Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

Posted on November 21, 2022November 22, 2022 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery – Film Review

Cast: Daniel Craig, Edward Norton, Janelle Monáe, Kathryn Hahn, Leslie Odom Jr., Jessica Henwick, Madelyn Cline, Kate Hudson, Dave Bautista

Director: Rian Johnson

Synopsis: A group of friends are invited to a private island to take part in some murder mystery games, among the guest list is renowned detective Benoit Blanc…

Review: With its all-star cast and stark social commentary, Rian Johnson’s 2019 murder mystery Knives Out was the beginning of a renaissance for the murder mystery genre. Alongside a well-deserved Oscar nomination for Johnson’s screenplay, it ensured Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc, with his “Kentucky-fried Foghorn Leghorn drawl”(as one character so memorably put it), ensured Monseur Blanc was another addition to the memorable detectives have graced our screens over the years. So it came as no surprise when Netflix sanctioned a $469m deal for the rights to two future sequels featuring everyone’s favourite Southern sleuth. Having set such high standards, does this sequel prove Johnson can match those with yet another all-star cast? The answer, is an emphatic, yes.

Set on a remote Greek island, a tech billionaire (Norton) has invited a group of people closest to him for a weekend of murder mystery-themed shenanigans. They include a fashion designer (Hudson), her assistant (Henwick), a politician (Hahn), a scientist (Odom Jr), a YouTuber/vlogger (Bautista) and his girlfriend (Cline), and a businesswoman (Monae). Yet, also along for the ride is, mysteriously, Monsieur Blanc, whose detective skills may well be called upon once more once the murder-mystery festivities have got underway.

Given the film’s trailers gave very little away, it would be remiss not to extend the same courtesy, so the name of the game will be to be as cryptic as possible from here on out. As with this film’s predecessor, the less you know going into the sequel the better, the better. Benoit Blanc’s first mystery was far more than just your average run-of-the-mill whodunnit. It had a lot to say about privilege, class and politics while weaving a wonderfully clever murder mystery narrative into the story. So, it is immensely satisfying to see Johnson has lost none of his sharpness as he once again crafts a brilliantly witty and equally sharp screenplay keeps the audience very much on their toes. It maintains the wonderful humour of its predecessor (though sadly there are no hilarious monologues about doughnuts) whilst also retaining some very topical social commentary that makes this franchise stand out from the crowd amidst the resurgence in popularity of the murder mystery.

It seems a near impossible feat to have a more star-studded cast this time around when you look at the jam-packed A-list cast Johnson assembled for the first mystery, yet Glass Onion sure gives its predecessor a run for its money. Of course, the one constant throughout both these movies is Daniel Craig’s Benoit Blanc, and he is once again, a sheer joy to watch. Given for years, he embodied the sometimes cold and detached persona of James Bond, to see Craig throw himself back into Blanc’s shoes is wonderfully refreshing, and he is clearly once again having a blast working with Johnson’s writing. The same is also applicable to each and every member of the rest of the cast. It would be rude to go into specifics as to who shines the brightest, as this runs the risk of giving away the marvellous mystery Johnson has crafted. However, each and every one of them gets their moment to shine as the layers of this new murder mystery and what connects this group of friends are peeled back with glorious results.

What this new mystery definitely has in its favour is its exotic location, trading a Boston mansion for a luxurious Greek private island, which is captured so beautifully through Steve Yedlin’s cinematography. Equally, Rick Henrichs’ production design, particularly when it comes to the titular glass onion, is flawless. While it might disappoint some that there are no iconic sweaters this time around, costume designer Jenny Eagan more than makes up for the lack of unique knitwear, giving numerous characters plenty of colourful outfits which will surely be as memorable as those aforementioned sweaters.

But, through all it all, everything comes back to the genius of Rian Johnson. It is so wonderful to see a director who feels thoroughly at home with this genre be given carte blanche to realise his vision for this franchise, especially when the results are this good. While we can be thankful there will be at least one more case to be solved. However, given the quality of the first two entries, there are likely going to be very few complaints if Johnson continues to use his little grey cells to craft more entries in this franchise for many more years to come.

It might have seemed an impossible task to match Benoit Blanc’s first case. Yet, with its equally impressive all-star cast and an impeccably sharp and hilarious script, the master of the modern murder mystery strikes again.

2020-2029, Film Review

See How They Run (2022)

Posted on November 2, 2022November 2, 2022 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

© Searchlight Pictures, DJ Films and TSG Entertainment

See How They Run – Film Review

Cast: Sam Rockwell, Saoirse Ronan, Adrien Brody, Ruth Wilson, Reece Shearsmith, Harris Dickinson, Charlie Cooper, Pippa Bennett-Warner, Pearl Chanda, Sian Clifford, Jacob Fortune-Lloyd, David Oyelowo

Director: Tom George

Synopsis: Plans for a movie adaptation of a popular murder mystery play are thrown into chaos when a key member of the crew is murdered…

Review: There is arguably no one more associated with the concept of a whodunnit murder mystery than the legendary Agatha Christie. The creator of staples of the genre like Hercule Poirot or Miss Marple has spawned countless film and TV adaptations over many years. Given the resurging popularity of murder mysteries as of late, it would be so easy for the creative team behind this latest incarnation of the genre to be another in the long line of adaptations of Christie’s works. Still, a direct adaptation, this is not. It very much taps into Christie’s legacy and gives the audience a thrilling and brilliantly funny slice of murder mystery mayhem.

It is 1953, in the heart of London’s West End. The cast and crew of Agatha Christie’s popular play The Mousetrap throw a party to celebrate their 100th show. Present at the party is prominent American film director Leo Köpernick (Brody), who is attempting to convince the play’s producer John Woolf (Shearsmith) during the party to let him make a film adaptation of the play. However, later that evening Kopernick is found to have been murdered by a mysterious assailant. Charged with taking on the case are the jaded drunkard Detective Stoppard (Rockwell) and a very keen and eager new recruit Constable Stalker (Ronan) to investigate the circumstances surrounding Kopernick’s murder and apprehend the suspect.

The genre of the murder mystery/whodunnit has enjoyed a resurgence in recent years, so one might expect to see this one follow all of those tropes to the letter, because as one character goes at the beginning “It’s a whodunnit. You’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.” However, what makes this feature film directorial debut from Tom George so delightfully entertaining is it manages to collectively follow these tropes, whilst also providing some witty meta-commentary about the genre as a whole. But crucially, it never once comes off as condescending or patronising, as Mark Chappell’s screenplay is sharply written, keeping things moving along at a brisk pace, leaving the audience constantly on its toes as to who could this mystery assailant possibly be.

Equally, what makes this film such a joyous blast to watch are its characters. In its two lead detectives, you have two characters who could not be more opposite to one another if they tried, very much the chalk and cheese of their profession. In Rockwell’s Stoppard is a detective who has grown to be very weary, almost disinterested in his profession, and would much rather be getting drunk. Meanwhile, Ronan (who gets to use her native Irish accent) is the complete polar opposite. She is extremely eager, armed with her notepad without fail ready to jot down any information that might help them solve the case. Her love of the arts, as well as her perfect comedic timing, ensures she steals the show, an impressive feat considering the array of talent that has been assembled amongst this super-talented cast.

Through Amanda McArthur’s immaculate production design, and the snappy editing from Gary Dollner and Peter Lambert, there is a vibe throughout the whole film that is very reminiscent of a Wes Anderson production. Yet simultaneously, due to George’s direction being so confident and assured, never once feels like a rip-off or a cheap imitation, as George very much puts his own stamp on the film. When you have directors like Tom George and Rian Johnson producing films that are able to follow the genre’s well-worn tropes, yet simultaneously provide some witty social commentary, it is no surprise that the genre is enjoying a peak in its popularity, Agatha Christie would be very proud.

With its extremely witty dialogue and wonderfully drawn characters, especially those portrayed by Ronan and Rockwell, See How They Run marks another splendid addition to the whodunnit genre.

2000-2009, Film Review

Memento (2000)

Posted on July 18, 2017 by Martin: Through the Silver Screen

**Image is property of Summit Entertainment**

Memento – Film Review

Cast: Guy Pearce, Carrie-Anne Moss, Joe Pantoliano

Director: Christopher Nolan

Synopsis: A man tries to piece together clues as to who murdered his wife, whilst trying to overcome the fact that he has short term memory loss…

Review: The conventional way of telling a story: Beginning, middle, end. It is how most movies choose to tell their story. Of course, some directors have a habit of telling their stories in not exactly the right order. But for a film to elect to tell its story from the end to the beginning, is certainly bold to say the least, and could very easily backfire. However when you have a director like Christopher Nolan at the helm, it works an absolute treat!

With a screenplay adapted from a short story written by his brother Jonathan, focusing on Leonard Shelby, a guy who suffers from short-term memory loss, with not a single recollection of what he did 5 minutes ago. He’s certain of his identity and of the fact that someone killed his wife and during that incident something happened to him that gave him his condition. Through use of Polaroid pictures and tattoos on his body, he uses these as clues to what he hopes will lead him to the answers he’s desperately seeking. With some scenes playing back to front, and others playing in chronological order, it could have ended up as one convoluted mess, but under Nolan’s expert vision, it’s not a mess, it’s mindbogglingly brilliant and, at the same time, really perplexing.

The way he tells the story is certainly unconventional, but it keeps you engaged. You know how the story went from point A to point B, but watching it go from point B back to point A, is just completely riveting to watch, and very unique. The riveting story is boosted significantly by the brilliant work of the case, especially Pearce. Given that the film focuses on Leonard and his condition, it was of critical importance that the actor gave a believable performance, and that is exactly what Pearce gives, you buy into this guy and his condition, and it remains perhaps the greatest performance of his career. Carrie Anne Moss is also superb as Natalie, a woman who is helping Leonard fit together the pieces of his puzzle and there’s Joe Pantoliano’s Teddy, a man who you’re never quite sure as to what his ulterior motive is.

Whenever you watch a thriller, a twist that the audience never sees coming is so often thrown in there so it can stun the audience when the penny drops and it’s revealed. Though Nolan doesn’t give himself that chance to shock the audience, the structure of the film ensures it remains a cinematic experience unlike anything else. With an excellent score from David Julyan, this was the film that made audiences really sit up and take note of Christopher Nolan and his considerable talents, which were duly recognised with an Oscar nomination for his screenplay. And as we all well know, it certainly wasn’t the last time audiences would hear of him, not a chance.