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Leave No Trace (2018)
Great drama that feels natural
Leave No Trace is a really effective, in the moment, slow burning drama about a parent protecting their child from everything they can whilst realising it's time to let go. It's an engaging look at the people who live on the margins of society and their struggles to maintain that life, wrapped inside of a thoughtful coming of age story that's so much better for letting its biggest moments unfold in the most natural way possible.
Thomasin McKenzie and Ben Foster are a wonderful pairing with an understated father daughter relationship where their affection comes through in subtle yet deeply human ways. They spend the film at odds since they have polar opposite views on how to live their lives and the few arguments they have about it are done in a believable fashion. McKenzie drives a lot of the narrative forward and Foster hides his pain without losing any emotional heft.
Debra Granik's direction utilises a very grounded approach for a film full of big moments that are all portrayed in the most authentic fashion. As almost all of the film takes place in nature it looks gorgeous throughout and it's enhanced by Michael McDonough's cinematography which is so seamlessly implemented it goes unnoticed. It's also just nice to see credits on top of the final scenes again.
The Grand Tour: The Grand Tour: Eurocrash (2023)
Nigel Mansell steals the show
Eurocrash may find Clarkson, Hammond and May doing a road trip nobody has ever thought of, in cars nobody would ever dream of using but this is still the same old shenanigans they're always getting themselves into. That's not a complaint though as it's still a winning formula with some seriously breathtaking locations and great challenges for them to overcome in hilarious fashion.
This is technically a car show first and foremost however the tangents they take when they're off road often create some of the best moments which is proven again here by the trio's visit to a wax museum. Their reactions to the dodgy recreations of all the celebrities are hysterical and it only gets better when they decide to take Nigel Mansell with them so he can have a scene stealing supporting performance.
Emilia Pérez (2024)
Surreal and original
Emilia Pérez could've sustained itself on the sheer audacity of its genre bending madness but what makes this musical crime drama about the trans experience really work is the genuine heart at its core. The trans narrative and the musical numbers go hand in hand with an overall unpredictability that gives the film many of its biggest surprises. The crime drama aspects are played surprisingly straight and the middle successfully turns into Mrs. Doubtfire.
Zoë Saldaña is fantastic in a performance where she eschews subtlety in favour of something bolder with each musical number showing a previously unseen set of skills. She guides you through the opening moments and then Karla Sofía Gascón begins to take control without Saldaña feeling sidelined. Gascón is amazing because her performance has so much earnesty as she embraces her new life whilst holding onto the best parts of her old one whilst struggling to accept some of the revelations from her former partner.
Like some of his previous efforts, Jacques Audiard's direction unfolds at a steady pace, taking its time to follow the lives of his characters wherever they go. The musical numbers are excellent with a real variety. There's a surreal element to them due to their lyrics alone and each one works whether it's characters essentially just singing their dialogue or it's the bigger choreographed numbers in which Paul Guilhaume's snappy cinematography stands out.
Blitz (2024)
Artful yet authorless
Blitz is designed to be as accessible as possible in everything from its 12A rating to its clean 2 hour run time. It's an artful yet authorless Dickensian adventure set during WW2 era London that occasionally feels disjointed thanks to some characters and plot threads left dangling but it essentially acts as a collection of beautiful moments without shying away from the darker sides. This is the rare made for streaming film that actually feels like capital C cinema.
Elliott Heffernan gives a really good lead performance requiring a lot of stillness, fear and joy, which he communicates effectively and Saoirse Ronan gives the strongest performance, enhanced by her strong singing voice and convincing accent. The disjointed structure allows for some wonderful supporting performances from Paul Weller, Leigh Gill, and Benjamin Clémentine whereas Harris Dickinson is just kinda there.
Even if this feels lesser in the wider context of writer & director Steve McQueen's filmography, his direction still brings a recognisable visual beauty from the moment it starts. Yorick Le Saux's cinematography always finds exciting ways to frame and move through the scenes that have some impressive production values. Hans Zimmer's score doesn't rank anywhere near his best stuff whilst remaining a solid inclusion throughout.
The Grand Tour: The Grand Tour: A Scandi Flick (2022)
Best one since Seamen
After a couple of big tangents, A Scandi Flick brings The Grand Tour back to basics with what should be a simple journey in three cars that are all on brand in a location where they don't seem like practical options. It results in the best special since Seamen and a runtime closer to feature length again, supported by more than enough hilarious bits and one shocking unscripted moment that can easily sustain it.
The ongoing antics of Clarkson, Hammond and May are on top form here thanks to their clever pranks which fit the colder location of this episode, their painfully funny struggles to traverse the icy landscape by foot and an unwavering ability to deliver dry wit on the spot. The biggest surprise comes from James May adopting the outlook of Richard Hammond with his unexpectedly reckless driving and he nearly dies three separate times because of it.
The Grand Tour: The Grand Tour Presents: Carnage A Trois (2021)
A great extended rant
Carnage À Trois is a savage 69 minutes of television. It essentially boils down to Clarkson, Hammond and May ranting about the French and all their weird decisions when it comes to the way they make their cars with glorious results whilst still finding the time to celebrate their best idiosyncrasies. It's the usual combination of fun tangents, big stunts and a brief history lesson.
It's a special that peaks early since all the best parts are in the first half. Watching all three of them complain about all the random choices made in their chosen cars is a lot of fun and it only gets better when they swap to a different set to traverse the countryside with no regard for the state they arrive in. It's a painfully funny tangent which gives this special a free pass on the second half purely because of how good this one bit is.
Gladiator II (2024)
Great old school epic
Gladiator II is the kind of sword and sandals epic that's almost extinct these days and if it can only exist in the vein of yet another legacy sequel, then the rewards are totally worth it here. The callbacks to the original don't always work and the ending is a little rushed but all of that's massively compensated for through pretty much every other aspect. It's a $200 million plus, unapologetically R rated blockbuster where every single penny is on the screen and that is a gift.
Paul Mescal has big sandals to fill and he does a really good job by starting off fueled entirely by rage and then gradually becoming more stoic as it goes along. Denzel Washington is having so much fun it's hard not to smile whenever he's on screen as he manipulates everyone in an attempt to gain more power. Pedro Pascal brings a lot of humanity so even when he's at odds with Mescal, the conflict is less straightforward and all the better for it.
Ridley Scott's direction is better than in the original when it comes to the action which doesn't cut as much this time and uses the advancements in technology to deliver a totally different collection of set pieces. There's a couple of fights against animals and a large-scale naval battle in the coliseum where historical accuracy is gleefully sacrificed to make everything more entertaining. The fact that he can release this and Napoleon in the space of a year is astonishing.
The pacing is relentless as all 148 minutes fly by and it wastes no time getting to the first major piece of action. The score by Harry Gregson-Williams is a great presence throughout even if its best moments are when it simply harkens back to Zimmer's previous work. It's nice to see old school filmmaking employed with massive sets filled with extras and at the same time there's a lot of CGI present which looks really good even when it's noticeable.
My Old Ass (2024)
Beautiful film
My Old Ass is a coming of age story that merges elements of a stoner comedy with some low tech time travel to great effect. It's so funny and easy to like but its greatest strength comes from the emotional core and the beautiful messages which come from it. It's a winning argument about how life is messy, scary and full of extremely painful heartbreak however, that only makes it all the more important to take the risks and enjoy the best moments.
Maisy Stella gives an amazing lead performance, starting off unaware of what she's about to leave behind which allows her to grow over the course of the film and her internal struggles as she discovers new things about herself unfold in a really earnest fashion. Aubrey Plaza is only on screen for two scenes and it's so impressive how funny she is in the first one and how much emotion she brings to the second. Percy Hynes White nails his part as someone who is supposed to be a red flag but his actions only confirm the opposite.
As writer & director Megan Park delivers a breezily entertaining film that consistently looks nice thanks to its scenic locations and ability to hone in on the smaller details that mean everything before delivering a well earned emotional gut punch at the end. All the dialogue feels authentic without ever coming across as unintentionally awkward and there's a lot of fun to be had in catching the small details Aubrey Plaza lets slip about this version of the future.
The Penguin (2024)
All time great comic book show
In an era where every franchise has to have spin offs that cross mediums, The Penguin proves that this level of corporate greed can be utilised to make damn good television. It's an epic crime saga which brings so much humanity to the criminals at the centre of its story without shying away from how dark their actions can get. It's clearly part of a greater universe but still able to confidently stand on its own two feet to the extent it almost becomes distracting as Batman isn't even referenced until the very end.
Colin Farrell was a scene stealer in The Batman and now that he's spent more time as this character than Robert Pattinson has been the caped crusader, his version of Oz has become a complex and layered character. He's funny, manipulative, vulnerable and emotionally cold across the season resulting in a character who's hard to pin down. It's a bold take for the show to go the opposite way to what others have done by having it centre on the worst character rather than the most likeable.
It brings it a lot closer to its main inspirations instead of the other spin offs about villains in franchise filmmaking. This is a world of mobsters with morals whereas Oz is willing to do anything to anyone to get ahead and it becomes increasingly clear as it goes along that there's no line he won't cross. It's never more clear than his relationship with Rhenzy Feliz as Victor, who is so likeable and given a satisfying arc that allows him to gain more confidence which only makes the resolution to their journey all the more devastating.
Cristin Milioti as Sofia Falcone is the other vital pillar of the show. She dominates every scene from the moment she appears, instilling fear in everyone around her through her calm yet threatening presence. However, like all the other characters here she is given so much depth thanks to a standout episode entirely dedicated to her backstory, imbuing her with a lot of empathy and it makes the central conflict between her and Oz conflicting as you want her to succeed more than Oz.
One of the greatest strengths of the show is its overall unpredictability. Just when you think it's about to get into a weekly rhythm, something big happens that flips everything again. Characters start off as enemies, become allies and then go back to being enemies in the span of a few episodes and big reveals that they could've held onto for longer are revealed quickly to keep the momentum going. To make it better it all comes full circle by the end.
Zootopia (2016)
Extremely mature yet still kid friendly
Zootopia is a masterpiece that's insanely impressive even within the top tier of animated films in which it comfortably sits. It takes the 48 hours premise of a cop and a perp working together to solve a case and transports it into a luscious modern day animal kingdom for an incredibly nuanced depiction of racism and stereotyping through the relationship between predator and prey. It's a prime example of a film aimed at children having important messages at its core whilst also being a really fun adventure.
Ginnifer Goodwin and Jason Bateman are both perfectly cast. Goodwin has a near endless enthusiasm as she refuses to let society keep her down even when it comes close by always finding her own way to solve a problem and Bateman is effortlessly cool as he has an answer for everything, using that wit as a shield for his pain. It makes them a really strong pairing with so much chemistry and very investing to see them slowly open up to each other.
Directors Byron Howard and Rich Moore do not waste a minute in a tightly paced film which packs so much into its shorter run time. Zootopia works as well as it possibly can structurally, finding lots of clever ways to play with perspective because of the various sizes of its inhabitants and that allows the gorgeous animation to render every possible location in stunning detail. There's only one song/musical number here but it's so good and memorable the film can use it at both ends.
The writing here is fantastic, it could and should be studied when it comes to setting up and paying off every little detail. It's all contained in a satisfying mystery and if it's not focusing on that, it's vital character depth unfolding or it's hammering the biggest themes home through the dialogue without it feeling clunky. The jokes are a mile a minute as they cover every possible joke about a society of animals on the page and on the screen and pretty much all of them land.
The Grand Tour: The Grand Tour Presents: Lochdown (2021)
Fun pandemic special
Lochdown finds Clarkson, Hammond and May not being able to travel far because of the pandemic and that doesn't massively hinder this special. There's still plenty of caravan chaos, misjudged car modifications and fun challenges all set against really beautiful locations, proving they don't have to travel too far from home to see some jaw droppingly epic scenery. It's a really good special even if it betrays its own format a bit too much.
The central idea of bringing massive American cars through Scotland is a lot of fun because of how ill equipped they are but the random offshoots in other vehicles, no matter how fun, just don't fit. The general idea of the specials is that they're stuck to their chosen cars and even though these segments change up the formula, they do bring it closer to a regular episode of The Grand Tour which kinda defeats the point.
Candy Cane Lane (2023)
Solid festive fun
Candy Cane Lane has no business being this long plus its laughs are few and far between but this festive spin on Jumanji always remains entertaining as it becomes a solid way to start the season. It's weird that Eddie Murphy stopped making films for a while because of the quality of some of them, only to return and make them at the same quality just without a theatrical release; however at least this is fun enough to avoid any major embarrassment.
Eddie Murphy doesn't feel like he's operating at full power again and yet what he gives the film is still plenty to keep it going with a solid amount of energy. Even when he's not getting to be as funny as he can be, he's generally likeable and it's just nice to have him back consistently. Jillian Bell is fully committed to a role which is both too generic and too broad and out of the rest of the cast, Madison Thomas shines because she's so adorable.
Reginald Hudlin's direction is further proof that no matter how much experience you have making theatrical releases, a film made for streaming will almost always look like one. It's generally vibrant, helped by the very flashy Christmas decorations and it's also massively over lit as usual. There's a lot of CGI and it's a mixed success since all the animals look rough as opposed to all the talking porcelain miniatures who look pretty good.
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit (2014)
Worthy reboot
Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit feels like a throwback even within the time it was released. It's a well intentioned attempt to restart the franchise in the vein of Jason Bourne and Daniel Craig era Bond, allowing it to deliver some unexpectedly big action set pieces considering previous entries whilst also keeping his skills as an analyst intact and putting a surprisingly sweet romance front and centre. For a January release this is impressive stuff.
Chris Pine gives a great lead performance thanks to his natural likeability and how believable he is when it comes to feeling competent yet inexperienced in certain real world elements. Kevin Costner has the right amount of gravitas combined with mystery and Keira Knightley's American accent is so good it becomes distracting. Speaking of accents, Kenneth Branagh casts himself as the main villain and the vanity is warranted since he's so confident in his threatening nature.
Kenneth Branagh's direction shows he has a wider set of skills than it initially seems as he delivers a slick and energetic thriller with action which mimics the frenetic energy of a Bourne film in some of its camerawork without getting so erratic that it becomes incomprehensible. There's a solid bathroom fight worthy of Casino Royale and a couple of suitably tense, high stakes car chases. Patrick Doyle's score is exactly how you expect a modern day spy film to sound.
The Grand Tour: The Grand Tour Presents: A Massive Hunt (2020)
Minor stumble but still really entertaining
Apart from the aptly named Operation Desert Stumble, The Grand Tour hasn't really had an issue with its level of scriptedness until A Massive Hunt, where the main search for Pirate Treasure just feels contrived and the gags centred around it don't land like they should. However, this is still mainly a special in which Clarkson, Hammond and May modify their cars to traverse difficult terrain with varying degrees of success and that's always endlessly entertaining stuff.
Thanks to the central trio being so reliable in their ability to carry a special on their chemistry alone, this remains breezily entertaining and the way they rarely help each other out when something goes wrong only solidifies how strong their friendship is. In classic Top Gear/Grand Tour fashion, these cars are pushed to the limit and each of them suffers in their own way much to the delight of the others, especially James May in this one.
Paddington in Peru (2024)
Weakest of the three but still delightful
Paddington in Peru is comfortably the weakest of the trilogy with the absence of Paul King and Simon Farnaby definitely being felt but this is still a delightful third instalment that loses none of the heart and brings everything set up in the first act to a neat conclusion thanks to another satisfying third act. It's a consistently funny adventure which never forgets the immigrant story at the heart of this as Paddington struggles to balance his past and future.
Ben Whishaw remains endlessly precious with another pitch perfect vocal performance so Paddington continues to be a much needed cinematic balm. Hugh Bonneville is really funny as he tries to be more courageous and Emily Mortimer is a worthy replacement even if Sally Hawkins is missed. Antonio Banderas gets to do everything Dial of Destiny stopped him doing, having a ball whilst he does it and Olivia Colman as a suspicious singing nun is another big highlight.
Dougal Wilson's direction brings enough whimsy through carrying over ideas from the predecessors and some new inventive ones as well as a few well placed references to other films. There's a lot of slapstick here as usual and it always escalates in unexpected ways. The CGI is pushed like never before, making it all the more impressive that the effects that bring Paddington to life rarely falter despite the sheer amount of CG bears this time.
Red One (2024)
Possibly the worst Rockbuster
It's nice to see a big budget, original blockbuster which is wholeheartedly committed to its festive concept but Red One is a consistently ugly film where every idea is borrowed liberally from something better. The North Pole is Wakanda, The Rock has Ant-Man powers and Lucy Liu randomly turns into Black Widow at the end. The militarised version of Santa removes a lot of the magic and it's only through a few chuckles and a competent double act that it doesn't end up on the naughty list itself.
Dwayne Johnson is clearly comfortable in these kinds of leading man roles where he can be generically likeable without doing anything too demanding, plus he pairs well with Chris Evans, even if their chemistry is designed for literally any combination of actors. Evans himself continues to make weird choices thanks to another role well below his talents and J. K. Simmons as Santa Claus is great casting despite sleeping for most of the film.
This film may have been deemed good enough for a theatrical release by Amazon however Jake Kasdan's direction is standard streaming movie execution where the action combines incredibly poor CGI with messy editing and the few hints of that Jumanji energy are mostly contained within the big Krampus scene. Henry Jackman's score understands the assignment and tries its best to bring a sense of fun and festive cheer whilst being forgettable.
The Grand Tour: The Grand Tour Presents: Seamen (2019)
Best GT special so far
It makes perfect sense for the first special now that they only do those to do something bold and the boat focused antics of Seamen are a lot of fun and totally different to what came before. It does mean the car show isn't about cars for 91 minutes but it isn't an issue and was never the show's greatest strength anyway. This remains the best special since they started exclusively doing these.
The greatest strength has always been the endless bickering between the central trio and it shows absolutely no signs of running out of gas here. They're all great storytellers with distinct attitudes and personalities that are still beautifully reflected in the vehicles they choose no matter how impractical and their chosen boats are just perfect for each of them.
This show is so technically impressive in a way that's designed to go unnoticed and this is some of the most accomplished work they've ever done. The combination of archive footage, travel show worthy footage of the scenery and seamless editing which combines the voice overs with the corresponding footage is effortless as usual. It's just even more impressive here as it all takes place on water, making everything harder.
Prospect (2018)
Impressive low budget sci-fi
As far as low budget sci-fi films go, Prospect is a really impressive one. It's the classic coming of age story where someone has to grow up really quickly because of the harsh environment they've stumbled into, just transported into a sci-fi setting on an unforgiving alien moon to give it a simple yet effective premise and execution. It's another example of a well utilised 90 odd minute run time since everything is in the moment.
Sophie Thatcher gives a really good lead performance that balances the naivety and resourcefulness well. It's fun to see Pedro Pascal protecting another child as he guides them across a treacherous landscape since this archetype defines his career now. There's something unique for him here though as he starts off in charming but sinister fashion before gradually becoming an ally whilst keeping the charm.
Directors Zeek Earl & Christopher Caldwell extend the budget past what it probably cost thanks to some brief glimpses of the wider world at play here that are wisely kept at a distance, framed through small spaces and front-loaded. Using the Hoh Rainforest for the majority of the exterior shots which take up so much screen time works wonderfully to create a fully realised location that feels as practical as possible.
Brothers (2024)
Inoffensively unfunny
Brothers is barely a comedy. There's a handful of laughs interspersed throughout but that's nowhere enough to sustain it even at a mercifully brief 90 minutes. More than anything else it's just frustrating to see so many talented people waste their talents on something so utterly disposable and lifeless. It's at least inoffensively low quality and has a memorably gross scene worthy of the Farrelly brothers.
This cast is massively over qualified for what this is. Josh Brolin & Peter Dinklage can keep this going for as long as needed (just about) even if their rapport lacks the spark to make it truly memorable. Glenn Close proves she's willing to do anything however it's not a good thing in this case and Brendan Fraser is by far the best thing about this with a manic energy which briefly brings the film to life whenever he appears.
Max Barbakow's direction is thoroughly low energy to the extent it's hard to believe this is the same director who made the brilliant Palm Springs. It just goes through the motions without anything of merit apart from the one scene involving a fairly uncanny CGI Orangutan. The most noticeable set piece that misses the mark is the chase across a golf course which is deliberately slow and still lacks any spark.
Friday (1995)
So deservedly iconic
Friday is so iconic that it's likely you've seen some of the biggest moments many times before they appear here and it doesn't even remotely hinder their effectiveness. It's a great comedy where the biggest laughs are interspersed throughout and even though it has an aimless easy going nature, there's a clear narrative as well as some satisfying character arcs. It's very specific in everything it's doing and yet it's still got some universality.
Ice Cube gives a very natural lead performance thanks to his general likeability in the role, making it a pleasure to spend 90 minutes with him and it only gets better when he shares most of his scenes with Chris Tucker, who's boundless mischievous energy is in full effect. He gets a lot of good laughs but surprisingly it's John Witherspoon who gets the three biggest laughs pretty much back to back whilst also delivering a standout dramatic beat.
F. Gary Gray's direction brings a lot of style which merges naturally with all the comedy. Contrary to what the critic consensus on Rotten Tomatoes may say, there's actually a nice amount of unobtrusive directorial flair present from beginning to end. There's also a suitably breezy score from composers Simon Franglen, Chuck Wild, and Frank Fitzpatrick and an equally on point soundtrack that manage to strike a good balance.
Anora (2024)
Pretty Woman meets Uncut Gems
Anora is an early career magnum opus for Sean Baker that continues to destigmatize sex workers and offer some thoughtful class commentary as the uber rich mess around with the lives of others for a good time with no thought about the consequences for them. It's great when it acts like Pretty Woman and only gets better when it shifts gears into Uncut Gems territory with a highly tense second half that's also really funny throughout.
Mikey Madison is everything in a film that's built around her star making performance which confirms she only deserves more leading roles. She's so confident and refuses to back down whilst being endlessly likeable. It makes everything incredibly investing because you just want her to get the fairytale ending she's been promised, making you hold onto the slightest shred of hope even as reality sets in at every turn.
There's a strong cast of supporting characters too. Mark Eydelshteyn makes Ivan seem nice in spite of his obvious flaws before sadly revealing that he is just a spineless spoiled brat. Yura Borisov, Vache Tovmasyan, and Karren Karagulian are a delightful trio who just spend the majority of their screen time dealing with an awful job which quickly morphs into a spectacular comedy of errors so you just feel really bad for them.
Sean Baker's direction is amazing thanks to an air tight grasp of the tone, allowing it to do the big shift gracefully and the striking opening scene set to Take That sets the scene beautifully. His editing is a standout since this is 139 minutes without feeling overly long. The home invasion sequence goes on for a while and it's only a good thing since it keeps escalating and it definitely helps that the middle chunk is an in the moment search across town for Ivan.
Heretic (2024)
Tightly contained and smart horror
Heretic puts religion through the ringer in a thoroughly gripping slow burn that's got plenty of tricks up its sleeve. It presents its central argument with some unexpectedly funny metaphors and then pokes holes in its theories, pivots to a brief improvisation and finally reveals what this game has all been about in a satisfying fashion. It's a one location horror that doesn't delve as deep into the shifting areas as you'd expect but finds plenty of ways to make up for that.
Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East are a really good pairing because they contrast each other so well. Sophie Thatcher is more world weary whereas Chloe East is more naive as it seems like she misses obvious traps. That contrast is shown in everything from their costumes to the media they reference and how they reference it. Plus the film cleverly plays with your expectations based on what it tells you about them and the actresses previous roles.
The main attraction is undoubtedly Hugh Grant continuing his winning villain streak with a delightfully evil performance as he revels in what he's doing and is effortlessly threatening whilst delivering cheesy jokes. He contorts his natural British charms into something more off putting so even when he's being warm there's still something uncomfortable about it and it's made more effective because he always retains some composure, even when things don't go to plan.
As writers and directors, Scott Beck and Bryan Woods sustain the longest scenes through the meaty dialogue and Chung Chung-hoon's excellent slow moving cinematography and the horror succeeds by keeping jump scares to an absolute minimum. The lengthy debates about religion and its many forms are so enthralling the length almost goes unnoticed and the cinematography employing a lot of close ups and gradually moving between whoevers speaking adds a sense of dynamism.
Relic (2020)
Affecting horror
Relic is an emotionally affecting drama about the effects of dementia whilst also being a really creepy horror film that builds slowly and effectively to a gnarly body horror climax. It's the epitome of 'elevated horror' and can balance both sides really well so it can have deeper themes and be about something important without skimping on the scares. The fact that the central metaphor is simple and bluntly stated doesn't massively hinder it.
Emily Mortimer and Bella Heathcote are amazing as they struggle with their inner turmoil. They genuinely want to help but at the same time they do look for the easy way out and then feel bad for considering it. Robyn Nevin is very convincing when she needs to be unsettling or threatening; however, her greatest strengths lie in how she's able to remain empathetic even when things have properly escalated at the end.
Natalie Erika James directs a strong debut film that's got a potent atmosphere enhanced by the rotting setting that contains all the scares, even if it's almost too dark at points. The scares weaponise some of the most potent fears with claustrophobia, fear of the dark and the uncomfortable possibility of something lurking under your bed all being employed for the strongest moments. Plus the drama interspersed between them is equally impactful.
Bone Tomahawk (2015)
Fantastic original slow burn
Bone Tomahawk is a slow burn at its finest. It really takes its time to get things into motion which only makes it more engaging and actually enhances the growing sense of unease as it's held for an unrelentingly long time. It's always nice to see a western because they're so infrequent and it's especially satisfying to see such an original idea as well with the classic western trappings morphed into something more horrifying.
The longer run time and slower pace lets the cast really sink their teeth into the roles. For a large portion of the film it's just Kurt Russell, Richard Jenkins, Patrick Wilson, and Matthew Fox traversing the unforgiving landscape and it never comes close to being boring thanks to their dynamics. There's conflicting morals and ideologies between them that come through in the thoughtful yet strained conversations with resolutions occurring in a believable fashion.
S. Craig Zahler's direction gradually builds the horror, starting as stories then unsettling sounds as they approach the cannibal's territory and it culminates in some unforgettably horrific gore that is limited to one major scene to leave a real impression whilst brutally establishing the stakes for the third act. The music by S. Craig Zahler and Jeff Herriott has an air of sadness which perfectly compliments the final moments.
Terrifier 3 (2024)
Best one yet
Terrifier 3 proves this franchise only wants to improve by responding to the criticisms of the last one. It's thankfully closer to 2 hours this time and the kills only continue to feel more balanced. It really doesn't waste the potential of its festive setting and understands the appeal of these films, so it just escalates them to new heights. The only thing holding this one back a bit is the deeper exploration of the mythology, which just brings unnecessary baggage.
By this point, David Howard Thornton has cemented Art the Clown as a new all time great horror icon. His performance only dials up the dark humour to great effect as he relishes what he does, making every scene with him unforgettable. It helps the tension too because once that smile drops things always get intense. Equally as important to any of this working is returning final girl Lauren LaVera, who keeps the proceedings seriously investing thanks to her amazing performance.
Once again, there's a noticeable leap in budget working in its favour. Allowing everything to get bigger without losing its sense of identity. Damien Leone's direction starts things off beautifully thanks to an opening sequence that confirms exactly what this film is and isn't afraid to do and shows he still hasn't run out of fresh ways for Art to torture his victims. Paul Wiley's synth heavy score continues to be the ideal pairing for what this is going for.