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Reviews
Donnie Brasco (1997)
True story is a blessing and a curse
There have been a lot of great gangster movies over the years. It's probably not far from being the most consistent of all the sub-genres. I'd always meant to get around to seeing 'Donnie Brasco' and I finally did. It's a pretty solid film.
This being a true story is both a blessing and a curse. On the one hand, it's very cool that this actually happened and when you're watching it that fact adds another layer to the film. On the other hand, it being a true story sort of hampers the film-making process a little. It feels safer than other gangster movies I've seen, because they're trying not to stomp all over the actual events. And that's a shame because with a few alterations to the ending of this story it could've been something truly special.
The best thing about this movie though is just seeing two actors at the top of their game going at it. How there were no Oscar nominations is beyond me. This was a good one. 8/10.
A Mistake (2024)
Another bland New Zealand film
I love New Zealand and its people, I really do. But we are a very safe and predictable people, and so we tend to write terrible books (I should know I was forced to read a number of them in school) and make extremely bland films. 'A Mistake' is no exception. Sure, we got some Hollywood talent across the Pacific for this one, but the result was the same.
In fairness its not all bad. I quite like a film that bases itself around a simple concept, or one minor event that leads to a number of consequences. For a film like that, this is about as good as you can expect. Yes a lot of the drama feels very forced and the characters are absolutely ridiculous and in no way resemble how normal people act, but hey, I guess you have to jazz things up a bit for the sake of the film.
I don't know, I guess it's just disappointing because you almost always know exactly what you're going to get with a New Zealand made film. I keep waiting for the day someone breaks the mold, but this wasn't that occasion. A generous 6/10.
The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (2024)
A good film that could've been even better
The opening scene of 'The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare' was fantastic. It had me sitting forward in my chair and licking my lips at the prospect of the rest of the film. It was Guy Ritchie down to a tee. Then the film became a little lazy. It became more like a video game than anything else. There were still little hints of Ritchie's magic along the way, but they were frustratingly few and far between.
The film is obviously very similar to 'Inglorious Basterds'. Now comparing a film to one of the greatest films ever made is obviously not ideal. But it has to be said that that was more of what I wanted. I wanted the personal touches that that film had. I wanted more than just, "These guys are Nazis, therefore they are bad". Let us get to know them. Let us find out how truly evil they are and then their deaths will be that much more satisfying.
Don't get me wrong, this wasn't a bad film. I had a lot of fun with it. But the potential was there for it to be so much more as well. 7/10.
Cellar Door (2024)
An interesting concept that lacked the execution to make it work
The premise for 'Cellar Door' intrigued me. When you name your movie that and then make the movie about the mystery of what is behind the cellar door, then it should be a fun ride to go on and hopefully have a good pay off. Unfortunately the film wasn't as much about that as it had implied, and the ride wasn't as fun as it should've been.
This was more of a regulation thriller with a side story revolving around the cellar door. Now I've got no problem with regulation thrillers - if they're done well. This one however was a bit flat. In fact the whole movie was a bit flat. It was lacking some punch and some X-factor.
I found myself really having to strain to keep my attention on the film and that's a shame. There were a lot of little tweaks that I think could've made this a better experience. 5/10.
Woman of the Hour (2023)
Kendrick doesn't know how to draw tension out of a scene
I like Anna Kendrick, I've always enjoyed her work as an actress. She does come across to me as a very safe person however. She's not going to be one to take daring risks. And that's how her directorial debut comes across unfortunately. It's a very safe re-telling of a reasonably interesting true story.
Where she really lets her self down though is her inability to draw tension out of a scene. The serial killer scenes in this movie are both written and filmed in a really bizarre way. It's almost like how you'd do it if you were challenged to get the least reaction out of an audience possible.
There is one decent scene towards the end in a parking lot where she gets it right. But even then she ends it far too abruptly and draws the absolute minimal amount of tension from the audience she could've got. You've got us on the hook - keep us there!
The final scene in the movie I will give her credit for though. It was very well crafted and showed potential for her future. If more scenes had been like that then the movie could've been something special. As it was though it was very forgettable. 5/10.
Terrifier 3 (2024)
Delicious insanity
Good lord. I have been nervous about this film for most of 2024 and my concerns were justified it seems. Damien Leone has proven there is nothing he won't show and God I love him for that. The opening scene for 'Terrifier 3' is one of the best I've seen in a while (how good have opening scenes in horror movies been lately by the way?), for the simple reason that you really don't know whether the movie is willing to go there or not, but you have a great fear that it will.
Basically this film is like if they said, "Hey you know that one extra extreme kill we had in 'Terrifier 2'? What if we just made every kill that extreme?" If that sounds like a bit of you then you are going to have a great time with this film.
They are really starting to flesh the character of 'Art' out. He's bringing more and more extremely dark humour to the table with every outing and it is landing almost every time. Also the movie looks great. The make-up and effects were the best I've seen in one of these films yet I believe.
The scary thing is that if every one of these movies has to outdo the last, where are we heading to next? I shudder to think. And God forbid this series reaches 5, 6 or 7+ films. It's rare that your most anticipated film of the year actually lives up to expectations, but this one absolutely did. 10/10.
Thelma (2024)
Squibb is asked to carry the whole movie and does her best
June Squibb is a national treasure. I remember first seeing her in 'Nebraska' back in 2013 (how was that eleven years ago?) and her just stealing every scene with amazing comedic timing (so good that it earned her an Oscar nomination). Amazingly, 'Thelma' is the first time she's ever been the lead in a movie, and again she absolutely kills it.
Unfortunately she's basically asked to carry the entire movie by herself. They put very little - incredibly little actually - comedic talent around her and so every piece of humour has to come from her. She's good enough to do that but it does make the humour a bit of a one-trick-pony.
Also the story is such a good idea, but the execution was severely lacking. They forgot to put any stakes in the mix. Just a random amount of money plucked out of the air and some faceless bad guys. It wasn't enough to make me care about the mission she was on.
I just feel like this film could've been a lot better with some more talented supporting cast members and a re-structuring of the story to make it all matter more. 6/10.
Platoon (1986)
About as gritty and grim as war films come
War films are a funny thing. There are two types of people in the world who watch them. One is the type that watch and think how much fun it would be and that it glorifies war. The other is the type like me who thinks it looks like hell on Earth and couldn't imagine anything worse.
'Platoon' comes about the closest I've seen a movie achieve to making it very hard to justify a case that the movie is glorifying it. This really is a gritty showing of what Vietnam would have been like. Insects everywhere, snakes, the opposing soldiers potentially hidden around every corner ready to blow you to pieces, your own side even turning on you. Absolutely grim stuff and how I imagine it really was.
I did have a bit of trouble buying Charlie Sheen in the lead role. He's just a bit too polished and civilised for what the character demanded. Also, you have Johnny Depp right there, please give him more screentime.
'Platoon' was good, but it wasn't quite the masterpiece I'd always hoped it would be. And it won't be re-watched dozens of times like I do with 'Full Metal Jacket'. Still, a solid 7/10.
Don't Move (2024)
Creatively stretches a restricted concept into 90 solid minutes
Is the art of a good opening scene starting to make a return? Probably not, but a couple of films I've seen recently have had good ones and 'Don't Move' was one of them. It's a tense little scene with a bit going on, but more than that it sets up the rest of the movie. It gets information across that will come into play later and sets the characters up nicely.
My main concern when I read the synopsis for this film was whether they would be able to stretch it out over 90 minutes. The film uses some good creativity to stretch things out and keep the movie feeling fresh as things advance. It manages to make it work - just. I don't think they could've pulled off another 15-20 minutes and they were smart to keep the runtime at the length they did.
This is a solid little thriller with some good moments along the way. It may not quite have had enough X-factor to stick with me for long, but there are certainly worse ways to spend 90 minutes. 7/10.
Pi (1998)
Not great but there are little hints of Aronofsky's future magic
It's hard to ever be too critical of a low-budget independent film. Often these guys are working with the absolute bare-minimum to get their film across the finish line. So you try not to be too critical of the technical elements of the film or the acting or things like that. One thing I do think you can still be critical of though is the script. I did think it was a bit lacking in 'Pi'.
The film doesn't have much of a story. It's very simple in its premise. That on its own doesn't have to be a problem, but the movie still has to give you a reason to care. I simply didn't find myself caring about whether this guy found the number or not, or what the number related to. There were never any stakes presented.
There are little hints here of Darren Aronofsky's amazing abilities that would come to full fruition in later films when he had the budget to utilise them. If this is what you're capable of in your first film then it's likely you're going to have a hell of a career. 5/10.
The Infernal Machine (2022)
Lacking a compelling antagonist
'The Infernal Machine' was giving me a lot of 'Secret Window' vibes. I really liked 'Secret Window' and I wasn't really enjoying 'The Infernal Machine'. It took me a while to put my finger on what the difference was (aside from the obvious star power of Johnny Depp that 'Secret Window' had).
The difference was that in this film we didn't have a face to put to our villain. There was no charismatic "bad guy" that we would be captivated by. We simply had to see everything from Guy Pearce's character's point of view, and that gets a little tedious after a while.
The film is a mystery, and that was the part of it I was most looking forward to, but it never gave me enough of a reason to care about the answer. The result is that we find ourselves grinding through the almost two hour runtime and it isn't much fun. This one wasn't for me. 4/10.
The Bikeriders (2023)
Great writing can make any subject work
Roger Ebert once said, "It's not what a movie is about, it's how it is about it." Nothing could be further from my interests than a film about a biker gang. But when the film is made this well it simple doesn't matter. You're going to have a good time whether you like it or not.
This is a cast at the absolute top of their games. I couldn't think of a more perfectly suited role for Tom Hardy. He was giving me 'Godfather' feels. Jodie Comer continues to prove she is one of the best actresses working today. She's playing someone very far from who she actually is, but you'd never know it. She sinks herself into the character and never drops a scene. Also Michael Shannon might just be one of the finest actors working today (and I worry that not enough people know it). He does so much with so little screen-time in this film.
I just couldn't look away from this film and it kept getting better as it went along. The writing was exquisite and squeezed every drop out of every scene. I never expected to like this film as much as I did. 9/10.
Stream (2024)
It means well but it didn't quite work
This is one of those films I was begging to be good. I love films that have absolutely no limits on what can and will happen. And made by the same people behind 'Terrifier'? Forget about it. Sadly it didn't quite work for me.
The film is sloppy. And it was made on a smaller budget, so that is to be expected. I can handle that if that story is gripping, but that's what let me down. The concept of the most creative kill just never worked for me. And the villains were just masked strangers, so there was no charisma or terror coming out of them that you might get from the likes of 'Art the Clown'.
It's hard to completely hate a film like this though. Some of the gore is pretty gnarly and exactly what you'd expect from a film like this. Also a mid-credits cameo from Tim Curry was a nice little treat. If they were to make a sequel to a film like this I could see them ironing out a lot of the flaws and making a really good film. 5/10.
Smile 2 (2024)
Had no business being this outrageously good
I did not have the highest hopes for 'Smile 2'. It seemed like a concept that had one film in it and nothing more. How wrong I was. This film took an above average horror film in the original, and said we are going to better it in every way.
I mean don't get me wrong, it's still popcorn horror, but it's popcorn horror of the highest quality. Jump-scares rarely get anything out of me these days. This one had be jump out of my chair multiple times. I do have to make a note on this however - these did seem like the loudest jump-scares I've ever heard in a cinema. Even when the fright didn't work the sheer noise was capable of being quite startling. Not entirely sure if that was just the volume in my cinema or the sound mixing.
I worried when we were introduced to the lead character, and she was a pop-star, that it was going to be hard to side with her. Pop-stars in real life haven't exactly made themselves the most likeable of people over the last couple of decades. Her character was quite well created though. She was flawed, but she was also very personable and easy to side with. It helped that we got a terrific performance out of Naomi Scott it has to be said.
A good opening scene in horror movie has become a lost art. It's so important to get your audience hooked from the get go and set the standard. Many modern horror films forget about this, but not this film. The opening scene was great and really kicked the film off on the right note.
This film is pretty long for a horror film, coming in at over 2 hours. That's an ambitious ask to keep the quality up for that long and I kept wondering when it was all going to fall apart. It never did though and it even stuck the ending which I was really worried it wasn't going to do. I never thought I'd be writing this, but 'Smile 2' is going to be a contender for one of the best horror films of 2024. 9.5/10.
Bug (2006)
Throws everything it has at the wall and a decent amount sticks
I've always been incredibly curious about the film 'Bug'. It came out almost 20 years ago and I've been meaning to see it ever since. I had absolutely no grasp of what kind of film I was in for. And still I left surprised. This was a wild ride.
The entire runtime I kept thinking I was going to have to watch multiple explanation videos to get my head around the film. In actuality by the end of the film I thought I had a pretty good grip on what it was all about.
The acting in this movie is what makes it though. Both Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon give everything they've got and fully commit to the movie. It's even more impressive when you consider director William Friedkin doesn't do many takes, so they had to be at their best immediately in every scene.
I can see people either loving or hating every minute of this film. It won't be for everyone, but if you do connect with it could be a special experience. 7/10.
The Divide (2011)
After a clunky start it finds its way and becomes a great ride
I often say the most important ingredient to a successful and enjoyable film is having likable characters. Well 'The Divide' kind of proved me wrong on that one. Almost every character in this movie is pretty despicable. All except one that is, and it turns out that one was enough to grip onto and carry me through the movie.
Lauren German is such an underrated actress. Everything I've seen her in, which unfortunately isn't much, she has been terrific in. She's very naturally likable without seemingly having to do much. She's also a bad-ass and again it's just effortless. Without her character in this movie my enjoyment levels would've been a lot lower.
The film gets off to a bit of a clunky start, but once it finds its rhythm and gets going it becomes highly enjoyable and I was hooked. Be warned it goes to some pretty dark and grimy places, but if you can handle that you'll likely have a great time. 9/10.
Caddo Lake (2024)
Takes itself too seriously for such an outlandish concept
Sometimes you just don't connect with a film. Often for me it's when the story is based on an outlandish concept, yet the film is taking itself very seriously as if nothing is out of the ordinary. That was 'Caddo Lake' for me.
The other barometer for me about my enjoyment of a film is if its confusing, but I don't care enough to put the pieces of the puzzle together. There are films like 'Memento' where you simply have to go over every detail with a fine-tooth comb because you're so invested. With this film I was just happy to accept that all the logic worked and it was what it was.
Don't get me wrong, there's some good stuff here and if you buy into the concept you might just really enjoy yourself. All I say is this one wasn't for me. 5/10.
All the Old Knives (2022)
Very solid film but a little flat and forgettable at the same time
I heard that Chris Pine described 'All the Old Knives' as one of the three best scripts he'd ever read. And I imagine this would be a very strong movie on paper. It has an intriguing storyline and the dialogue is decent. It is a solid film no doubt about it. But it does come across quite flat. There is very little in the way of action and this is going to leave some viewers hoping for a regular spy-thriller a little underwhelmed.
There are little clips we keep getting from a plane hijacking, and every time we were focused on that I couldn't help thinking that that was the movie I wanted to be seeing. It looked absolutely brutal.
This is the kind of film you enjoy at the time, then five years later someone asks if you've seen it or not, and you have no idea. It was solid and enjoyable and well-written, but nothing about it will stick with me. 6.5/10.
I.S.S. (2023)
A nothing movie that should have been better
A good film needs two things. It needs a good concept, and then it needs good ideas to branch out from that concept. 'I. S. S' had the first part, but failed badly at the second part. It has a great set up and all the potential for an interesting film, and then it just has no idea what to do with itself from there.
That said, while it is an interesting concept, it does seem a bit tacky to have two nationalities going against each other in a film and basically asking the audience to pick a side. Especially these two particular countries in this politically charged time we live in. It just seems a bit in bad taste if I'm honest.
This was a nothing movie, and it shouldn't have been. It should have been better. 5/10.
House of Spoils (2024)
A lot going on - none of it interesting
Food movies have been all the rage the last few years. And almost all of them have been pretty good. 'House of Spoils' is sadly the first real letdown in the sub-genre that I've seen. It felt very much like a film that didn't have enough of any one thing, so tried to throw multiple things at the wall in the hope that one of them would stick.
The end result is a bit of a chaotic mess - and not a particularly interesting one either. The film is probably at its most interesting when it is just being a regular kitchen drama. But even then all the drama and obstacles feel very forced.
I had hopes that all the grind of the first hour was just setting up for a strong finish. Unfortunately the final 20-30 minutes are probably the most dull part of the film. It really does whimper home. This one wasn't for me. 4/10.
Joker: Folie à Deux (2024)
A misunderstood gem
When it was announced that this film was going to be a musical, I fully expected for the whole world to love it, and I'd be the single human who hated every minute of it. Seemingly, we are in quite the opposite situation. I loved this film, and I suspect I know why most other people did not. I have a feeling 'Joker: Folie à Deux' will go down as one of the most misunderstood films of all time.
Where the misunderstanding is coming from, I believe, is that people think this is just another iteration of the 'Joker' that we have come to love over the years. It's not, and it never was. This is an entirely original character. This is not a 'Joker' who could mastermind heists, or set up master plans to bring down Gotham or go toe-to-toe with 'Batman'.
People didn't notice this as much in the original because it was an origin story. So they thought it normal that we wouldn't see all the theatrics we are used to from the 'Joker'. We are so used to sequels being bigger and bolder in every way that people thought this sequel would be him coming into his own, and doing all the things we have become used to seeing this character do.
So I think people went in with an expectation and didn't get anything remotely like what they expected/wanted, and for that reason deemed it a bad film. When in reality it is anything but. I can't imagine how Todd Phillips feels making a film this good, a film most directors could only dream of producing, and having the whole world criticise it.
The acting in the film is incredible. Both Lady Gaga and Joaquin Phoenix are more than deserving of Oscar nominations, but it will be very interesting to see what the Academy does after the critical response the movie has received. It shouldn't matter, but it often does.
I'm not a big fan of musicals. And that was my least favourite part of the movie. Having said that, watching Gaga sing is rarely ever a bad thing. I could watch that all day. Phoenix on the other hand, not so much. Would I have preferred it not to be a musical? Yes. Did it ruin the film for me? No, but it certainly did hold it back from being a 10/10.
I have been immensely curious about this film ever since it was announced. Going in I really thought anything from a 1 to a 10 was on the cards. And then I just sat there loving every minute of it, and before I knew it 140 minutes had passed. I hope this film finds its audience along the way, even if it takes some time for people to appreciate it. 9/10.
It's What's Inside (2024)
An ambitious story that it manages about as well as could be expected
'It's What's Inside' set itself up really well. We meet some characters and learn they have some behind-the-scenes drama going on. Then we are introduced to an interesting mechanism that is going to drive the remainder of the film. At this point I thought I was in for something truly special. What I hadn't realised was that there were some problems that were going to hamper the film.
Firstly, it was going to get very confusing. I don't want to get into details because that would spoil the premise of the film. But anyone watching this film will know pretty quickly what I'm talking about in terms of confusion. I will say that while the middle of the film is very confusing, it does clear itself and become a bit more coherent towards the end. You still need to have your wits about you at all times though, that is for sure.
The other problems lie with the characters. There are two many of them and they are very toxic people who it is hard to care about and get onside with. I really feel like the movie could easily have cut 2-3 of the characters and nothing would have been lost. And as far as making them toxic, I understand that leads to more juicy drama, but sacrificing likability is a big thing.
All negatives aside, there is some really good stuff here. If you can stay on top of the story and follow along with all the story/character arcs, you are probably going to have a really good time, because it has some nice tricks up its sleeve at the end in that regard. It was an ambitious undertaking to make a film this complicated work, and all in all they did a pretty good job. 6/10.
Incoming (2024)
Genuinely funny with some great characters
Hollywood doesn't get a whole lot right these days, but one thing they seem to have perfected is the coming-of-age comedy. I feel like every one of these I've seen for the last ten years or so has been terrific. And I imagine they're incredibly cheap to make, so hopefully they keep churning them out.
'Incoming' was terrific. The humour worked. I found myself genuinely laughing out loud almost the entire run time. The dialogue was funny and the situational humour was even funnier. Also the characters were extremely likable. Even the ones who were supposed to be bad (less good?) people were still people you could side with and understand where they were coming from.
I found this movie really energising. I was never checking my watch begging for the credits to roll. If anything I wanted more of these characters. This was a good one. 9.5/10.
Death of a Vlogger (2019)
Some good moments along the way
It's hard to remember the last time I saw a found footage film that was as all over the place as this one. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it was just kind of trying to do a lot in 90 minutes and it was hard to settle into a rhythm.
The acting is a little dusty, as we've come to expect in this sub-genre. When the film is trying to be funny though there are some genuine laughs. And when it is trying to be scary there are a couple of properly unnerving moments.
The ending to these types of films is always very important. It's what everything builds towards and it is often what sticks most in the audience's mind. The ending here was okay, but I thought it could've been done a little better. A solid, if forgettable, little found footage film. 6/10.
The Lobster (2015)
I was picking up what it was putting down
I remember when this film came out back in 2015, thinking that it looked super art-house and probably wouldn't be my kind of thing. What a fool I was. Since then, writer/director Yorgos Lanthimos has gone on to become one of the best filmmakers working today. But 'The Lobster' isn't far from being his best work.
Sometimes a film just speaks to you. That was this film for me. Usually a lot of metaphors, subtext and symbolism in films go over my head, but in this case I was picking up what they were putting down. I also watched a few explanation videos afterwards that pointed out a few things I had missed. This is one of the smartest films I've seen in a long time.
A film like this has no business being as entertaining as it was though. Firstly, it's hilarious. I found myself laughing more than I often would in a pure out and out and out comedy. Secondly, you never know what is going to happen next. Nothing is off limits and the story is so bizarre and unpredictable than anything can be around the next corner.
This is the kind of film you just don't want to end. I could happily have watched another 5 hours of this story and I don't think I would've been bored for a second. This is as good as film-making gets. 10/10.