2020-2029, Film Review

Dune: Part Two (2024)

Posted on February 27, 2024September 23, 2024 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

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

Dune: Part Two – Film Review

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

Director: Denis Villeneuve

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

Review: “This is only the beginning”, as those words spoken by Fremen warrior Chani (Zendaya), with Hans Zimmer’s incredible score, rang in our ears by the conclusion of the first half of this adaptation of Frank Herbert’s revolutionary 1965 novel, it was a tantalising tease of what was to come. However, it might have all been for nought, as a second film was not guaranteed due to the decision to give it a simultaneous cinematic release and a day-and-date release on streaming. With a $400m haul at the box office (a mightily impressive feat given the pandemic) and viewed by 1.9 million households in the US on its opening weekend on streaming. The audiences spoke, as did the Academy with six Oscars, and the Spice Gods greenlit a sequel. After a few delayed release dates, the time has come to return to Arrakis, and Denis Villeneuve has again defied the odds to deliver another magnificent demonstration of desert power.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

2020-2029, Film Review

Oppenheimer (2023)

Posted on September 4, 2023September 4, 2023 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Oppenheimer – Film Review

Cast: Cillian Murphy, Emily Blunt, Matt Damon, Robert Downey Jr., Florence Pugh, Josh Hartnett, Casey Affleck, Rami Malek, Kenneth Branagh, Alden Ehrenreich, Benny Safdie, Jason Clarke, Dane DeHaan, David Dastmalchian

Director: Christopher Nolan

Synopsis: Telling the story of the theoretical physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer and how he helped to develop the atomic bomb during World War II…

Review: The filmography of Christopher Nolan has always had a fascination with science and the impact advances in science could have on society. Interstellar travel, a globe-trotting time-bending/inverting mission, the exploration of a fierce rivalry between a pair of magicians blowing minds with their impressive tricks, and of course, a certain caped crusader fighting crime with an array of scientific gadgets. Therefore, given the direct namecheck in Tenet, it felt inevitable that Nolan would sooner or later turn his attention to the story of the scientist regarded as one of the most influential people to have ever lived, during one of the most defining moments of the 20th century. A man known as the father of the atomic bomb, one of the deadliest scientific creations in human history, J. Robert Oppenheimer.

Based on the 2005 biography American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer by Kai Bird and Martin J. Sherwin, Nolan’s screenplay is extensive in its scope and ambition in how it chooses to depict the life of its eponymous theoretical physicist. Though in typical Nolan fashion, he doesn’t do things by the book regarding what one might expect from a biopic. Split between two perspectives, “Fission” depicts how events were seen from Oppenheimer’s point-of-view, while “Fusion” opts for a black-and-white colour palette and depicts the latter stages of Oppenenheimer’s career, specifically when his security clearance was up for renewal and the intense scrutiny which surrounded him and his Communist links. Links, given the USA at the time was entering the Cold War with the Soviet Union and at the height of McCarthyism, are of enormous concern to the government, which became of particular interest to Lewis Strauss (Downey Jr.), the former chair of the Atomic Energy Commission, who later sought a top position in the US government.

As one would expect from Nolan, the film takes a non-linear approach to the story by continuously jumping between the two timelines throughout. However, what follows over the course of the next three hours is a fascinating exploration of a pivotal moment in history, a complex character study of the man at the centre of the creation of this deadly weapon and the impact it had on his conscience, the immediate and far-reaching consequences of the bombs being dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki bringing World War II to an end. Yet, in doing so, ignited the arms race between the world’s two superpowers which would define global politics for the next several decades and still has an effect on world politics to this very day. It is unquestionably a very dialogue-driven film, but Nolan’s screenplay never fails to keep events on screen engaging with the dialogue every so often interjected with scenes of atoms colliding, and Jennifer Lame’s editing ensures the film’s pacing remains brisk.

Having worked with Nolan numerous times across his career in supporting roles, Cillian Murphy finally gets his chance in the leading role and he seizes it with both hands. Through those piercing blue eyes, Murphy’s extraordinary performance takes us deep into the mind of this man and allows him to fully exhibit a range of emotions. From a brief look at his academic life, his early days as a university professor teaching quantum physics, a triumphant moment following the end of World War II, to his haunting guilt over creating a deadly weapon that has wrought unspeakable horror and devastation on countless lives. Alongside Murphy’s incredible leading performance, Nolan has arguably assembled the all-star cast to end all-star casts, with everyone giving an excellent performance. In a cast this stacked, it is hard to stand out from the crowd, but the one who shines brightest is Robert Downey Jr. as Lewis Strauss. For years, he charmed audiences as the genius, billionaire, playboy, and philanthropist Tony Stark. This is a very different role, but as he did throughout his tenure in the MCU, Downey shows off his incredible talents and portrays Strauss as a very driven individual who is at the forefront of the pushback against Oppenheimer following the conclusion of WWII and will find anything he can to discredit the physicist.

On the subject of the Manhatten Project, which dominates the second act of the film and is where Nolan’s renowned technical wizardry comes to the fore. Through Hoyte van Hoyetma’s stunning cinematography and incredible sound work, the recreation of the testing of atomic devices ensures the audience feels the effects of these blasts. It all acts as a prelude to the nerve-shredding Trinity Test sequence, which Oppenheimer feared could cause a chain reaction that would destroy the world. The audience knows it won’t have that effect, but Ludwig Gorannsson’s score masterfully captures that nerve-shredding tension that would have undoubtedly raced through the minds of these scientists until the explosion. An explosion which, incredulously, is fully captured in camera without the assistance of special effects, a mind-blowing cinematic accomplishment.

However, while the technical mastery on display cannot be denied, what has been Nolan’s Achilles heel throughout his career has been writing female characters. Unfortunately, the female characters leave much to be desired. Florence Pugh makes the most of her limited screen time as Communist Party member Jean Tatlock, Oppenheimer’s mistress. Though, while they serve the narrative to an extent, a handful of her scenes feature full-frontal nudity and they ultimately come across as gratuitous. Emily Blunt’s turn as Kitty Oppenheimer could have very easily gone in a similar direction in which she is barely utilised and falls into the stereotype of the supporting housewife, but she avoids that with a memorable and fiery exchange with lawyer Roger Robb (Jason Clarke) during her husband’s security clearance hearings. While Nolan’s fascination with science in his previous films gave him theoretical scientific premises to explore, what he put under his cinematic microscope here is a world away from what he has previously accomplished in his career. The impact of this scientific breakthrough, the psychological effect it had on the man who developed it, and the long-lasting consequences of what can happen when one man, and indeed a whole country choose to play God, consequences which are still reverberating on the world stage today.

Under the vision of its masterful director, with a packed all-star cast led by an incredible awards-worthy performance from Cillian Murphy, gives Nolan the requisite materials required to craft a riveting and forensic character study of a man whose work changed the course of human history forever.

2020-2029, Film Review

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (2023)

Posted on May 31, 2023May 31, 2023 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

© DreamWorks Animation and Universal Pictures

Puss in Boots: The Last Wish – Film Review

Cast: Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek Pinault, Harvey Guillén, Florence Pugh, Olivia Colman, Ray Winstone, Samson Kayo, John Mulaney, Wagner Moura, Da’Vine Joy Randolph, Anthony Mendez

Directors: Joel Crawford and Januel Mercado

Synopsis: Discovering he has gone through eight of his nine lives, Puss in Boots discovers a possibility to restore all of his lives through a magical wishing star…

Review: With his signature boots, hat and sword, it is easy to see why the cunning (and cute when he wants to be) feline warrior known as Puss in Boots captured the attention of everyone when he first appeared in Shrek 2 back in 2004. While he cropped up again in later sequels, the first sequel featuring everyone’s grumpy but lovable ogre remained the jewel in the crown for the franchise based in a land far far away. While he later appeared in his own 2011 spin-off which came and went without seemingly too much fanfare, this sequel has come along to put the Shrek franchise back on the map with the best film in the franchise since the first Shrekquel.

Puss In Boots (Banderas) is living his best lives as a fearless warrior who craves adventure, which leads to an enthralling encounter between Puss and a gargantuan monster/mountain hybrid, all within the film’s opening first act. While he succeeds in his fight against the creature, it comes at a cost. Upon waking up, he finds out that he has used up eight of his nine lives and is urged to put his swashbuckling adventure days behind him for good. However, Puss learns of the existence of a magical wishing star which could replenish his lives, but Puss soon discovers he is being hunted by a terrifying hooded wolf (Moura), the physical manifestation of death itself, and must evade him at all costs before he has a chance to get his lives back.

In a franchise which at its peak was a clever and hilarious look at our perception of fairytales, Paul Fisher and Tommy Swerdlow’s screenplay leans into the fairytale world with the magical wishing star, as well as the use of some high profile characters from well-known fables as side characters, most notably Goldilocks (Pugh) and the Three Bears (Winstone, Colman and Kayo). However, it expertly combines this fairytale backdrop with a Western heavy vibe as Puss, a feline version of Clint Eastwood’s antihero from The Man With No Name trilogy in many respects, must battle an assortment of creatures big and small in his quest to avoid a permanent encounter with death. Banderas has always felt perfect for this role and he is once again perfect as there’s an array of emotions Puss goes through over the course of this enthralling adventure, which must see Puss reluctantly work with a past flame in Kitty Softpaws (Hayek Pinault), who is not happy with Puss, to say the least.

It makes for a fascinating dynamic between these two as they go on their adventure, aided by adorable therapy dog Perro (Guillen). Alongside them, Wagner Moura’s performance as the physical incarnation of death feels particularly chilling and foreboding. The best family movies are the ones which combine elements which will delight younger audiences while giving older members thought-provoking and mature themes. With its explorations of mortality, and the anxiety which can come along with that, it adds so much emotional weight to the story. Ever since the release of Spider-Man Into The Spider-Verse, the bar for producing ground-breaking animation has been raised massively. The combination of the fairytale setting, as well as the Western vibe, gives the animators the opportunity to tinker with varying styles of animation. Whether it’s the glint in a character’s eye, an exhilarating action scene, the visualisation of the titular wishing star or another form of magic artefact, the visuals remain dazzlingly impressive throughout.

It is a shame the Big Bad Wolf/Death’s appearances in the film are fleeting because he is such a commanding, ominous presence, it makes the film’s main villain Jack Horner (Mulaney) seem a bit superfluous in comparison. Horner is a bit one note in terms of him being just straight-up evil and cruel with barely any nuance to him, it makes you wish the film had used more of the former and less of the latter. Nevertheless, while many had assumed the Shrek franchise was consigned to the books where one would read about all those fairytales it parodied, Puss In Boots: The Last Wish serves as a reminder that, like its titular hero seeking to replenish his nine lives, there could be plenty more life, and magic, left in the franchise in a land not too far from Far Far Away.

Visually stunning, with a layered and emotionally resonant story at its core, this latest venture into the world of fairytales and talking animals with everyone’s favourite feline warrior will leave audiences purring with delight.

2020-2029, Film Review

Don’t Worry Darling (2022)

Posted on September 21, 2022September 27, 2023 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**© Warner Bros Pictures, New Line Cinema and Vertigo Entertainment**

Don’t Worry Darling – Film Review

Cast: Florence Pugh, Harry Styles, Olivia Wilde, Gemma Chan, KiKi Layne, Nick Kroll, Chris Pine

Director: Olivia Wilde

Synopsis: A housewife living in an idyllic neighbourhood in the 1950s with her husband begins to suspect not everything is as it appears to be in their perfect community…

Review: It is always interesting to see what happens when an actor opts to move from in front of the camera to try their hands at directing. In the case of Olivia Wilde, her directorial debut Booksmart proved to be an uproarious comedy which explored what happens when two studious high school students opt to swap their books for one night of raucous partying. Unfortunately in the run-up to the release of her sophomore feature, much has been made of the reported drama that has seemingly plagued the film in the build-up to its release. From reported arguments between cast members during the production, reported arguments between cast members, and even more drama during its premiere at the Venice Film Festival which has all cast a very large shadow over the project. With this in mind, one would have hoped all the drama would fade into the background had Wilde followed up her wonderful directorial debut with another roaring success. Unfortunately, it doesn’t quite live up to that billing.

In 1950s America, in the picturesque but isolated neighbourhood of Victory, lives Alice (Pugh) and her husband Jack (Styles). In this community, while all the men go off to work on their mysterious jobs during the day, overseen by Frank (Pine), all of the women are expected to be at home doing chores enjoying all of the comforts the community of Victory has to offer. While at night, the couples mingle and throw lavish parties. However, Alice soon begins to experience strange events which lead her to question her existence in this community and suspect something may be amiss with their idyllic lives.

Without any question of a doubt, the greatest asset of the movie is another incredible performance from Florence Pugh. An actor who continues to demonstrate every time she’s on-screen why she is one of the most popular, and best, actors working today. She commits everything to her performance and we watch how this seemingly perfect lifestyle, where she has everything she could possibly want, slowly begins to crumble around her. It leads her down a dark and disturbing path where she soon starts to question everything, including what it is that Jack and all of the other men are really doing at Victory HQ, leading some of the other residents of Victory to dismiss her as paranoid and delusional. After his incredible debut performance in Dunkirk, Harry Styles had the unenviable task of acting alongside his talented co-star. While he can’t quite make up his mind about his character’s accent, he does a solid enough job and has decent chemistry with his co-star, but Pugh outshines him, and everyone else. Furthermore, aside from a rather menacing turn from Chris Pine as the leader of this community, the rest of the cast is severely underutilised, particularly Gemma Chan and KiKi Layne.

Matthew Libatique’s superb cinematography expertly juxtaposes the sun-drenched tranquillity of Victory with the dark and sinister imagery of burlesque dancers hinting at something deeply sinister at the heart of this community. Wilde steps up her game as a directing and brings a unique visual flair to this contrasting imagery, while she also delivers some pulsating chase sequences in the third act. However, what ultimately really lets the film down is its severely lacklustre script. Reteaming with Katie Silberman, one of the co-writers of Booksmart, it starts on a strong footing as it maintains the intrigue as Alice begins to investigate what is really happening in this perceived utopia these people find themselves. Furthermore, the unnerving score from John Powell maintains the suspense as some rather disturbing truths soon come to light. Without getting into spoiler territory, the film’s exploration of pertinent themes, namely the patriarchal nature of society and the male gaze is to be commended. Unfortunately, once certain details about the world of Victory and its inhabitants have come to light in the third act, the reveals are wholly unsatisfying as they fail to fully develop and expand on them. It all amounts to sheer frustration that by the time the credits begin to roll, the audience is left with more questions than answers.

Despite these shortcomings, Wilde cannot be faulted for her bravery in following up her extremely successful directorial debut with an ambitious sophomore effort which reinforces her as a director to keep an eye on. It is ultimately a real disappointment given the scope of the project and the talent in front of and behind the camera, that potential has frittered away by the time the credits begin to roll. A real shame, darling.

Despite a premise bursting with ideas and promise, not even a stellar performance from Pugh can prevent Wilde’s follow-up to her brilliant directorial debut from failing to capitalise on its vast potential.

2020-2029, Film Review

Black Widow (2021)

Posted on July 10, 2021July 12, 2021 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Black Widow – Film Review

Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, O-T Fagbenle, William Hurt, Ray Winstone, Rachel Weisz

Directors: Cate Shortland

Synopsis: Set between the events of Captain America: Civil War and Avengers: Infinity War, something from Natasha Romanoff’s past draws her back to her early days as a KGB assassin and her training in the ominous Red Room…

Review: Since making her MCU debut back in 2010, it didn’t take long for Natasha Romanoff to establish herself as an integral part of the MCU and its core group of badass superheroes who will stop at nothing to save the world. Even if it comes at great personal cost for the hero, as Natasha’s MCU journey brought was brought to a devastating conclusion where in 2019’s Avengers: Endgame, she heroically sacrificed herself to ensure that all those who were snapped away, were eventually able to come back. Given that tragic fate in Endgame, it does seem a bit odd to have a Black Widow solo film be released now. However, even though it has definitely come a few years too late, it is joyous to see this beloved character finally get her own moment in the spotlight.

Picking up just after the events of Captain America: Civil War, Natasha is on the run from the authorities having violated the Sokovia Accords. She is laying low in some picturesque terrain, in the middle of nowhere, planning her next move. When she receives a package from someone in her past that connects to her training in the mysterious Red Room and the Black Widow programme, she heads to Budapest. Whilst there, she reunites with her “sister”, and fellow Black Widow recruit, Yelena Belova (Pugh). When deadly forces come after them, they resolve to find the Red Room, and bring down the man behind it, the villainous Dreykov (Winstone).

Given that she has played this role for over a decade, Scarlett Johansson once again shines as Natasha/Black Widow, in what is in all likelihood, her last ever appearance in this role. Though given we know what ultimately happens to her character, the journey that screenwriter Eric Pearson takes her on for this film gives the audience an understanding of certain events in Natasha’s past that previous MCU films had only given the most brief of references to. While Johansson has plenty of moments to shine, Florence Pugh as Yelena is the one who ends up stealing the show. Given the MCU’s use of humour, a lot of these moments come about in interactions between Yelena and Natasha, as well as their adoptive parents Alexei (Harbour) and Melina (Weisz), the former of whom is clearly having a lot of fun in this role as Red Guardian, the Russian equivalent to Captain America.

With so many MCU films having come before it, it’s almost an expectation at this point that the film will be accompanied by exhilarating action scenes, which this film has. While they are unquestionably exciting to watch and competently directed, action scenes like this have become so commonplace that you have to make something special to stand out, and unfortunately, the action scenes here are very much run-of-the-mill for the MCU. While the performances of all the main cast shine, what is often a big problem for MCU films is their villains are disappointing, and sadly the film’s antagonists very much fall into that bracket. While Winstone is menacing as Dreykov, his iffy Russian accent leaves a lot to be desired. Likewise, for the film’s secondary villain Taskmaster. Those who have played the PS4 Spider-Man game will know what this character can be like, and unfortunately, this on screen iteration of Taskmaster feels but a poor imitation of what had the potential to be a very intriguing antagonist.

While the second and third acts are thrilling to watch due to its strong themes of female empowerment, and the Captain America: Winter Soldier-esque espionage thriller elements that are at play, there’s unfortunately one inescapable fact that this film cannot shake off. Namely that, as this new phase of Marvel kicks off, the films and TV shows becoming inter-twined, the potential impact that a Black Widow solo film could have had on this franchise has been lost due to the time in which it has taken for it to come to fruition. Due to the knowledge that we have as to where this character’s arc ultimately concludes, releasing it as the first film to launch Phase 4 means that the lack of stakes present here really hamper the potential that it had to become a top-tier, game-changing MCU film. What might have been had the film been released during Phase 3 instead?

The wait for a solo Black Widow film limits its overall impact on the MCU in general. However, thanks to its strong story and the introduction of some exciting new characters, Johansson’s swansong in this role does justice to this beloved character that played such an integral role in the MCU over many years.

2010-2019, Film Review

Little Women (2019)

Posted on January 11, 2020June 8, 2025 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**Image is property of Columbia Pictures, Regency Enterprises and Sony Pictures**

Little Women – Film Review

Cast: Saoirse Ronan, Emma Watson, Florence Pugh, Eliza Scanlen, Laura Dern, Timothée Chalamet, Meryl Streep, Tracy Letts, Bob Odenkirk, James Norton, Louis Garrel, Chris Cooper

Director: Greta Gerwig

Synopsis: Telling the lives of the March sisters as they navigate the transition from adolescence to adulthood in a post-Civil War USA…

Review: After the storming success of her unique and original debut film, which added her name to the select few women to have been nominated for an Oscar for directing, the world was the oyster for Greta Gerwig. For her sophomore feature, she would have likely had the green light to make anything that she so desired. Therefore, to give the beloved novel by Louisa May Alcott another adaptation seemed to be unnecessary. However, Gerwig has taken on this adaptation and breathed new life into this beloved story, in magnificent style.

In a post-Civil War United States, we meet the March sisters: Jo (Ronan), Meg (Watson), Amy (Pugh) and Beth (Scanlen). We see their lives from two different time periods, firstly in a post-Civil War setting, mixed in with flashbacks to their time spent growing up together in Massachusetts. Jo is determined to make her own way in the world to pursue a career as a writer, Amy wishes to become an artist, Meg dreams of becoming an actress, and Beth aspires to be a musician. They assist their mother (Dern) in any way they can while their father is away fighting in the war. Growing up, the sisters spend a lot of their time together, supporting their mother in any way they could, as their lack of money meant that luxuries were extremely hard to come by.

Straight away, the chemistry between the four sisters leaps off the screen. There is a warm feeling that comes off in the relationships that they have with each other. Their chemistry feels very sincere and genuine, which is a credit to the talent of the actresses playing them. As anyone who grew up with one or more siblings will tell you, they love and care for each other. Yet, at any given moment, that can flip on its head, and that love can turn to loathing. Every member of this cast delivers delightful performances, from Meryl Streep’s hilarious turn as their snidey (but hilarious) Aunt, to Laura Dern as their steadfast and extremely patient mother, to Timothee Chalamet as their childhood friend, who becomes the man that they all would dream of marrying.

However, the stars of the show (as they should be), are the titular little women, the March sisters. Gerwig’s screenplay explores in great detail the pressures that women like the sisters would have faced during that time period. Finding themselves in a position where they would love nothing more than to follow their hearts, but they are frustrated due to the constraints that society placed on women at the time. The strength of the screenplay ensures that Gerwig gives each of her stars excellent material to work with. It enables each of their personalities to shine through, and though each of them all give a sincere performance, the performances by Saoirse Ronan’s Jo and Florence Pugh’s Amy shine the brightest.

The score by Alexandre Desplat is befitting of the warm and delightful ambience that the film generates. Similarly, Jacqueline Durran’s wonderful costumes perfectly illustrate the calibre of such an esteemed, Oscar-winning costume designer. The film adopts a non-linear approach to its storytelling, which can perhaps be a little jarring at first to any viewers who may be unfamiliar with the source material. It’s a testament to Alcott’s novel that it can still resonate with people over a century and a half after it was first published, proving it to be a timeless piece of storytelling. Furthermore, it has proved to be a springboard for a talent like Greta Gerwig to adapt it once again for the big screen so beautifully. She retains those powerful core messages that will especially resonate with everyone, regardless of their gender, but especially for women who grew up with sisters.

One might have argued that this beloved novel did not need yet another adaptation. However, a terrific ensemble cast led by Ronan and Pugh, combined with Gerwig’s excellent screenplay, ensures that this latest adaptation will charm its way into your heart.

2010-2019, Film Review

Midsommar (2019)

Posted on July 6, 2019May 29, 2025 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Midsommar – Film Review

Cast: Florence Pugh, Jack Reynor, William Jackson Harper, Vilhelm Blomgren, Archie Madekwe, Ellora Torchia, Will Poulter

Director: Ari Aster

Synopsis: After a personal tragedy strikes, troubled student Dani travels to Sweden with her boyfriend, Christian, and a group of their friends. What starts out as a pleasant trip quickly descends into a nightmare as they become involved with a sinister pagan cult…

Review: Quite often, when you picture the setting of horror films, the scene of a house set in pitch-black nighttime may come to mind. However, this doesn’t have to be the case. Case in point, in his follow-up feature to Hereditary, Ari Aster proves that you don’t necessarily need the dead of night darkness to make something seem scary, as something just as horrifying or unnerving can occur when the sun is shining in the bright summer sky.

Dani (Pugh) is going through an extremely difficult time in her life in the wake of an unimaginable personal tragedy, and it’s having an adverse effect on her relationship with her boyfriend Christian (Reynor). When she finds out he’s heading off to Sweden with a few of their friends for a festival that only happens once every 90 years, she decides to join them, hoping to take her mind off things. Upon arrival, while things start off nice and peaceful, it doesn’t take long for things to go sour as the festival quickly descends into a hellish nightmare, basking in the hot Swedish Summer sun.

There is no sense of urgency in which Aster chooses to tell his story. His screenplay deliberately bides its time so this enables each act of the film to serve a purpose to the story, though this slow pace could be problematic to some viewers. The first act is solely concentrated on Dani’s testing relationship with Christian, which is on the brink of collapse, fuelling a sense of dread for Dani that lingers throughout the film. Through all of the ensuing horror that the festival’s activities bring later on in the film, the relationship of these two people is at the centre of this sun-soaked nightmare.

Once we get to Sweden, however, and the festivities have begun, things start to get deeply disturbing for Dani, Christian and their friends. To say that this film is not for the faint of heart would be an extreme understatement, due to quite a large amount of disturbing imagery. Though it would be easy to be shocking for the sake of being shocking, the imagery is thought-provoking, with the themes of grief, loneliness, and rejection all present. With just about every frame, there’s a lot of symbolism to be extracted from the unnerving festivities, so much so that one could write pages upon pages of analysis of what is being depicted on-screen.

There is not a single false note in any of the performances, but without doubt, Dani is the heart and soul of the film, and Florence Pugh gives a wounded, layered, awards-worthy performance. Out of Christian and the rest of their gang, it’s Will Poulter’s Mark who comes closest to stealing the spotlight as a man who’s less than impressed with the festival’s activities. This is something that the locals don’t take kindly to, and they consequently give off sinister vibes to send a shiver (or two) down your spine.

Aster has crafted something that will be analysed for many years to come. The direction, combined with extremely beautiful cinematography and immaculate production design, is all beautiful to look at. These juxtapose perfectly with the trauma of the events playing out in front of us, it manages to be simultaneously haunting and mesmerising to look at, with an unsettling score from The Haxan Cloak. Nightmares definitely can happen in broad daylight, hence, we should all just stay indoors.