2020-2029, Film Review

The Fall Guy (2024)

Posted on April 29, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Universal Pictures, 87North Productions and Entertainment 360**

The Fall Guy – Film Review

Cast: Ryan Gosling, Emily Blunt, Winston Duke, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Hannah Waddingham, Stephanie Hsu, Teresa Palmer

Director: David Leitch

Synopsis: A battle-scarred stuntman is recruited to save the production of a big blockbuster movie after its star goes missing…

Review: You might not know their names, (unless they go by the name of Tom Cruise), but some of the best action scenes in cinema history simply would not have been possible without the incredible feats of countless bravery from stunt performers. These courageous men and women, risk life and limb for the purposes of the audiences’ entertainment. Yet their incredible accomplishments have so far not been their dues by major award shows. While one can only hope that one day, that becomes a reality, the latest film from stuntman-turned-director David Leitch serves as a delightfully funny and brilliantly entertaining acknowledgement of the bravery of these professionals and their craft.

Colt Seavers (Gosling) is an experienced and battle-scarred stuntman who has worked as the stunt double for movie star Tom Ryder (Taylor-Johnson) for several years. One day, while working on set, Colt has a serious accident, and suffers a severe injury. This causes Colt to nurse his wounds, cease all contact with his co-workers and camera operator girlfriend Jody (Blunt), and hide away from the world. However, after a lengthy period away, Colt is called by executive producer Gail (Waddingham) and tasked to resume his stuntman duties, but also to save the production of Jody’s directorial debut Metal Storm, after Ryder has been reported missing.

Loosely based on the 1980s TV show of the same name, Drew Pearce’s screenplay is filled to the brim with witty meta-commentary of an inside look at the movie business. As well as being a tribute to the incredible bravery of stunt performers, it takes a look at what goes on behind the scenes of big-budget motion pictures, the decisions directors and studio executives may have to face when assembling such a massive blockbuster, and the efforts to which studios will go to secure the keynote spot at a certain flagship comic con to promote the film. On top of all this, it brings a sense of mystery to it as Colt must investigate the circumstances surrounding Ryder’s disappearance, which shall not be spoiled here but suffice to say, Colt certainly gets more than he bargained for.

Hot on the heels of his Oscar-nominated, scene-stealing performance as Ken in last year’s smash hit Barbie, Gosling once again combines charm, charisma and scorching good looks in his performance. There truly is nothing this man cannot do. Having worked so tremendously as one half of a hilarious double act in The Nice Guys, this is a further demonstration of his wonderful comedic talents (and endless bouts of Kenergy). Aside from Gosling’s committed and hilarious performance, a key component of what makes the humour so effective is the sizzling hot chemistry he shares with Emily Blunt’s Jody, a further demonstration of the lasting power of the Barbenheimer phenomenon. Jody, who is understandably not best pleased about Colt’s decision to isolate himself away from her after his accident, has enormous fun in the methods she chooses in her capacity as the director to get back at him for ghosting her and effectively ending their relationship.

After charming audiences for three seasons as the initially reluctant owner of a football club in Ted Lasso, Hannah Waddingham is having the time of her life as Metal Storm‘s executive producer and threatens to run away with the entire show. Spending the majority of its runtime on Colt and Jody’s dynamic as ex-boyfriend/girlfriend and stuntman/director, and the secretive efforts of Colt and Gail to find the missing movie star, results in the rest of the cast getting very little screentime. Fittingly, for a film giving these stunt performers their dues, what does have a lasting impact is the stunt work on display. Leitch and this incredible team of stunt performers go all out to accomplish remarkable stunts, all captured in camera with no hint of CGI trickery. From a gripping car chase across Sydney’s streets, to Colt being forced to do the same stunt repeatedly for multiple takes, as well as perhaps the most impressive stunt of them all, the breaking of a record for the amount of car flips that was once held by Casino Royale. James Bond, eat your heart out.

While the ensuing hi-jinks of the mission to find Ryder have no shortage of entertaining and comedic moments, it does begin to run a little out of steam towards the end due to a severely overstretched plot. However, the journey of getting there more than makes up for it. Audiences owe these stunt professionals so much for their fearlessness and dedication for as long as cinema has been around, and one can hope this finally cajoles the industry into giving them the long overdue awards and recognition they deserve.

A joyous and entertaining fusion of action, comedy and romance, with electric chemistry between its bona fide movie star leads ensures The Fall Guy is a non-stop blast of fun and a sincere love letter to the stunt community.

2020-2029, Film Review

Civil War (2024)

Posted on April 14, 2024April 23, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Civil War – Film Review

Cast: Kirsten Dunst, Cailee Spaeny, Wagner Moura, Stephen McKinley Henderson, Nick Offerman, Sonoya Mizuno, Jesse Plemons

Director: Alex Garland

Synopsis: A team of photojournalists document events on the ground as the United States is in the midst of a brutal civil war…

Review: “A date which will live in infamy”, the words of US President Franklin D. Roosevelt after the US naval base of Pearl Harbour came under attack on December 1941. However, they could just as easily have been words uttered in the wake of January 6^th, 2021, when the world recoiled in horror as supporters of the disgraced former President Donald Trump, attacked the US Capitol in a violent insurrection after being told straight-up falsehoods about the Presidential election held just a few months prior. As the world watched, the ugliness and the depravity of those scenes were scarred into our memories as a moment where it felt like the US was at a tipping point and could very easily descend into the second Civil War in its history. This moment, an unprecedented one in history seems to have inspired this grounded and harrowing tale of war in a bitterly divided nation from Alex Garland.

Set in the near future, the country is in the midst of a civil war with multiple factions locked in a brutal fight against the other. On one side stands the Loyalist states which have stood by the President (Offerman), who it’s vaguely suggested has become something of a dictator as he is serving his third term in office. On the other side of the battlefield, stand numerous other factions which have seceded from the union, including the New People’s Army consisting of states in the north-west of the country, the Florida Alliance and crucially the Western Alliance consisting of the states of California and Texas. As the Western Alliance prepares for an offensive against Washington DC, war photojournalist Lee (Dunst), journalist Joel (Moura), and veteran journalist Sammy (McKinley-Henderson) prepare to make the perilous journey to the capital to document the events on the ground and in the hope of interviewing the president. They are joined by aspiring photojournalist Jessie (Spaeny), who idolises Lee’s work.

One would have to have been living under a rock to not know that in recent times, particularly since 2016, the United States has become a very divided nation, fraught with bitter political tension. Therefore, Garland’s script chooses to not pick a side in this conflict and instead frames the hostilities from the perspective of the journalists. Brave men and women who risk their lives to document the hostility objectively in the face of any conflict. The decision to frame the film from the perspective of the journalists is a pointed one, particularly given the fact their jobs have become considerably more challenging in recent years, stemming from certain former world leaders using their platform to viciously attack the media for simply doing their jobs and bringing the facts to light, even as such spurious terms like “fake news” have become rampant. It is a sharp and necessary reminder of the essential jobs of the media, particularly in fraught times where conflict is raging, certain politicians who are only too eager to launch attacks on them as the foundations of society have crumbled, and civilisation as we know it has completely fallen into ruin.

Garland also uses this as a means to examine how the humanity of such journalists would be impacted when they have been in such close proximity to brutality and death for extended periods, particularly Dunst’s Lee. Within minutes of meeting her, you get the impression this is someone who has been through and witnessed more barbaric acts of violence and horror than any person should have over their lifetime. Dunst’s performance exudes a sense of world-weariness and exhaustion, yet despite this, she knows she must plough on, particularly given Jessie’s adoration for her and her work. Lee recognises Jessie’s potential, which prompts her to take Jessie under her wing, in a similar vein to how Sammy took Lee under his wing when Lee first started out. All the while Jessie, while keen to learn under her idol, is left severely shaken by some of the horrifying sights she sees while the group makes the journey to Washington DC.

To say this is a perilous journey would be a severe understatement, as Garland does not hold back with depictions of what a modern-day Civil War in the States could look like. Striking images of former metropolises once teeming with life, reduced to barren wastelands with buildings smouldering in smoke. Shopping centres are left totally abandoned. Hostilities break out in broad daylight, with bodies strewn across the streets, and in some instances, soldiers proudly displaying their victories as a warning to the opposing forces. It is, at times, disturbing to watch and Garland’s direction is gritty and captures the brutality and ugliness of what would likely happen if a Civil War broke out on the streets of the US in the modern era. One scene is so fraught with tension and anxiety, that you could cut it with a knife, and will send audiences’ heart rates soaring.

In a time when the news cycle is dominated by seeing numerous regions the world over and utterly grim and heartbreaking stories emerging on a daily basis, Garland’s film is topical, to say the least about the horrors and devastation of war. However, while it drops hints here and there as to the causes, with Offerman’s President spouting very Trumpian rhetoric and the flashbacks to the Capitol insurrection, the key context for the events that led to the breakout of the war is left to the audience’s interpretation. You could certainly make the case the film had plenty more to say about the state of US politics. However, in an election year, with political tension showing no sign of letting up amid an ever-chaotic and violence-stricken world, the overarching message that war is hell is received loud and clear.

While it could have had more to say about the state of politics in our world today, Civil War remains a tense and gritty look at a society torn apart by conflict and the pivotal role of the media.

2020-2029, Film Review

Dune: Part Two (2024)

Posted on February 27, 2024March 13, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. Pictures**

Dune: Part Two – Film Review

Cast: Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Austin Butler, Florence Pugh, Dave Bautista, Christopher Walken, Léa Seydoux, Souheila Yacoub, Stellan Skarsgård, Charlotte Rampling, Javier Bardem

Director: Denis Villeneuve

Synopsis: After joining forces with the Fremen in the deserts of Arrakis, Paul Atriedes vows revenge on those who conspired against his family and murdered his father…

Review: “This is only the beginning”, as those words spoken by Fremen warrior Chani (Zendaya), with Hans Zimmer’s incredible score, rang in our ears by the conclusion of the first half of this adaptation of Frank Herbert’s revolutionary 1995 novel, it was a tantalising tease of what was to come. However, it might have all been for nought, as a second film was not guaranteed due to the decision to give it a simultaneous cinematic release and a day-and-date release on streaming. With a $400m haul at the box office (a mightily impressive feat given the pandemic) and viewed by 1.9 million households in the US on its opening weekend on streaming. The audiences spoke, as did the Academy with six Oscars, and the Spice Gods greenlit a sequel. After a few delayed release dates, the time has come to return to Arrakis, and Denis Villeneuve has again defied the odds to deliver another magnificent demonstration of desert power.

Set immediately after the events of Part One, Paul Atreides (Chalamet) and his mother Lady Jessica (Ferguson) have fled to find shelter with the Fremen after his father Duke Leto and the majority of his House were murdered in a coup orchestrated by the villainous Baron Vladimir Harkonnen (Skarsgård) aided by the Sardaukar troops provided by the Emperor Shaddam Corrino (Walken). Though Paul is determined to get revenge, he initially opts to put this to one side and seeks to learn the ways of the Fremen to gain their trust as they see him and his mother as outsiders. Meanwhile, given her status as Bene Gesserit, the Fremen give Jessica an extremely important role within their community. While Paul learns the ways of the Fremen, the work of the Bene Gesserit has convinced some Fremen that Paul is the Lisan Al Gaib or “Voice from the Outer World”. This puts Paul in a moral quandary as to whether he is the prophesied messiah for the Fremen as he simultaneously continues to have horrifying visions for what the future might lead to.

Adapting the first novel in Frank Herbert’s legendary series was always considered to be an unfilmable task, just ask David Lynch. It just goes to show that betting against Denis Villeneuve is never a good idea because he thoroughly proved all the naysayers wrong. With seriously impressive world-building to give any epic franchise of the like a run for its money, Part One immersed the audience in this universe as if you were walking on the sand dunes of Arrakis themselves. However, this was a mere prelude for what Villeneuve and returning screenwriter Jon Spaihts have in store.

Part One walked so Part Two could, like a native Fremen, ride a sandworm in tremendous style. Across 165 spice-fuelled minutes, Villeneuve and Spaiths take all the world-building and the foundations laid by the first film and turbocharge them to deliver an equally epic, but considerably darker, emotionally charged and more action-packed second chapter. Alongside Paul learning the ways, and language of the Fremen, Chani and Paul begin to develop a romance and furthermore, all-out war between the Fremen and House Harkonnen as the former works to disrupt the latter’s spice production. On another side of the Universe, the Emperor’s daughter Princess Irulan (Pugh), who is also a disciple of the Bene Gesserit, begins to grapple with the consequences of the Harkonnen’s attack on the Atreides and the part her father played in engineering their downfall.

Despite the extensive and star-studded cast, such epic franchises can live or die based on the central character at the centre of this journey. Once again, Chalamet demonstrates why he is one of the finest actors of his generation as he gives what could well be a career-defining performance. Part One was very much about Paul striving to learn from leaders around him, such as his father and others he looked up to. Now, he is very much thrust into the spotlight of becoming not just a leader of the Fremen, but something much more. Chalamet magnificently balances Paul’s desire to lead the Fremen to victory against the Harkonnens, but also shows hesitancy to embrace the path that has been put at his feet by the Bene Gesserit. Fremen leader Stilgar (Bardem) is only too eager to believe this notion of a messiah, much to Chani’s chagrin. Zendaya is thankfully given much more to do this time around, beyond the extended cameo she had in Part One. The chemistry between her and Paul, like the dunes of Ararakis, is scorching hot, though there is a lingering doubt in her mind as to whether Paul could be this messiah-like figure and if he is willing to embrace that destiny.

Like Gurney Halleck playing the baliset, there is not a false note in any of the performances. Though out of all the new cast members, the standout by far is the ruthless and psychotic Feyd-Rautha played by Austin Butler, another actor whose rise to stardom is also on an unstoppable trajectory. The perfection of the cast’s performances is matched by the incredible work of Villeneuve and his crew. Whether it’s the roar of the sandworms or the thrum of a thumper, the work of the sound design team makes you feel these sounds with maximum force, especially in IMAX. Likewise, Greg Fraiser’s cinematography be it the bright oranges of Arrakis deserts or the harsh black-and-white palette of the Harkonnen homeworld of Giedi Prime never fails to dazzle. The VFX work once again reinforces what happens when artists are given time to perfect their craft, and of course, Hans Zimmer once again delivers another impeccable and evocative score.

It would be easy to get lost down the wormhole of lore the film throws at the audience and while it does teeter on the brink of buckling under all of the weight of said lore, one cannot deny the spectacle and visual majesty of what Villeneuve has brought to the screen. Ever since he broke into the Hollywood mainstream – with a run stretching from 2013’s Prisoners to now – each passing film has shown Villeneuve to be a master at combining emotional human struggles, with the sort of spectacle which is absolutely worth the price of a ticket and a reminder of the sheer power that cinema can have. Villeneuve has made no secret of the impact the novel had on him in his youth and one that also changed science fiction forever. In what is an already superb filmography, this magnificent two-part adaptation will (like its source material) stand the test of time, as one of the most epic sci-franchises ever and perhaps the pièce de résistance of Villeneuve’s mightly impressive filmography so far. Power over spice is power over all, indeed.

Building on the epic foundations laid by its predecessor, this magnificent sequel is another visually majestic reminder of the unstoppable force of desert power and the force of nature behind the camera that is Denis Villeneuve.

2020-2029, Film Review

The Iron Claw (2024)

Posted on February 15, 2024April 10, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

© Access Entertainment, BBC Film, House Productions, A24 and Lionsgate

The Iron Claw – Film Review

Cast: Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, Maura Tierney, Holt McCallany, Stanley Simons, Lily James

Director: Sean Durkin

Synopsis: Telling the true story of the Von Erich family as they forge their legacy in the world of wrestling in the 1980s…

Review: What comes to mind when you hear the word “wrestling”? Aside from the sight of impossibly muscular individuals wearing tight spandex, prominent wrestling figures from when the WWE was at the peak of its popularity in the late ’90s to early 2000s. Names such as The Rock, Stone Cold Steve Austin, or The Undertaker may come to mind. However, for those who watched wrestling in the early to mid-80s, the names on everyone’s lips may well have been those of the von Erich family, whose rise to prominence and the subsequent tragedy that befell them is captured with raw and devastating emotion by Sean Durkin.

Opening in a car park after family patriarch Jack “Fritz” Von Erich has triumphed in a wrestling match at the peak of his career. After the fight, he impresses on his young sons Kevin and David the importance of being the toughest, the strongest, and the greatest they could be. If they can do this, nothing could harm them in the face of adversity, which is particularly significant as Fritz harbours a superstition that there is a curse on the family. Flash forwards several years later and the four Von Erich brothers, Kevin (Efron), Kerrie (Allan White), David (Dickinson), and Mike (Simons) are being coached by their father and pushing them to be the best wrestlers they can be, for a shot at the world heavyweight title that eluded Fritz. Each one of them exhibits the passion, the fire inside, and the determination to be the one that brings the title home while they establish their names in the world of wrestling.

An essential goal for any sports film, irrespective of the sport, is to captivate the audience with a compelling story, even if they have no prior knowledge of the sport in question. Durkin’s screenplay is a powerful combination of how the world of wrestling works and how even though matches have pre-determined outcomes, it emphasizes the immense physical and mental strain placed on professional wrestlers to perform regularly, which is what they will need to do if they want to have a chance of being the best. Such mental and physical tolls, combined with the weight of expectation placed upon their shoulders by their father, bring the brothers together to form the most unbreakable of brotherly bonds, which will resonate with anyone who shares a similar relationship with a brother. Each of them has their own unique personality, whether it’s David’s no-nonsense pre-match fighting talk, Kerry’s athleticism, Kevin’s imposing physicality, or Mike’s more reserved demeanour. They all share warm and loving chemistry with each other, making it all the more emotionally crushing when the Von Erich curse strikes the family once more.

In an ensemble filled with brilliant and layered performances to leave the audience on the ropes with the emotional weight of the tragedy of the Von Erichs’ story, it is Zac Efron’s leading performance that delivers the knockout blow. Aside from the awe-inspiring physical transformation (he gained 15 pounds for the role), it is a role that is as far from a cry from his early career as a star of Disney musicals as physically possible. However, with his almost impossibly imposing physicality, he delivers arguably the best performance of his career and showcases his talent as a dramatic actor. He strongly loves his family and wrestling, though the love for the latter is severely tested. Durkin’s script examines the brotherhood between the Von Erichs and the stern tutelage of their father. However, such was the weight of expectation and burden placed on their shoulders, where the pressure on them to perform was insurmountable and the culture of toxic masculinity, took a severe toll on them both physically and mentally. Unfortunately, this doesn’t leave much time to explore Kevin’s relationship with Pam (James) as they begin a life together raising a family of their own, while Tierney as the Von Erich matriarch is also left on the sidelines.

The heart-breaking nature of this story means it would be easy for the audience to become too overwhelmed by an overpowering sense of devastation and melancholy. However, Durkin handles these emotional moments with care and sensitivity so that, like a signature wrestling move, they leave the audience floored for maximum impact when they hit. Durkin and his cinematographer Mátyás Erdély recreate the ’80s time period when it comes to the wrestling scenes, beautifully with immaculately choreographed scenes that look authentic and pack a tremendous punch, particularly when it comes to the iron claw itself, the von Erich family’s signature wrestling move. Wrestling is a sport with such physical demands on its performers, often taking the lives of many wrestlers well before their time. Many members of the Von Erich family may have seen their time on this Earth prematurely cut short, but their achievements in wrestling have ensured the Von Erich family has built a legacy that will live forever.

Powered by a career-defining performance from Zac Efron, The Iron Claw‘s tragic true story of brotherhood, wrestling and legacy stakes its claim for the title of one of the most harrowing sports dramas that will leave you down and out for the count.

2020-2029, Film Review, London Film Festival 2023

Poor Things (2023)

Posted on January 11, 2024March 7, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

© Searchlight Pictures, Film4, TSG Entertainment and Element Pictures

Poor Things – Film Review

Cast: Emma Stone, Mark Ruffalo, Willem Dafoe, Ramy Youssef, Christopher Abbott, Jerrod Carmichael, Margaret Qualley, Kathryn Hunter

Director: Yorgos Lanthimos

Synopsis: In Victorian Europe, a young woman is brought back to life by an unorthodox scientist…

Review: The task of boiling down the filmography of any director to just one single word would be a challenge, to say the least. However, if one were to apply this challenge to the filmography of Yorgos Lanthimos’s career, the most suitable word would unquestionably be idiosyncratic. From the unique and absurdist romantic drama The Lobster, the unnerving psychological revenge thriller Killing of a Sacred Deer and a period drama unlike any other in The Favourite. Every time he steps behind the camera, the final product is alwas something unique, and he emphatically continues that streak with his quirkiest, funniest and quite possibly best film to date.

Set in Victorian times, after a young pregnant woman (Stone) commits suicide, the unorthodox scientist Dr Godwin Baxter (Dafoe), resurrects her by transplanting the brain of her still-born baby into her body. Now going by the name of Bella, a fully grown woman with all the behaviours and characteristics of a toddler, Bella is keen to grow and learn more about the world. However, Godwin or “God” as Bella affectionately calls him, wants to keep his Frankenstein-esque creation inside to study her. Yearning for freedom and autonomy from her “father”, she runs off with the sleazy and debauched lawyer Duncan Wedderburn (Ruffalo) where she becomes increasingly curious about the beautiful, mad and complicated world around her.

Adapted from the 1992 novel of the same name by Alasdair Gray, within the first few minutes, it becomes immediately apparent as to how perfectly suited the source material is to the Greek filmmaker’s quirky and unique style. Reuniting with Tony McNamara, who co-wrote The Favourite, the script balances the dark and let’s be honest, horrifying nature of Bella’s origin story with some of the blackest and outrageously funny humour, with some of the most hilarious euphemisms you will have ever heard. Seeing a character, essentially a child in the body of a full-grown woman, acting in the unfiltered manner she does, is uproariously entertaining.

She will blurt out anything and everything that comes to her mind, with no concept of manners or whether what she is saying is foul-mouthed or taboo while being blissfully unaware of the societal constraints that would have been expected of women at that time. As if that wasn’t hilarious enough, as her brain rapidly develops, the film gleefully extracts humour from the efforts of the men around her, particularly Wedderburn, from desperately trying to stop Bella from discovering herself. The film is unashamedly feminist and liberating in its celebration of empowerment and social discovery.

A bold and out-of-the-ordinary premise, featuring a character’s unique journey through the complexities of life could have completely fallen apart had the casting not been pitch-perfect. Fortunately, in Emma Stone’s hands, she rises to the challenge magnificently with one of the finest performances of her career, further reinforcing why she and Lanthimos have seemingly become each other’s muses. With her mannerisms and struggle to enunciate properly in the early stages, she expertly sells the early stages of Bella’s journey as a naïve and innocent soul who has effectively just been born. Furthermore, as the film progresses and her brain’s rapid development takes hold, to see her stifle the attempts of those around her to control her as she becomes her own woman who is firmly in control of her own destiny is endlessly satisfying.

Alongside Stone’s sublime leading performance, every member of this cast fully understands their assignments and are fully in tune with the film’s peculiar vibe. Having spent years as the calm and measured scientist in the MCU, who occasionally loses his cool and becomes a green rage monster, Ruffalo’s Wedderburn is worlds away from that. A slimy and rascally lawyer who seeks to use Bella as nothing more than an object to engage in sex to control his raging libido, only to become exasperated when her desires for education and discovery become too much for him to control is hilarious to watch. Meanwhile, Dafoe, who is no stranger to playing an eccentric scientist (albeit one is not quite so disfigured), is also on reliably excellent form with the screentime that he has.

Embracing the quirky madness of this dark and twisted fairytale (of sorts), Robbie Ryan’s cinematography visually dazzling blend of black-and-white and an extremely vivid colour palette, while regularly deploying fish-eye lenses (which is rather appropriate for this fish-out-of-water story) left the audience feeling disorientated through this fever dream of a journey through Victorian Europe. A journey that is beautifully complemented by Holly Waddington’s immaculate costume design and the production design by Shona Heath and James Price. The oddity of this odyssey from the perspective of one of the most unique characters will almost certainly rub some people up the wrong way. Yet, one cannot dispute that the world of Hollywood filmmaking is a better place with directors such as Lanthimos bringing one-of-a-kind films to the table, in every sense of the word.

Unabashedly bizarre and filled with riotous and offbeat dialogue, Lanthimos has made his most eccentric, darkest and funniest film yet, while getting a career-best performance from Emma Stone.

2020-2029, Film Review

The Marvels (2023)

Posted on November 11, 2023November 12, 2023 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

The Marvels – Film Review

Cast: Brie Larson, Teyonah Parris, Iman Vellani, Zawe Ashton, Park Seo-joon, Samuel L. Jackson, Zenobia Shroff, Mohan Kapoor, Saagar Shaikh

Director: Nia DaCosta

Synopsis: Captain Marvel, Ms. Marvel and Monica Rambeau team up after their powers become entangled…

Review: Avengers: Endgame, a crowning moment in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), concluded the Infinity Saga after ten years of building an all-encompassing cinematic universe. However, in the years since, the once-untouchable studio has had a few misfires. Such was the rarity of these prior to Endgame, that questions began to be asked as to whether the studio’s best days were behind it or whether audiences are indeed suffering from superhero fatigue. The jury is out regarding the former, and the case certainly can be made for the latter. However, coming off the high of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3, it is clear Marvel’s ability to entertain and provide an endless amount of fun for two hours or thereabouts remains very much intact.

Set after the events of WandaVision and Ms. Marvel, Carol Danvers, AKA Captain Marvel (Larson) is exploring a mysterious wormhole “jump point” in the deep of space where she realises, she switches places first with Kamala Khan AKA Ms. Marvel (Vellani) and also Monica Rambeau, the daughter of Carol’s best friend Maria. Deducing that the reason for the switcheroo is because of their mutual light-based powers, the three women team up to establish who or what is causing their powers to be entangled and in so doing discover a plot devised by the new Kree leader Dar-Benn (Ashton) to harness energy from other worlds to restore her home planet from the brink of destruction..

Even before any hint or suggestion of superhero fatigue had begun to set in, there has been an unconscionable level of backlash from certain sections of the internet directed towards this film since it was announced. The criticism largely stems from the decision to cast three women in the lead roles. Team-ups have been aplenty throughout the history of MCU, from small pairings such as The Revengers to the massive ensemble teams featuring the likes of Earth’s mightiest heroes and the Guardians. Yet, none of those had quite the absurd level of backlash. More fool them because you can add this trio of powerful women to that marvellous list.

Without a shadow of a doubt, the film’s brightest spark and the reason you should go out and watch this film is the chemistry between these three superpowered women. The performances of all three leads are wonderful to watch and the chemistry between them is fizzing with an abundance of palpable cosmic energy. Kamala Khan, in particular, exudes such joyous and blissfully happy emotion at getting the chance to partner with her idol that it is impossible not to love her, and she steals the entire show. Of course, Monica does not share such overwhelming adulation for Carol given the tragic fate her mother Maria endured and for not being there when she promised, which adds a complex emotional layer to the dynamic of the team.

The screenplay by Nia DaCosta, Megan McDonnell, and Elissa Karasik shines when focusing on the relationships between these superheroes. Witnessing them share the screen and kick ass provides delightful popcorn entertainment at its best. The ensuing adventure which takes the trio across a plethora of unique worlds all in search of the villainous Dar-Benn is and to stop her from targeting the natural resources of these worlds. DaCosta (the first black woman to direct an MCU film) stamps her authority on the action scenes and injects them with an effervescent and joyous energy. Furthermore, at just over 100 minutes, the pacing is kept tight and whooshes by, which is befitting for a film featuring a character who can travel faster than the speed of light.

While it is extremely fun to watch, the script does have its flaws with a plot involving possible talks regarding a peace treaty between the Kree and the Skrulls – previously seen throughout the MCU in other projects such as The Guardians of the Galaxy, Secret Invasion and of course, the original Captain Marvel – coming to an abrupt before it really got going. By keeping the pacing so laser-focused, there’s not much time to expand on Dar-Benn’s motivations, which could have made her a far more compelling antagonist. Zawe Ashton gives everything she has to make her a formidable adversary, but like so many MCU villains before her, she is not developed beyond her revenge-driven goals and fails to leave a lasting impression.

Given the MCU was riding higher, further and faster than all its competitors trying to build their own cinematic universes, cracks in the armour were bound to appear sooner or later. The recent projects, released in the last two years, have widened the cracks in the MCU’s armour, bringing the franchise back down to earth.. However, with the last adventure with the Guardians and now this utterly delightful team-up, there is every indication that the studio has learnt from its mistakes and paid heed to the criticism which has been levelled at it in recent years. Hopefully, as Phase 5 continues to progress, it will prove that its recent wobbles were a mere bump in the road and is ready to fly high and regain its former glory.

After an emotional last ride with the Guardians, this latest team-up is just what the MCU needed to get back on track, in no small part thanks to the palpable chemistry of its leading ladies and DaCosta’s vibrant direction. Naysayers be damned!

2020-2029, Film Review, London Film Festival 2023

The Killer (2023)

Posted on October 28, 2023November 14, 2023 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

The Killer – Film Review

Cast: Michael Fassbender, Charles Parnell, Kerry O’Malley, Sala Baker, Sophie Charlotte, Tilda Swinton, Arliss Howard, Emiliano Pernía, Gabriel Polanco

Director: David Fincher

Synopsis: An assassin on a mission to eliminate a target finds himself up against his employers after the mission goes awry…

Review: “Empathy is weakness, weakness is vulnerability” narrates the nameless assassin at the centre of the latest film from the master of suspense David Fincher. It is probably a requisite in that particular line of work that one would need to not allow their feelings or emotions to interfere in the name of getting the job done. Cinema has seen no shortage of films centred on the worlds of espionage and paid assassins. In the hands of a director whose methods are as targeted and as precise as its titular hitman, he brings an entirely unique perspective to this genre, unlike anything we have seen before.

The eponymous assassin (Fassbender) is contracted by his employers to eliminate a target by any means necessary, even if it means waiting for days on end for the opportune moment to present itself. While he lies in wait, he will prepare meticulously to ensure he is ready, but he will also find time to engage in regular day-to-day activities, such as ordering fast food and doing yoga. The precise and methodological approach he takes towards his job is procedural, and he will merely bide his time waiting for the moment to strike. When the moment does arrive, a rare mishap leaves him wondering who might now be after him and if he is about to be the one in the crosshairs of his employers.

Adapted from the French graphic novel series of the same name written by Alexis Nolent, the script by Andrew Kevin Walker (reuniting with Fincher after the duo worked on Se7en) wastes no time getting down to business. It whizzes through the opening credits almost quickly as a speeding bullet, though it slows back down again as through an extensive period of narration by The Assassin as he gets ready to carry out the assassination he has been paid one presumes an exorbitant amount of money for. From there, once the planned hit has been botched, the film is divided into chapters as he goes across the globe to confront his employers and seek retribution against those who may have targeted him, or those close to him in response to the botched job. He does all this while having a penchant for destroying mobile phones and listening to The Smiths. Who knew that listening to Morrissey is the perfect ambience an assassin requires to commit brutal acts of violence?

Before taking a three-year break away from the big screen, Fassbender was in something of a rut having starred in a series of films which did not have the best of receptions either critically or commercially. Therefore, it is immensely satisfying to see him return to form in a big way as he is electrifying here. Given he’s in just about every frame of the film, he commands the screen with a presence with an intensity and an aura of someone you absolutely do not want to mess with. He’s a man of few words but has an icy death stare that would make anyone’s blood run as cold as the deepest depths of the South Pole during a long and dark winter night. For understandable reasons, Fincher keeps his camera trained on Fassbender to the extent that pretty much every other member of the cast is given very little or sparse screen time. However, each one, especially Tilda Swinton makes their screentime count.

There’s a foreboding nature running through every frame of the film thanks to the atmospheric cinematography from Erik Messerschmidt, and an intense score from Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross. It is all overseen by a director who like his main character, is methodical and meticulous in how he shoots his films. His command of the craft is never in doubt, particularly when it comes to what is one of the most brutal fight scenes in a film this year or in a good long while for that matter where every punch and blow is strongly felt. While the story itself is light on substance and could have delved more beyond the surface level of the assassin’s psyche and what makes him tick, it is hard to count that against it when everything is so slickly and stylishly presented. This should come as no surprise given that like his titular assassin, Fincher shoots to thrill, and thrill he most certainly does.

Gripping from the word go and never letting up due to a phenomenal leading performance from Michael Fassbender, the master of the thriller once again delivers a pulsating and intense ride which does not miss.

2020-2029, Film Review, London Film Festival 2023

The Zone of Interest (2023)

Posted on October 20, 2023January 28, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© A24, Film4, Access, Polish Film Institute, JW Films and Extreme Emotion**

The Zone of Interest – Film Review

Cast: Christian Friedel, Sandra Hüller, Ralph Herforth, Johann Karthaus, Luis Noah Witte, Nele Ahrensmeier, Lilli Falk, Medusa Knopf

Director: Jonathan Glazer

Synopsis: A Nazi officer and his wife look to build their idyllic family life in a home right next to Auschwitz…

Review: One does not have to have picked up a history book, or to have studied World War II in extensive detail, to know between 1941 and 1945, the Nazis systematically murdered European Jews during the Holocaust. Around six million Jews, two-thirds of the Jewish population on the continent, were slaughtered. Cinema has often turned its attention to this dark and evil chapter of human history, capturing the horrendous conditions of the concentration/death camps. It seems impossible for a film to find a new way to illustrate the appalling atrocities committed by the Nazis, yet this is exactly what writer/director Jonathan Glazer does with this haunting and unnerving examination of human indifference towards unspeakable brutality.

Loosely based on the 2014 novel of the same name by Martin Amis and set in 1943, the film explores the life of Nazi SS officer and Commandment of the Auschwitz concentration camp Rudolf Höss (Friedel) and his wife Hedwig (Hüller) as they seek to build their family life in a house, right next door to the camp. The mere description of the film’s synopsis is enough to fill anyone with fury and anxiety, and anyone could reasonably think that the film’s opening shot would be an unsettling scene from inside the camp. Instead, after a lengthy black screen with only Mica Levi’s score to fill our eardrums with a terrifying sense of dread, the opening shot is one of the Höss family, having a family day out by a lake. The jarring juxtaposition of joyous family fun, in the immediate vicinity of callous acts of genocide is an immediate jolt to the senses to horrify you beyond measure.

It is such a disturbing and startling contrast that makes your stomach churn, setting the tone for the rest of the film. Throughout, we see the Höss family go about their daily lives. Banal acts such as getting ready for school, coming home, tending to your garden, having a meal, spending a family day by the pool, and sleeping safe and sound in your bed at night. The sorts of regular activities families will go through day after day. All the while, the audible sounds of gunshots, indiscernible orders, screams and cries for mercy, combined with the horrific sight of the Auschwitz chimney splurging out smoke as a result of the gas chambers being used. Yet these horrific sounds do not remotely faze the family in the slightest. They go about their lives while countless innocent souls have theirs ended in such an inhumane and callous manner. The sounds coming from the camp are deliberately kept out of sight but never out of the minds of the audience.

In what cannot have been easy roles for any of these actors to play, Christian Friedel and Sandra Hüller’s performances are both chillingly effective. Friedel portrays Hoss as a man driven by the wellness and comfort of his family while being heavily invested in his disturbing work concerning the efficiency of the camp to please his superiors. Meanwhile, Hüller as the Höss household matriarch also shows a complete lack of emotion to the situation mere yards away from her house. She is far more preoccupied with attending to the flowers and plants in her garden and trying on clothes that belonged to Jews who were housed at the camp. Both their performances are frightening due to their complete indifference to the barbaric acts of violence being inflicted upon other human beings beyond their garden wall, simply because they didn’t acknowledge the people who were housed in those conditions as people at all. Their shocking coldness in the face of the unspeakable screams with furious urgency to the audience, particularly in a world which finds itself in a seemingly never-ending continuous trend of horrific violence being inflicted on people all over the world on a day-to-day basis.

The filmmaking on display is immaculate. Glazer’s use of extensive long takes illustrates the mundanity of the everyday life of the Hoss family, while Lukasz Zal’s stripped-back cinematography is devastatingly effective. Using only practical and natural lighting, the garden scenes exude the warmth of a plot of land filled with love and care. Yet, in the very same shot, the cold, ominous, and unforgiving presence of the concentration camp’s buildings lingers in the background and serves as a glaring reminder of the horrors contained within those walls.

The art form of cinema can so often be a place for audiences to have fun and enjoy themselves, but this is emphatically not one of those instances. Glazer’s intention is absolutely to horrify the audience, to chill them to their very core as to how people can sit idly by while horrific crimes are committed in broad daylight. As the old saying goes: “Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it”. Such appalling acts of depravity should be forever confined to our history books and museums, never to be repeated. However, as recent years have shown, unspeakable atrocities are being committed due to blind hatred, while bigotry is rearing its ugly head across the world. Glazer’s message rings loud and clear. We cannot and must not be complicit in the face of evil.

An unflinching analysis of the human complicity and apathy in close proximity to the unimaginable brutality inflicted on countless innocent souls that will get under your skin and not leave your mind anytime soon. In time, this will become essential viewing for all.

2020-2029, Film Review, London Film Festival 2023

Killers of the Flower Moon (2023)

Posted on October 17, 2023October 28, 2023 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

© Apple Films, Paramount Pictures and Imperative Entertainment

Killers of the Flower Moon – Film Review

Cast: Leonardo DiCaprio, Robert De Niro, Lily Gladstone, Jesse Plemons, Tantoo Cardinal, Cara Jade Myers, Jillian Dion

Director: Martin Scorsese

Synopsis: Telling the true story of what became know as “The Reign of Terror” where a series of murders of members took place in the 1920s against of the Osage Native American tribe in the 1920s, sparking a major law investment investigation…

Review: The 1920s, or the Roaring Twenties, a period defined by economic prosperity across Western society where certain sections of the population gained enormous amounts of wealth. However, as history has shown us time and time again, for some people, the wealth they have acquired is somehow never enough. They are driven by insatiable greed, which as the trailer summarised is “an animal that hungers for blood” and will be willing to commit appalling acts of violence to obtain such wealth. It is this greed and corruption, as well as a series of brutal murders which forms the basis for the latest epic from one of cinema’s greatest living directors.

Ernest Burkhart (DiCaprio) returns to Osage County, Oklahoma after serving in the First World War. In 1898, the discovery of huge quantities of oil underneath the land belonging to the Osage Native American tribe instantaneously made them some of the richest people in the world. Yet, the possession of this wealth provokes the Caucasian members of the community to conspire against the Osage tribe, to swindle them out of this money so that the wealth can come to them. To that end, Burkart is persuaded by his ruthless uncle William Hale (De Niro), to marry Osage member Mollie Kyle, so that were anything to happen to Mollie’s family, the lucrative wealth of this oil money would be passed on to Burkhart, and by extension, Hale.

Based on the book of the same name by David Grann, the screenplay by Scorsese and Eric Roth frames its story from the perspective of the Osage people. We see through their eyes how the viciousness, corruption, greed, as well as white supremacy, drove people to systematically kill off the Osage community. As one Osage leader puts it “they’re like buzzards circling our people”. Over 206 enthralling minutes, the film combines the love story between Mollie and Ernest, the central plot to eliminate the members of the Osage community, and the ensuing Bureau of Investigation (BOI) inquiry into the murders.

Marking the sixth collaboration between himself and Scorsese, DiCaprio is excellent as Burkhart. On the surface, he comes across as a bit dim-witted and extremely naive. Yet, he is also ambitious and is spurred on by his uncle to do some truly terrible things all in the name of acquiring more wealth. Even though she could sense from the start what his ulterior motive was, the romance between him and Mollie is genuine and causes Burkhart to be severely conflicted about the plans his uncle has put in place. In what is De Niro’s tenth feature film collaboration with his long-time friend, he is thoroughly loathsome and reptilian as Hale. On the outside, he comes across as this charming and friendly soul towards the Osage. Yet, on the inside, he spouts white supremacist ideology which feels eerily reminiscent of modern times. It’s a scaled back performance in many respects, as he does not need to raise his voice to cause other characters, especially Ernest, to be immensely afraid of a deadly reprisal given the power he holds in the region. Both actors have become Scorsese’s muses over the course of his glittering career, and to see them act opposite each other in a feature film for the first time is a special sight to see.

However, both are outshone by the film’s heart and soul, Lily Gladstone’s Mollie. She initially displays a quiet and restrained performance, even as members of her family and the Osage are being killed. Yet, as the film progresses, that restraint turns into something much more potent and fiercer when it comes to seeking justice for those Osage members who have been cruelly murdered, which results in the Bureau of Investigation sending agent Tom White (Plemons) down from Washington D.C. to lead an inquiry into the murders.

Having been given the largest-ever budget on a Netflix film with his previous film, Scorsese has followed suit with his move over to Apple (with a reported budget of $200m) and the results are as immaculate as one would expect. The filmmakers worked extensively with the Osage tribe to ensure authenticity and were permitted to shoot in areas where the events depicted happened. Similarly, the length gone to recreate genuine Osage costumes, particularly the blankets, demonstrates the tremendous level of care which went into the production. It gives the Osage a community a voice which history has often tried to silence. Under the trusted eye of his regular collaborator Thelma Schoonmaker, the film’s editing is meticulous and keeps the film’s pace briskly moving along so that those 206 minutes whistle by, reinforcing the idea that no film is too long if it is paced correctly. Having served as cinematographer on his films since The Wolf of Wall Street, Rodrigo Prieto’s cinematography is visually striking in capturing the Oklahoma oil fields bathed in sunshine and when required, shifts gear when it comes to the abject horror the Caucasian community wrought upon the Osage.

He might have now reached the age of 80, but for Scorsese age is clearly just a number. He continues to not let his age get in the way of producing stunning pieces of cinema which can shine a spotlight on an important piece of US history that should never be forgotten. It reminds the audience of the horrors and evils that can come with rampant corruption and greed, a lesson which still holds true in modern society. Cinemagoers across generations been able to watch a master at work for over 60 years, and for that, we can be immensely grateful.

An epic and all-encompassing rumination on the perils of rampant greed, the ugliness of white supremacy and the US’s shameful history when it comes to the treatment of the Native American people. Another stunning achievement from one of the best directors cinema has ever seen.

2020-2029, Film Review, London Film Festival 2023

The Holdovers (2023)

Posted on October 15, 2023December 24, 2023 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

The Holdovers – Film Review

Cast: Paul Giamatti, Dominic Sessa, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Carrie Preston,

Director: Alexander Payne

Synopsis: A prep school student must remain on campus over the Christmas holidays with his history professor and the school’s head cook…

Review: Christmas is a usually celebratory and special time of the year when families can get together, exchange gifts, relax and unwind after a busy 12 months prior. However, for some people, this may not be the case. For a multitude of reasons, they might not have anywhere to go. It is a difficult predicament at the best of times, particularly for anyone forced to spend the holidays at an educational institution, such as a boarding school. Such a premise on paper doesn’t sound like it would be ripe material for a heart-warming Christmas film, but the latest film from Alexander Payne is exactly that, a warm hug of a film and one that will surely cement itself as a staple of the holiday season every year.

It is Christmas 1970, and cantankerous classics professor Paul Hunham (Giamatti) at the Barton Academy in Massachusetts is tasked by the school’s headmaster to remain on campus to look after and supervise a select group of boys who have nowhere else to go, leaving them rather dismayed. Though when circumstances change and most of the students are allowed to depart thanks to one of their parents, it leaves only Paul, the school’s head cook Mary Lamb (Randolph) and the bright but troubled Angus Tully (Sessa) as the only people remaining on campus through the holidays, the latter duo having both recently lost close members of their family.

Right from the opening titles, which are recreated in the style of the 1970s, the audience is immediately transported into the spirit of the holiday season that gives you such a warm fuzzy feeling that very few times of the year could. The screenplay by David Hemingson, who based it on his own personal experience at a prep school, is filled with razor-sharp wit and humour, while also building poignant and emotional moments between its three main characters as they navigate having to spend the Christmas holidays in the one place they probably wish they could be as far away from as humanly possible.

Reuniting with Payne after they collaborated on 2004’s Sideways, Giamatti excels in a role that was almost certainly written with him in mind given he shares his name with his character. He is well aware that among the students, and even the faculty, he’s thoroughly despised for his strict approach to his job, but it doesn’t faze him at all and almost revels in it. His prickly attitude lends itself to difficult early moments between him and Angus, an unquestionably bright but troubled student going through a troubled moment in his life. To add insult to injury, he has been left behind by his family at the worst possible time. However as they spend more time with each other, the two build an unlikely friendship as they get to know each other’s past and understand the other’s perspective. It’s remarkable to think this is Sessa’s first screen performance and to act alongside Giamatti going toe-to-toe with a veteran of the industry, but he rises to this challenge spectacularly. Randolph completes the trifecta of magnificent performances as she brings warmth and heart to this group, showing compassion for Angus and his difficult situation, and rebuking Paul for his unnecessarily strict attitude towards Angus, all while grieving for the loss of her son.

If the opening titles weren’t enough to help set the scene and make the audience feel like they have time-travelled back to the 1970s themselves, the cinematography from Eigil Bryld beautifully captures the time period as if the filmmakers were using antique cameras and equipment to establish the 1970s setting. Similarly, the film juxtaposes the warmth and cosiness of the holiday season even in the midst of a place which is the antithesis of those two adjectives, while also capturing the cold depths of the Massachusetts winter. In modern times, films which are not part of an existing franchise, or not based on a book or already established source material are increasingly rare these days. As such they should be treasured like a special Christmas present, even more so considering the film contains one off the best insults you will ever hear on film.