon’s past, the result of which remains a mystery. Unlike Se7en however – where the relationship was built on an uneasy alliance of respect, self-preservation and a morbid obsession with the case – Deacon and Baxter’s relationship is much less fleshed out, based on pure happenstance and luck. The initial hostility between the pair paints an interesting picture of a tenuous partnership; an alliance borne out of necessity, before quickly dissolving into a friendship that stems from nothing other than a vague, unearned sense of respect for the man Baxter replaced, enforced by the older cops around the station. The pair never really bond in a meaningful way other than brief conversations about the case and snide, macho jabs at one another, and when later events threaten to shake that bond, you are forced to question just how strong it can be when the pair have only been working together for a single day.

That leads to The Little Things’ biggest problem: the characterisation of its leads in a film that truly believes its characters are more interesting than the plot. Denzel does what he can, with a lot of long stares and pained looks giving you insight into the demons that haunt him; the lingering psychological effects of the case that seemingly cost him his former life. It seems at times that he is on autopilot, rolling out the same old mannerisms and line deliveries that made him a star. Obviously that is still amazing when you’re a man of Washington’s talent but it would have been nice to see him bring more vulnerability and genuine fear to the role, rather than a clichéd world-weariness and somewhat dubious lust for revenge that doesn’t gel with his otherwise laidback demeanour. Rami Malek’s performance, on the other hand, is excruciatingly stiff and unemotional, to the point where you are unsure whether it is a red herring to insinuate that he could in fact be the killer or if his acting is just bad (Spoiler Alert: it’s the latter). When the script calls for big flashy emotional moments from him they don’t land at all, feeling hollow and contrived rather than from a genuine understanding of the role. That poor performance is compounded when the weight of the film’s emotional impact shifts onto Baxter, highlighting an already boring performance as a glaring problem that robs the film of much of its impact.

Thankfully Jared Leto’s brilliantly creepy Albert Sparma provides some intrigue. Leto is phenomenal as the wannabe crime buff who seems by all accounts to be the prime suspect if for nothing else than his bizarre willingness to be held responsible for the crimes, with nothing firmly tying him to any of the murders. Channelling that manic energy from Suicide Squad – more weird on-set shenanigans than his turn as the Joker – Sparma is a cold and unwelcoming presence, acutely aware that he is being pursued by Deacon and Baxter and relishing every second of it, playing mind-games on the two detectives and frustrating the living hell out of them. The interactions between Sparma, Deacon and Baxter are the most compelling moments of the film, finally supplying some progress to the case that never feels like it is ever going anywhere with rising tensions and emotions threatening to bubble over as the long nights begin to take their toll on the detectives. However for a film with such an interesting killer at its centre, The Little Things never truly seems concerned with exploring the crime itself. Sure Deacon and Baxter are investigating it and Sparma inserts himself in the process but there is always a sense that Baxter is more concerned with his career and that Joe is only concerned with revenge. These two thinly drawn individuals just aren’t compelling enough together to justify the inconclusiveness the finale leaves you with. The audience simply doesn’t care enough about them for Hancock to forego a conclusion to the case in favour of making a moral stand. For majority of the film, Baxter and Deacon’s dialogue consists of clichéd drivel – back and forth about who owes who breakfast – instead of meaningful development that makes them feel like anything other than cookie cutter cop stereotypes.

Unlike its name, The Little Things is a big disappointment, with a talented director and his team of terrific actors unable to make the most of a concept that could have been a riveting companion piece to Se7en. Instead what we’re given is a stale, tiresome investigation into a genuinely compelling case that places next to no focus on the actual murders, choosing to waste its time on conventional characters who just aren’t interesting. For his part, Leto adds a genuinely creepy presence that lifts you out of the doldrums but it is too little too late to save Washington and Malek’s stereotypical detectives from their bland fate. A lazy Sunday afternoon watch perhaps or just a skip altogether – you won’t miss much if you don’t sweat the little things.

The Little Things stars Denzel Washington, Rami Malek, Chris Bauer, Natalie Morales & Jared Leto – In Australian cinemas February 18th and in US cinemas and streaming for a limited time on HBO Max now.

Tags Denzel Washington, Jared Leto, John Lee Hancock, Rami Malek, The Little Things

Movie Reviews

Wrong Turn (2021)

Post author By Mark
Post date February 11, 2021

The latest in the time-honoured tradition of horror remakes is the backwoods, mutant cannibal-infested Wrong Turn franchise, given new life and a brand new outlook by director Mike P. Nelson and series writer Alan McElroy. Fair warning for fans of the six-film strong franchise: the seventh instalment is a sharp turn (the first of many puns, sorry) into something different. Gone are the infamous hillbilly cannibals, as is the almost comically excessive gore, replaced by a hodgepodge of modern horror themes and tropes done better elsewhere, in a bizarre attempt to reboot the series. An excruciatingly long set-up featuring a host of unlikeable characters gives way to several lacklustre kills – seeming tamer than they actually are given the franchise’s past efforts – before the baffling reveal of the film’s antagonists raises more questions than it answers, leaving audiences scratching their heads right up until the predictable conclusion.

The latest batch of unsuspecting young victims to take an unfortunate trip into the woods are led by Jen (Charlotte Vega), at a vague, unspecified crossroads in her life and travelling the American south with boyfriend Darius (Adain Bradley) and their friends Milla (Emma Dumont), Adam (Dylan McTee), Luis (Adrian Favela) and Gary (Vardaan Arora). Their itinerary finds them poised to tackle the unforgiving wilderness of the Appalachian Mountains, warned by the locals to keep to the track lest they risk unspeakable horrors. Naturally, being a movie, they veer off said track in search of a Civil War-era monument, inadvertently entering the territory of a fierce and protective cult living deep in the mountains; a decades-old sect of early American settlers who believed the Civil War would destroy the country and elected to wait it out in the woods. As their numbers begin to dwindle, Jen, aided by her father Scott (Matthew Modine), stages a daring escape from the cult, battling both villagers and the mountain itself in a desperate bid to return to civilisation.

It’s apparent within the first twenty or so minutes that McElroy’s script is scatterbrained to say the least, with the franchise’s veteran scribe unsure of where to go thematically with his updated take on the original concept. His biggest mistake may just be in how little respect he shows towards the series as a whole, intent on mocking the admittedly over-the-top entries that came before. It’s all well and good to take a little jab here and there and have fun with your commentary on earlier work, but the sneer with which his script does so – as if anyone who enjoyed those films are of a lower class – comes across as hypocritical considering this is the seventh instalment in the franchise and the only people that are watching are likely to be fans of what they’ve seen before. Audiences have seen horror franchises be completely revitalised in recent years, with Halloween and Doctor Sleep two shining examples that showed their source material the right amount of respect whilst building on that legacy. Sure Wrong Turn wasn’t as highly recognisable or iconic a horror property but the films were their own brand of big dumb fun with a devoted fan base.

Instead we’re left with McElroy’s interpretation of a modernised, atmospheric “high-brow” take on the original concept, which essentially equates to a poor quality rip-off of modern horror classic Midsommar. From the bear suits worn by the clan’s hunters to the visual aesthetic of the cult’s village to the inexplicable Nordic accents of its inhabitants, it’s all pulled directly from Ari Aster’s film without any of the nuance or subtlety. The atmosphere of that film allowed for Aster to unleash quick bursts of violence that seemed worse than they actually were because of the anticipation he had built towards these moments. In the seventh Wrong Turn film there really are very few ways to shock the audience beyond the depraved sights of people being flayed and eaten on a table or decapitated while buried alive. Nelson and McElroy deserve some credit for trying to take the franchise in an unexpected and bold direction, but to do so without any evidence of a desire other than to slap together other film’s strengths and hope for the best is simply lazy. Hell even some of the kills are basically shot for shot recreations ripped from Midsommar.

Where McElroy’s intent is clear is that he wants Wrong Turn to stand for something, to deliver a meaning and subtext that goes beyond the schlocky murder-fest it had become. The problem is he can’t decide just what theme to explore or message to send. Early on we sense the tensions rise and a prickliness between the easy-going yet quick to anger locals and the privileged, arrogant young visitors, which is later compounded in what looks to be an interesting twist on the protagonist/antagonist roles of the film. It never gets to a point where it truly subverts expectations however, and at a certain point the script abandons the idea altogether, focusing on cheap jump scares and rote twists that undermine that spark of intrigue that came before. There is also an attempt to draw the obligatory Trump comparisons (let’s hope Biden’s election means the end of this particular story element in films) in the divide between the cult who have formed their “true” vision of America and the larger country, with clunky comparisons drawn between the Civil War and recent turmoil in America grating with their obviousness. Add to that small but noticeably inept commentary on environmentalism, racism and white privilege and you have yourself one very confused film, which could have easily benefited from a narrowing of focus, or dare I say, a commitment to fun over substance in a franchise about hillbilly cannibals. Kudos to McElroy for trying something new but this is a pretty open and shut case of not catering to your audience.

Wrong Turn should have been a reinvention for the franchise. A chance to celebrate and honour the legacy of torture that had come before while building something new that furthered the franchise in new and exciting ways. McElroy and Nelson seem to be throwing everything at the wall to make this happen, with a smattering of social commentary from several camps which never succeeds in coming together in anything coherent. The gory kills and carnage-causing cannibal hillbillies are nowhere to be found, replaced by a blatant and bad imitation of Midsommar which baffles with its absurdity as much as it bores. Proving that the seventh time is not the charm, this might be one wrong turn too far for a franchise that had seemingly found its niche as gore-filled pulp. McElroy might want to take his script’s own advice and get back on the path.

Wrong Turn stars Charlotte Vega, Emma Dumont, Adain Bradley, Dylan McTee, Adrian Favela, Bill Sage, Daisy Head, Rhyan Elizabeth Hanavan, Vardaan Arora & Matthew Modine – In cinemas now.

Tags Charlotte Vega, Matthew Modine, Wrong Turn

Movie Reviews

Malcolm & Marie

Post author By Mark
Post date February 3, 2021

Forget Godzilla vs. Kong, the biggest cinematic showdown of the year may also be the most unexpected, in the form of Sam Levinson’s fiercely compelling relationship drama: Malcolm & Marie. Don’t be fooled by the unsuspecting title however, these two could not be further from the same side, engaged in a fierce mental and emotional war of words after a (some might say) seemingly inconsequential mistake opens the doors for a couple’s skeletons to come crashing out of the closet in spectacular fashion. With only two actors to rely for the entire film – the brilliant pairing of Zendaya and John David Washington – Levinson wrings every last drop of tension and emotional devastation out of the affair in a beautifully shot, wonderfully written and masterfully acted piece of cinema.

On the self-proclaimed “biggest night of his life” writer/director Malcolm (Washington) returns home with his girlfriend Marie (Zendaya) to the palatial house rented for them by the studio after the premiere of his latest film, a sweeping opus centred around a young girl cleaning up her drug-riddled life. While Malcolm celebrates in one of several incredible tracking shots that follow him throughout the house – easily the nicest since Parasite and practically a third character in the film by the end – we are aware of a palpable tension in the air, a feeling that something unsaid is lingering between the couple. As Marie silently prepares dinner Malcolm too becomes aware of this energy, earnestly enquiring about Marie’s mood before demanding she tell him why she is upset, the first of many instances where he thoroughly puts his foot in it. What follows is 90 minutes of two people completely let off the chain, each intent on “winning” the argument and going to increasingly underhanded and personal levels to get their point across and come out the victor – if either is left standing that is.

While the thought of watching two people fight may sound like something of a drag, Levinson infuses his script with enough moments of levity to pull you out of the depths of anger and heartbreak before they swallow you. Washington, in particular, shows some serious comedic chops here with scathing yet perfectly timed jabs in the middle of a heated fight and one seriously impressive rant about the very concept of film criticism and reviews (to even write this is a terrifying prospect after hearing Malcolm’s eviscerating speech). A hilarious recurring joke between the pair about a writer for the LA times and her views on Malcolm’s movie is undoubtedly the highlight, making you momentarily forget that these two were at each others throats not moments ago, and are now united in their hilarious derision of this outsider. This B-story of Malcolm’s wild responses to the surge of releasing reviews also serves to give the audience a moment to pause and breathe before the ware resumes, and whilst it is written spectacularly and delivered flawlessly by Washington, the dialogue is just a little too deep cut at times, feeling more like Levinson showing off his knowledge of film history rather than making a concise point about the craft.

Where Levinson’s message is at its most potent is in the arguments that make up the bulk of the runtime. This is far from your traditional rom-com where love wins out in the end after a few spots of trouble, but instead the unravelling of a five year relationship where everything bubbling under the surface finally spills over in spectacular fashion. Metaphorical knives are wedged in backs and verbal slaps in the face are frequent as Malcolm and Marie go to increasingly low levels, referencing ex-lovers and completely shattering one another’s self-confidence. It’s not all destructive though, in their own especially dark ways the couple are trying to be constructive with each other, pointing out flaws that you can tell have shattered illusions and altered the other person’s perception of themselves forever. It’s fascinating to watch these two people evolve and change over the course of the night – a series of conversations is rarely this captivating (save for The Social Network) – and you will be as emotionally exhausted as Zendaya and Washington appear at the end of it all.

Anyone who doubted the comparisons to his famous father after Blackkklansman will be silenced here by John David Washington’s fierce performance, channelling an aggression and physicality that is impossible to tear your eyes away from, filling the screen with his presence as he parades around the room spouting monologues to thrilling effect. In those quieter moments, he is no less engaging, often conveying the entire emotional spectrums in scenes through facial expressions alone. Not to be outdone, Zendaya continues her winning streak following her Emmy win for Euphoria, sharing a few similarities with her character Rue and delivering that same brand of subdued yet somehow manic energy, with a heart-breaking performance that will shatter audiences and likely prime her for a run at an Oscar. During one of Malcolm’s more callous attacks, the camera holds on Marie sitting in a bathtub clutching her knees, holding on her face for an almost uncomfortable amount of time, as you slowly watch her poker face of indifference fracture after each barb, revealing the vulnerable, hurt woman underneath. It marks a shift in the film as well as the couple’s relationship, prompting a kamikaze onslaught from Zendaya in the second half of the film that sucks the oxygen out of the room with tension as she unleashes all of her gripes from the relationship, risking everything now in an attempt to get Malcolm to simply understand her.

Making the whole film more impressive is the fact that it was conceived, written and filmed entirely during the COVID pandemic with a minimal crew, a feat that I’d wager puts most pandemic-prompted hobbies to shame. A rich black and white colour palette goes beyond the gimmick, adding another level of beauty and classiness to Malcom & Marie’s surroundings while also acting as a physical metaphor for the nature of their arguments: seen by the two of them as needing to define a clear winner and loser when in actuality the whole affair is a mix of different shades of grey. Smooth camera work all around and a killer score from Euphoria collaborator Labrinth combine with the monotone colouring to give the film a timeless and classy presence – a story told through a modern relationship, but which carries universal themes of trust and commitment that would be as hard-hitting and relevant in the 20th century as they are now.

Malcolm & Marie is the first truly great film of 2021. The fact that Sam Levinson is able to stretch such tension and genuine intrigue out of such a simple premise is nothing short of incredible. Drawing you in with a familiar scenario and twisting the situation on its head completely, he creates an edge of your seat thrill ride of domestic chaos; fast and furious word slinging at its most potent and acerbic. John David Washington and Zendaya add another notch to their already impressive belts with two pitch-perfect performances, bouncing off each other with a rhythm and chemistry that hopefully paves the way for many more collaborations between the pair. With Valentine’s Day fast approaching this probably shouldn’t be your go-to film to get sparks flying – but that’s ok, you still have another 27 days in the month to treat yourself to this fiery anti-romance.

Malcolm & Marie stars Zendaya & John David Washington – Streaming on Netflix from February 5th.

Tags John David Washington, Malcolm & Marie, Sam Levinson, Zendaya

Movie Reviews

Synchronic

Post author By Mark
Post date January 29, 2021

Directing duo Aaron Moorhead and Justin Benson have been slowly changing the sci-fi landscape with their unique brand of low-budget, mind-bending horror that alters reality and creates chaos out of the otherwise ordinary. Synchronic – their fourth feature – marks their most bold, assured work to date, a shift into the mainstream that will likely act as their calling card to wider audiences, thanks to the star power of leads Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan. Built around a heady premise that is far more accessible than their earlier work, Synchronic is no less mind-boggling due to an abundance of clever camera work, visual effects that make the most of the minuscule budget and an eerie synth-heavy score that drips atmosphere over the whole affair. Rather than act themselves (as Benson and Moorhead have done before), the film is bolstered by the presence of Dornan and especially Mackie, whose performance gives the film a secondary dramatic layer that only serves to up the stakes of the sci-fi story at the centre.

Mackie and Dornan play paramedics Steve and Dennis, lifelong best friends and colleagues who arrive as first responders to a host of strange, unexplainable incidents. A stabbing with an ancient antique pirate sword. A bite from a snake not found anywhere near New Orleans. A brutally dismembered body found at the base of an elevator shaft. The only link between any of these episodes seems to be a new over-the-counter designer drug known as Synchronic. When Steve receives a damning cancer diagnosis and Dennis’ daughter Brianna (Ally Ioannides) mysteriously disappears, the duo’s respective worlds are rocked and the ensuing stress of their situations creates a rift between the previously inseparable friends. Ingesting Synchronic after a chance encounter with its unhinged creator, Steve discovers a wholly transformative experience; one that will test the limits of what his mind perceives as real and which unexpectedly offers a chance at finding Brianna.

To discuss the effects of Synchronic would be to delve into spoiler territory, as Steve’s use of the drug shifts the story into a completely different, more sci-fi leaning direction. It’s a sharp turn from what has come before but one that offers a satisfying conclusion to those earlier events whilst opening up the story to a whole new mystery. The concept explored is well and truly a staple of the genre, but it takes on a more focused, narrow approach in Benson and Moorhead’s hands. The in-world experiments of Steve, who records each use of the drug for us to see, ensures the audience understands all the rules as they are learned by Steve himself, avoiding any overly complex and paradox creating exposition dumps. This narrowing of focus and shedding of complexity allows for Benson and Moorhead to have more fun with the adventures of Steve, rather than having to over-explain his exploits, although this fun is short-lived at times. Steve’s adventures take on a new light in the oeuvre of these type of genre films, given his African-American ethnicity, with an extremely timely yet horrifying reflection of our society in the response from the things he meets; think Get Out but without the passive aggressive subtlety of that film’s villains.

Moorhead continues his streak as cinematographer of the duo’s work here, but with more confidence and flair than ever. His camera work is simply beautiful to behold, with perspectives smoothly shifting from over-the-shoulder to first-person POV shots without skipping a beat, often through long unbroken takes that come to rest on some kind of unspeakable carnage or revelation. Similarly, the frequent use of handheld camera shots keep you locked in for the more stressful, action-heavy scenes, shaking and jittering as you run behind Mackie from danger. It can get a bit jarring and off-putting at times, but Moorhead achieves his objective in making you feel as disoriented as Steve is in these moments. When the film leans into the strange, other-worldly depths of its narrative, accompanied by a terrific score from Jimmy LaValle – all eerie, distorted synths and staccato strings – Moorhead’s camera follows suit, spinning around locations and coming to rest on vast galaxies and dimly lit landmarks of the rich New Orleans cityscape.

By far the biggest step-up from their previous work is the calibre of acting on display. Benson and Moorhead have long been darlings of the indie world, giving up-and-coming talent a start and often acting in their own project to surprisingly good results, but Mackie and Dornan are in a league of their own; fantastic as the tight-knit friends whose relationship threatens to crumble under the weight of their personal issues. Dornan is in fine form as the family man of the duo, who seemingly has it all with a loving wife, newborn daughter and his eldest on the way to college. There are hints that his marriage may be in trouble but it is not until Brianna’s disappearance do the cracks really begin to show and Dennis must come to terms with the fact that by focusing on his daughters he and his wife (Katie Aselton) have avoided addressing their own issues. Watching this otherwise stoic man crumble is heartbreaking, made even worse once he learns of Steve’s predicament and the prospect of losing another person in his life. In what may be his best performance to date, Mackie reveals a depth and nuance that other roles have only hinted at; unnaturally calm and muted compared to his typical energy and bravado as he receives his cancer diagnosis, with the sad realisation that his life is coming to an end giving his quest to find Brianna new meaning and desperation. The loss of his life, in Steve’s mind, will be worth not living his to the fullest if he can give his friend’s daughter another chance at hers.

While not their most complex or mind-bending story, Synchronic may just be Justin Benson and Aaron Moorhead’s most complete package to date. Combining their indie sensibilities and small scale scope with a typically epic genre and the star power of Anthony Mackie and Jamie Dornan makes for an arresting, visually stunning sci-fi adventure with rich, fleshed out characters that you instantly connect with and feel for in the surprisingly emotional journey. Fans of this specific type of genre (again, we’ve avoided specifics for spoilers) may find that it doesn’t delve as deep as some others in the category, but the lack of complexity allows for the focus to be about these two deeply flawed characters and their struggle to right their own worlds, rather than to unravel decades of frankly confusing sci-fi silliness. With their move into the mainstream Marvel universe already assured with a recent hiring for the upcoming Moon Knight series, here’s hoping we don’t have to wait too long for Benson and Moorhead’s return to the realm of trippy sci-fi horror madness.

Synchronic stars Anthony Mackie, Jamie Dornan, Katie Aselton & Ally Ioannides – In Australian cinemas February 11 and available on digital in the US now.

Tags Aaron Moorhead, Ally Ioannides, Anthony Mackie, Jamie Dornan, Justin Benson, Synchronic