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

Abigail (2024)

Posted on April 20, 2024May 12, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Universal Pictures and Radio Silence Productions**

Abigail – Film Review

Cast: Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens, Kathryn Newton, Will Catlett, Kevin Durand, Angus Cloud, Alisha Weir, Giancarlo Esposito

Directors: Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett

Synopsis: A group of criminals kidnap the daughter of a criminal overlord, only to discover she has a penchant for drinking blood…

Review: As mythical creatures go, vampires are up there with the most iconic and recognisable and have become a staple of modern popular culture. Taking many forms over the years, from the instantly recognisable and iconic Dracula to the less iconic sparkly variety. If you had to imagine a typical vampire, they’d probably picture an imposing figure in a black cape gleefully drinking the blood of their victims. You’d probably never expect a vampire to appear as a ballerina-loving girl, which is precisely what makes the latest film from the filmmaking duo known as Radio Silence so fascinating and entertaining.

A crew of criminals, overseen by the ringleader Lambert (Esposito), are recruited to kidnap a young girl named Abigail and hold her captive at an isolated mansion. The crew, who are told not to use real names while they’re on the job, consists of former army medic Joey (Barrera), ex-detective Frank (Stevens), hacker Sammy (Newton), driver Dean (Cloud in his final onscreen role), sniper Rickles (Catlett) and enforcer Peter (Durant). They are promised a $50m reward to be split between them if they can keep the girl safe and unharmed for 24 hours. The crew then make themselves comfortable and try to deduce the real identities of each other, all while Joey is tasked with ensuring Abigail is comfortable throughout her ordeal. This is until when some of them begin to be picked off by a mysterious assailant and it soon dawns on them that Abigail is no ordinary 12-year-old girl who is obsessed with ballet but is, in fact, a centuries-old vampire who wants to feast on their blood.

Based on and a reimagining of the 1936 film Dracula’s Daughter, the opening scenes of the titular character pirouetting to Tchaikovsky’s Swan Lake as she practises her ballet is probably the last way you would expect a vampire movie to open. It ensures the film stands out in a crowded genre by having a creature of the night feast on her victims while dressed in a tutu. In the same vein as how Ready or Not was a thrilling splice of horror-comedy and a deadly game of hide and seek, the script by Guy Busick (co-writer of Ready or Not and the two recent Scream movies) and Stephen Shields is cut from the same mythical cloth. Horror and comedy once again go splat, except this time it’s a heist movie that goes very very wrong for this crew of people, who frankly, are mostly so deplorable you are willing for Abigail to feast on their blood, because as she puts it “likes to play with her food”.

For a film centred on the premise of a ballerina-loving vampire, it is slow to get to the main course of the movie, where the crew realise what it is they are up against and how could they possibly defeat a creature of the night, which provides ample opportunities for some amusing and meta references from existing vampiric pop culture and how do they deal with the not-so-insignificant matter of a bloodthirsty vampire. Barrera, having been a central part of the revived Scream saga under Radio Silence, is the member of this crew who gets the most development. We learn about her circumstances and why she is in desperate need of some extra money. This plight, and her role as the one who is solely tasked with communicating with Abigail allows her to build trust between the two of them, which may come in handy when Abigail’s desire to drink the blood of every last member of this group of criminals takes hold. Every crew member gets a moment to shine, with no one having as much of a bloody good time as Stevens’ Frank.

However, the star of the show is unquestionably Alisha Weir as Abigail. Having announced herself onto the scene with her incredible performance as the titular character in 2022’s Matilda the Musical, this is another film where she not only plays the titular character but more than holds her own against her more experienced co-stars. She commits absolutely everything to the role in terms of the dancing and the twirling moves of a ballerina as she gleefully and gracefully hunts down her prey, effortlessly switching between the dual personality of a sweet and innocent ballerina-loving girl and a ferocious and bloodthirsty vampire.

Speaking of blood, because you simply can’t have a vampire film without it, after dabbling with the gritty real-world violence of the Ghostface killings, the switch back to the more supernatural setting allows Bettinelli-Olpin and Gillet to return to the over-the-top violence similar to Ready or Not. If you thought that film had a considerable amount of blood, it is nothing compared to the torrents of the stuff unleashed here. It would not be a shock to discover if it broke a world record for the most fake blood that has ever been utilised in a film. It takes a little while for the film to raise the stakes (pun absolutely) intended, but once she gets her fangs and the feeding frenzy begins, it is an absolute bloody riot. A monstrously fun time is to be had by all, well apart from those who end up having those fangs buried deep into their necks.

Another superb performance from Alisha Weir having the time of her life as the tiny but deadly titular vampire is the highlight of another deliciously exciting concoction of horror comedy from Radio Silence.

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.

Just as Christmas is one of the most joyous times of the year, The Holdovers is fittingly a joyous and emotional tale of three unlikely people coming together to unite in their grief while celebrating the holidays. A future festive classic.

2020-2029, Film Review

Strays (2023)

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

© Universal Pictures, Lord Miller Productions and Rabbit Hole Productions

Strays – Film Review

Cast: Will Ferrell, Jamie Foxx, Isla Fisher, Randall Park, Brett Gelman, Will Forte

Director: Josh Greenbaum

Synopsis: A stray dog vows revenge on his abusive owner after he is left abandoned…

Review: For thousands of years, dogs have stood faithfully by humanity’s side and have earned the title of “man’s best friend” as a recognition of the mutual love that exists between humans and our canine pals. Anyone who has owned a dog, or indeed, interacted with them, knows how much fun they can be to have as pets. While there’s no question they can be adorable and provide us with memories to last a lifetime, our four-legged friends do have some rather less-than-pleasant tendencies. These tendencies, and the perspective of how dogs see humans and the world around them are, on paper, pedigree material for a raunchy comedy. A comedy which ought to have left audiences howling with laughter, only for it to miss the mark and be about as funny as stepping in dog excrement.

Reggie (Ferrell) is an adorable but naive border terrier who is owned by Doug (Forte). Reggie loves Doug unconditionally and sees him as the perfect owner, but the reality is Doug is a horrid and abusive bottom-of-the-barrel garbage excuse for a human who blames Reggie for his own failings and mistreats his pet in favour of getting high all the time. After Doug abandons Reggie following what the puppy believes to be a game of fetch, Reggie finds company in a gang of other stray dogs who live on the streets to fend for themselves, namely the extremely vulgar Boston Terrier Bug (Foxx), Australian Shepherd Maggie (Fisher) and Great Dane Hunter (Park). Realising all this time that Doug has not been the amazing owner he once thought he was, Reggie vows revenge on Doug and is joined by his newly acquainted group of pooches get back at Doug for the years of neglect and mistreatment.

In the hands of director Josh Greenbaum, whose last film Barb and Star Go To Vista Del Mar proved to be an idiosyncratic but amusing ride, one would have hoped for a repeat of that success. Unfortunately, Dan Perrault’s screenplay instead relies on low-hanging fruit by using some of the horrid tendencies of our canine pals for vulgar and obscene comedy, which gets very stale very quickly. Yes, dogs like to hump things, it does not need to be turned into a running gag. What’s more, the film spends a substantial amount of its time focused on utterly juvenile jokes concerning bodily fluids, genitals and faeces, and very little time focusing on a plot to make the audience actually care about the quest the dogs are on. There is absolutely a time and a place for such jokes, a dog movie being the perfect example. Still, the script repeats these with such frequency it quickly gets tiresome and makes it feel like it was written not by a professional screenwriter, but instead by a bunch of giggly schoolchildren who fall about in helpless laughter at rude words.

To give the film a tiny morsel of credit, not all the humour is nauseatingly crude, as there is a humorous moment involving the gang of pooches high as kites after they eat a bunch of mushrooms which elicits a chuckle or two. Yet, one mildly amusing scene in a supposed comedy filled with jokes reliant on bodily humour which are devoid of any subtlety or wit, is not enough to redeem the film in the slightest. Even at a mere 93 minutes, the repetitive and unfunny nature of the comedy means the film drags and becomes a chore to sit through, even with some adorable dogs on screen.

What could have been a very witty and clever take on man’s best friend and their relationship with humans proves to be anything but and ends up being a complete waste of its talented voice cast. If it looks like dog poop and smells like dog poop, then it is probably dog poop, and this is one piece of cinematic dog poop you would be well-advised to avoid.

Vulgar for the sake of being vulgar, there is no treat to be found in sitting through this tasteless and unfunny comedy that is all bark and no bite. Man’s best friend deserved better.

2020-2029, Film Review

Barbie (2023)

Posted on August 1, 2023August 1, 2023 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Warner Bros. Pictures, Mattel Films and Heyday Films**

Barbie – Film Review

Cast: Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, America Ferrera, Kate McKinnon, Issa Rae, Rhea Perlman, Will Ferrell, Hari Nef, Alexandra Shipp, Emma Mackey, Sharon Rooney, Dua Lipa, Nicola Coughlan, Ana Cruz Kayne, Ritu Arya, Kingsley Ben-Adir, Simu Liu, Scott Evans, Ncuti Gatwa, Michael Cera

Director: Greta Gerwig

Synopsis: After suffering an existential crisis, one Barbie (Robbie) must journey to the real world in search of answers…

Review: A parody of Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey is probably one of the last ways you’d expect a film centred on one of the most influential toys to have ever been created to start. “Since the beginning of time, since the first little girl ever existed, there have been dolls. But the dolls were always and forever baby dolls,” intones Helen Mirren’s narrator. It wasn’t until 1959, when a company called Mattel launched a toy which would change not just the doll industry, but the toy industry forever with over a billion dolls sold worldwide, and her name is Barbie. A plethora of animated movies followed since, but while it has been mooted for a long time, a live-action film had for a long time looked as though it would never escape the doldrums of the plastic box of development hell. This is until, Greta Gerwig, after her success with a beautiful directorial debut and a superb adaptation of one of the most beloved novels of all time stepped in, and the result is one of the funniest, and pinkest movies you will ever see in your life.

In the picturesque world of Barbie Land, live all of the Barbies, each of whom has their own unique role in their perfect society. One such Barbie is the stereotypical Barbie (Robbie), who wakes up every day living her best life, spending days by the beach, having parties in her dream house, and organising girls’ nights with all of the other Barbies in the community. Nights filled with sleepovers, parties and the dulcet tones of Dua Lipa and Lizzo providing an irresistibly catchy soundtrack. This is until one night, one passing comment about death causes everything in her perfect world to go very wrong, including cold showers, falling off her roof, and worst of all, gasps, flat feet. Determined to find answers, Barbie must journey, with her partner Ken (Gosling) in tow, to the real world to figure out what is causing the imperfections in her perfect lifestyle to happen and whether she can fix them before it is too late.

**You can see why they ran out of all the pink paint…**

As is the case with superhero movies, or murder mystery movies, it pays to know as little as possible before making the journey to Barbie Land. Beyond what is teased in the trailers, this is no ordinary Barbie movie. Gerwig’s screenplay (co-written by her partner Noah Baumbach) really goes all in on the themes it chooses to approach and is not afraid to tackle meaningful social commentary surrounding feminism, gender roles, the negative impact that Barbie has had on the standards of beauty for women, and the patriarchal nature of the real world and its abject treatment of women, a very stark contrast to the idyllic world of Barbie Land. A severe rude awakening for Barbie, but one that considerably piques Ken’s interest who finds a new sense of purpose to his existence beyond merely being an accessory for Barbie. Gerwig and Baumbach deserve great credit for their scope and ambition as the script strikes a playful balance between thought-provoking social commentary and Barbie’s toy history and also goes for some big swings, all with fantastic wit and sharp meta-humour.

From the moment she was cast, Margot Robbie felt like the perfect choice to play the lead role of Stereotypical Barbie, and she does not disappoint. Throughout her career, she has portrayed a wide range of charismatic characters and has always embodied those roles perfectly, whether it’s her perfect turns as Harley Quinn or as the no-holds-barred party girl in Babylon. Now she can add Barbie to that list of roles which felt tailor-made for her because she looks the part, but also has the required acting chops necessary for both the film’s light-hearted moments and the more serious moments. Alongside her, Gosling is equally perfect as Ken. His career has often seen him in intense dramas where he appears stoic and cold. However, he has also proved he has serious talent as a comedic actor and never has that shone more brightly than in The Nice Guys. His performance as Ken is unlike anything you have seen from him before. No matter if he’s showing off his muscles, or a passionate song and dance number, he owns every minute of screen time he has. In such a star-studded cast, Robbie and Gosling stand out among all the respective Barbies and Kens, though Weird Barbie (McKinnon) is given plenty of moments to shine. Outside of the would-be plastic dolls, America Ferrera gives a noteworthy as a disgruntled Mattel employee who might hold the key to why Barbie’s world is falling apart.

It’s been well documented when designing the film’s incredible sets, they needed so much pink paint that it contributed to a worldwide shortage of that particular colour, no expense spared for Barbie’s dream house, as it should be, and it was most definitely worth it as the film’s production design is immaculately impressive and rich in its detail. The same is also most definitely true of the costumes which have been faithfully recreated for the big screen. While the film blasts through its 114-minute running time, there is one side plot with Will Ferrell’s ~~Lord Business~~ Mattel CEO which can feel a bit throw away but it does not detract from the fact that Greta Gerwig has created a film which manages to be a fuschia-infused party, an uproarious comedy, and a thought-provoking look at modern society rolled into one and completes Gerwig’s hat-trick after her success with Lady Bird and Little Women. Come on Barbie, let’s go party!

A feminist and hilarious ode to the doll which has defined generations and will almost certainly continue to do so for many more generations to come. Life in plastic is truly fantastic!

2020-2029, Film Review

Joy Ride (2023)

Posted on July 10, 2023December 10, 2023 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Joy Ride – Film Review

Cast: Ashley Park, Sherry Cola, Stephanie Hsu, Sabrina Wu, Ronny Chieng, Desmond Chaim, Alexander Hodge, Daniel Dae Kim

Director: Adele Lim

Synopsis: A lawyer is convinced by her best friend to travel across China in search of her birth mother…

Review: It is inevitable that any movie featuring a group of friends on some kind of raunchy/boozy quest filled with mischievous shenanigans will have comparisons made to either The Hangover franchise or to Bridesmaids. Though they were not the first films of their kind, the latter opened the door for more female-driven R-rated comedies to level a playing field that tended to be dominated by Caucasian men. As such, a comedy which featured Asian-American women at the centre would have been unheard of a few years ago. However, in recent years, Asian-led films have become increasingly more prominent, including a rom-com with a predominantly Asian cast and the not-so-small matter of an Asian-led multiverse film which claimed Best Picture at this year’s Academy Awards, both of which represented significant moments for Asian representation on screen. Enter Crazy Rich Asians co-writer Adele Lim, making her directorial debut to continue the step forward for representation by having Asian American women at the centre of one of the funniest R-rated comedies in a long time.

Audrey Sullivan (Park) and Lolo Chen (Cola) are best friends who grew up together as the only two Asian children in their neighbourhood, appropriately named White Hills. Now into adulthood, Audrey is a high-flying lawyer on the cusp of a big promotion, while Lolo is an artist specialising in sex positivity. To clinch her promotion, she is tasked by the bosses within her firm to travel to China to close out an important business deal and takes Lolo along to act as a translator. While in the country, they meet up with Lolo’s K-Pop-obsessed cousin Deadeye (Wu) and Audrey’s actor friend Kat Heung (Hsu). After the meeting doesn’t quite go as planned, the four of them go on a journey across the country to find Audrey’s birth mother.

On the surface, Joy Ride certainly resembles the aforementioned comedies featuring a group of friends on a journey of self-discovery, all while engaged in some humorous hijinks. However, through Cherry Chevapravatdumrong’s and Teresa Hsiao’s hilarious screenplay, the film establishes itself from the off by tapping the mindset of these four very different people. Each of them will discover new things about themselves, and their aspirations for what they aspire to achieve while learning some new things about their friendships and cultures along the way. Particularly in the case of Audrey, as someone who has grown up in the US, having been adopted from China as a very young child, it explores her perspective as someone who sees herself torn between the life she has known growing up in her adopted homeland and the family she never knew in Asia. Right from the moment they meet, the friendship between Audrey and Lolo is beautifully realised in no small part due to standing up to a racist bully, with one of the best utterances of “fuck you” in any movie ever. From that moment on, the unbreakable bond between them was set, and the chemistry between Park and Cola is delightful.

It’s not until Audrey and Lolo arrive in China in search of the former’s birth mother, where they quickly meet up with Deadeye and Kat, that the hijinks and hilarity ensue and they come thick and fast. From the key business meeting which descends into a drinking game and more, a highly amusing train journey, uproarious sexual encounters each of our leads has with members of a local sports team (chances are you may well never look at a basketball and a massage gun in the same way again!), and a rendition of a popular rap song, there is no limit to how raunchy and mischievous the comedy will go to make the audience laugh. Each character is given their moment to shine, from Audrey’s insecurities about her identity and her heritage to Lolo being looked down on for her sex-positive art, to Deadeye’s socially introverted nature and fanatic love of K-pop to Kat’s attempts to cover up her sexually promiscuous past from her devoutly Christian fiance. Each actor brings heart and sincerity to their performance and as their journey takes them across Asia, they grow and bond as a group of friends.

While the central quest to find Audrey’s birth mother involves endless amounts of humour, it crucially finds the time to establish some genuine emotional moments between the group to bring them together, particularly in the third act which is where Park’s performance soars. Balancing the comedy with emotional weight can be a tough balancing act as there’s a risk the comedy will negate the emotional drama. However, Lim expertly handles this balance with assured direction. The similarities with other comedies of this nature are obvious. However, the level of passion which went into the making of the film comes across in both the writing and the performances, with a story that will undoubtedly be relatable to countless millions, plus another significant moment for representation in a comedy that will provide you with endless amounts of joy, and that is never a bad thing.

Packed with hilarious raunchy humour and a sweet and emotionally heart-warming story of four friends on a journey of self-discovery, Joy Ride is easily the funniest movie you will see all year.

2020-2029, Film Review

Polite Society (2023)

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

Polite Society – Film Review

Cast: Priya Kansara, Ritu Arya, Nimra Bucha, Akshay Khanna, Seraphina Beh, Ella Bruccoleri, Shobu Kapoor, Jeff Mirza

Director: Nida Manzoor

Synopsis: An up-and-coming martial artist must hatch a plan to save her sister when she gets engaged…

Review: In the history of cinema, the genre of kung-fu/martial arts is one which has been typically male-dominated, with the works of icons such as Bruce Lee and Jackie Chan inspiring filmmakers to this day. However, there has been no shortage of iconic female characters who have left their mark on this genre, such as Uma Thurman’s The Bride from Kill Bill or some of the many films starring the icon that is Michelle Yeoh, including a certain Academy Award-winning multiverse inspired adventure. On the back of that film’s phenomenal success, which only added proof (as if it was needed) of women firmly establised their credentials as badass warriors capable of taking anyone down, along comes Nida Manzoor with her wickedly funny directorial debut to reinforce that notion, and is ready to chop down anyone who would say otherwise.

Ria (Kansara) is an aspiring martial artist codenamed “The Fury” and harbours ambitions to become a prominent stuntwoman for major Hollywood productions. She is close with her sister Lena (Arya), who moved back home after dropping out of art school. Lena helps to film the videos for Ria’s YouTube channel and the sisters have formed a close bond. However, their relationship is strained when Lena meets the handsome Salim (Khanna) and promptly falls head over heels for him. When Lena accepts Salim’s proposal of marriage after a relatively short period of time of being together, Ria becomes immediately suspicious and must use a combination of her martial arts expertise and aspiring sleuth skills, with the assistance of her friends Clara (Beh) and Alba (Bruccoleri), to try to understand what it is about Salim that has captured Lena’s heart and form a plan to somehow prevent her sister from going through with tying the knot.

**Hell Hath No Fury like the fists of The Fury…**

As the budding young martial artist at the centre of this delightful fusion of Bollywood, meets action comedy, meets coming-of-age tale, Priya Kansara’s wonderful breakthrough performance deserves to put her on an immediate path to stardom. Her commitment and dedication to her craft as a martial artist, and unwavering career ambitions are immediately relatable. Her relationship with Lena is also very sincere and both Kansara and Arya share a warm chemistry, where both sisters are passionate and determined to support each other in their lives, particularly given the expectations of their parents (Shobu Kapoor and Jeff Mirza). Though their bond is put to the test when Salim enters the picture and the looming possibility of seeing her sister married to this man prompts Ria and her friends to get creative with their sleuthing, which lends itself to plenty of comedic moments.

With a handful of TV directorial credits under her belt, including Doctor Who and her Channel 4 comedy series We Are Lady Parts, Manzoor makes the transition to the big screen seamlessly. Her script captures the family dynamic of a British-Asian family, while also being instantly relatable for anyone who’s harboured ambitions to make their mark on their chosen profession and will stop at nothing to achieve it, even in the face of setbacks. Yet, this is just one facet of the film, with some fast-paced, exhilarating action scenes. The influences of the works of Edgar Wright’s Cornetto Trilogy and Scott Pilgrim are undeniable, but Manzoor’s direction is assured and framing these scenes against a backdrop of a traditional Pakistani wedding works to perfection. Furthermore, PC Williams’s costume design ensures these colourful and stunning wedding garments leap off the screen.

Without straying into too much detail, there’s an element of outlandishness to the direction the plot goes in. However, given the film is a near blast to watch from start to finish, it is easy enough to roll with the punches and enjoy the ride. In a year, which has already seen the wonderful Rye Lane charm audiences with its fresh take on the rom-com genre and establish Raine Allen-Miller as an exciting new voice among up-and-coming British filmmakers. Nida Manzoor follows suit with a wonderfully unique film, which lets the fists of The Fury fly, all while celebrating the power and badassery of women and the unbreakable bond of sisterhood.

A joyous fusion of the warm and loving bond between sisters, quintessential British comedy and a celebration of Bollywood, as well exhilarting action sequences ensures Polite Society is a fist-pumping good time, with a star-in-the-making performance from Priya Kansara.

2020-2029, Film Review

Bullet Train (2022)

Posted on September 18, 2022September 19, 2022 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

© Columbia Pictures, North Productions and Sony Pictures

Bullet Train – Film Review

Cast: Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry, Andrew Koji, Hiroyuki Sanada, Benito A Martínez Ocasio, Zazie Beetz, Sandra Bullock

Director: David Leitch

Synopsis: A group of assassins aboard a high-speed train in Japan discover that their respective missions are interconnected…

Review: Trian delays and cancellations, expensive fares and overcrowding in stations and on platforms, are some of the many problems that can all quickly turn the most pleasant of journeys into a nightmare. Hence, the idea of a super-fast train that could get you to your destination in an even shorter time seems like it would be the speediest and most stress-free commute ever. Yet, imagine if your train had several dangerous, highly skilled assassins, sitting in its carriages, it might well persuade someone to look for alternative routes. However, with director David Leitch the conductor of this service, this is one train ride you will definitely want to board.

Ladybug (Pitt), is a down-on-his-luck assassin, who while extremely good at his job is, determined to get out of the profession. Tasked by his handler (Bullock) to get on the world’s fastest bullet train travelling from Tokyo to Kyoto, retrieve a briefcase, and get off at the next stop seems like an easy enough assignment. However, matters get considerably complicated when Ladybug realises that he is not the only one aboard the train who has taken an interest in the briefcase. With a plethora of highly skilled assassins on board (with what at first glance appear to be unrelated missions), the realisation soon dawns on Ladybug that there is a connection between their presence and the highly dangerous criminal known only as The White Death. Turning what should have been a simple mission into a more complex one, Ladybug finds himself entangled in a brutal web of violence that goes off the rails in a thrilling manner.

Adapted from Kôtarô Isaka’s novel of the same name, Zak Olkewicz’s screenplay wastes very little time establishing the key characters at play that all for one reason or another, have an interest in this briefcase. The screenplay also utilises non-linear storytelling to establish each character’s motivations and who is in whose respective crosshairs. The use of non-linear storytelling can initially be a bit hard to follow. However, once you have reached the light at the end of this tunnel and the tracks converge, all becomes clear.

There are a pair of contract killers who go by the aliases of Tangerine (Taylor-Johnson) and Lemon (Tyree Henry), a mysterious assassin known as The Prince (King) who puts on a youthful persona to her advantage in order to deceive her enemies, an assassin known as the Wolf (Ocasio) is out on a deeply personal revenge mission. Lastly, there’s Yuichi Kimura (Andrew Koji), who like The Wolf, is also on a deeply personal mission following a family accident. Lastly, you have Kimura’s father, known only as the Elder (Sanada) who’s doing all he can to protect his family. However, for all of the wonderful talent that the film undeniably boasts, there is an element of whitewashing that is extremely difficult to overlook. Given the film’s source material and the setting, to have only two Japanese actors among the core cast feels like a massive missed opportunity.

Despite that misstep with the casting, every actor here is having a ton of fun with the material, and for the first two acts of the film, it is a delightfully riveting watch. Like the speeding bullet train, the mystery of this case, why all these different assassins with different agendas are after it begins to unravel in a gloriously bloody fashion. Brad Pitt is someone who has carved a career as one of the most recognisable A-listers working today, and once again, he brings his usual charisma. It is however Tyree Henry and Taylor-Johnson, as the hilarious double act of British assassins who steal the show. Sharing witty and often hilarious banter over topics such as Thomas the Tank Engine, these guys have built a very sincere familial-like friendship built over the missions they have shared together, making their relationship the heart and soul of the film.

David Leitch is well versed in the world of action filmmaking, especially given his prior stuntman experience. His attention to detail provides Bullet Train with an eye-pleasing visual aesthetic, that boasts highly stylised action scenes and violent payoffs. Confining the action scenes to the narrow aisles of a speeding train is a refreshing change of pace, as it gives the characters a real headache, forcing them to scrap in an area where there is not exactly much room to hide. Despite clocking in at two hours and six minutes, this particular train journey begins to run out of steam towards the end, and would have benefitted if it had concluded its journey a few stations prior. Nevertheless, the end product is such a riotous blast of fun that by the time this train has reached the end of the line, you will want to immediately book a return ticket.

It might seem like the commute from hell, but with pulsating action and every single member of the cast having a blast, makes this particular train journey an extremely enjoyable and exhilarating ride.

2020-2029, Film Review

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent (2022)

Posted on June 26, 2022September 19, 2022 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent – Film Review

Cast: Nicolas Cage, Pedro Pascal, Sharon Horgan, Ike Barinholtz, Alessandra Mastronardi, Jacob Scipio, Neil Patrick Harris, Tiffany Haddish

Director: Tom Gormican

Synopsis: Faced with the prospect of a declining career, actor Nick Cage (Nicholas Cage) is offered the chance by a wealthy super-fan to revive his career, which gets him entangled with the CIA…

Review: For any actor, there is likely to be that one role that they dream of getting in their career. A role that will perhaps win them a prestigious award, or one that goes on to define their career. In the case of Nicolas Kim Coppola, or to give him the name many will undoubtedly know him by Nicolas Cage, pinpointing such a role is hard to nail down. For a career that began in 1981, he’s an actor that has gained a reputation, particularly in recent years, for his over-the-top and eccentric performances. Some of which, in the age of the internet and meme culture, become forever immortalised. But perhaps, the role that will define his career, is the one he’s playing here: a fictionalised version of himself.

Nick Cage is facing a career crisis. He’s trying hard to get major roles, but no one is willing to offer him the parts he’s going for. As such, he fears that his career as an actor may be coming to a close. As he has been solely focused on his career, his relationships with his ex-wife and daughter have become distant. However. when Javi (Pascal), a wealthy Nick Cage super fan, offers him one million dollars to be the guest of honour at his birthday party, it’s an offer he cannot refuse. The two men begin to strike up a friendship, bonding over their shared love of movies. This is until Cage soon finds himself unexpectantly working with the CIA when it’s revealed that Javi is a dangerous drug kingpin who they suspect could be behind a high profile kidnapping.

Pitching such a premise that is reliant on a very meta premise like this could have very easily gone horribly wrong and looked like the ultimate ego-driven and narcissistic vanity project for the actor at the centre of it. But fortunately, Tom Gormican and Kevin Etten’s script doesn’t come across that way at all. It is instead a tribute to an actor whose roles have given audiences so much over the years, from the award-worthy to the performances in films that are so bad they’re good. For passionate fans of Cage and his work, there are references aplenty to some of his most iconic performances of the past that die-hard Cage fans will absolutely love. But it would be easy for the film to just point out a previous performance and call back to it for some nice and easy nostalgia. The film finds plentiful amounts of humour in the situation that Cage finds himself in.

Speaking of Cage, having had something of a resurgence with his brilliant performance in last year’s Pig, this is yet another reminder of the man’s talents as an actor. Sure, playing yourself (or a somewhat fictionalised version) is not the most challenging of tasks, but Cage is clearly having a blast with this material and by consequence so will the audience, especially if you’re a fan of Cage’s filmography. Alongside Cage, Pedro Pascal is equally brilliant in his role as Nick’s new best friend/number one fan. The bromance the two of them strike up, bonding over their favourite movies is heart-warming, especially if you share that deep love of movies that these guys do. Furthermore, with some of the misadventures they get up to whilst Cage is staying at his home provides for plenty more moments of hilarity. The Cage/Javi bromance takes centre stage, which unfortunately means that the CIA side plot does feel tacked on, and both Tiffany Haddish and Ike Barinholtz do the best they can with what limited screen time they have.

The film does lose a bit of steam at various points when it deviates away from the central bromance. However, it’s not long enough to drag the movie down, especially given the man and the legend at the centre of it all. The funniest film of the year by far, and it will take some beating for another film to pip this one to the honour of the best title of the year as well. Two more worthy accolades in the career of someone whose work has already brought so much joy to so many. Long may that continue.

Brilliantly self-aware and doesn’t take itself too seriously, with a hilarious buddy comedy at its centre, a worthy celebration of the legend that is Nicolas Cage.

2020-2029, Film Review

Everything Everywhere All At Once (2022)

Posted on May 22, 2022May 22, 2022 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Everything Everywhere All At Once – Film Review

Cast: Michelle Yeoh, Stephanie Hsu, Ke Huy Quan, Jenny Slate, Harry Shum Jr., James Hong, Jamie Lee Curtis

Directors: Daniel Kwan and Dan Scheinert

Synopsis: Staring at the looming possibility of her business being forcibly closed down and amid rocky relationships with her family, a woman discovers she has the ability to travel through the multiverse…

Review: Humanity has long had a fascination with the concept of the multiverse, which has often found its way into the media that we consume. Most notably with science fiction and the realm of superhero movies, particularly the Marvel Cinematic Universe. It does make you wonder, what if there was an alternative version of you living in a universe in conjunction with this mad world we find ourselves living in? How would their life be different from the one you currently have and how different their world would be compared to ours? The answers to those questions, and so much more, can be found in one of the best explorations of this concept that’s ever been put to film.

Evelyn (Yeoh) is a Chinese-American woman who owns a laundromat whilst living in a tiny cramped flat above the laundromat with her husband Waymond (Quan). Her business is currently under audit by the IRS and Evelyn is up to her eyeballs in paperwork to sift through. To make matters worse, she’s presently enduring some troubled relationships with her family. Her marriage is teetering on the brink of divorce, her ailing father (Hong) is coming to visit and her relationship with her daughter Joy (Hsu) is breaking down to potentially the point of no return. Everything comes to a head when Evelyn realises, whilst in a crucial meeting with the IRS, that she has the power to travel through the multiverse. She’s able to see the various different lives she could have led, and as it turns out, is humanity’s last hope as a grave threat threatens to destroy not just her universe, but every single universe in existence.

If you have seen the previous film from Daniel Kwan and Dan Scheinert, collectively known as Daniels, where a farting corpse discovers the meaning of life and friendship, you know to expect the unexpected. But even with that caveat, nothing can truly quite prepare the audience for the breathtaking film that they are about to experience. Effortlessly combining multiversal travel, with flawlessly executed kung-fu inspired action scenes, absurd moments of brilliant comedy and a very sincere heartfelt story sounds like an impossible job for one film to accomplish. It would be very easy for any film dealing with multiverses to get lost in the madness and for things to spiral hopelessly out of control to the point where it’s nought but an incoherent mess that has scrambled your brain. Fortunately, Daniels’ screenplay is extremely airtight. The imagination to have come up with such a brilliantly realised story is beyond impressive. However, to go into much more detail and to give away some of the hilarious jokes and gags would be a disservice to the genius of Daniels’ brilliantly bonkers vision.

Michelle Yeoh has always been a very prominent figure across a plethora of Hollywood movies, from her memorable turns as a Bond lady in Tomorrow Never Dies to her scene-stealing work in Crazy Rich Asians, but it’s usually been from a supporting perspective. So, to see her given her first leading role in a Hollywood film is so immensely satisfying, because it is what an actor of her immense talent truly deserves. Yeoh throws everything she has into this role, doing all of her own stunts, and in turn, gives the many different lives of Evelyn that we see on screen so much depth. She demonstrates just why she’s such a revered actor and Yeoh gives the performance of her career. While the film belongs to Yeoh, the work of the supporting cast must not be discounted.

Having had a very small role in last year’s Shang-Chi, Stephanie Hsu gets her chance to shine as Evelyn’s disgruntled daughter Joy and she seizes that opportunity with both hands. There is so much depth and nuance to Joy and the relationship between Joy and her mother. Ke Huy Quan, who shot to fame with his early performances in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom and The Goonies had been away from the acting game for a while, so it is fantastic to see him return and give such a brilliant performance as Evelyn’s goofy husband Waymond. The icing on the cake is Jamie Lee Curtis’s hilarious turn as the grumpy IRS agent who’s leading the audit into Evelyn’s business.

Regardless of the medium, an exploration of the multiverse offers filmmakers/showrunners so many possibilities. However, the film doesn’t lose sight of its core story about the importance of family and finding one’s place in the world. It gives the audience that and an enthralling ride along the way that they are unlikely to forget any time soon. Films like Everything Everywhere All At Once don’t come around too often, but when they do, they demand to be celebrated and cherished. For as long as the cinematic art form exists, films like this one are a powerful reminder of the wonder that this medium can accomplish.