2020-2029, Film Review

Wicked (2024)

Posted on November 22, 2024November 18, 2025 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Universal Pictures and Marc Platt Productions**

Wicked – Film Review

Cast: Cynthia Erivo, Ariana Grande-Butera, Jonathan Bailey, Ethan Slater, Bowen Yang, Marissa Bode, Peter Dinklage, Michelle Yeoh, Jeff Goldblum

Director: Jon. M. Chu

Synopsis: A misunderstood young woman forges a friendship with a popular student at Shiz University in the land of Oz…

Review: There is a very good reason The Wizard of Oz is considered a timeless classic and an iconic work of cinema which has stood the test of time. More than three-quarters of a century since Dorothy and her friends travelled down that yellow brick road, its enduring themes of finding your courage and the power of friendship, combined with the memorable music (for which it won two Oscars) and the iconic red footwear adorned by its lead character, contribute to its legacy. It is no surprise that in the years since, there have been numerous expansions to the wonderful world of Oz in various forms, including the 1995 prequel novel “Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West,” which later inspired a musical. A musical that has been seen 65 million times in more than 100 cities in 16 countries. Popular, indeed, but the road from stage to screen can sometimes be tricky to negotiate. Fortunately, in the hands of Jon. M. Chu, the first part of this adaptation truly soars.

Adapting the first act of the musical, Galinda (Grande-Butera) arrives at Shiz University and soon becomes eager to impress the school’s Dean of Sorcery Madame Morrible (Yeoh). There she meets Elphaba (Erivo), the misunderstood daughter of the Governor of Munchkinland. Elphaba has possessed magical abilities from childhood, but is mocked and scorned by society due to her green skin. After the duo are forced to room-share while at university, they forge the most unlikely friendship. This leads them both to visit the Wizard of Oz in the Emerald City before their paths diverge forever into becoming The Good Witch and The Wicked Witch of the West respectively.

When you have had music and lyrics that have enchanted theatre audiences for more than 20 years, it shouldn’t come as a shock that the music composed for the stage by Stephen Schwartz has remained unchanged for the screen. Likewise, for the dialogue, however given this first half is confined solely to the musical’s first act, it allows Winnie Holzman and Dana Fox’s screenplay to devote considerably more time to exploring these characters and fully fleshing out their backstories, particularly Elphaba. Villains can so often be misunderstood souls who are driven to their wickedness by the cruelty and mockery inflicted upon them by others, and Elphaba is one such soul. Disliked by her father since birth, while being kept at arm’s length by her disabled sister Nessarose (Bode), means she is more withdrawn and reserved, but doesn’t allow herself to let the bullies wear her down.

Galinda, by contrast, is the complete opposite of Elphaba. The vainglorious queen of Shiz University, always with a couple of faithful minions in tow and looking to stand out from the crowd, with an excessively pink wardrobe that could give Barbie a serious run for her money. While she initially joins the rest of the students in mocking Elphaba, she eventually becomes sympathetic towards her and strives to improve her popularity among the rest of the university’s students. As well as possessing terrific singing voices, the film’s magic lies in the chemistry between Elphaba and Galinda, and Erivo and Grande deliver magical performances. The latter might not have the most extensive acting resume to her name, but she effortlessly brings Galinda’s vanity to the core, demanding to be the centre of attention at all times. Yet, there is an endearing quality to her that you can’t help but love, particularly in those tender moments between her and Elphaba.

Without a doubt, Erivo and Grande are the stars of the show, though they are wonderfully supported by a quirky cast of characters, including the effortlessly charming Prince Fiyero (Bailey), and the stern yet compassionate Madame Morrible. Yeoh, reuniting with her Crazy Rich Asians director, to wonderful effect. Additionally, no film set in the land of Oz would be complete without the Wizard himself, portrayed perfectly by Jeff Goldblum, who brings his signature quirkiness to the role. Chu is no stranger to musicals, having directed 2015’s Jem and the Holograms and 2021’s In the Heights. Despite the latter’s truly spectacular musical numbers, Chu really steps up to deliver some truly showstopping musical numbers that will have you singing the songs for days and weeks afterwards.

Adapting such a beloved piece of storytelling that has cast a spell and bewitched its way into the hearts and minds of legions of fans was always going to be a tough ask, as adaptations of musicals can often go very very wrong. Yet, Chu has brought to the screen a very timely story about being unafraid of who you’re meant to be, to stick to your guns and not be intimidated in the face of bullies. A magical experience in every sense of the word, and the good news is, this is only the first half. Grab your broomsticks and pointy hats, because we’ll be venturing down the yellow brick road back to Oz again this time next year.

Filled with truly magical musical numbers, enchanting costumes and sets, and spellbinding performances combine to deliver an enthralling cinematic experience for long-time fans of the Broadway play and newcomers alike. Expectations and gravity well and truly defied.

2020-2029, Film Review

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice (2024)

Posted on September 6, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Warner Bros and The Geffen Company**

Beetlejuice Beetlejuice – Film Review

Cast: Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, Catherine O’Hara, Justin Theroux, Monica Bellucci, Jenna Ortega, Willem Dafoe

Director: Tim Burton

Synopsis: Decades after the events of Beetlejuice, three generations of the Deetz family return to Winter River, where a family member discovers a portal to the afterlife. This enables the return of the ghost with the most, Betelgeuse himself…

Review: In the vastly idiosyncratic filmography of Tim Burton, words like freaky, wacky, quirky, eccentric, and macabre often come to mind. Though, perhaps none captures these qualities more than the 1988’s Beetlejuice. A story about death and the afterlife had no business being as charming, bizarre and witty as it was, with a glorious scene-stealing performance from Michael Keaton as the titular character, despite only 17 minutes of screentime. An impressive achievement for what was Burton’s second feature film and represented the start of a long and lasting collaboration between Burton and Winona Ryder, including a certain Caped Crusader in the case of the former. Years after being banished to the afterlife (Betelguese, not Batman), the Juice is let loose for a legacy sequel that earns its stripes and does not deserve to be banished to purgatory forevermore.

It has been over 30 years since Lydia Deetz (Ryder) was almost married to a sleazy bio-physicist. Despite him being out of her life, Lydia is haunted by visions of the ghost with the most. A family tragedy brings Lydia, her stepmother Delia (O’Hara), and her daughter Astrid (played by Ortega) back to Winter River. During this time, Lydia attempts to reconnect with Astrid, who initially shows little interest. However, Astrid’s curiosity is piqued when she discovers an old model of the town in the attic. Their efforts to build a relationship seem to be making progress until a family member says THAT name three times, Betelgeuse is let loose on the world of the living, and he has some unfinished business to take care of.

When a significant amount of time has passed between films in a franchise, there is always the risk that the sequel will become nothing more than nostalgia bait for fans of the original and will lean too heavily into that, and forget to tell a story worth telling. A dangerous game, which this sequel thankfully is not interested in playing. In the years since, Lydia is the face of a TV show as a psychic mediator, trying to juggle a relationship with her producer Rory (Theroux), while Astrid is struggling to come to terms with the loss of her father. Meanwhile, in the land of the ghouls, Betelgeuse is up to his usual tricks in an attempt to win Lydia back, all while Dolores (Belluci) is on an intensely personal mission to track Betelgeuse down and will stop at nothing until she finds him, but not before she has to (literally) put herself back together. Burton’s gothic style is fully turned up to the maximum and he is absolutely in his element.

Speaking of people in their element, Keaton in the titular role is once again an absolute joy of chaotic energy, he slips back into that stripy suit effortlessly like he never took it off. Ryder and Ortega, the latter of whom you get the spooky sense might just be on a long journey as another frequent Burton collaborator, are a very effective pairing. Even though Astrid feels unhappiness and resentment towards her mother, they work together as schemes perpetuated by those on the other side threaten to have dire consequences for them both. Dafoe is fun, if a little underutilized as a deceased actor who really enjoyed playing a cop when he was alive. However, no one is more underserved by this sequel than Belluci. She makes her presence known with what precious little screentime and lines she has, but it is a real squandered opportunity that her backstory wasn’t further fleshed out.

Alfred Gough’s and Miles Millar’s script, from a story they wrote with Seth Grahame-Smith, strives to differentiate itself from its predecessor by spending more time in the Land of the Dead, rather than the living. As undeniably cool and enjoyable as it is to see this bizarre and unique portrayal of what life is almost certainly nothing like once we leave this mortal coil, there are so many different strands to this story at play. They have all been thrown into one big gigantic melting pot and ultimately, too many plot lines spoil the slimy afterlife broth, as it doesn’t always fully cohere and the plot becomes a little bit messy and unfocused.

Nevertheless, the film boasts immaculate production design, a preference for practical effects for as many scenes as possible, and stellar work from the hair and make-up teams. All these elements, combined with, Danny Elfman’s memorable score, give this sequel enough juice to go wild and delight and horrify the audience in equal measure. Time will tell if Burton decides to venture back into the zany world of the undead to complete the trilogy, perhaps saying Beetlejuice’s name three times will do the trick, although please do so at your own risk.

It gets a little too bogged down by too many different plotlines. However, with Burton’s commitment to practical effects, and another committed and off-the-wall performance from Keaton as the ghost with the most, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice delivers a worthy follow-up to its predecessor.

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

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

Turning Red (2022)

Posted on April 25, 2022 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Disney and Pixar Animation Studios**

Turning Red – Film Review

Cast: Rosalie Chiang, Sandra Oh, Ava Morse, Maitreyi Ramakrishnan, Hyein Park, Orion Lee, Wai Ching Ho, James Hong

Director: Domee Shi

Synopsis: The life of 13-year-old girl life is turned upside down when she discovers that whenever she experiences increased levels of emotion, she turns into a giant red panda…

Review: No matter who you are, growing up is tough. Making that transition from childhood to those teenage years, there is an awful lot to contend with. There are changes to your body that you’ve got to contend with, but also changes to your life as you take on increased responsibilities and gradually gain more and more independence from your parents as the years go by. Pixar Animation Studios have often enjoyed phenomenal success in exploring some of the many changes that life throws at us, such as moving house, the loss of a loved one or the massive existential question of what we were put on this Earth to do. The studio’s 25th feature film doesn’t quite go that existential, but it explores a beast that we all have to contend with at some point in our lives.

The year is 2002 and Meilin “Mei” Lee (Chang) is a bright and determined 13-year-old living in Toronto. She excels in school, gets top grades and has a great group of friends. As it is the early 2000s, the boyband craze is thriving as Mei and her friends share a deep and passionate adoration for popular boyband 4*Town. Despite being a very confident and outgoing person, Mei is experiencing a substantial internal conflict, in that she wants to be herself, but her mother Ming’s (Sandra Oh) expectations of her to be the perfect daughter give her considerable anxiety, to the extent that she has to hide certain aspects of her personality. On the cusp of those chaotic teenage years, Meilin realises that whenever she experiences a heightened state of emotion, be it positive or negative, she turns into a giant, fluffy red panda.

Coming-of-age stories have often explored the concept of puberty, but it is so often from the perspective of male characters. Therefore, it is extremely refreshing to see this topic approached entirely from the perspective of a female character, particularly because there’s still a bizarre stigma when it comes to the topics of periods and menstruation, which is completely absurd. However, this isn’t to say that the film is exclusively aimed at women and girls, because as they so often do, Pixar give their films a universal appeal. What makes Domee Shi and Julia Chao’s screenplay so effective to appeal to a universal audience, irrespective of gender, is the thorough examination of the changes that go on in your life when puberty strikes, and we make that transition from childhood into your utterly mental teenage years.

These are years which can be completely chaotic and full of awkward interactions, as you begin to potentially form the friendships you hope to make for life. It’s the time in your life when you find yourself wanting to rebel more and more against your parents. Whether you begin to develop feelings for someone or take up a new hobby, above all, these are the years where your life really begins to take shape as you become your own person. Rosalie Chiang’s brilliant voice performance encapsulates this perfectly. She thinks knows herself and her personality (at least until the transformation into the red panda enters the picture) and that puts her on a direct collision course with her mother. Ming struggles to accept that Mei is not the perfect daughter that Ming wants her to be.

Having won an Oscar for the adorable short film Bao, becoming the first woman to direct a short for Pixar in the process, Domee Shi continues her trailblazing legacy by becoming the first woman to solely direct a feature-length film for the studio. The quality of the animation never disappoints when it comes to Pixar, with the scenes involving the red panda transformations being particular standouts. However, the visuals have an unmistakable anime inspiration to them, which in turn helps give them a certain visual uniqueness that’s unlike anything else in the studio’s catalogue. Pixar films can so often reduce the audience to blubbering messes. Their latest doesn’t have that emotional gut-punching moment, but it took a risk by tackling subject matter that’s still weirdly taboo in the hope of eliminating that stigma, which deserves to be celebrated.

A hilarious and heartfelt tribute to those chaotic pre-teenage years. Breaking new ground in its approach with its approach to its subject matter ensures that Turning Red is a furry triumph for Domee Shi and Pixar.

2020-2029, Film Review

Belle (2022)

Posted on March 7, 2022March 7, 2022 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Belle – Film Review

Cast: Kaho Nakamura, Ryō Narita, Shōta Sometani, Tina Tamashiro, Lilas Ikuta, Kōji Yakusho, Takeru Satoh

Director: Mamoru Hosoda

Synopsis: When a shy teenage high school student discovers the online world of “U”, she disappears under her online persona of talented singer Bell, where she soon becomes a viral sensation…

Review: Life in the 21st-century has very much become a society where the internet and social media has become entrenched in just about every aspect of modern life. Having a presence on social media is of paramount importance, especially for younger generations. Social media can be a wonderful place, giving any individual the chance to connect with like-minded individuals and to offer an escape from the madness of the real world. While this vast digital platform does offer plentiful opportunities, it is not without its perils. For his latest film, Mamoru Hosada has crafted an exquisite piece of storytelling that examines this digital universe, whilst also providing a modern update for the tale as old as time.

Suzu is a high school student living in a rural village with her father. She has a passion for singing, but ever since an extremely traumatic incident when she was a child, she has struggled to rediscover that passion that she once had for singing and song-writing. Despite his best efforts, Suzu’s father is unable to connect with her, and their relationship has become extremely distant. When she discovers the vast virtual world of “U”, it’s a place that enables Suzu to disappear into a brand new digital world. In this world, she is able to rediscover her voice and adopts the online persona of Belle, where she quickly becomes a viral sensation with her incredible singing talent, attracting the attention of the entire population of “U”. Whilst enjoying the adulation and the spotlight, Belle discovers the mystery of another avatar, known only as The Dragon. She becomes intrigued and strives to know more about him.

The vast digital world that we have at our fingertips today is an incredible one that offers anyone a plethora of opportunities to follow and meet like-minded people and to express themselves creatively. This can be a positive outlet for people, which can help boost their creative sparks. However, it can also be an exceedingly dangerous place where people can be subjected to unspeakable cruelty and callousness. Hosoda’s screenplay is hugely ambitious in this respect, as it attempts to take a thorough exploration of both the positives and negatives when it comes to this vast digital platform. Marvelling at the power that such a digital world can do for a person’s morale, whilst simultaneously highlighting the dangers and dark sides that come with internet fame and popularity, such as trolls and cyberbullying.

However, this is merely scratching the surface of the story that Hosoda has penned. It is also a profound examination of the effect that bereavement can have on a child. Not only that, but it explores the adverse effect that this can have when it comes to a child’s creative outlets and how they want to express themselves. As if that wasn’t ambitious enough, the reinvention of the classic fairy-tale of Beauty and The Beast for a 21st-century audience, adds another fascinating layer to the story. In this world of “U”, Belle strives to understand who this beastly character is. Is he really is the terrible, and evil monster that the world of U portrays him as? Or could it be that he’s just misunderstood? With such an ambitious screenplay that has numerous different concurrent plot threads being weaved together, the film could have got convoluted very quickly. However, Hosada’s expertise shines through, and his screenplay weaves them all together in a thoroughly profound and emotionally resonant manner.

When it comes to modern animation, the technology that animators have at their disposal is so advanced that audiences have come to expect the best quality animation every time. Yet such effort takes a lot of work, and even with that weight of expectation, the work that the animation team accomplishes to make the world of “U” feels like a fully realised place is absolutely astounding. Using a perfect combination of more traditional hand-drawn animation, with CG animation, the work done by every animator is absolutely astounding. On top of which, the character designs for each of the avatars in “U” is absolutely extraordinary. From Belle’s long pink hair, to her freckles, to the extraordinary detail on the Dragon. Every character in this world feels less like they are an online persona, and more like a real person. If at the mere touch of a button, there was such a vast digital world that offers a wealth of opportunities for individuals to reinvent themselves, it’s surely an opportunity that anyone would surely seize with both hands.

An emotional and profound examination of the wonders and perils of the digital age, intertwined with a beautiful reimagining of a classic fairy-tale. Mamoru Hosoda has crafted a stunning and heart-wrenching masterpiece.

2020-2029, Film Review, London Film Festival 2020

Wolfwalkers (2020)

Posted on October 12, 2020October 12, 2020 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**Image is property of Cartoon Saloon, WildCard Productions and Apple TV+**

Wolfwalkers – Film Review

Cast: Honor Kneafsey, Sean Bean, Eva Whittaker, Maria Doyle Kennedy, Simon McBurney, Tommy Tiernan

Directors: Tomm Moore and Ross Stewart

Synopsis: After moving from England to Ireland with her father, a young girl discovers a remarkable secret when she meets a fierce girl who lives in the woods with a pack of wolves…

Review: There are animated studios that everyone will likely instinctively think of when it comes to producing wonderful works of animated magic. With animation being an art form that offers endless possibilities of worlds to explore, and characters to create, many studios have had numerous decades to cement their reputations as animated movie maestros. However, one name that may not be as familiar to many, but have been consistently producing some absolutely marvellous films, is that of Cartoon Saloon. With what is only their fourth animated feature, the studio are continuing to enhance their reputation as the next big name in feature film animation, as well as being the Irish answer to Studio Ghibli.

Robyn Goodfellowe (Kneafsey) is a fiercely independent girl living with her father Bill (Bean) in 17th century Ireland. Her father works as a hunter tasked with hunting down a pack of wolves living in the nearby forest, that have the town’s residents in a panic. Her curious nature, and desire to become a hunter like her father, leads her to the forest. By chance, she meets and befriends a free-spirited girl Mebh (Whittaker) who lives with the wolves in question. As the two build up a friendship, Robyn uncovers a revelatory secret about a rumoured extraordinary ability that Mebh possesses, which will change the way Robyn views the world forever.

In an era that sees many studios use fully enhanced computer animation to make their films, it is wonderfully refreshing and endearing to see a studio opt for the more traditional, pencil drawn style of animation, which Cartoon Saloon have mastered. This wonderfully unique story is a vibrant combination of a fairytale, spliced together with a Celtic myth, with the added element of a tale that’s akin to The Legend of Zelda. It is clear that the filmmakers have put in considerable amounts of effort into establishing the historical setting of 17th Century Ireland, which adds considerable levels of authenticity to the animation. By marrying this up with the more fascinating and mystical elements of this wonderful story, that are equally stunning and detailed, it creates something truly unique. Every single aspect of the animation is breath-taking to watch and visually mesmerising.

With excellent and sincere voice work across the board, the characters are all extremely well-rounded and developed. Robyn is an immensely likeable heroine, and Kneafsay’s excellent performance gives her a fierce and independent streak. This helps her to connect with Mebh who’s even more fierce than Robyn, and Whittaker’s voice work is equally impressive. The mutual desire between these two like-minded young people to forge their own destinies in life helps to solidify that strong bond between the two of them. This strong bond, that beats at the heart of this magical adventure, only goes from strength to strength as the film progresses. Though this desire to not want to conform to what would be expected of women, puts Robyn into a difficult situation, with her stern, but loving father. Sean Bean’s familiar voice helps to lend an Eddard Stark-esque fatherly presence to Bill, a man who is also fiercely protective of his daughter.

Yet, as Bill works to protect his beloved daughter, it gets in the way of his work, putting him at odds with the town’s dastardly ruler Lord Protector, voiced with fittingly evil menace by Simon McBurney. While comparisons between this film and a certain Pixar adventure may well be drawn, there’s more than enough meat on its bones that enables Wolfwalkers to stand tall on its own paws. The wonderfully magical nature of this adventure will help the film to connect with audiences of all ages. Furthermore, with the perfect use of Aurora’s soaring vocals, this marvellously captivating tale lets its imagination, and the wolves run wild, and the end result is, simply put, perfection.

Packed with glowing, gorgeous animation and a vibrant exciting story, this enchanting and affectionate tale will charm and delight you, before howling its way into your heart.

2020-2029, Film Review

Onward (2020)

Posted on March 8, 2020March 8, 2020 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**Image is property of Disney and Pixar**

Onward – Film Review

Cast: Tom Holland, Chris Pratt, Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Octavia Spencer

Director: Dan Scanlon

Synopsis: After receiving a gift in the shape of a magical staff, two young brothers set off an exciting quest to discover if the power of magic could give them one last day with their late father….

Review: A world steeped in fantasy is something that human beings seem to be intrinsically drawn to because regrettably they are worlds that we will never get to experience for ourselves. Perhaps this is why stories set in places such as Middle Earth have that everlasting appeal. But what if you took a modern day metropolis and mixed in some fantasy elements, and add in a society that has consigned such elements to the past be just as enthralling? Thanks to the brilliant wizards at Pixar, the answer to that is a resounding yes.

In the town of New Mushroomton, where magical beings have very much settled for a life of the ordinary routine, reside the Lightfoot brothers, Barley (Pratt) and Ian (Holland) living with their mother Laurel (Louis-Dreyfus). Barley is the typical emo/grunge type who’s just a little bit too much into into his fantasy board games, who pines for a return to the bygone fantastical era. Meanwhile, Ian is someone who isn’t quite sure of himself yet. As a gift from their late father, they’re given a staff that was not to be opened until Ian’s 16th birthday. When they discover the staff has magical capabilities, the two brothers set off on a quest to discover if the magical staff could be used to bring their late father back to life for one day only.

Having spent the last few years mostly focused on sequels, it’s always exciting to see the Pixar Brain Trust turn their creative minds into something fresh and original. As their previous films such as Inside Out and Coco demonstrate, when creating original content is usually when they strike gold. Yet again, their streak continues as Onward is further proof that they still have that magic touch, quite literally. As the two brothers at the centre of this quest, the voice work of Tom Holland and Chris Pratt is exceptional. Due to the strength of the voice work, the brotherly relationship that these two have immediately comes to the fore, and it helps to flesh both of them out as layered characters that you can empathise with.

The argument could definitely be made that there’s perhaps a formulaic nature to this story of two siblings going on a quest to establish and develop a great understanding between themselves. However, the screenplay by Scanlon and co-written by Jason Headley and Keith Bunin tell it in a manner that brilliantly utilises the modern aspects of our society, and simultaneously the elements of a fantasy world to drive the story forward. This also provides scope for them to brilliantly weave some humour, into what is yet another emotional story from this studio that has an everlasting knack to tug on your heartstrings.

With so much focus being on the brothers and their quest, it does mean that the supporting characters, such as their mother Laurel and a legendary former magical creature (Octavia Spencer), are relegated to sideline roles. However, the main quest and its impactful messages of the significance of brotherhood, will certainly not be lost on those who grew up with a brother in their lives. Even more so for those who have a brother that they look up to, and whose support when growing up can be of immeasurable value as they reach the adult years of their life.

Bolstered by excellent voice work, and a humorous blend of modern and fantasy ensure that those wizards at Pixar produce yet another magical and touching piece of storytelling.

2010-2019, Film Review

Hellboy (2019)

Posted on April 19, 2019July 17, 2019 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**Image is property of Lionsgate, Summit Entertainment and** **Millennium** **Media**

Hellboy – Film Review

Cast: David Harbour, Milla Jovovich, Ian McShane, Sasha Lane, Daniel Dae Kim, Thomas Haden Church

Director: Neil Marshall

Synopsis: When an Ancient evil sorceress seeks to establish a dark and terrible dominion over humanity, the task of stopping her falls to the one and only Hellboy…

Review: Reboots are all the rage in Hollywood these days, but when any effort is made to reboot a franchise, it can be a very tricky minefield to negotiate. If done right, there’s potential to win an army of new fans to a franchise. On the other hand, when done badly, it serves as a painful reminder to why sometimes a reboot should never have come to fruition, and instead should have stayed in (development) hell where it belongs.

Having been previously brought to the screen on two occasions by Guillermo del Toro, the opportunity for the visionary director to complete his trilogy never materialised. As a result, we now have a new iteration of the half man, half demon, with David Harbour stepping into the horns, vacated by Ron Perlman. We find ourselves in present day with the Bureau for Paranormal Research and Defense (BPRD) under the stewardship of Professor Bruttenholm (McShane) who, along with Hellboy find themselves in the middle of a supernatural war. The villainous Blood Queen (Jovovich) seeks to subject humanity to the darkness under her tyrannical rule, and of course, the task of stepping up and taking her down, falls to our Demon friend.

**“Not even a gun this big can save this shitshow!”**

By far and away, the saving (of sorts) grace of this film is David Harbour’s take on Hellboy. He tries his best, through all his red make-up, to be charismatic and humorous. It’s just a shame then than that the film surrounding him is just a complete catastrophe. From the get go, the screenplay is shambolic, with seemingly no thought whatsoever given to structuring it in a coherent manner. We’re introduced to this supernatural conflict, via some exposition of the quite vulgar variety. From there, the plot just zips along from scene to scene with no time to actually work out what is even happening and why. Furthermore, for the overwhelming majority of the dialogue, the delivery is completely atrocious. The writers seemed to have been playing a game of how many times can we say the word “fuck”, with no nuance, or any particular reason why. It becomes very tiresome very quickly, and this is all within the first act of the film!

Harbour’s performance is the best of a very bad bunch, which is frustrating because there are actors here who have proven themselves to be better than this diabolical material, but when the screenplay is this atrocious, that doesn’t help matters. For instance, Ian McShane has proven himself capable in franchises like John Wick, here you can just tell how much he is phoning it in, likewise for Milla Jovovich’s villain who’s as generic as they come, and there’s a monstrous villain with a Liverpudlian accent. It all just makes no sense whatsoever and defies logic how all of it got approved in the first place. Sasha Lane is another talented actor who has proven her talents in other projects. There is intrigue to her character, but when the execution is just so extremely sloppy across the board and there’s next to no development to these characters, you don’t give a salty shit whether they live or die.

There’s various different ways that violence in films can be accomplished, you can go for the aesthetic route (see the works of Quentin Tarantino) or you could do what the filmmakers here do and go horror film-esque gore, with copious amounts of blood and limbs getting severed left, right and centre. They seemingly making the decision to see just how many people they can kill in two hours and in the most gruesome fashions. It’s just gratuitous and serves no purpose to the advancement of the story, and neither does some of the abysmal CGI. Extremely choppy editing, and the action scenes are migraine inducing, which given Neil Marshall’s portfolio, including two masterfully directed episodes of Game of Thrones, leaves so much to be desired.

Everything about this film should serve as a strong reminder studios that if you’re going to take on a reboot, make sure that you do it right, because otherwise the world is going to be filled with more grotesque abominations like this. For fans of this character, there’s always del Toro’s films to fall back on, and based on this monstrosity, it’s a hell of shame that he was never given the chance to complete his trilogy.

A dreadful, incoherent screenplay combined with ridiculously excessive violence, ensures that this reboot is a mess of satanic proportions that belongs in the deepest depths of cinematic Hell.

2010-2019, Film Review

Dumbo (2019)

Posted on April 10, 2019April 12, 2019 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**Image is property of Walt Disney Pictures and Tim Burton Productions**

Dumbo – Film Review

Cast: Colin Farrell, Michael Keaton, Danny DeVito, Eva Green, Alan Arkin, Nico Parker, Finley Hobbins

Director: Tim Burton

Synopsis: When an elephant in the care of a struggling circus gives birth, the young creature is born with rather large ears. When it’s discovered that he can fly, the circus makes him its newest attraction to turn around its fortunes…

Review: It is very hard not to look at most of these live action re-imaginings of classic animated Disney films of yesteryear as nothing more than cynical cash grabs. For some of these films, you look at them and just think, there is no reason for these films to be remade. However, in the case of Dumbo, since the original film came out over seventy years ago, a remake does seem warranted. However, with three live action remakes set to grace the big screen this year, Disney is only just getting started, and everyone’s favourite big eared elephant is the first one in its sights.

It is 1919, and Holt (Farrell) has just come home from the First World War, a war that has taken a heavy toll on him. In his absence, his kids Millie (Parker) and Joe (Hobbins) have been enduring a difficult time, with their circus, led by Max Medici (DeVito) really falling on hard times. However an opportunity to revive their ailing fortunes presents itself with the arrival of an adorable young elephant, who happens to be born with unusually large ears. Initially the subject of much derision and ridicule, most notably from Medici, this turns to awe when it’s revealed that this young creatures’s ears give him the ability to fly. This soon attracts the attention of V. A. Vandevere (Keaton), the owner of a much bigger circus/theme park.

Given that humans didn’t feature in the original, and that the original film was just over an hour, Ehren Kruger’s screenplay has to expand on the source material. As such the human characters become the main focus of the film, and not the titular little elephant. Given that they’re the focus of the plot, the screenplay tries to give the humans something substantial to work with, and the results are mixed. DeVito is on reliably entertaining form as Medici, but it’s Holt’s daughter Millie who steals the spotlight as she is the most fleshed out character. She is a very strong willed young woman who has a keen interest in science, as well as taking care of Dumbo and helping him adapt to circus life, alongside her brother.

Parker’s performance shows that she has inherited those acting chops from her mother Thandie Newton. By contrast, none of the other human characters are really given much development, despite some of the stellar names in the cast. Michael Keaton’s character especially feels really out of place, with an accent so peculiar it’s hard to fathom what accent it is or why he’s speaking in that manner. One quick glance at the filmography of Tim Burton, and you would quickly realise that his imagination as a director is as dark and eccentric as they come. With that said, he doesn’t seem to be the most natural choice to bring Dumbo’s story to a new generation. Given the target market of the film, there’s obviously nothing as macabre or as freaky that Burton’s imagination has previously brought to the big screen.

Though, as one might expect with Burton, there are some dark undertones. Yet the direction for the most part feels very safe and doesn’t really take any risks, which feels like a missed opportunity as the scope was there to explore a dark side to the circus. The CGI for Dumbo is really well done and, as you would expect, Dumbo is completely adorable and above all else, in spite of the glittering array of talent in this cast, it’s this sweet little elephant that you find yourself rooting for the most, if only he had that little bit more screen time.