Despite it's critiques for being to 'theatrical' (I would imagine so, it was a play before film), The Whale managed to break my soul. Looking beyond its simplicity, at its core is the story of a Man who has given up hope and is beyond saving. Charlie is a ticking time bomb who, in his last days, hopes to rectify some of his previous mistakes.
The Whale was a harrowing reminder of mortality, a reminder to keep ambition, and a…
The Banshees of Inisherin. Wow.
Martin McDonagh's searing screenplay is exceptional. I have always been a fan of McDonagh's work in theatre, and his writing translates superbly to the screen too. In Banshees, he utilises the simplistic setting of an Island off Ireland surrounded by conflict, with no prospects of being mainstream. In fact, until the shot of a calendar dictating 1923 appears on screen, the piece feels contemporary and that the events could be happening right now. The cinematography…
Where the Crawdads Sing had only been on my radar for a few months before the film was released. Having read most of the book, I was taken aback with how visual the text was, and was excited to see it translated to the screen.
And then the cinema lights went down and we were treated to a less than impressive CGI Bird soaring through the Swamps of Carolina. Which set the tone for the entire film, which felt more…
Spielberg's West Side Story simply adds to what made the original a spectacle. With a beautiful breakout performance from Zegler, and - despite the understandable animosity towards Elgort - his Tony is one with a calculated approach to the unfolding romance, watching their love blossom only makes their tragic end all the more of a tear-jerker.
