joshbarton15 Reviews

Pieces of a Woman (2020)

Vanessa Kirby is simply fantastic.

[8/10 · 2 January 2021]

With awards season just about to kick into gear, the start of a new year means those film that have done the rounds at various festivals for the past number of months are released in rather quick succession. Pieces of a Woman is a film Netflix hope will bring them home some awards, particularly in the acting categories, and it's certainly a film that doesn't stray away from telling a difficult story.

When a young mother's (Vanessa Kirby) home birth ends in unfathomable tragedy, she begins a year-long odyssey of mourning that fractures relationships with loved ones in this deeply personal story of a woman learning to live alongside her loss.

There's no real way to discuss Kornél Mundruczó's Pieces of a Woman without first discussing the film's opening sequence. It's such a tragic and traumatic start to the film that, by the time the title card appears on screen after half-an-hour, I felt like I needed to pause the film to have a breather and compose myself. Mundruczó brings it to life with such realism and Benjamin Loeb's cinematography is to be lauded here because the long take only builds the suspense to unbearable levels at times while the close-ups of Vanessa Kirby's Martha throughout the sequence really make you feel her panic building.

What follows may struggle to live up to the standard of the film's opening but it does manage to tell a story about a woman learning to live alongside her loss in a respectful and touching manner. Kata Wéber's sreenplay features some rather powerful moments that include fractured families and poignant moments of refelction.

At the forefront of Pieces of a Woman is a fantastic lead performance from Vanesa Kirby. It's one that has rightly put her in the race for all the Best Actress awards out there and I'm sure a lot of it will be down to her performance in the film's opening however, there's more to her performance than that. It's a cold portrayal of a woman going through an unimaginable loss that impacts the lives of others surrounding her and Kirby is just brilliant, particularly during a monologue towards the film's closing moments.

This is undoubtedly Kirby's film but there is also some stellar support from the likes of Shia LaBeouf and Ellen Burstyn, the latter certainly adding a touch of melodrama to proceedings. Expect to see her name a lot this awards season as a result.

Pieces of a Woman is most definitely a film that doesn't look to hide away from a difficult subject matter and it's something that the film has to be applauded for. Vanessa Kirby's performance is the real star here though and one that will spoken about for years to come.

The Midnight Sky (2020)

Failure to launch.

[5/10 · 22 December 2020]

You'd have to go back to 2011 for the last time I saw a film directed by George Clooney. It was The Ides of March and I remember being pretty impressed with what he brought to the table. That being said, I've naturally associated him more with acting and he's given some really good performances over the years. Clooney returns to directing himself in a film, after taking a break in Suburbicon, with The Midnight Sky, a new science-fiction film from Netflix.

Following a mysterious global catastrophe, Augustine Lofthouse (George Clooney), a lonely scientist in the Arctic, races across treacherous terrain to warn a crew of astronauts from returning home to a uninhabitable planet Earth.

If you're looking to settle down and watch an uplifting film over Christmas then The Midnight Sky is most definitely not the film for you. It's a slow-burner and, while that doesn't necessarily make it a bad film, it doesn't really feel like it goes anywhere, particularly ending with quite a whimper after quite a promsing set-up. For a year where a lot of us have spent it not seeing many people outisde our own home, The Midnight Sky probably comes at the worst time for Netflix as it does really meander along in a depressive state.

That being said, while I found the narrative a little too inaccessible, The Midnight Sky is a film that does feature some fine aspects in other areas. The score from Alexandre Desplat is a delight, quiet and dreamlike in the background, while Martin Ruhe's cinematography does a great job in emphasisng the isolation of Augustine in the Arctic.

Coming to the performances, Clooney and his supporting cast deliver a decent standard but are let down by not much of a script to work with. It's an ambitious sci-fi film for sure but I felt it didn't quite know what it wanted to be, and it comes across that way with the performances. For a film that boasts such an impressive cast, you can't help but expect more.

All in all, The Midnight Sky is a bit of a mess from George Clooney, starting quite promisingly before falling apart as a result of tonal confusion and a final act that might reach for the stars but ends up failing to launch.

Soul (2020)

Just the film we need at this moment in time.

[10/10 · 22 December 2020]

Pixar are back to salvage some sort of hope and joy in what has been one of the worst years ever. A new Pixar film is always something to look forward to with the range of themes and imagination shown throughout their filmography, and with their latest, Soul, director Pete Docter returns but is he able to capture the magic of his previous Pixar films; Monsters, Inc., Up and Inside Out?

Joe Gardner (Jamie Foxx) is a middle school music teacher who has always dreamed of making it as a jazz musician. An accident while on his way to the Half Note Club for his shot at making it causes Joe's soul to leave his body and make its way to the Great Beyond. Managing to escape to the Great Before, Joe finds himself having to mentor a soul in training before he can return to his own body, the only problem being that he has to train 22 (Tina Fey), a soul with a dim view on the concept of life.

The first thing that sprung to my mind when watching Soul was just how stunning the animation is. Pixar really have been making major leaps with the animation in each of their films, making me think back to the days when people were in awe of the detail on Sulley's hair in Monsters, Inc. however, Soul proves they have taken it to the next level with an insane amount of detail in just about every single frame of the film. New York City is brought to life with such realism it felt like I was back walking the streets of such a great city with Joe and then there's the smaller scale details such as his regular barber shop or his mum's tailors. It really adds to the whole experience in such a positive and awe-inspiring manner.

Music has a huge part to play in Soul and it's not just in the moments we see Joe trying out for a jazz quartet, which are amazing by the way. Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross team up once again to deliver such a beautiful score for this film that I would honestly say is their best work since The Social Network.

Pixar always have a knack for touching every emotional chord in the body and the case is no different with Soul, albeit managing the feat in a different manner compared to films such as Up or, more recently, Onward. Docter, along with co-writers Mike Jones and Kemp Powers, has crafted such a beautiful and imaginative piece of work that I thought would be very similar to Inside Out but ends up being totally different, going in a direction I definitely didn't see coming. The film carries with it such a poignant and touching message that will reduce even the toughest of souls to a tear or two.

The vocal cast really does bring such a range of emotions to Soul, Jamie Foxx's performance as Joe Gardner being one that will rank amongst my favourite Pixar performances, the softness of his voice mirroring the softness of his soul so brilliantly. Then there is Tina Fey as 22, who we all know as a very funny actress, having to dampen spirits at first before having her eyes opened to a wondrous reality. There's plenty of humour amongst the screenplay for the cast to mess around with but it's when the film reaches its more emotional moments where they really get to impress.

I absolutely loved Soul and I implore everyone to watch it when it drops on Disney+ this Christmas Day, because we could all do with something joyous this festive season. Call me a Pixar fanboy if you must but Soul will go down for me as their twelfth masterpiece.

Finale (I) (2018)

Aims high but shoots very low.

[4/10 · 24 November 2020]

Opening with what reminded me of Marge appearing at the start of some Treehouse of Horror episodes of The Simpsons to warn the audience of the content that will appear in the following episode, The Ringmaster is another film that hones in on the success of the Saw films but leaves a lot to be desired in terms of emulating their success.

During the night of the biggest sports final of the year, two girls working in a gas station experience strange incidents. Is it just staged pranks or is it something of a more aggressive intent?

Horror is a genre where you can probably get away with a lot more in terms of extreme content and this is something The Ringmaster has the intention of doing however, it never manages to fulfil the promising potential it starts off with. There's an impressive sense of dread surrounding the two women on their shift at a gas station, particularly when two perculiar men arrive acting rather strangely, but that soon dissolves into nothing much, even as the women are forced to take part in an online entertainment event that isn't as insane as it thinks it is.

We know what's going to happen with the women as the film follows a non-linear narrative that jumps between their shift and then captivity. While not much of an issue for me, there's no surprise to any of it, knowing they will eventually be captured takes away much of the suspense created during the gas station scenes.

The performances, particularly from Anne Bergfield and Karin Michelsen, are decent enough but there isn't really much weight to any of it due to the fact there's no real substance to any of it. Damon Younger plays the Ringmaster and he does bring a sinister sense to proceedings but it does end up falling a bit flat, sitting in the middle rather than tipping over to either side of the psycho scale.

Imagine The Greatest Showman but P. T. Barnum rides out on a tricycle asking his "freaks" if they "wanna play a game". You could imagine it being carnage and that's what I'd want from a horror film called The Ringmaster but what we got instead ends up being rather tame, which is most definitely a shame.

Finding Steve McQueen (2019)

Not gonna make much of a splash but has a certain charm to it.

[7/10 · 6 November 2020]

Films that centre around a heist can go a number of ways, the slick style of Ocean's Eleven or the much more serious tone of Heat being just a few examples of how different a path you can go down. Finding Steve McQueen is a heist film that definitely leans toward the more playful side and I, for one, found it to be a deeply entertaining one at that.

Based on the United California Bank robbery in 1972, Finding Steve McQueen sees a gang of close-knit thieves from Youngstown, Ohio attempt to steal $30 million in illegal contributions and blackmail money from President Richard Nixon's secret fund.

Finding Steve McQueen jumps back and forth in time as the protagonist of the film, Harry Barber, comes clean to his girlfriend about the robbery he took part in eight years ago. It's a choice that serves the film well as it gives Barber the chance as a character to reflect on his actions and atone for the errors in his life, offering the audience a more conflicted character within a heist film rather than the thieft just out for himself.

The writing is solid as the film delivers a number of laughs and poignant emotional moments between particular characters, Ken Hixon and Keith Sharon giving this the feel of something like Logan Lucky, which isn't exactly the worst company to be in.

Finding Steve McQueen features an ensemble cast of instantly recognisable faces that it'd be great to see more of in Hollywood. Travis Fimmel is great as Barber, the antihero of the piece whose false confidence and relationship with Rachael Taylor's Molly Murphy make him quite an endearing character. William Fichtner is that guy you can just rely on to turn up and deliver quality in his performance and of course Forest Whitaker as well, even if it's a role that doesn't require as much work as some of his previous films.

While it may not be as memorable as some other heist films or as cool as the titular Hollywood icon, Finding Steve McQueen is an enjoyable ride nonetheless. Quite honestly though, there's not many that are cooler than Steve McQueen.

One Man and His Shoes (2020)

A real eye-opener into such a lucrative business deal.

[8/10 · 13 October 2020]

This documentary from Yemi Bamiro gives an insight into the impact the Air Jordan brand had on the world, from marketing strategies designed to make them desirable to the cultural significance they possessed with Michael Jordan being such a major star of the NBA. To this day they still make billions of dollars a year but it was the switch of tone in the documentary to show the dark side of consumerism that made this such a facinating viewing experience. There have been many cases of people being either seriously injured or killed for a pair of these shoes as they come with such a hefty price tag and are so sought after, a graphic informing us that there have been killings every year since the sneakers first launched in 1989. It's an eye-opener for sure and I feel would make a great companion piece to The Last Dance.

One Night in Miami... (2020)

Mightily impressive feature debut from Regina King.

[9/10 · 12 October 2020]

Based on a play that tells the fictional account of a real night, 25 February 1964, One Night in Miami is an incredibly relevant film for 2020, Regina King's feature film debut premiering at the BFI London Film Festival during Black History Month and a year when the Black Lives Matter movement has become much more prominent with the injustices in America being seen and protested all round the world.

After Cassius Clay (Eli Goree) wins the World Heavyweight Championship from Sonny Liston in Miami, he meets with Jim Brown (Aldis Hodge), Sam Cooke (Leslie Odom Jr.) and Malcolm X (Kingsley Ben-Adir) to discuss their roles in the civil rights movement and cultural upheaval of the 60s.

One Night in Miami is a fascinating watch, Kemp Powers adapting his own play to the screen with a screenplay that pits iconic figures and their ideaoligies against one another in a film mostly set in one location. Introducing each of the characters in their everyday vocations and the struggles they faced in being black men sets the film up for a rather powerful main act where they discuss how they can use their positions of varied success to be heard during the civil rights movement.

The contrasting feelings of how they should use their positions of power, whether it be through music, sports or activism, makes for a really intriguing and captivating set up and Regina King directs it with aplomb, giving the actors the chance to shine on such a narratively tight project, Tami Reiker's cinematography impressing too in the confined spaces of the motel room in particular.

One Night in Miami also excels in the performance department, the four mightily impressive leads each delivering a performance of power and stature that goes with the iconic figures they are portraying. Leslie Odom Jr. came close to being the best of the bunch as Sam Cooke but he was just beaten to it by Kingsley Ben-Adir's incredible portrayal of Malcolm X, the passion he had for his friends to do their best and not waste their potential being powered home in Ben-Adir's excellent performance.

What Regina King has achieved here with One Night in Miami, her debut feature, is nothing short of excellent, a tale of powerful black men questioning their own ideaologies as they clash with one another at a time in history where their voices would be better united against the injustices they faced.

Kajillionaire (2020)

Great piece of work from Miranda July.

[8/10 · 7 October 2020]

Everyone at some point in their life feels that they aren't part of a normal family, whether it be as a result of how you were raised or growing apart as life goes on. I doubt anyone out there would be able to claim being part of such an oddball family as in Miranda July's Kajillionaire, a quirky crime comedy that I typically love getting stuck into.

Old Dolio Dyne's (Evan Rachel Wood) life is turned upside down when her parents (Richard Jenkins and Debra Winger) invite outsider, Melanie (Gina Rodriguez), to join them on a major heist they're planning.

Kajillionaire opens in such intriguing fashion and maintains a sense of obscurity throughout that I certainly didn't fully connect with but found myself drawn to the deft character work from Miranda July and the film being rather striking visually. July's writing really does capture the desperation of this family and how the constant hustling and new arrival has driven a wedge right through the unnatural bond these parents share with their daughter, the comedy subtle in its execution and suiting the film to a tee.

The performances in Kajillionaire are brilliantly nuanced and not so in your face with the obscurity to put people off. They are a weird bunch but the performances from Richard Jenkins and Debra Winger as the parents are really good as their grip on the control of their daughter's life slips away. It's Evan Rachel Wood that really stands out here though, the introduction of Melanie into her life throwing her into an existential crisis that Wood throws herself into fabulously, heartbreaking as it is captivating.

Miranda July's Kajillionaire may not make a lot of noise to grab your attention but it's a film that deserves to be sought out, July's filmmaking and the performances leading it to become one of my favourites of the year.

Relic (2020)

A haunting piece of work.

[8/10 · 6 October 2020]

Natalie Erika James makes her feature film debut with Relic, a horror film that, like many films of the genre, offer more if you scratch beneath the surface. When Edna (Robyn Nevin), the demented and widowed matriarch of the family, goes missing, her daugter Kay (Emily Mortimer) and granddaughter Sam (Bella Heathcote) travel to their family home to try and find her. What they find upon arrival is a sinister presence haunting the house and slowly taking control of Edna.

Obvious comparisons can be drawn with Ari Aster's Hereditary but then again it definitely deserves to be judged on its own merit because Relic certainly does enough to stray away from being labelled an exact replica. Natalie Erika James possesses the ability to create a tense and haunting atmosphere that lingers over proceedings, making the impending sense of dread predictable but shocking nonetheless.

The fact you can see where the film is going doesn't take away from the film as a whole, Relic being a predictable yet impactful depiction of how dementia inhabits and tears away at the people we love. It's not just the people either, as the family home deteriorates too, James ensuring it becomes a character as much as the female trio that take centre stage.

Coming to the performances, Relic features three very diiferent but equally strong performances from Robyn Nevin, Emily Mortimer and Bella Heathcote. Each of them bring different qualities to a generational horror that culminates in a beautifully fitting and muted manner.

So, consider me impressed by Natalie Erika James' first feature film and her effective approach to covering such a condition as dementia. There's plenty of things that go bump in the night and darkened corners in every room but it's the real heart of the narrative that make Relic such a haunting piece of work.

Mogul Mowgli (2020)

Riz Ahmed is a star.

[8/10 · 2 October 2020]

When your day to day life revolves around doing something that you have a devout passion for there could be nothing worse than that particular lifestyle being put at risk by something so cruel as an illness of some sort.

In Bassam Tariq's Mogul Mowgli, Riz Ahmed plays Zed, a British-Pakistani rapper just about to start his first world tour before being struck down by an autoimmune disease that threatens to derail his big break.

Tariq delivers a rather intimate tale of a talented man's life that comes crashing down around him all while trying to reconnect with his family back in London. Finding a path in life that has led to a career in music is one that Zed's family don't fully approve of so the two colliding when his illness takes holds leads to a real sense of claustrophobia as Zed struggles to come to terms with the impact it will have on his life.

This is realised in some trippy dream sequences littered throughout that haunt Zed and emphasise the panic he's facing internally with some choppy editing and some very decent rapping. Listen out for Pussy Fried Chicken, a dead cert for the Oscar for Best Original Song for sure.

Riz Ahmed leads the film with an exceptional performance that spans from confident musician about to get his big break to a shell of his former self, vulnerable and frail as the illness sets in and leaves him questioning what future he is set for. This is very much a film for Ahmed to showcase his talents and he truly excels on every level.

It's kicked off LFF for me in a great and surprisingly emotional fashion so make sure you seek this one out upon release.

Enola Holmes (2020)

Mystery runs in the family.

[7/10 · 23 September 2020]

Thought this was going to be one hell of an annoying film from the fourth wall breaking opening that introduces us to Millie Bobby Brown's Enola Holmes, the little sister of Sherlock and Mycroft. Thankfully, the film goes the other way entirely to become a thoroughly entertaining mystery adventure romp that focuses on the lesser known member of the Holmes family. Millie Bobby Brown leads the film with a confidence you'd expect from someone who became so famous from Stranger Things, holding her own against the likes of Helena Bonham Carter, Sam Claflin and Henry Cavill in her first lead role. I'm sure Netflix have their sights set on future films or even spin-offs and, with how entertaining this turned out, I would gladly watch them.

Bill & Ted Face the Music (2020)

Does the world need this right now? Erm... YEAH DUDE!!!

[7/10 · 17 September 2020]

Back in 1989 they had an Excellent Adventure to produce the most memorable history report and then in 1991 they went on a Bogus Journey to hell and back to save themselves from death. Now, in 2020, it's time for Bill & Ted to Face the Music and fulfil their destiny. Nearly thirty years since they last graced our screens, is the world in need of Bill & Ted as they were back then? Bill (Alex Winter) & Ted (Keanu Reeves) were once told they would save the universe through the power of music. Now middle-aged and with daughters in tow, the would-be rockers are still trying to write the hit song that will make them fulfil their destiny.

The question as to whether the world is in need of a Bill & Ted film can be answered with an emphatic yes, this is exactly what the world needs right now; wholesome and harmless fun that isn't afraid to be absurd as it wants. I remember the two previous films fondly from my childhood so there is a little bit of nostalgia that kicked in when watching Face the Music but when is that ever a bad thing?! Granted, it's not a masterpiece but we all knew that it was never going to be so if you go into this knowing what to expect, you'll undoubtedly have a blast. It's goofy as hell, of course, but at least it has two leads fully committed to embracing the goofiness that has run throughout the franchise. Keanu Reeves is weaponless and beardless (takes a little while to get used to him without a beard by the way) but it's great to see him having so much fun back with his old pal Alex Winter, who we haven't seen much of over the years.

The pair share a great energy together on screen and it really is infectious thoughout the entire film. The involvement of their daughters was a fun idea that didn't distract from the main event and they definitely nailed it with casting Samara Weaving as Bill's daughter and Brigette Lundy-Paine as Ted's.

Like I said, this isn't a film out to win awards or be recognised as a masterpiece, and some won't be able to stand the absurdity of it all, but it is a film that gives us all a short break from the sad state of affairs we find ourselves in these days. So try to forget everything for a little while and remember to "be excellent to each other" and "party on dudes!"

The Devil All the Time (2020)

Netflix with yet another film for the best of 2020 pile.

[9/10 · 16 September 2020]

So there's this new film on Netflix where Spider-Man, Batman and the Winter Soldier make up only a few of the oddball characters in the bleak and unforgiving crime thriller, The Devil All the Time, from Antonio Campos. Now, I'm going to stop right there and tell you that is a ridiculous way to approach this film yet it seems some just aren't ready to relate the actors in this film to anything other than the superhero films they've either already graced or about to. The three respective actors are only a small part of an ensemble cast that may just be the most imipressive of the year.

Arvin Russell (Tom Holland) is a young man devoted to protecting the ones he loves in a postwar backwoods town in Ohio but when a number of sinister characters converge around him, he faces a true test against corruption and brutality.

Our lives can be shaped by a number of varying aspects at such a young age, whether it be through how we are raised by our parents or what we see in the outside world. Amidst the backdrop of a small backwoods town in postwar America, The Devil All the Time is set when both family and religion had a major imprint on people, Arvin Russell in particular being exposed to a childhood of violence carried out by his father on others.

Antonio Campos' film is quite an experience, taking time to settle into its surroundings and many characters but it warrants being a bit of a slow burner with a neatly woven narrative that doesn't shy away from violence, catching me off guard a few times throughout. It's an important part of the narrative though as Arvin struggles with finding a path in life that doesn't lead down the same route his father's took.

Campos has quite a cast at his disposal and he really does get the best out of the film's major players, Tom Holland giving one his finest performances to date in the lead role that showcases a real sense of vulnerability amidst the responsibility to protect those he loves. Robert Pattinson is the scene stealer of the film as a rather unholy preacher that once again proves how electrifying a performer he really is. It's a film made up of many characters that we don't particularly spend a lot of time with but it's testament to Campos as director that he can get such good performances from his cast no matter how minor their role.

The Devil All the Time is a meandering crime thriler that will hold you in a vice-like grip for large parts of its runtime before releasing with quiet but unflinching moments of brutality. It's most definitely one of the best films of the year.

The Babysitter: Killer Queen (2020)

Just as much fun as its predecessor so give it a chance.

[6/10 · 10 September 2020]

A lot of people will have written this off already for one major reason but I implore you to watch The Babysitter: Killer Queen anyway because it is just as much fun as the first film. It's insanely over-the-top, gory and even contains a dance number that isn't very subtle in it's imagery. That's McG though for you as a director I suppose. You can feel the cast are having a ball playing their exaggerated characters, Robbie Amell in particular highly entertaining with his douchebag act. Will this film win any awards? Not a chance. Will it entertain you for 90 minutes on a Friday or Saturday night? Most certainly.

I'm Thinking of Ending Things (2020)

I'm thinking this may be one of the best films of the year...

[9/10 · 4 September 2020]

Let's face it, a film with a family that consists of Jesse Plemons, Toni Collette and Davis Thewlis is never going to be normal is it? Charlie Kaufman's I'm Thinking of Ending Things is very much the marmite film of the year, some people will revel in trying to work it out while others will flat out hate it for that very reason. One thing for sure though is that Jessie Buckley continues her impressive rise to stardom with another fine performance alongside the impressive ensemble of Plemons, Collette and Thewlis. It's a film that unpacks so much in what feels like so little time, so I'm sure repeat viewings will be on the cards. I'm thinking this may be one of the best films of the year.

Tenet (2020)

"next level stuff in terms of innovative filmmaking"

[9/10 · 28 August 2020]

Time is relative. Relative to everyday life but also relative to Christopher Nolan's filmography; piecing together a fractured timeline in Memento, cheating time in the mindblowing Inception, bending time and travelling through wormholes in space in Interstellar, and the ticking clock as time ran out to save the stranded soldiers in Dunkirk. His latest, Tenet, forges a narrative based around time and the results really are quite something to behold.

Armed with only one word, Tenet, the Protagonist (John David Washington) sets about on a mission to fight for the survival of the entire world. It's a journey of international espionage and a mission that will unfold in time, just not as we all know it.

Tenet comes with a whole heap of expectations with the fact that it is the latest from Christopher Nolan but combine that with the notion that it will be the film a lot of people return to the cinema for since the Coronavirus pandemic shut them down earlier in the year, and it arrives with even more of a fanfare. Expect the unexpected from Nolan with every film he makes but with Tenet he takes it to new extremes because it really is next level stuff in terms of innovative filmmaking.

Getting into the plot of Tenet too much would make my head spin more than it did when I was walking out of the cinema but I can say that once I had the time to walk away and really think about it, Nolan really has created a film that challenges its audience to really think about what they are watching. There's plenty of exposition throughout however, you still have to pay plenty of attention to the details or you could find yourself in limbo.

It's another Nolan film that plays around with time but Tenet does so in a way that I don't think anyone would be able to say they've seen before. The action sequences are simply breathtaking, flowing both forwards and backwards in time, sometimes even at the same time. The ingenuity of it all is astounding and the idea of trying to choreograph fights and car chases backwards hurts my head enough yet alone actually executing it flawlessly, so there has to be a special mention to the stunt teams involved.

Tenet is led by a magnetic performance from John David Washington, who is quickly becoming one of the most exciting screen presences around. His physicality in such a demanding role really shines through as does his undeniable charisma, giving his father Denzel a run for his money in that department. Robert Pattinson has forged an incredible career for himself after the Twilight series and as the blandly named Neil he brings a lot to a character who could just be seen as very throwaway, saving the heavy hitting for when we see him cracking skulls in The Batman next year.

Elizabeth Debicki is the best of the supporting cast as Kat, trapped in a loveless marriage and held against her will by her villainous husband Andrei Sator, played by Kenneth Branagh, who thankfully doesn't ham it up as much as when he played the villain in Jack Ryan: Shadow Recruit. Aaron Taylor-Johnson is the man everyone forgot was in the film as a military commander and it's good to see Himesh Patel doing so well for himself after years of playing the nerdy Tamwar Masood in EastEnders.

I didn't find myself taking to Ludwig Goransson's score so much throughout the film, obvious similarities to some of Hans Zimmer's work on previous Nolan films holding it back. The one major complaint I have with Tenet, and I feel it was always going to eventually happen in a Nolan film, was that there were a few moments where it was just too loud and dialogue was being drowned out by an incredibly uneven sound mix.

That being said, Tenet marks a return to the cinema in quite triumphant fashion. It's big, loud and easily Nolan's most ambitious film to date, crescendoing to yet another emotional, if rather subtle this time round, finale that will make you sit back in your seat and feel like you've just had a cinematic experience like no other.

The Sleepover (2020)

Netflix really just waste money on trash.

[2/10 · 21 August 2020]

It's that time of the week again when Netflix drop another original film. By now, I should know to expect extremely throwaway films full of insanely generic characters and a badly drawn out narrative. The Sleepover actually sinks to very low levels of "action" and "comedy" in a film that doesn't know who its target audience is. It's far too childish for adults to enjoy but then it's a film that I don't even think kids will get any enjoyment from. The performances are irritating and the plot is so easy to predict it's just embarrassing, Ken Marino doing the hapless dad routine very badly and just getting in the way. Every once in a while, Netflix will release an original film that bucks the trend of being so lazy and rubbish but The Sleepover is just not that film.

Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga (2020)

Well worth a watch for Eurovision fans.

[7/10 · 26 June 2020]

The Story of Fire Saga is very silly, there's no doubt about that, but it doesn't feel as if it makes the most of being set amongst the infamous singing contest that has provided copious moments of entertainment over the years. Will Ferrell is as you'd expect Will Ferrell to be in a film like this while Rachel McAdams proves yet again that she belongs in more comedies. The songs are absolute belters and there are some very funny moments along the way however, it suffers from being a tad too long, comedies running for two hours or more will always find it hard to sustain the laughs. That being said, The Story of Fire Saga works too as a respectful love letter to the Eurovision Song Contest rather than the giant pisstake that I was expecting.

The Last Days of American Crime (2020)

Overindulgence leads to boredom unfortunately.

[4/10 · 5 June 2020]

Some decent moments of action aside amidst a rather interesting concept, The Last Days of American Crime has no business being two and a half hours long. It really drags in places and certainly feels its runtime by the time it reaches its conclusion. Could have done with half hour to forty-five mintes being shaved off to make for a much more streamline film however, a film of this length in the hands of the director of the abysmal Taken sequels could have also ended up much worse than this.

The Lovebirds (2020)

Way too try hard for my liking.

[3/10 · 23 May 2020]

The Lovebirds starts promisingly with its two leads bouncing off each other well however, it soon falls into the trap of being an unfunny comedy that tries way too hard to be funny by making almost every line awkward or weird. The sex club scene was by far the funniest moment and earns half a star by itself but even that is not enough to save this trainwreck. Shame as I really liked The Big Sick.

The Wrong Missy (2020)

You'd hope there would actually be some comedy in there.

[1/10 · 13 May 2020]

There is nothing remotely funny about The Wrong Missy, which comes as no surprise to me seeing as it's a film with David Spade as the lead. I doubt I'll see a worse film all year so thanks Netflix.

Extraction (2020)

Sam Hargrave delivers a brutal and impressive debut.

[8/10 · 24 April 2020]

There's sure to be an outcry over the violence or the flimsy narrative that Extraction possesses however, the film is rated 18 for a reason and some of the best action movies ever made don't exactly have the deepest narratives either so neither of those are going to bother me when settling down for an action movie.

Chris Hemsworth plays black market mercenary Tyler Rake, who accepts the deadliest mission of his career when tasked with an extraction of the kidnapped son of an imprisoned international crime lord. There's your narrative, it's a basic set up and it knows it, and they sure as hell waste no time in getting down to the nitty gritty stuff.

Sam Hargrave comes from a background of working on stunts for some pretty high profile films and he certainly utilises that here in his directorial debut. Hargrave goes for the serious approach to his film so there isn't much time to stop for any comedy, which suits the film's fast-paced and brutal action sequences down to a tee. One in particular, a long take action sequence that moves from vehicles to an apartment block before falling down to the streets, is up there as one of the most impressive action sequences I've seen in a film, the swift camera movements and stunt choreography really something to behold.

Hemsworth leads the film well with a dominating screen presence, whether it be scoring headshot after headshot on an armed unit or slapping a bunch of adolescent soldiers about. The physicality of the performance is demanding and it's impressively handled by everyone involved.

The film does drag a little in places and it feels as if 15-20 minutes could be shaved off but I'd be lying if I said that I wasn't engrossed by what was happening throughout. Extraction has the added bonus of the lead character with the surname Rake actually killing someone with a rake. Bravo.

Last Call (III) (2019)

Be sure to seek this one out if you can.

[8/10 · 20 April 2020]

Last Call is a drama from Gavin Michael Booth presented in a split-screen format over real time across two long takes shot simultaneously. It's certainly a method of presentation I've never witnessed for an entire feature before and it's one I won't forget in a hurry. Last Call tells the story of Scott (Daved Wilkins), a bitterly alone man, who phones the suicide prevention hotline one night and ends up, through a misdial, speaking with Beth (Sarah Booth), a janitor of a local community college.

Last Call deals with such a sensitive subject matter such as suicide in an incredibly emotional and respectful manner, Gavin Michael Booth and Daved Wilkins writing a narrative that slowly reveals more to the audience and in doing so becomes more heart-breaking with each passing minute.

It's an ambitious film in its execution, Seth Wessel-Estes' cinematography a great asset to the film, keeping the audience with these two characters as they go through a phone call taht will change their lives. It took me a while to take to the split-screen approach but once I did I was captivated with the entire thing and how it would unfold. Adrian Ellis' score also adds another layer of emotion to proceedings.

At the forefront of Last Call lies to contrasting yet equally as impressive performances from Sarah Booth and Daved Wilkins. Booth in particular has the more demanding role and she showcases a fantastic range of emotions throughout, making her a character to reallt get behind. That doesn't mean Wilkins just sits back and lets Booth do all the work because there is much more to his performance than just sounding depressed, leading to Scott becoming a character you don't want to see any harm come to.

Sadly, many people take their own lives each year so raising awareness by any means necessary is important. Last Call is an incredibly relevant film for this reason and one that you should seek out.

Alive (I) (2020)

Thought provoking short.

[8/10 · 19 April 2020]

Jimmy Olsson's Alive is a short film that tells the story of Viktoria (Eva Johansson), a disabled woman who yearns for intimacy, and her carer Ida (Madeleine Martin), who offers her help by setting her up a Tinder profile. When Viktoira matches with someone, Ida begins to worry about the nature of his intentions and what would happen if they were to meet.

Alive may be a short that only runs at twenty-three minutes but that doesn't stop it from having a lot to say in that time, moreso than a number of feature length films as a matter of fact. It's a well shot piece and Olsson's writing allows us to see that frustration of Viktoria as well as the caring nature of Ida, her caring nature leading her to become conflicted with herself as she wanta to help her friend but also doesn't want to put her in danger.

It's the relationship between Viktoria and Ida that really drives the film forward and in Eva Johansson and Madeliene Martin, Alive has a pair devoted to showcasing Olsson's message while making their relationship feel so believable. Johansson does a great job in conveying the frustration of living such a constricted life while Martin shines in the role of a carer wanting to help but also not wanting to put her friend in jeapordy. Together they share a believable chemistry where a true friendship has formed, Olsson including some nice comedic moments in the script to show it as more than just a relationship between a patient and a carer.

Alive is an eye-opening short film that focuses on the feeling of being alive and wanted, Olsson showcasing a neat eye for delivering a message and getting fine performances from his cast.

Sergio (2020)

Missing ingredient makes the punch a little less powerful.

[6/10 · 17 April 2020]

Sergio is a decent enough watch it just feels like it's missing something to take it to the next level of powerful filmmaking. Wagner Moura is very good in the lead role and Ana de Armas continues her impressive rise with another fine performance.